NICK LOWE & LOS STRAITJACKETS
HURRAY FOR THE RIFF RAFF •
JD MCPHERSON
ROBBIE FULKS •
THE SOUL REBELS
SONS OF THE SILENT AGE •
DEEPER •
THE TOSSERS
GRELLEY DUVALL FEAT. FINOM •
CHAPARELLE
AL GREEN TRIBUTE FEAT. RENALDO DOMINO & MICHAEL AVERY
HUMBOLDT PARK ORCHESTRA •
OLD TOWN SCHOOL ENSEMBLES, FACULTY & FRIENDS
INTERACTIVE DANCE WORKSHOPS
& MUCH MORE!
Chicago-based indie rock project Starcharm sets itself apart through its noisy impulses, atypical rhythms, and overwhelmingly pop sensibilities. With a keen appreciation for the unexpected, Starcharm aims to have you on your toes during their set, and humming their songs on the way home.
Brass sensation The Soul Rebels started with an idea - to expand upon the pop music they loved on the radio and the New Orleans brass tradition they grew up on. They took that tradition and blended funk and soul with elements of hip hop, jazz, and rock all within the style of a modernized and contemporary brass band. The Soul Rebels continue to chart new territory and are respected for their ability to combine topnotch musicianship with songs that celebrate peace, love and soul.
Delmark Recording artist and Chicago Blues Hall of Fame inductee, Sheryl Youngblood is a powerhouse vocalist and entertainer who got her start in the church at a very young age. She recorded and sang with The Thompson Community Singers of Chicago, which won a Grammy and other stellar awards.
Steve Dawson’s popular RPA Ensemble class moves it out of the classroom and onto the stage. In Rock Pop Acoustic Ensemble, students have a great time while improving technique, building song repertoire, and even performing at Square Roots! "mysteriously named ... totally charming…a serious musicianship class masquerading as a social club.” - No Depression Magazine
Nearly a decade ago, Margo Price turned Nashville on its head with her classic country songs written from the intellect and the gut, hell-bent on truth-telling and both timeless and urgent all at once. Respected by her peers, praised by critics and beloved by her fans, Price is trailblazer and a champion for the craft and redefined what it meant to be a modern country artist.
Hurray for the Riff Raff founder Alynda Segarra has been something of a modern Huck Finn, an itinerant traveler whose adventures prompt art that reminds us there are always other ways to live. “Hurray for the Riff Raff’s new album revives the folky textures of previous records to grapple with American myths and tragedies. It's part folk-punk memoir, part spiritual invocation.” - Pitchfork
In a harmonious union, singer-songwriters Zella Day and Jesse Woods (a.k.a. Chaparelle) craft a musical tapestry that harkens back to legendary duets of icons like George and Tammy or Gram and Emmylou. This partnership channels the enduring allure of Country music’s golden age, weaving a melodic narrative that resonates with themes of love and the indomitable Texan essence.
Tuvergen Band ("galloping” in Mongolian) is a Chicago-based folk-fusion trio that uses a rich instrumental palette to perform what they call "modern nomadic music," incorporating bluegrass, blues, rock, and more into its repertoire of Mongolian and Tuvan folk songs and originals.
Sparkle Carcass "calls what they do “Chicago dive bar country,” but you can call it the kind of meat-and-potatoes country rock associated with Drive-By Truckers and the Rolling Stones - a pretty good one, as far as lineages go!” - Bandcamp (Best Country Records of October 2025)
The Golden Horse Ranch Band is a Chicago-based 7-piece country & western band known for raucous, foot-stomping, 5 part harmony music. For over two decades, this high energy ensemble has transformed music halls, public spaces, and warehouses into community celebrations, culminating in their Annual Barn Dance Apocalypse.
Meg & The Wheelers are a country western band from Chicago. Their distinct sound draws on the rich history of country music. They craft a unique and exciting spin on the music that made them, combining modern lyrics with traditional melodies, weaving tales of love and loss that feel both fresh & timeless.
Come check out Ukulele Bacchanalians (a.k.a. Vanda Kay’s Ukulele 3 class at Old Town School) as they cover a variety of styles and genres ranging from traditional Hawaiian songs to Tin Pan Alley to folk, rock, pop, and other favorites.
Chicago's favorite singer/actor/dancer Grelley Duvall shares the stage with the incredible talents of Finom and Aunt Kelly for a cover set that highlights songs from The Grelley Duvall Show, Full Bush, Heaven, and Lady Di.
The Spine Stealers are an eerie folk band fronted by songwriter Emma O’Shea, whose songs conjure dark lakes, brain-burned nostalgia and fractured memories. In just three years, they’ve etched their name into the region’s folk scene, quietly amassing a devoted following.
Join us for the time-honored Old Town School tradition, Second Half! Bring an instrument to play or just your voices. All are welcome to attend and join in.
Old Town School Youth Rock Ensemble returns to Square Roots!
