Fleetwood Mac @ Allstate Arena, Friday, June 14

They were just here back in April for a show at United Center, but so what, we’ll roll the red carpet out for Fleetwood Mac whenever and wherever.  Why all the touring with multiple arena shows in Chicago?  Don’t ask too many questions, just enjoy the music.  Tickets here.  And look, I know Christine McVie isn’t playing with ‘em anymore, and the song below probably won’t be performed on Friday night, but I’m still going to post “Everywhere.”

Joseph Arthur @ Lincoln Hall, Saturday, June 15

Sometimes he plays with Ben Harper, Dhani Harrison, Jeff Ament, and/or The Lonely Astronauts, and sometimes he plays on his own.  One of the hardest working, most prolific performers in all of rock ‘n’ roll will be playing for us in the acoustically perfect Lincoln Hall on Saturday night.  Tickets here.

Bill Maher @ The Chicago Theatre, Sunday, June 16

Does he appeal to everyone across the political spectrum?  Nah, but that’s not what he’s trying to do.  He speaks his mind and if you don’t like it, you don’t have to go.  You also don’t have to watch his brilliant television show on HBO.  The show is part of the TBS Just For Laughs series, and you can find more information here.

The Rolling Stones @ United Center, Friday and Monday, May 31 and June 3

Taj Mahal joined the band as a special guest at the first of three shows last night (Tuesday) adding himself to an ever growing list of famous names that have joined the band on stage for “50 and Counting.”  Tom Waits, Katy Perry, and Dave Grohl have already appeared, so who will we get on Friday and/or Monday?  There are no guarantees of high-profile collaborators, but it’s something to keep an eye on.  Tickets here.

Do Division Street Fest, Friday-Sunday, May 31-June 2

One of Chicago’s best street fests hits us early.  With Memorial Day as the unofficial start of summer, Do Division hits us the week following with some damn fine musical entertainment.  Some of the names you might know are Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti, JEFF The Brotherhood, and INC., but if for some reason you can only make time for one band at the three day fest, you can’t go wrong with Chicago’s Disappears.  There’s a sidewalk sale and a family fun fest as well, so bring the whole family and make sure they’re exposed to the stage antics of Ariel Pink.  More info here.

Twin Shadow @ Metro, Saturday, June 1

The man born George Lewis Jr. takes the stage at Metro this Saturday evening to entertain us as part of his “True Story Tour.”  According to Metro’s site, the last two tours have had a theme and this one will be no different with George or his father telling a different true story on every night of the twenty-four date tour.  Read more about the tour’s theme here, and score tickets for the show here.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. @ Lincoln Hall, Friday, May 24

Are these guys Red Wings fans?  They come from just outside of Detroit, so that’s a possibility, but you shouldn’t let an NHL playoff series between two original six rivals come between you and good tunes.  They stop by Lincoln Hall on Friday night for an XRT Big Beat Show.  Tickets here.

JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound @ Mayne Stage, Saturday, May 25

Easily, one of Chicago’s most exciting bands.  This show will be taking place at Mayne Stage, and if you haven’t yet been there yourself, you’ve probably heard nothing but good things about this room and are dying to check it out.  No better reason to get up there than JCBTUS.  Not only is it a JCBTUS show, it’s a JCBTUS CD release show for their album, “Howl.”  Tickets here.

John Talabot @ Lincoln Hall, Sunday, May 26

In this DJ’s opinion, John Talabot was responsible for one of the best albums of 2012, ƒIN.  John is a Spanish DJ/producer and if you’d like to hear his work, which many consider to be the finest electronic music produced in the past few years, it will be on display at Lincoln Hall this Sunday evening.  Tickets here.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ The Vic, Friday, May 17

Peter Hayes spent some time with The Brian Jonestown Massacre back in the ’90s, but that gig wasn’t destined to last forever, so he left and formed BRMC.  Their debut was released in 2001 and was loaded with gems such as “Whatever Happened to My Rock ‘n’ Roll (Punk Song),” “Spread Your Love,” and “Love Burns.”  They’re now on album #7, Specter At The Feast, and will entertain this Friday night at The Vic with Dhani Harrrison’s band, Thenewno2, as openers.  Tickets here.

