Sound check: Blues livestream, Square Roots Fest at home, SpaceCamp at Brauer
Streaming the blues
BluesStream: A Chicago/Kalamazoo Blues Party packs 12 smoking blues artists from Chicago and Kalamazoo into one six-hour livestream presentation Sunday afternoon. Billy Branch, Johnny Burgin, Joanna Connor, Katherine Davis, Billy Flynn, Fruteland Jackson, John Kattke, Dave Specter and Harlan Terson represent Chicago's strong blues tradition, along with Kalamazoo-based musicians Larry McCray, A Mays and Blue and The Out of Favor Boys Trio. Specter and Branch will also debut a new single, “The Ballad of George Floyd,” during their set.
2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30, livestreaming at Facebook Live and YouTube. Tickets are “pay what you can,” starting at $1, as well as access to a virtual tip jar to support artists and nonprofit partner organizations.
Square Roots at home
The Square Roots Festival, typically held in July to support the small businesses that are part of the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce, has joined many of Chicago's other summer festivals in creating a virtual experience for fest-goers to keep the public safe. This year's edition comprises a full week of vendor specials — food packages, craft beers and merchandise available for order and pickup — and online classes and workshops, culminating in a livestreamed concert on Saturday, Aug. 29. Chicago rock-and-soul act The O'My's headlines the event, which also brings Dehd, Frank Waln, Bomba con Buya and Andrew Sa and the Cosmic Country Showcase Band to the stage at 6 p.m. The concert is free, but donations are welcome, directly supporting programming at the Old Town School of Folk Music, farmers markets and local businesses throughout Lincoln Square and Ravenswood.
Concert livestreams at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at squareroots.org/concert. The vendor showcase is open all week through Saturday as well at squareroots.org/shop.
Brauer's SpaceCamp
The third annual SpaceCamp music festival has been scaled back, but the party is still on. Blast off with 40 acts bringing music to four stages at Lombard's BrauerHouse this Friday, including Arvi Mala, Barantagous, DangerWayne, Bobby DeMaria, StvnLeon, Niick Niice, JAD3D, Drastik J and more in a socially distanced setting.
4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28, at BrauerHouse, 1000 N. Rohlwing Road, Lombard. General admission is $20; group ticket packages are also available. (630) 495-2141 or wealthyhabitsent.ticketsleap.com and brauerhouse.com.
Start your engines
Plans for a full-scale MOTOBLOT, Chicago's annual celebration of motorcycle and hot rod culture, are parked until June 2021, but organizers are gassed up for a scaled-down version of the fest. The re-imagined, drive-in motorcycle and hot rod rally starts at noon at Bridgeview's SeatGeek Stadium, featuring live performances throughout the day by The Crombies, The Hi-Jivers, Three Blue Teardrops, Bailey Dee, Black Angus and AWEFUL. The rally wraps up after a dusk screening of “The Warriors.” Food trucks, drinks and motor-themed vendors will be available on site. Spaces are limited and socially distanced, so get your tickets in advance.
Noon Sunday, Aug. 30, at SeatGeek Stadium, 7000 S. Harlem Ave., Bridgeview. $25 for motorcycles (and up to two people); $35 for cars (limited to the legal seating of the vehicle). Find the schedule and more information at motoblot.com/MOTOBLOT-Drive-In.
Moose-a-Palooza
Batavia Moose Lodge's third annual summer fundraiser Moose-a-Palooza is on deck this weekend with Jimmy Nick and Don't Tell Mama, Howard and the White Boys, The Tin Fiddle Band and The Ferris Wheel Junkies on the musical lineup. Bring your lawn chairs and masks for the show; food, drinks and a grand prize raffle will be on hand for purchase. Space is limited due to social distancing policies, so snag your tickets early. If you prefer to stay at home, the show will be livestreamed at the Moose-a-Palooza Facebook page.
2 p.m. (gates open at 1:30) Saturday, Aug. 29, at the Batavia Moose Lodge #682, 1535 S. Batavia Ave., Batavia. $20 donation; free for children 12 and younger. Proceeds support Moose International's new Mooseheart Activity Center, the Mooseheart Senior class ring fund, and the Batavia Moose Lodge building fund. Tickets are available at the Moose Lodge or through eventbrite.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). Brian also keeps tabs on the local music scene at chicagosoundcheck.com.