Just when you thought it was safe to start making life plans again after a nonstop summer concert season, here comes fall.
From now until Thanksgiving, there are plenty of reasons to be grateful to be in Chicago’s live music epicenter. From arena bigwigs Childish Gambino and Billie Eilish to intimate club sets from Shaboozey and T Bone Burnett, here are our 12 top picks.
Of course, with honorable mentions going out to Riot Fest weekend, a four-night stand from the legendary Sting, the return of Kacey Musgraves and French act Air, ‘90s stalwarts The Breeders and Jane’s Addiction and standouts like Beabadoobee, Idles, Sigur Rós, Lake Street Dive, Inhaler and Maggie Rose.
Sept. 10: Shaboozey
Having Beyoncé and Barack Obama on your side takes a special kind of artist. Enter Shaboozey, the Nigerian-American musician known for finding the sweet spot with country, rock, hip-hop and R&B. If it wasn’t the “Cowboy Carter” collaborations earlier this year that put him on the cultural watchlist, it’s his summer smash hit (and Obama playlist pick) “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” that will ink his place on “best of” lists later this year. Metro, 3730 N. Clark. Sold out; metrochicago.com
Sept. 16: Esperanza Spalding
The accomplished jazz sensation (who once famously beat out Drake and Justin Bieber for the 2011 Best New Artist Grammy) is one of the best in the genre’s new class. The bassist/vocalist evokes a multitude of sentiments with her wide-ranging compositions, her latest being a brilliant suite of collaborations with Brazilian singer-songwriter and instrumentalist Milton Nascimento. North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. $70+; northshorecenter.org
Sept. 28: Gojira
Fresh off their golden moment at the Paris Summer Olympics, the French metal act brings their explosive live show stateside. With searing riffs and breakneck rhythms, the lauded quartet combines the best of thrash and groove metal, riled up by the brilliant pyrotechnics that nearly sent the Seine ablaze. Korn and Spiritbox also perform. Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre, 19100 Ridgeland Ave., Tinley Park. $48.65+; livenation.com
Sept. 28-29: Warm Love Cool Dreams Festival
Named for a line of Nelson Algren prose, Warm Love Cool Dreams is Chicago’s newest homegrown festival and one of the best lineups of the year, curated by the Empty Bottle. Saturday offers the long-awaited return of banshee rockers The Jesus Lizard, post-punkers Sextile and atmospheric doom metal act King Woman; Sunday brings electro R&B whiz Kelela, jazz and funk-fueled DJ/producer Floating Points and Jamaican dance hall artist Sister Nancy (plus eight more acts across the weekend). Salt Shed, 1357 N. Elston. $49.50 single day, $90 weekend pass; ticketmaster.com
Sept. 30: PJ Harvey
Indie iconoclast and punk blues poet PJ Harvey finally returns in her first North American tour in seven long years. The immersive, art-first experience will dig deep into her ageless catalog, which spans from 1992’s “Dry” to 2023’s “I Inside The Old Year Dying” without once missing the perfect beat. If you can’t get tickets, head to Charli XCX who puts a cap on brat summer over at United Center on this night. Salt Shed, 1357 N. Elston. Sold out; ticketmaster.com
Oct. 3: Childish Gambino
Before Donald Glover retires his multi-faceted alter ego, see Childish Gambino take one very deserving final bow in Chicago. The “New World Tour,” in support of the polymathic rapper’s swan song record, has been hailed as a high-tech feat of interpretive art and theater fitting of the visionary behind such compelling numbers as “This Is America.” Joining the bill is alt rocker/pop punker Willow aka Willow Smith. United Center, 1901 W. Madison. $125+; ticketmaster.com
Oct. 5: Michael Kiwanuka & Brittany Howard
It’s the double bill of the season as two of music’s finest creators share one stage. Michael Kiwanuka is the hauntingly soulful troubadour best known for his song “Cold Little Heart” (the theme for HBO’s “Big Little Lies”) while Brittany Howard is the incomparable voice behind Alabama Shakes and her funky-soul solo works. We can only hope duets are involved. Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St. $70+; ticketmaster.com
Oct. 15-16: Local H
Just when we thought we saw it all from Chicago’s enduring alterna rockers, the raucous two-man band has planned two big milestone events. First, on the 15th, is the world premiere of their docu-concert movie “Lifers” at Music Box, written and directed by frontman Scott Lucas, followed by a concert commemorating the 20th anniversary of cult favorite album “Whatever Happened to P.J. Soles?” on the 16th. Music Box, 3733 N. Southport. $13. musicboxtheatre.com; Metro, 3730 N. Clark. $25; metrochicago.com
Oct. 19-20: T Bone Burnett
From origins in Bob Dylan’s band to his work on soundtracks like “Crazy Heart” and “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” to helping steer projects from Roy Orbison and Alison Krauss with Robert Plant, T Bone Burnett’s roots in Americana go deep. For the first time in nearly 20 years, the producer and songwriter is bringing that loaded suitcase on tour, with deep bluegrass, gospel, roots, folk and rock cuts and selects from his new album The Other Side. Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln. $65; oldtownschool.org
Nov. 13: Billie Eilish
From “Barbie” to Charli to her newest acclaimed album, “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” a lot has happened for Billie Eilish since she last headlined United Center in 2022. Expect it all to unfurl in her characteristically personal sets, where her sometimes dark, sometimes ethereal electro-pop is delivered as a nearly one-woman show (with big brother Finneas helping out, of course). United Center, 1901 W. Madison. Sold out; ticketmaster.com
Nov. 18: Amythyst Kiah
There’s a fire and a spirit to Amythyst Kiah that makes it impossible not to be engulfed by her cryptically beautiful Southern gothic music. Whether she’s wielding a banjo or guitar, or filling the room with her impressive vocal power, songs like the piercing “Hangover Blues” and bold manifesto “Black Myself” to covers of “In The Pines” and “Love Will Tear Us Apart” should be mandatory listening. Space, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston. $15+; evanstonspacemusic.com
Nov. 20 Amos Lee with Chicago Philharmonic
The Chicago Philharmonic has been on a roll with unique collaborations this year, from Violent Femmes at Ravinia and Laufey at Lollapalooza, and they’re not done yet. Next up is a performance with eclectic folk-jazz-soul singer/songwriter Amos Lee in a first for the artist. Hearing songs like “Worry No More” and “Sweet Pea” with a wall of orchestral sound will be just as unforgettable. Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Dr. $79; auditoriumtheatre.org