Sound check: Shallow Side, Bobaflex join A.M.B. Fest

A.M.B. Fest takes over Penny Road Pub

Elk Grove Village's Matt Daniels returns home with the Alabama-bred rock band he recently joined - Shallow Side - as they make a tour stop Saturday at Penny Road Pub's A.M.B. Fest, a three-day celebration of national and local rock acts getting ready to melt faces and tear up the dance floor. Doors open at 3 p.m. Friday for Karma's Agent, Fire the Canon, Frankie B., Wings of Severance, Sons of Vengeance and more. Saturday's lineup heats up at 10 a.m. for performances by School of Rock, Ignescent, Invictus, Boneshaker, VEILSIDE, Bobaflex, Anarbor, Silvertung, Axios and more. Sunday's lineup kicks off at 11 a.m. with Soul Patch Monkey, Brandon Hovland, Speed of Sound, High Octane and more. 3 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday, June 8-10, at Penny Road Pub, 545 Penny Road, Barrington. $20 for all three days; $15 for single-day admission Friday and Sunday; $17 for Saturday single-day admission. (847) 428-0562 or jbc.ticketleap.com or pennyroadpub.com.

Drake Bell at RocHaus

Actor/voice artist Drake Bell is probably best known for his days on TV, most notably from his role on Nickelodeon's “Drake & Josh.” But even then music was in his blood. (Did you know he wrote and performed the show's theme song?) Bell has tapped into that skill set since with the release of several power-pop albums and singles over the last decade, including last year's “Honest,” as well as recent visits performing in the Chicago area. Catch Plainfield rockers Over the Sun - featuring Joe Brunker, Colin Mackenzie, Nick Stubblefield and Chris Marszalek - when they join him this weekend along with Authentic Pines, Black Forest and Isabel Osorio at West Dundee's RocHaus, 96 W. Main St., West Dundee. $25 for general admission; $35 for balcony; a preshow meet-and-greet package is also available. (815) 482-2870 or rochaus.com. 7 p.m. Friday, June 8

Back where you belong

Southern rock band 38 Special's breakout in the early '80s put songs “Hold On Loosely,” “Caught Up in You,” “Fantasy Girl” and others on the charts with a distinctly upbeat rock formula derived in part from local rock guru Jim Peterik's writing assist. The band's current incarnation, now featuring only Don Barnes from its founding lineup, brings the fun hits to St. Charles' Arcada Theatre to kick off your weekend. 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. $49-$89. (630) 962-7000 or arcadalive.com. 8 p.m. Friday, June 8

The Battle continues

Side Street Studio Arts rolls out week 2 in its summerlong Battle of the Bands this weekend with unjuried performances by New Nights, Shaken Baby Syndrome and Water Dog. Bands will be voted on by attendees, so come out and support your favorite local performers. And congratulations to last week's winners, Middle Aged Overdose and Quiet Cove, who will be moving on to the quarterfinals in July. Side Street Studio Arts, 15 Ziegler Court, Elgin. $5 suggested donation. (847) 429-2276 or sidestreetstudioarts.org. 7 p.m. Saturday, June 9

Fairview at Fitz's

The Addison pop darlings of Fairview have been building a name on the suburban scene as members of Humans Were Here, a music label started by Tom Higgenson of the suburban-born Plain White T's. The band, known for sweet harmonies, serves up what it dishes out best with the newest song and video “Our Little Secret” in anticipation of a record release show Sunday before heading out on tour with the T's. Head to Fitz's Spare Keys early for a VIP pre-party as well as sets by special guests Darren Vorel and Lunar Hotel. Fitz's Spare Keys, 119 N. York St., Elmhurst. $10; $30 for VIP party and general admission. (630) 379-5007 or fairviewtickets.bigcartel.com. 6:30 p.m. doors (5:30 p.m. VIP party) Sunday, June 10

Concert highlights

Spring Awakening Music Festival: 1 p.m. Friday, June 8; 1 p.m. Saturday, June 9; 1 p.m. Sunday, June 10; at Addams-Medill Park, 1301 W. 14th St., Chicago. Tickets start at $89 each day. springawakeningfestival.com.

Ribfest Chicago 2018: 5 p.m. Friday; noon Saturday, noon Sunday, June 8-10, on Lincoln Avenue between Irving Park Road and Berteau Avenue. $10 per person suggested donation; $20 per family; proceeds benefit neighborhood organizations. ribfest-chicago.com.

TLB record release: 6 p.m. Friday, June 8, at GMan Tavern, 3740 N. Clark St., Chicago. Free. (773) 549-2050 or gmantavern.com.

The Boogers: 7 p.m. Friday, June 8, at Helen M. Plum Memorial Library, 110 W. Maple St., Lombard. Free. Rock out with the Boogers, an award-winning punk rock band just for kids. (630) 627-0316 or helenplum.org.

