aiplannerevanston events & things to do this week
Dec 29 - Jan 4, 2026
Exciting events and experiences happening this week in Evanston.
SOLD OUT - Old 97s w. Rhett Miller - Night One
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Somehow what weve got never breaks down, Rhett Miller sings on Old 97s exhilarating new album, Twelfth. At first, the line comes off as a boast, as a declaration of invincibility from a band thats managed to survive three decades of rock and roll debauchery, but as the phrase repeats over and over again, it slowly transforms into something more incredulous, something more vulnerable, something deeply human.We experienced some close calls over the last few years, says Miller, and I think that led us to this dawning realization of the fragility of it all. At the same time, it also led us to this increased gratitude for the music and the brotherhood weve been so lucky to share. I think all of that combined to make recording this album one of the most intensely joyful experiences weve ever had as a band.That joy is utterly palpable on Twelfth. Loose and raw, the record is an ecstatic celebration of survival, a resounding ode to endurance and resilience from a veteran group that refuses to rest on their considerable laurels. Working out of Sputnik Sound in Nashville, Miller and his longtime bandmatesbassist Murry Hammond, guitarist Ken Bethea, and drummer Philip Peeplesteamed up once again with GRAMMY-winning producer Vance Powell (Chris Stapleton, Jack White), and while the resulting album boasts all the hallmarks of a classic Old 97s record (sex and booze, laughter and tears, poetry and blasphemy), it also showcases a newfound perspective in its writing and craftsmanship, a maturity and appreciation that can only come with age and experience. Perhaps the band is growing up; maybe theyre just getting started. Either way, Old 97s have never been happier to be alive.
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SOLD OUT - Old 97s w. Rhett Miller - Night Two
Event Information
Somehow what weve got never breaks down, Rhett Miller sings on Old 97s exhilarating new album, Twelfth. At first, the line comes off as a boast, as a declaration of invincibility from a band thats managed to survive three decades of rock and roll debauchery, but as the phrase repeats over and over again, it slowly transforms into something more incredulous, something more vulnerable, something deeply human.We experienced some close calls over the last few years, says Miller, and I think that led us to this dawning realization of the fragility of it all. At the same time, it also led us to this increased gratitude for the music and the brotherhood weve been so lucky to share. I think all of that combined to make recording this album one of the most intensely joyful experiences weve ever had as a band.That joy is utterly palpable on Twelfth. Loose and raw, the record is an ecstatic celebration of survival, a resounding ode to endurance and resilience from a veteran group that refuses to rest on their considerable laurels. Working out of Sputnik Sound in Nashville, Miller and his longtime bandmatesbassist Murry Hammond, guitarist Ken Bethea, and drummer Philip Peeplesteamed up once again with GRAMMY-winning producer Vance Powell (Chris Stapleton, Jack White), and while the resulting album boasts all the hallmarks of a classic Old 97s record (sex and booze, laughter and tears, poetry and blasphemy), it also showcases a newfound perspective in its writing and craftsmanship, a maturity and appreciation that can only come with age and experience. Perhaps the band is growing up; maybe theyre just getting started. Either way, Old 97s have never been happier to be alive.
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Northwestern Wildcats Mens Basketball vs. Howard University Bison Mens Basketball
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Rob Miller, Rhett Miller Talk Country, Punk, and Bloodshot Records
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RSVP HERE: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1976746479934?aff=oddtdtcreator_______________________ Join us for a conversation with Rhett Miller and Rob about Robs new book, The Hours are Long but the Pay is Low. Free. Limited capacity.This is a FREE ticketed event with limited seating: first come, first served.Bookends s live music hall, SPACE, to present an afternoon with Rob Miller in conversation with Rhett Miller about Robs new book, The Hours Are Long but the Pay is Low: A Curious Life in Independent Music. The event will take place at SPACE, 1243 Chicago Avenue in Evanston, at 3PM.In 1993, while working as a house painter in Chicago, Rob Miller co-founded the Bloodshot Records label which featured independent artists that blended the spirit of punk and country music that he first discovered in dive clubs and oddball record stores, on flea market 45s and end of the dial radio shows. Robs new book, The Hours Are Long but the Pay is Low: A Curious Life in Independent Music (3 Fields Books, 2025) tells the story of this music scene in what Neko Case describes as a glorious, detailed landscape of how it feels to be transformed and elevated by music.Although Bloodshot nurtured unknown artists into grammy winners and sellers of hundreds of thousands of albums, Miller and the label remained fiercely independent for more than 25 years helping build the music community in Chicago and prioritizing off-the-beaten-path showcases, indie record stores, and music venues like the ones Miller worked at in his boyhood city of Detroit as a stage manager, roadie, and end-of the-night custodian.Rhett Miller is a revered and award-winning singer-songwriter known for his more than three decades fronting the popular rock band Old 97s. In addition to his songwriting, Miller has authored short stories, essays and articles that have been featured in Rolling Stone, Bookforum, Sports Illustrated, McSweenys, The Atlantic and Salon. He has also published two childrens books via Little Brown Young Readers.The discussion and Q&A will take place at the Lobby at SPACE and will be followed by a book signing. Doors will open at 2:30 PM for this event.
