1 MARTHA WAINWRIGHT (SPACE) The most ferociously gifted member of the Canadian-American clan, and getting even better based on her recent and extraordinary album, “Goodnight City.” October 15
2 RANDY NEWMAN (City Winery) Taking a break from his career as a mainstream film music composer, the sardonic singer-songwriter’s new album “Dark Matter” is his most overtly political in ages. October 18 and 19
3 LEMON TWIGS (Thalia Hall) Brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario expertly and unironically channel the ecstatic sound of seventies pop, with a gloss of pomo androgyny. October 26
4 BILL MACKAY & RYLEY WALKER (Constellation) The adventurous guitar duo—whose influences range from the regional to the global—tour their ravishing new album, “SpiderBeetleBee.” October 21
5 BLUE RIBBON GLEE CLUB (Cafe Mustache) Chicago’s longest-running punk a capella group (we’re not sure there’s a second-longest) hits the decade mark, and the anniversary gig should be accordingly apocalyptic. October 7
Robert Rodi is an author, spoken-word performer and musician who has served as Newcity’s Music Editor since 2014. He’s written more than a dozen books, including the travel memoir “Seven Seasons In Siena,” and his literary and music criticism has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, Salon, The Huffington Post and many other national and regional publications. Contact: robert@newcity.com
