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Sound check: Piano-driven country from Phil Vassar at Joe's Live

Joe's knows country

Tickets are going fast for country hitmaker Phil Vassar's visit to Rosemont this weekend. Vassar, who got his start penning tunes for other artists, takes the stage with a catalog of his own infectious piano-driven hits as well as a few favorites he's written during his career.

8 p.m. (doors at 7) Friday, Aug. 27, at Joe's Live, 5441 Park Place, Rosemont. $27; (847) 261-0392 or joesliverosemont.com.

Roots rock in Aurora

Acoustic Americana takes top billing when The Venue hosts the Roots Music Festival this weekend at Aurora's Mundy Park. Bringing regional acts to the adjacent outdoor space, The Venue celebrates the genre with four musical acts: Good Morning Bedlam kicks things off at 5 p.m., followed by indie-folk band Dawson Hollow at 6:15 p.m., Michigan's The Accidentals step in at 7:30 p.m., leading up to headliner The Arcadian Wild at 9. Masks will be required indoors at the event; they won't be required outdoors with proof of full vaccination.

5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, at The Venue, 21 S. Broadway Ave., Aurora. $35 for terrace seating, $20 for lawn (bring your own chair or blanket); prices increase by $5 at the door the day of the show. (331) 212-8490 or themusicvenue.com.

• The Venue also welcomes surf rock band Los Straitjackets at 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 27; $30 for terrace seating, $25 for lawn; ticket prices increase by $5 at the door.

Underbelly Hours Spotlight

Underbelly Hours underground podcast hosts Adela Skowronski and Dan Dick turn their focus on three Chicago-area artists for this month's local music showcase at Dry City Brew Works in Wheaton. Indie singer Olivia Ports, rock singer-songwriter Jory Avner and bluesy-folk musician Ryan Herrick take the patio stage Saturday as Adela and Dan share what makes our music scene great. Weather permitting, the show will be outdoors, but masks will be required for anyone heading inside.

6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, at Dry City Brew Works, 120 N. Main St., Wheaton. Free. (630) 456-4787 or drycitybrewworks.com.

Pete Yorn livestream

Grab a comfy chair and tune in as folk-rocker Pete Yorn leads an expedition through his third album “Nightcrawler” in honor of its 15th birthday. The critically acclaimed performer takes to the screen for an acoustic playthrough of the melancholic album in a perfectly chill way to cap off a Sunday afternoon. Pre- (starting at 4:25 p.m.) and post-show (at 6:45 p.m.) Q&A packages are also available.

5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 29; tickets start at $15 at peteyorn.veeps.com.

15 concerts to catch this week

• Boundary Waters, OK Cool, splits: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 25, at Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. $8; (773) 281-4444 or beatkitchen.com.

• Everyday Fantastic, Ocean Child, Calicoloco: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 25, at Subterranean, 2011 W. North Ave., Chicago. $10; (773) 278-6600 or subt.net.

• Korn with Staind, '68: 6:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 27, at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, 19100 Ridgeland Ave., Tinley Park. $29-$89; concerts.livenation.com.

• Guardrail, Wolf Rd, Weekend Run Club, Cleveland Avenue, Fluorescents, Four Stars: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 27, at Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake St., Chicago. $10; (312) 666-6775 or bottomlounge.com.

• Wild Street with Once Around, The Almas: 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 27, at RocHaus, 96 W. Main St., West Dundee. $15-$50; (815) 893-9768 or rochaus.com.

• Aaron Williams and Courtney Stone: 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 27, at Sideouts Sports Tavern, 4018 W. Roberts Road, Island Lake. (847) 526-7174 or 3dsideouts.com.

• Wilco, Sleater-Kinney and NNAMDï: 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, at Millennium Park's Jay Pritzker Pavilion, 201 E. Randolph St., Chicago. $45-$89.50; wilcoworld.net.

• JD Kostyk: 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, at Nellie's, 180 N. Smith St., Palatine. Free rooftop show; (847) 358-9150 or nelliespalatine.com.

• Rise Against “Nowhere Generation Tour” with Descendents, The Menzingers: 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island, 1300 S. Linn White Drive, Chicago. $35-$65; concerts.livenation.com.

• V Is for Villans, Bellhead, Code Name Phoenix: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, at Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake St., Chicago. $10; (312) 666-6775 or bottomlounge.com.

• The Last Generation with Corduroy: 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, at BrauerHouse, 1000 N. Rohlwing Road, Lombard. $7-$50; eventbrite.com.

• Wild Earp: 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 29, at FitzGerald's, 6615 Roosevelt Road, Berwyn. Free; (708) 788-2118 or fitzgeraldsnightclub.com.

• Cornerstones Of Rock — The Buckinghams, The Ides of March, The New Colony Six, The Cryan' Shames and The Shadows of Knight: 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 29, at Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. $89; rescheduled from 2020, so original tickets will be honored; (630) 962-7000 or arcadalive.com.

• August Hotel, Shi La Rosa, Sir Mango: 9:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 30, at Sleeping Village, 3734 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. $5; (773) 654-3971 or sleeping-village.com.

• Rachael Kilgour & Grace Pettis: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 31, at Hey Nonny, 10 S. Vail Ave., Arlington Heights. $15-$30; (224) 202-0750 or heynonny.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.

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