Live Acoustic Music Near Lake Forest, Illinois

If you've never experienced hearing talented musicians perform in a small, intimate environment, you are in for a treat.

House concerts are a growing trend across the country, where people invite friends and neighbors into their homes for an up-close concert experience. And there are house concerts being held in and around the Lake Forest area that you can check out - you just need to contact the host and ask to be invited.

Churches and non-profit community groups around Lake Forest host occasional coffeehouses that feature traditional folk musicians and other acoustic artists as a way of bringing the community together. Local libraries also host free concerts that are open to the general public.

In addition, live acoustic music can be heard in several listening rooms and small theaters in and around the Lake Forest area. Local restaurants and cafes in the area sometimes host nationally touring musicians as well.

Below you can find a listing of upcoming shows in these smaller venues by nationally and internationally touring artists.

Upcoming Acoustic Shows

October 4
SPACE (Listening Room)
Evanston, IL
October 4
Hey Nonny (Listening Room)
Arlington Heights, IL
October 5
Schubas Tavern (Neighborhood Bar)
Chicago, IL
October 5
Uncommon Ground Edgewater (Listening Room)
Chicago, IL
October 5
Celebrating 15 years together as a band, RUNA is an Innovative, award-winning, five-piece Celtic Roots Music "supergroup" that last performed at Maple Street Concerts in 2017 and they sold out that show!
Maple Street Concerts (Folk Music Coffeehouse)
Lombard, IL
October 5
Hey Nonny (Listening Room)
Arlington Heights, IL
October 6
SPACE (Listening Room)
Evanston, IL
October 10
SPACE (Listening Room)
Evanston, IL
October 10
Old Town School of Folk Music (Small Theater)
Chicago, IL
October 10
Epiphany Center for the Arts (Small Theater)
Chicago, IL
October 11
Two Way Street Coffee House (Listening Room)
Downers Grove, IL
October 11
Old Town School of Folk Music (Small Theater)
Chicago, IL
October 11
Hey Nonny (Listening Room)
Arlington Heights, IL
October 12
Old Town School of Folk Music (Small Theater)
Chicago, IL
October 12
SPACE (Listening Room)
Evanston, IL
October 13
SPACE (Listening Room)
Evanston, IL
October 13
Thalia Hall (Small Theater)
Chicago, IL
October 15
Schubas Tavern (Neighborhood Bar)
Chicago, IL
October 18
Hey Nonny (Listening Room)
Arlington Heights, IL
October 18
SPACE (Listening Room)
Evanston, IL
October 19
Hey Nonny (Listening Room)
Arlington Heights, IL
October 19
Stage Left Cafe (Listening Room)
Woodstock, IL
October 19
SPACE (Listening Room)
Evanston, IL
October 22
Subterranean (Listening Room)
Chicago, IL
October 22
Beautiful voices, harmonies to cherish, and some of the most whimsical, joyous, witty, and touching songs!
Beat Kitchen (Cafe, Restaurant or Coffee Shop)
Chicago, IL
October 22
SPACE (Listening Room)
Evanston, IL
October 23
Old Town School of Folk Music (Small Theater)
Chicago, IL
October 23
SPACE (Listening Room)
Evanston, IL
October 23
Joy Zimmerman is a soulful singer-songwriter known for compelling vocals, award-winning songwriting and enthralling performances. “Joy has a wonderfully unique way of connecting to her audience that I have seen no other singer do.” Peggy Kelly, ORC
Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) (Folk Music Society)
Lisle, IL
October 24
SPACE (Listening Room)
Evanston, IL
October 24
Catherine Miles & Jay Mafale are two scoops of modern folk with a generous sprinkling of pop-catchiness, topped off with the wit and flair that comes of their theater backgrounds.
Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) (Folk Music Society)
Lisle, IL
October 25
Thalia Hall (Small Theater)
Chicago, IL
October 25
“Jessica Smucker is an original; a real artist with a cohesive message [and a] voice that is all her own. Each time I listen...I hear something new, the way I do when I listen to Joni Mitchell or Bob Dylan. She is that good." – Nerissa Nields
Hey Nonny (Listening Room)
Arlington Heights, IL
November 2
“Captivating, unorthodox songwriting.” — PopMatters “Brilliant musicianship, a warm and welcoming stage presence and a voice as rich, matured and knowing as the finest thrice-distilled Irish malt whiskey.” — fRoots
Old Town School of Folk Music (Small Theater)
Chicago, IL
November 3
SPACE (Listening Room)
Evanston, IL
November 6
Dennis Warner Career Highlights: * 10 CD's Released * Featured In Concert at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts * Author of Beads on One String (Sixth Printing) * Kerrville Folk Festival (Three-Time New Folk Finalist) * Radio, TV and Mor
Oak Park Library (Library)
Oak Park, IL
November 8
Gorton Center (Listening Room)
Lake Forest, IL
November 8
Thalia Hall (Small Theater)
Chicago, IL
November 9
SPACE (Listening Room)
Evanston, IL
November 9
Thalia Hall (Small Theater)
Chicago, IL
November 10
Thalia Hall (Small Theater)
Chicago, IL
November 15
Two Way Street Coffee House (Listening Room)
Downers Grove, IL
November 15
SPACE (Listening Room)
Evanston, IL
November 15
Irish American Heritage Center (Folk Music Society)
Chicago, IL
November 15
Lincoln Hall (Nightclub)
Chicago, IL
November 15
Epiphany Center for the Arts (Small Theater)
Chicago, IL
November 16
Old Town School of Folk Music (Small Theater)
Chicago, IL
November 16
Two Nashville-based musical duos and best friends; Folk/Singer-songwriters & Americana/Country-Roots.
Maple Street Concerts (Folk Music Coffeehouse)
Lombard, IL
November 17
SPACE (Listening Room)
Evanston, IL
November 17
Lake County Folk Club (Folk Music Society)
Grayslake, IL
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Places to see live acoustic music in and around Lake Forest, Illinois

House Concerts

Molly's House Concert (Lincolnwood)

Listening Rooms

City Winery (Chicago)
Gorton Center (Lake Forest)
Hey Nonny (Arlington Heights)
SPACE (Evanston)
St Tim's Coffeehouse (Skokie)
Stage Left Cafe (Woodstock)
Subterranean (Chicago)
The Outta Space (Berwyn)
The White Lilac (Kenosha)
Two Way Street Coffee House (Downers Grove)
Uncommon Ground (Chicago)
Uncommon Ground Edgewater (Chicago)

Folk Music Societies

Lake County Folk Club (Grayslake)
Irish American Heritage Center (Chicago)
Folk Alliance Region Midwest (FARM) (Lisle)

Folk Music Coffeehouses

Acoustic Renaissance Concerts at Hinsdale Unitarian Church (Hinsdale)
Maple Street Concerts (Lombard)
Wesley's Place (La Grange)

Cafes, Restaurants & Coffee Shops

Adelle's Fine American Fare (Wheaton)
Beat Kitchen (Chicago)

Libraries

Oak Park Library (Oak Park)
Waukegan Public Library (Waukegan)

Small Theaters

Epiphany Center for the Arts (Chicago)
Old Town School of Folk Music (Chicago)
Thalia Hall (Chicago)

Bars & Nightclubs

FitzGerald's Nightclub (Berwyn)
Golden Dagger (Chicago)
Mackey's Hideout (McHenry)
Montrose Saloon (Chicago)
Schubas Tavern (Chicago)
The Hideout (Chicago)