Event Guide
Chicago This Week: October 26 to November 1, 2026
A free film screening, Mexican music, Vic Mensa and a Sunday guitar double take, plus Flamingosis, DJ Spinn, Dixon and Dom Dolla after dark.
October ends with a crowded weekend, but there are good reasons to go out before Friday. A free screening brings club culture into a Wrigleyville cinema. Vic Mensa plays Garcia’s, Tierra Roja leads a night of Mexican music, and Vida Radick’s ceramic lights get a quiet afternoon at South Shore Cultural Center. Sunday offers two very different guitar bills.
Costume parties, parades and seasonal outings have their own Halloween guide. This week’s general picks follow the music and the neighborhoods, with electronic shows and dance floors gathered in the final section.
CLUB KID: a nightlife community screening
Monday, October 26 · Alamo Drafthouse Wrigleyville, 3519 N. Clark St. · 7 to 9 p.m. · Free RSVP; seats are not guaranteed
A24 and Resident Advisor bring Jordan Firstman’s film about a New York club promoter and the child he never knew he had to Wrigleyville. The advance screening is a chance to meet the nightlife crowd away from a dance floor. Arrive early: seating is first come, first served, even with an RSVP.
Tōth with William Alexander
Tuesday, October 27 · Sleeping Village, 3734 W. Belmont Ave. · Doors 7 p.m.; show 8 p.m. · 21+ · $20 advance plus fees
Alex Toth of Rubblebucket brings his songwriting and trumpet to a smaller room on the And The Voice Said tour. William Alexander opens. Pick this for a weeknight built around a performer who can move between a song, a story and a horn line.
Wishy with Dead Sullivan and Sacred Heart Academy
Tuesday, October 27 · Lincoln Hall, 2424 N. Lincoln Ave. · Doors 7 p.m.; show 8 p.m. · 18+ · Ticketed
Indianapolis band Wishy brings the new Nature’s Pill album to Lincoln Hall, tracing a line through dream pop, power pop and shoegaze. Dead Sullivan and Sacred Heart Academy open. Choose this Tuesday for a full guitar bill; Tōth plays across town at the same time.
Luminaria de la Vida
Wednesday, October 28 · South Shore Cultural Center, 7059 S. South Shore Dr. · Noon to 2 p.m. · All ages · Free
Vida Radick’s ceramic luminaries use openings and organic forms to shape light and shadow. This first solo exhibition by the longtime Park District ceramics teacher has a short public viewing window. Go Wednesday afternoon; the next listed gallery hours are November 4, rather than daily access.
Día de los Muertos with Tierra Roja
Wednesday, October 28 · Old Town School, Maurer Hall, 4544 N. Lincoln Ave. · 7:30 p.m. · Free with suggested donation; reserve ahead
Tierra Roja and guest artists mark Día de los Muertos through Mexican songs, storytelling and remembrance. The World Music Wednesday program offers a seated evening centered on music and family memory. Reserve ahead; unclaimed reservations are released ten minutes before the show.
Vic Mensa
Wednesday, October 28 · Garcia’s Chicago, 1001 W. Washington Blvd. · Doors 6:30 p.m.; show 8 p.m. · 18+ · Ticketed
Vic Mensa has a hometown date in a room that puts a dance pit directly in front of the stage. Garcia’s also sells cabaret tables and other standing areas, so check which part of the room your ticket covers. It is a chance to hear the Chicago rapper in a club setting.
Quadeca with DERBY and Olēka
Friday, October 30 · Metro, 3730 N. Clark St. · Doors 7 p.m.; show 8 p.m. · 18+ · $34 advance or $36 day of show; check fees
Singer, rapper and producer Quadeca brings the Life 1 tour to Metro, with DERBY and Olēka opening. He moves across roles that are often split between several people; this is a Friday for following the artist through a full concert. The quoted price is general admission, with VIP sold separately.
Allison Russell with Autumn Nicholas
Saturday, October 31 · The Vic Theatre, 3145 N. Sheffield Ave. · Doors 6:30 p.m.; show 7:30 p.m. · All ages · Ticketed
Russell’s songs carry the stories of Outside Child and the soul and roots arrangements of The Returner into The Vic. Autumn Nicholas opens the In The Hour of Chaos tour stop. Set aside Saturday for her voice, the band and songs that make room for both grief and joy.
DITZ with Ganser and Gloin
Sunday, November 1 · Schubas, 3159 N. Southport Ave. · Doors 7:30 p.m.; show 8 p.m. · 18+ · Ticketed
Brighton post-punk band DITZ joins Ganser and Gloin for a three-band Sunday at Schubas. The compact room and the support bill make an early arrival worthwhile. With L7 playing The Vic at nearly the same time, pick the show you want to stay with for the evening.
L7 with NOBRO
Sunday, November 1 · The Vic Theatre, 3145 N. Sheffield Ave. · Doors 6:30 p.m.; show 7:30 p.m. · All ages · Ticketed
L7 brings The Last Hurrah tour to The Vic with NOBRO. The band behind “Pretend We’re Dead” gives the week a loud Sunday finish, with an all-ages door that makes this an option for younger listeners too. Arrive for NOBRO at 7:30 p.m.
Little Barrie at Old Town School on October 29 and The Symposium at Sleeping Village on October 30 were marked sold out when checked. Rod Wave’s October 31 and November 1 United Center shows have a specific no-costumes policy, including costume props and identity-concealing masks.
Checked October 26, 2026. All times are Chicago local time. Prices are the venue’s stated offers; availability and fees can change. For additional listings, use the Events agenda.
Start Thursday with Flamingosis, then choose a Friday scale: a three-DJ smartbar bill, Dixon and Ms. Mada at PRYSM, or Dom Dolla’s two-night Festival Hall booking.
Flamingosis with Pure Colors
Thursday, October 29 · Sleeping Village, 3734 W. Belmont Ave. · Doors 8 p.m.; show 9 p.m. · 21+ · $25 advance plus fees
Aaron Velasquez’s Flamingosis project puts funk into handcrafted electronic beats and live instrumentation. Pure Colors joins the bill. Sleeping Village makes this the week’s smaller-room electronic pick, with a 9 p.m. start before the Friday and Saturday rush.
Nanoos & Company: Nanoos, DJ Spinn and DJ Zuni
Friday, October 30 · smartbar, 3730 N. Clark St. · Doors and music 10 p.m. · 21+ · $15 to $20 advance; $20 door; check fees
Nanoos & Company brings DJ Spinn and DJ Zuni to the basement beneath Metro. Spinn’s roots in Chicago footwork are the draw within this three-DJ bill. The venue lists a $20 door price and a student discount before midnight with valid ID.
Dixon and Ms. Mada, with Ferdani
Friday, October 30 · PRYSM, 1543 N. Kingsbury St. · Doors 10 p.m. · 21+ · Ticketed; fees apply
Dixon built his reputation through long club residencies, learning how to hold a floor as the mood shifts. He shares this SERUM bill with Ms. Mada, with Ferdani also playing. Doors open at 10 p.m.; check the venue’s updates for set times.
Dom Dolla at Navy Pier
Friday and Saturday, October 30 and 31 · Festival Hall at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave. · Two separate concert dates · Ticketed
Dom Dolla takes house music into Festival Hall for two nights. This is the large-room option after the Open Air season, with an indoor setting at the pier. Navy Pier names Tixr as its exclusive official ticket partner. Check the date-specific offer for entry time, age rules and remaining tickets before planning the night.