When it comes to summer in Chicago, you can always count on a few things: (1) The beach will be closed from July – October for e Coli; (2) sudden rise in “extended lunches” around the office when there is a 1:20 game at Wrigley; and (3) outdoor concerts.

All of us here at JACK love music… especially when it’s outside. We looked over the calendar for this summer and pulled out some very special outdoor shows going down this summer around the city by some very awesome JACK artists.

Sytx, Foreigner, and Kansas

June 5th, Charter One Pavilion

A tri-fecta of classic rock along the lake front will kick off the outdoor concert season in Chicago. Styx, Foreigner, and special guests Kansas, will rock out at the Charter One Pavilion. If you’ve never seen a show here, we highly recommend it. One of the newer venues in the city, it sits just across the harbor from Soldier Field and hosts some of the best summer night shows in the city. You can even score FREE TICKETS to this one on JACK if you act quick.

Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival

June 26th, Toyota Park

If you didn’t get tickets to this one, you’re not alone. They went on sale two weeks ago and were nearly sold-out during the Internet Pre-Sale for members of the Eric Clapton Fan Club. The show, returning to Toyota Park after a successful evening back in 2007, is host to some of the best guitarists on the face of the earth. All brought together, for one day, to flat out shred. Including Eric Clapton, Robert Randolph, BB King, John Mayer, Steve Winwood, Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughn, Vince Gill, ZZ Top, and a whole bunch more… it should be no surprise this ticket was a hot item. If you got tickets, we’re jealous.

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Q: What has nine arms and rocks our faces off?

A: Def Leppard.

We had originally told you about how VH1 Classic is running all new remastered versions of their popular Behind the Music series on some of JACK’s favorite bands. Genesis and Metallica have already gotten the treatment and this weekend you can tune in to see the boys from Sheffield bring it again.

The show will pick up where the first Behind the Music: Def Leppard left off, featuring archival footage spliced in with newer video and interviews of the band from their more recent tours over the past ten years. It is sure to be worth checking out. Tune into VH1 Classic this Saturday, March 6th, at 10:00PM E.S.T. for all the Leppard you can handle.

What else were you going to do this weekend? Go outside? Yeah right – it might be in the 40s today, but you can’t trick us Chicago. We know you’ll still give us frostbite.