When an artist stages a farewell tour, it’s generally just a bluff to sell more tickets and they wind up coming through town for an endless parade of victory laps. (Cher and the Eagles come to mind.) But in the case of Glen Campbell, this really is his last hurrah, due to a recent diagnosis with Alzheimer’s disease that will force him to retire from the road and recording studio.

Even with the bittersweet premise behind his first of two nights at the Rialto Square Theatre in Joliet (where he returns on Friday), Campbell went out with a bang thanks to a slew of country to pop crossovers and tunes from the new Ghost On The Canvas (Surfdog). Much like Johnny Cash in his golden years, the collection takes on a decidedly introspective nature, but as the 75-year-old assured the near-capacity crowd, he’s maintaining a positive attitude.

Despite admitting mild memory loss in recent interviews and having a teleprompter by his feet in case of emergencies, Campbell was coherent and personable throughout 75 short but sweet minutes, sounding particularly spry on the familiar opener “Gentle On My Mind” and his subsequent mining through 50-plus years of material. No matter how many times they’re told, Jimmy Webb narratives like “Galveston” (which he almost started a second time before quickly steering back on course) and “By The Time I Get To Phoenix” and are still relatable tales of romantic yearning, though Campbell just as quickly turned the tides towards his cowboy side come “True Grit.”

The evening also unveiled glimpses of the veteran as a family man with his daughter Ashley backing him on banjo and keys, alongside his sons Shannon on guitar and Cal on drums (all of whom also served in the stellar opening act Instant People, a harmony-heavy, Southern-tinted indie-pop outfit). Aside from their obvious chemistry, a banjo/guitar duel between Ashley and her pop was most impressive, especially considering no teleprompter could ever deliver the fiery licks the elder Campbell effortlessly commanded. The communal feeling also paved the way for the gospel-infused current cuts like “It’s Your Amazing Grace” and “Ghost On The Canvas,” two primary examples of Campbell’s vitality and refusal to go down without swinging.

A home stretch of his most celebrated cuts (“Wichita Lineman,” “Rhinestone Cowboy,” “Southern Nights”) hinted at the musical legacy he’ll leave behind, while the new “A Better Place” suggested Campbell’s more concerned about the mark he’ll make as a human being. If this swansong show was any indication, he has nothing to worry about in either category thanks to a cherished catalog and the ability to courageously thrive in the face of adversity.

– Andy Argyrakis

For the first half hour, Jeff Tweedy hardly spoke to the audience. For a homecoming gig, that’s an interesting choice, one that didn’t hinder Wilco’s kick-off of their five-night Chicago residency a bit.

Check our photo site for a full gallery from Tuesday’s show at the Riviera (it was a better photo pit!).

During the initial sequence, the band were nothing short of rampant. Instead of rolling out the welcome mat, they opened with their new album’s 12-minute, elliptical, acoustic closer, “One Sunday Morning” and continued to pile on tension. Wilco immediately followed it with the rumbling “Poor Places,” which now infamously erupts into the “Yankee . . . hotel . . . foxtrot” electrical storm, with guitarist Nels Cline replacing the opener’s curlicued licks with a frenzied assault. From it emerged The Whole Love opener “Art Of Almost,” which fought through a stuttering beat and Krautrock iciness only to race off on a suicidal course. The pattern became relentless: gentle Being There staple “Misunderstood” thrashed and flailed through its defiant chorus; “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” built and dissolved in Sisyphusian fashion.

But the intent wasn’t to disperse the dad-rock fog that had enveloped Wilco’s previous few records. True, there was no “The Late Greats” or “Wilco (The Song),” but there was no plunge into the darkness of “She’s A Jar” or “Via Chicago” either. “What A Light,” “Outtasite (Outta Mind),” and “Heavy Metal Drummer” hit all the sweet pop notes, leavened by “Jesus Etc” and “Born Alone.” The band wanted to showcase the full breadth of their powers, and it’s arguable that they’ve become more fluid and undeniable than the esteemed Kicking Television tour.

Cline, in particular, was imperious. A jazz guitarist who reportedly scoffed at the idea of joining a rock band, his soloing was a mercurial mix of legato virtuosity and riotous recklessness in nearly every phrase he uttered, whether “One Sunday Morning,” “Dawned On Me,” or a transfixing “Impossible Germany.” His performance was equaled only by the stunning visuals: a thousand strung-up cloths (like the ghosts hung from trees on Halloween) that alternately lit like fireflies or staged an unusually compelling light show. (And strangely arranged in the shape of the continental U.S.)

Once Tweedy opened his mouth and separated the songs with witty — if sometimes flat — rejoinders, the ensuing looseness was palpable. This made the dramatic effects of “Pot Kettle Black” and “A Shot In The Arm” feel all the more urgent, which may have served the band’s desire to maintain a mood, or at least maintain composure until it came time to kick back. Opener Nick Lowe joined the second encore to blast his biggest hit, “Cruel To Be Kind,” and rejoined the group with Mavis Staples (duetting with Tweedy on “You’re Not Alone”) for an arm-in-arm stab at The Band’s “The Weight.”

For the night, they could have gotten away with “More Than Words.”

