Sound check: Toronzo Cannon celebrates Hey Nonny anniversary show
Happy birthday, Hey Nonny
In October 2018, the crew at Hey Nonny first opened the downtown Arlington Heights bistro/venue's doors with a slate of preview shows and eventually a grand opening. Three years and a pandemic later, the crew is ready to celebrate an anniversary. And world-renowned Chicago bluesman Toronzo Cannon is coming to the party. Cannon will be on stage with his smoking guitar skills and powerful music Saturday, Oct. 16, as part of this week's eclectic lineup, which also features indie-folk singer Rivvrs Friday, Oct. 15 ($10-$25); soul artist Gerald McClendon Wednesday, Oct. 20 ($12-$30); and genre-bashing folk/rock/pop artists Erin McKeown and Steve Slagg Thursday, Oct. 21 ($10-$30).
7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16, at Hey Nonny, 10 S. Vail Ave., Arlington Heights. $15-$35. (224) 202-0750 or heynonny.com.
Rocking West Chicago
The common threads running through Friday night's show are a little hard-rock and metal as Chicago rock-comedy band Psychostick headlines an eclectic five-slot lineup at West Chicago's WC Social Club. Detroit's Downtown Brown brings some funk; Coyote Man from Chicago adds progressive instrumental to the collection; Inbound from the Pittsburgh area puts a lighter touch into the mix; and Chicago's Dog Spelled Backwards provides the face-melting, thrashy riffs of its ever-growing metalcore catalog.
7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15, at The WC Social Club, 920 Roosevelt Road, West Chicago. $15. (630) 473-0099 or thewcsocialclub.com.
Evolution music
Pop-punk comes in all flavors this weekend - some laced with emo, some more alternative-leaning - at Evolution Music in Downers Grove as artists from across the scene reunite on the music store's stage. Ohio's Big Smile and Chicago-area Rematch launch their East Coast-bound tour Friday, Oct. 15, along with Mishandled, Fluorescents and Joyful. for a high-energy night of incredible up-and-coming artists.
7 p.m. (doors open at 6) Friday, Oct. 15, at Evolution Music, 923 Curtiss St., Downers Grove. $10. (630) 541-5022 or evolutionmusicstore.com.
At 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16, Evolution Music also hosts Bad Year, Trash Fiasco, The Darkhorse Collective and Fuzzbucket. $10 at evolutionmusicstore.com.
Big band residency
The Fox Valley Music Foundation and Aurora's The Venue have partnered with The Pete Ellman Big Band to provide area music students performance opportunities in the music space. As part of The Big Band Residency Series, music students from middle schools up to collegiate artists will have the chance to open for the Chicago big band for a full ticketed show. The residency kicks off Tuesday, Oct. 19, featuring artists from College of DuPage. Visit themusicvenue.org for a full lineup of upcoming artists.
6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 19, at The Venue, 21 S. Broadway Ave., Aurora. $5. (331) 212-8490 or themusicvenue.org.
Jukebox HalloQueen simulcast
It started off as a joke. But then the piano-driven pop trio Jukebox the Ghost expanded on its selection of Queen covers in regular show rotation and created the goofy, giddy HalloQueen annual mini-tour. The group's Chicago show at House of Blues next week also has the honor of hosting the event's livestream, complete with a full set by Jukebox the Ghost, followed by a set as the legendary Queen, along with comedy opener Luke Null.
8 p.m. (doors open at 6:30) Thursday, Oct. 21, at House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. $25 at concerts.livenation.com or houseofblues.com. The livestream starts at 7:45 p.m. at jukeboxtheghost.veeps.com. $18, with meet-and-greet and merch packages also available.
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.