The week after the much-needed Thanksgiving weekend is always one of catching up with all the work and social obligations you let slide as you stuffed your face and relaxed. Looking at the listings at Chicago’s best music venues, this week is also stuffed with incredible shows. From new discoveries like Toronto’s Frigs to Whitney’s long-awaited homecoming shows at Thalia Hall, you’d be best off planning out your week to take in these bands.
Wednesday
Frigs, Luggage, Whimm, Heavy Dreams
The Hideout
1354 W. Wabansia Ave. 773-227-4433
Toronto postpunks Frigs have only a smattering of releases to their name, mostly two-song cassette-based singles, but they’ve already firmly placed themselves as one of the bands I’m most excited to watch going forward. With their latest release, November’s “‘Chest’//’Trashyard'” single, the songs stretch out to five and seven minutes apiece but never meander or lose momentum. Along with Canada’s Whimm, locals Luggage and Heavy Dreams (featuring Dehd’s Emily Kempf) are playing in support.
Tickets: hideoutchicago.com
Thursday
The Men, Vamos, Peekaboos, Fitness
Beat Kitchen
2100 W. Belmont Ave. 773-281-4444
If you’ve been following RedEye’s music page closely this year, you’ll recognize openers Vamos and Peekaboos because we premiered the former’s video for local song-of-the-summer contender “Outsiders” and the latter’s most recent LP, “Help Stop Decay.” Both bands are among the city’s best rock acts, and it’s super-fitting that they’re opening for Brooklyn’s The Men, who are responsible for some of the decade’s best garage rock albums.
Tickets: beatkitchen.com
Friday
Ultimate Painting, EZTV, Deeper
The Hideout
1354 W. Wabansia Ave. 773-227-4433
If psychedelic rock is your thing, this Ultimate Painting show should be at the top of your schedule. Since its formation in 2014, the band has released a record each year and gets better with each one, especially on their most recent offering, “Dusk.” There’s no drop in quality down the concert bill either, as EZTV is on the sunnier side of psychedelia and local band Deeper is one of the city’s can’t-miss young acts.
Tickets: hideoutchicago.com
Saturday and Sunday
Whitney, Trevor Sensor (Saturday)
Whitney, Jimmy Whispers (Sunday)
Thalia Hall
1807 S. Allport St. 312-526-3851
I ranked Whitney’s “Light Upon The Lake” as the best album of 2016 so far during RedEye’s mid-year roundup of favorite records so far, so there’s no way this hardworking seven-piece’s homecoming show wouldn’t be listed in this column. If you’re just finding out about the show, you’re in bad luck because both dates are unsurprisingly sold out. But if you can find a buddy with an extra ticket, this’ll be quite the party, especially with Illinois songwriter Trevor Sensor opening Saturday and former Chicago-based pop auteur Jimmy Whispers kicking off the show on Sunday.
Tickets: Sold out.
@joshhterry | jterry@redeyechicago.com
