With 2023 in the rearview mirror, now is the perfect time to get a jump on the new year — and by “get a jump” we of course mean starting to chart out your concert schedule for 2024. Though it might get a little chilly on your way to the venue, there are no shortage of must-catch Chicago concerts in January, from big-time rappers to indie gems to weekend-long festivals.
See below for the 10 best Chicago concerts to check out this January.
Travis Scott
January 3rd and January 22nd @ United Center
Travis Scott, photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images
Travis Scott kicks off 2024 with a stint at the United Center on January 3rd (rescheduled from its original date of December 15th). But that’s not all, as the rapper is set to loop his “Utopia — Circus Maximus Tour” back to the Windy City just a few weeks later on January 22nd. Nice of him to give us options!
Oliver Tree
January 13th @ Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
Oliver Tree, photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty
Eccentric online personality and musician Oliver Tree knows how to turn heads, and on January 13th, he’ll be turning heads in good ol’ Chi-town. His “Alone in a Crowd” tour stops by the Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom and features support from the skate-punkers of FIDLAR. If nothing else, it’ll be rowdy beyond belief.
Allison Russell
January 14th @ Thalia Hall
Allison Russell, photo by Josh Weichman
Allison Russell has garnered a much-deserved following with her stunning mix of poetry, music, and activism. Her 2022 effort The Returner saw the multi-hyphenate reach new heights, finding fresh synergy between her sonic and thematic interests. She’s continuing her celebration of that release with another leg of her “Returner Tour,” which is set to stop by Thalia Hall on January 14th.
Get Allison Russell Tickets Here
Tomorrow Never Knows Festival
January 17th – 21st @ Lincoln Hall, Schubas, Gman Tavern, and Sleeping Village
Since 2005, Tomorrow Never Knows has been helping music fans keep warm during the infamously rough Chicago winters through the raw power of good tunes. This year’s lineup spans five days and features notable names like L’Rain (who landed on our best albums of 2023 list), Squirrel Flower (who landed on our best songs of 2023 list), Greg Freeman, Groupthink, Torres, Wishy, and many more.
Mick Jenkins
January 19th @ House of Blues
Mick Jenkins, photo by Bryan Lamb
Mick Jenkins had a hell of a 2023. In fact, we loved his album The Patience so much, we threw it on our list of the best hip-hop albums of the year. For 2024, he’s set to celebrate the record with a run of dates, and, lucky for Chicagoans, he’ll be stopping at the Chicago House of Blues along the way.
Everclear
January 25th @ The Des Plaines Theatre & January 26th @ Arcada Theatre
Everclear, photo by Alive Coverage
In September, Everclear dropped Live at the Whiskey A Go Go, a (you guessed it) live album featuring some of their biggest hits. In case the set sparked any FOMO from Chicago fans, the band have two dates in the Chicago area approaching fast. January 25th sees the group hit Des Plaines, and January 26th finds them in St Charles.
Armand Hammer
January 25th @ Lincoln Hall
Armand Hammer, photo by Alexander Richter
Featuring the electrifying, always-impressive billy woods and the wonderful Elucid, Armand Hammer have thoroughly established themselves as royalty in the underground hip-hop scene. Their 2023 album, We Buy Diabetic Test Strips, only served to further cement that fact. They’ll be hitting Lincoln Hall on January 25th, bringing along Quelle Chris for good measure.
Black Pumas
January 25th-27th @ The Salt Shed
Black Pumas, photo by Jody Domingue
Chicago loves Black Pumas, and the band knows it. So, they saw fit to play not one, not two, but a whopping three shows at The Salt Shed. Running from the 25th to the 27th, the marathon of shows is sure to be absolutely electrifying throughout, especially with friends The Dip joining Black Pumas for each date.
Thursday
January 30th @ Concord Music Hall
Thursday, photo by Carlo Cavaluzzi
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of their fan-favorite LP War All the Time, legendary post-hardcore veterans Thursday are hitting the road. Bringing along the recently reunited Rival Schools and Many Eyes (featuring Every Time I Die’s Keith Buckley), the celebration comes to Chicago on January 30th at Concord Music Hall.
DJ Shadow
January 31st @ Metro
DJ Shadow, photo courtesy of artist
For the first time in seven years, DJ Shadow has announced a full tour. Luckily, the run includes a date at the Hometown’s of Consequence finalist and Chicago favorite Metro. End January the right way, with an iconic producer performing iconic tracks at an iconic venue. Iconic enough for ya?
