Coming off one eventful weekend and right into the next.  The Prius killed it this past weekend on a quick roadie up to Northern Michigan, land of the 9:45 sunset.  Nice place, even if you have to stop what you’re doing every once in a while because there’s a mosquito gnawing on your leg.  You flick it off, wipe up the blood if there’s any dripping down your leg, and then it’s on to the next bad golf shot…  Getting back to our ‘hood, the “greatest band in the world” has a gig at The Vic on Friday, FitzGerald’s in Berwyn is putting on their 32nd annual American Music Festival, and if you’d like to ride your bike all night long with thousands of friends all for a good cause, then please read on…

The Hives @ The Vic Theater – Saturday, June 30

If you’ve ever seen these Swedes live, then you know how much fun they can have on stage.  Lead vocalist Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist will tell you how great the band is, how much you love them and how they are, in fact, the greatest band in the world.  Is it a tongue-in-cheek kind of a thing?  Possibly, but maybe more bands need to take the stage thinking that they are the greatest band in the world.  Even if you don’t agree with the statement, you’ll have a good time watching them make rock ‘n’ roll.  Tix here.

32nd Annual American Music Festival @ FitzGerald’s – Fri-Sun, Tue, June 29-July 1, July 3

This festival is always loaded.  On Saturday and Sunday, the tunes start at 1:30 pm and don’t stop ’til 1 or 2 in the morning.  Ike Reilly Assassination, JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound, The Waco Brothers feat. Paul Burch, Joe Pug, and Garland Jeffreys will be playing, to name just a few.  Good people, good music, good food…  What more do you want?  They’d love to have you in Berwyn over the weekend.  Tix here.

L.A.T.E. Ride @ Buckingham Fountain, Saturday night/Sunday morning, June 30/July 1

Every year, thousands of cyclists get together at Buckingham Fountain for a 25 mile ride through Chicago’s many beautiful neighborhoods.  In years past, traffic is stopped along the route so you don’t have to worry too much about battling taxis and buses while you pedal through town.  The route is somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 miles with optional rest stops along the way where you can hang with your fellow riders and recharge with food and/or drink.  The event benefits Friends of the Parks and it begins late on Saturday night and runs into the early morning hours of Sunday.  Pull an all-nighter!  Event and registration info here.