Sound check: Nine Days plays Elbo Room Friday

Nine Days at Elbo Room

This is the story of a band. But it's about a whole lot more than just a jangly pop hit from 18 years ago. After three albums, the Long Island alternative rock band Nine Days busted into the mainstream in 2000 with the runaway hit “Absolutely (Story of a Girl),” a catchy confection about … well, a girl, that hit the peak of the pop charts. But a dive deeper into that album, “The Madding Crowd,” reveals a collection of tracks that traffic in depth without mucking about in too much pretension; simple, harmonious constructions sport catchy hooks and pack powerful stories on an album that quickly became an emotional touchstone for my early 2000s. Check out the great tunes from that, as well as their whole discography - when they visit Chicago this weekend. 7 p.m. Friday, July 27, at Elbo Room, 2871 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. $25; $45 for VIP package. (773) 549-5549 or elboroomlive.com.

Streamwood's local stage

The Streamwood Summer Celebration - Friday through Sunday, July 27-29, at Hoosier Grove Park - is putting the spotlight on local music with a battle of the bands Friday. Area musicians and one guest from Nashville - Joey Wilbur, Amethyst Skye, Three Posers, Rø, When the Sun Sets and Joe Kirk (who you may know from season 7 of “The Voice”) - will perform from 5:30 to 10:15 p.m. on the local music stage, giving audience members a chance to vote for their favorites by filling buckets with their loose change. (No bills more than $1 will be counted. Money raised will be donated to the Mental Health Association of Greater Chicago.) The winning musician gets the opportunity to perform on the fest's main stage from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Also, catch Scoutcamp and The Lucid Dreamers when they play the local stage from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday. The Streamwood Summer Celebration is from 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, July 27; noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, July 28; and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday, July 29, at Hoosier Grove, 700 W. Irving Park Road. For the full lineup and festival schedule, visit streamwoodsummercelebration.org.

Side Street Battle semifinals

Four bands have fought to make it to the Side Street Studio Arts' summerlong Battle of the Bands semifinals this weekend. This week, Binx and Sunday Cruise duke it out Friday, July 27. And Mr. Butterfield and New Nights vie for the winning slot Saturday. You have to show up to vote, so go check out some great local music. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 27-28, at Side Street Studio Arts, 15 Ziegler Court, Elgin. $5 suggested donation. (847) 429-2276 or sidestreetstudioarts.org.

Chesney to the rescue

Country superstar Kenny Chesney brings his “Trip Around the Sun Tour” with Thomas Rhett, Old Dominion and Brandon Lay to Chicago for a night of good old Southern rock. On Friday, July 27, the award-winning performer is releasing a new track, “Songs for the Saints,” to raise funds to help repair the hurricane destruction from last September on the Caribbean island of St. John. Check out the new track and help a good cause before catching his show. 4 p.m. Saturday, July 28, at Soldier Field, 1410 Museum Campus Drive, Chicago. Tickets start at $49. (800) 745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.

Yes Fest in Elmhurst

Discover new music, laugh along with sketch comedy, immerse yourself in poetry and storytelling or just peruse some delightful art exhibits at Yes Fest, Elmhurst's premiere arts and culture festival, this weekend. Now in its sixth year, Yes Fest brings together more than 85 acts performing on five stages across three venues ­- The Elmhurst Art Museum, 150 S. Cottage Hill Ave.; The Elmhurst Public Library, 125 S. Prospect Ave.; and Elmhurst Brewing Co., 171 N. Addison Ave. The festival is branching out this year to offer workshops on battle rap, improv marketing, songwriting and more. Learn a few things and catch some great acts, including The Darling Suns, Girl Named Nino, The Slaps, Meghan & Caitlin, The God Awful Small Affairs, Dead Harvest, Where's Fernando?, moderncults and many more. And keep your eyes peeled for the co-hosts of The Underbelly Hours from Elmhurst College's WRSE-88.7 FM radio as they document the event. They may want to talk to you! Noon Friday, July 27, through 7 p.m. Sunday, July 29, in Elmhurst. $9 admission for Elmhurst Art Museum stage; free for all other stages. Check yesfestelmhurst.com for lineup and venue information.

The Underbelly Hours

Speaking of The Underbelly Hours, radio producers Adela Skowronski and Dan Dick dig deep into the Chicago area's underground music scene, discovering unsigned acts and putting them on display on Elmhurst Rock Variety, Elmhurst College's student-run radio airwaves at WRSE-88.7 FM. Catch their show and find a new musician to love as Adela and Dan interview rising artists and give them a chance to perform live every Sunday from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on the airwaves or streaming at wrse887fm.com.

Concert highlights

Mavis Staples with Marc Broussard: 6 p.m. Friday, July 27, at Canal Shores Golf Course, 1030 Central Street, Evanston. $45. spacepresents.com.

Retirement Party, Home Burial, Royal Oaks, Fredo Disco: 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 27, at The Camp/us, 2883 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. (773) 687-9501 or campuschi.com.

Sound of Fire, Two Ton Anvil, The Fallen Few, Fools' Brew: 7 p.m. Friday, July 27, at Cairo Ale House, 2009 Franciscan Way, West Chicago. $10. (630) 876-9600 or cairoalehouse.com.

Ocean Glass, A Semester Abroad, Invictus, The Requirements, Sorner: 7 p.m. Friday, July 27, at Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake St., Chicago. $10-$13. (312) 666-6775 or bottomlounge.com.

Powdered Toast Men plays Pearl Jam's “Ten”: 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 27, at Skeleton Key Brewery, 8102 Lemont Road, Woodridge. (630) 395-9033 or skeletonkeybrewery.com.

My Bloody Valentine: 8 p.m. Friday, July 27, at Riviera Theatre, 4746 N. Racine Ave., Chicago. $45. (773) 275-6800 or rivieratheatre.com.

Summer Son Trio: 9:30 p.m. Friday, July 27, at Board & Barrel, 218 S. Washington St., Naperville. (224) 458-0589 or restaurantnaperville.com.

The Phonographs, Morning Bell, St. Marlboro: 4 p.m. Saturday, July 28, at Record Breakers, 2439 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Free. (773) 698-8387 or recordbreakerschi.com.

My Bloody Valentine: 8 p.m. Saturday, July 28, at Riviera Theatre, 4746 N. Racine Ave., Chicago. $45. (773) 275-6800 or rivieratheatre.com.

The Sane Abandoned: 8 p.m. Saturday, July 28, at Independence Tap, 3932 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago. Free. (773) 588-2385.

Local H, The Beer Nuts, The Red Moons: 8 p.m. Saturday, July 28, at RocHaus, 98 W. Main St., West Dundee. $20-$40. (815) 893-9768 or rochaus.com.

Fall Classic, The Burst and Bloom, Stoop Goodnoise, Oceans Over Airplanes: 8 p.m. Sunday, July 29, at Burlington Bar, 3425 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago. $8. (773) 384-3243 or theburlingtonbar.com.

Rosie & the Rivets: 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 31, at Baker Park, Keeney Street and Forest Avenue, Evanston. cityofevanston.org.

The Melvins, Jon Spencer: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 31, at Park West, 322 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago. $24. parkwestchicago.com.

Bret Michaels: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 31, at Rotary Green and Village Green, 150 Lions Drive, Elk Grove Village. Free. elkgrove.org.

Parlor Voice, Observing With Annie, Nicole Amine, Baertrum: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 1, at Burlington Bar, 3425 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago. $8. (773) 384-3243 or theburlingtonbar.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. 6” Spotify playlist for a sampling of some of the local bands he's written about recently for the Daily Herald.</i>