Weekend picks: Get jazzed for Schaumburg Jazz Fest

Modern jazz

See Grammy Award-winning jazz artists Larry Carlton, Norman Brown and more at the Schaumburg Jazz Fest this weekend at the Prairie Center for the Arts, 201 Schaumburg Court, Schaumburg. $59 for Carlton or Brown shows. $99 all-day tickets. (312) 725-0740 schaumburgjazz.com. 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 24-25

March Madness, music at Barleycorn

Watch those brackets fill out at John Barleycorn, 1100 American Lane, Schaumburg, with domestic buckets of beer for $18 on game days. Food specials include $1 sliders, $7 14-inch pizzas and $7 two-pound chicken wing buckets. After the games Friday, stick around to hear Dot Dot Dot at 10 p.m. Tickets available at the door. (847) 619-5540 or johnbarleycorn.com. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. Friday through Sunday, March 23-25

Bleep, bleep, bloop

Background music for video games has come a long way since the early days of “Space Invaders,” so game fanatics should love the touring and interactive concert experience “Video Games Live” playing tonight at the Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. $29-$59. (888) 695-0888 or oshows.com. 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 23

Iconic insomniac

If you loved comedian Dave Attell on his acclaimed Comedy Central series “Insomniac With Dave Attell,” then don't miss him live this weekend at the Improv Comedy Showcase, 5 Woodfield Road, Schaumburg. $32. (847) 240-2001 or improv.com. 8 and 10:15 p.m. Friday, March 23; 7 and 9:15 p.m. Saturday, March 24; and 7 p.m. Sunday, March 25

Genre hopper

Mike Doughty first appeared on the music scene as the frontman for Soul Coughing, an offbeat band that combined jazz, hip-hop and pop and scored a hit in the 1990s with “Super Bon Bon.” Doughty has continued his former band's genre-hopping ways during his subsequent solo career. He has recently emerged from a battle with drug addiction with a studio album in 2011, “Yes and Also Yes,” and a live album this year, “The Question Jar Show.” Doughty is a great performer, with a distinctive gravelly drone for a voice and solid songwriting chops. See him perform live at the Montrose Room, located inside the InterContinental O'Hare Chicago hotel, 5300 N. River Road, Rosemont. Tickets start at $20. Go to montroseroom.com. 8:30 p.m. Friday, March 23

The South rises again

Legendary Southern rockers The Marshall Tucker Band make a stop at Viper Alley, 275 Parkway Drive, Lincolnshire, to celebrate a career that spans more than 40 years and includes enduring hits such as “Heard It in a Love Song” and “Can't You See.” Remaining ticket packages start at $100. Go to viper-alley.com. 8:30 p.m. Friday, March 23

Don't miss it

Two outstanding acts on Chicago-based label Bloodshot Records will hit the stage at one of the city's most intimate venues, the Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia. All in all, that makes this a must-see show! The openers will be Jon Langford and Skull Orchard, a rousing roots-rock band that always brings it live. Then comes Andre Williams, the legendary master of gritty, sweaty old-school rock 'n' soul. Williams is performing in support of his brand-new record, “Hoods and Shades.” $12. Go to hideoutchicago.com. 10 p.m. Friday, March 23

Nature snaps

The recently formed Morton Arboretum Photographic Society presents its first group exhibit on nature photography this weekend in the Sycamore Room of the Morton Arboretum, 4100 Route 53, Lisle. Included with general admission of $12; $11 seniors; $9 youth ages 2-17. (630) 968-0074 or mortonarboretumphotographicsociety.com. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 24-25

Cantigny's Ceramic Arts Show

Artists from the Clay Space art studio in Warrenville will exhibit and sell a variety of handmade and one-of-a-kind ceramic pieces at the Ceramic Arts Show at Cantigny Park and First Division Museum, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton. Visitors can see everything from platters and bowls to soap dishes, wall sculptures and jewelry. Admission is free; parking is $5 per vehicle ($2 before 10 a.m.). (630) 668-5161 or cantigny.org. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, March 24-25

