Calendar

June 2026
Date	Performer	Place	Time	Comments
7 SUN	SILVER ROSE (BARBIE & STEVE)	Matinee Concert Montrose Saloon 2933 W Montrose Ave Chicago, IL 60618	2:00 pm to 4:00 pm	Delightful honky-tonky, harmonious, old timey, vaudevilly often silly SILVER ROSE, decades long favorites about town and at fests nationwide and beyond, take to the Montrose Saloon for the first time ever!! Banjo, mandolin, guitar, fiddle, bones, washboard and timely jokes will abound. montrosesaloon.com 773 463-7663

July 2026
Date	Performer	Place	Time	Comments
26 SUN	HOT JAZZ QUARTET: JERRY FIELD, ROSS PLUNKETT, BARB SILVERMAN, AL TRACHTENBERG	EBO Has Talent Edgewater Beach Organization 5555 N Sheridan Chicago, IL	5:00 pm	By popular demand we return for the 5th year regaling the crowd of the EBO gazebo with swing, jazz and vintage country. Seating is surrounded by festooned flower plantings and serenaded by nearby lake waves. 773-485-3363

August 2026
Date	Performer	Place	Time	Comments
7 - 8 FRI - SAT	BUDS & SHOOTS: CAMPEAU, PLUNKETT, ROSEN, SILVERMAN, SMITH, TABATOWSKY	White Oak Folk Festival White Oak Savanna Events Farm and Sanctuary 4352 State Road 23 Dodgeville, WI 53533	XXXXX to XXXXX	Stunning, bucolic Wisconsin rolling countryside, a giant open-air barn converted to concert hall, music styles from jug to old-time to alt country to international themes. Dancing, parading, workshops, bonfires, food and heart-bonding comeraderie. 502 554-1990

September 2026
Date	Performer	Place	Time	Comments
28 MON	BUDS & SHOOTS	Chicago Barn Dance Company Irish American Heritage Center 4626 N Knox Ave Chicago IL 60630	7:00 pm to 9:30 pm	Back by request to the effervescent, nimble Chicago Barn Dance night, BUDS & SHOOTS whip out old time tunes familiar and new, with a sprinkle of sweetly blended harmony gems. www.chicagobarndance.org 224 534-9173

- - past calendars - -

February 2026
Performer	Place	Comments
BARBARA SILVERMAN	Singalong Workshop Private Event Ampersand Group XXXX Chicago, IL 60625	Private group of excited, distracted, lovable challenged youngsters singing and rattling percussion with spirit and pluck, led by guitarist, washboardist Barb.
THE BAND YOU'RE ABOUT TO HEAR: CAMPEAU, ROSEN, SILVERMAN, TABATOWSKI	Contra Dance Unitarian Church 656 W. Barry Chicago, IL 60657	Spirited and friendly evening of clearly called dances, richly accompanied by four members of the acclaimed BUDS & SHOOTS string band.
BUDS & SHOOTS: CAMPEAU, ROSEN, SILVERMAN, SMITH, TABATOWSKY	Chicago Barn Dance Company Irish American Heritage Center 4626 N Knox Ave Chicago IL 60630	Community joy and jubilant spirit fly as scores of dancers perform contras, squares and circles to the featureed caller, while BUDS & SHOOTS render their pristine, fiery fiddle tunes and soothing waltzes. www.chicagobarndance.org
OLD TOWN SCHOOL CABARET SINGERS	Cabaret Showcase Old Town School West 4544 N Lincoln Ave Chicago, IL 60657	Wide-ranging vintage to modern musical styles presented by the stunning voices from Barb Silverman's and Abby Lyons' Cabaret classes. Barb directs, Abby accompanies. www.oldtownschool.org

January 2026
Performer	Place	Comments
BARB SILVERMAN	AMPERSAND GROUP SING-ALONG WORKSHOP AMPERSAND GROUP XXXX XXXX	Private sing-along with percussion involvement to inspire a challenged and eager young group, in a series of monthly programs.
BARB SILVERMAN	GRAB A BOARD AND RUB WASHBOARD WORKSHOP Old Town School of Folk Music 4544 N. Lincoln Chicago, IL 60625	Delight in the facile slide and shuffle of basic washboard rhythm, then add some alternate patterns and a bit of syncopation. Instructor Washboard Queen Barb leads the way providing multiple style recordings and an easy teaching manner. Bring a board, a couple bottle openers or thimbles, and a willing spirit. www.oldtownschool.org