– Steve Forstneger

For the length of her career, the saga of Tori Amos has, at its most basic, come down to the story of a woman and her piano. Certainly, there’s much more at play there, what with all the mystical lyrical imagery, fearless revelations, heady concept albums, and endless personas. But, at its core, the constant throughout all the characters and wardrobe changes has been Amos and her primary instrument. So when the veteran songstress incorporated a string quartet into her Chicago Theatre set this past Saturday, it not only changed the conversation, but it brought new energy to staples and strengthened more recent material.

Saturday’s event found Amos returning to the venue behind the recently released Night Of Hunters and its instrumental companion, Sin Palabras. On selections like “Lust,” off 1999’s To Venus And Back, and the title track to 2005’s The Beekeeper, as well as a cover of The Cure’s “Lovesong,” Amos performed solo, going back to the tried-and-true vocals-and-piano approach. Yet given the singer’s sprawling discography of 12 studio albums in under 20 years, even sonically distinct solo material blended together when given the scope of Saturday’s set and Amos’ library. Thankfully, a string section, including cello, violin, and viola, both enlivened the set’s selections and made for a more distinct delivery.

Perhaps most benefiting of the artist’s additional players was “Leather,” off 1992’s Little Earthquakes. As old as anything played during Saturday’s concert — and a track that originally featured subtle string work on its studio version — the additional players perfectly complemented Amos’ vocal stylings and the song’s simple and creeping melody. With regards to more modern material, the evening’s string musicians brought a warmth to Hunters production “Your Ghost,” while Amos and her instrument almost felt like support on that same album’s “Star Whisperer,” with the quartet bringing a rich grandeur to the selection. Soundtrack song “Siren,” meanwhile, received a more urgent, jerkier string treatment, with the 1997 deep cut a set treat in and of itself.

Over the years, as Amos’ sound has matured, so too has the tone of her material. Yet at the conclusion of a predominantly solemn and straight-faced evening of adult-alternative-all-grown-up, the artist closed with a jaunty rendition of “Big Wheel,” from 2007’s American Doll Posse. An unabashedly big and poppy production, the song made a showy declaration of the singer’s “M.I.L.F.” status. And, for just a moment, Amos wasn’t so much the grown songstress serenading a hushed theater with strings and piano, but the odd brash firecracker serving up strange and disarming alt-pop. It was a brief and welcome return to form among a night of successful new sound experiments.

– Jaime de’Medici

Let’s get this out of the way upfront. Yes, Kanye West and Jay-Z played “N***** In Paris” eight times this past Wednesday at the United Center, the first of the duo’s two-night run at the venue. Yes, it was a bit like one of those “Family Guy” gags that go on so long it stops being funny, only to have that become the joke. Yes, it was an exuberant and excessive move that only larger-than-life superstars like Ye and Jay could get away with. And yes, in fact, that shit was crazy.

While an endless encore of “Paris” may have been the feat that captured Twitter feeds as the night ended, the nearly three-hour shared set between two of hip-hop’s biggest names boasted far more than that epic closing note. In town behind the pair’s collaborative full length, Watch The Throne (Roc Nation), Mr. West and Mr. Carter moved through a set that featured practically every hit in both artists’ catalogs, both individually and collaboratively.

Performing separately, there were moments where the audience almost forgot about the shared nature of the bill, instead becoming transfixed by the presence and impact each performer’s strongest fare. For West, such moments included a ferocious performance of “All Of The Lights,” as well as a vulnerable and romantic rendition of “Runaway.” For Jay, it was the classic “Izzo (H.O.V.A.),” notable for being the first song West ever produced for The Blueprint, as well as “Empire State Of Mind,” despite serving as an anthem to New York performed here in Chicago. Together, Jay and Ye’s presence was often electric and intense, as was the case on the hard and heavy “Monster,” off West’s late 2010 effort, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Similarly aggressive were many Throne cuts, including “Who Gon Stop Me” and “Welcome To The Jungle.” All of which made it that much affecting when the duo dropped their guards for the back-to-back Throne ballads “Made In America” and “New Day,” the latter of which seemed to especially impact the two otherwise hardened artists.

Such moments were the exceptions to the evening, however. If anything, Wednesday’s set was a celebratory affair between two giants with an expansive history of quality collaborations. It was the rare kind of night where the performers onstage were having as much fun, if not more, than the audience.

– Jaime de’Medici

In spring 2010, serial frontman Maynard James Keenan brought his Puscifer act to The Vic for a three-night stand. The run of shows saw the act deliver a highly theatrical series of concept performances, including one night’s hillbilly-centric event, wherein Keenan played the part of country-fried frontman Billy D.

With stage props and video interludes tying into a dedicated redneck storyline, in addition to countrified versions of the band’s selections, the performance displayed an impressive dedication to Puscifer as a theatrical venture. With the title and cover of the band’s brand new sophomore effort, Conditions Of My Parole, seemingly tied into that narrative, and video from the Billy D. performances playing onstage prior to the band’s proper set, all signs pointed towards continued theatrics at Tuesday night’s Puscifer show.

