Sound check: Lisle '90s-Palooza takes you back in time

Back to the '90s

Dig out your flannel and head down to BaseCamp Pub for its inaugural '90s-Palooza, a daylong festival celebrating the music, dance and fashion we grew up loving. Nine great acts - Smells Like Nirvana, Ten Chicago, Don't Speak, St. Jimmy, Pimp Bizkit, Blank 281, Too Fighters, Big Bang Baby and Alice in Chains Tribute - channel some of the best music of the decade on two stages, while guests can groove like a Fresh Prince in a Carlton Dance-Off, show off their best '90s fashions (Hypercolor, anyone?) in a costume contest and fly the freshest moves in a dance competition (Hammer time!). '90s-Palooza also coincides with BaseCamp's Sunday pig roast, featuring an all-you-can-eat roast and buffet for an additional cost. BaseCamp Pub, 5750 Lakeside Drive, Lisle. $10 for the festival; plus $15 for access to the pig roast. (330) 777-4712 or ticketweb.com. Noon to 11 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 20

United Center 'Funk'

Grammy Award-winning pop musician and producer Bruno Mars brings his “24K Magic World Tour” to Chicago's United Center for three nights this week. Come enjoy the polished and eye-popping spectacle along with Mars' catalog of danceable hits. United Center, 1901 W. Madison St., Chicago. Tickets start at $141. unitedcenter.com. 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 16; Friday, Aug. 18; and Saturday, Aug. 19

Smoking punks

Lake in the Hills was the base for brothers Matt, Eli and Josh Caterer and Crystal Lake drummer Mike Felumlee when The Smoking Popes started back in the early '90s. Their melodic blend of old-school crooning vocals over driving, punk-influenced instrumentals made them a standout on the local scene, earning them inclusion on “Q101 Local 101” local music showcase album and the soundtrack to the movie “Clueless.” Catch this powerful force in Chicago's music scene when the band headlines the all-ages I Am Fest at the House of Blues with littlebirds and Sin Anestesia. House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. $18. (312) 923-2000 or houseofblues.com. 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19

Heading North

The music off The North 41's debut album, “Dancing & Praying,” is hard to pin to a genre: It has undertones of a friendly jam session, but it's clearly influenced by some powerful pop stars. “The Funk” introduces elements of ... well, funk. And “Dance Like a Lunatic,” a fan favorite on Spotify, had me dancing behind the steering wheel of my car. While it may seem like a garage-sale mishmash of styles, the blend works incredibly well in the hands of these talented suburban natives. They'll be releasing some new singles and a video leading up to an EP release later this year, but in the meantime you can catch their fun and energetic stage show when they headline Lincoln Hall with Akenya, Fay Ray (formerly Church Booty) and Steady Flow. Lincoln Hall, 2424 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. $10-$15. (773) 525-2501 or lh-st.com. 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19

Shuffled tracks

“I Know You Love Me,” by The Smoking Popes (Spotify)

“LOTL,” a new single from 7 Minutes in Heaven's upcoming EP, “Symmetry” (Spotify)

“No Love,” video of a Church Booty Sofar Sounds performance (YouTube)

Concert highlights

The Shams Band, Terry White & Chris Neville: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, at Tonic Room, 2447 N. Halsted St., Chicago. $5; free with RSVP. (773) 248-8400 or tonicroom.com.

Dashboard Confessional, The All-American Rejects: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, in pavilion at Ravinia Festival, 200 Ravinia Park Road, Highland Park. $70-$80. Lawn $33-$38. ravinia.org.

August Hotel, Glass House Point, Friday Pilots Club, Ember Oceans: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 16, at Reggies, 105 S. State St., Chicago. $10-$12. (312) 949-0120 or reggieslive.com.

Bruno Mars: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 16 and Friday and Saturday Aug. 18-19, United Center, 1901 W. Madison, Chicago. For ticket information, visit ticketmaster.com.

