Booking Ahead | The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Girl Talk and Café Tacuba

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion

The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion's sun-drenched Pitchfork Fest set two years ago was just a warm-up. Better to see the reconvened trio indoors, where the blues-riffing old-schoolers really let sparks fly, playing from the forthcoming Meat and Bone at Bottom Lounge October 21. The North Coast Music Festival revealed a few additions to its roster, including party-starter Girl Talk, bass wonder Thundercat and towering rapper Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire. Other notable announcements include a Congress Theater stop for Latin-rock fave Café Tacuba and a night at the Shrine with dancehall icon Barrington Levy, both in August. Find these and many other newly announced gigs below, or visit timeoutchicago.com/bookingahead for a more extensive list of upcoming shows.

JULY
14 The Atlas Moth + Why Intercept + Jar'd Loose + Encrust Ultra Lounge. $5, free with Pitchfork Music Festival wristband.
14 SOLD OUT Father John Misty + Night Moves + Gal Pals Schubas.
16 Ava Luna Abbey Pub. Advance $10, day of show $12.
20 Ralph Covert's Acoustic Army FitzGerald's. $10.
21 Guantanamo Baywatch + Pink Torpedo + Slushy + Scoundrel Township. Advance $6, day of show $8.
21 Gurdas Maan Copernicus Center. $35–$100.
26 Sofia Talvik Swedish American Museum Center. Advance $15, day of show $20, VIP $25.
27 Bad Romance: A Musical Tribute to Lady Gaga House of Blues. Advance $15, day of show $20. 17+
31 American Wolf + Fox the Cat + Vanished Schubas. $8. 18+
31 Gaelic Storm Lincoln Hall. Advance $20, day of show $25. 18+

AUGUST
2 Joey Briggs + Little Dave Merriman Reggie's Rock Club. $TBA.
4 SOLD OUT The Temper Trap + Polica Park West.
6 Earth Crisis + Enabler + No Regrets Beat Kitchen. $10. 17+
8 Harry and the Potters + Potter Puppet Pals Beat Kitchen. $10. AA
9 Barrington Levy The Shrine. $25–$35.
10 The Steepwater Band + The Kinsey Report FitzGerald's. $15.
11 CANCELED Curtis Salgado SPACE.
11 Haragan y Cía + Sekta Core! + Black Dog Congress Theater. $25.
13 The All Stars Tour: Suicide Silence + Dance Gavin Dance + The Word Alive + I See Stars + A Skylit Drive + Winds of Plague + Stick to Your Guns + Attila + For the Fallen Dreams + Stray from the Path + Make Me Famous + Betraying the Martyrs + Obey the Brave + Ice Nine Kills Congress Theater. $20. AA
14 Estrogen Highs + The Hecks Empty Bottle. $8, free with R.S.V.P.
15 Claw Toe + Autonomy Empty Bottle. $8, free with R.S.V.P.
18 Makeshift Prodigy + The Rouge Lincoln Hall. $12. 18+
18 Billy Prine FitzGerald's. $TBA.
18 Trixie's Big Red Motorbike + The Nothingheads + Grand Scintilla + Daniel Fromberg Township. $TBA. AA
20 FREE Ed Schrader's Music Beat Empty Bottle.
22 Static-X + Prong + Davey Suicide + 9 Electric House of Blues. $22. 17+
22 Yarn FitzGerald's. $10.
23 Café Tacuba + Malafacha + Nahuales Underground Congress Theater. $35.
23 Butchers & Bakers + Black Light Saints Township. $TBA.
24 Blame Sally Schubas. $15.
28 Golden Birthday + Dunes + Outside World Empty Bottle. $8, free with R.S.V.P.
28 Wynton Marsalis Symphony Center. $25–$80.
29 Cut Hands Empty Bottle. $10.
29 David Ryan Harris SPACE. $15–$28.
29 Two Star Lincoln Hall. $10. AA
31 Altar of Plagues Ultra Lounge. $TBA.
31–Sep 2 UPDATED North Coast Music Festival Union Park. Girl Talk, STS9, Beats Antique, Gramatik, Papadosio, Minnesota, Two Fresh, Midnight Conspiracy, Thundercat and Mr. Muthafuckin' eXquire added. $110, three-day pass $350.
31 Pacewon & Mr. Green + Matlock with MoodSwangz + Pugs Atomz + Water + 40oz Kings Reggie's Rock Club. $10.
31 Tesla House of Blues. $39.50. 17+

SEPTEMBER
4 The Rocketboys + Bearcat The Ace Bar. $8.
6 Simon Joyner Empty Bottle. $8.
14 Oneness: World Beat Music: Ky-Mani Marley + Kevens Park West. $50–$125.
15 The Memorials + Amrita + Phantasm + The Moses Gun + Mission Bells Double Door. Advance $10, day of show $12.
18 Colleen Green + Plateaus Empty Bottle. $8.
20 Dave Specter with Eddie Shaw SPACE. $12–$22.
21 UPDATED Bloc Party + Ceremony Riviera Theatre. Rescheduled from Sep 20. $30. 18+
23 CANCELED Joan Sebastian + Pepe Aguilar + Shaila Dúrcal Allstate Arena.
29 Michael Feinstein with Jeff Lindberg's Chicago Jazz Orchestra Auditorium Theatre. $32–$92.

OCTOBER
7 Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán Symphony Center. $32–$92.
12 The Great Flood: Bill Frisell with Ron Miles, Tony Scherr and Kenny Wollesen Symphony Center. $23–$74.
21 The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion Bottom Lounge. Advance $18, day of show $20. 17+
25 José Luis Perales Copernicus Center. $60–$100.

NOVEMBER
10 Olivia Newton-John Paramount Theatre. $50–$75.

DECEMBER
22 Tyler Ward Lincoln Hall. Advance $15, day of show $20. 18+