At the clubs: Mr. Blotto, Sixteen Candles and more
• Ballydoyle Irish Pub and Restaurant, 5157 Main St., Downers Grove: Mr. Blotto, 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21 ($5). (630) 969-0600 or ballydoylepub.com.
• Beans & Leaves Coffee & Tea Cafe, 320 Old McHenry Road, Long Grove: Thomas Swenson (Americana), 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22; Merv Collins (fingerstyle guitar), 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 23. All performances are free. (847) 821-0011.
• Blues Bar, 2 W. Busse Ave., Mount Prospect: The C-Factor, 9:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21; Lurrie Bell Blues Band, 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22. (847) 788-9977 or blues-bar.com.
• Chicago Prime Steakhouse, 1444 E. Algonquin Road, Schaumburg: Simply Kathleen, 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21; Neil Rose Trio, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22; Regina, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26; Jimmy Damon, 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 27. (847) 969-9900 or ChicagoPrimeSteakhouse.com.
• Cubby Bear Lincolnshire, 21661 N. Milwaukee Ave., Lincolnshire: Gin Soaked Olive, Two Man Wolf Pack, 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21 ($5); Steve Perry's Birthday Party (sans Steve Perry) featuring Infinity, 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22 ($7). (847) 541-4700 or cubbybear.com/lincolnshire.
• Durty Nellie's, 180 N. Smith St., Palatine: Sixteen Candles, 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21 ($7); Blackened, 10 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22 ($5). (847) 358-9150 or durtynellies.com.
• FitzGerald's, 6615 Roosevelt Road, Berwyn: The Flatlanders with CJ Chenier & His Red Hot Louisiana Band, 8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21 ($20); CJ Chenier & His Red Hot Louisiana Band, 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22 ($15); Chicago Grandstand Big Band, 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 23 ($10); West End Jazz Band, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26 ($10); Whitey Morgan & The 78s, Long Gone Lonesome Boys, 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 27 ($5). (708) 788-2118 or fitzgeraldsnightclub.com.
• Harlem Avenue Lounge, 3701 S. Harlem Ave., Berwyn: Pistol Pete Band, 9:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21 ($6); Tornozo Cannon & The Cannonball Express, 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22 ($6); Open Mic Blues Jam 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 25 (free). (708) 484-3610 or harlemavenuelounge.com.
• Montrose Room at the InterContinental O'Hare Hotel, 5300 N. River Road, Rosemont: OD Joe, Friday, Jan. 21. (847) 544-5300.
• Peggy Kinnane's Irish Restaurant and Pub, 8 N. Vail Ave., Arlington Heights: Kevin Purcell & The Night Burners, 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21; Replay, 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22. (847) 577-7733 or peggykinnanes.com.
• Penny Road Pub, 545 Penny Road, Barrington: BrokenBlues, Left to Write, Black Cat Bone, Shannon Behn, 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21, in the rock room underground stage; American Greed, 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21, on the main stage; Frost Court, 10:45 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21, in the rock room underground stage; The Laterdaze Band, Centerfold, 28 Days, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22, on the main stage; Jack n Coke, 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22, in the rock room underground stage. (847) 428-0562 or pennyroadpub.com.
• Pinstripes, in the Arboretum of South Barrington, at Route 59 and Higgins Road, South Barrington: “Musicians Unite to Provide a Voice for ‘Joey's Song.'” Freedy Johnson, Greg Percy and his band Retro Specz, The Bad Examples and Michael McDermott perform selections from the “Joey's Song” CD compilation to raise money for the Epilepsy Foundation. 7 to 11:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21. Admission is $20 for children and $50 for adults; includes food, beverages and entertainment. Call (847) 844-9300 or go to joeyssong.org.
• Shark City, 2240 Bloomingdale Road, Glendale Heights: Legendary Rockstars, 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21. (630) 893-9346 or sharkcity.com.
• Somebody's Pub, 858 S. Arthur Ave., Arlington Heights: John Boda, 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22. (847) 394-0413.
• Two Way Street Coffee House, 1047 Curtiss St., Downers Grove: Dean Milano with CD release party for “Something to Think About” (folk, country) at 8:15 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21. $7. (630) 969-9720 or twowaystreet.org.
• Walter Payton's Roundhouse, 205 N. Broadway Ave., Aurora: Rock House (live music), 10 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22. (630) 264-2739 or walterpaytonsroundhouse.com.