U2, Bon Jovi, Soundgarden, Public Enemy topping summer concerts

Forget what the calendar says. The summer concert season is almost here.

For the next five months, music of just about every style and vintage will be played at concerts all over Chicago and the suburbs.

Are you a baby boomer hoping to reconnect with artists from your youth? Elton John and the Eagles have Chicago-area stops planned. Or maybe you're a Gen-Xer looking for an '80s fix? Then don't miss upcoming shows by Echo & the Bunnymen and the Psychedelic Furs.

And that just scratches the surface. Fans of rap, country, indie rock and more will have plenty of live music options to choose from this summer.

Here, then, is a quick look at some of the bigger shows on the horizon. It's not a complete list, by any means, but it should spark some thought about where you want to spend your rock 'n' roll dollars.

Ticket availability for the shows will vary. If your favorites are already sold out, there's always next year.

Boomer heavenEven though some are well into their 60s, the rockers who entertained baby boomers back in the day continue to draw huge crowds. This spring and summer, the Chicago area will be crawling with these acts.Ultimate showman Elton John hits town next week and plays the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates on Thursday, April 15. Tickets range from $39.50 to $169. Call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or visit ticketmaster.com.Legendary songwriters James Taylor and Carole King will make a joint appearance on May 24 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, and again on July 9 at the United Center in Chicago. The Rosemont show is sold out, but at press time tickets were available for the United Center show. Tickets range from $50 to $350. Call (800) 745-3000 or visit ticketmaster.com.Flash back to the 1970s with STYX, Foreigner and Kansas at Chicago's Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island. Tickets for the June 5 show are $41 to $66.50. Call (877) 598-8694 or go to livenation.com.The Eagles, one of the most popular groups in history, will fly into Chicago's Soldier Field on June 19. Tickets range from $55 to $225, and are available through Ticketmaster.Getting twangySummer isn't just for rock fans. Those who like a bit more twang in their tunes will have plenty to choose from, too.Tim McGraw and the white-hot Lady Antebellum will share a date on June 26 at the First Midwest Amphitheatre in Tinley Park. Tickets go on sale Saturday, April 10. Go to livenation.com.Brooks and Dunn will play on Aug. 8 at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre. $28.50 to $73.75. Call (877) 598-8497 or go to livenation.com.Rock heavyweightsBands don't get much bigger than U2 and Bon Jovi, and both will be cranking out their unique brands of anthemic rock 'n' roll in Soldier Field this summer. (U2 specializes in socially conscious rock with an arty edge, while Bon Jovi kicks out the pop-metal jams.)U2 plays on July 6. Tickets are $30 to $250. Bon Jovi plays July 30 and 31, $36.50 to $126.50. Available through Ticketmaster.Indie festivalsFor the hipsters in the crowd, the Pitchfork Music Festival and Lollapalooza will offer plenty of smart, creative rock music this summer. The Pitchfork lineup includes a reunited Pavement, LCD Soundsystem, Modest Mouse and St. Vincent, among many others. Lollapalooza's line-up - announced Tuesday - includes Green Day, Lady Gaga, Soundgarden, Arcade Fire, Phoenix and The Strokes. The Pitchfork Music Festival runs July 16-18 at Chicago's Union Park. Single-day tickets are $40 (three-day passes are sold out), and available at ticketweb.com.Lollapalooza will be held Aug. 6-8 at Chicago's Grant Park. Advance three-day passes are on sale now for $190. (The cost will rise to $215 after the initial advance allotment runs out.) At press time, single-day tickets were not yet on sale. Go to lollapalooza.com.Gen-X flashback It will be prom night all over again for Generation Xers this summer, as two key 1980s bands come back to the live stage. How totally awesome!Anthemic art-rockers Echo the Bunnymen will play April 21 at Chicago's Metro. The Psychedelic Furs, led by the wonderfully gravelly singer Richard Butler, will play Metro on June 11. Tickets are $26 for Echo, and $28.50 for the Furs. They're available at metrochicago.com.Beats and rhymesMore than 30 years after it emerged from the streets and clubs of New York, hip hop continues to be a major force in pop culture. Plenty of rappers will bring the noise this summer.Public Enemy, arguably the greatest rap group ever, hasn't lost a bit of its edge, even if most younger folks know Flavor Flav as a reality TV star. The group will play June 26 at the Congress Theater in Chicago. $25. Go to congresschicago.com.On the poppier side of hip hop, the Black Eyed Peas return to the Chicago area for an Aug. 13 date at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont. Tickets are $49.50 to $89.50, and they're available through Ticketmaster.Jam on ... and onPhish, the jam band that inspired college students everywhere to drop everything and follow the group around the country, is adding to last year's phenomenally successful reunion tour with another national go-round. The group will play June 11 at Toyota Park in Bridgeview. Tickets are $46.50, and available through Ticketmaster.Sensational settingRavinia in Highland Park is one of the Chicago area's best summer music venues, and this year's schedule has something for everyone. Tickets for the summer shows go on sale April 22. Here are some highlights of the season; a full listing is available at ravinia.org. bull; Influential Chicago power-poppers Cheap Trick play on July 10. $22-$50. bull; Infectious new wave band the B-52s appears on July 21. $22-$50. bull; And Crosby, Stills and Nash arrive on Aug. 22. $27-$80. Call (847) 266-5100 or go to ravinia.org.False20001519Legendary piano man Elton John will play in Hoffman Estates next week.Associated press photoFalse