Chicago Sound Check

The sounds & sights of Chicago and suburban music // Powered by the Daily Herald

Fresh from 2023: Recent releases from the Chicago, suburban scenes

Discoveries of 2022 // The Playlist

Fresh from 2022

Discoveries of 2021: The Playlist

Discoveries from 2021: Some of our favorite releases from the year

Fresh from 2021

Discoveries of 2020: The Playlist

Playlist: Chicago Sound Check 2020.v7

Playlist: Chicago Sound Check 2020.v6

Playlist: Chicago Sound Check 2020.v5

Galleries

Gallery: Charlie Otto — Hey Nonny 6/3/23

By Brian Shamie 48 mins ago

Sound check: Simplistic Urge reunion, Heatwave Music Festival, A Day in the Country, Chi-Soul Fest and more

By Brian Shamie 2 days ago

Young artists hit the stage for two weekends of Bitter Jester

By Brian Shamie 1 week ago

Grab a lawnchair: Suburban concert series tuning up for the summer

By Brian Shamie 2 weeks ago

Hot days, hot mics: Music festivals getting set to fill the summer with tunes

By Brian Shamie 3 weeks ago

‘Essential’ listening: The Bollweevils drop a new punk banger 14 years in the making

By Brian Shamie 1 month ago

Fresh from 2023: Recent releases from the Chicago, suburban scenes

By Brian Shamie 1 month ago

Sound check: Gospel Music Festival; Andrew Salgado joins Easton Corbin at Joe’s; Lakeview’s Porchfest

By Brian Shamie 1 week ago

Sound check: The Venue’s birthday week, Bollweevils release show

By Brian Shamie 2 weeks ago

The who, what, when and where of the Chicago and suburban music scene. Chicago Sound Check is a collaborative look by Daily Herald local music writer Brian Shamie and concert photographers Neal Zeleznak and Denis Cheng into the world of up-and-coming musicians working hard to express themselves, entertain others and make their mark.