Music

Concerts Sept. 26 to Oct. 2: Brian McKnight, Morrissey, Queens of the Stone Age and more

Posted September 23, 2025 12:49 pm

By Luke Zurawski

R&B singer Brian McKnight will perform Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Genesee Theatre in Waukegan. Courtesy of Ravinia Festival

Starts before Friday

Michael Schenker: 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Sept. 25-26, at the Des Plaines Theatre, 1476 Miner St., Des Plaines. “My Years With UFO” USA Tour with special guest Jared James Nichols. $108.75-$158.75. desplainestheatre.com.

Friday, Sept. 26

Hey Day Happy Hour: 4-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 26-27, at Hey Nonny, 10 S. Vail Ave., Arlington Heights. Music from Dan Asio Friday and Brandon Reisdorf Saturday. Free. heynonny.com.

A Night of Rock and Metal: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, at Rochaus, 96 W. Main St., West Dundee. With Bind the Sacrifice, Orbital Gate, Solshade, and Astray We Bloom. Tickets start at $12. rochaus.com.

The Pino Farina Band will perform Friday, Sept. 26, at 3D Sideouts in Island Lake. Courtesy of Pino Farina

Pino Farina Band: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, at 3D Sideouts, 4018 Roberts Road, Island Lake. With The Hit Show. Tickets start at $12.25. 3dsideouts.com.

Turnstile: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island, 1300 S. Linn White Drive, Chicago. “The Never Enough Tour.” Tickets start at $61.50. huntingtonbankpavilion.com.

Wolf Alice: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, at The Vic Theatre, 3145 N. Sheffield Ave., Chicago. “North American Tour 2025” with Willy Mason. $94-$189. jamusa.com.

The World of Hans Zimmer “A New Dimension”: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, at the Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim Road, Rosemont. A concert authorized and curated by Hans Zimmer, showcasing a freshly arranged set from his catalog. Tickets start at $50.55. rosemont.com/allstate.

Boots ‘N Beats: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, at Joe’s Live, 5441 Park Place, Rosemont. A Night of Country EDM. Tickets start at $31.24. joesliverosemont.com.

Cut Worms: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, at Space, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston. With Christian Wargo of Fleet Foxes. $33.90. evanstonspace.com.

Russian Circles: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, at Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St., Chicago. With Young Widows. $39.96-$52.98. thaliahallchicago.com.

Ryan Cohan: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, at Studio5, 1934 Dempster St., Evanston. Two Quartets (made up of a jazz quartet and a string quartet) will perform the world premiere of Cohan’s “Prism.” $40 for theater seating, $50 for cabaret seating. studio5.dance/.

The Steepwater Band: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, at the Venue, 21 S. Broadway, Aurora. Rock. $23.86-$29. themusicvenue.org.

Welcome Back My Friends — An Evening With Emerson Lake & Palmer: 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, at the Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. Created by Carl Palmer and presented with the full cooperation of the estates of Keith Emerson and Greg Lake. $56.75-$108.75. arcadalive.com.

Jimmy Buffett Tribute: 8:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, at the Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. With the Todd Donnelly Duo. $10. arcadalive.com.

Maná: 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 26-27, at the United Center, 1901 W. Madison St., Chicago. “Vivir Sin Aire Tour.” Tickets start at $51.05. unitedcenter.com.

Studio 64 Old School DJ Dance Party: 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 26-27, at the Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. With DJ Kardiak Friday and Frankie “Hollywood” Rodriguez Saturday. Free. arcadalive.com.

Bourbon ‘N Brass Live Jazz: 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Des Plaines Theatre, 1476 Miner St., Des Plaines. Jazz with The Bootleggers featuring Laura Lopardo on vocals. $10. desplainestheatre.com.

Saturday, Sept. 27

Mud Morganfield will hold a CD release party Saturday, Sept. 27, at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights. Courtesy of Alan Frolichstein

Mud Morganfield: 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at Hey Nonny, 10 S. Vail Ave., Arlington Heights. CD Release Party. $24.65-$54.40. heynonny.com.

Big Bang Baby: 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at 3D Sideouts, 4018 Roberts Road, Island Lake. With Infinite Sadness. Tickets start at $12.25. 3dsideouts.com.

