September 2019 events calendar for Chicago

Celebrate Labor Day weekend in Union Park at North Coast Music Festival, where EDM once again dominates the lineup. Headlining acts include Swedish DJ duo Axwell Λ Ingrosso, French producer DJ Snake, electro-funk act Jamiroquai and sultry R&B singer-songwriter Miguel. You'll also be treated to DJ sets from local musicians (such as the Cool Kids and Sen Morimoto) and get to take in all of the attendees wearing rave-ready costumes.

There was a time when Donald Glover was just a sitcom star who released clever, embarrassingly confessional rap tracks under a moniker devised by a Wu-Tang Clan name generator. These days, he's the creator of genre-defying FX show Atlanta, a part of the Star Wars universe (as young Lando Calrissian) and the creative voice behind the striking music video for his latest track, “This is America.” On tour behind his not-yet-titled “final” album, Glover will be joined by Mississippi hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd.

It's the social event of the season for anyone with a denim jacket covered in patches hanging in their closet. Riot Fest brings acts like Beck, Blink-182, Alkaline Trio, Blondie, Elvis Costello and rock 'n' roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis to Douglas Park for a three-day carnival of music (there's even a Ferris wheel). You'll find punks, metalheads, indie fans and hip-hop aficionados eating corn dogs and crowding the fields at this eclectic end-of-the-summer fest. 

Didn't get the invite to your neighborhood block party this summer? No worries—Goose Island is inviting everyone to its annual 312 Block Party, which takes place right in front of its Fulton Street brewery. A $10 donation to a local charity at the gate gets you access to live music, food truck fare and more than 20 different beers, which are only $3 each. On Friday, September 21 experimental rockers TV on the Radio headline the music stage, joined by psych outfit Sunflower Bean and local rapper Mick Jenkins. Americana act the Drive-By Truckers top the bill on Saturday, September 22, with support from indie-rockers the Hold Steady and country singer Lillie Mae. With so much great music and cheap beer on tap, the 312 Block Party usually fills up quickly, so your best option is to arrive early (the fest's entrance is at Fulton St and Wolcott Ave) and have a few drinks while you wait for your favorite act to play.

Some of the biggest names in jazz come to Chicago for a series of shows at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park during this annual festival. This year's lineup features the Art Ensemble of Chicago, jazz vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant, legendary pianist Eddie Palmieri and a tribute to Nat King Cole (led by his brother, Freddy Cole). In the week leading up to the festival, you'll be able to catch free shows at venues like Constellation, Hungry Brain and PianoForte Chicago.

It's the social event of the season for anyone with a denim jacket covered in patches hanging in their closet. Riot Fest brings a lineup of rock, hip-hop and punk acts to Douglas Park for a three-day carnival of music (there's even a Ferris wheel), where attendees can eat corn dogs and enjoy some of the final gasps of warm summer weather. We don't know when the festival's lineup will be released—and you probably shouldn't ask the fest via Twitter, unless you're willing to be the subject of a biting retort.

Chicago may be best known for its blues musicians, but these days it's more of a jazz city. The annual Chicago Jazz Festival celebrates contemporary improvisers and legendary players with free concerts at the Chicago Cultural Center and Millennium Park. This year, the festivities expand to local music venues, where performers will play free shows from August 24 through 29. Headliners include composer, pianist and radio personality Ramsey Lewis; noted jazz vocalists Kurt Elling and Dianne Reeves; and funk legend Maceo Parker.

Celebrate Labor Day weekend in Union Park at North Coast Music Festival, where EDM once again dominates the lineup. Headlining acts include Swedish DJ duo Axwell Λ Ingrosso, French producer DJ Snake, electro-funk act Jamiroquai and sultry R&B singer-songwriter Miguel. You'll also be treated to DJ sets from local musicians (such as the Cool Kids and Sen Morimoto) and get to take in all of the attendees wearing rave-ready costumes.

Bro-country poster boy Luke Bryan may object to the label being applied to his music, but there's really no easier way to describe twangy songs with titles like "She's a Hot One" and "Drinking Again." On the heels of his new gig as an American Idol judge, Bryan brings his What Makes You Country Tour to Wrigley Field, with fellow Nashville singers Sam Hunt, Jon Pardi and Carly Pearce in tow.

Can we start calling this an annual residency yet? For the fifth summer in a row, the "Piano Man" returns to Wrigley Field. The 68-year-old singer-songwriter hasn't released a new album in more than a decade, but he's still playing the hits on a monthly basis at his always sold out Madison Square Garden residency. As long as there are people who want to sing along to "Uptown Girl," we expect Joel will continue packing the ballpark every summer.

Expand your musical tastes at the annual World Music Festival, a series of free concerts at venues throughout the city that feature artists from all corners of the globe, including France, China, Gambia and more. The festival kicks off with the annual Ragamala concert, an overnight concert at the Chicago Cultural Center which features more than 12 hours of classical Indian music. Other highlights of this year's lineup include an El Grito celebration in Millennium Park featuring mariachi bands, an appearance by Morrocan experimental audio-visual artist H.A.T. and a concert held in tandem with World Dumpling Fest in Polk Bros Park.    

While there’s always been a theatrical flair to Fall Out Boy’s music, the band’s latest record, MANIA, takes those overwrought inclinations to their logical conclusion. There’s nothing subtle about the bells and choir that grace a track called “Church” or highlight-reel worthy lyricism of “Champion.” A hometown show in Wrigley Field seems like the perfect opportunity for Patrick Stump and company to dig into their catalog, in front of a crowd of older fans that should know all the words to “Dead on Arrival.”

There was a time when Donald Glover was just a sitcom star who released clever, embarrassingly confessional rap tracks under a moniker devised by a Wu-Tang Clan name generator. These days, he's the creator of genre-defying FX show Atlanta, a part of the Star Wars universe (as young Lando Calrissian) and the creative voice behind the striking music video for his latest track, “This is America.” On tour behind his not-yet-titled “final” album, Glover will be joined by Mississippi hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd.

While the first edition of the hip-hop-focused The Breaks Music Festival took place near Soldier Field, this year's iteration is moving to Toyota Park. Legendary New York rap collective the Wu-Tang Clan headlines the fest, celebrating the 25th anniversary of its debut album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Yasiin Bey (formerly known as Mos Def), Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs and Talib Kweli are also on the lineup, in addition to hometown hip-hop heroes and Twista and Vic Mensa.

While much of Jon Hopkins' early career was spent collaborating with Brian Eno and Coldplay, in recent year's the English producer has come into his own as an electronic musician with a distinctive sound. Hopkins' latest album, Signularity, is a suite of expansive compositions, littered with ambient synths and glitchy beats that coalese into some of his most epic, room-eveloping tracks to date. There's a transcendent power to Hopkins' arrangements, lending a decidedly intimate feel to his larger-than-life production. Ambient musician Daniel Avery opens the show.

Each Tuesday, the Museum of Contemporary Art hosts a free concert in its Anne and John Kern Terrace Garden—admission to the museum is also free for Illinois residents. The lineup is stacked with notable performers from the Chicago jazz community, including Katie Ernst, Greg Ward and Tomeka Reid. Attendees can order food à la carte from the outdoor grill, which features tacos, beef tenderloin, lobster rolls and BBQ chicken. 

Set a new high score at this arcade bar’s quarterly queer night. Guests can take advantage of free pinball (make sure you take a turn on the classic Star Wars and PIN·BOT tables), enjoy bar specials or bust a move in the back room with resident DJ Essential Logic.