Whether you’re brand new to Champaign-Urbana or have been in the area for years, there’s always something fresh in the community’s lively music scene.
With a wide range of local venues, live music can be found somewhere nearby every night of the week during the fall semester. As students return to campus, C-U will come to life with live jazz, folk, alternative genres and more.
This fall will host a number of big names on campus, including rapper CupcakKe, rapper and producer Soulja Boy, comedy troupe The Second City, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and more.
Urbana is a major hot spot for music shows and festivals, with Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, Canopy Club and the Rose Bowl Tavern all providing accessible shows throughout the semester.
The Canopy Club hosts various artists for students over the age of 18 to enjoy, with some big names arriving on campus this semester. The annual PYGMALION Festival will be taking place Sept. 19-21, with many headliners appearing at the Canopy Club.`
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Pop duo Royel Otis will open up the festival on Sept. 19, with pop band X Ambassadors headlining night two on Sept. 20 and CupcakKe closing out the weekend on Sept. 21. All of these shows and many more will take place on the Canopy Club main stage.
The Canopy Club also frequently hosts DJ sets and themed nights, including a monthly Latin Night (the first of which is Aug. 30), the return of Emo Nite on Sept. 28, K-Pop Night on Oct. 18 and more.
Krannert Center uses its five stages to host a wide variety of performances, from classical ensembles to comedy and live theater.
Be sure to look out for tickets to the London Philharmonic Orchestra on Oct. 15 and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on Nov. 7. The performance from the oldest orchestra in London will likely sell out incredibly fast, as the CSO’s audience filled quite quickly last year.
Aside from student and professional orchestras, Krannert will showcase the world’s premier comedy club The Second City on Oct. 19. For any jazz lovers, the venue will also host a performance from American saxophonist Charles Lloyd on Oct. 23.
Jazz fans can also venture over to the Rose Bowl Tavern in downtown Urbana for the most vibrant jazz scene C-U has to offer.
Hosting live music every single night, the Rose Bowl is also a great hub for local musicians to perform in front of a live — and friendly! — audience. Highlights include the weekly Urbana Hootenanny every Monday night, along with Jazz Jams and trivia every Wednesday.
CU Broad Comedy takes over the Tavern on the third Tuesday of every month, and the venue will host some traveling musicians through PYGMALION along with its usual local acts.
Whatever genre of music you enjoy the most, our community has you covered. Across assorted C-U venues will be the annual CU Jazz Festival, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary this year from Oct. 10-25. The CU Folk and Roots Festival will take place as well from Oct. 3-5.
The Daily Illini will continuously post coverage, previews and reviews of any and all live performances in the area. Our monthly local show preview will drop on the first of every month to keep you updated on any acts you might want to catch when they come through campus. C-U’s vibrant music scene is here for anyone who needs a fun night out, or just a quick break from studying for the weekend.
