As if you needed any more distractions to get in the way of you and your efforts to get a head start on cramming for finals, there’s a load of great concerts coming to Chicago throughout the next few weeks. Below are some tracks by musicians you don’t want to miss.
1. “Lay Myself Down” by Mazzy Star – It’s been 17 years since their last album was released, but Mazzy Star are touring once more in support of their latest album, “Seasons of Your Day.” The album features songs, like “Lay Myself Down,” seasoned in longing and desire, with a hint of hope here and there. You can catch them for $35 at the Vic Theatre Nov. 13.
2. “Numb” by Gary Clark Jr. – If Jimi Hendrix and the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach had a lovechild, I imagine he’d sound a lot like Gary Clark Jr. While this track is oozing with bluesrock sounds, you’ll hear soul, psychadelia, rock ‘n’ roll and even some R&B throughout his album, “Blak and Blu.” Clark will be performing at the Vic Theatre Nov. 19 for under $30.
3. “Alien Days” by MGMT – If you’ve ever wondered what an acid trip might sound like, look no further than the duo’s selftitled third album. This track just scratches at the surface of the strange sounds and bizarre moments of musical greatness you’ll hear if you see the duo live Nov. 19 at Aragon Ballroom. Tickets are $35.
4. “Ludlow” by Houndmouth – What are you doing Nov. 22 or 23? You can spend $15 and see some great up-and-coming folk rockers perform live at Schubas. Their debut album, “From the Hills Below the City,” echoes the Lumineers, Mumford and Sons and even Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Yet the group knows folk rock and they know it well; they deliver rich Americana sounds that go well with a bottle of whiskey and your coziest flannel.
5. “Stars Dance” by Selena Gomez – No longer a Disney princess, Selena Gomez has become a pop princess over the course of her solo career. Gomez even dips her perfectly polished toes into dubstep and EDM sounds on this album, as can be heard on this track. Let the young princess of pop “take you to places you’ve never been” Nov. 22 at the Allstate Arena. Tickets start at $35.15 through Ticketmaster.
6. “Family (Blended Babies Remix)” by Chance the Rapper feat. Vic Mensa – The 20-year-old Chicagoan will be performing at the Riviera Nov. 27 and 29. Though his Nov. 29 show has already sold out, you can still see the rising rapper Nov. 27 for $20. If I were you, I’d get my tickets before both shows are officially sold out.