Archive for December, 2008
Shinedown live!
Shinedown
House Of Blues, Chicago
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Night Two of Q101’s three-night “Twisted XV” holiday cavalcade of bands was a beefy cut of rawk from the station’s playbill.
Lil Wayne preview
Lil Wayne
United Center, Chicago
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Lil Wayne does a lot of impish cackling on Tha Carter III (Cash Money), and with good reason: His album was the biggest of ‘08, an improbable feat.
Oasis live!
Oasis/Ryan Adams & The Cardinals
Allstate Arena, Rosemont
Friday, December 12, 2008
People assume Oasis’ best days are gone. Mainstream attention (especially in America) has waned considerably, evidenced by a sparsely filled balcony during a single night at Allstate Arena (which the Gallagher brothers sold out consecutive nights during their prime).
Neil Young live!
Neil Young
Allstate Arena, Rosemont
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
With blistering guitar work that threatened to overshadow his well-crafted songs, Neil Young managed to tear the face off everyone brave enough to make the trek through blizzard-like conditions. Looking downright sprightly with his trusty six-string never out of reach, Young wasted little time during a two-hour-plus set packed [...]
Scott Weiland preview
Scott Weiland
House Of Blues, Chicago
Thursday, December 18, 2008
There’s a scene during the fifth season of HBO’s “Entourage,” when the series’ Hollywood heartthrob worriedly asks his agent, “Do you think I’m a good actor?” The rep, played by Jeremy Piven, hesitates. “I think you’re a movie star.”
Kuma’s Doomfest preview
Kuma’s Doomfest
Double Door, Chicago
December 20-21, 2008
Kuma’s Corner (great burgers, great beer, great heavy metal) is finally throwing the two-day metal extravaganza we’ve been promised for so many months. It definitely appears worth the wait.
Nocturnal Fear
Nocturnal Fear
Metal Shaker, Chicago
Saturday, December 20, 2008
On the back of the promotional copy of Nocturnal Fear’s Code Of Violence, Moribund Records describes the Detroit band as “the ultimate in modern U.S. thrash metal.” Ironic, given most the album is throwback German thrash metal.
Yourself And The Air preview
Yourself And The Air
Bottom Lounge, Chicago
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Forgive this Chicago band their name: Yourself And The Air clearly spent more time writing and arranging their stormy, agit-indie than worrying about what to call it.
Christ Inversion renewed
Christ Inversion
Christ Inversion
(Housecore)
Word of a Phil Anselmo black metal band might be news to some, but those who keep close tabs on the former Pantera/current Down frontman and his myriad sideprojects know Christ Inversion is actually an early ’90s experiment just now sincerely seeing the light of the day. Or maybe the black of the [...]
Fall Out Boy live!
Fall Out Boy
Chicago Theatre, Chicago
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
About an hour into Fall Out Boy’s performance last Tuesday night at the Chicago Theatre, the unexpected happened. The power pop pride of Wilmette abandoned their reliable setlist staples and instead veered suddenly and unexpectedly into more showy, theatrical territory.
Yes live!
Yes
Chicago Theatre, Chicago
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
When guitarist Steve Howe, bassist Chris Squire, and drummer Alan White stepped on the Chicago Theatre’s stage, it was evident this wasn’t going to be the same old Yes show: five years of aging since their last appearance, new keyboardist Oliver Wakeman (longtime ivory tickler Rick’s son), and a [...]
Amanda Palmer live!
Amanda Palmer
Metro, Chicago
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
As fans found out Wednesday evening at Metro, an Amanda Palmer “solo” show isn’t a solo show at all. Not even close, in fact.
Q-Tip & The Cool Kids live!
Q-Tip, The Cool Kids
House Of Blues, Chicago
Saturday December 6, 2008
The Cool Kids and Q-Tip are not the most likely acts to tour together. While the Chicago-based duo, consisting of Mikey Rocks and Chuck Inglish, draw heavily from the golden era of hip-hop of which Q-Tip (of A Tribe Called Quest) was a key player, sonically [...]
Staind, Seether, & Papa Roach live!
Staind, Seether, Papa Roach, State Of Shock
The Venue/Horseshoe Casino, Hammond, IN
Saturday, December 6, 2008
This was IE’s maiden voyage to The Venue, a new, er, venue inside the newly renovated Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Indiana — just a hop, skip, and jump from downtown Chicago. The casino re-opened this summer after a $500-million facelift which included [...]
Mercury Rev preview
Mercury Rev
Martyrs’, Chicago
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Jonathan Donahue and Dave Fridmann’s ties to The Flaming Lips have always influenced the way people perceive Mercury Rev more than is fair. Indifferent to the desire to be pop stars (though they were, briefly and unexpectedly, in the U.K.), the band’s albums were widescreen before the Lips reinvented themselves [...]
