Archive for September, 2008
Cut Copy, The Presets
Cut Copy, The Presets
Metro, Chicago
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Despite the fact The Presets weren’t so much openers for as they were co-headliners alongside Cut Copy last Wednesday night at the Metro, the group nonetheless preceded the evening’s final act. As such, there are customary roles to be acted out during the build into the bill’s closing [...]
Neko Case live!
Neko Case
Hideout, Chicago
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Neko Case triumphantly closed the Hideout Block Party’s Saturday lineup, returning to the watering hole that not only employed her behind the bar, but also helped propel her musical career.
Vince Gill live!
Vince Gill
Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Even before Vince Gill took the stage at the ornate Rialto Square, it appeared the evening would be a lot more stripped back than his usual trips through auditoriums and arenas. The country/bluegrass/blue-eyed soul crooner may have had plenty of guitars stacked up, but many of them were [...]
Damien Jurado preview
Damien Jurado
Schubas, Chicago
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Through nine albums in 11 years, Damien Jurado has tinkered with his musical aesthetics (morose folk, jangle pop, jagged rock) while habitually creating character sketches for potential Coen Brothers films. This year’s Caught In The Trees, however, traps the screenwriter into his own plot.
Amy Macdonald preview
Amy Macdonald
Subterranean, Chicago
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Everything about Amy Macdonald’s This Is The Life cover art says mopey, heart-on-her-sleeve, “see me next week at Lava Joe’s Coffeehouse,” from her casual downward glance away from the camera to the acoustic guitar she leans on to the the digitally frayed picture borders. Don’t judge an album by [...]
Helloween, Gamma Ray preview
Helloween, Gamma Ray
Pearl Room, Mokena
Saturday, September 27, 2008
The Helloween/Gamma Ray “Hellish Rock 2007/2008″ tour won’t go down in heavy metal history with the infamous Metallica and Guns N’ Roses matchup or the American, Slayer/Megadeth/Anthrax Clash Of The Titans trek, but it’s pretty close for power metal geeks.
Mates Of State, Low Vs Diamond preview
Mates Of State, Low Vs Diamond
House Of Blues, Chicago
Sunday, September 28, 2008
It’s difficult to decide which is cuter: Mates Of State’s latest release, Re-arrange Us (Barsuk), or the husband-and-wife duo’s blog, “Band On The Diaper Run.”
Gemma Hayes reviewed
Gemma Hayes
The Hollow Of Morning
(Second Motion)
Former Mercury Prize nominee Gemma Hayes remains scared of her own voice, though she can’t hide from a number of flaws on her third album.
Appearing: Monday, September 29th at Schubas in Chicago.
Journey, Heart, & Cheap Trick live!
Journey, Heart, Cheap Trick
First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, Tinley Park
Friday, September 12, 2008
New album, new tour, new singer. Does that cycle sound familiar for those faithfully following Journey? For those living under a rock, Steve Perry is long gone, his replacement, Steve Augeri, is out after vocal damage, Jeff Scott Soto was just his temporary fill-in, [...]
The Walkmen live!
The Walkmen
Metro, Chicago
Friday, September 12, 2008
After critics wrote off their third album, A Hundred Miles Off, The Walkmen returned to the Metro, heads high, on Friday to rearrange the room. Armed with a more immediately rewarding album in You & Me (Gigantic), the New Yorkers alternately teased, punched, and hyper-extended themselves to their fans’ delight.
Hideout Block Party preview
Hideout Block Party
Hideout, Chicago
September 20-21, 2008
People take Pitchfork Media album reviews very seriously. Very seriously. If today’s indie rockers are modern-day gladiators battling for fame and acclaim in the arena, that Web site wields the power with its 1-through-10 scale to make them heroes or remove their heads. Careers are made out of a 7.5 [...]
Sian Alice Group preview
Sian Alice Group
Empty Bottle, Chicago
Sunday, September 21, 2008
American alt-rocker Ryan Adams refuses (or is merely just unable) to self-edit. Just because you wrote 15 songs for a particular album, doesn’t mean the general public needs to hear the lot of them. Save the filler for the box set, please.
Dressy Bessy preview
Dressy Bessy
Bottom Lounge, Chicago
Monday, September 22, 2008
Being “associated” with the Elephant 6 collective doesn’t carry the same weight it used to. Shit, IE were at a coffee shop in Denver waiting in line for a scone when who turns away from the cash register with a caramel, cream-blended frappuccino? Elephant 6 cofounder Robert Schneider. Because [...]
Jessica Lea Mayfield reviewed
Jessica Lea Mayfield
With Blasphemy So Heartfelt
(Polymer)
It’s easy to imagine Jessica Lea Mayfield standing at a party and watching a date whom she hates or a boyfriend she’s about to break up with — and penning her debut in her head.
Appearing: Tuesday, October 28th at Abbey Pub in Chicago.
The Suicide Kings reviewed
The Suicide Kings
The Suicide Kings
(Blue Plate)
If one thing is made abundantly clear by the cover art of The Suicide Kings’ self-titled album, it’s not for kids.
