The best Chicago concerts to see this January 2025

The new year brings new tours, new albums and artists on the rise. Here are 10 shows — spanning funk and soul to Afro-pop and bluegrass — that set the bar high for venturing outside musical comfort zones in 2025.

Kindred the Family Soul

City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph St., Jan. 3-4, 6 and 9:30 p.m.; $68+

Married couple Fatin Dantzler and Aja Graydon started performing together as a duo in Philadelphia before getting signed in the throes of the late ‘90s neo-soul movement. That came courtesy of an introduction to Jill Scott, another then-rising star on Philly’s R&B scene. Seven albums later, the couple have developed their own brand of inspirational soul music, with lyrics focused on the challenges of family life.

Nicholas Tremulis and The Prodigals, with DJ Joe Shanahan

Metro, 3730 N. Clark St., 8 p.m. Jan. 4; $45+

Longtime Chicago rock frontman Nicholas Tremulis is celebrating his 65th birthday by headlining the club he has played nearly 100 times. Tremulis began his career on Island Records (U2, Bob Marley) before embarking as a solo artist, concert organizer and raconteur, backing everyone from The Band’s Rick Danko to Alejandro Escovedo. This cabaret-style show will include a 15-piece band, multimedia visuals from theater company Collaboraction and an opening DJ set by Metro owner Joe Shanahan. Plus, it’s a benefit for the Collaboraction’s youth music program.

Daniel Knox with Lee Ketch

Constellation, 3111 N. Western Ave., 8:30 p.m. Jan. 9; $15+

Songwriter Daniel Knox grew up in Springfield but developed his craft in Chicago, where his dark, keyboard-driven folk songs stood in the same realm as the Handsome Family. Over the years, he recorded music with Jarvis Cocker of Pulp, released a musical tribute to PBS children’s host Fred Rogers and provided live accompaniment for the Hubbard Street Dance Company and even filmmaker David Lynch. Known for his deep baritone, Knox now lives in Portugal and recently released his new album "Won’t You Take Me With You." Opening this show is Chicago singer-songwriter Lee Ketch, formerly of the band Mooner.

Denude with Surgery Cult, Cougars and Ghost Forest

Sleeping Village, 3734 W. Belmont Ave., 8 p.m. Jan 10; $12+

This is a record release show for Denude, a Chicago-Milwaukee post-punk trio whose debut album, "A Murmuration of Capitalist Bees," exemplifies minimalism, with a heavy sonic undercurrent and dynamic time shifts. Northwest Side record shop Tone Deaf Records is sponsoring this local music showcase, which includes sets by noise rock band Cougars, featuring members of Haymarket Riot, plus psychedelic shoegaze band Surgery Cult and punk outfit Ghost Forest.

Henry Johnson

Andy’s Jazz Club, 11 E. Hubbard St., 6 and 8:15 p.m. Jan. 10-11; $20+

The Chicago jazz guitarist launched his career in the mid-1970s as a sideman for jazz organist Jack McDuff, vocalists Donny Hathaway and Nancy Wilson and piano legend Ramsey Lewis. His solo recordings on MCA/Impulse! have earned him Grammy nominations and comparisons to influences Wes Montgomery, George Benson and Kenny Burrell.

Rich King’s Royal Hustle

Rosa’s Lounge, 3420 W. Armitage Ave., 9:30 and 11 p.m. Jan. 10; $20+

Here’s your chance to attend the recording of a live album by South Side funk and soul drummer Rich King, who has been behind the kit for Buddy Guy, Koko Taylor, Bo Diddley and B.B. King. Chicago audiences may also recognize him for Lubriphonic, a longtime funk-soul band that got its start during a residency at the long-gone Checkerboard Lounge. These days, King’s seven-member Royal Hustle blends music from all the touchstone cities: Chicago blues, Memphis soul, New Orleans funk and Kingston reggae.

Jonas Friddle

Space, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston, 8 p.m. Jan. 18; $15+

The multi-instrumentalist and North Carolina native played bluegrass in his home state and in Kentucky before moving to Chicago in 2007. Here, he established himself as a leading force behind the city’s string band scene as a songwriter, teacher and community organizer of weekly jams in Lincoln Square. His songwriting has been recognized with several national awards, including the 2012 John Lennon Songwriting Contest, supported by Lennon’s estate. Friddle’s clawhammer banjo and plaintive voice sit at the forefront of the lovely "When the Water Was the Sky," a new album released in December. This show will debut those new songs with a band that includes musicians Anna Jacobson, Andrew Wilkins and Gerald Dowd.

The Headhunters

Space, 1245 Chicago Ave., Evanston, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 22; $35+

This legendary jazz-funk ensemble's original members represented the core band on "Head Hunters," Herbie Hancock’s 1973 commercial breakthrough album, and two follow-ups. That recording ushered jazz-funk fusion into the mainstream. Today, percussionist Bill Summers is the sole remaining member with ties to those sessions; the current incarnation features acclaimed New Orleans saxophonist Donald Harrison and drummer Mike Clark. As a group, they’ve released eight albums under the Headhunters name since the mid-1970s. The latest is October’s "The Stunt Man."

Frank Black with Verböten

Metro, 3730 N. Clark St., 7:30 p.m. Jan. 25-26; $35+

Taking a temporary step outside his day job as frontman for the Pixies, Frank Black plays a pair of shows to celebrate the 30th anniversary of "Teenager of the Year," his solo debut. Originally a double album, "Teenager" is considered the best record the Pixies never made. He’ll perform it in its entirety; a reissue campaign will follow. Opening is Evanston’s Verböten, which is the former teenage band of Jason Narducy, bassist for Bob Mould and Superchunk. Narducy resurrected the group last year for a set at Riot Fest.

Mannywellz

The Promontory, 5311 S. Lake Park Ave., 7 p.m. Jan. 31; $30+

Despite living in Maryland, rapper and singer Mannywellz combines elements from all over Afro-pop, based on a childhood growing up in Nigeria. His father is Nigerian gospel singer Kunle Ajomale, and the music is clearly in the genes. In 2017, Mannywellz released "SoulFro", a debut that incorporates jazz, rock and R&B. His subsequent records have featured collaborations with Nigerian hip-hop artists such as Jidenna and Tems, while he also advocates for children classified under the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. As a former DACA recipient himself, Mannywellz has lobbied members of Congress to pass legislation to protect Dreamers, and he contributed to a Grammy-nominated album that raised money for children under threat of deportation.