The Kings Rising, Eraserhead, NED & blumenkohl: 8 p.m. Friday, June 8, at Tivoli Bowl, 938 Warren Ave., Downers Grove. Free. (630) 969-0660 or tivolibowl.com.

Empowered - A night celebrating woman in music featuring Amsedel, The Almas, Resistance, Mistaken EyeDentity, DoubleSpeak and Escape The Paradigm: 8 p.m. Friday, June 8, at Cairo Ale House, 2009 Franciscan Way, West Chicago. $7. events.wamilive.com.

The Kickback, Graveyard Club, Family of Geniuses: 9 p.m. Friday, June 8, at Sleeping Village, 3734 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. $10-$12. (773) 654-3971 or sleeping-village.com.

Thompson Springs, Max Benson: 9 p.m. Friday, June 8, at BrauerHouse, 1000 N. Rohlwing Road, Lombard. $10-$12. (630) 495-2141 or brauerhouse.com.

Potter Fest, featuring Mike & Joe, One Night Band and more: 2 p.m. Saturday, June 9, at Potter's Place, 29 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville. $10; $75 for VIP. pottersplacenaperville.com.

4th annual Bleeding Hearts Fest to benefit Giant Steps School for Autism featuring Six to Midnight, Kadooge!, Citizen Spy, After Matter, Fear Not: 5 p.m. Saturday, June 9, at EvenFlow Music & Spirits, 302 W. State St., Geneva. Check with venue for ticket information. evenflowmusic.com.

All Ages Punk Night at Cracken Cakes featuring Stay Up All Night and Fight, Action Boy, The DUIs, The First Rule, The C-Sides: 6 p.m. Saturday, June 9, at Cracken Cakes & More, 38594 N. Sheridan Road, Beach Park. $5 suggested donation. (847) 603-4966 or crackencakes.com.

Erabella, Speaking with Ghosts, Tanzen, Capital Vices, Apathy Orchard: 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 9, at Wire, 6815 W. Roosevelt Road, Berwyn. $12-$15. (708) 669-9473 or wireismusic.com.

Scott Ligon, Casey McDonough, & John Perrin: 7 p.m. Saturday, June 9, at Rediscover Records, 9 S. Spring St., Elgin. Free. (847) 961-8445 or rediscoverrecords.com.

We Killed the Lion, Polarizer, Moon, Model Stranger: 9:30 p.m. Saturday, June 9, at Martyrs', 3855 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. $10. (773) 404-9494 or martyrslive.com.

The Flips, Old Sol, Overgrow, Cure Culture, The Burst & Bloom, Farhampton: 6:30 p.m. Sunday, June 10, at Evolution Music, 923 Curtiss St., Downers Grove. $10. (630) 541-5022 or ticketfly.com.

Teen Battle of the Bands: 7 p.m. Monday, June 11, at Fred P. Hall Amphitheater, 256 E. Palatine Road, Palatine. Free. (847) 496-6237 or palatineparks.org.

Aiming for Average farewell show with Action/Adventure, Stratford, Chasing Chimera: 7 p.m. Sunday, June 10, at Wire, 6815 W. Roosevelt Road, Berwyn. $5. (708) 669-9473 or wireismusic.com.

Anita Baker: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, June 10, at Ravinia Festival, 200 Ravinia Park Road, Highland Park. $38-$95. (847) 266-5000 or ravinia.org.

Emanation XVIII: 8 p.m. Sunday, June 10, at Century Mallet, 1770 W. Berteau, Chicago. $5-$10 suggested donation. centurymallet.com.

Casey Abrams: 8 p.m. Monday, June 11, at Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave., Skokie. $30. (847) 677-7761 or skokietheatre.org.

John Fogerty and ZZ Top “Blues and Bayous Tour,” Ryan Kinder: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 12, at Ravinia Festival, 200 Ravinia Park Road, Highland Park. $49-$140. (847) 266-5000 or ravinia.org.

Okkervil River with Star Rover: 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 12, at Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St., Chicago. $25-$35. (312) 526-3851 or thaliahallchicago.com.

Ocean Alley, Gazebo Effect: 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 12, at Schubas Tavern, 3159 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. $13-$15. (773) 525-2508 or lh-st.com.

Water Seed, The Lowdown Horns, Chicago Loud 9: 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 13, at Martyrs', 3855 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. $10. (773) 404-9494 or martyrslive.com.

<i> Brian Shamie is a Daily Herald multiplatform editor and local music fanboy. You can follow him on Twitter at @thatshamieguy. Listen to Brian's “2018 Chicago Sound Check Vol. 5” Spotify playlist for a sampling of some of the local bands he's written about recently for the Daily Herald.</i>

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