After no concerts in 2020 and a lighter schedule in 2021 Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre has 32 concerts booked for 2022 in Tinley Park.
“We’re extremely excited. Last season we crammed a lot of shows in about two months. We opened in August last year and shut down in October so knowing we have a full season is so incredible,” said Katie Rose, vice president of marketing/Midwest for Live Nation.
“It’s such a good lineup that we have this year.”
Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, which is owned and operated by Live Nation, has more than doubled the 15 concerts the outdoor venue presented in 2021.
The season begins at 7:30 p.m. June 3 with AJR’s The OK Orchestra tour. The multiplatinum indie pop trio features brothers Adam Met (bass and vocals), Jack Met (vocals and guitar) and Ryan Met (ukulele, piano and vocals). BoyWithUke and Blue Man Group open the show. Tickets are $22 to $80-plus.
“We’re excited to have AJR in the venue this year,” said Rose of Chicago’s Avondale community.
“I love it because you can watch how excited this band gets. It’s fans from every demographic. You have young kids, parents and older fans. It’s such a great show and it’s interactive. Blue Man Group is support. It’s going to be such a fun show.”
Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre’s opening weekend also includes the Live & UnZoomed tour co-headlined by Styx and REO Speedwagon with Loverboy at 6:45 p.m. June 4. Tickets are $22 to $554-plus.
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The multiplatinum rock band Styx, which is touring in support of its 2021 album “Crash of the Crown,” has roots in Chicago’s Roseland community while REO Speedwagon, which is known for hits including “Keep on Loving You” and “Can’t Fight This Feeling,” features Oak Lawn native Kevin Cronin on vocals.
“Styx and REO are going to be cranking out the hits all night. It’s going to be such a good night of straight-up classic rock,” said Rose, who also works with Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom, House of Blues Chicago, Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island and Alpine Valley Music Theatre in Wisconsin.
Other concerts that Rose said she is looking forward to at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre include The Chicks, Tears for Fears with Garbage, Josh Groban, Halsey, Imagine Dragons and country performers Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan and Keith Urban.
“We also have ‘Encanto,’ which is a singalong concert. It’s going to be an orchestra playing the music and the fans are going to be singing along with the film,” she said, adding that another family-friendly show is Kidz Bop Kids performing top 40 hits.
According to Rose, newer amenities at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre include four giant light-emitting diode screens that face the lawn, while concessions include Art Bird, Trejo’s Tacos, Volt Burger, nachos from Tim Love, and Questlove’s Cheesesteaks.
“I love walking in to the venue because you have that wonderful feeling of knowing that you’re going to witness something completely magical,” Rose said.
Shows also include Nick Cannon Presents: MTV Wild ‘N Out Live; Q101 Picniq featuring Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats; Steely Dan; Maverick City Music and Kirk Franklin; Santana and Earth, Wind & Fire; Train; Rod Stewart with Cheap Trick from Rockford; The Black Keys; and Chicago and Brian Wilson.
Backstreet Boys; OneRepublic; Chris Brown; Rob Zombie and Mudvayne; Incubus; Kid Rock; Korn and Evanescence; Alice in Chains and Breaking Benjamin, which formed in Grayslake; Sammy Hagar & The Circle; Wu-Tang Clan and Nas; and Five Finger Death Punch also are booked.
“It’s fantastic. We’re so excited about Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre being back at full capacity,” said Donna Framke, marketing director for the village of Tinley Park, which rebranded in recent years to embrace the tagline “Life Amplified.”
Tinley Park has leaned in to music at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre as well as bars and restaurants, outdoor village concerts and special events plus via award-winning school bands.
“We’re getting to be known for our live music offerings,” said Framke of Orland Park.
“That’s really because of the amphitheater and the world-renowned acts that it brings here.”
Here is the complete Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre 2022 season.
June 3: AJR, BoyWithUke and Blue Man Group
June 4: Styx and REO Speedwagon with Loverboy
June 11: Nick Cannon Presents: MTV Wild ‘N Out Live with Nick Cannon, DC Young Fly, Justina Valentine, Rip Micheals, Pretty Vee, Conceited, Hitman Holla, Emmanuel Hudson, Charlie Clips, Radio Big Mack and DJ D-Wrek
June 15: The Chicks with Patty Griffin
June 16: Tears for Fears with Garbage
June 18: Q101 Piqniq featuring Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats with Bastille, Milky Chance, Walk the Moon, Cold War Kids, Almost Monday and Cannons
June 19: Steely Dan with Snarky Puppy
June 25: Josh Groban
June 26: Maverick City Music and Kirk Franklin with Jonathan McReynolds and Housefires
July 2: Santana and Earth, Wind & Fire
July 3: Halsey with The Marias and Abby Roberts
July 15: Train with Jewel, Blues Traveler and Thunderstorm Artis
July 16: Rod Stewart with Cheap Trick
July 17: The Black Keys with Band of Horses and Ceramic Animal
July 24: Chicago and Brian Wilson with Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin
July 29: Backstreet Boys
July 31: Kidz Bop Kids
Aug. 3: OneRepublic with Needtobreathe
Aug. 4: Chris Brown
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Aug. 5: Rob Zombie and Mudvayne with Static-X and Powerman 5000
Aug. 12: Jason Aldean with Gabby Barrett and John Morgan
Aug. 14: Incubus with Sublime with Rome and The Aquadolls
Aug. 19: Kid Rock with Foreigner
Aug. 20: Korn and Evanescence with Jeris Johnson and Helmet
Aug. 24: Alice in Chains and Breaking Benjamin with Bush
Aug. 26: Imagine Dragons with Macklemore and Kings Elliot
Aug. 27: Sammy Hagar & The Circle with George Thorogood
Aug. 28: ‘Encanto’: The Sing-Along Film Concert
Sept. 2: Wu-Tang Clan and Nas
Sept. 10: Luke Bryan with Riley Green, Mitchell Tenpenny and DJ Rock
Sept. 24: Keith Urban with Ingrid Andress
Sept. 30: Five Finger Death Punch with Megadeth, The Hu and Fire From the Gods
Hollywood Casino Ampitheatre
Where: 19100 S. Ridgeland Ave., Tinley Park
Tickets/Information: 708-614-1616; livenation.com
Jessi Virtusio is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.