Our picks for events in and around Chicago this weekend, and the week ahead.
Patti LuPone
Celebrate Valentine’s Day early with Patti LuPone. The Tony Award-winner serves up more than two dozen love songs in her latest performance, titled “Matters of the Heart.” Expect both Broadway standards and contemporary hits.
7:30 p.m. Jan. 31 at Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive; tickets from $59.81 at auditoriumtheatre.org
Atmosphere
Following on the fall release of “Jestures” — an album with a song for each letter of the alphabet — the Minneapolis hip hop duo Atmosphere plays Salt Shed. Sage Francis, R.A. The Rugged Man, Kool Keith and Mr. Dibbs join as guest artists as Atmosphere marks 30 years with its “Winter Carnival” tour.
7:30 p.m. Jan. 31 at the Salt Shed, 1357 N. Elston Ave.; tickets (ages 17+) from $49.95 at saltshedchicago.com
Ricardo Arjona
Even after 40 years as a Latin pop star, Ricardo Arjona is selling out dates on his “Lo Que El Seco No Dijo” tour. The tour is named for his latest album, “Seco,” which is Guatemalan slang for “skinny” — Arjona’s childhood nickname.
8 p.m. Jan. 30 at Allstate Arena, 6920 N. Mannheim Road, Rosemont; tickets from $179.20 at rosemont.com
Kathleen Madigan
Missouri native Kathleen Madigan brings her hard-working Midwestern comedy to the Chicago Theatre. If you’re not familiar, check out her 2025 Amazon Prime special, “The Family Thread.” Her work feels so honest, so relatable, so lived-in, it’s easy to overlook how deftly crafted it is.
7 p.m. Jan. 31 at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St.; tickets at msg.com
Kevin Nealon
The former “Saturday Night Live” Weekend Update anchor will perform two sets of stand-up at The Den Theatre this weekend. Last summer in “Happy Gilmore 2,” the comedian reprised his role as a zen pro golfer to Adam Sandler’s powder keg.
7:15 and 9:30 p.m. Jan. 31 at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave.; tickets (2-item minimum) from $30 at thedentheatre.com
“DRUMLine Live”
The music traditions of Black university marching bands are showcased in DRUMLine, a performance featuring original music and Top 40 hits. Expect classic soul (Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin, James Brown and more), a Beyonce tribute, a New Orleans Mardi Gras celebration, an homage to Africa, a pep-rally inspired performance and more.
3 p.m. Feb. 1 at Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive; tickets from $73.20 at auditoriumtheatre.org
“Birds of North America”
Get to A Red Orchid Theatre before “Birds of North America” sells out, though it just added two more weeks of performances. The play is “a beautifully acted and directed father-daughter play,” according to a four-star Tribune review, that explores ever-evolving parental relationships.
Through March 8 (extended) at A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells St.; tickets from $55 at aredorchidtheatre.org
Chicago Boat Show
Water temps at the Chicago lakefront may be hovering around the freezing mark, but that doesn’t mean you can’t dream about summer boat season. You just have to do it inside a convention center. And if you need to convince the kids, tout the bumper boats, a pool for paddle boards and kayaks and a Huck Finn Trout Pond. Go at 11 a.m. Jan. 31 for a panel discussion with former Chicago Bears and boating enthusiasts Charles “Peanut” Tillman, Israel “Izzy” Idonije and Jerry Azumah.
Through Feb. 1 at Donald E. Stephens Convention & Conference Center, 5555 N. River Road, Rosemont; tickets from $13 at chicagoboatshow.com
New Edition, Boyz II Men and Toni Braxton
Need to cool it now? All six members of New Edition — along with Boyz II Men and Toni Braxton — will fill the United Center with decades of R&B hits. Yes, that includes Bobby Brown, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Ronnie DeVoe (Bell Biv DeVoe), Ralph Tresvant and Johnny Gill.
8 p.m. Feb. 4 at United Center, 1901 W. Madison St.; tickets from $99.15 at unitedcenter.com
Sudan Archives
Sudan Archives, aka violinist-singer Brittney Parks, appears at Thalia Hall on the heels of her fall release, “The BPM.” A Tribune roundup of anticipated concerts said, “‘The BPM’ pulses with dancefloor physicality, hip-hop assertiveness and kinetic personality. Intended by Parks to be disruptive, it’s that and more—analog folk and digital futurism bound to blow up on a widespread level.”
8 p.m. Feb. 5 at Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St.; tickets (ages 17+) at ticketweb.com
Have something to do around Chicago? Email events to day.chitribevents@gmail.com.