Rodriguez @ Arie Crown Theater, Friday, May 17

Sixto Díaz Rodríguez is the subject of the Academy Award winning documentary, Searching For Sugar Man, and last I checked, a few seats remain for his Friday night show at Arie Crown.  The film has revived his career and turned thousands of people on to his music, so if you’d like to see the man that was way under the radar for decades, I wouldn’t wait around too long to snatch up a few tickets.  You can find those here.

Your Local Farmers Market

We’re now into the middle of May and if your local farmers market hasn’t re-opened, it will be in the next couple of weeks.  With all we’re learning about trans fats, processed foods, Monsanto, the obesity epidemic, heart disease, diabetes, etc., it becomes more and more apparent that the best place to buy real, actual, honest food is at your local farmers market.  Oh, and staying local is always nice.  Do your apples really need to be shipped from New Zealand?  That’s quite a carbon footprint for an apple, innit?  The moral of the story is to eat more food that grows, and if it can be grown locally, we all win.  A list of Chicago markets can be found here, and if you’re in the ‘burbs, you’ll probably find your town listed here.

And look at that fine automobile that will be filled with locally grown/raised food this weekend…

James Cotton @ Mayne Stage, Friday, May 10

James Cotton is a blues man that was born where?  Mississippi, of course.  James learned the ropes from Sonny Boy Williamson II, played with Howlin Wolf, Muddy Waters, and recorded for Sun Records.  James now resides on Chicago label, Alligator Records, who just released his album, Cotton Mouth Man.  Tickets here.

Black Moth Super Rainbow @ Metro, Saturday, May 11

A band from Pittsburgh that no one knows too much about, and tagging their music can be a bit tricky.  As you can see in the intro, I went with “experimental-psychedelic-synth-folktronic-post-something,” uh, rock.  But as usual, bands that are harder to describe are the more interesting ones.  See for yourself below.  Tickets here.

METZ @ Lincoln Hall, Sunday, May 12

How to describe this band’s music?  I think the Sub Pop website bio does a pretty good job of it, so I’ll copy and paste…

“There was a time, in recent history, when you needed to have at least twelve members to even be considered a band in Canada. It was nearly impossible to tour if you didn’t have access to some kind of personnel carrier, and making a record involved several years of tambourine overdubs. You know there were kids out there who just wanted to get in a van and play loud as hell through an Ampeg stack or a four-piece drum kit, but how could you call it a band if you didn’t even know a French horn player? By 2008, band membership had reached a critical mass. You’d go to a show and you might be the only person in the room who wasn’t playing an instrument. Hard times. Thankfully, there are always a few naturally resourceful people who refuse to be intimidated or excluded from making their own wild racket in public.”

In other words, they’re a loud rock ‘n’ roll band with only three members (gasp!).  Tickets here.

Trixie Whitley @ SPACE, Friday, May 3

Trixie Whitley is the daughter of the late Chris Whitley and she performed on some of his albums while she was still a young child.  She’s been a dancer, a DJ, toured with a theater company, released EPs on her own and plays with Daniel Lanois’s Black Dub.  She’s finally found time to release her first full-length solo album, Fourth Corner, and she makes a stop at one of the nicest rooms in town on Friday night.  Tickets here.

Purity Ring @ Metro, Friday, May 3

Can you call Purity Ring a synthpop band?  For lack of a better term, yes, but there’s a lot more to it than catchy hooks that make you want to dance.  The duo hails from Montreal and they’re doing the old school, multiple-shows-in-one-night thing at the venue that recently placed fourth in Rolling Stone’s list of the best big rooms in America.  I have trouble tagging the sound of their music, so I’ll let it speak for itself below.  Friday’s 8:00 XRT Big Beat show is sold out, but as of this writing tickets still remain for the midnight gig.  Tickets here.

Shoes @ FitzGerald’s, Saturday, May 4

In 2012, Zion’s finest power pop band came back with their first all-new album in eighteen years and they’re up on Saturday for a show at one of the XRT staffers’ favorite hangouts.  Tickets here.

