Brooklyn Charmers - The Music of Steely Dan

Friday, Sep. 15 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

Brooklyn Charmers is a Steely Dan tribute band comprised of some of Chicago's top players. With masterful precision and obsessive dedication to the music, Brooklyn Charmers injects a new energy into the beloved catalogue; bridging the gap between new and lifelong fans alike.

Steely Dan's blend of rock and jazz, along with their infectious hooks and poignant lyrics, put them in another league in the eyes of critics and fans. Their prolific and consistent output throughout the 1970s cements them as classic rock royalty. Brooklyn Charmers are excited to carry the torch into the new generation.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Marrakesh Express – A Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young Experience

Saturday, Sep. 09 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

Marrakesh Express, "the" premier midwest Crosby Stills Nash and Young tribute, returns to The Acorn. Don't miss this CSNY experience featuring live performances of "Suite/Judy Blue Eyes," "Helpless," "Southern Cross," "Our House," "Carry On" and so much more.

About the Artists:

There are hundreds, if not thousands of tribute bands performing the music of the Beatles, Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, U2, and other monsters of rock. But Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young? Next to none.

A band dedicated to tributing CSNY is unheard of due to the difficulty in replicating the 3- and 4-part vocal harmonies that made the group international superstars. Marrakesh Express excels at reproducing CSNY's complex songs and cascading, layered harmonies, and takes the audience back to the late 1960s with energetic musicians who bring an authentic hippie vibe and visuals to the stage.

CSNY was arguably the biggest band in the world after the demise of the Beatles, and is one of the most enduring and influential musical groups of all time. The band, born in the turbulent years of the late 1960s, released hit after hit that spoke directly for their generation. Their songs remain in heavy rotation on classic rock radio stations to this day.

Marrakesh Express upholds the integrity of that music with their vivid and realistic performance of CSNY’s most recognizable songs. Featuring four harmonizing vocalists backed by a top-flight band, they deliver a unique and energetic concert performing the classic CSNY hits, deep cuts, and fan favorites.

Marrakesh Express has played to literally tens of thousands of appreciative fans, including headlining a Woodstock 40th Anniversary Tribute Concert. The music of CSNY has stood the test of time and fans of the classic rockers, as well as young people who are curious about “the 60s,” are anxious to venture out to hear it represented live.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

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Tuba Skinny - A CLUB ACORN Show

Friday, Sep. 08 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

Jazz and American roots band Tuba Skinny comes to The Acorn!
“If jazz is the bread, then the blues is the butter for Tuba Skinny.” - Offbeat Magazine

About the Artists:

For over a decade Tuba Skinny has grown steadily in popularity, releasing twelve albums and touring all over the world. They’ve attracted a wide variety of fans, young and old, neophytes and niche-enthusiasts, with the strength of their musicianship and the scope of their jazz and American roots music catalog. The band is composed of Shaye Cohn (cornet), Barnabus Jones (trombone), Todd Burdick (tuba), Craig Flory (clarinet), Gregory Sherman (guitar and vocals), Max Bien-Kahn (banjo), Robin Rapuzzi (washboard), and Erika Lewis (vocals and bass drum).

While they’ve become known as world-class interpreters of traditional jazz, over the years they’ve branched out into jug band music, spirituals, country blues, string band music, ragtime, and New Orleans R&B. Their approach is a true reflection of Americana, encompassing the full genealogy of popular American music from an early 20th century perspective.

No matter how well known they’ve become or how high profile their gigs have gotten, Tuba Skinny has always returned to the streets. “We continue to play in the street because it’s a public space,” says Shaye. “We get to play for everyone: old, young, rich, poor, people from all walks of life. It keeps things interesting because it’s organic and unpredictable.”

"Musically, Tuba Skinny mines a rich seam of traditional jazz and blues from the '20s and '30s. And, while it's evident the band treasures the sense of history evoked by these vintage tunes, the players' natural exuberance makes the music feel irresistibly alive.” - Melbourne Music Festival

A Club Acorn Show – dance party, club vibe, standing room, limited seating available.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Mucca Pazza – A CLUB ACORN Show

Saturday, Aug. 19 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

Mucca Pazza is a 30-odd-member rock ‘n roll marching band from Chicago, IL. Inspired by the subversive collaborations of Dada and Surrealism, Mucca Pazza seeks to attain the seemingly unattainable through an ever-evolving collective of artistic voices. Trumpets, trombones, saxes and sousaphones combine with guitar, mandolin, violin, cello and accordion, all on top of a rhythmic drumline — and all dressed in mismatched marching band uniforms. Add cheerleaders performing absurdist chants and you’ll quickly understand the band’s ethos: the bigger the better, the more the merrier, collectively jumping for joy.

