Illinois and the Chicago area is one of the most beloved places to head to if you love live music. Whether it’s blues, jazz, rock, alternative, soul or symphony, Chicago has it all. There are so many venues to see live music here in Chicagoland, the Chicago Southland and the south suburbs of Chicago. It’s so easy to connect with live music, good food, and fun venues when you visit. Lansing, Illinois, in particular, is an ideal haven for live music venues and fun things to do and see.
From late-night spots that serve up snacks and great drinks to huge outdoor venues that offer many different kinds of musical events, there is always a place to go to enjoy live music.
Places in Illinois to Enjoy Live Music
All of these musical venues have things going on throughout the year. Be sure to call ahead or visit their websites to see if you need to buy tickets, reserve a table, and find out if there is a cover for the show.
1. Fox Pointe
Fox Pointe is a musical gem in Chicago Southland’s in Lansing, Illinois. Head to this beautifully landscaped, clean and safe outdoor venue for a unique and memorable experience – and parking is always FREE. The acoustics are remarkable, giving every seat in the house a fantastic musical experience. From the VIP patio, to the well-kept and expansive lawn to the covered Pavilion filled with picnic tables, there’s a place for every taste at Fox Pointe.
Fox Pointe comes alive in May, offering a free Wednesday night concert series until mid-September. The schedule is peppered with special events and concerts, including Cultural Celebration Day, which brings music, food, art, dance and shopping opportunities from around the globe to Lansing Illinois. Enjoy the annual Woodstock Revival and the Friday Night Lights Concert Series! Fox Pointe is the only amphitheater in Chicagoland that offers a free performance of the Northwest Indiana Symphony every summer! From blues to soul to rock to alternative to classical, Fox Pointe has something for everyone, including a full bar and concession stand serving up Chicagoland favorites. Fox Pointe is the best place to experience live music in Lansing, IL
Holiday Fest, the weekend after Thanksgiving each year, is a celebration of winter, as nearly one hundred trees burst into light on Friday evening. Adults and kids will enjoy a holiday market, live music, food and drink, performances, skating, photo opportunities, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus and much more. On Saturday afternoon, families will also meet Anna, Elsa and Olaf, take pictures in our giant snow globe and meet Donner and Blitzen, real live reindeer. There is ice carving, winter crafts for the kids and storytelling.
Just minutes from I-80/I-94, Fox Pointe is the perfect place to host your own musical events, like Battle of the Bands or musical festivals. It’s also a beautiful, convenient location to rent for fitness events, reunions, conferences, expos and more. Just steps from Lansing’s vibrant downtown and the Pennsy Greenway, you can enjoy a wide range of restaurants, wine shops and bars, family-owned candy stores and other shopping opportunities.
2. The Hideout
The Hideout is a really cool place to sit down and enjoy some intimate live music during your time in Illinois. This is a Chicago-area classic, and you can count on great activity at the bar, as well as cool stage performances in the back area called “the living room”. The whole stage part of the venue is as intimate as you would expect from this name, and you will be able to count on added fun like weekly bingo comedy and dance nights here as well.
3. Green Mill Cocktail Lounge
Do you love local music and want to be able to enjoy access to live tunes each day of the week? If so, this is the right place for you to visit. You will find that this is a haven for jazz performers, and it is often one of the best cash-only places to hit up for a fun night in the Chicago area. You can catch everything from a local Bluegrass performance to a jazz singer on the stage here, which makes this a very versatile place to hit up for a night out.
4. Chicago Cultural Center
Showcasing the arts, this very cool old venue is a great place to visit for live performances of all kinds. The first floor has a café as well, and the main stage is on the Claudia Cassidy Theater part of the building. The center of the venue is dominated by the world’s largest Tiffany dome, making the entire experience of visiting this location for live music a memorable one.
5. Epiphany Center for the Arts
Another cool city favorite, this cultural hub celebrates art, music, and entertainment all week long. This is one of the hottest spots for live music in the city and the intimacy of the location makes each live performance here a real treat. You can catch everything from blues to rock, to pop here, and you might even find some house and soul music folks performing from time to time. The location is a restored historic church, which makes it an ideal place to check out for history buffs as well as music lovers.
6. Thalia Hall
This gorgeous landmark venue was designed to be an opera house in the late 1800s and it is truly one of the most beautiful buildings in the whole city. You will be able to get food and drinks at the adjoining Tack Room when you head here for a show and the Punch House is also attached to the venue. The sweeping lines of the gorgeous stage make the perfect framework for live performances of all kinds and types. You will have a truly memorable and highly picture-worthy time here at this cool space.
7. Kingston Mines
This is a famous Chicago Blues Center that has been open since 1968. This is one of the places where a real, authentic, fundamental Blues experience is always on offer. The eclectic décor, the proximity to the stage, and the overall vibe of this venue make it a fun place to visit for shows of all kinds and types. You will also be able to enjoy snacks from Doc’s Rib Joint while you listen, which makes this a great hangout for the entire evening.
There Are Many Places to See Live Music in and Around Chicago
The Windy City is a great place to head to if you love live music and want to enjoy a different kind of musical adventure each and every night during your time in Illinois. Be sure that you check out the offerings at these cool venues and be open-minded about visiting all of the other cool hole-in-the-wall spots that Chicago and the surrounding areas have to offer. You can have an amazing time enjoying the live music scene in Chicago and there should be something fun to see and do every night if you are up for performances of all shapes and sizes.
Illinois is often overlooked as a great place to check out live music of all flavors. This guide will help you to make the most of your time in this cool part of the US. Chicago is full of massive and impressive museums as well as lots of opportunities to engage in local culture. With live music on offer around every corner, Illinois is the perfect place for a fun and memorable vacation or work trip!