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Free Energy @ Lincoln Hall, Friday, April 26

If you’ll always have a soft spot for the pop music of your youth, then you need to become acquainted with the music of Philadelphia’s Free Energy.  The debut album’s cover pretty much sums everything up.  It’s rock ‘n’ roll with Chuck Taylors, bubblegum and rainbows.  See below.  Tickets here.

Stanley Clarke @ SPACE, Friday, April 26

Jazz legend Stanley Clarke makes a stop at SPACE in Evanston on Friday night for not one show, but two.  Famous for his work in jazz, definitely, but he’s also made a name for himself in R&B, funk and even rock.  Early show starts at 7:00, late show is 9:30.  Tickets here.

The Lemonheads & Pet Lions @ Lincoln Hall, Sunday, April 28

The lineup has changed several times over the years, but Evan Dando is constant.  He started the band back in the mid-80s and close to 30 years later, Evan and the band march on.  Chicago band Pet Lions open the show and before you scoff at the idea of Sunday night rock ‘n’ roll, don’t forget that we should be in the 70s all weekend long, so a nice case of spring fever could have to ready to charge out on Sunday night.  Tickets here.

JD McPherson @ Metro, Friday, April 19

Richard Milne turned me on to JD a couple years ago and it’s really nice to see him growing an audience, getting play on local radio and playing bigger shows.  He’s back for another show at Metro this Friday night and you an bet that the place will be rockin’ and, uh, loaded with “North Side Gals.”  Sorry, I had to do it.  Tickets here.

Record Store Day, Saturday, April 20

This is it.  The day that vinyl enthusiasts dream of.  The day that the industry focuses on the place where most of us fell in love with music, the local record store.  For me it was Rasputin Records in Pleasant Hill, CA (now Concord, CA).  It was the place where I bought Ride The Lightning, Broken, Paranoid…  The list could go on and on, but the point is that if you haven’t been hitting the local record shop as often as you’d like, Record Store Day is a great day to get back at it with all of the exclusive releases available on that day only.  One of those releases is ON XRT: Live From The Archives, Vol. 14 on 180 gram vinyl.  There were only a few copies pressed, so if you have your sights set on one of ‘em, get to Reckless Records, Laurie’s Planet of Sound, Val’s Halla or Reggies on Saturday and get there early.  More info on LFTA Vol. 14 can be found here and any other Record Store Day questions can be answered here and also by calling your local record store directly.  They’d love to hear from you.

Chad Valley @ Schubas, Sunday, April 21

If you need some synth-pop in your life this coming weekend, Chad Valley is your guy.  Er, I mean, Chad Valley is your band.  Or, project.  Chad Valley is the recording name used by Hugo Manuel and he’ll be entertaining at one of the coziest spots in all of Chicago this Sunday night.  Tickets here.

Widespread Panic @ UIC Pavilion, Friday & Saturday, April 12 & 13

One of the many fine bands to come out of Athens, GA.  Spreadheads are rejoicing at the idea of two more shows with their favorite southern jam band.  Will you see the same show twice if you attend both the Saturday and Sunday shows?  That’s usually not how they operate.  Expect something new every night with these guys.  Tickets here.

Chicago Cubs vs. San Francisco Giants @ Wrigley Field, Thu-Sun, April 11-14

The White Sox were at home last weekend and they made the list, so it’s only fair that the first weekend series of the year on the north side makes the list.  The defending World Series champs stop by for a four game series and they’re going old school with all day games.  A nice, pre-1988 feel to this series, and a nice early season chill to go along with it.  Yeah, the highs for Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun are 42/38/43/55, but hey, we all have jackets, right?  You wouldn’t hesitate to hit a Bears game if it was in the upper 30s, so quit being a baby.  Besides, with some people staying home, your chances of snagging a foul ball or a home run increase.  So there’s that.  Tickets here.

