On any given night in Chicago, you’ve got options when it comes to seeing live music. Dozens and dozens of options. The Chicago Show Calendar is an Instagram account and weekly newsletter that tries to give you all the information on every show in the city, big names and small.

“I do think the calendar gives people a place – like someone starting out – a place to get their name on a calendar when normally it would cost money to do that elsewhere,” said Caroline Patton, who created the calendar.

Patton personally sorts through over 120 venue websites for show information every Tuesday night. She sends out the week’s slate of shows every Wednesday. It’s a labor of love.

“We put out really good music in this city,” Patton said.

In this episode, Patton explains how a personal project expanded into a public service, why she keeps going, and what it’s taught her about Chicago’s music scene.