Sound check: 'Walk on the Ocean' with Toad
Toad in town
Toad the Wet Sprocket, the California band that reached critical mass on the airwaves in the early to mid-'90s, formed a cornerstone to my college and post-college soundtrack. While guitar-heavy alternative rock was quickly taking over big music festivals, Toad's use of mandolin partnered with Glen Phillips' upbeat but haunting vocals on loves lost, friendships found and spirituality pondered solidified Toad's often low-key but solid place in '90s pop culture. Radio-friendly hits “All I Want,” “Fall Down” and “Walk on the Ocean,” partnered with the band's inclusion in TV shows and cult flicks “So I Married an Axe Murderer” and “Empire Records,” created a figurative time machine, taking me back to those years every time I stumble across a track. “I Will Not Take These Things for Granted” still gives me a chill when I hear it. Catch the band when it plays Chicago's Park West with singer-songwriter Megan Slankard. 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at Park West, 322 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago. $40-$119.49. (773) 929-1322 or parkwestchicago.com.
90s Palooza Vol. 2
More than two decades later, it's still easy to look back and see the iconic era of music the '90s brought to the world. BaseCamp Pub taps into that with the second edition of its 90s Palooza music festival this weekend, featuring Linkin Experience, There Goes the Neighborhood, St. Jimmy, Too Fighters, Johnny Don't, Big Bang Baby and more tribute acts all day on two stages. 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at BaseCamp Pub, 5750 Lakeside Drive, Lisle. $10-$15. (331) 777-4712 or ticketweb.com. (See the Facebook event page for details.)
Gladys Knight & the O'Jays
Grammy-winning singer Gladys Knight (“Midnight Train to Georgia,” “Every Beat of My Heart”) brings her gospel, pop and R&B hits to Aurora for an outdoor show with the legendary O'Jays (“Love Train”). 7:30 p.m. (gates open at 5:30 p.m.) Saturday, Aug. 18, at RiverEdge Park, 360 N. Broadway St., Aurora. $25 for general admission; $30-$200 for reserved seating. (630) 896-6666 or riveredgeaurora.com.
Pearl Jam
When the grunge movement took over music in the early '90s, Pearl Jam (“Jeremy,” “Even Flow,” “Daughter,” “Alive”) was one of the bands riding the crest of the wave all the way to the rock charts. Catch them when they bring those hits and more for two of the biggest outdoor shows left in the season. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, and Monday, Aug. 20, at Wrigley Field, 1060 W. Addison St., Chicago. Tickets are sold out at mlb.com, but seats are still available through third-party vendors.
Keith Urban
New Zealand country superstar Keith Urban (“Blue Ain't Your Color,” “Somebody Like You”) heads to Tinley Park's Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre with country pop artist Kelsea Ballerini for the “Graffiti U World Tour.” 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, 19100 Ridgeland Ave., Tinley Park. $28-$107. (800) 745-3000 or livenation.com.
Cake & Ben Folds
Alternative rock band Cake (“The Distance,” “Rock 'n' Roll Lifestyle”) and piano-driven power-pop artist Ben Folds (“Rockin' the Suburbs,” “Not the Same”) share the bill at Ravinia Festival for a midweek nostalgia extravaganza. 6:30 p.m. (gates open at 4 p.m.) Wednesday, Aug. 22, at Ravinia Festival, 418 Sheridan Road, Highland Park. $38-$80. (847) 266-5100 or ravinia.org.
Concert highlights
Chicken Fried, Soul Shine, School of Rock - Naper Nights Concert: 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17, at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville. $10-$15. napernights.org.
Chris Young, Brown & Gray, Travis Denning: 7 p.m. (gates 5:30 p.m.) Friday, Aug. 17, at RiverEdge Park, 360 N. Broadway St., Aurora. $30-$200. (630) 896-6666 or riveredgeaurora.com.
Drake, Migos “Aubrey and the Three Migos Tour”: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 17 and 18, at United Center, 1901 W. Madison, Chicago. $79-$229. (800) 745-3000 or ticketmaster.com.