Unfortunately, such was not the case. Despite the onstage presence of a trailer as well as fold out chairs and tables, Puscifer’s Cadillac Palace Theatre outing offered little in the way of theatrics and even less in the way of story. Which isn’t necessarily something to hold against a hard-rock show, but given the red herrings surrounding the night, and the act’s origins in none other than “Mr. Show,” Puscifer’s straight-faced set felt a bit like an assignment completed last minute on the school bus. All the required elements were there, but the lack of presentation and preparation showed through.

Thankfully, what Tuesday’s set lacked in theatrics it more than made up for in power and mood. For 100 minutes, Puscifer delivered a performance that wasn’t afraid to be punishingly heavy. Such was the case with “V” Is For Vagina offerings like the thunderous “The Undertaker” and the alternatingly droning and grinding “Vagina Mine.” Newer cut “The Rapture,” meanwhile, filled the spacious theater with huge drums and an enormous breakdown. Performances like a seductive, Carina Round-fronted version of “Rev. 22:20″ switched up the tone of the night a bit, as did the synth-driven and electronic “Oceans” and the atmospheric dream-pop of “Monsoons.” But by and large, a grim and heavy tone held over Tuesday night’s set. Which isn’t a fault in and of itself, but for an artist like Keenan — who already has two other doom-and-gloom hard-rock projects intact, one has to wonder why he ditched the wry humor of his one fun outing.

– Jaime de’Medici

By now, much has been said about the funky and soulful direction of former Fall Out Boy frontman Patrick Stump’s solo career. Though a departure from the power-punk of the artist’s full band catalog, the recently released Soul Punk (Island) full length strongly plays to Stump’s adventurous pop sensibilities– sensibilities the artist had on display front and center at a hometown headlining show this past Friday night at Metro.

Flanked by a five-man band, Stump delivered a set that ventured into multiple musical arenas, from the Prince-esque funk of “Cute Girls,” which saw the frontman hitting impressive falsettos, to the more frenetic “Bad Side Of 25,” boosted by impressive guitar work and staggering sax. Elsewhere, horn and heavy bass elevated the groove-heavy “Everybody Wants Somebody,” while spacy synths and jerky rhythms made their mark on “Allie.” Through it all, the north-suburban native strutted and peacocked through the set, with a visible enthusiasm for playing to a homer crowd in a room he goes back with. By the time the crowd was swaying its hands to Stump’s command of “If you’re unfaithful/Put your hands in the air” in “The ‘I’ In Lie,” it was apparent thought the sonics may have changed, Stump’s commitment to moving the room hadn’t. In that sense, the song remains the same.

– Jaime de’Medici

Tipping the scales of 70 seems to have lit a spark in Paul Simon, not necessarily enhancing his laid-back personality, but giving him renewed creative vigor. The recent studio set So Beautiful Or So What (Hear Music/Concord Music Group) is among his most magnetic since Graceland (though it favors folk over African arrangements), while his previously intermittent touring patterns were replaced with a second American leg of a tour that first visited the Vic and Chicago Theatres earlier this year.

Setting up shop at the Rosemont on Sunday the 13th brought that same sort of intimacy towards his soft-spoken songs, as opposed to the arenas he played on Simon & Garfunkel’s reunion tour. But this was clearly a solo show, short on the duo’s hits and brimming with Simon’s career-spanning reflections. Speaking of Graceland, the show kicked off with the rhythmic “The Boy In The Bubble,” which highlighted his multi-cultural, eight-piece band and found Simon in a joyful mood.

The fresh follow-up “Dazzling Blue” maintained the motif of percussion-heavy grooves, which escalated even more during the reggae-influenced “Mother And Child Reunion.” Simon also demonstrated his vast appreciation for several other genres, from the roots rockin’ Junior Parker/Sam Phillips-penned “Mystery Train” to Chet Atkins’ jazzy finger-picker “Wheels,” and, later, a smoldering cover of Bo Diddley’s “Pretty Thing” (where he traded his acoustic guitar for harmonica).

Come his own “Slip Slidin’ Away,” all attention turned to Simon’s ultra-smooth vocals, which have held up quite well, especially considering he’s been on the road all year. Additional pitch-perfect flashbacks included a pair of Simon & Garfunkel favorites, “The Only Living Boy In New York” and “The Sound Of Silence,” the latter of which was especially poignant as a solo acoustic selection.

The only problem with the night was Simon being somewhat stingy with the hits, especially the duo years that he’s rarely shied away from before. Classics like “Mrs. Robinson,” “Cecilia,” and “The Boxer” were sorely missed, as were his own quirky experiments “Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard” and “You Can Call Me Al.”

However, it was hard to complain considering he played more than two hours and 26 tunes, but nonetheless, a better balance could’ve certainly been struck. At least his encore was padded with the jams “Kodachrome,” “Gone At Last,” and “Graceland,” plus the gorgeously enduring “Still Crazy After All These Years,” which, coupled with his equally solid new cuts, reinforced Simon’s role as one of the greatest living songwriters.

– Andy Argyrakis

He may not tour very often, but thankfully Ray Davies’ music never goes out of style. Between an endless stream of classics he wrote and sang for The Kinks to the occasional solo chestnut, there’s plenty of material in his arsenal, which translated to no less than two-dozen tunes in front of a healthy crowd Friday the 11th at Chicago Theatre (where he last played in 2008).

