Just because Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer doesn’t mean you need to start bundling up and staying indoors. September is a fine month for a lot of things, live shows being one of them. Even outdoor live shows. Surprisingly, with the Pitchfork Music Festival in July and Lollapalooza in August, September has become something of a safe haven for some smaller music festivals in Chicago that boast remarkably strong lineups. Among them is the A.V. Fest/Hideout Block Party, which takes place this Friday and Saturday night outside of The Hideout (1354 W. Wabansia). Among the artists performing are Neko Case, Mavis Staples, Trampled By Turtles, Young the Giant, The Hold Steady, Superchunk, The Walkmen and The Both (Ted Leo + Aimee Mann). If you’d like to buy tickets to this fun, family-friendly festival, they’re $35 for Friday, $40 for Saturday and $70 for a two day. Go here to learn more. Next weekend, what I like to call the last big music festival of 2013 arrives in Chicago with Riot Fest. It’s remarkably 90’s and early 00’s heavy this year, which some might argue is a good thing. Headliners include Fall Out Boy, Blink 182 and the big one, The Replacements. Other acts performing over the three-day weekend include Pixies, Violent Femmes, Rancid, Blondie, Danzig, Guided By Voices, Brand New, Public Enemy, Taking Back Sunday, Bad Religion, The Dismemberment Plan, Dinosaur Jr., Andrew W.K., Against Me!, Best Coast, Mission of Burma and Stars. Check out the full lineup here. Three day passes are sold out, but you can still buy individual passes for each day here. So the grand lesson we learned from all this is that while we hold on for dear life for whatever shreds of warm weather we have left, there’s no reason to be bored or have a lack of something exciting to do in Chicago these next couple weeks. Of course for the many non-Chicagoans reading this, I hope today’s Pick Your Poison will keep you entertained for awhile too. Don’t miss tracks from Chalk, Hey Champ, Kramies, Pig Destroyer, Signals Midwest and Victory. In the Soundcloud section after the jump, stream tracks from The Hudson Branch, The Internet, Kevin Morby (of Woods/The Babies), Ryan Hemsworth and Son Lux.
Pig Destroyer – The Octagonal Stairway
Pillar Point – Diamond Mine (Generationals Deep Dark Ocean Remix)
Prom Date – X My Heart (Matsy Remix)
Signals Midwest – In the Pauses
Son of Stan – Corsica (Hatchback Edit)
Victory – This, That or This
SOUNDCLOUD
The Dirtbombs – Girl on the Carousel
The Hudson Branch – You Don’t Know Me
The Internet – Partners in Crime Part Two
Kevin Morby – Miles, Miles, Miles
Ryan Hemsworth – Against A Wall (ft. Lofty305)
Son Lux – Lost It To Trying