Live music in Chicago: Our 50 concerts for summer 2022, Lollapalooza to The Weeknd
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This summer, live music finally gets back to business as usual, especially for outdoor concerts and festivals. Sueños and Coldplay already are over and done — summer’s like that in Chicago, blink and you miss something. We’re looking ahead all the way to late September.
Chicago Gospel Music Festival: Performances by Brian Courtney Wilson, the Williams Singers, John P. Kee, Walls Group and others. 3-9 p.m. June 4 at Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park; admission is free, more information at chicagogospelmusicfestival.us
Phoebe Bridgers: Reunion Tour: 8 p.m. June 4 at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island; www.livenation.com
Chicago Blues Festival: Lineup includes Shemekia Copeland, Ronnie Baker Brooks, The Kinsey Report and Eric Gales, and that’s just for starters. June 9-12 at Jay Pritzker Pavilion and more stages in Millennium Park. Plus on June 12, the Blues Fest and Bronzeville Blues Collaborative present Bronzeville Blues, starting at noon at Armstrong (Lillian Hardin) Park on Lawrence Avenue. The headlining set includes Mud Morganfield with guests Billy Branch, Freddie Dixon, Big James and others. For both, admission is free, more information at www.chicago.gov
Tears for Fears: The British band has a new album out, “The Tipping Point,” its seventh studio album and first in nearly two decades, read more here. June 16 at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Tinley Park; tearsforfears.com
Grant Park Music Festival in Millennium Park: A Millennium Park summer Chicago tradition, Grant Park Music Festival returns in June with a 10-week season with full chorus and orchestra as well as six world-premiere works planned. Plus the Independence Day Salute, read more here. June 15 to Aug. 20 at Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, more information at grantparkmusicfestival.com
Blues on the Fox in Aurora: Back from a two-year hiatus and “swinging for the fences,” say organizers, with a lineup in RiverEdge Park including Shemekia Copeland, Billy Branch and Buddy Guy, read more here. June 17-18 at RiverEdge Park in Aurora; more information at 630-896-6666 and riveredgeaurora.com
Pride Fest and Parade: The annual street festival with music put on by the Northalsted Business Alliance is June 17-19, read more here and more information at northalsted.com/pridefest. Then the following weekend, live and in-person, the parade will step off at the corner of Montrose Avenue and Broadway; noon June 26 and route concludes near the intersection of Diversey Parkway and Sheridan Road in Lincoln Park; more information at chicagopride.gopride.com
Pride in the Park: Same weekend as the Pride Parade, Grant Park plays host to Pride in the Park, put on by Dreambrite Presents and with a musical lineup including Chainsmokers Saturday and Alesso Sunday. June 25-26 in Grant Park, entrance on Monroe Street; tickets and information at prideparkchi.com
Ravinia Festival in Highland Park: Big-name artists on the Pavilion roster include those below; www.ravinia.org. And there’s plenty worth knowing about in the Martin Theatre (such as the Mozart operas “Don Giovanni” and “La clemenza di Tito” in August) and other stages as well, read more here.
Jackson Browne (7:30 p.m. June 17)
Common and Black Violin (7:30 p.m. June 18)
Steve Miller Band and Jimmie Vaughan (7:30 p.m. June 23)
Sheryl Crow, Keb’ Mo’ and Southern Avenue (7:30 p.m. July 7)
Lyle Lovett & His Large Band and Chris Isaak (7 p.m. July 10)
Bonnie Raitt (7:30 p.m. July 27)
Ziggy Marley and Kazayah (7 p.m. Aug. 14)
Sting and Joe Sumner (8 p.m. Aug. 27-28)
Diana Ross and Naturally 7 (7 p.m. Sept. 4)
Stevie Nicks (8 p.m. Sept. 8 and 10)
Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash: Tickets are on sale now for Summer Smash, which is coming back to Chicago this June with some of the biggest names in rap and hip-hop. This year’s headliners include Post Malone and Playboi Carti, read more here. June 17-19 in Douglass Park; thesummersmash.com
Taste of Chicago: Along with the main event with Nelly, Local H and Drive-By Truckers, look for neighborhood Tastes in Austin, Pullman and Little Village, read more here. Another big part of this summer’s Taste is the previously announced Chicago SummerDance lineup. Noon to 8 p.m. July 8-10 in Grant Park at Buckingham Fountain; www.chicago.gov
