The North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie is back in a big way. In October alone audiences can choose from an array of concerts by performers with very different styles.
“It is so nice to be able to welcome audiences back to the North Shore Center for live music and comedy this fall and we are doing so with some of our favorites across multiple genres,” said General Manager Michael Pauken.
“From Broadway singer Linda Eder to blues legend Taj Mahal, virtuosos like Jake Shimabukuro and Chris Thile, and the iconic Boz Scaggs, there is some music for everyone. Folks looking for some good Midwestern humor can check out comedian Charlie Berens in his North Shore Center debut.”
Safety is a high priority at these indoor concerts. Every audience member must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination and wear a mask.
Here’s the lineup for October:
Audience and critic favorite Linda Eder returns to the North Shore Center at 8 p.m. Oct. 1 to share selections from her newly released album, “Retro Volume Two.” It showcases Eder’s diverse repertoire, featuring songs from Broadway shows, duets with Will Lee and Michael Lanning, and even a number called “Time,” which was written by her son, Jake Wildhorn. Eder will also be introducing her new musical director Billy Stritch, who was Liza Minelli’s longtime collaborator.
“It is always a treat to have Linda Eder at the North Shore Center, and for this concert we are thrilled that she has the great Billy Stritch with her as musical director,” Pauken said.
Tickets are $60-$80.
Boz Scaggs will also be sharing selections from a new album, “Out of the Blues,” at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5 as part of his Out of the Blues Tour 2021. Scaggs, who is best known for his 1970s solo hits “Lido Shuffle” and “Lowdown,” is returning to his blues roots which first launched his five-decade career.
“The North Shore Center prides itself on bringing the best performers in their genres and Boz Scaggs is absolutely iconic,” Pauken said. “This will be a great show.
Tickets are $75-$98.
Mandolinist, singer, and songwriter Chris Thile will perform at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7. The MacArthur Fellow and Grammy winner recorded his first solo album, “Laysongs” in a converted upstate New York church during the pandemic. It features six original songs and three covers, including the three-part “Salt (in the Wounds) of the Earth.” Thile hosted “Live from Here with Chris Thile,” which was formerly “A Prairie Home Companion,” for four years.
“Chris Thile is a virtuoso with the mandolin, the instrument he plays as part of the band Punch Brothers,” Pauken said. “His talent is amazing and the acoustics of the North Shore Center makes this the perfect place to see him perform.”
Tickets are $49-$69.
Who knew you could perform jazz, blues, rock, bluegrass, folk, and classical music on a ukulele? Jake Shimabukuro, who is known for playing all those genres on that instrument, will show how it’s done at 8 p.m. Oct. 8. The Hawaiian-born entertainer first drew attention from music lovers when his 2005 YouTube video of him playing George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” went viral.
“No one plays the ukulele like Jake Shimabukuro,” Pauken said. “He has to be seen to be believed.”
Tickets are $37-$57.
Blues music is influenced by world music from Africa, the Caribbean, India, Hawaii, and the South Pacific in the unique style of Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Taj Mahal, who will perform at 8 p.m. Oct. 14.
“We are so happy to welcome Taj Mahal back to the North Shore Center,” Pauken said. “Our audiences love the blues and Taj is among the best.”
Tickets are $45-$65.
Charlie Berens brings his Midwest Survival Guide Tour to the North Shore Center at 8 p.m. Oct. 16. The Emmy-winning journalist, comedian, and host is the creator of the “Manitowoc Minute” and has been featured on “Funny or Die.”
“Charlie Berens has become a YouTube sensation in Wisconsin for his ‘Manitowoc Minute,'” Pauken said. “We’re thrilled to welcome him south of the border for a live show.”
Tickets are $35-$45.
North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie October performances
When: Oct. 1, 5, 7, 8, 14, and 16
Where: 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie
Tickets: Prices vary
Information: 847-673-6300; northshorecenter.org
Myrna Petlicki is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
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