Music notes: Award-winning Richard Marx plays Genesee

Crooner Marx at Genesee

Richard Marx, hailing from suburban Highland Park, has an impressive body of work behind him - eleven albums, three No. 1 singles and seven in Billboard's Top 5, plus numerous production and collaboration credits. Plus, he was one of the major players in the love ballad game in the '80s and '90s. Marx brings his award-winning, silky-smooth musical collection to Waukegan's Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. $28-$68; (847) 263-6300 or geneseetheatre.com. 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4

Classic rock and more

The Lauren Wolf Band has been honing its classic rock vibe with strains of soul, blues and pop since solidifying its sound for its latest album, last year's “Rise Up.” The band, with ties to Naperville, Warrenville and Northbrook, is playing Chicago's Bottom Lounge Saturday along with local acoustic rockers Band Called Catch, folk artist Steve Gilpin, alt.country musician Kevin Daniels and Evan Holmes from indie rock band Exit Ghost. Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake St., Chicago. $10; (312) 666-6775 or bottomlounge.com. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5

Brauerhouse's Driven rock night

Pop and folk tunes are nice, but sometimes you need a dose of hard-driving rock 'n' roll to help you get amped up for the weekend. Lombard's Brauerhouse obliges with a night of rock and metal, featuring three big Chicago-area talents: Driven Under, Emperors and Elephants and Arcane Framework, which calls McHenry County home. Brauerhouse, 1000 N. Rohlwing Road, Lombard. $8; (630) 495-2141 or brauerhouse.com. 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5

Upcoming concerts

The Shades: 10 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 3, at Drum & Monkey, 1435 W. Taylor St., Chicago. Acoustic pop. (312) 563-1874 or facebook.com/drumandmonkeyus.

Stellar EP release party and show: 5:30 p.m. party and 7 p.m. show Friday, Dec. 4, at BaseCamp Pub & Eatery, 5750 Lakeside Drive, Lisle. Punk rock. Local band celebrates the release of its first EP. All ages. Pizza and pop will be served. Free. (331) 777-4712 or thebandstellar.com.

The Singers: 6 and 8:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, in Bennett Gordon Hall at Ravinia Festival, 418 Sheridan Road, Highland Park. Professional 40-member choir performs classical and holiday tunes and more. $10. (847) 266-5000 or ravinia.org.

Palatine Concert Band's Annual Holiday Concert: 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at Cutting Hall Performing Arts Center, 150 E. Wood St., Palatine. Classical music, holiday selections and a visit from Santa Claus. $8 adults, $5 student/seniors, free for kids 12 and younger. palatineconcertband.org.

The Blind Boys of Alabama's Christmas Show: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at Dominican University Performing Arts Center, 7900 W. Division, River Forest. Gospel. $26-$56. events.dom.edu.

Glen Ellyn-Wheaton Chorale Concert: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, and 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, at College Church, 335 E. Seminary Ave., Wheaton. Classical and more. $17. (630) 415-3066 or gewchorale.org.

St. Charles Singers with the 32nd Annual “Candlelight Carols” Christmas Concert: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at Baker Memorial United Methodist Church, 307 Cedar Ave., St. Charles. Traditional holiday songs and more. $35 adult general admission, $30 seniors 65 and older, $10 students. (630) 513-5272 or stcharlessingers.com. Tickets are also available at Townhouse Books, 105 N. Second Ave., St. Charles (checks or cash only). Tickets may also be purchased at the door, depending on availability.

Richard Marx: 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. Pop/rock. $28-$68. (800) 982-2787, ticketmaster.com or geneseetheatre.com.

North Central College Jazz Faculty Christmas Concert: 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at Madden Theatre in Wentz Fine Arts Center at North Central College, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville. $20-$25. (630) 637-7469 or finearts.northcentralcollege.edu.

Jared Rabin, Glass Mountain, Mad Bread: 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at Martyrs', 3855 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. Folk, acoustic, bluegrass. $8. (773) 404-9494 or martyrslive.com.

Cory Branan, Bittersweet Drive: 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at Schubas, 3159 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. Country punk. $15. (773) 525-2508 or lh-st.com.

Nigel Mack & The Blues Attack: 9:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, at Harlem Avenue Lounge, 3701 S. Harlem Ave., Berwyn. Blues. $6. (708) 484-3610 or harlemavenuelounge.com.