Def Leppard and Mötley Crüe: July 8 at Wrigley Field; www.livenation.com
Zac Brown Band: July 9 at Wrigley Field; www.livenation.com
Pitchfork Music Festival: Chicago fave Pitchfork is back in its pre-Lolla July slot this summer, headliners are The National, Mitski and The Roots, read more here. July 15-17 in Union Park; PitchforkMusicFestival.com
Norah Jones: July 15 at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island; www.livenation.com
Rod Stewart with Cheap Trick: July 16 at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Tinley Park; www.livenation.com
The Black Keys with Band of Horses: Dropout Boogie Tour: July 17 at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Tinley Park; www.livenation.com
David Gray: White Ladder 20th Anniversary Tour: July 18 at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island; www.livenation.com
The Weeknd: After Hours Til Dawn Tour: July 24 at Soldier Field; www.livenation.com
Lollapalooza in Grant Park: One summer music fest to rule them all. Lollapalooza is the four-day fest that packs the trains, sells out hotels and takes over the city. Metallica and Lil Baby among the headliners for opening night Thursday, Dua Lipa and Machine Gun Kelly for Friday, and J. Cole, Kygo and others leading Saturday. Closing out the festival weekend are Green Day, Doja Cat and Jane’s Addiction at the top of Sunday’s lineup, read more here. July 28-31 in Grant Park; lollapalooza.com
Windy City Smokeout: Another big, four-day fest, this one devoted to country music and BBQ. The 2022 edition has headliners Willie Nelson and Turnpike Troubadours Thursday, Tim McGraw Friday, Sam Hunt Saturday and Miranda Lambert and Kip Moore Sunday. Aug. 4-7 in the United Center parking lot; www.windycitysmokeout.com
Goo Goo Dolls Summer Tour 2022: Aug. 4 at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island; www.livenation.com
Out of Space: Returning to Evanston for its fifth season. The Aug. 4-7 dates at the Canal Shores public golf course will feature Jenny Lewis, Trampled by Turtles, Elvis Costello & the Imposters, Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets, Nicole Atkins and Lucinda Williams. Then later at Temperance Brew Co., the Sept 1-4 dates will include Houndmouth with Ric Wilson, Car Seat Headrest with La Luz, Neko Case with Courtney Marie Andrews, and Steel Pulse with KRS One, read more here.
Brandi Carlile: Beyond These Silent Days Tour: Aug. 6 at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island; www.livenation.com
Lady Gaga: Aug. 15 at Wrigley Field; www.livenation.com
Red Hot Chili Peppers 2022 World Tour: Aug. 19 at Soldier Field; www.livenation.com
Bad Bunny: World’s Hottest Tour: Aug. 20 at Soldier Field; www.livenation.com
Duran Duran: Future Past: Aug. 20 at United Center; www.livenation.com
Sacred Rose: The new news for this first-time music festival in southwest suburban Bridgeview is the addition of Jeff Tweedy of Wilco. Tweedy will play a headlining set Friday alongside Phil Lesh (formerly of the Grateful Dead) and Nels Cline (also of Wilco). They join headliners Khruangbin, War On Drugs, Black Pumas, Umphrey’s McGee, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Goose, STS9, Greensky Bluegrass, Kamasi Washington, Animal Collective and Margo Price, read more here. Aug. 26-28 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview; www.sacredrosefest.com
Chicago Jazz Festival: Four days of jazz greats include Henry Threadgill and Zooid, Bill Frisell, William Parker and his quintet, Miguel Zenón, Linda May Han Oh and Jazzmeia Horn, all programmed with the Jazz Institute of Chicago. Sept. 1-4 at Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park; admission is free, more information at www.chicago.gov
Eric Clapton: Sept. 12-13 at United Center; www.livenation.com
Riot Fest: Toward the end of the outdoor season, Riot Fest headliners Nine Inch Nails join the previously announced My Chemical Romance and Original Misfits over three days in Chicago’s Douglass Park, read more here. Other standouts include Sleater-Kinney, Alkaline Trio and Ice Cube. Sept. 16-18 in Douglass Park; riotfest.org
Roxy Music 50th Anniversary Tour: Sept. 19 at United Center; www.livenation.com
The Killers: Sept. 21 at United Center; www.livenation.com
Keith Urban: The Speed of Now World Tour: Sept. 24 at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Tinley Park; www.livenation.com
New Order and Pet Shop Boys: The Unity Tour: Sept. 30 at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island; www.livenation.com