Though he’s not touring behind new material per se, Davies does have a recently released CD that serves the dual purpose of a collaborations collection and a tribute record. See My Friends (Decca) finds the British Invasion luminary producing and sometimes singing with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Billy Corgan, Metallica, Jon Bon Jovi, Jackson Browne, Black Francis, Mumford & Sons, Lucinda Williams, and Spoon for a modern-day romp across his repeatedly celebrated hits and album cuts.

Despite not having those ultra-famous faces on the road, the 67-year-old singer/songwriter certainly held his own through a setlist ripe with both the familiar and thankfully not forgotten archive material. Acoustic flashbacks to the ’60s like “I Need You” and “Sunny Afternoon” helped transport fans back to the days of The Beatles, Animals, Zombies, and certainly Kinks crossing over into America for the first time, unleashing an onslaught of good old-fashioned, but amazingly never dated, British rock ‘n’ roll.

Other unplugged favorites included the jangly powerhouse “Dedicated Follower Of Fashion,” the melodic simplicity of “Waterloo Sunset,” and the goofy but strangely endearing “Apeman.” Though the acoustic format gave such songs a newfound intimacy, that portion of the set was just a little too lengthy at eight cuts, especially considering his five backers that kicked in halfway through “20th Century Man” were nothing short of ferocious. Shortly thereafter, Davies showed off his incendiary six-string skills on the harmony-heavy “David Watts” and the stomping “Where Have All The Good Times Gone.”

Although there were plenty of points of connection upfront, Davies saved his mightiest staples until the back half. “Till The End Of The Day” swung with Brit pop brilliance, “All Day And All Of The Night” growled with dusty distortion, while the comparably somber “Celluloid Heroes” told the particularly timely tale of everyone wishing they were a celebrity. Yet it was “You Really Got Me” that brought down the house as a sputtering sing-along that overflowed with punk-charged riffs.

Granted, an evening of Kinks’ songs would’ve seemed more complete if brother/guitarist Dave were by his side, but considering their contentious relationship, this was the next closest opportunity. By the end of the near two-hour night, the leader didn’t just wave the band’s flag one more time, but also showcased a constantly contagious songwriting ability that’s transcended generations.

– Andy Argyrakis

Towards the end of Thursday night’s sold out show at the Metro, Thrice frontman Dustin Kensrue looked back upon his band’s history with the venue. As it turns out, the Metro served as the first stop of the group’s very first national tour, a full decade ago. The anecdote, alongside the band’s setlist at October 27th’s show, both served as reminders of Thrice’s longevity as well as the act’s ever-expanding catalog.

In town behind this year’s Major/Minor full length, Thrice took to the stage to deliver a succinct but satisfying set that visited the act’s various eras. Newer and more melodic fare like “Call It In The Air” proved building and sweeping, with a steady tempo giving way to cathartic collapse and a chorus fueled by an unsettling urgency. Elsewhere, more classic selections like “Silhouette” brought out Thrice’s harsher edge, with Kensrue alternating between screaming and guttural deep-throat growls. Similarly, the heavy “Cold Cash And Cold Hearts” made effective use of low-end chugging guitars and guitarist Teppei Teranishi’s backing vocals. Major/Minor’s “Treading Paper,” meanwhile, came across tuneful and spacious, with the band awash in a golden light during the performance.

Thrice’s performance achieved a few obviously desirable goals, between its highly sold-out status and set filled with crowd-pleasing offerings. But beyond those victories, the night served as testament to the quality of the band’s body of work, as it switched effortlessly between sounds either aggressive or atmospheric, if not both. A decade after its national launch, Thrice came back to show just how far they’ve come.

– Jaime de’Medici

When Howard Jones was at the height of his 8-million album-selling career during the mid-1980s, the time period’s limited technology forced him to skip performing several of his more complicated songs on stage. After having recently acquired his catalog masters from Warner Bros. for an extensive, self-curated remasters campaign, the singer/songwriter/keyboardist/programmer is dusting off his first two albums on the road — which include many tracks being performed live for the first time — landing on October 27th at Bottom Lounge.

The first point of business in the two dozen tune evening was a rediscovery of 1984’s Human’s Lib, which may have had a few glimpses of dated production, but also incredibly catchy songwriting that continued to strike a chord with the near capacity crowd. “Conditioning” and “Hunt The Self” showed off his sugary synths and electronic experimentation; the chilling “Hide and Seek” unveiled the more sophisticated side of his vast persona; while innovative deeper cuts like “Equality” and “Natural” embraced their live debuts.

Of course, the most roars came from hits like the funky strut of “Pearl And The Shell,” the new-wave nugget “What Is Love?,” and the contemplative ballad “Don’t Always Look At The Rain.” All the while, screens with abstract visuals tied loosely to the theme of each tune swirled overhead, offsetting the veteran’s trio of various synths and electronic drums with hypnotic atmospheres.

By 1985’s Dream Into Action, all eyes turned towards the jovial Jones as he donned a red leather jacket and sunglasses for the sparkly synths of “Automaton.” Once again, the deeper cuts also translated with charm to the concert setting, with ethereal soundscapes enveloping “Why Look For The Key” and his piano solo skills shining throughout “Assault & Battery.”

