Sound check: RocHaus hosts Chicago-area showcase; Pop-Punk X-mas at Subterranean
Robots rock RocHaus
Released on Halloween, the latest single "Runaway" by Wood Dale's electro-charged, grunge-rock band Broken Robots chronicles the emotional cost of connecting with others but also the price you pay when you don't. Saturday, the band - Kat and Tony Baker, groovemaster Lonnie Phillips on bass and new drummer Anthony Friedli - heads to West Dundee's RocHaus to take the stage along with Lever and Authentic Pines.
8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, at RocHaus, 96 W. Main St., West Dundee; $15-$30; (815) 893-9768 or rochaus.com.
Folksy Darlings
One particular strength of West suburban indie-folk rockers The Darling Suns is the band's ability to truly connect with audiences through heartfelt live performances of their dreamy and powerful songs. Band members Rob Krause, John Stenger, Lindsey Ward, Charlie Dresser and Zach Kidder have been letting some new music simmer in the background during the last year as they plot out releases for the next, but they plan to share when they take the stage again this weekend for a set at Yorkville's Law Office Pub with Thompson Springs.
7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, at Law Office Pub, 226 S. Bridge St., Yorkville. $10; (630) 882-9559 or lawofficepub.com.
New joyful. on stage
Essentially born during the pandemic lockdowns, suburban pop-punk trio joyful. - Jake Newling of Villa Park, Lombard's Andy Hilligoss and Will Garza from Schaumburg - has been making up for lost time getting on stages now that venues have opened back up. This weekend, joyful. heads to Beat Kitchen to showcase its newest single "Marigold" along with a hot lineup featuring Overgrow, Runaway Brother, Long Gone and Static Palms. And in the holiday spirit, 50% of the proceeds will be donated to Sarah's Circle, a Chicago nonprofit organization working to help local homeless women.
7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19, at Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. $13; (773) 281-4444 or beatkitchen.com.
Pop-Punk X-Mas party
Earlier this fall, fans got a taste of what pop-punk band Fluorescents has had in the works when the foursome released "Locked Away," the lead single of the just-released EP "Ultraviolet." This weekend, Chicago listeners can catch the rest of the new music live when the band headlines its second annual (minus 2020's lockdown, of course) Pop-Punk X-Mas. The festive Subterranean show features a stacked lineup of area talent, including Rematch, Wolf Rd and Four Stars, along with a few holiday surprises.
7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 17, at Subterranean, 2011 W. North Ave., Chicago. $10; (773) 278-6600 or subt.net.
Free tickets
Last week, Chicago-area soul-pop band Violet Crime announced a Jan. 21 release concert with The Mild West and OK Cool. This weekend, Chicago Sound Check, in partnership with Kickstand Productions and Beat Kitchen, is giving away tickets. Between 8 a.m. Friday, Dec. 17, and 8 a.m. Monday, Dec. 20, follow Sound Check's Instagram page, like the contest post and tag a concert buddy to be entered. The grand prize winner will get a merch pack from all three bands plus two passes to the concert; a second winner will get a pair of passes to the show. Fans can also buy tickets at beatkitchen.com.
8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21, at Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago. $15; (773) 281-4444 or beatkitchen.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.