Sound check: Joanna Connor plays the blues in Aurora
Joanna Connor and the blues
Head to downtown Aurora to catch blues shredder Joanna Connor as she sets the outdoor stage at Mundy Park ablaze with The Joanna Connor Band this weekend. If you've visited Kingston Mines, one of Chicago's premiere blues venues, there's a very good chance you've seen this outstanding performer playing her residency. The outdoor show will be held in the park adjacent to The Venue music room.
<b>8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, at The Venue, 21 S. Broadway Ave., Aurora. $15. (331) 212-8490 or themusicvenue.org.</b>
Huntley Fall Fest tunes
If you're missing the live performances of the festival scene, take heart: Even though in-person events of the Huntley Fall Fest have been canceled for health and safety reasons, the show is going on all weekend at West Dundee's RocHaus - and streaming to your home. Things kick off at 7:30 p.m. Friday with sets from Rok Brigade and Modern Day Romeos. Saturday, catch My Metal Heart, Serendipity, HILLBILLY ROCKSTARZ, The Lounge Puppets and 7th heaven playing between 1 p.m. and midnight. And Sunday, Hi Infidelity, Pino Farina and Think Floyd USA take the RocHaus stage. Limited tickets are available for the live performances, but you can catch the livestreams at the Huntley Fall Fest Facebook page.
<b>7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25; 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26; and 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27; at RocHaus, 96 W. Main St., West Dundee. $20 per set at eventbrite.com. Or stream it online for free at facebook.com/HuntleyFallFest.</b>
Drive-up country
Rising country star Kane Brown comes streaming straight to the suburbs when the Encore Drive-In Nights concert series presents him with special guests Granger Smith, Jimmie Allen and Lauren Alaina this weekend. For one ticket, a carload of fans (up to six or the vehicle's legal limit) can catch the one-night-only event, featuring a recorded concert on the big screens at drive-up shows in the parking lots at the Now Arena in Hoffman Estates or SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. Cars will be separated to meet social distancing guidelines; masks will be required for attendance.
<b>11:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at Chicago Drive-In Theater at Now Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates; and at SeatGeek Stadium, 7000 S. Harlem Ave., Bridgeview. $76-$176 at encorelive.com.</b>
Brian Shamie is a Daily Herald multiplatform editor and local music junkie. Email him at bshamie@dailyherald.com, find him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter (@thatshamieguy) or Instagram (@chicagosoundcheck). Brian also keeps tabs on the local music scene at chicagosoundcheck.com.