A little later, his biggest smash, “No One Is To Blame,” shone majestically, with some of his most relatable and enduring lyrics. Though not technically on the original album, the CD bonus track “Like To Get To Know You Well” brought additional familiarity, which was bookended by the positive “Life In One Day” and the perky call and response favorite “Things Can Only Get Better.”

In fact, that well-paced finale reminded fans just how many early career hits he had and that wasn’t even counting later material like “You Know I Love You . . . Don’t You?,” “Everlasting Love,” and “Lift Me Up” (which were unfortunately but understandably omitted given this show’s scope). Perhaps the greatest lesson learned from Jones’ latest tour was just how influential he’s been in the world of electronic pop, which considering it’s back in fashion, is giving the veteran an unexpected though much deserved review.

– Andy Argyrakis

Very few bands survived the new-wave era with integrity in tact, and though Duran Duran’s certainly made a few missteps along the way, the Fab Five (well, technically now just Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, and Roger Taylor), haven’t just survived but thrived. Besides the band’s hysteria-inducing beginnings and a second bout with fame in the ’90s, the group’s currently in the midst of another resurgence. Granted, its latest, All You Need Is Now (S-Curve), isn’t tearing up the charts, but its return-to-form sound is fashionable once again thanks to shout outs from The Killers, Goldfrapp, Franz Ferdinand, and tourmates Neon Trees.

As a result, a sold-out Chicago Theatre on Friday the 21st included everyone from the expected 40somethings who used to pin posters of the boys on their bedroom walls, to a smattering of unapologetic hipsters who’ve realized much of the latest dance-pop revival wouldn’t be possible without these players. And while the two-hour, 20-track evening had enough of the hits to appease longtime listeners, this tour wasn’t just a trip down memory lane.

The first glimpse of All You Need Is Now came in the icy “Before The Rain,” which sounded like it could’ve come off Rio and found Le Bon nailing his signature vocal twists. Now in their late ’40s/early ’50s, its members have aged well musically and visually, continuing the focus on fashion that’s been a major element in the band ethos since the neo-romantic movement. In fact, the sleek “Blame The Machines” could’ve very well come from that period if it wasn’t for the shiny and decidedly modern production (which on record was assisted by Mark Ronson).

As the show progressed, the old and new regularly mixed, from ultra-fun flashbacks like “Planet Earth” and “A View To A Kill” to the equally synth-heavy “All You Need Is Now” and the current club smash “Girl Panic!” (arguably one of its strongest, most chic singles to date). This particular night also found DD painting outside the usual lines to unveil some rarities like the sultry instrumental “Tiger Tiger” and the punk-tinged “Careless Memories,” two examples of the band’s artistic depth beyond the bubble gum of “Hungry Like The Wolf.”

The only unneeded track at this stage of the game was “Ordinary World,” a brilliant ballad on The Wedding Album, but one that found the frontman struggling to reach the especially high falsettos. All was forgiven come the funky “Notorious” and an unexpected but well tailored medley of “Wild Boys” with Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s like-minded “Relax.” Throw in the brass-doused “Rio,” and Duran Duran retained just the right balance of its commercial past and increasingly celebrated present that’s still writing influential chapters in the new wave world and beyond.

– Andy Argyrakis

Portishead’s first Chicago show in well over a decade was often magnetic without an excess of on-stage motion. This British group, which stood at the forefront of the trip-hop/down-tempo ascension in the early ’90s, played it cool and composed while revisiting its three-album catalog on October 12th.

Plenty of positive reviews could be heard from fans leaving the Aragon, perhaps most memorably one who said the show “sounded like the live album [Roseland NYC Live].” While Portishead’s Chicago set wasn’t quite as orchestral as its catalog entry, the six-piece touring band brought the best out of tracks like “Sour Times” and “Cowboys.”

Vocalist Beth Gibbons was especially impressive even as she stood in her most idle state; with mic in hand, she seamlessly transformed from jazz-minded singer to gravely voiced rebel. Interestingly, it wasn’t until the end of the show that Gibbons made a point to really move around the stage – though it was to wander and watch producer/percussionist Geoff Barrow and the rest of the band get down instrumentally.

Barrow was also a focal point of the night, as he turned from drums to turntables and other gear, adding a new dimension to songs such as the industrial-tinged “Machine Gun.” During its performance, one of the more climatic moments went down: while Barrow’s programmed beat was mixed with robust live percussion, the sight of a gigantic sun rose behind the band on the projection screen.

It was easy to appreciate Barrow’s studio process by seeing how he works fluidly in a live setting. Coupled with Gibbons sometimes restrained but always arresting vocals, Portishead’s shifting sonics effectively filled the Aragon Ballroom and kept thousands watching and nodding their heads.

– Max Herman

Dierks Bentley rolled into Chicago Sunday, led by Illinois State Troopers and followed by more than 300 bikers.

This wasn’t your normal welcome for the country star, but this wasn’t just an ordinary concert. Bentley was in town to promote his Miles & Music For Kids charity to benefit Chicago’s Children’s Memorial Hospital.