“Punk Band” film screening with performances by Voice of Addiction, Blood People, Blind Adam & the Federal League, Vortis: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17, at Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. $8. (773) 281-4444 or beatkitchen.com.
Dead Sun, Greet Death, Tact, Bristletongue: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17, at Subterranean Downstairs, 2011 W. North Ave., Chicago. $8. (773) 278-6600 or subt.net.
Dave Bovyn: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17, at Skeleton Key Brewery, 8102 Lemont Road, Woodridge. Free. (630) 395-9033 or skeletonkeybrewery.com.
Lunar Ticks, Rotten Mouth, Bronson Rock: 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17, at Subterranean, 2011 W. North Ave., Chicago. $8-$18. (773) 278-6600 or subt.net.
Robby Krieger Band: 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17, at RocHaus, 96 W. Main St., West Dundee. $30-$35. (815) 482-2870 or rochaus.com.
Ari Hest, Granville Automatic: 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17, at City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph St., Chicago. $15-$22. (312) 733-9463 or citywinery.com.
Martin Van Ruin (album release), the Shams Band: 8:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17, at FitzGerald's, 6615 W. Roosevelt Road, Berwyn. $10. (708) 788-2118 or fitzgeraldsnightclub.com.
Rosie and the Rivets: 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 17, at Club Arcada, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. $10. (630) 962-7000 or clubarcada.com.
The Blue Stones (Pearl Jam preshow): 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at Wrigley Field's Gallagher Way, 3635 N. Clark St., Chicago. (773) 388-8260 or gallagherway.com.
Mason Jennings, The Long Lost: 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at Evanston SPACE, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston. $20-$40. (847) 492-8860 or evanstonspace.com.
Ludlow, Kelroy, The Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club, Trick Shooter Social Club: 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at Metro, 3730 N. Clark St., Chicago. $12-$15. (773) 549-4140 or metrochicago.com.
Split Lip Rayfield, WT Newton, Gary Moore II: 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. $14. (773) 281-4444 or beatkitchen.com.
The Bank Notes, Curbside Island, The Nomadic Bards: 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at BrauerHouse, 1000 N. Rohwling Road, Lombard. $7-$10. (630) 495-2141 or brauerhouse.com.
King Louis, Triple Darkness: 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at BrauerHouse Live, 1000 N. Rohwling Road, Lombard. $15-$20. (630) 495-2141 or brauerhouse.com.
The Dozen Buzzin' Cousins, Joe Goldberg: 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at FitzGerald's, 6615 W. Roosevelt Road, Berwyn. $8. (708) 788-2118 or fitzgeraldsnightclub.com.
The C-Sides (5-year anniversary show), The Run Around, Jock Itch: 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at Epic Deli, 2616 Schaid Court, McHenry. $5. (815) 271-5649 or facebook.com.
Amuse, The Spreaders, The Dead On, American Cosmonaut, The Dead Seahorses: 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18, at Liar's Club, 1665 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago. $7. (773) 665-1110.
Suburban Rock Music Experience: 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19, at BrauerHouse, 1000 N. Rohwling Road, Lombard. $5. (630) 495-2141 or brauerhouse.com.
Don McLean: 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19, at City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph St., Chicago. $75-$95. (312) 733-9463 or citywinery.com.
The Pink Spiders, The Last Afternoons, The Studs: 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19, at Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. $15. (773) 281-4444 or beatkitchen.com.
The Big News, Bumsy and the Moochers, The Land Before Tim: 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19, at Subterranean, 2011 W. North Ave., Chicago. $7. (773) 278-6600 or subt.net.
Alicia Witt: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 22, at City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph St., Chicago. $15-$25. (312) 733-9463 or citywinery.com.
Michael Charles “From A to Z Tour 2018”: 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 23, at Wild Fire Harley-Davidson, 120 North Ave., Villa Park. (630) 834-6571 or michaelcharles.us.
Marcia Ball, Sharon Bourbonnais: 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 23, at Evanston SPACE, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston. $22-$47. (847) 492-8860 or evanstonspace.com.
Chick Corea & The Akoustic Band: 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 23, at City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph St., Chicago. $75-$105. (312) 733-9463 or citywinery.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>