Of course, it isn’t really the last weekend of summer yet, but this does kind of end the season as far as music and arts festivals around the city. So, this week’s list is a compilation of bands to see in Chicago this weekend, starting tonight and going through Labor Day (and possibly beyond).

Friday 9/2

Three of my favorite bands are playing tonight at different venues, and that sucks really bad. Even though I’ve seen them all relatively recently, I wish there were some sort of time-travelling device that I could use (like Hermione’s hourglass perhaps-that will be my only Harry Potter reference, probably).

Chaperone is serving up some jams at Logan Square Auditorium as part of The Square Affair, along with Jonny Rumble, Musikanto, and The Shams Band. This show will act as the record release for their new, and amazing, 7″ “Raised By Wolves” b/w my favorite Chaperone tune “O Ye Drowning Children.” I’ve been told that rather than play their original material, the band will instead be covering Sade’s Soldier of Love in it’s entirety (you’ll have to come to find out if that’s true).

Dastardly is playing at Schubas opening for Paper Thick Walls, who are also good. Dastardly just returned from a tour of the west coast, so they’re nationwide now. If you haven’t seen them yet, you’re kind of an idiot, but you can make up for it tonight. They put on a really fun show.

Ezra Furman is playing at Jackhammer’s all the way up in Rodgers Park tonight. It’s his last show in Chicago before he moves on to San Francisco, so it’s worth hitting for that fact alone.

The North Coast Music Festival also starts tonight, so if you wanna put some tabs under your tongue and go freak out with electronic music all night, I guess there’s that to do. I personally wouldn’t pay to see anyone in tonight’s lineup, but forced to choose, I’d go Midnight Conspiracy over Wiz Khalifa.

Saturday 9/3

North Coast gets about a billion times better Saturday with our friends Gemini Club and California Wives, as well as RJD2 with Break Science, Majer Lazer, and Common. I’d see any of those sets, but I’d appreciate it if you went and saw the early set by Gemini Club. They were one of my very first interviews, and we ended up laughing most of the way through it

If rock or electronic isn’t your thing, the fabulous Cassandra Wilson will be performing at the Petrillo Band Shell as part of the Chicago Jazz Festival.

One thing to look forward to if you want something a bit different would be The Loneliest Monk playing at Ravenswood Remix at the Ravenswood Corridor. They’re really good. Also playing The Hoyle Brothers, Sybris, Mannequin Men, Spare Parts, and Brian Vander Ark.

Sunday 9/4

Of Montreal is playing North Coast Sunday, so even if there were other bands playing anywhere, why would you bother? Also, gypsy punks Gogol Bordello, as well as Paper Diamond, who I think is really cool.

Monday 9/5

Monday’s actually a bit of a bust unless you really dig india.arie I thought the dot got removed at some point, but it looks like it’s back. Anyway, if you’re anything like my friends, you probably took Tuesday off as well, so let me highlight a couple things going on then.

EDIT: I totally forgot that our old friends Miss Sevaughn and Yuma Wray are playing Double Door on Monday night. My mistake. They even made a point to let me know, but I’ll be away so I can’t go. Someone should go for us and take some pictures and email them to the site. I wanna say tickets are only $7, and there are a few bands, so it should be a lot of fun.

Tuesday 9/6

Seafarer is playing their final show at Empty Bottle before the band splits for good. It’s a free show wtih RSVP, and it should be a good one. Males and Females, The Canoes, and House Sounds round out the bill.

Over at Fireside Bowl our friends Project Film will be performing with Audiences, Tarlton, and The Wiitala Brothers

Said The Whale, our friends from Canada, will be playing at Double Door. Good group. They were down at SxSw when we were there, and we had such a hard time setting up an interview time that we ended up just doing it via email because things down there are CRAZY! busy. Should be a good time.

And that’s it. Remember to be safe out there. After the troubles at Lollapalooza, I think I can assume that people won’t be quite so careless this weekend. Look both ways before you cross the street, don’t hop a fence that leads you on to Lake Shore Drive, and if you’re drinking PLEASE hand over your keys. I’m done. Have a good weekend, everyone.