Things kicked off at the Fox River Harley-Davidson in St. Charles and ended up on Weed Street for an afternoon “fest” outside Joe’s Bar. Set up on a rugged lot that until a few weeks ago was a car wash, Bentley batted clean up after Matt Mason, the Eli Young Band, and Jerrod Niemann warmed up the country crowd.

Bentley is a great frontman for this cause. Laid-back and quiet offstage, Bentley has eight number-one country hits and a new album that will drop in early 2012. Begun six-years ago in Nashville, these events have raised over $1.6 million for children’s hospitals in seven U.S. cities. (He calls it a “win-win” for him and his fans that support the cause.) As a Harley guy, the ride gives him a chance to stretch his legs on tour and “recycle some of that goodwill back into the community.” Not someone who just caught the riding bug, he took his original record company advance ($10,000) and used part of it on a 1986 Honda CX500. Well, things have changed a bit and now he usually trailers his 2003 Harley Softail.

When it finally his stage, a signed guitar had already fetched $10,500 from a generous guy in the crowd. It took some strong urging from his nearby girlfriend and a lot of high-pitched screeching from the local morning radio DJ running the show. But, it was for a good cause.

Bentley started with “Cold Cans” from the new album, “Feel That Fire,” and “Am I The Only One.” He moved through a good mix of 16 ballads and boot stomper,s ending with “Come Closer,” “Free And Easy,” and “Thinkin’.”

It was a perfect Sunday afternoon in the big city. A lucky call in the weather department helped, perfect for a music and a few frosties, all for a good cause — that kind of day that will be remembered in that cold dead of winter that is right around the corner.

- Brian Ormiston

As the singer of Roxy Music, Bryan Ferry’s already earned seminal status in the glam, art-rock and new-wave worlds, though he continues to make sophisticated strides in his solo career. Touring behind his first non-covers collection in eight years, Olympia (Virgin), marks a suave and soulful evolution for the veteran, who through two hours, spellbinded Chicago’s Civic Opera House on the 11th.
 
The elegant nature of the venue fit perfectly within Ferry’s stylish pop/rock blend, which spanned the man through today, along with several well-tailored covers. Roxy Music was the first point of business in his 40-year flashback via the suave synths of “The Main Thing,” followed by the soothingly hypnotic solo songs “I Put A Spell On You,” and “Slave To Love,” alongside a sophisticated stab at Bob Dylan’s “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues” (one of multiple selections from 2007’s Dylanesque).
 
No matter what musical hat he was wearing, Ferry appeared just as debonair as the day he debuted, sauntering through his own “Don’t Stop The Dance,” treating Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” as a beautiful lullaby, and glamming up his delivery across Roxy’s “If There Is Something.” Yet it was Neil Young’s “Like A Hurricane” that took charge of the first set, not only because of Ferry’s flawless delivery, but also his six-piece band’s ability to put a seductive bounce in its step.
 
After an intermission, the 66-year-old unfurled two of his best new cuts, sounding absolutely ageless on the charging “You Can Dance” and casually crooning his way through “Reason Or Rhyme.” Yet it was myriad Roxy memories that truly ushered in a spirit of celebration, from the sublime “Avalon” to the gliding pop pleasantry “My Only Love” and the sputtering “Love Is The Drug.”
 
The last three songs found Ferry switching back to his personal spin on others’ oldies, starting with Wilbert Harrison’s R&B staple “Let’s Stick Together” and transitioning tenderly towards John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy.” Throw in the rarely performed Sam & Dave soul standard “Hold On (I’m Coming),” and Ferry didn’t just demonstrate a mastery of his own material, but the ability to browse all the greats that came before him, concurrently serving as one of this century’s greatest innovators and supreme interpreters.
 
– Andy Argyrakis

Toby Keith and his marketing machine hit town Saturday for a one-day blitz. Coming in after a Friday night gig in St Louis, he kicked things off by signing bottles of his new Wild Shot Mescal at a local Beverage Depot. Then there’s juggling the details of his “I Love This Bar & Grill” (opening in Rosemont in early 2012) and promoting a new album (Clancy’s Tavern) hitting the streets October 24th. And, oh yeah, there’s that group 17,000-plus waiting to be entertained later that evening.

For an exclusive Toby Keith photo gallery, visit our photo site!

Despite the chilly night, the faithful were packed to the outer edges of the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre for the last concert of the Tinley Park outdoor season. The people watching ranged from the tiny jean shorts/cowboy boot combo to the over-imbibed, suburban cowboy in the flannel shirt trying to stay upright while Eric Church opened up with a rowdy 65 minute set that set the tone. He jumped through a mix from his three albums and ended by filling the arena with enough smoke to engulf the whole stage. He did well for himself as an up-and-comer to the big stage. (But lose the sunglasses. It’s dark out, O.K.?)

The big man of country and his Easy Money Band took the stage at 9:15 after a long 10 minute commercial for the truck company that is underwriting this “Locked And Loaded” tour.

