Here are the Wisconsin and Illinois shows we recommend you take in this week. Check them out below and let us know which ones you’ll be attending or ones you think should really make our list.

Upcoming Shows:

10/11 – A.A. Bondy – Schuba’s (CHICAGO)
10/11 – Belle and Sebastian – Chicago Theatre (CHICAGO)
10/11 – Miike Snow – Riviera Theatre (CHICAGO)
10/11 – Prefuse 73 + Neon Indian – Metro (CHICAGO)
10/12 – Alejandro Escovedo – Lincoln Hall (CHICAGO)
10/12 – Jukebox The Ghost + Elizabeth & the Catapult – Cactus Club (MILWAUKEE)
10/12 – Willie Nelson – Northern Lights Casino (MILWAUKEE)
10/13 – Guided By Voices + Times New Viking – Riviera (CHICAGO)
10/13 – Robyn – Metro (CHICAGO)
10/13 – Temper Trap – Turner Hall Ballroom (MILWAUKEE)
10/13 – The Walkmen + Japandroids – Metro (CHICAGO)
10/13 – Iron & Wine – Pabst Theater (MILWAUKEE)
10/13 – First Aid Kit + Ferraby Lionheart – Lincoln Hall (CHICAGO)
10/14 – Four Tet – Metro (CHICAGO)
10/14 – Surfer Blood + The Drums – Lincoln Hall (CHICAGO)
10/14 – The Felice Brothers + Adam Haworth Stephens – Turner Hall Ballroom (Milwaukee)
10/14 – The New Pornographers – Riviera (CHICAGO)
10/14 – The Walkman + Japandroids – Barrymore (MADISON)
10/15 – Grandchildren + Dinosaur Feathers + Temple – Der Rathskeller (MADISON)
10/15 – Guster – Capitol Theater (MADISON)
10/15 – The Felice Brothers + Adam Haworth Stephens – Empty Bottle (CHICAGO)
10/15 – Sufjan Stevens – Chicago Theater (CHICAGO)
10/16 – DeVotchKa – Lincoln Hall (CHICAGO)
10/16 – Camper Van Beethoven – McAuliffe’s Pub (RACINE)
10/16 – Gorillaz – UIC Pavilion (CHICAGO)
10/16 – Jason Isbell + Langhorne Slim + Mimicking Birds – Double Door (CHICAGO)
10/16 – Joe Pug + Vandaveer – Metro (CHICAGO)

Just Announced:

10/30 – Mayer Hawthorne – Der Rathskeller (MADISON)
11/4 – Richard Thompson – Pabst Theater (MILWAUKEE)
11/6 – Sharon Van Etten – Lincoln Hall (CHICAGO)
11/19 – Delta Spirit + Darker My Love – Turner Hall Ballroom (MILWAUKEE)
11/19 – Haley Bonar + Ivan and Alyosha – Der Rathskeller (MADISON)
12/10 – Badly Drawn Boy – Lincoln Hall (CHICAGO)
12/10 – Tennis – Schubas (CHICAGO)

+Bookmark our upcoming shows page for all your concert announcements+

The sad news of Solomon Burke’s passing today brings me back to my introduction to his music. Just a few months out of college, I bought Don’t Give Up on Me on whim while browsing at Atomic Records. I can remember listening to it night after night as the realization that college had ended and that somehow, at 22 years old, I was growing up. Burke’s croon became my soundtrack to now blurry nights in a rented cabin in Wisconsin Dells as I toiled away at a summer job before eventually moving to Madison. I urge you to seek out the album and listen as he breathes new life to the works of Van Morrison, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, and Nick Lowe.

MP3: Solomon Burke – “Fast Train”
MP3: Solomon Burke – “Diamond In Your Mind”
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Buy: Solomon Burke – Don’t Give Up on Me

We’re thrilled to be presenting tonight’s Hurray For The Riff Raff show at Cactus Club. I caught the band for the first time earlier this year opening for Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy in New Orleans. I left town clutching a vinyl copy of the their most recent release, Young Blood Blues, which has since made a comfortable home in regular rotation on my turntable.

Tonight’s bill also features performances from Sam Doores and Milwaukee’s own West of East. The music kicks off at 9pm and $10 gets you in the door.

Previously: Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy w/Hurray For The Riff Raff – Preservation Hall (New Orleans)
Previously: Hurray For The Riff Raff :: 5 Albums

MP3: Hurray For The Riff Raff – “Slow Walk”
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Buy: Hurray For The Riff Raff – Young Blood Blues

My introduction to The Wooden Sky came from Juniper Tar and Strand of Oaks, who returned from tour raving about having seen the band live while on the road. Their reviews were glowing and unanimous. Soon after the band played Milwaukee but I was unable to attend. We’ve raved about spectacular Daytrotter sessions in the past, and the Wooden Sky session deserves such praise. I can’t stop playing “My Old Ghosts.” Have a listen and/or download the session here.

Buy: The Wooden Sky – If I Don’t Come Home You’ll Know I’m Gone

On two different occasions last month I found myself on solo travels to meet friends in Chicago. Once by car and once by train. I’m not complaining, these trips afford uninterrupted listens to albums I’ve been neglecting or simply haven’t gotten around to. Insert S. Carey’s All We Grow. Released earlier this year, this is a record that I would describe as an invested listen. By this I mean it didn’t blow me away on initial listen, but subsequently revealed its beauty on follow up plays. This is a good thing.

In addition, I highly recommend you check out the recently released live show over at NPR taken from last week’s show at the 9:30 Club supporting The Tallest Man On Earth (whose session is also online and amazing). While his tour dates for the year at this point appear to be over, here’s hoping that S. Carey makes his way to Milwaukee before the curtain comes down on 2010.

MP3: S. Carey – “In The Dirt”
MP3: S. Carey – “In The Stream”
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Buy: S. Carey – All We Grow

Keep the Moondoggies on your radar. Their forthcoming release, Tidelands (Hardly Art) has not left us disappointed in our advance spins. It’s currently available to stream in full on their Facebook page. Today, the band released the above video for “Empress of the North” and we’ve also got a download of “It’s A Shame, It’s a Pity” below. Catch them on tour with Dawes next month, including stops in Chicago, Madison, and Milwaukee.

MP3: Moondoggies – “It’s A Shame, It’s a Pity”
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Pre-Order: Moondoggies – Tidelands