The Ike Reilly Assassination @ Schubas, Sunday, April 14

Libertyville’s Ike Reilly makes an appearance at Schubas on Sunday night.  According to the Schubas website, “The IRA is in the process of completing their 6th full length recording and the Schuba’s Residency will give Chicago a chance to hear the debut of these explosive new songs as well as material from The IRA’s massive catalog.”  New IRA tunes?  Sounds good.  Tickets here.

Neon Indian (DJ Set) @ The Mid, Friday, April 5

These Texans delight with their live shows, yes, but how about seeing them take over a nightclub?  That’s right, a DJ set from Neon Indian will take place on the 300 block of N. Halsted at The Mid.  Info/tickets here.

Chicago White Sox vs. Seattle Mariners @ U.S. Cellular Field, Friday-Sunday, April 5-7

Normally, a weekend series ain’t a huge deal, but this is the first weekend series of the year!  It’s ok to be fired up about sitting at baseball games when the temperatures could be in the 30s and 40s with a nice, cool, northeasterly breeze coming in off of the lake.  The Sox are at home for the first week of 2013 and the Cubs open at home on Monday.  If my calculations are correct, King Felix will be on the hill for the Mariners on Friday or Saturday.  He has the potential to completely shut down the Sox, which may be a bummer, but seeing one of the greatest pitchers alive might be a cool thing to do.  Tickets here.

Jimmy Vaughan & The Tilt-a-Whirl Band @ SPACE, Sunday, April 7

The mighty Texan makes a stop at one of the nicest spots around this Sunday night.  You take in some Cubs/Sox this weekend, watch the Final Four, get some errands done and cap off the weekend with some live blues at SPACE.  Not a bad plan right there.  Tickets here.

Bone Thugs-n-Harmony @ Metro, Saturday, March 30

Why are these classic rappers being highlighted on a rock station’s website?  Don’t worry about it.  You want fun shows every week and that’s what I’m trying to come up with, so check out the legendary Clevelanders at Metro on Saturday night and then head next door to the G-Man Tavern for a few pints with Blue, Jason, Martina and/or Katie.  Tix here.

Little Green Cars @ Lincoln Hall, Sunday, March 31

This band is very talented and also very young.  The members are all around the ripe old age of 20 and their skills will be on display at Lincoln Hall this Sunday night.  This show is part of the XRT/Billions “First Impressions Series” and tickets can be yours for only $5.  Yes, FIVE DOLLARS.  Sample their tunes below and then buy tickets here.

The Cave Singers @ Empty Bottle, Sunday, March 31

This band is a folk rockin’ good time and they make a stop in Chicago at an establishment that we all know and love, the Bottle.  Album #4, Naomi, is out now on Jagjaguwar.  Tix here.

Low @ Metro, Friday, March 22

Low have spent a lot of time in town recently.  Their newest album, The Invisible Way (released yesterday), was produced by Jeff Tweedy and recorded here in Chicago at Wilco’s studio, The Loft.  See their beautiful brand of “slowcore” for yourself on Friday night at one of the coolest spots in all of Chicago and hey, stopping at the G-Man Tavern afterwards for a beer is always a good way to go, but remember, as always, please drive responsibly.  Tix here.

Alejandro Escovedo @ Old Town School of Folk Music, Saturday, March 23

Alejandro played in a San Francisco punk band way back in the ’70s called The Nuns, and even though his punk days are behind him now, he’s still knows how to rock it pretty good live.  He can rock, for sure, but the two shows at OTSFM are acoustic performances with the Sensitive Boys.  That’s one hell of a listening room up there in Lincoln Square, so if you’ve never had the pleasure of hearing live music at the Old Town School, this would be great show to start off with.  Tickets here.

Frightened Rabbit @ The Riviera Theater, Saturday, March 23

They’ve just released album #4, Pedestrian Verse, and the Scottish lads will be entertaining in the lovely Uptown neighborhood this Saturday night.  As someone that could never get enough of “Swim Until You Can’t See Land,” I’m kind of hooked on this band until further notice.  Give ‘em a listen/view below and find tickets here.