Ever since the band assembled in 2004 in the distinctly Chicago parking lot of a steel mill, Mucca Pazza has melded original compositions with street-theater spectacle. Musical influences range from Béla Bartók to Balkan folk, Björk to Charles Mingus, Clara Schumann to Frank Zappa — they are as comfortable in a performance hall as they are in football stadium bleachers.

Nearly two decades in, Mucca Pazza continues as a multi-disciplinary fantasy of original music, shouted dream poems and sweaty dance freak outs performed by a large-scale collective that exists due to the grace and love of its ever-changing roster.

A Club Acorn Show – dance party, club vibe, standing room, limited seating available.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

An Evening With BoDeans

Friday, Sep. 01 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

BoDeans return to The Acorn! Long known as one of the best live acts in the business, BoDeans continue to tour year round and continue to deliver amazing, high energy, performances.

About the Artists

Long known as one of the best live acts in the business, BoDeans continue to tour year round and continue to deliver amazing, high energy, performances. "I realized some time ago that the key to the BoDeans identity is the fans' connection to our music-nowhere is that more evident or rewarding as when we come together-live. We love to connect with the fans who have supported us for so long and who have brought us so much inspiration." said Kurt Neumann, the band's founder and frontman, "We will continue to play as long as they continue to come out and sing along."

BoDeans’ made an appearance and their music is featured throughout the NetFlix original series, “The Ranch” which features Sam Elliott, Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson and Debra Winger. The band has been featured on “The Today Show,” “Saturday Night Live,” “Late Night with David Letterman,” “Imus In the Morning,” CNN, ESPN, Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards, and had their own PBS special.

Chart topping songs like “Fadeaway,” “Only Love,” and “Dreams” won them Rolling Stone's readers poll for “Best New American Band” in 1987, and they were part of a small contingent of bands that inspired a new radio format known as Adult Alternative, Album Rock-Triple A. Their reputation for delivering a dynamic live show garnered support slots with U2, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Tom Petty, George Thorogood, The Pretenders, David Bowie, and Chris Isaak. They’ve shared the stage with Los Lobos, Big Head Todd & The Monsters, Joan Osborne, Train, The WallFlowers, Cheap Trick, Robbie Robertson, Daniel Lanois, and many others.

The BoDeans signed their first recording contract with Slash/Warner Brothers Records in 1985 and their First record, “Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams” was released May, 1986. In the 36 years that followed, BoDeans have released 13 studio albums with ten records that hit the Billboard Top 200 Chart, and numerous singles on the Mainstream Rock, Top 40 and Triple A radio charts. Bodeans 14th studio album, ‘4 the Last Time’ will be released this June and the band intends to tour extensively in support of its release.

BoDeans songs have been used in various television shows including “Party of Five,” ABC News, NBC Monday Night Football, “The Simpsons,” “Northern Exposure,” Dawson’s Creek” and many others. FOX used the song “Closer To Free” as the opening theme of their hit TV show, “Party of Five,” which became the band’s biggest hit, peaking at #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. Their songs have been in movies such as “The Color of Money,” “The Player,” “Opportunity Knocks,” "Heavyweights” and many others.

BoDeans now reside in a small group of bands that have managed to survive the ups and downs of the industry, remaining true to their sound and their style, for over 35 years. The BoDeans have a permanent installation at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland as part of their Midwest Artists exhibit.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

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Rocks Off: A Tribute To Rolling Stones

Saturday, Sep. 02 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

Rocks Off, Chicago's premier and authentic Rolling Stones tribute, comes to The Acorn!

About the Artists

Rocks Off is Chicago's premier and authentic Rolling Stones tribute, delivering the music, the look, and the attitude of the World's Greatest Rock and Roll Band! Whether it be a deep album cut or your favorite live version, Rocks Off captures the Jagger moves, Keef riffs, Charlie Watts' groove, and the blazing Mick Taylor solos from their golden era of 1968-1973, à la Ladies and Gentlemen and the Brussels Affair. But let's not overlook the songs of the mid 60's that launched the Stones as rock and roll superstars; Rocks Off nails all your favorites from the Brian Jones and Ronnie Wood eras. If you want to see the next best thing to being there 50 years ago, come and see Rocks Off for yourself!

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

The 1985 - Totally '80s Tribute: A CLUB ACORN Show

Sunday, Sep. 03 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

Turn back time with the Midwest’s RADDEST retro dance party band. The 1985 is a TRIBUTE to the best of ‘80s rock, pop, new wave, rap and metal, covering artists like Prince, Journey, Madonna, Poison, Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi, Joan Jett, Def Leppard, Blondie and more! Lights, videos, costumes and choreography all come together for an immersive, totally ‘80s music experience that keeps you partying like it's 1985!