December 2025
Performer	Place	Comments
MARY SCHMICH, ERIC ZORN, BARB SILVERMAN, ANNA JACOBSON, ROY MCGRAFF, LANI LEE, FRED CAMPEAU, STEVE ROSEN, AARON SMITH, ZACBE PICHARDO, PAUL & GAIL TYLER, DE'JAH PERKINS	Songs of Good Cheer OLD TOWN SCHOOL OF FOLK MUSIC 4544 N Lincoln Ave Chicago, IL	FIVE Shows December 11 through 14, (Dec. 10 senior short version) : Our annual Songs of Good Cheer Fest from Swing to Sacred, British Isles to Appalachia, Elvis to Bing Crosby, harp to uke to saxophone, led by the iconic Schmich-Zorn duo of witty banter and heartfelt gush. Our 27th year. Tickets are going fast. www.oldtownschool.org
BARB SILVERMAN	Singalong Workshop Private Event Ampersand Group XXXX Chicago, IL 60625	Intimate singalong for special youth.
CABARET CLASSES OLD TOWN SCHOOL	Cabaret Showcase Old Town School of Folk Music 4544 N Lincoln Ave Chicago, IL 60625	Wildly talented students of Barb Silverman (performance coach) and Abby Lyons (pianist extraordinaire) present two stirring showcases of Broadway hits, pop favorites, haunting holiday classics in the lovely west building gallery. FREE! www.oldtownschool.org

November 2025
Performer	Place	Comments
BARB SILVERMAN	Singalong Workshop Private Event Amersand Group XXXX Chicago, IL 60625	Private sing-along for special challenged youth in a lovely intimate living room setting. Pop standards and folk songs joined by effervescent voices and energized limbs.

October 2025
Performer	Place	Comments
BUDS & SHOOTS	Fashion Show (private) Rainforest Learning Center 4725 N Western Chicago, IL 60625	The fourth in a series of younger set fashion shows themed on Charlotte's Web. Buds & Shoots deliver walloping fiddle tune medleys as the young ones canter down the runway. Though a private event, we are outside, so maybe you can catch a slimpse.
BARB SILVERMAN	Harmony Heaven Workshop Old Town School of Folk Music 4544 N Lincoln Ave Chicago, IL 60625	Know what makes your body tingle when you hear tight, sweet harmonies? This workshop will open the door to how to make those sounds and evoke those feelings yourself. We will dig into the simple secrets by learning easy intervals and how to match tone and phrasing. Multiple band leader Barb Silverman and will tap a range of styles including folk, swing, and pop. www.oldtownschool.org
BARB SILVERMAN	GRAB A BOARD AND RUB WASHBOARD WORKSHOP Old Town School of Folk Music 4545 N Lincoln Chicago, IL 60625	Grab a washboard and glide, slide, tap and slap rhythms from Old Time to Bluegrass to Swing. We will ease through simple patterns coordinating the right hand shuffle pattern with the left hand glide, progress to combinations of hits and shuffles, then experiment with fun combinations of triplets on top of four-count rhythms. You can do no wrong, go as slow or quick as you like. Washboard Queen Barb Silverman leads the way.
BARB SILVERMAN, MARY TABATOWSKY, BEN ZORN, ERIC ZORN	Ladies Banjo Society of Illinois Barn Dance Park Ridge Community Church 100 S Courtland Ave Park Ridge, IL	A zesty barn dance for a dedicated musical community. Barb and Eric wiill trade off calling dances / playing guitar. Great fun!
CABARET STUDENTS OF SILVERMAN/LYONS	OLD TOWN SCHOOL CABARET CLASSES Old Town School of Folk Music 4544 N Lincoln Ave in Gallery Chicago, IL 60625	Vibrant, soaring, delicate and everything in between are the sounds of Barb Silverman and Abby Lyons' Wednesday night groups. These voices combine crafted styling, passion for genre, hard work and many years bonding as a community. www.oldtownschool.org

