MDW Concert Lineup in Chicago

The long weekend in Chicago brings a ton of fun and exciting events to take advantage of – including my favorite of the sort: live music! There’s so much happening in Chicago this month and through the rest of the summer: to me, MDW sort of kicks it all off. Below are some of my picks for shows to see this weekend.

Thursday, May 23

Andrew Belle w/ William Wild
Lincoln Hall, 8pm
Tickets here

I first saw Andrew Belle way back when I was a freshman in college and I loved every second of it. He’s a local artist which is cool, and plays lots of shows in the Chicagoland areas. His album “Blackbear” was seriously the soundtrack of my 19th year, and as cheesy as it sounds, I know his show here tonight is one you should really check out if you dig the singer/songwriter Vibes. I also saw William Wild open for Joseph back in the day so it’s cool to see a show featuring two artists I’m familiar with!

Florence & The Machine, Blood Orange
Huntington Bank Pavilion, 7:30pm
Tickets here

Could you COME UP with a better lineup?! Seriously amazing. If I didn’t have so much going on this weekend I would DEFINITELY be going to this show. I have only see FATM once and it was when her set was cut less than halfway through at Lollapalooza in 2015 due to weather issues. It was almost as heartbreaking as when Lorde’s entire set got rained out in 2017…

I was a casual fan of Blood Orange until I saw him at Pitchfork last year, then I became a massive fan. He was easily one of the best performers I’ve ever seen live. This will be a fantastic show and I’m seriously jealous of anyone who gets to go. Tickets are still available – don’t miss out!

Thursday & Friday, May 23-24

Local Natives w/ Middle Kids
Thalia Hall, 8pm
Tickets to both nights are sold out. Resale here

Believe me when I say when these shows were announced, I contemplated going both nights. Not only is Local Natives one of my favorite bands, but their 2019 album Violet Street is already a contender for my favorite album of the year. I’ve seen Middle Kids three times and they ROCK every time – it’s such a fantastic pair. Thalia Hall is truly a magical venue and I’ve been counting down the days for this show. If you’re willing to splurge a bit on resale tickets, you won’t be disappointed!

Saturday, May 25

Hudson Taylor, The Long Lost, Bubbles Brown
Beat Kitchen, 8pm
Tickets here

I saw Hudson Taylor open for Gabrielle Aplin last year and it was such a beautiful performance! This duo has amazing harmonies and overall good vibes. I’m not familiar with the other two acts but I’m sure they’re just as great. The Beat Kitchen is a teeny tiny venue and it’s just a relaxed ambiance that’s nice if you’re not looking for something wild and crazy.

Sunday, May 26

Jamila Woods w/ Nitty Scott
Thalia Hall, 7pm
Tickets here

Jamila’s newest album was just released within the past couple weeks and has been getting incredible reviews. Looking at this post as a whole, it’s really cool to see how different each show is going to be in terms of genre and how neat it is that all of these shows can draw such a diverse audience in one city. Jamila is also a Chicago native so it’s going to be a really great night for her.

 

Monday, May 27

Brendan Bennett, Oston, Golds, Shi La Rosa
Schubas Tavern, 8pm
FREE! Info here

Brendan is actually a friend of a friend so it’s really cool to see him headlining at a venue I frequent. If OSTON sounds familiar, it’s because she was Chicago Haze’s Artist Of The Month during March! So cool to see her featured on this show. It’s also free – and by Monday evening after a long weekend, I’m sure you’re going to want to do something different and fun! Free shows are definitely worth taking advantage of, especially at a show that features local artists – Shi La Rosa is local as well.

Are you planning to attend any of these shows? I’ll be at Local Natives – night two. Super super excited!

• Kristin