Chicago Music Nexus 2026 Afterparties: Where to Let Loose After the Conference

What would a music conference be without top-notch afterparties? Here’s where to get down after both nights of Chicago Music Nexus. You came. You saw. You conferenced. Now, it’s time to let your hair down and connect with your fellow music industry professionals on a more casual level. Chicago Music Nexus has expanded to two days in 2026, and you guessed it, that means two official afterparties. The first follows CMN’s Friday, November 20 programming at Concord Music Hall, which centers around the conference’s interactive Field Day programming. It’s going down at Bad Habit, an industrial-chic cocktail bar situated in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood. CMN’s organizers promise special guest appearances. You’ve got to be there to see who shows up. Then, the following night, the afterparty is set to take place at Jōtō Sushi in the West Loop. This get-together caps off a long day of panel talks and workshops at The Joinery. Tickets go for $85 and get you all-you-can-eat hand rolls and access to an open bar — a phenomenal deal considering that Jōtō’s dry-aged fish has earned it high ratings among sushi connoiseurs. Chicago Music Nexus launched in 2024; tickets sold out ahead of its fi...