A gum-chompin’ Keith started strong with “Bullets In The Gun” and “American Ride,” insuring he was going to see a night full of fist pumps from a crowd already on their feet. Six songs into this large bar party, backup singer Mika Roberts took centerstage to belt out the often redone 1975 hit, “Lady Marmalade.” At this point, Keith turned into the band’s bartender — going around to everyone with a bottle of “colored water” as he said, making sure no one on stage was thirsty. A devoted Jack Daniel’s guy, he toasted the crowd, the military, police and fire departments, and just about everyone else, always returning his black cup to the nifty holder on the microphone stand.

Keith has his share of ballads in his discography, but fitting them into an arena tour doesn’t always work. “Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine On You” was voted in by his fan club as a song they wanted to hear on this tour, and Keith obligingly showed his range and related how record company executives panned the hit when it was first recorded. The biggest laugh of the night came when he tossed his wireless mic into the crowd and a couple of guys in the pit proved that karaoke night winners will never show up seasoned performers.

His shows don’t usually vary from night to night, but it’s a well-polished two-hour, 20-song journey. When Chris Brown pulled in only 9,000 the night before, and the biggest draws of the summer came from the country acts, one wonders if this is now the new rock ‘n’ roll your parents hated. Kind of almost makes you feel like gettin’ a Stetson and some Tony Lama boots.

– Brian Ormiston

The record industry loves to gauge success by numbers. How many units did it move? At what spot did it debut? How many weeks did it stay on the charts? But you never see the intangibles on the spread sheet, specifically influence.

For a complete photo gallery, visit our pics site at illinoisentertainerphoto.com.

When they came bursting out of their L.A. music scene in the late ’80s, Jane’s Addiction looked and sounded like no other. They married heavy metal riffs to danceable grooves, finally making it safe for the Mullets to find the orbit of their hips. Militant art punks could now publicly avow their love of bloated dinosaurs like Led Zeppelin without getting called out on the indie-cred carpet. Ultimately, it would become the olive branch that ushered in the Alternative Nation and would soon spawn Lollapalooza, Gen-X’s version of Woodstock.

On Thanksgiving weekend in 1988, Jane’s Addiction played two nights at what was then called Cabaret Metro. They had just released their groundbreaking second record (and major label debut) Nothing’s Shocking. Tickets were three bucks and the opening band was an up-and-coming quartet from Chicago who called themselves Smashing Pumpkins.

Fast-forward two-plus decades. The band returned to Metro over the weekend for a two-night residency in advance of their fourth studio record, The Great Escape. When tickets went on sale, they disappeared in a blink, a testament to, not only a devoted fan base, but also staying power.

For their trouble, the faithful were treated to a career retrospective. The setlist was a fan’s wet dream that touched on every era of their catalog. But before you cry nostalgic cash grab, note that the new material (“Irresistible Force,” “The End Of Lies”) showed a heretofore versatility that begs a Second Act may be in the offing.

The band stormed and swaggered. Guitarist Dave Navarro struck all the requisite guitar-god poses. His fretboard shredding and meaty chords were as hard and chiseled as his tattooed torso. Frontman Perry Farrell flailed about, part aerobics instructor, part escaped patient. Never-been hits like “Mountain Song,” “Stop,” “Been Caught Stealing,” and deeper cuts like “. . . And She Said” and “Ted, Just Admit It” were greeted like the second coming.

Throughout the proceedings, Farrell played the dual roles of host and con man: beaming with satisfaction one moment and threatening to pinch your girl out from under you when you turn your gaze. But that’s always been the appeal of Jane’s Addiction. You’re never quite sure where their coming from or where they might be heading.

– Curt Baran

Lindsey Buckingham’s a great, albeit underrated, guitarist and he knows it. Perhaps that’s why he opened the Chicago stop of his Seeds We Sow tour with a one-man acoustic set that amply showcased his nimble (though occasionally self-indulgent) frethand and well-persevered vocal pitch. Whether it was solo staples like “Go Insane” and “Trouble” or Fleetwood Mac’s “Never Going Back Again,” the 61-year-old was in superb form, ushering in a welcome sense of intimacy often lost on his full-time band’s arena tours.
 
In solo contexts, Fleetwood’s “Big Love” was rearranged as a fiery finger-picker undercut by impassioned wails, which have since replaced the hokey ’80s production and synthesizer overdose. The newer “Under The Skin” was a little less magnetic given its meandering, middling approach, though Buckingham’s vocals demonstrated additional warmth and closeness.     
 
However, the mood soon shifted toward a big-rock-show vibe with “In Our Own Time” paving the way for Buckingham and his backing trio’s power, a trait that was fully realized come Fleetwood’s shiny “Second Hand News” and the progressive jam “Tusk.” The fresh “Stars Are Crazy” was an acoustic guitar-centered speed exercise that is among the strongest on Seeds We Sow, though considering it sounds like a bookend to “Big Love,” seemed out of place in the full-band segment.
 
However, Buckingham and band were a collective force to be reckoned with across the ’70s psychedelic barnburner “I’m So Afraid” (though he could’ve shaved off a minute of the overly showy solo) and the now legendary Rumours anchor “Go Your Own Way,” both of which brought to light his significant but sometimes overlooked contributions to the Mac. (He bowed dramatically after both, though it was unclear if he was basking pompously in his brilliance or humbly in the audience’s adoration).
 