September 2025
Performer	Place	Comments
BUDS & SHOOTS	Fashion Show (private) Rainforest Learning Center 2545 W. Diversey Chicago, IL 60625	A musical runway fashion show of costumes inspired by Charlotte's Web and created by the kids themselves!
BUDS & SHOOTS	Fashion Show (private) Rainforest Learning Center 1144 W Madison Chicago, IL	By demand from the success of the September 12 event, Buds & Shoots are invited back for two more runway festivities!
BUDS & SHOOTS	Fashion Show (private) Rainforest Learning Center 1401 S Wabash Chicago, IL	The third of three runway events for Rainforest Learning Center's overwhelming popular reaction to Buds & Shoots. Fiddle tunes galore with some classic Americana in the mix.
BARB SILVERMAN	Clogging Workshop Old Town School of Folk Music 4545 N Lincoln Chicago, IL 60625	Learn the basics of Flat-footing, also called Clogging, the Appalachian hybrid of African flat foot dance and Irish step dance. Simple, rhythmic, joyful and uplifting. www.oldtownschool.org
SILVER ROSE (BARBIE & STEVE)	Backyard House Concert Lovely Roscoe Village House To be shared later Chicago, IL	Save the date! This beloved duo sings sweet harmonies in old-time, country and swing styles, playing everything from banjo, fiddle and mando to washboard, guitar, bones and feet. Delicious dinner (bring a potluck if you choose) in the gorgeous flower festooned yard of our spunky hostess.

August 2025
Performer	Place	Comments
BUDS AND SHOOTS	Hinsdale Library Outdoor Concert Hinsdale Library 20 E. Maple St. Hinsdale, IL 60521	The wondrous Buds and Shoots band, main-staged at regional fests for their snappy Country Swing, rich Oldtime and crystalline originals, perform on a lazy summer evening on the lawn.
Ampersand Group	Singalong Workshop Private Event Ampersand Group XXXX Chicago, IL 60625	Private group to create motivational and creative rhythms and songs.
BARB SILVERMAN (SONS OF THE NEVER WRONG, MARK DVORAK, PAUL KAYE, DEEP FRIED PICKLE PROJECT, JONAS FRIDDLE, MORE)	White Oak Savannah White Oak Folk Festival 4352 State Road 23 Dodgeville, WI 53533	This joyous weekend spreads throughout the beautiful driftless White Oak Savanna. Full lineup of multi-style performances in rustic open-air barn, guided jams, parades, yoga, and Barb's "Body-Board Rhythms Workshop" with clogging, washboard, bones, hambone and body rhythms. whiteoaksavanna.com
BARB SILVERMAN'S CABARET CREW	Cabaret Showcase Old Town School of Folk Music 4544 N Lincoln Ave Chicago, IL 60625	These two Cabaret groups just keep singing better and better, accompanied by precision piano of Abby Lyons and stage direction by Barb Silverman. A vibrant and poignant feast of styles and deliveries. www.oldtownschool.org
BUDS AND SHOOTS	Skokie Back Yard Bash Skokie Public Library 5200 Oakton St. Skokie, IL 60076	High profile annual fest known for its live music, carnival midway, food booths and family friendliness. BUDS AND SHOOTS hit the main stage at 3 pm with Vaudevillian flair featuring swinging country, dual mandolins, trumpet, lush harmonies, washboard and pure joy. backlotbash.com

July 2025
Performer	Place	Comments
BARB SILVERMAN	Singalong Workshop Private Event Amersand Group XXXX Chicago, IL 60625	Private event with special kids.
ANNA JACOBSON & BARB SILVERMAN	Camp Square Dance Old Town School of Folk Music Summer Camp 4545 N Lincoln Chicago, IL 60625	Summer camp barn dance with the exquisite fiddling of Anna and the spirited calling of Barb. www.oldtownschool.org
BARB SILVERMAN & FRED CAMPEAU	Sheffield Garden Walk Sheffield Garden Walk 2240 N Dayton (other music throughout area) Chicago, IL	A neighborly annual festival featuring lovely gardens and lively music block by block plus food vendors on the main drags. Fiddler/dobroist/banjoist Fred joins Barb on guitar and washboard. Wallop!
HOT JAZZ QUARTET: Gerry Field, Ross Plunkett, Barb Silverman, Al Trachtenburg	EBO Has Talent Edgewater Beach Organization 5555 N Sheridan Chicago, IL	By popular demand Hot Jazz Trio's fourth consecutive summer concert boasts swing tunes, jazz standards, original ballads and country classics: Barb on guitar and vocals, Ross on trumpet and vocals, Gerry on violin and Al on bass. Edgewater Beach Association with limited audience, contact Barb to be on guest list!

