Summer concert preview

The annual slate of summer concerts is giving us a major case of the déjà vus: ’80s reunions, boomer nostalgia acts, arena dinosaurs…Dave Matthews. Sure, this is the season of repeats, but we’d rather not think of rock & roll as Cheers.

So, in an effort to spice up a few of the season’s underwhelming lineups, we’re taking a cue from Pitchfork Music Festival (which let concertgoers vote on bands’ set lists this year) by asking aficionados around the TOC office to dream up deeper cuts that would get other fans drooling. Like, wouldn’t it be great if Aerosmith stuck to the raunchy early tunes and not the weeper from that asteroid movie?

MAY

Nine Inch Nails
May 29 at 8pm | Charter One Pavilion | Sold out
This year, Trent Reznor entered his third decade of scaring parents under the Nine Inch Nails banner. On April Fool’s Day, he joked he would release a pop album, including “Pussygrinder” featuring Sheryl Crow. Call us crazy, but that sounds better than reality.

Do-Division Festival
May 30, May 31 at 1pm | Division Street between Damen Avenue and Leavitt Street | $5 donation
The sophomore year of this stroller destination kicks off the street-fest circuit with an eclectic grab bag of acts. Local club faves Flosstradamus and Hollywood Holt shake booties beside indie-rock coed duos the Handsome Furs and Viva Voce. Chamber-rock tinkerers Menomena close out Sunday.

NEXT>>

May | June | July | August | September

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Summer concert preview | Regina Spektor gets Far out | Schubas and Double Door anniversaries | Summer albums | Wilco (the album) | Wilco (the history)