XRT’s Annual Shamrock & Roll Live Broadcast w/Churchill @ Mystic Celt, Saturday, March 16

Yeah, St. Patrick’s Day is March 17, but the day that matters in Chicago is St. Patty’s Saturday.  The Saturday preceding March 17 is the day that green people wander the streets of Chicago morning, noon and night.  This is also a perfect day for the party that we throw at Mystic Celt on Southport.  We broadcast live from the Celt and we also invite a band or two to play for Chicago’s greenest.  Over the years Buddy Guy, Mike Doughty, and JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound have entertained us on this day and this year it’s Denver band Churchill.  Admission is free, but it’s first come, first served, so get there a little earlier than the posted 12pm start time.  More info here.

The Might Be Giants @ The Vic, Saturday, March 16

One of the original alternative bands makes a stop in Chicago for an XRT show this Saturday night.  When I say “alternative,” I don’t mean Staind, Linkin Park or P.O.D.  I’m talking about the stuff that I saw in my formative years (late ’80s/early-mid ’90s) on 120 Minutes.  “College rock,” “alternative rock,” “modern rock,” whatever you want to say, TMBG were and are a fun, geeky (in a very good way) and unconventional band.  See them in the flesh this Saturday night at The Vic.  Tix here.

Ash @ Lincoln Hall, Sunday, March 17

If Ash hasn’t been on your mind for a while, you’re not alone.  Maybe the fact that they haven’t released a studio album since 2007 might have something to do with it?  Either way, the important thing is that a high-quality rock ‘n’ roll band will be here to play for you on Sunday night at one of our favorite spots in town.  Oh, and bonus!  California Wives, a fine, young Chicago band will open the evening’s festivities.  Tix here.

The Annual SXSW Send Off Party @ The Hideout, Saturday, March 9

Eleven Chicago bands will be heading down to Austin for the biggest music showcase of the year, South By Southwest (SXSW).  We can send ‘em off in style and help ‘em out with a few bucks for the journey.  The Waco Brothers will be playing, and so will Empires, Scott Lucas & The Married Men and many more.  This party starts early (3pm) and runs late (well after midnight), so show up for a band or two if you can.  More info, tickets and the schedule of performances can be found here.

Shemekia Copeland @ SPACE, Friday, March 8

The “Queen of the Blues” is out supporting hew newest release, 33 1/3, and you can take in one of her performances at one of the classiest joints around, The Society For The Preservation Of Arts & Culture In Evanston.  Also, save some time for the pizza that they serve in the restaurant…  Tix here.

South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Western Ave. between 103rd & 115th, Sunday, March 10

The parade took a little time off but it came back in 2012 and the event was a success.  For a little while the event had grown too big and too rowdy for the neighborhood, but with some stricter measures limiting open alcohol and with a renewed focus on being family-friendly, the event has gotten back to its roots.  No, the parade wasn’t designed to be an all-day pukefest.  It’s supposed to be an event that the neighborhood looks forward to, not a day to dread when invading hordes of goofballs take over…  Look for the XRT float and wave like crazy when you see it.  More info on the parade along with a quick history lesson can be found here.  Oh, and if you want to have a few drinks, there are plenty of bars along the route and a gazillion afterparties in the hood, so no worries.

Ra Ra Riot @ Metro, Friday, March 1

They hail from upstate New York and they’ve just released album #3, Beta Love.  A band that consistently delivers at one of the finest spots in all of Chicago on a Friday night?  What’s not to love here?  Oh, and if you’re a fan of Ra Ra Riot and for some reason the Discovery project from a few years back with members of Vampire Weekend slipped through the cracks on you, get on that.  Tix here.

Pet Lions @ Lincoln Hall, Friday, March 1

Pet Lions are a Chicago band and without a doubt, you’ll recognize their bassist as one of Chicago’s most eligible singles!  Yeah, I’m pretty sure that everyone had the July 2012 issue of Chicago magazine and totally knows what I’m talking about.  Anyway, in addition to breaking hearts all over town, Shuhei and the band produce some high-quality indie-pop and they celebrate the release of album #2, Popular Nature, at the still new and shiny Lincoln Hall this Friday night.  Tix are cheap and they can be found here.

