Aurora, Naperville summer concerts Back in the day, you'd scour the paper's music listings, planning your week's worth of concert hopping. Today, your iPod has an embarrassing number of songs sung by cartoon characters and the tunes in your head were put there by Disney.
Never fear. The summer is full of opportunities to see cool bands performing live, to hear music that hasn't been digitized, even to revisit (or discover) classics.
From the ringing bells of the Naperville Millennium Carillon to the silly sounds of children's performers, from the soaring strings of the DuPage Symphony Orchestra to the Blues on the Fox, fans of all kinds of music can find something they'll like in the summer concert series offered in our area. If you don't feel like venturing too far from home, the Naperville Park District will even bring some music to you.
And best of all, nearly every performance is free.
Millennium CarillonThe Carillon Recital Series features concerts by national and international carillon players. Recitals are at 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Aug. 25 at the carillon in Moser Tower, 443 Aurora Ave. near Rotary Hill in Naperville. Free. Concert-goers can climb the tower and tour the carillon after each recital for $2 per person; free for ages 4 and younger. Info: napervilleparks.org.
June 23: Mark Lee, assistant city carillonneur, Naperville
June 30: Gert Oldenbeuving, Netherlands
July 7: Ray McLellan, Michigan State University
July 14: Jeff Davis, University California-Berkley
July 21: Jeremy Chesman, Missouri State University
July 28: Dennis Curry, carillonneur, Kirk in the Hills, Mich.
Aug. 4: Ana and Sara Elias, Portugal
Aug. 11: Carol Anne Taylor, carillonneur, Cathedral Guadalupe, Texas
Aug. 18: Jim Brown, assistant city carillonneur, Naperville
Aug. 25: Julianne Vanden Wyngaard, Grand Valley State University, Michigan
Special events
A number of special events also are planned on the carillon or at the base of Moser Tower. Free. Info: napervilleparks.org.
July 4: Carillon duets by Tim Sleep and Sue Bergren leading up to the fireworks display
July 7: 6:30 p.m. Chorus of DuPage barbershop chorus
July 18: 7 p.m. Carillon "pops" concert of stage and screen music by Tim Sleep
July 21: 6:30 p.m. Calliope concert by Tim Sleep
Aug. 22: 7 p.m. Carillon "pops" concert of Leroy Anderson music by Tim Sleep
Nov. 11: 11 a.m. Veterans Day program
Concerts in ParkNaperville Park District's Concerts in your Park series brings live music to six community parks. Performances are from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Free. Info: napervilleparks.org.
June 21: Jukebox Band with '50s and '60s music and a Classic Car Show, Naperville Auto Test Track, Jefferson Avenue between Fort Hill Drive and Ogden Avenue
June 28: Bopology with Sinatra and swing music, Arrowhead Park, 711 Iroquois Ave.
July 12: Jonathan Devin & New Country with country/western music, Tall Grass Lakes Park, 3320 Rollingridge Road
July 19: The Associates with Motown music, Walnut Ridge, 2304 Keim Road
July 26: 215 West with pop music, Bainbridge Greens Park, 1112 Bainbridge Drive
Municipal BandThe Naperville Municipal Band performs at 7:45 p.m. Thursdays through Aug. 13 at the Naperville Community Concert Center in Central Park, one block east of Washington Street on Benton Avenue. Free. Info: napervilleband.org.
June 25: "Christmas Memories"
July 2: "Hail America" featuring 1812 Overture
July 9: Naperville Municipal Band Big Jazz Band
July 16: The DuPage Symphony
July 23: "Salute to Windjammers"
July 30: "Holiday Inn," The Four Seasons
Aug. 6: "Family Night" including the Alumni Band
Aug. 13: Thanks for the Memories
Concert CenterThe Naperville Municipal Band hosts visiting performers in concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturdays through Aug. 15 at the Community Concert Center in Central Park, one block east of Washington Street on Benton Ave. Free. Info: napervilleband.org.
June 20: DuPage Symphony
June 27: Arlington Heights Concert Band
July 4: No concert
July 11: Fox Valley Concert Band
July 18: Lisle Community Band
July 25: Windjammers Circus Band
Aug. 1: Sterling Municipal Band
Aug. 8: The DuPage Valley Barbershop Chorus & The Naperville Light Guard Band
Aug. 15: The Naperville Big Band & Ted Fredenhagen Jazz Bands
Lunch EntertainmentNaperville Park District's Children's Lunch-Hour Entertainment series programs begin at noon and last about 45 minutes some Tuesdays and Thursdays through July 16. Shows are at the Riverwalk Warming Shelter east of Centennial beach unless noted. Free. Info: napervilleparks.org.
July 7: Chautauqua Express
July 14: Jim Jensen's family magic show
July 16: Jim Gill at Frontier Park
Rollin' on the River
Naperville Park District offers concerts from 7 to 9 p.m. Fridays at the Riverwalk pavilion along Jackson Avenue at Webster Street. Free. Info: napervilleparks.org.
June 19: Andrew Huber, solo alternative folk rock
June 26: Dave Byron, solo guitar
July 3: No concert
July 10: The Cattails, Americana
July 17: Fifth Avenue Band, variety
July 24: Babette & the Blues Shakers, blues
July 31: The Gecko Club, '80s post-punk
Aug. 7: Band Called Catch, accoustic rock/folk
Aug. 14: Gridlock Cartel, jazz fusion
DuPage SymphonyThe orchestra has three outdoor summer performances. Info: dupagesymphony.org.
June 20: "Life, Liberty and Melody!" at 7:30 p.m. at Naperville Community Concert Center in Central Park, one block east of Washington Street on Benton Avenue. Free.
July 16: "There's Music in the Air!" at 7:45 p.m. at Naperville Community Concert Center. Free.
July 25: "Tchaikovsky Spectacular" at 8 p.m. at Cantigny Park, Winfield Road, Wheaton. Tickets: $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Cantigny info: (630) 688-5161 or cantigny.org.
Downtown AliveThe city of Aurora hosts a series of two-day music festivals through the summer on Galena Boulevard between Broadway and River Streets. Free, no tickets needed. Info: downtownaliveaurora.com.
Blues on the FoxJune 19: 6:45 p.m. Big James & the Chicago Playboys; 8:30 p.m. Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam
June 20: 2 p.m. Hix Brothers Junior All-Stars; 3 p.m. Henry Butler; 4:15 p.m. Cedric Burnside and Lightnin' Malcolm; 5:30 Sugar Blue; 7 p.m. Watermelon Slim and the Workers; 8:30 Los Lobos
Summer JamJuly 10: 6:15 p.m. Spoken Four; 8:30 p.m. Sister Hazel
July 11: 2 p.m. Hix Brothers Junior All-Stars; 4:30 p.m. 7th Heaven; 7 p.m. Painkiller Hotel; 8:30 Eve 6
Rock on the FoxJuly 31: 6:15 p.m. Creedence Again; 8:30 p.m. Foghat
Aug. 1: 2 p.m. DBL-SHOT; 3:30 p.m. Blue Truth; 4:45 p.m. ARRA; 6:45 p.m. Trippin Billies; 8:30 p.m. Billy Squire
Fan FavoritesAug. 14: 6:15 Hot Rocks; 8 p.m. Hi Infidelity
Aug. 15: 2:30 p.m August; 4 p.m. The Moods; 5:30 p.m. Elevation; 8 p.m. American English