Swing your partner to a savory gumbo of cajun, swing, vintage country and old-time with Sean Colledge’s accordion and fiddle, Steve Rosen’s fiddle and banjo, Barb Silverman’s guitar and wild washboard, alongside some sweet harmonies. Easy, enjoyable square and contra dances with fun instruction, group interaction, and some cajun two-step thrown in.
The Old Town School youth take the stage! Enjoy the melodious sounds of our students celebrating the joy of using their voices!
Mariachi Jaguar Juvenil is a dynamic, award-winning youth mariachi ensemble based in Chicago, widely recognized for promoting Mexican cultural heritage and musical education.
Since 1985, Old Town School of Folk Music’s Wiggleworms has been a popular rite of passage in Chicago - a music class for kids and caregivers that inspires new learning and sets the foundation for a lifelong love of music. Sing a Song of Summer with Maryanne & Tisa!
Learn some moves, both old school and new, from a master of the form, Poppin’ Chuck!
Learn some traditional dance steps from Lebanon and more with Dabke specialist, Mary Mulcahey.
Bring the whole family by our East Lobby for some participatory dance with Katie!
Silver-haired, tender-hearted, and sharp-tongued singer-songwriter, Nick Lowe, teams up with the leading practitioners of the lost art of the guitar instrumental, Los Straitjackets, for an unlikely match made in rock and roll heaven.
Over the course of 12 years, four studio albums and two EPs, JD McPherson has blazed a singular musical trail, one steeped in a deep affinity for foundational rock ‘n’ roll, rockabilly and R&B (among other mid-century American-made sounds), and filtered through a unique and alluringly idiosyncratic songwriting sensibility.
Chicago soul legends Renaldo Domino and Michael Avery join forces with an all-star ensemble of the city’s finest jazz and blues musicians for a special VSOP tribute to the legendary Al Green. From heartfelt ballads to irresistible grooves, this powerful performance honors one of the most influential voices in soul music history.
Humboldt Park Orchestra was founded by Chicago trumpeter Angel Rodriguez to create a band of all the top bandleaders and musicians in the Chicagoland salsa scene. HPO has performed countless tributes to salsa legends as well as backed legendary salsa icons. Get ready to dance!!
Come check out the Old Town School’s popular New Americana Ensemble class as they explore the sounds and styles of current, American roots music by covering artists such as Jason Isbell, The Decemberists, Neko Case, Dawes, Shovels & Rope, The Lone Bellow, and more!
Sons of the Silent Age, led by Chris Connelly (The Revolting Cocks, Ministry) and Matt Walker (Filter, Smashing Pumpkins) are dedicated musicians who love the music of David Bowie and know it intimately pouring their collective talents over Bowie’s 40+ years and 30 albums of dazzling music.
Blown in from the South Side of the Windy City, The Tossers have been undisputed champions of Irish drinking anthems for well over a decade. Their whiskey-drenched melodies will have you filling up your glass and dancing in the aisles. Formed in 1993, the six-piece Celtic punk band from Chicago has been proudly spreading their Irish gospel across the globe, with no plans of slowing down.
Cool off in our concert hall and sing-along to the Fab Four with Tom & Tommi!
Old Town School’s Classic County Ensemble takes a twang at some good ol’ good ones from the Country & Western canon.
Old Town School’s teens take front and center stage! Featuring Annabell and Friends & Funky Worm
Enjoy the sounds of the Old Town School’s Youth String Band for some American string band music and more!
Little Miss Ann is a Chicago-based, nationally touring kids musician as well as an Old Town School teaching artist, a social justice activist, and a first generation Filipina American. Bring your kids to listen to the Little Miss Ann Band as they get inspired to clap, sing, jump and dance along!
Let the music move you and join Desueño as we experience the vibrant rhythms of Salsa, Bachata, and Merengue for a Latin Dance Experience in the Kid Zone! Desueño is a dance company that fuses Afro-Latin, Jazz, and contemporary movements under the direction of Denita Inez.
Join a ragtag trio of Instrumental Theatre Company's bravest and strongest (and most forgetful) storytellers! As they tell tales of their most favorite adventures, they're going to need some help from the audience to fill in some of the parts that feel a little fuzzy. Filled with music, heroism, and plenty of opportunities for young people to get up on their feet and join the action!
Hip-Hop on by the Kids Zone and get into the groove. The Chello! Groove, that is, with Old Town School teaching artist and dancer extraordinaire, Marchello Lee leading the kids in some fresh, summer moves!
Participate and immerse yourself in the beauty and tradition of Middle Eastern Belly Dance with Old Town School teaching artist Asali Naimah.
Bring your acoustic instrument of choice and join in the jam with Jordan & Sean!
Join in the fun, positivity, and good vibes that only a line dance can bring with the dynamic dancer MarChello Lee at the helm!
Experience the joy and energy of Hawaiian culture with Hakikino! Participants will learn basic hula steps, hand gestures, and choreography inspired by Hawaiian traditions as taught by Paige Sumberg.
Square Roots Playlist on Spotify
