New music venue the Salt Shed unveils its summer concert lineup

Chicago is gaining a new music venue this summer, run by the same folks behind the Empty Bottle, Thalia Hall, Beauty Bar, the Promontory and SPACE in Evanston. Dubbed the Salt Shed, the entertainment complex is housed within the Morton Salt building, which has long greeted passing drivers on the Kennedy with a rooftop mural depicting the iconic Morton Salt girl. With the ability to present both indoor and outdoor concerts by the Chicago River, the Salt Shed will host some of its first ticketed shows this summer, beginning in August.

Today, the Salt Shed revealed its initial slate of summer concerts, kicking off on August 3 with a performance from folk rock outfit Fleet Foxes that will take place outdoors. Other highlights of the summer lineup include individual and group performances from Sharon Van Etten, Angel Olsen and Julien Baker (Aug 10); violinist Andrew Bird with Iron & Wine (Aug 12); R&B singer-songwriter Jorja Smith (Aug 25); and twangy troubadour Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (Spet 23). A portion of the proceeds from outdoor concerts this summer will benefit the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless and Friends of the Chicago River.

According to a release, the outdoor shows at the Salt Shed only represent a fraction of the programming planned for the space over the next year. The space (which owners are calling "the largest independent venue in the city of Chicago") will also be able to host local vendors, retail operations and bars, as well as events like restaurant pop-ups and open air markets. The indoor section of the Salt Shed venue (including a grandstand and suites) is scheduled to open in 2023.

Tickets to the Salt Shed's lineup of summer concerts will go on sale Friday, February 18 at 10am via the venue's website. If you can't wait to get your hands on tickets, you can try to snag some during a pre-sale that begins on Tuesday, February 15 at 10am. Check out the initial lineup of summer shows at Chicago's newest music venue below.

August 3: Fleet Foxes
August 10: Sharon Van Etten + Angel Olsen + Julien Baker
August 12: Andrew Bird + Iron & Wine
August 13: Lake Street Dive + Madison Cunningham
August 15: Lord Huron + First Aid Kit
August 20: Mt. Joy
August 25: Jorja Smith
September 23: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit + Shemekia Copeland