Illinois Entertainer

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 feature, not the least of which include warming up the crowd, creating a general sense of excitement.

• Read more: Cut Copy, The Presets

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.

• Read more: Neko Case 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 acoustic, while there wasn’t a drum kit or brass section in sight.

• Read more: Vince Gill live!

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.

• Read more: Damien Jurado 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 crappy artwork, though.

• Read more: Amy Macdonald 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.

• Read more: Helloween, Gamma Ray 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.”

• Read more: Mates Of State, Low Vs Diamond preview

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.

• Read more: Gemma Hayes reviewed

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, and these days Arnel Pineda is at the microphone.

• Read more: Journey, Heart, & Cheap Trick 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.

• Read more: The Walkmen live!

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 Pitchfork review because readers treat them like the Ten Commandments: Thou shall not listen to anything 5.0 or less.

• Read more: Hideout Block Party 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.

• Read more: Sian Alice Group 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 we were whistling a tune at the time, we showed up the next day on the Elephant 6’s Wikipedia page under “other notable bands and side projects.” Of course, we were removed the next day when it was reported the whistled song in question was L.A. Guns’ “The Ballad Of Jayne.”

• Read more: Dressy Bessy preview

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.

• Read more: Jessica Lea Mayfield 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.

• Read more: The Suicide Kings reviewed