Sound check: Celebrate our musical roots with FitzGerald's American Music Festival
American Music Festival
For its 39th time, FitzGerald's is celebrating our country through its musical roots with its annual American Music Festival this weekend. The four-day concert fest brings together some of the best of folk, jazz and Americana from the Chicago and suburban music scenes to play alongside national acts, including headliners Son Volt on Friday, Rebirth Brass Bandon Saturday, Alejandro Escovedo Sunday and North Mississippi Allstars closing out the fest on Monday. Be sure to keep slots open for the Waco Brothers, Chicago Farmer and the Fieldnotes, Ike Reilly Assassination, Lydia Loveless, Marcia Ball, Robbie Fulks, Joe Pug, Gerald Dowd and many more. Visit fitzgeraldsnightclub.com for the full lineup and schedules.
5 p.m. Friday, July 1, and noon Saturday, through Monday, July 2-4, at FitzGerald's, 6615 Roosevelt Road, Berwyn. $50 per day or $175 for a four-day pass. (708) 788-2118 or fitzgeraldsnightclub.com.
Waco Brothers part two
If you miss Jon Langford and the Waco Brothers at FitzGerald's Friday night, you can catch the band in all its raucous, country-punk glory when they play The Venue in Aurora the next night. The Chicago-born, alt-country-inspired group will bring the house down with its electrifying and soulful hits.
8 p.m. Saturday, July 2, at The Venue, 21 S. Broadway Ave., Aurora. $20-$25 (plus $5 at the door the day of the show). (331) 212-8490 or themusicvenue.org.
Charlie Otto at Hey Nonny
Palatine native Charlie Otto packs up his big projection screen to kick off the holiday weekend with a free show at Hey Nonny Friday. Honing his chops as founder of Chicago favorites DJ noDJ, This Must be the Band and Grood, Otto is now also taking stages with his solo act charlie otto + his gear, an electro-rock project blending his masterful songs with cutting-edge video and stage tech, much of which is connected on the fly to what he does with his guitar. Prepare for earworm-tickling music and an eye-popping visual experience.
8:30 p.m. Friday, July 1, at Hey Nonny, 10 S. Vail Ave., Arlington Heights. Free. (224) 202-0750 or heynonny.com.
Broken Robots at Chop Shop
Friday, Wood Dale's Broken Robots releases its new single “Worth Your Time,” a groove-heavy excursion showcasing the original trio Kat and Tony Baker and Lonnie Phillips, plus newest member Anthony Friedli on percussion. Fans can catch the new tune live next Thursday when the Robots headline Chicago's Chop Shop along with alt-soul artist Girl Named Nino (with her full band) and electro-pop from HLDAY MAGK.
8:30 p.m. Thursday, July 7, at Chop Shop, 2033 W. North Ave., Chicago. $19. (773) 537-4440 or chopshopchi.com.
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). He also keeps tabs on the Chicago music scene at chicagosoundcheck.com.