Naperville Men's Glee Club with “Christmas Presence Advent Concert”: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, at St. Margaret Mary Church, 1450 Green Trails Drive, Naperville. Holiday music. Other performers include soprano Mary Elliott and vocalists from St. Margaret Mary Parish in Naperville. $12-$15. For tickets, call (630) 448-0518 or see napervillemensgleeclub.org. Tickets also available at the door prior to the concert (cash or check only).

Lauren Wolf Band, Band Called Catch, Steve Gilpin, Kevin Daniels, Evan Holmes: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, at Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake St., Chicago. Classic, folk and acoustic rock. $10. (312) 666-6775 or bottomlounge.com.

New Orleans Suspects: 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, at FitzGerald's, 6615 W. Roosevelt Road, Berwyn. Funk, jazz, blues, rock and more. $15. (708) 788-2118 or fitzgeraldsnightclub.com.

Driven Under, Emperors and Elephants, Arcane Framework: 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, at Brauerhouse, 1000 N. Rohlwing Road, Lombard. Hard rock, metal. $8. (630) 495-2141 or brauerhouse.com.

The Verve Pipe, Matt Hires: 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, at Schubas Tavern, 3159 N. Southport Ave., Chicago. Alternative rock. $24. (773) 525-2508 or lh-st.com.

Canadian Brass: 2 and 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at Wentz Concert Hall at North Central College, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville. Brass ensemble performs baroque and Dixieland tunes, classical and new compositions. $40-$50. (630) 637-7469 or finearts.northcentralcollege.edu.

BG Singers Encore!: 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at the Prospect Heights Public Library, 12 N. Elm St., Prospect Heights. Encore!, the traveling vocal ensemble of the Buffalo Grove Singers, performs holidays tunes, Broadway selections and more. Free. Register at (847) 259-3500, ext. 35, phpl.info or by visiting the library's information desk.

Illinois Brass Band's “Holiday Classics” Concert: 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at Cutting Hall, 150 E. Wood St., Palatine. Holiday favorites, jazzy updates of classics and more. $6-$12. Tickets available at Cutting Hall box office in advance or on the day of the performance. (847) 202-5222 or illinoisbrassband.org.

Fox Valley Men of Harmony with “Marshmallow World Holiday Concert”: 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at First United Methodist Church, 216 E. Highland, Elgin. Songs of the season performed in four-part harmony by Fox Valley Men of Harmony and local quartets. Show includes audience singalong. The Crystal Lake South High School Madrigal Group also performs. $10. (630) 587-6383.

The Queers, Top Shelf Lickers, The Mystery Actions, Bremer & the No Goods, The Retirement Club: 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at Chop Shop, 2033 W. North Ave., Chicago. Punk rock. $15. (773) 537-4441 or 1stwardevents.com.

Acappellago with “Escape to A New Beginning” holiday concert: 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at Congregational Church of Batavia, 21 S. Batavia Ave., Batavia. New music for Christmas as well as fresh arrangements of classic favorites. $15-$17. acappellago.org.

The Empty Pockets, Nate Jones, Mark Croft: 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph St., Chicago. Americana rock. $25-$35. (312) 733-9463 or citywinery.com.

“A Carpenters' Christmas”: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, 111 W. Campbell St., Arlington Heights. Vocalist Lisa Rock and her six-piece band performs holiday tunes once recorded by Karen and Richard Carpenter. $30-$35. (847) 577-2121 or metropolisarts.com.

Michael Bolton: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, at Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. Pop, rock. $48-$68. (800) 982-2787, ticketmaster.com or geneseetheatre.com.

Luke Winslow-King: 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10, at Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. Blues, jazz guitar. $10-$12. (773) 281-4444 or beatkitchen.com.

Rhett Miller, Nora O'Connor, Gerald Dowd: 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10, at City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph St., Chicago. Americana rock. $25-$32. (312) 733-9463 or citywinery.com.

David Paige, Lillie Lemon: 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10, at Ballydoyle, 5157 Main St., Downers Grove. Alternative rock. (630) 969-0600 or ballydoylepub.com/downers/.

Glam Camp, Ocean Days: 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10, at The Whistler, 2421 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Indie rock. No cover. (773) 227-3530 or whistlerchicago.com.

Information is provided by the entertainment venues. Check with the venue before purchasing tickets. For more concert listings, visit dailyherald.com/calendar.