Sound check: Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton on drive-in screens; Pete Yorn acoustic livestream
Blake Shelton on the big screen
Country superstar Blake Shelton and special guests Gwen Stefani and Trace Adkins hit the big screen with a concert exclusively filmed for Chicago Drive-In. The electrifying performance, at 9 p.m. Saturday, July 25, will be screened throughout the suburbs: Elgin Cinema, 111 South Randall Road, Elgin; The McHenry Outdoor Theater, 1510 N. Chapel Hill Road, McHenry; and pop-up drive-ins at the Sears Centre, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates, and SeatGeek Stadium, 7000 S. Harlem Ave., Bridgeview. Tickets are $114.99 per vehicle up to six passengers and are available at ticketmaster.com.
Looking back with Pete Yorn
When Pete Yorn released 2001's critically acclaimed “musicforthemorningafter,” he planted his flag in thoughtful, angsty folk-rock and set a new standard singer-songwriters would still look to two decades and six albums later. Yorn hits the streaming circuit this weekend to perform an acoustic version of that debut album from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, July 25. The concert is $15, but VIP packages that include a 20-minute pre- or post-show Zoom Q&A session with Yorn are available. Find tickets at peteyorn.veeps.com.
Da$Htone, Groovy Louie at FitzGerald's
Darien Pasulka's recent video for his Da$Htone song “Someday” is a gorgeous representation of the diversity of Chicago, as he visited neighborhoods throughout and interacted with people he met on the street. Not to mention it's just a really fun and catchy song with a great message! Da$Htone takes the FitzGerald's new patio stage this weekend for a free outdoor show with Chicago funkmasters Groovy Louie & the Time Capsules Saturday night.
7 p.m. Saturday, July 25, at FitzGerald's, 6615 Roosevelt Road, Berwyn. Free. (708) 788-2118 or fitzgeraldsnightclub.com.
Da$Htone is also playing a series of weekly pop-up shows at 2 p.m. on Sundays in and around Chicago's Humboldt Park. Follow their Instagram for day-of location details.
Rockin' your grocery run
While you're picking up your bananas and chocolate eclairs this weekend, you can check a live musical performance off your list. Capital Soiree — James Kourafas, Steven Rejdukowski, Max Romero and Dean Sinclair — obliges with a live afternoon concert outside the Jewel-Osco in Mount Prospect from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 25. Spend some time soaking up the sun (social distancing!) and enjoying the band's dreamy indie-pop, including the gorgeous and haunting tunes from the band's recently released “Being Lonely” EP (and maybe sneak a listen to a new single, due out at the end of July). Jewel-Osco is 333 E. Euclid Ave., Mount Prospect.
Side Street's prelim finale
Side Street Studio Arts wraps up the preliminary rounds of this summer's virtual Battle of the Bands with Pink Hotel and Moore. Visit sidestreetstudioarts.org between 5 and 9 p.m. Saturday, July 25, to hear the artists, and vote for who moves on to the Final Round, set for Aug. 8.
• 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 Chicago-area music scene at chicagosoundcheck.com.