Southern Uprising Tour with Travis Tritt, Montgomery Gentry, The Marshall Tucker Band and The Outlaws: 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 17, River Edge Park, 360 N. Broadway, Aurora. $55. (630) 896-6666 or riveredgeaurora.com.

Coldplay: 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 17, Soldier Field, 1410 S. Museum Campus, Chicago. Rock. Tickets start at $66.50. ticketmaster.com.

Libido Funk Circus at Algonquin Summer Concert Series: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 17, Riverfront Park, 201 N. Harrison St., Algonquin. Free. (847) 658-2700 or algonquin.org/recreation.

Kevin Mileski: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18, at Durty Nellie's, 180 N. Smith St., Palatine. Free. (847) 358-9150 or durtynellies.com.

Orange Star: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18, at Filling Station, 300 W. Main St., St. Charles. Free. (630) 584-4414 or filling-station.com.

Justis James and Wolf X, Falling from Forever, Barnes & Co., The Revue: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18, at Penny Road Pub, 545 Penny Road, Barrington. $8. (847) 428-0562 or pennyroadpub.com.

Trainwreck Symphony, Killing gods, Coyote Man, When Wealthy Fell: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18, at Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake St., Chicago. $10. (312) 666-6775 or bottomlounge.com.

Thomas Nicholas Band, Hitsleep, Social Que, Adam Linder, Zack Baumgartner, The Pedestrians: 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18, at Wire, 6815 W. Roosevelt Road, Berwyn. $12-$14. (708) 669-9473 or wireismusic.com.

Unwritten Law, Lost in Society, Horace Pinker: 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18, at Reggies, 2105 S. State St., Chicago. $20. (312) 949-0120 or reggieslive.com.

Chicago Loud 9, Súbele: 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18, at Emporium, 1366 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Free. (773) 697-7922 or emporiumchicago.com.

The Detroit Cobras, Ballroom Boxer: 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18, at BrauerHouse, 1000 N. Rohlwing Road, Lombard. $14-$17. (630) 495-2141 or brauerhouse.com.

The Bank Notes: 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at Kerry Piper, 7900 Joliet Road, Willowbrook. Free. (630) 325-3732 or kerrypiper.com.

Kevin Griffin (of Better Than Ezra): 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, at SPACE, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston. $25-$78. (847) 492-8860 or evanstonspace.com.

The Throwbacks: 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, at Ballydoyle Irish Pub, 5157 Main St., Downers Grove. (630) 969-0600 or ballydoylepub.com.

Viceroy at Afterlife: 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, at Annex Nightclub, 1958 W. North Ave., Chicago. $5-$10. (630) 291-5986 or afterlifechi.com.

House on the Water featuring DJ noDJ: 9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 20, at Estate, 1177 N. Elston Ave., Chicago. Free. (312) 523-4296 or estateultrabar.com.

Emily Davis and the Murder Police, Axons, Simpleton & Cityfolk, Animal Holograms: 9 p.m. Monday, Aug. 21, at Emporium, 1366 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Free. (773) 697-7922 or emporiumchicago.com.

Even Thieves, Black Swift, I Lost Control, Karma Wears White Ties: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 23, at Subterranean, 2011 W. North Ave., Chicago. $8-$10. (773) 278-6600 or subt.net.

Michael Charles Band: 9 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 23, at Two Chefs, 3 S. Center St., Bensenville. Free. (630) 766-6030 or twochefscatering.com.

Cup Check, Centerfolds, Furlough, Riviera, Parachute Day: 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, at Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. $10. (773) 281-4444 or beatkitchen.com.

Three Minute Mile, Dear Dario: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, at Joe's on Weed Street, 940 W. Weed St., Chicago. $8-$10. (312) 337-3486 or joesbar.com.

<i> Brian Shamie is a Daily Herald multiplatform editor. He may not be a musician, but he plays one in Guitar Hero. You can follow him on Twitter at @BShamieDH.</i>