Fan Halen: 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake. Van Halen tribute. Tickets start at $63. rauecenter.org.

Kult: 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at Joe’s Live, 5441 Park Place, Rosemont. “Trasa Pomaranczowa — Orange Tour.” Tickets start at $88. joesliverosemont.com.

Nate Venturelli Live: 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at Rochaus, 96 W. Main St., West Dundee. With Blue Bayou and Bootleggers. Tickets start at $5. rochaus.com.

Brian McKnight: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. R&B. $51.30. geneseetheatre.com.

Bruce Dickinson: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at The Vic Theatre, 3145 N. Sheffield Ave., Chicago. With Misfire, “The Mandrake Project.” $63-$153. jamusa.com.

East Nash Grass: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at Space, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston. Country. $27.27. evanstonspace.com.

Eclipse: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Venue, 21 S. Broadway, Aurora. Pink Floyd Tribute. $23.86-$29. themusicvenue.org.

An Evening with The Mountain Goats: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Salt Shed, 1357 N. Elston Ave., Chicago. Rock. Tickets start at $62.90. saltshedchicago.com.

Fleshwater: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St., Chicago. With Ingrown and Si Dios Quiere. Tickets start at $39.96. thaliahallchicago.com.

Michael Schenker: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. “My Years With UFO” USA Tour with special guest Jared James Nichols. Sold out. arcadalive.com.

Former frontman of The Smiths Morrissey will perform Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom in Chicago. AP file photo, 2012

Morrissey: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom, 1106 W. Lawrence Ave., Chicago. The former frontman for The Smiths. $91. livenation.com.

The Orchestra: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Des Plaines Theatre, 1476 Miner St., Des Plaines. Featuring Electric Light Orchestra and ELO Part II members. $56.75-$98.75. desplainestheatre.com.

Nightcap Music: 9:30-11:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at Hey Nonny, 10 S. Vail Ave., Arlington Heights. Music by Pat Owen-Leary. Free. heynonny.com.

Sunday, Sept. 28

Cornerstones of Rock: 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28, at the Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. Featuring the Buckinghams, The Ides of March, The New Colony Six and The Cryan’ Shames. $56.75-$98.75. arcadalive.com.

Galafest: 4-5:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28, at the Gorton Center, 400 E. Illinois Road, Lake Forest. Music by the Niles Metropolitian Chorus accompanied by the Musical Lumina Orchestra. With food, a film, a silent auction and more. $100. gortoncenter.org.

British singer-songwriter Corinne Bailey Rae will perform Sunday, Sept. 28, at Cahn Auditorium. AP, Sept. 8, 2022

Corinne Bailey Rae: 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28, at Cahn Auditorium, 600 Emerson St., Evanston. Soul, R&B and pop. $52.14-$102.03. evanstonspace.com.

Luke Winslow-King Band: 7 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28, at the Venue, 21 S. Broadway, Aurora. Delta blues, roots, rock and folk. $23.86-$29. themusicvenue.org.

The California Honeydrops: 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28, at Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St., Chicago. “Redwood Highway Tour.” $46.39-$66.63. thaliahallchicago.com.

Sleep Token: 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28, at the Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim Road, Rosemont. The “Even in Arcadia” Tour, with special guest Thorn Hill. Sold out. rosemont.com/allstate.

Waterparks: 9 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28, at Space, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston. Pop punk. Sold out. evanstonspace.com.

Monday, Sept. 29

Ludovico Einaudi: 7:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 29-30, at The Auditorium, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive, Chicago. Pianist and composer. $125-$785. auditoriumtheatre.org.

Blue Monday — Vino Louden: 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 29, at Space, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston. Blues. $20.63. evanstonspace.com.

Garbage with Starcrawler: 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 29, at the Salt Shed, 1357 N. Elston Ave., Chicago. Rock. $77.45. saltshedchicago.com.

Skinshape: 8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 29, at Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St., Chicago. With Sons of Sevilla. $33.52-$46.39. thaliahallchicago.com.

Tuesday, Sept. 30

Arcada Theatre Indie Night: 7-10 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30, at the Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. Angus Macaskill, Jackie Carol, Dan Colles, and Blue? $10. arcadalive.com.