A Club Acorn Show – dance party, club vibe, standing room, limited seating available.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Bowmanville

Friday, Aug. 18 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

Hailing from Chicago, Bowmanville strives to bring the hip sensibilities of Hot Club Jazz from 1930s Paris mingled with the influences born of Chicago’s global crossroads to a wider audience. Led by violinist Ethan Adelsman, with Graham Nelson on harmonica/vocals, Noah Plotkin on drums, Oliver Horton on bass, and Mason Jiller on guitar, the group draws inspiration from diverse musical backgrounds to push the boundaries of their craft, thrilling audiences nationally. Creating a simmering synergy of vibrant bouncing sound that crackles with electric
energy, Bowmanville leaves listeners always hungry for more.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Rodney Crowell: The Chicago Sessions Tour with Special Guest Laurel Lewis

Sunday, Oct. 01 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

GRAMMY-winner Rodney Crowell comes to The Acorn. Produced by Jeff Tweedy, Crowell’s brilliant new album, The Chicago Sessions, is as incisive, engaging, and vital as ever, touching on everything from love and mortality to race and religion as it balances careful craftsmanship with joyful liberation at every turn.

TICKETS GO ON SALE JUNE 16th at 10am ET.

About the Artists

Take a look at the cover of Rodney Crowell’s brilliant new album, The Chicago Sessions, and you might recognize a familiar callback to the legendary songwriter’s 1978 debut.

“In a lot of ways, this album feels like that very first record to me,” Crowell reflects. “When my daughter Chelsea suggested we lay the artwork out similarly, the connection made perfect sense. There’s something very simple, very innocent about it. It’s just me and the band in a room together, loose and live and having fun.”

Produced by Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, The Chicago Sessions is indeed a throwback to Crowell’s early days of making records, but it’s no nostalgia trip. The songs are vital and timely, touching on everything from love and mortality to race and religion, and the performances are nothing short of intoxicating, fueled by raw guitars, honky-tonk piano, and tight, punchy drums. Tweedy wields a light touch as a producer, his influence subtle yet unmistakable, and engineer Tom Schick’s mixes are dynamic and alive, alternately lush and spacious in all the right places with a spotlight fixed firmly on Crowell’s warm, weathered vocals throughout. Put it all together and you’ve got a masterful, cross-generational collaboration that manages to feel both fresh and familiar all at once, an incisive, engaging collection that balances careful craftsmanship with joyful liberation at every turn.

“I’ve produced quite a few of my own records over the years,” Crowell explains, “but I think I’m a better performer when someone else is wearing that hat. I feel so much more relaxed and present when all I need to do is play and sing, and Jeff’s studio was like a playground for us to let go and lose ourselves in the songs.”

For Crowell, it’s always been about the songs. Born and raised in Texas, the two-time GRAMMY Award-winner moved to Nashville in the early 1970s, coming to prominence first as a writer before establishing himself as a critically acclaimed solo artist in his own right. With fifteen number one hits under his belt and tracks recorded by everyone from Emmylou Harris and Johnny Cash to Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson, it would be difficult to overstate Crowell’s impact on country and roots music over the past five decades. In 2003, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame; in 2006 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Songwriting from the Americana Music Association; in 2017, he was honored with ASCAP’s prestigious Founder’s Award; and in 2019, he was presented with the Academy of Country Music’s Poet’s Award. In addition to his prolific output as a singer, songwriter, and producer, Crowell also found time to become a celebrated author, too, publishing his memoir, Chinaberry Streets, and a lyrical retrospective, Word For Word, to widespread praise. Along the way, NPR declared him the “literarily inclined elder statesman of the Americana scene,” while Rolling Stone hailed him as a “country music trailblazer,” and the New York Times proclaimed that his songwriting “gets better and sharper with age.”

TICKETS GO ON SALE JUNE 16th at 10am ET.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $50 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $50 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Miles Nielsen & The Rusted Hearts

Friday, Jul. 07 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

Acorn fan-favorite Miles Nielsen & The Rusted Hearts return! Led by free-wheeling frontman Miles Nielsen, The Rusted Hearts have been wowing audiences for years.

About the Artists

Led by free-wheeling frontman Miles Nielsen, The Rusted Hearts have been wowing audiences for years with the diversity of their sound, the tightness of their 4-part harmonies, and the quality of their songcraft. Equally comfortable in a compact 3-minute pop song and an epic 10-minute jam, the band has toured incessantly since their inception in 2011, amassing an army of hardcore followers that have dubbed themselves the Rusted Herd.

Rockford, IL-based Miles Nielsen has spent nearly a decade enthralling audiences with music that draws force from the prime years of Western-influenced rock music and classic ‘60s soul. Claiming influences as diverse as Otis Redding’s classic soul and Jellyfish’s cult power pop recordings.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.