Photo Credit: Carrie Musgrave - livebabylive.com

It’s that time again, we’ve looked ahead and started filling in our calendars with all of the awesome upcoming shows headed to Chicago in the next few months. Being the good guys and gals that we are, we’re sharing our favorites with you, all of which will surely be not-to-miss performances of artists from around the globe that includes an impressive line-up of local acts. Check out below what we think are the hot Winter/Early Spring concerts, local acts are BOLD for easy access, and let us know in the comments what we may have missed.

MONDAY, JANUARY 25

Cacaw – Empty Bottle

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27

DJ Krush – Empty Bottle

Streets on Fire – Double Door
One of our 10 Chicago Bands to Watch in 2010, they bring angular and frantic guitar riffs as lead singer Chadwick spouts his gnarled, rambling messages over at tight rhythm section. It’s fun yet dark and, at times, nearly psychotic.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 29

Adam Franklin – Hideout

Earth Program – Ronny’s
One of our 10 Chicago Bands to Watch in 2010, and it’s their record release party!

The New Deal – Park West

SATURDAY, JANUARY 30

Cold War Kids – Vic Theatre

Pentagram – Empty Bottle

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3

Asobi Seksu – Schubas

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4

State Champion – Bottom Lounge

The Entrance Band, Lights, White Mystery – Empty Bottle

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5

Dark Star Orchestra – Vic Theatre

Gov’t Mule – House of Blues

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6

The Academy Is… – Metro
A special show in celebration of the 5 year anniversary of their debut release Almost Here with and opening set by Minneapolis based pop group Sing it Loud.

Dark Star Orchestra – Vic Theatre

Mavis Staples – Old Town School of Folk Music

Jemina Pearl – Beat Kitchen

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7

D.R.I – Reggie’s Rock Club

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11

Mako Sica – Hideout

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13

DOOM, Mos Def – Congress Theater
Rescheduled from January 29th.

Fucked Up, Kurt Vile – Empty Bottle

Gene Ween Band – Lincoln Hall

Mariah Carey – Chicago Theatre

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14

Mariah Carey – Chicago Theatre

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15

Editors, The Antlers – Vic Theatre

An Evening With The Residents – Logan Square Auditorium

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16

Nosaj Thing – Lincoln Hall

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18

St. Vincent – Metro

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19

Four Tet – Empty Bottle

Trey Anastasio – Riviera Theatre

Smoking Popes – Reggie’s Rock Club

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20

Chicago Underground Duo – Hideout
Album release party for 2010’s Boca Negra on Thrill Jockey.

Patti Smith – Park West

Smoking Popes – Reggie’s Rock Club

Tortoise – Lincoln Hall

Scott Lucas and the Married Men – Schubas
Local H frontman Scott Lucas is striking out on his own with his new group The Married Men. This show at Schubas is a record release party for their debut album “George Lassos the Moon.”

The Sweeps – Bottom Lounge
One of our 10 Chicago Bands to Watch in 2010

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21

Bela Fleck and The Africa Project – Old Town School of Folk Music

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22

El Perro Del Marr – Lincoln Hall

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25

Paul Di’Anno (original singer of Iron Maiden), Bible of the Devil – Reggie’s Rock Club

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26

Screeching Weasel – Reggie’s Rock Club

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27

Alkaline Trio, Cursive – Metro

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 28

Cursive, Alkaline Trio – Metro
Cursive live is not to be missed. Frontman Tim Kasher is hilarious and unpredictable, which are all necessary components for a great live performance. Additionally, according to Audrey Leon Cursive’s “Mama, I’m Swollen” is one of the best albums of 2009.

TUESDAY, MARCH 2

Furthur – Auditorium Theatre

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 3

Furthur – Auditorium Theatre

Streets On Fire – Empty Bottle

One of our 10 Chicago Bands to Watch in 2010

THURSDAY, MARCH 4

Gomez – Vic Theatre

FRIDAY, MARCH 5

Citizen Cope – Vic Theatre

J. Davis Trio – Bottom Lounge

moe. – Riviera Theatre

SUNDAY, MARCH 7

The Avett Brothers – House of Blues

Magnetic Fields – Harris Theater

SUNDAY, MARCH 8

Magnetic Fields – Harris Theater

TUESDAY, MARCH 9

Califone – Lincoln Hall
All My Friends are Funeral Singers will be shown along with a live performance of the soundtrack.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10

Califone – Lincoln Hall

JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound – Tonic Room

Vetiver – Empty Bottle

FRIDAY, MARCH 12

Hockey – Lincoln Hall

Kreator, Voivod, Nachtmystium – Bottom Lounge

Muse – United Center

Pelican – Beat Kitchen

SATURDAY, MARCH 13

RJD2 – Metro

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists – Bottom Lounge
Ted Leo is heading back to the Windy City to blow the roof off of the Bottom Lounge with songs from his latest release “The Brutalist Bricks,” many of which were performed at Lincoln Hall’s grand opening last October.