Bourbon ‘N Brass Indie Night: 7-10 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30, at the Des Plaines Theatre, 1476 Miner St., Des Plaines. Clique Play. $10. desplainestheatre.com.

Kublai Khan TX: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30, at the Salt Shed, 1357 N. Elston Ave., Chicago. Metal. Tickets start at $40.15. saltshedchicago.com.

The Donnybrooks: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30, at Hey Nonny, 10 S. Vail Ave., Arlington Heights. "(Sort of) half way to St. Patrick’s Day Show.” $22.27-$42.50. heynonny.com.

Noah Cyrus will perform Tuesday, Sept. 30, at Chicago’s Vic Theatre. AP, Oct. 28, 2023

Noah Cyrus: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30, at the Vic Theatre, 3145 N. Sheffield Ave., Chicago. “I Want My Loved Ones To Go With Me” with Carter Faith. $45-$206. jamusa.com.

Duane Betts & Palmetto Motel: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30, at Space, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston. Southern rock. Sold out. evanstonspace.com.

Maruja: 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 30, at Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St., Chicago. With Ganser. $27.29. thaliahallchicago.com.

Wednesday, Oct. 1

Hiromi’s Sonicwonder: 7 and 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, at Space, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston. Jazz piano. $37.14. evanstonspace.com.

Arcada Theatre Live Blues: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, at the Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. Blues from SonicSoul Band. Free; two-drink or equivalent minimum requested. arcadalive.com.

Bourbon ‘N Brass Live Jazz: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, at the Des Plaines Theatre, 1476 Miner St., Des Plaines. Jazz with the Bourbon ‘N Brass Brian Patti Prohibition Band. $5; two-drink or equivalent minimum requested. desplainestheatre.com.

Colter Wall and Friends: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, at The Auditorium, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive, Chicago. With Red Shahan. $49.61. auditoriumtheatre.org.

Trouble Ahead: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, at Hey Nonny, 10 S. Vail Ave., Arlington Heights. Grateful Dead-inspired group. $18.70-$48.45. heynonny.com.

Makaya McCraven: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, at Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St., Chicago. With Tom Skinner. $33.52. thaliahallchicago.com.

Thursday, Oct. 2

Bourbon ‘N Brass Live Jazz: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at the Des Plaines Theatre, 1476 Miner St., Des Plaines. Jazz with The Elite Four Jazz Band. $5; two-drink or equivalent minimum requested. desplainestheatre.com.

Cascada: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at the Des Plaines Theatre, 1476 Miner St., Des Plaines. An eclectic mix of pop, soul, electric and dance. $46.75-$88.75. desplainestheatre.com.

Cafe Carly — Honey I’ve Changed So Much Since I Last Saw You: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at Hey Nonny, 10 S. Vail Ave., Arlington Heights. Pop, musical theater, rock and folk music. $18.70-$42.50. heynonny.com.

An Evening of One Hit Wonders: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at Rochaus, 96 W. Main St., West Dundee. Andrew Blake’s Monster Jam One Hit Wonders. Tickets start at $5. rochaus.com.

Odetari: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at The Vic Theatre, 3145 N. Sheffield Ave., Chicago. “Varia 0.5 — North America Tour.” $36.37. jamusa.com.

Josh Homme and Queens of the Stone Age will headline Thursday, Oct. 2, at the Chicago Theatre. AP, May 26, 2024

Queens Of The Stone Age: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St., Chicago. “The Catacombs Tour.” Tickets start at $99.96. msg.com/the-chicago-theatre.

Tiffany and Sheena Easton: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at the Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. Pop. $56.75-$108.75. arcadalive.com.

Destroyer: 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St., Chicago. “Dan’s Boogie Tour” with Jennifer Castle. $39.96. thaliahallchicago.com.

Joan Osborne Sings the Songs of Bob Dylan: 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at Space, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston. Bob Dylan tribute. $40.54. evanstonspace.com.

Niko Moon: 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at Joe’s Live, 5441 Park Place, Rosemont. “American Palm Tour.” $37.48. joesliverosemont.com.

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