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Old 97s w. Rhett Miller - Night Three NYE
Event Information
Somehow what weve got never breaks down, Rhett Miller sings on Old 97s exhilarating new album, Twelfth. At first, the line comes off as a boast, as a declaration of invincibility from a band thats managed to survive three decades of rock and roll debauchery, but as the phrase repeats over and over again, it slowly transforms into something more incredulous, something more vulnerable, something deeply human.We experienced some close calls over the last few years, says Miller, and I think that led us to this dawning realization of the fragility of it all. At the same time, it also led us to this increased gratitude for the music and the brotherhood weve been so lucky to share. I think all of that combined to make recording this album one of the most intensely joyful experiences weve ever had as a band.That joy is utterly palpable on Twelfth. Loose and raw, the record is an ecstatic celebration of survival, a resounding ode to endurance and resilience from a veteran group that refuses to rest on their considerable laurels. Working out of Sputnik Sound in Nashville, Miller and his longtime bandmatesbassist Murry Hammond, guitarist Ken Bethea, and drummer Philip Peeplesteamed up once again with GRAMMY-winning producer Vance Powell (Chris Stapleton, Jack White), and while the resulting album boasts all the hallmarks of a classic Old 97s record (sex and booze, laughter and tears, poetry and blasphemy), it also showcases a newfound perspective in its writing and craftsmanship, a maturity and appreciation that can only come with age and experience. Perhaps the band is growing up; maybe theyre just getting started. Either way, Old 97s have never been happier to be alive.
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The Sullivan Sisters (Early)
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The Sullivan Sisters have dazzled audiences since childhood with their unique blend of fast bluegrass picking and captivating sibling harmonies, with music ranging from lyrical originals to timeless folk classics to blazing instrumentals.Inspired by the bluegrass community in North Carolina where they were born and raised, Soraya and Luciya began taking guitar and banjo lessons at ages 8 and 6. Their music drew influence from the bluegrass community surrounding them, and they carried their love of the genre with them when they relocated to Chicago.Over the past ten years, The Sullivan Sisters have toured the country as featured performers at Merlefest, the Bluegrass Hall of Fame s Romptober Festival, IBMAs Bluegrass Live Festival, the Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour, and the Evanston Folk Festival. Their instrumental talents have garnered them national distinction, including First Prize in Banjo and Third Prize in Guitar at Rockygrass 2023, First Prize in Fiddle, Second Prize in Guitar, and Third Prize in Mandolin at RockyGrass 2025, and Second Prize in the 2024 Galax Old Fiddlers Convention Bluegrass Banjo contest. Additionally, The Sullivan Sisters won Third Prize at the 2025 RockyGrass Band Competition.The sisters have recently formed a five-piece band by joining forces with three phenomenal teen pickers and longtime friends: Oscar Caudell on mandolin, Finn McGuinness on fiddle, and Sammy Mougin on bass. The new band launched its debut to a sold-out, standing room audience in Chicago in January 2025, and has multiple tours planned for 2025 and beyond.
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SOLD OUT - The Sullivan Sisters
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The Sullivan Sisters have dazzled audiences since childhood with their unique blend of fast bluegrass picking and captivating sibling harmonies, with music ranging from lyrical originals to timeless folk classics to blazing instrumentals.Inspired by the bluegrass community in North Carolina where they were born and raised, Soraya and Luciya began taking guitar and banjo lessons at ages 8 and 6. Their music drew influence from the bluegrass community surrounding them, and they carried their love of the genre with them when they relocated to Chicago.Over the past ten years, The Sullivan Sisters have toured the country as featured performers at Merlefest, the Bluegrass Hall of Fame s Romptober Festival, IBMAs Bluegrass Live Festival, the Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour, and the Evanston Folk Festival. Their instrumental talents have garnered them national distinction, including First Prize in Banjo and Third Prize in Guitar at Rockygrass 2023, First Prize in Fiddle, Second Prize in Guitar, and Third Prize in Mandolin at RockyGrass 2025, and Second Prize in the 2024 Galax Old Fiddlers Convention Bluegrass Banjo contest. Additionally, The Sullivan Sisters won Third Prize at the 2025 RockyGrass Band Competition.The sisters have recently formed a five-piece band by joining forces with three phenomenal teen pickers and longtime friends: Oscar Caudell on mandolin, Finn McGuinness on fiddle, and Sammy Mougin on bass. The new band launched its debut to a sold-out, standing room audience in Chicago in January 2025, and has multiple tours planned for 2025 and beyond.
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Northwestern Wildcats Mens Basketball vs. Minnesota Gophers Mens Basketball
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The Third Annual Celebration of the Songs of Michael Smith featuring Anne Hills, Michael Miles, Chris Walz, Flo Estes, Jonas Friddle, and Many Others
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The Third Annual Celebration of the Songs of Michael Smith Join us for the third annual celebration of the songbook of Michael Smith (1941-2020), an essential singer-songwriter in Chicago over five decades whose work spanned solo work (The Dutchman, Crazy Mary, Ballad of Dan Moody, Panther in Michigan, Spoon River, Sister Clarissa and countless other classics), a rock duo (with wife Barbara Barrow), folk ensembles (Weavermania), and compositions for theatre (Steppenwolf, Victory Gardens, Blair Thomas favorite Chicago songwriter.Performing Michaels songs this year are Anne Hills, Michael Miles, Mark Dvorak, Jonas Friddle, Chris Walz, Flo Estes, Emily Haden Lee, Robin and Jenny Bienemann, Rebecca Jasso, Jaimie OReilly, and Jim Gary.
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