Aurora, Naperville summer concerts

Back in the day, you'd scour the paper's music listings, planning your week's worth of concert hopping. Today, your iPod has an embarrassing number of songs sung by cartoon characters and the tunes in your head were put there by Disney.

Never fear. The summer is full of opportunities to see cool bands performing live, to hear music that hasn't been digitized, even to revisit (or discover) classics.

From the ringing bells of the Naperville Millennium Carillon to the silly sounds of children's performers, from the soaring strings of the DuPage Symphony Orchestra to the Blues on the Fox, fans of all kinds of music can find something they'll like in the summer concert series offered in our area. If you don't feel like venturing too far from home, the Naperville Park District will even bring some music to you.

And best of all, nearly every performance is free.

Millennium Carillon

The Carillon Recital Series features concerts by national and international carillon players. Recitals are at 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Aug. 25 at the carillon in Moser Tower, 443 Aurora Ave. near Rotary Hill in Naperville. Free. Concert-goers can climb the tower and tour the carillon after each recital for $2 per person; free for ages 4 and younger. Info: napervilleparks.org.

June 23: Mark Lee, assistant city carillonneur, Naperville

June 30: Gert Oldenbeuving, Netherlands

July 7: Ray McLellan, Michigan State University

July 14: Jeff Davis, University California-Berkley

July 21: Jeremy Chesman, Missouri State University

July 28: Dennis Curry, carillonneur, Kirk in the Hills, Mich.

Aug. 4: Ana and Sara Elias, Portugal

Aug. 11: Carol Anne Taylor, carillonneur, Cathedral Guadalupe, Texas

Aug. 18: Jim Brown, assistant city carillonneur, Naperville

Aug. 25: Julianne Vanden Wyngaard, Grand Valley State University, Michigan

Special events

A number of special events also are planned on the carillon or at the base of Moser Tower. Free. Info: napervilleparks.org.

July 4: Carillon duets by Tim Sleep and Sue Bergren leading up to the fireworks display

July 7: 6:30 p.m. Chorus of DuPage barbershop chorus

July 18: 7 p.m. Carillon "pops" concert of stage and screen music by Tim Sleep

July 21: 6:30 p.m. Calliope concert by Tim Sleep

Aug. 22: 7 p.m. Carillon "pops" concert of Leroy Anderson music by Tim Sleep

Nov. 11: 11 a.m. Veterans Day program

Concerts in Park

Naperville Park District's Concerts in your Park series brings live music to six community parks. Performances are from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Free. Info: napervilleparks.org.

June 21: Jukebox Band with '50s and '60s music and a Classic Car Show, Naperville Auto Test Track, Jefferson Avenue between Fort Hill Drive and Ogden Avenue

June 28: Bopology with Sinatra and swing music, Arrowhead Park, 711 Iroquois Ave.

July 12: Jonathan Devin & New Country with country/western music, Tall Grass Lakes Park, 3320 Rollingridge Road

July 19: The Associates with Motown music, Walnut Ridge, 2304 Keim Road

July 26: 215 West with pop music, Bainbridge Greens Park, 1112 Bainbridge Drive

Municipal Band

The Naperville Municipal Band performs at 7:45 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 13 at the Naperville Community Concert Center in Central Park, one block east of Washington Street on Benton Avenue. Free. Info: napervilleband.org.

June 25: "Christmas Memories"

July 2: "Hail America" featuring 1812 Overture

July 9: Naperville Municipal Band Big Jazz Band

July 16: The DuPage Symphony

July 23: "Salute to Windjammers"

July 30: "Holiday Inn," The Four Seasons

Aug. 6: "Family Night" including the Alumni Band

Aug. 13: Thanks for the Memories

Concert Center

The Naperville Municipal Band hosts visiting performers in concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturdays through Aug. 15 at the Community Concert Center in Central Park, one block east of Washington Street on Benton Ave. Free. Info: napervilleband.org.

