Music notes: Kansas brings its arena rock to the 'burbs

<b>Arena-rock heroes</b>

Kansas was part of a wave of hugely popular arena-rock bands in the 1970s that took their names from geographic places (Boston, Chicago, America, etc.). The group added some prog-rock bombast to its meat-and-potatoes sound, resulting in hits like "Dust in the Wind" and "Carry On Wayward Son." Kansas, featuring Ronnie Platt of Lombard on vocals, performs in the suburbs this weekend.

<b>8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. Tickets start at $39. Go to oshows.com. </b>

<b>Kinky portrayal</b>

Local rock band AM Taxi, created by members of the DuPage County band Lucky Boys Confusion, will be among the bands participating in the 18th annual Halloween Bash at Chicago's Double Door. AM Taxi will appear "in costume" that night, portraying the Kinks. Other bands on the bill include the Noise FM, Blackbox and Rebel Rebel.

<b>8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, at Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. $10. Go to doubledoor.com. </b>

<b>A varied voice</b>

Singer/songwriter/musician Mark Lanegan made his first splash as the frontman of Seattle grunge band Screaming Trees in the 1990s. Since then, he's gone on to an astonishingly varied career that has included collaborations (with Belle & Sebastian singer Isobel Campbell and stoner-rock band Queens of the Stone Age, among others) and solo records. His most recent release, "Phantom Radio," pairs his distinctive baritone voice with rock and electronic-music accents. Lanegan and his band perform next week in the city. Redgrave and Lyenn are also on the bill.

<b>8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4, at Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake St., Chicago. $25. Go to bottomlounge.com. </b>

<b>Chris Brown cancellation</b>

The VIP Halloween Weekend Bash featuring Chris Brown at H.O.M.E. Bar in Arlington Heights has been cancelled. Ticketholders can contact H.O.M.E. Bar at homebarchicago.com or (847) 577-4663 for a full refund.