Ben Harper w/Charlie Musselwhite @ The Riviera Theater, Sunday, March 3

Ben can rock the blues on his own just fine, but when he brings Charlie Musselwhite into the picture, it’s definitely on.  They’ve recorded not just a song or two together, but an entire album titled, Get Up!  This clip from Jimmy Kimmel’s show last week will give you an idea of what you’re in for this Sunday night in Uptown.  Tix here.

Passion Pit, Matt & Kim, Icona Pop @ UIC Pavilion, Friday, February 22

It doesn’t seem like it was that long ago when Passion Pit was having to cancel shows due to Michael Angelakos’ self-described “mental health issues,” but after putting on a couple of fine performances at Lollapalooza (after-show gig and festival set), we haven’t had too much to worry about with this band.  Coming off of a headlining gig at Madison Square Garden, the band is riding pretty high at the moment, and they bring their arena-sized act to Chicago this Friday night for a show at UIC Pavilion.  Also, showing up ASAFP that night is recommended.  We wouldn’t want you to miss Matt & Kim or Icona Pop.  Tix here.

XRT Free Sample Show w/The Lone Bellow @ SPACE, Saturday, February 23

What’s better than taking in some up-and-comers at one of the nicest spots around on a Saturday night?  Doing so for the low, low price of $0.00!  That’s right, the XRT Free Sample series continues this Saturday night with Brooklyn’s The Lone Bellow at SPACE in Evanston.  First come, first served, and doors are at 9:30 with the show beginning at 10.  More info here.

EELS @ The Vic Theater, Saturday, February 23

EELS (or Eels, or eels) have been around forever and they’ve just given us album #10, Wonderful, Glorious.  E and the gang would love to see you at The Vic on Saturday, and while I usually try to post a video of the band’s most recent work below the little writeup, I’m going back to the beginning this time.  I hope the band doesn’t mind…  Tix here.

Stay Smooth XVIII @ Schubas, Friday, February 15

What is Stay Smooth?  If you’re not a big fan of Yacht Rock (the genre and/or the web series), then you probably should steer clear, but if you have a soft spot in your heart for the smooth sounds of ’70s and ’80s radio, then this event has your name written all over it.  They encourage you to rock your finest “rainbows, unicorns, ice cream cones, puffy stickers, satin jackets, captain’s hats, jean shorts, short shorts, bikini tops, ski sweaters, tropical shirts, polo shirts,” etc…  More info here.

Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears @ Metro, Saturday, February 16

Black Joe Lewis hails from Austin, TX, and the story goes like this…  He got into performing and creating music of his own by working at a pawn shop, picking up a guitar there and then hitting open mic nights.  Simple enough, right?  A perfect example of how exposing yourself to new things can change your life in ways that you couldn’t possibly imagine.  BJL & The Honeybears once gave us a song called “Booty City,” so it’s really no surprise to now be rocking along to the song/video posted below with the title, “Mustang Ranch.”  This show is part of the XRT/Metro Winter Soulstice and you can find tickets here.

DeVotchKa @ Park West, Saturday, February 16

You know you have an interesting band when people have a hard time describing your sound.  DeVotchKa is a band that produces indie folk with a strong eastern European flavor, or you can just throw the term “gypsy punk” out there and maybe that will make things easier.  When you bring bouzoukis and sousaphones into the mix (and you do so extremely well), you’re able to create a sound that thrills and excites the senses of many first-time samplers of your music, and a sound that not many American bands can duplicate.  Tickets here.

On to the picks…

Jaill @ Beat Kitchen, Friday, February 8

A rock ‘n’ roll band from Milwaukee at the no-frills Beat Kitchen.  Some food for your belly, good beer and good rock ‘n’ roll on a Friday night in February.  Pretty straightforward.  Tickets here.

The Mother Hips @ Schubas, Saturday, February 9

A band from the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area will take the stage in one of Chicago’s coziest rooms this Saturday night.  I’m not just saying that the room is cozy because there’s a wood stove in the back corner, I say so because the acoustics are damn fine and seeing a show with 199 of your closest friends feels nice and drawn in.  There’s no wasted space at Schubas.  You, a small floor, a small bar and a stage.  Oh, and if you need a break and some SportsCenter highlights on HDTVs, then there’s one of the cooler bars in all of Chicago right outside the door.  Ticket here.

