Fall in love with the adorable, lush ballads of Canadian indie band Stars, who migrate south to perform at Lincoln Hall. The band is known for its dreamy alt-pop 2004 album, Set Yourself on Fire, and performs following last year’s release of the upbeat LP, No One Is Lost. (Lincoln Hall, 2424 N Lincoln Ave, 8pm. $25)
Celebrate our city’s wealth of stellar stand-ups at EPIC Fest. The festival brings some of our favorite comedians together this week in the far Northwest side neighborhood. Tonight, Marty DeRosa, Ali Clayton, Tom Garland and more headline as the laugh fest gets rolling, continuing through the weekend. (Moretti's Ristorante & Pizzeria, Edison Park, 6727 N Olmsted Ave, 8pm. $15–$25)
3. Take a weird and wonderful ride
If you don't think a chamber musical about six dead teenagers in a carnival-themed limbo following a roller coaster disaster sounds like fun, you aren't alone. But Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Ride the Cyclone is as unexpectedly fresh and touching as it is bizarre. Take the ride yourself. You won’t regret it. (Chicago Shakespeare Theater, 800 E Grand Ave, 7:30pm. $30–$48)