A tribute to one of the greatest vocalists of all time, singer/playwright Lisa Rock's Close to You: The Music of the Carpenters enjoys a March 29 performance at Galesburg's Orpheum Theatre, with Rock and her six-piece band showcasing some of the most memorable and beloved songs of the '70s, among them "We’ve Only Just Begun," "Rainy Days and Mondays," and of course, "Close to You."

With the event taking place in the University of Dubuque's Blades Chapel on March 30, one of the nation's most singular ensembles shows off their distinct skill set in a concert by the University of Wisconsin Russian Folk Orchestra, which has been performing Slavic and East-European folk music on authentic Russian instruments for nearly 30 years.

With the 2024 release of If I Don't Make It, I Love U inspiring The Guardian to call its creators "the most vital band in Britain today," the London-based, experimental, post-punk, art-rock outfit Still House Plants brings their national tour to Rock Island's Rozz-Tox on March 26, The Guardian adding of last year's breakout hit, "We will be blessed indeed if we get a better album from these shores all year."

Touring in support of their January release We're Gonna Make It, an album that Entertainment Focus lauded as "authentic, emotionally resonant, and musically compelling," the touring country-music talents of LANCO play a special March 25 engagement at the University of Dubuque's Heritage Center, their latest recording also inspiring Country Swag to rave, "There are hints of nostalgia and broken hearts mixed with triumph and hope, all weaved together in a uniquely cohesive package."