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Photo Gallery: Lucy Dacus at The Vic Theatre • Chicago
Lucy Dacus The Vic Theatre October 11, 2021 Chicago, IL Recap and photos by Curt Baran Expect to see Home Video on a great many year-end “Best-Of” lists. The third album from Richmond, Virginia’s Lucy Dacus, is so intimately confessional that, at times, it feels as if the listener is eavesdropping on a conversation or […]
Photo Gallery: Idles at Riviera Theatre
Idles Friday, October 8 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL Recap and photos by Curt Baran When Idles released their Ultra Mono record in September 2020, the British quintet was already riding a wave of both critical and commercial success. Of course, by then, the world had stopped as did their momentum. Not satisfied to remain…um, idle, the […]
Stage Buzz Live Review: Thievery Corporation at Park West
Thievery Corporation Thursday, September 30, Park West, Chicago On Thursday night, a fully packed Park West had the vibe of a trance-dance party, with the love and unity of an Afrobeat ensemble. If strictly immersed on the dance floor, one would think it was DJ night. But it was so much more with five boundless […]
Media: October 2021 • Ofman’s Chicago Sports Story
George Ofman has been part of the Chicago media community for more than 40 years now. Here’s an indication of how long he’s been doing this. His first job in the business was in a medium that doesn’t exist anymore. He worked for an outfit called Sportsphone. Imagine it. It was a phone […]
Cover Story: Local H • “Navigating The Maze”
Local H are lifers. That much should be evident to even those with only a casual knowledge of the band’s career over their 30-plus year history. The band consists of singer/songwriter/guitarist Scott Lucas and drummer Ryan Harding, who released their debut record Ham Fisted back in 1995, followed by As Good As Dead a […]
Photo Gallery: Soccer Mommy at Thalia Hall
Soccer Mommy Thalia Hall, Chicago Wednesday, September 29th Recap and photos by Curt Baran Not unlike everyone else who released new music in 2020, Soccer Mommy (real name Sophia Regina Allison) had no opportunity to tour behind her release Color Theory. But patience finally paid off Wednesday night when she took the stage at Thalia Hall in […]
Photo Gallery: Riot Fest 2021 • Day Four
Riot Fest Day Four Douglas Park Chicago, IL Day Four of Riot Fest was yet another packed schedule of performances. These included (deep inhale): Facs, 3OH!3, BLACKSTARKIDS, Health, K. Flay, The Bled, Body Count, Fever 333, Thursday, Anthrax, Bleached, DEVO, Ratboys, The Flaming Lips and Radical Stage headliner, and Slipknot nemesis Machine Gun Kelly. Does […]
Photo Gallery: Riot Fest 2021 • Day Two
Riot Fest Day Two Douglas Park Chicago, IL Day Two of Riot Fest was actually the first FULL day of the festival, which meant an opportunity to see upwards of 30 bands in perfect weather with Chicago’s own Smashing Pumpkins headlining for the first time. The day also featured Seratones, The Sounds, Oxymorrons, Senor Kino, […]
Photo Gallery: Riot Fest 2021 • Day One
Riot Fest returned to Douglas Park after their 2020 COVID-19 sabbatical with a first: a bonus day (adding to its usual 3-day format) for multi-day ticket buyers and other VIPs. Despite several high profile COVID-related cancellations – the norm in this weird environment, the Riot Fest crew assembled a genuinely worthy day of music featuring […]
Photo Gallery: Dead and Company at the Rauf Home Mortgage Music Center
Well, we went from famine to feast. The concert landscape has become so overpopulated that it has become the norm that multiple shows occur on the same day. Since cloning technology has yet to be perfected, the alternative is to hit the road. Dead & Co. arrives this weekend at Wrigley Field, which also coincides […]
Photo Gallery: Pitchfork Festival 2021 • Day One
When COVID-19 shuttered the 2020 Pitchfork Music Festival, it left in its wake a deafening “what could have been.” The good news is that over the past weekend, P4K returned, salvaging a sizable chunk of its previously planned lineup, and mighty shored up the gaping wounds of the artists that were unable to make it […]
Photo Gallery: Pitchfork Music Festival 2021 • Day Two
Day Two of the 2020 Pitchfork Music Festival could have, arguably, been the greatest single-day lineup in the fest’s already storied history. The undercard boasted a cavalcade of names that, judging by their performances and the receptions they were greeted with, all but assured they’ll return to grace the larger stages in the future. Who […]
Photo Gallery: Pitchfork Festival 2021 • Day Three
Day Three was certainly the most eclectic day of the Pitchfork Music Festival. So it says a lot about its attendee’s discerning taste that it was also the first day to sell out. Those who hopped in the virtual queue that has now become the box office were treated to performances by Tomberlin, Special Interest, […]
Stage Buzz: Live Review and Photo Gallery • Colin Hay at Park West
Colin Hay Park West, Chicago, IL Sunday, August 29, 2021 Review by Jeff Elbel, photos by Philamonjaro Colin Hay has spent decades building his brand as one of popular music’s premier solo acoustic entertainers and all-around raconteurs. His performance benefits from a miraculously ageless voice, fluid and dexterous guitar playing, and stories that overflow […]
Cover Story: Ministry • “My House is My Art”
Any other modern bandleader would be a tad nervous, if not downright filled with floor pacing anxiety. But not calm, cool, and collected Svengali Al Jourgensen. Sure, his notorious, pioneering industrial outfit Ministry is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year by — gulp! — heading out on post-lockdown, but mid-Delta-variant tour, which hits Chicago […]
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