June 20: DuPage Symphony

June 27: Arlington Heights Concert Band

July 4: No concert

July 11: Fox Valley Concert Band

July 18: Lisle Community Band

July 25: Windjammers Circus Band

Aug. 1: Sterling Municipal Band

Aug. 8: The DuPage Valley Barbershop Chorus & The Naperville Light Guard Band

Aug. 15: The Naperville Big Band & Ted Fredenhagen Jazz Bands

Community Band

The Lisle Community Band performs at 7:30 p.m. in the Community Park Band Shelter, 1825 Short St. Guests should bring blankets or lawn chairs for seating. In bad weather, the performances move indoors to Lisle High School, 1800 Short St. Free. Info:

June 25: Tribute to American music and armed forces salute

July 9: Light European classics, sit-com favorites and Star Trek

July 16: Big band theme songs

July 23: American folk songs and ragtime; big band salute

July 30: Lisle Community Jazz Band

Concerts in the Park

Lisle Park District offers four concerts at 7:30 p.m. in the Community Park Band Shelter, 1825 Short St. Free. Info: lisleparkdistrict.org/concertseries.htm.

June 23: The Meteors with oldies music

July 7: Triple Threat Band with classic and current rock

July 21: Janesville with family-friendly country

Aug. 4: One Foot in the Groove with classic rock

Totally Tuesdays

Lisle Park District's kids lunchtime entertainment series features three all-ages programs beginning at 11:45 a.m. at the Community Park Band Shell, 1825 Short St. Info: lisleparkdistrict.org/totallytuesdays.htm.

June 23: Dave Rudolph

July 14: KidsBucks Game Show

July 28: The Balsters Magical Entertainers

Lunch Entertainment

Naperville Park District's Children's Lunch-Hour Entertainment series programs begin at noon and last about 45 minutes some Tuesdays and Thursdays through July 16. Shows are at the Riverwalk Warming Shelter east of Centennial beach unless noted. Free. Info: napervilleparks.org.

July 7: Chautauqua Express

July 14: Jim Jensen's family magic show

July 16: Jim Gill at Frontier Park

Rollin' on the River

Naperville Park District offers concerts from 7 to 9 p.m. Fridays at the Riverwalk pavilion along Jackson Avenue at Webster Street. Free. Info: napervilleparks.org.

June 19: Andrew Huber, solo alternative folk rock

June 26: Dave Byron, solo guitar

July 3: No concert

July 10: The Cattails, Americana

July 17: Fifth Avenue Band, variety

July 24: Babette & the Blues Shakers, blues

July 31: The Gecko Club, '80s post-punk

Aug. 7: Band Called Catch, accoustic rock/folk

Aug. 14: Gridlock Cartel, jazz fusion

DuPage Symphony

The orchestra has three outdoor summer performances. Info: dupagesymphony.org.

June 20: "Life, Liberty and Melody!" at 7:30 p.m. at Naperville Community Concert Center in Central Park, one block east of Washington Street on Benton Avenue. Free.

July 16: "There's Music in the Air!" at 7:45 p.m. at Naperville Community Concert Center. Free.

July 25: "Tchaikovsky Spectacular" at 8 p.m. at Cantigny Park, Winfield Road, Wheaton. Tickets: $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Cantigny info: (630) 688-5161 or cantigny.org.

Downtown Alive

The city of Aurora hosts a series of two-day music festivals through the summer on Galena Boulevard between Broadway and River Streets. Free, no tickets needed. Info: downtownaliveaurora.com.

Blues on the Fox

June 19: 6:45 p.m. Big James & the Chicago Playboys; 8:30 p.m. Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam

June 20: 2 p.m. Hix Brothers Junior All-Stars; 3 p.m. Henry Butler; 4:15 p.m. Cedric Burnside and Lightnin' Malcolm; 5:30 Sugar Blue; 7 p.m. Watermelon Slim and the Workers; 8:30 Los Lobos

Summer Jam

July 10: 6:15 p.m. Spoken Four; 8:30 p.m. Sister Hazel

July 11: 2 p.m. Hix Brothers Junior All-Stars; 4:30 p.m. 7th Heaven; 7 p.m. Painkiller Hotel; 8:30 Eve 6

Rock on the Fox

July 31: 6:15 p.m. Creedence Again; 8:30 p.m. Foghat

Aug. 1: 2 p.m. DBL-SHOT; 3:30 p.m. Blue Truth; 4:45 p.m. ARRA; 6:45 p.m. Trippin Billies; 8:30 p.m. Billy Squire

Fan Favorites

Aug. 14: 6:15 Hot Rocks; 8 p.m. Hi Infidelity

Aug. 15: 2:30 p.m August; 4 p.m. The Moods; 5:30 p.m. Elevation; 8 p.m. American English