Beck’s Song Reader Performed by Magic Box & Friends @ SPACE, Sunday, February 10

I mentioned earlier that you’d have a hard time actually hearing Beck’s newest album if you weren’t a musician yourself.  That’s because his newest album, Song Reader, has been released in the form of sheet music.  How’s that for a DIY approach?!  You want to hear the new album?  You have to play it yourself!  OR….  You can hit up one of the nicest rooms in the entire area on Sunday night to hear the songs performed by Magic Box & Friends.  You could also go onto YouTube and search “Beck Song Reader” and come up with a bunch of videos, but doing it live is almost as old school as reading and performing the tunes yourself.  Tickets here.

Yo La Tengo @ The Vic Theater, Friday, February 1

YLT are indie rock veterans.  “Indie” is a term thrown around nowadays to describe a certain sound or style of music, but this band is one of the reasons the term “indie rock” exists in the first place.  They’ve been chugging along since the mid ’80s, cranking out quality record after quality record (thirteen albums in all), and they’ll always receive bonus points from yours truly for the title of their 2006 album, “I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass.”  Tickets here.

C.J. Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band @ FitzGerald’s, Friday & Saturday, February 1 & 2

FitzGerald’s is always an awesome hang on a Friday or Saturday night and when you add the “crown prince of Zydeco,” then you really have a party going on.  Clifton Chenier passed away in 1987 and his son carries on the Zydeco tradition with hints of “modern funk, healthy doses of blues, R&B, swamp pop and even country.”  Tix here.

The “Big Game” Viewing Party @ The Globe Pub, Sunday, February 3

Yeah, the Bears have been off for quite a while and I know it’s hard for some people to get as excited for football, but hey, the Super Bowl is this country’s largest sporting event so you’re going to watch.  Some people just want to watch for the commercials.  It’s also the “Super Bowl” of marketing, I guess.  No matter what, gazillions of Americans will be glued to the TV on Sunday evening and for many people the question is where do you watch?  At home?  This is never a bad option.  You can focus on the game, the commentary, follow on Twitter, you have the pause and rewind buttons at your disposal, and you don’t have to worry about casual fans that couldn’t care less yakking in your ear about the food being served, the cute commercials, and which squares they have.  But, if you’re in the right place, at the right party, with the right people, the entire experience can become unforgettable.  Choose wisely.  I’ll be watching at The Globe Pub on W. Irving Park because they have a 49ers flag that flies outside, and this Northern CA native enjoys watching the game amongst countless Patrick Willis jerseys and people decked out in red & gold.  I’m not superstitious, but watching in the same place that I did for the thrashing of the Packers two and a half weeks ago can’t be a bad thing, right?

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Buddy Guy @ Buddy Guy’s Legends, Thu-Sun, January 24-27

We’re down to the final four of sixteen XRT shows at Legends.  It’s an annual tradition, a blues legend playing show after show after show at his own club, in the home of the blues, Chicago, IL.  If you’ve not yet seen Buddy do his thing in the south loop, what are you waiting for?!  People fly in from around the world for these shows, but they’re just a quick drive or L ride away for you.  Tickets here.

Kelly Hogan @ SPACE, Friday, January 25

Kelly worked for years at one of our favorite Chicago spots, The Hideout, and for a little while she was one of the rotating hosts of The Eclectic Company on XRT, but sadly for us, Kelly left Chicago not too long ago and now lives in Wisconsin.  She does come through town quite often and she’ll be in Evanston this Friday night at the lovely space known as, uh, SPACE.  Check her out below performing a song from her latest album, I Like To Keep Myself In Pain, a song written by Jon Langford.  Tickets here.

Method Man @ Double Door, Friday, January 25

When was the last time you went to a hip-hop show?  Exactly.  All the more reason to check out a legend making a stop in Wicker Park.  Just watch the video below and picture yourself throwing your hands up at Double Door on Friday night.  Tickets here.