Almost Steely

Reely Dan brings its tribute to Steely Dan to the Pheasant Run Resort and Convention Center, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. Tickets cost $32. (630) 584-6342 or pheasantrun.com. 8 p.m. Saturday, March 24

Fiery gypsy

“CARMEN.maquia” is a world premiere dance piece for Luna Negra Dance Theater by choreographer Gustavo Ramirez Sansano that takes its inspiration from Bizet's classic opera and the paintings of Pablo Picasso. See it Saturday at Millennium Park's Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive, Chicago. $25-$65. (312) 334-7777 or lunanegra.org. 8 p.m. Saturday, March 24

Country rock

Sister Hazel performs hits from its albums “Release,” “Heartland Highway” and more on Saturday at Viper Alley, 275 Parkway Drive, Suite 325, Lincolnshire. $30-$50. (847) 499-5000 or viper-alley.com. 8 p.m. Saturday, March 24

Americana roots

Revel in the distinctly American music of Appalachia when Dr. Ralph Stanley, Jim Lauderdale and Seldom Scene perform folk and bluegrass tunes in the concert Retro Roots at the McAninch Arts Center, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. $42; $40 seniors; $32 kids. (630) 942-4000 or atthemac.org. 8 p.m. Saturday, March 24

Pinstripes celebrates the waffle

It's waffle day at Pinstripes' Sunday brunch buffet March 25. The pressed-to-order Belgium waffles come in three flavors: sweet apple cinnamon, balsamic and berries, and bananas foster and Nutella. $24 adults, $14 kids; kids 5 and younger eat for free. Pinstripes Northbrook is located at 1150 Willow Road, (847) 480-2323, and Pinstripes South Barrington is at 100 W. Higgins Road, (847) 844-9300. See pinstripes.com. 10 a.m. Sunday, March 25

World's Fair Memorabilia Show

The 1933-34 World's Fair comes to life again in the Chicago area at the 18th Annual World's Fair Memorabilia Show at the Holiday Inn, 1000 Busse Road, Elk Grove Village. Collectors and dealers can buy, sell and trade items related to world's fairs from 1876 to the present. Other highlights include continuous screenings of home movies and news reels from the 1933-34 Chicago: A Century of Progress World's Fair. Admission is $5-$6. (708) 442-7907 or worldsfairshow.com. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 25

‘Oz' on the radio

Those Thrilling Days of Yesteryear, a volunteer radio re-enactment group, performs an old-time radio version of “The Wizard of Oz” at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park. “The Land of Oz” originally hit the radio airwaves back in 1926, and a network series about “The Wizard of Oz” debuted on the radio in 1933. Free and open to the public. (708) 386-4040 or oakparkarms.com. 2 p.m. Sunday, March 25

Rolling down the rails

Take a railroad “trip” in the World's Greatest Train Journeys travelogue program at the Wheaton Public Library, 225 N. Cross St., Wheaton. Library travelers will “journey” through South America in domed train cars, then head into Mongolia and Russia on the Trans-Siberian line. Guests also will learn about the Orient Express and its travels through the Alps. Free. For tickets, call (630) 868-7516 or visit wheatonlibrary.org. 2 p.m. Sunday, March 25

Scandinavian scores

The Northbrook Symphony shines a spotlight on Scandinavian composers like Sibelius and Berwald with its “Symphonic Scandinavia” concert Sunday at Glenbrook North High School's Sheely Center for the Performing Arts, 2300 Shermer Road, Northbrook. $25-$45; $8 kids/students. (847) 272-0755 or thenso.org. 4 p.m. Sunday, March 25

Streisand-sized

Singer/actor Steven Brinberg channels the towering talent of Barbra Streisand in his internationally acclaimed cabaret show “Simply Barbra,” which plays Sunday at North Central College's Madden Theatre, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville. $25-$30. (630) 637-7469 or northcentralcollege.edu/showtix. 6 p.m. Sunday, March 25

Palatine Concert Band

Enjoy Philip Sparke's “Year of the Dragon,” Harry De Costa's “Tuba Tiger Rag” and more when the Palatine Concert Band presents its March concert at Cutting Hall, 150 E. Wood St., Palatine. $5-$8. (847) 432-4770. 7:30 p.m. Sunday, March 25