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Live Review and Photo Gallery: The Claudettes at Old Town School of Folk Music • Chicago
The Claudettes Old Town School of Folk Music December 9, 2023 Review by Jeff Elbel. Live Photos by Timothy Hiatt. The Claudettes concluded a sprint of travel dates with a sold-out hometown gig at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Lincoln Square on Saturday. The band’s wide-ranging set list drew from the […]
Stage Buzz: Aqua, Doja Cat, Juice WRLD
Heavy mock-rockers Steel Panther arrive at their home away from home locally at The Forge in Joliet on Tuesday, December 12. The band has taken its cues from hair-metal bands of the ’80s for nearly two decades with a comedic twist. Like other bands using comedy and serious songwriting chops and tight musicianship (like the […]
Live Review: Geddy Lee at Auditorium Theatre • Chicago
My Effin’ Life in Conversation Book Tour Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL Sunday, December 3, 2023 Review by Jeff Elbel. Rush frontman Geddy Lee has performed in Chicago concert halls, including the Auditorium Theatre, many times during the last five decades, but never like he did on Sunday when appearing on his speaking tour for […]
Stage Buzz: Twisted Xmas, August Burns Red, Sumo Cysco, Steel Panther
Q101’s annual holiday tradition, Twisted Xmas, returns this week with a lineup of shows at Aragon Ballroom you don’t want to miss. First, The Black Keys, with support from Local H and ALEXSUCKS, will perform on Tuesday, December 5, followed by a performance from Lovejoy with White Reaper and Brigitte Calls Me Baby on Wednesday, […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery: The Rick Holmstrom Band at SPACE • Evanston
The Rick Holmstrom Band Thursday, November 30, 2023 SPACE, Evanston, IL Review and photos by Jeff Elbel. For music fans with boundary-bypassing tastes running through jazz, blues, roots, soul, folk, swamp-rock, R&B and gospel, Evanston’s SPACE was the place to be on a drizzly Thursday evening. California guitarist Rick Holmstrom brought his expert rhythm section […]
Media – December 2023 • In Memoriam
Every December, I write a column dedicated to the great pros we lost in the media this year. This year was a particularly cruel one. We lost writers like Bill Zehme and Joe Goddard (Chicago Sun-Times), television stars like Jerry Springer, Richard Belzer, Suzanne Somers, Matthew Perry, and Richard Moll, recording and movie stars […]
Cover Story: Trans-Siberian Orchestra • A Quarter Century of Christmas
If you still haven’t experienced the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s annual winter holiday show, you should seriously consider adding it to your bucket list. The TSO traveling holiday rock opera is a multimillion-dollar act that has grown exponentially since the band’s inception, making it one of the biggest-grossing concert bands in the US. In true holiday-giving […]
Stage Buzz: Pierce The Veil, Jingle Ball, Mariah Carey
California rockers Pierce the Veil returned with their first new album in seven years, The Jaws of Life, back in February, earning yet another chart-topping record. Now, the band braves the Chicago cold to perform new songs along with fan favorites on their “The Jaws of Life Tour” with special guests L.S. Dunes, Dayseeker, […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery: The Tubes at Arcada Theatre • St. Charles
The Tubes Arcada Theatre St. Charles, IL November 29, 2023 Review by Jeff Elbel. Photos by Ed Spinelli. Veteran art rockers the Tubes made their third visit to the Arcada Theatre on Wednesday night, playing a set that touched on popular favorites and deep tracks alike. The show began with a run through […]
Show Recap: KISS at Allstate Arena • Rosemont
KISS Allstate Arena Rosemont, IL November 27, 2023 By Curt Baran; Setlist via Setlist.FM The “End Of The Road” Tour recently flirted with the end of times. Paul Stanley, lead singer and guitarist of the rock band Kiss, was forced to cancel three of the band’s final eight performances. A serious bout of influenza landed […]
Stage Buzz: Noname, Deafhaven, KISS, Deacon Blues
After releasing her critically acclaimed debut album Room 25, Chicago rapper Noname took a break from music to deal with her frustrations about the scene and to focus her energy on her education and her book club. She wasn’t completely absent, releasing various one-off singles now and then. But she finally returned with her long-awaited […]
Hello My Name is… Geddy Lee of Rush – talks about his “Effin’ Life”
Rush bassist and frontman Geddy Lee makes it clear that the word “retirement” has no place in his vocabulary. Rush may be finished (or is it?), but Lee is a whirlwind of activity. His series for Paramount+, Geddy Lee Asks: Are Bass Players Human Too?, premieres on December 5 as an outgrowth of his best-selling […]
Stage Buzz: Beauty School Dropout, Jackyl, Off Broadway, Baroness, Orianthi
When Beauty School Dropout formed, they could’ve never imagined touring with one of their idols, Mark Hoppus of blink-182. Fast forward to 2022, and the band is traveling with the band and being mentored by Hoppus, who signed them to new record label Verswire. After spending the first half of the year opening […]
Photo Gallery: Mark Farner at Des Plaines Theatre • Des Plaines
Mark Farner Des Plaines Theatre Des Plaines Saturday, November 11 Photos by Edward Spinelli Grand Funk (Railroad) co-founder Mark Farner brought his version (the best version, IMHO) of the storied band (Grand Funk) to the Des Plaines Theatre complete with a deep catalog of classics (“Were an American Band, “Your Captain” (Closer To Home)”) to […]
IE Record Store Day Black Friday Guide 2023
Record Store Black Friday is Fri., November 24. Our guide includes complete RSD listings, previews, album reviews, local RSD lists, and advertisements from your favorite local stores. READ IT HERE
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