If live music is your jam, you will not be disappointed with your options in the Aurora area. Whether you plan a getaway just to enjoy a few days of live entertainment or you’re in the area and looking to fill some hours, we’ve got you covered with a rundown of excellent venues to choose from.
RiverEdge Park is an outdoor concert venue that brings big names and tribute bands to eager audiences. The park now features a 900-foot pedestrian bridge across the Fox River, providing an idyllic setting. Concerts are held on weeknights and weekends in the summer months. Check the schedule.
Built by music lovers for music lovers, The Venue attracts nationally recognized talent from all genres, from big band to blues to rock and roll. Created and operated by the Fox Valley Music Foundation, the indoor space can accommodate 200 people with tables and chairs; an outdoor stage is also available when weather permits. Shows happen several nights a week. Check the schedule.
There’s plenty to enjoy at Two Brothers Roundhouse, from the locally brewed beer to the setting inside a former railroad building now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. With stage options in their epic beer garden and inside one of the bars, the Roundhouse trots out mostly local musical talent covering genres from classic rock and blues to bluegrass and more. Check the schedule.
Built by the Village of Oswego, Venue 1012 features a 40-foot by 60-foot bandshell and site can accommodate grass seating for 4,000 people at a typical event. Thursdays are free, and weekend tickets are just $15. Food trucks and beer tents are located on-site. Just bring a blanket or chair and enjoy country hits to classic rock, orchestral pop, Motown, and more under the stars. Check the schedule.
If you prefer to pair your music with a bottle of wine instead of beer, check out Fox Valley Winery. Specializing in small lots of handcrafted, award-winning wines, the winery offers wine tastings daily and live music usually on Friday nights. On a hot day, try a wine slushy! Check the schedule.
Law Office Pub & Music Hall has a history as unique as its name. Dating to 1868, the building once served as the first Yorkville High School and, more recently, a law office. It’s now been transformed into the town’s premier location to spotlight its vast local music talent and local craft brews. Check the schedule.
You don’t have to go too far south for delicious southern BBQ. Come to Southbank Original Barbeque for the incredible food, and stay for the music and beer. The restaurant sits right along the Fox River bank, and while the kitchen closes at 9 pm on weekends, the bar stays open later, and the outdoor live shows typically run until 10 pm. Check the schedule.
Vinyl isn’t dead, and neither are independently owned record stores. Exhibit 1: Kiss the Sky in Batavia. With a storied history of hosting live musical acts on its Are You Experienced Stage, Kiss the Sky appeals to the true music lover who’s looking for something different. Browsing its massive selection of vinyl is just an added bonus. Check the schedule.
Batavia’s North River Street has a lively music scene among a row of local restaurants. Sidecar Supper Club & Beer Garden kicks off the week with Bluegrass Sundays, when you can enjoy dinner and drinks outside at a table on the brick-paver street while listening to some toe-tapping tunes. Fridays and Saturdays, the live action moves to the upper-deck beer garden in the warmer months, or inside throughout the year, with a variety of local musicians. Also on Fridays and Saturdays, just across the street, you can check out the acts at the upscale Bar Evolution and at Pal Joey’s, a pizza place that features live music in the summer on its roomy patio right along the Fox River.
For live music fans, summer brings the best opportunities to explore local venues and find new favorite artists. But any time of year, Aurora remains a great central location for sampling the options up and down the Fox River Valley.
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