SUNDAY, MARCH 14

Orphaned Land, Indian – Bottom Lounge

MONDAY, MARCH 15

My Gold Mask – Empty Bottle
One of our 10 Chicago Bands to Watch in 2010.

THURSDAY, MARCH 18

Experience Hendrix – Chicago Theatre

P.O.S. – Bottom Lounge

FRIDAY, MARCH 19

Gil Mantera’s Party Dream – Empty Bottle

Appleseed Cast – Bottom Lounge

SATURDAY, MARCH 20

Alice In Chains – Aragon Ballroom

Norah Jones – Chicago Theatre

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24

Air – Riviera Theatre

JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound – Tonic Room

Matthew Good – Double Door

THURSDAY, MARCH 25

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Metro

Vampire Weekend – Riviera Theatre
Check out Andy Kondrat’s review of Contra, and let us know what you think of the band’s sophomore effort.

FRIDAY, MARCH 26

Tegan and Sara – Aragon Ballroom

Vampire Weekend – Riviera Theatre

THURSDAY, APRIL 1

The Black Lips – Logan Square Auditorium

Spoon, Deerhunter – Aragon Ballroom

FRIDAY, APRIL 2

Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O, Plastic Crimewave Sound – Empty Bottle

Passion Pit – Congress Theater

SATURDAY, APRIL 3

Xiu Xiu – Lincoln Hall

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7

Henry Rollins – Vic Theatre

THURSDAY, APRIL 8

The xx, jj – Lincoln Hall
Each group put out killer albums last year making several of our top 10 lists.  This pairing of double consonant named bands will be grooving and moody and is already sold out.

FRIDAY, APRIL 9

Japandroids – Lincoln Hall
Check out Dan Henshaw’s review of their 2009 release, Post Nothing, a favorite of Andy Kondrat’s.

SATURDAY, APRIL 10

Mission of Burma – Double Door

FRIDAY, APRIL 16

Dr. Dog – Metro

King Sunny Ade and His African Beats – Old Town School of Folk Music

MONDAY, APRIL 19

Hot Chip, The xx – Riviera Theatre

FRIDAY, APRIL 23

Trans Am – Empty Bottle

SUNDAY, APRIL 25

B.B. King – House of Blues
The legend returns for another show at the HOB. If you haven’t seen him and Lucille do yourself a favor and get out for this concert.

THURSDAY, APRIL 29

Yeasayer – Metro

FRIDAY, APRIL 30

Owl City – Aragon Ballroom

Tickets for the 5th annual Pygmalion Music Festival set for September 16 – 19 in Champaign-Urbana are going fast. Festival passes are sold out as is the headlining performance from Iron and Wine.

If you still want to catch a few of the acts such as RJD2, Lucero, YACHT, The Antlers, Japandroids, Headlights, Wavves, Autolux and Low in some of Champaign-Urbana’s more intimate venues, then act now. Only a small number of single show tickets are still available.

You can find an updated schedule – changes include addition of Saturday’s day parties and adjustments due to cancellation of Solid Gold – after the jump:

Complete Pygmalion Music Festival 2009 Schedule:

WEDNESDAY

Canopy Club:
8:30 PM — Common Loon
9:30 PM — Mt. St. Helen’s Vietnam Band
10:00 PM — Owen
11:00 PM — Japandroids
12:00 AM — Headlights
1:00 AM — Physical Challenge DJs

THURSDAY

Blues:
11:45 AM — Liesel Booth
12:30 PM — Pamela Machala

Sandella’s:
12:45 PM — Tracey and Tricia
1:30 PM — Stanton McConnell
2:15 PM — Cara Maurizi

Red Herring:
6:00 PM — Morgan Orion and The Constellations
7:00 PM — My Dear Alan Andrews
8:00 PM — Post Historic
9:00 PM — Early Day Miners
10:00 PM — World’s First Flying Machine

Krannert Art Museum:
6:40 PM — Liz Janes
7:20 PM — Brooke Wagonner
8:00 PM — Denison Witmer
8:45 PM — My Brightest Diamond
9:45 PM — William Fitzsimmons
10:45 PM — Bob Nanna

Courtyard Cafe:
7:30 PM — Butterfly Assassins
8:30 PM — Deelay Ceelay
9:30 PM — Starfucker

Canopy Club:
6:20 PM — Ohtis
7:00 PM — Santa
7:40 PM — Mason Proper
8:20 PM — Company of Thieves
9:00 PM — Elsinore
9:40 PM — Joe Pug
10:30 PM — Decibully
11:10 PM — Maserati
12:10 AM — Margot and The Nuclear So and So’s
1:00 AM — Lucero

