Spring and summer are exciting times for fans of all genres of music. Many bands will announce festival and concert dates for the summer in the next few weeks, and some already have. Antioch sits almost directly in the center of Milwaukee, WI, and Chicago, IL, some of the best venues and festivals in the country.

“Both cities have such high quality venues for all fans of music,” junior Tommy Cerney said. “Whether it’s a huge stadium show, a festival or a smaller, closed venue, there are so many places to go that are less than two hours away in either direction.”

Chicago is a powerhouse for live music. The city boasts countless venues for thousands of people to attend. These include smaller concert halls like The Riviera Theatre and The Aragon Ballroom, massive stadiums like Soldier Field and the United Center and outdoor venues like Grant Park and The Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre.

Grant Park, on the city’s east side, hosts Lollapalooza, an event which thousands flock to locally and from around the country. Every year, the festival has 8 stages and over 170 different bands to give every music fan an experience for the ages.

One event, which is mostly unheard of, will excite fans of the alt-rock and indie genres of music. PIQNIQ, which is held annually at The Hollywood Casino Amphitheater in Tinley Park, IL, is an all day concert which features a mix of up and coming bands as well as big established names. Huge bands like Cage The Elephant and The Offspring have played in recent years. This summer, The 1975 and Bleachers are set to take the stage. Lawn seats for PIQNIQ are only $20 for the entire day and the experience is well worth the low cost.

Milwaukee can go under the radar compared to Chicago as a result of the shear size of the “Second City,” but concerts in Milwaukee can outdo their neighbors to the south. An example of this would be The Rave/Eagles Club, a multi-staged club on Milwaukee’s west side.

Even though it can be considered a smaller venue, some of the world’s biggest bands have played and will play at the 90 year old concert hall. These include Desiigner on May 3rd, Catfish and The Bottlemen on May 9th and The 1975 on May 16th.

In addition to The Rave, Milwaukee also hosts Summerfest, the world’s largest music festival which is held annually in Milwaukee’s historic Third Ward. Last year, headliners included Paul McCartney, Luke Bryan and Selena Gomez.

“Summerfest is the concert I look forward to the most every year,” junior Nat Baldwin said. “Going with a few friends and having a great time for a great price is one of the best parts about the summer season.”