Sound check: Spoon headlines 93XRT's holiday show

Jam with Spoon

You know a Spoon song the minute you hear it out in nature - whether over the radio, on a TV show or in one of the band's numerous movie soundtrack appearances. After nearly 10 years on the grind, their 2002 breakout hit “The Way We Get By” set the deliberate pacing, the sharp, clear instrumentation and the clever lyrics as hallmarks of Spoon's indie sound. Recognizable? Yes. Predictable? Not at all. Catch them when they headline the 93XRT Goose Island Holiday Jam this weekend with New Jersey rock band Real Estate. The Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St., Chicago. Tickets start at $74. (888) 609-7599 or wxrt.radio.com. 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10

Stand Together with El Famous

Kevin Singleton and his band El Famous host and headline both nights of a two-night event at Bottom Lounge - Stand Together - featuring some of the heavy hitters on the Chicago-area music scene. $10 nets you sets from Deadships, Ryno, VCTMS, Skylines and Invictus, as well as El Famous, on Saturday; the same price gets you in Sunday to see Davlin, Speaking With Ghosts, Erabella, Spit and Lowcountry. Or plan ahead and get the two-night pass, which is also $10. Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake St., Chicago. $10 for single-night and two-night passes. (312) 666-6775 or bottomlounge.com. 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, and 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10

For the USO

Westmont rock band Tomorrow's Alliance steps up for the United Service Organizations with another installment of the Tomorrow's Alliance Community Rocks Project. The free show - also featuring Wompus, The Cave Dwellers, Thadeus Project and Dawnzy - aims to raise funds for and awareness of the many projects undertaken on behalf of our armed forces and veterans by the USO. Come to support an afternoon of local music for a good cause. Elbo Room, 2871 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. Free, but donations are encouraged to benefit the USO. (773) 549-5549 or elboroomlive.com. 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10

B.o.B rescheduled

Inclement weather and a canceled flight forced six-time Grammy-nominated rapper B.o.B to reschedule Friday's show at BaseCamp Pub. Tickets will be honored on the makeup date in February 2018, to be announced soon. (331) 777-4712 or basecamppub.com.

Concert highlights

Dowsing, Mother Evergreen, Great Deceivers and Retirement Party: 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, at Township, 2200 N. California Ave., Chicago. $10-$12. (773) 384-1865 or townshipchicago.com.

Capital Soiree, August Hotel, Even Thieves: 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, at HVAC Pub, 3530 N. Clark St., Chicago. Free. (773) 789-8864 or hvacpub.com.

Rosie and The Rivets “Jingle Bell Rock” Holiday Show: 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, at Hard Rock Cafe, 63 W. Ontario St., Chicago. Free. (312) 943-2252 or hardrock.com/cafes/chicago/.

The Red Moons, No Dead Heroes, Lo Grey: 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, at Debonair Social Club, 1575 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. $10. (773) 227-7990 or debonairsocialclub.com.

Minor Characters, Furr, Karl Neurauter: 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, at Martyrs', 3855 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. $10. (773) 404-9494 or martyrslive.com.

Lowdown Brass Band, Chicago Funk Mafia, DJ Daniel Villarreal: 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, at Subterranean, 2011 W. North Ave., Chicago. $10-$15. (773) 278-6600 or subt.net.

Exit 147: 8:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, at Peggy Kinnane's, 8 N. Vail Ave., Arlington Heights. Free. (847) 577-7733 or peggykinnanes.com.

Cowboy Jukebox: 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, at H.O.M.E. Bar, 1227 N. Rand Road, Arlington Heights. $5. (847) 577-4663 or homebarchicago.com.

Toronzo Cannon: 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, at FitzGerald's, 6615 Roosevelt Road, Berwyn. $15. (708) 788-2118 or fitzgeraldsnightclub.com.

Sweet Diezel Jenkins, The Gilligans: 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, at Durty Nellie's, 180 N. Smith St., Palatine. $7. (847) 358-9150 or durtynellies.com.

Rebel Reign: 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, at Austin's Fuel Room, 481 Peterson Road, Libertyville. Free. (847) 549-1972 or fuelroom.com.

Bella Cain X-mas Bash: 10 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, at Sideouts, 4018 Roberts Road, Island Lake. Check venue for ticket info. (847) 526-7174 or sideouts.com.

Divine Riot, Orinoco: 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, at Bungalow Joe's, 7406 Jensen Blvd., Hanover Park. Check venue for ticket info. (630) 830-8899.

Dave Koz 20th Anniversary Christmas Tour: 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, The Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St., Chicago. Tickets start at $29.50. msg.com.

Gina Gonzalez and the Wingmen: 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, at Austin's Fuel Room, 481 Peterson Road, Libertyville. $5. (847) 549-1972 or fuelroom.com.

Sander Kleinenberg, Kings of Class, Inphinity, GoodSex, DangerWayne, Nikho: 10 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, at Spybar, 646 N. Franklin St., Chicago. $10. (312) 337-2191 or spybarchicago.ticketfly.com.

Riviera, Sea of Cars, Bleacher Days, Cup Check: 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, at Evolution Music, 923 Curtiss St., Downers Grove. $5-$10. (630) 541-5022 or evolutionmusicstore.com.

Final Drive, Fools Brew, The Shape, Purge: 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, at Underground Lounge, 952 W. Newport Ave., Chicago. $10. (773) 871-4343 or theundergroundchicago.com.

Melissa Etheridge: “Merry Christmas Baby”: 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. Tickets start at $69. (630) 962-7000 or arcadalive.com.

Irish Folk Session: 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 13, at Peggy Kinnane's, 8 N. Vail Ave., Arlington Heights. Free. (847) 577-7733 or peggykinnanes.com.

Christopher David, Jeff Brown Goodbye 2017 Acoustic Show: 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, at Uncommon Ground, 3800 N. Clark St., Chicago. $10. (773) 929-3680 or uncommonground.com.

“A Carpenters' Christmas”: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, Genesee Theatre, 203 N. Genesee St., Waukegan. $25. (847) 263-6300 or geneseetheatre.com.

Dead Harvest: 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, at Phyllis' Musical Inn, 1800 W. Division St., Chicago. Free. (773) 486-9862.

<i> Brian Shamie is a Daily Herald multiplatform editor. You can follow him on Twitter at @BShamieDH. Listen to Brian's “2017 Chicago Sound Check” Spotify playlist for a sampling of many of the great local bands he's included in the Daily Herald this year.</i>