The Highdive:
9:00 PM — Geist
10:00 PM — DJ Belly
11:00 PM — DJ Mertz
12:00 AM — Skream

FRIDAY

Blues:
11:30 AM — Girls Next Door
12:00 PM — Ryan Groff
12:45 PM — William Fitzsimmons
7:00 PM — The Jips
8:00 PM — Empires
9:00 PM — jigGsaw
10:00 PM — So Many Dynamos
11:00 PM — So Long Forgotten

Sandella’s:
12:45 PM — Final Pygmalion Effect
1:30 PM — Matt Wagemann
2:15 PM — Kilroy et al

Channing-Murray:
6:30 PM — You and Yourn
7:15 PM — Hathaways
8:00 PM — Good Night and Good Morning
9:00 PM — Low

Red Herring:
10:30 PM — Oceans
11:30 PM — Pet Lions
12:30 AM — TBD

Canopy Club:
6:20 PM — Zach May and The Maps
7:00 PM — Ganglians
7:40 PM — Phantogram
8:20 PM — BLK JKS
9:00 PM — Jookabox
9:40 PM — Maps & Atlases
10:30 PM — Pomegranates
11:10 PM — The Antlers
12:10 AM — Autolux
1:00 AM — Wavves

Cowboy Monkey:
10:00 PM — Angie Heaton
11:00 PM — Mazes
12:00 AM — Cameron McGill and What Army
1:00 AM — The 1900s

Mike N’ Molly’s:
5:15 PM — The Delta Kings
6:15 PM — The Duke of Uke
7:15 PM — The Number One Sons
8:15 PM — Tina Sparkle
9:15 PM — Gentleman Auction House
10:15 PM — Light Pollution
11:15 PM — Neoga Blacksmith

Bentley’s:
9:30 PM — Village
10:30 PM — The Horns of Happiness
11:30 PM — Alpha Mile
12:30 AM — Golden Quality

SATURDAY

Parasol Records:
12:00 PM — Tim Stephens
12:40 PM — Morgan Orion and The Constellations
1:10 PM — Cameron McGill and What Army
1:40 PM — Peninsula
2:10 PM — Boston Fleener (of The Jips)
2:40 PM — Drew Danburry (acoustic)
3:10 PM — You and Yourn
3:40 PM — New Ruins (acoustic)
4:40 PM — The Horse’s Ha (acoustic)

Exile on Main St.:
1:30 PM — Elsinore
2:30 PM — Zach May and The Maps
3:30 PM — Santa
4:30 PM — The Curses

Courtyard Cafe:
5:00 PM — The Daredevil Christopher Wright
6:00 PM — Lymbyc Systym
7:00 PM — Brighton, MA

Krannert Center:
7:30 PM — The Books
8:45 PM — Iron and Wine
10:00 PM — Princeton
11:00 PM — Ra Ra Riot

Canopy Club:
9:00 PM — Physical Challenge DJs
9:45 PM — Porno Galactica
10:45 PM — YACHT
11:45 PM — The Hood Internet
12:45 AM — RJD2

Red Herring:
10:00 PM — On Again Off Again
11:00 PM — Now Now Every Children
12:00 AM — Drew Danburry
1:00 AM — Sunset Stallion

Cowboy Monkey:
10:00 PM — Lonely Trailer
11:00 PM — The Horse’s Ha
12:00 AM — Gazelle
1:00 AM — New Ruins

Mike N’ Molly’s:
8:15 PM — Tyson and The Friction
9:15 PM — Steel Eater
10:15 PM — Scurvine
11:15 PM — The Life and Times

Bentley’s:
10:30 PM — Take Care
11:30 PM — Marmoset
12:30 AM — Mordechai in the Mirror

Looking for a music festival that features big names but hate fighting massive crowds of hippies, frat dudes and hipsters in the summer heat? Then Champaign-Urbana’s Pygmalion Music Festival might be right up your alley.

Entering it’s fifth year, the Pygmalion Music Festival goes down September 16 – 19, 2009 in Champaign-Urbana, IL.

This year’s edition of the festival features big names and up-and-coming acts including Iron and Wine, Low, Lucero, RJD2, The Books, The Antlers, YACHT, Wavves, Headlights, Japandroids, Autolux, BLK JKS, My Brightest Diamond and many more.

The Pygmalion Music Festival is less like other major Illinois festivals such as Lollapalooza and Pitchfork and more like Austin’s annual spring event South By Southwest as the event takes place over four days in 15 different venues in two of Champaign-Urbana’s most vibrant neighborhoods.

The full schedule and ticket information is available right now at 2009.pygmalionmusicfestival.com.