Upcoming concert season looks especially promising

While we've been lucky in terms of winter, it's still hard not to yearn for spring and summer right now, especially because so much great live music is performed in the city and suburbs during those warm (or at least warmer) months.

This year, pop music titans like Lady Antebellum, Coldplay and Van Halen all plan to make stops here. Ageless crooner Neil Diamond will make an appearance, as will Pink Floyd vet Roger Waters, who plans to perform "The Wall" in its entirety.

And indie-rock fans will have plenty to choose from, with club shows all season long and at least two big festivals on tap - the Pitchfork Music Festival and the more radio-friendly Lollapalooza.

A busy season, all in all, so we've selected some highlights to give you a sense of what shows are on the horizon. If one catches your interest, don't wait to buy tickets. Even big summer shows sell out!

<b>Rock legends</b>

A couple of shows stand out for lovers of classic rock. <b>The Beach Boys</b>, including former St. Charles resident Brian Wilson, have reunited to celebrate the band's 50th anniversary. Wilson, the driving force behind the band's 1966 masterpiece, "Pet Sounds," is touring with the band for the first time in more than two decades. The Beach Boys will bring their harmonies and orchestral pop hooks to the Chicago Theatre for two nights: May 21 and 22. (175 N. State St., (312) 443-1130, thechicagotheatre.com)

In June, Pink Floyd founding member <b>Roger Waters</b> will perform the group's classic 1980 album "The Wall." Fans of the record know there's nothing small about it, so Waters is bringing his elaborate live production to Chicago's Wrigley Field on June 8. (1060 W. Addison St., tickets.com)

<b>'Arena' ready</b>

Suburbanites are lucky to have a major concert venue like Rosemont's Allstate Arena so close to home. A number of top-shelf acts are scheduled to perform there this spring and summer.

&#376; Grammy-winning country-pop superstars <b>Lady Antebellum</b> will perform at 7 p.m. Friday, March 9. Opening will be Darius Rucker, the former lead singer of '90s posters Hootie and the Blowfish.

&#376; <b>Van Halen</b>, this time including original lead singer David Lee Roth, will visit the Allstate Arena on April 1. The opener will be Kool and the Gang. Yes, the '80s are back! Can't wait to hear "Panama"!

&#376; <b>The Red Hot Chili Peppers</b>, who've transformed themselves from an outlaw funk-punk band into a radio-friendly mainstream act, will make a stop on May 28. (6920 N. Mannheim Road, (847) 635-6601, allstatearena.com)

<b>Legendary voice</b>

<b>Willie Nelson</b> will bring his expressive twang and literate songs to the suburbs for two shows at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora. He'll perform Wednesday and Thursday, April 11-12. Nelson is nothing less than a music legend, having sold more than 40 million records and won 37 awards in his long career. These promise to be great springtime shows. (23 E. Galena Blvd., (630) 896-6666, paramountaurora.com.)

<b>Roots rockers</b>

<b>The BoDeans</b> will return to the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles on April 20, though the band will be missing guitarist and vocalist Sammy Llanas, who provided beautiful harmony vocals with Kurt Neumann. (Llanas left the band last year.) Neumann is a great singer in his own right, though, and those rootsy BoDeans songs are always a treat to hear. (105 E. Main St., (630) 962-7000, oshows.com)

<b>Stadium acts</b>

Rock duo <b>The Black Keys</b> are one of the music industry's brightest stories. The band, known for its gritty, bluesy take on rock 'n' roll, has cultivated a huge following on the strength of solid records (including its most recent one, "El Camino") and nonstop touring. This spring and summer, The Black Keys are making the jump to big arenas with a tour that includes a March 19 stop at Chicago's United Center.

<b>Coldplay</b>, the British alt-pop band fronted by Gwyneth Paltrow's husband, Chris Martin, continues to reign as one of music's biggest contemporary acts. The band has two shows coming up at the United Center this summer - Aug. 7 and Aug. 8. (1901 W. Madison St., (312) 455-4500, unitedcenter.com)

<b>Indie sounds</b>

A number of solid shows are on tap for people with tastes that hover on the left side of the radio dial.

&#376; <b>Local H</b>, a punk-pop band consisting of Lake County natives Scott Lucas and Brian St. Clair, has shows coming up at 8 p.m. Friday, March 9, at the Montrose Room in Rosemont; Friday, March 30, at Chord on Blues in St. Charles; and Saturday, May 5, at the Double Door in Chicago. The band will be playing songs from its long-awaited upcoming album (due out later in the year). (The Montrose Room is located at 4300 N. River Road, Rosemont, (847) 544-5300, montroseroom.com; Chord on Blues is located at 106 S. Riverside, St. Charles, (630) 513-0074, chordonblues.com; the Double Door is at 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, (773) 489-3160, doubledoor.com)

&#376; <b>Wild Flag</b>, a group that features members of acclaimed bands like Helium and Sleater-Kinney (including "Portlandia" star Carrie Brownstein), will hit Chicago's Metro on April 5. Wild Flag's self-titled debut was one of the best records of 2011. (3730 N. Clark St., (773) 549-4140, metrochicago.com)

&#376; <b>St. Vincent</b> (her real name is Annie Clark) has dazzled critics and audiences with her baroque, offbeat musical arrangements and her breathy, high-pitched singing. She hits Chicago's Vic Theatre on May 11. (3145 N. Sheffield Ave., (773) 472-0449, jamusa.com)

<b>Still crooning</b>

One of the most beloved and recognizable voices in pop music belongs to <b>Neil Diamond</b>, and he'll be running through his extensive catalog of hits during a show at the United Center on July 6. There's no doubt the man can overdo the schmaltz. But songs like "Cracklin' Rosie" and "Sweet Caroline" are undeniable pop gems. (1901 W. Madison St., (312) 455-4500, unitedcenter.com)

<b>Festival fever</b>

Summertime always brings its share of music festivals to the city. The two biggies for rock fans are the Pitchfork Music Festival and Lollapalooza.

<b>Pitchfork</b>, generally considered the more adventurous and cutting-edge of the two, will be held July 13-15 at Chicago's Union Park. Tickets go on sale at noon Friday, March 9, and they tend to sell out in a matter of weeks, so don't dawdle. A few of the performers have been announced already: Vampire Weekend, Feist, Cloud Nothings and Grimes will be on the bill. (1501 W. Randolph St., pitchforkmusicfestival.com)

<b>Lollapalooza</b> will be held Aug. 3-5 in Chicago's Grant Park. The lineup and ticket info will be announced later this spring. (337 E. Randolph, lollapalooza.com)

A different kind of music festival will take place all summer long in nearby Highland Park. The 2012 lineup for the <b>Ravinia Festival</b> offers a typically eclectic array of artists from multiple genres - rock, blues, jazz, bluegrass, even children's music, all in a beautiful outdoor setting. Highlights include acclaimed indie folk-rock band Iron and Wine on June 10; a double bill featuring country legends Glen Campbell and Ronnie Milsap on June 28; and the Ravinia debut of 1980s popsters Duran Duran on Aug. 29. (418 Sheridan Road, (847) 266-5100, ravinia.org)