CHICAGO — Even though temperatures will be falling, tons of live music will be heating up Chicago venues throughout the month of November.
From smaller acts to artists who could fill up arenas, here are ten of the best.
11/1 – Soccer Mommy, Metro
Soccer Mommy, aka Sophie Allison from Nashville, has been steadily releasing great albums since her debut “Clean” in 2018.
She recently scored a podcast called “We Were Three” by the New York Times that focuses on family life during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Listen in: Cool (official music video)
11/2 – Michigander, Lincoln Hall
Michigander, aka Jason Singer, has had a rough last couple of months after his wife was recently hit by a car on her way to work. In September, Singer broke his leg, delaying his EP.
Hopefully a rocking Chicago crowd at Lincoln Hall will cheer Singer, who is great live, up.
Listen in: East Chicago, IN (live)
11/5 – Carly Rae Jepsen, Aragon
You may know her from “Call Me Maybe” but the Canadian pop singer has put out three albums since 2012’s “Kiss.” She’s visiting Aragon, her first Chicago appearance since 2019, off the release of “The Loneliest Time” — which came out Friday.
Listen in: I Really Like You
11/5 – Smashing Pumpkins and Jane’s Addiction, United Center
Following the Highland Park parade shooting, Billy Corgan hosted a benefit show at his tea shop and old friend Perry Farrell, who was in town for Lollapalooza, joined him.
Unfortunately, the Jane’s Addiction frontman suffered a recent injury while performing at Madison Square Garden. Jane’s is taking off the next few shows but Farrell hopes to be better by their Nov. 5 date with hometown favorites Smashing Pumpkins.
Listen in: Thirty-Three by Smashing Pumpkins, Been Caught Stealing by Jane’s Addiction
11/10 – Just Mustard, Empty Bottle
In the streaming era, it’s hard to come up with a more relatable hook than belting out, “I watch TV to fall asleep!” in 2019’s “Frank.”
It’s easy to see why The Cure picked the Irish band to open up for them in 2019.
Listen in: Frank (official music video)
11/15 – Dave Matthews Band, United Center
Whether a guilty pleasure or not, it’s impossible to deny the musical ability of Dave Matthews Band. They haven’t released an album since 2018, but Dave recently told outlets in August that a “great” new record is on the way.
Listen in: #41 (live in 2009)
11/16 – Steve Vai, Copernicus Center
Sometimes after a hard day at work or school, you may just need your face melted off by three-minute guitar solos. Not much better options than a master who has been voted the 10th best guitarist of all-time by Guitar World.
You can catch Steve Vai at the Corpernicus Center in Jefferson Park.
Listen in: For the Love of God
11/23 – Cloud Nothings, Empty Bottle
If modern indie rock was a person they would be able to order a drink at a bar. As a result, more and more artists are playing anniversary tours of their iconic albums.
Enter Cleveland’s Cloud Nothings, who have been darlings of the post-hardcore indie scene for over a decade. They’ll bring 2012’s excellent “Attack on Memory” to their fifth appearance at Empty Bottle.
Listen in: Wasted Days (14 minute performance on KEXP)
11/25 – Lupe Fiasco and Louis The Child, Radius
It’s a full local show at the new venue Radius in Pilsen. Legendary rapper Lupe Fiasco will be joining the EDM group Louis The Child, who hail from the North Shore.
Hopefully you’ll be lucky enough to hear Lupe play one of the best Chicago lines to open an album ever — “I’m from the city in the Midwest, best city in the whole wide-wide world.”
Listen in: Kick Push by Lupe Fiasco
11/26 – Saba, Metro
Fresh off a European tour, Saba, from the West Side, is appropriately back in Chicago as part of his “Back Home” tour.
He’s still playing dates supporting his excellent February release “Few Good Things.”
Listen in: Photosynthesis ft. Jean Deaux