May 2025
Performer	Place	Comments
BARB SILVERMAN AND FRED CAMPEAU	Gala Fundraiser Beth Israel Congregation 3601 Dempster St Skokie, IL 60076	Join this seasoned and widely acclaimed duo for an evening of beloved favorite folk songs, the kind you sang at summer camp and your grand-kids sing now. Dress up and exercise your memories and your lungs.
BARB SILVERMAN	Brookdale Square Dance (Private) Brookdale Lakeview 3121 N Sheridan Chicago, IL	Third in a series for the inspired residents of Brookdale, some in wheel chairs, some on their feet, to echo dance calls, clap along, dance, hoot and holler.
BUDS AND SHOOTS	Refugee Fundraiser Evanston House Concert Two blocks from lake Evanston, IL	Square Roots and White Oak Fest mainstage hit BUDS AND SHOOTS band is proud to help raise funds for the Refugee Community Connection. Tickets $25 to $40 sliding. Light refreshments. Reserve seats by email: papermoonstitching@gmail.com
BUDS AND SHOOTS	Borelli's Showcase Borelli's 2124 W. Lawrence Chicago, IL	Acclaimed BUDS AND SHOOTS, mainstage hit at Square Roots, White Oak Fest, Roscoe Fest, Space and more are doing a fun-filled brimming set at Jonas' Banjos After Dark. Come see, come hear, come drink a beer.
KLEZMONAUTS: SCHEFF, SILVERMAN, VERAS	Walker Library Klezmer Show Chicago Public Library Walker Branch 11071 S. Hoyne Ave Chicago, IL	Immerse in the haunting sounds of Klezmer music served up by these three veterans of Jewish and eclectic Americana. Hear a brief background of the form, tap and sway to the stirring, historic freylachs and plaintive melodies. Visit the CPL event page
KLEZMONAUTS: SCHEFF, SILVERMAN, VERAS	Little Italy Library Klezmer Show Chicago Public Library Little Italy Branch 1336 W. Taylor St Chicago, IL	Violin, clarinet and guitar render the haunting sounds of Klezmer served by these three veterans of Jewish and folk music. Hear a brief background of the form, tap and sway to the stirring, historic freylachs and plaintive melodies. chicagopubliclibrary.com Visit the CPL event page

April 2025
Performer	Place	Comments
BARB SILVERMAN	Brookdale Square Dance (Private) Brookdale Lakeview 3121 N Sheridan Chicago, IL	The success of the first barn dance event prompted a regular series. Private event for the inspired residents of Brookdale to dance, echo dance calls, clap from their seats and add to the joy.
BARB SILVERMAN	Percussion Day Bones Workshop Murphy Roche School of Irish Music 11309 72nd St Burr Ridge, IL	Exciting one-time workshop for all who yearn to play the magical, intricate, mesmerizing percussive click-clack of Celtic bones (we use wooden bones but real bones are welcome too). Once you learn the triplet trick you can go wild. www.instituteoftrad.org instituteoftrad@gmail.com
BARB SILVERMAN'S CABARET AND HARMONY SINGERS	OLD TOWN SCHOOL CABARET SHOWCASE Old Town School of Folk Music 4544 N Lincoln Ave Chicago, IL 60625	Come to the Gallery in the West Building of the OTS Campus for an array of powerful, touching and uplifting song varieties covering a wide range of Americana: Broadway, Pop, Standards and more. Abby Lyons accompanies fastidiously on piano, Barb Silverman directs. A 6:30 show and an 8:00 show. www.oldtownschool.org

March 2025
Performer	Place	Comments
BARB SILVERMAN	Mother-Daughter Clogging Workshop Old Town School of Folk Music 4544 N Lincoln Ave Chicago, IL 60625	Come moms and daughters for a fun Clogging session. This percussive dance born in Appalachia is the cousin of tap made easier with steps you can swap and hop like dueling banjos: scuffle steps, basics, syncopateds and lots of laughs. Challenge your loved one to a spirited time! www.oldtownschool.org
BARB SILVERMAN	Brookdale Square Dance (Private) Brookdale Lakeview 3121 N Sheridan Chicago, IL	A sweet select group of residents will dip their feet in the intimate fun and rhythm of square dancing with caller/musician Barb at the helm.

2026 Silverbeam Music
www.silverbeammusic.com