Chris Daughtry is one of the most successful American Idol finalists to compete on the show. His modern rock style has earned him legions of fans and his star continues to rise. One of the top draws of his season, he so enthralled audiences with his renditions of songs by Fuel and Johnny Cash that Fuel invited him to take the reins as the band’s singer. He instead formed his own band, Daughtry, and their first album became the fastest-selling debut in SoundScan history, with five hits leaping into the Top 40. Earlier this year, the band released It’s Not Over… The Hits So Far. Opening for Daughtry in this concert at Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin is alt-rock band Hinder (“Lips of an Angel,” “Get Stoned”), along with ’90s alt-rockers Dishwalla (“Counting Blue Cars”).  Get tickets to their September 3rd performance for $25 on Goldstar.

One of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, The Taming of the Shrew follows the treacherous road to romance for a strong-willed pair who’ve met their ultimate match in one another. The comedy kicks off with a wealthy Italian merchant decreeing that the younger of his two daughters cannot be wed before her ill-tempered, less popular sister is married. The problem is that no man in Padua is willing to propose to the sharp-tongued Katherine. That is, until the fortune-hunting Petruchio, newly arrived from Verona, agrees to woo and wed Katherine (for a sizable dowry, of course). What follows is a classic battle of the sexes that sends sparks flying. Enjoy Shakespeare under the stars with this production at the Oak Park Festival Theatre in Austin Gardens.  Comp tickets are no longer available but the $14.50 general admission ones are.

Provocative, political and pants-splittingly funny, David Cross has made a name for himself as one of America’s must-see alternative comedians. He’s also a successful actor who has appeared in TV shows ranging from Mr. Show to Arrested Development, and in movies ranging from Waiting for Guffman to Alvin and the Chipmunks. Now, as the featured guest in Modern School of Film’s ongoing In: Pictures live event series, Cross discusses three cinematic works that he is a fan of, and that have helped shape his singular view of art and life. The three films Cross will talk about include Quadrophenia, American Beauty and Her, with clips from each work informing this lively discussion at Chicago’s Thalia Hall with one of comedy’s brightest minds.

August and September performance dates start at $35.58.  The entertainment phenomenon known as the Blue Man Group is better than ever in this updated show featuring all-new material at Chicago’s Briar Street Theatre. You’ll find the famous blue bald guys interacting with “GiPads,” taking a humorous look at contemporary forms of communication, and performing a pulsating new finale set to an original music score. Audiences of all ages worldwide have experienced and loved Blue Man Group, a wildly imaginative stage show that cleverly combines comedy, art and science with fabulous visual effects and Grammy-nominated music.

Tickets start at $12 for August and September games.  The Chicago Fire look to scorch their opponents as the MLS 2016 season gets going. The “Men in Red” deserve your attention this year. For one thing, a Fire game is non-stop action and the fans bring a party atmosphere to every game at Toyota Park. With new management and coaching for the 2016 season, the Fire is taking the field with a whole new style of play. Expect a higher pressure defense this year and quick counterattacks. Most of all, expect to be entertained when this re-energized team hits the grass. Players to watch include speedy striker David Accam and quick-thinking midfielder Matt Polster. Watching the game at home or a bar can’t compare to chanting and cheering with other fans at the stadium and watching the fast-paced action live in front of you. Wear red and bring the whole gang for a truly fun time cheering on the home team at Toyota Park.

A Charlie Brown Christmas: Stage Adaptation of Holiday Fave with pre-sale tickets ranging from $16.50-36.50 and November and December performance dates.

Join Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang for “the merriest Christmas ever” in this stage adaptation of the beloved animated holiday special A Charlie Brown Christmas. Kids — from preschoolers to preteens — will thrill to see their favorite characters come to life on stage at Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse in a story that’s sure to get even the biggest Grinch in the holiday spirit. Emerald City Theatre’s A Charlie Brown Christmas centers around good ol’ Charlie Brown who, alarmed by the commercialism he sees all around him during the season of giving, tries to find the true meaning of Christmas.

Grab tickets for the August 31st performance of Fifth Harmony for only $20-$25 with this Goldstar offer.  One of the most popular groups during the second season of Fox’s The X Factor, Fifth Harmony bring their powerful vocals and perfect synergy to FirstMerit Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island. After finishing third place on the televised talent contest, they’ve become one of the show’s biggest success stories, touring with Demi Lovato, headlining MTV’s Artists to Watch concert and releasing the EP Better Together. Now with a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 — the finger-snapping “Work from Home” — Fifth Harmony storm Chicago for a high-octane pop show with rising R&B star JoJo (“Too Little, Too Late”).

Cited as one of the greatest rock albums ever by Rolling Stone, VH1, Time and others, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars made David Bowie both a star and a legend. Now, Classic Albums Live, known for their killer note-for-note concert recreations, bring Bowie’s groundbreaking concept album to Ravinia. Favorite songs like “Moonage Daydream,” “Starman,” “It Ain’t Easy,” “Hang On to Yourself,” “Suffragette City,” “Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide” and, of course, the title track, tell the story of a doomed rock star who acts as a messenger for aliens on the eve of Earth’s destruction. If you never got to experience David Bowie live, here’s your chance to hear Ziggy Stardust “at maximum volume.”  Grab Goldstar tickets for only $22.50 for this September 9th performance at Ravinia.  We saw Classic Albums Live do Abbey Road and they were incredible!

A smash hit across the pond, Thrones! The Musical — A Parody of Game of Thrones makes its way from the UK (where it sold out its entire run at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and its subsequent performances at London’s Leicester Square Theatre) to the Apollo Theater Chicago. This must-see musical creation, updated to include the sixth season of the HBO show, asks all the important questions that plague the diehard fans of Game of Thrones. Questions like: Will Tyrion’s accent ever improve? Will Jon Snow ever get a clue? How red can one Red Wedding really get? Is Gandalf still alive? OK … so they may have a few of the details wrong, but the show’s hilarious songs are as sure to slay you as if you were one of the infinitely unlucky characters on Game of Thrones. Tickets start at $14.50 for performance dates through August 28th.

One of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, The Taming of the Shrew follows the treacherous road to romance for a strong-willed pair who’ve met their ultimate match in one another. The comedy kicks off with a wealthy Italian merchant decreeing that the younger of his two daughters cannot be wed before her ill-tempered, less popular sister is married. The problem is that no man in Padua is willing to propose to the sharp-tongued Katherine. That is, until the fortune-hunting Petruchio, newly arrived from Verona, agrees to woo and wed Katherine (for a sizable dowry, of course). What follows is a classic battle of the sexes that sends sparks flying. Enjoy Shakespeare under the stars with this production at the Oak Park Festival Theatre in Austin Gardens.  Comp tickets are available for the sevral August dates.

From their halcyon days back in the 1980s when they were crowned America’s sweethearts to their superstardom as pop and punk rock pioneers, The Go-Go’s have cemented their place as one of the top female rock acts of all time. Their debut album Beauty and the Beat reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, remaining there for six consecutive weeks. You can see The Go-Go’s in concert as they continue their Farewell Tour, bringing their raw energy to hit songs like “Vacation,” “We Got the Beat,” “Head Over Heels” and “Our Lips Are Sealed.” Opening for the Go-Go’s at Ravinia Pavilion in Highland Park are the LA-based band Best Coast, along with singer Kaya Stewart.  Grab tickets for the Go-Go’s Farewell Tour on Goldstar for this August 19th event at Ravinia.