Celtic/Irish Cool Events Regular Events Other Chicago Calendars

Last Updated (partially): 13 August 2002

The Current State of this Site

This Chicago Shows Calendar was the first component of my website, back in 1994-1995. Unfortunately, recent circumstances have combined - and conspired - to give me many excuses for failing to keep the database and pages updated.

I greatly appreciate those of you who have visited the site over the past years - and apologize for my letting you down, if you've come here for an updated music fix.

The Cool Shows and Regularly-Scheduled Shows & Sessions segments will be maintained (after all, they're shorter), but for acoustic / singer-songwriter / world music / celtic / progressive / etc. type music might I suggest several other online resources. In fact, in the time since I started my calendar, quite a few Internet resources have sprung up which address similar areas: folk, acoustic, singer-songwriter, and intimate club music in the Chicago area.

Substitute Resources

My Chicago Resources page includes links to several concert search engines (some of which are repeated below).

Venues - With and Without Sites

Several of my favorite Chicago venues have started up their own websites

• The Abbey Pub - Grace and Kimball. My "local". Despite the Irish name, the pub books music from a Sunday-night Irish traditional sesiun to pop/rock (typically on Fridays/Saturdays), and square dancing (Mondays). Music (or square dancing) nightly.
• Fitzgerald's - Berwyn. Particularly known for roots/rock - and several great tent shows with New Orleans and roots themes. Music nightly.
• Martyr's - Lincoln and Irving Park. Music nightly, tho I personally find a dearth of seating for most
• Ravinia Festival: Chicago's outdoor concert venue, for classical, pop, and varied world music throughout the summer - and indoor events during the other seasons. Accessible by car or by Metra train. Music nightly during the summer.
• Schuba's Tavern - Belmont & Southport, a variety of styles of live music - nightly - in a nifty performance space (tho beware- "late" shows tend to be standing only). Music nightly. Sometimes two shows (by different artists) in a single night - 8 and 10:30 p.m.
• Heartland Cafe - up north in Rogers Park. Music every night. Cool spot; sometimes reminds me of a 60s/70s flashback (a good thing)
• Hogeye Folk Arts - holds concerts in the Unitarian Church in Evanston
• Old Town School of Folk Music - on North Lincoln Avenue. Both a school (with courses ranging from guitar to world music instruments, styles from traditional Irish to blues) and a performance location. Musical events include weekly late-night Latin Pena nights and monthly sing-alongs.
• Two-Way Street Coffeehouse - Downer's Grove - folk music every Friday night at 8:45 p.m.
• Uncommon Ground Coffeehouse - Grace and Clark Streets (just north of Wrigley Field). Music Friday-Saturday-Sunday nights, and some midweek showcases.

Have you ever thought how cool it would be to listen to a concert in someone's living room? Well, house concerts are the answer!. (yes, Virginia, there really are house concerts). House concerts in the Chicago area:

Get In The House, Chicago, Illinois
http://www.getinthehouse.org
Reservations Required. A donation of $10-$17 is requested, varying with the artist. To sign up for the invitation list, see the web site or contact info@getinthehouse.org.

You can read more on the web site, but some artists featured at Get In The House have included: Kate Campbell; Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer; Kris Delmhorst; Ben Demerath; Cliff Eberhardt; Anne O'Meara Heaton; Andrew Kerr; Jennifer Kimball; Peter Mulvey; Mustard's Retreat; Louise Taylor; Martha Schuyler Thompson; Upsy Daisy; Sloan Wainwright; Christopher Williams; and Ina May Wool.

Some cool venues without websites - but see contact info in my venue listing - include:

• AcousticRenaissance Concerts - held
• Bean Counter Cafe - Evanston in the Unitarian Church in Hinsdale
• The Charleston - Bucktown. Music nightly about 9:30 p.m., and a cool neighborhood bar
• Java Jo's Acoustic Coffeehouse - Halsted and Grace.

Venue addresses and phone numbers

Concert Listing / Search Sites

• Chicago's Guide to Entertainment
• Chicago Sun-Times Event Calendar for the current week
• Musi-Cal's listing for Chicago
• The Reader Online Guide to Arts & Entertainment: Music - online version of the music guide from the free weekly newspaper. Updated on Fridays.
• Centerstage Chicago - links and resources for Chicago are music and musicians.
• Chicago Harmony and Trust - organization of local producers, musicians, label owners, music writers, and other folks in the industry. Includes info on regular songwriter sessions
• Chicago Area Music Ring - a webring of sites for Chicago Area musicians, venues, and other music-related sites
• W.I.L.M.A: the Internet Online Concert Guide for Chicago

Milwaukee Irish Fest is held each August in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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Comments, suggestions and additions: concerts@house-of-music.com

Page copyright © 1996-1998 Carolyn A. Andre