In comparison to that initial double-decker finale, the encore was anti-climatic given solo choices like the easygoing, adult contemporary groove “Treason” and the experimental, but far from infectious “Seeds We Sow.” It probably wasn’t the most fitting way to end the career-spanning set, but it nonetheless reinforced Buckingham’s commitment to his craft over the temptation to rest in a commercial comfort zone.
 
– Andy Argyrakis

Touring before a CD drops is generally a challenge, and though Erasure swung through Chicago more than two weeks before Tomorrow’s World (Mute) bows, the material previewed during the first of two shows was so infectious, it was impossible not to dance along. Rather than treading the nostalgic route, Andy Bell and Vince Clarke were focused on the here and now.

In fact, if anyone in attendance on September 16th at Congress Theatre closed their eyes, the electronic bleeps and blips could very well adorn the latest Lady Gaga album or fit right alongside La Roux, David Guetta, or Robyn in a DJ set. But once Bell’s larger-than-life personality pranced onto the stage with the early pulsations of “When I Start To (Break It All Down),” it was obvious this was an Erasure show, and despite a lack of airplay these days, it hasn’t had any trouble influencing younger artists.

Among the clearest protégés is Gaga labelmate/Tomorrow’s World producer Frankmusik, who also opened this particular show and found his infectious fingerprints popping up across other new club cuts “Fill Us With Fire” and “You’ve Got To Save Me Right Now.” While a third of the show was filled with such sugary pop pleasantries from the present, past cuts like “Blue Savannah” and “Victim Of Love” provided a chance to really let loose, turning the general-admission floor into a sweat pit.

Though there was no doubt dance music would be in the cards, the evening was also peppered with a few surprises, mainly an acoustic rendition of “Alien” that found the pair’s meticulous lyrical craftsmanship earning proper attention, especially considering so much clever wordplay gets lost behind a wall of surging synths. Diehards were also treated to long-lost new-wave nugget “Hideaway,” which, despite trendy production that hasn’t aged well, found Bell belting for the heavens.

As bandmates, that flamboyant leader and the stoic, keyboard-playing Clarke couldn’t be more opposite, but the musical chemistry they share has only grown stronger with time. The current “I Lose Myself” is among their most contagious collaborations to date, recalling the hitmaking heyday without sounding like a regurgitation.

And when it came to massive singles like “Chains Of Love” and “A Little Respect,” they may as well have been written for the new record given their timeless translation to today. Even if Erasure’s commercial apex is over, there’s no denying members’ ongoing contributions to the worlds of new wave, synth pop, and electronic rock with the Tomorrow’s World tour suggesting there’s still plenty of creative life left for these luminaries.

– Andy Argyrakis

Unlike several veteran bands that cling to a repertoire of old hits, Blondie entertained a capacity crowd at House Of Blues Wednesday night with several tracks from its latest release, Panic Of Girls.

The current lineup, which includes original members vocalist Deborah Harry, guitarist Chris Stein, and drummer Clem Burke, blasted through “Love Doesn’t Frighten Me” shortly after taking the stage. It’s a highly melodic new song that fits right in with the Blondie catalog. Surprisingly, Harry scarcely mentioned  Panic Of Girls throughout the concert, as new songs like “What I Heard” and “Mother” seamlessly meshed with crowd favorites like “Dreaming,” “Union City Blues,” and “Call Me.”

Blondie’s intense energy ensured that the audience wouldn’t grow restless during the less familiar material, with Panic’s “Words In My Mouth” serving as the concert’s only slow song. Initially, Harry was barely recognizable in huge sunglasses and dowdy taffeta skirt, but by mid-show, she had ditched both for a more characteristic black jumpsuit and red belt. She charmed her fans, especially on an extended version of “Rapture” that found Blondie mining the song’s irresistible techno groove. There was a roar of approval as she spat, “Do the punk rock!”

A brief cover of the Beastie Boys’ “Fight For The Right (To Party!)” served as a bridge from the delirious “Rapture” to the exuberant finale, “One Way Or Another,” which had hundreds of people singing in unison. The encore began with a touching version of Johnny Thunders’ “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory” before Blondie said goodnight with their biggest hit, “Heart Of Glass.” It would have been nice to have heard “Rip Her To Shreds” or “Hanging On The Telephone,” but overall this was a courageous and high-powered mix of old and new music.

Chicago’s coed indie rock band The Handcuffs proved to be a potent opening act, drawing heavily from their impressive third CD Waiting For The Robot, which had been released just the day before. Entertaining a crowd that’s eager to see a legend like Blondie is always a challenge, but the Chloe F. Orwell/Brad Elvis-led group succeeded with energetic and melodic fare like “Miss You On Tuesday” and “Dirty Glitter.” Guitarist Ellis Clark provided plenty of firepower throughout The Handcuffs’ set, including a romping cover of Mott The Hoople’s “All The Way From Memphis.”

– Terrence Flamm

As career choices go, rock ‘n’ roll isn’t exactly the most reliable path. Failure is the rule not the exception. So any time a band reaches any sort of recognizable milestone, it’s usually cause for celebration. When that benchmark is two decades, well, a simple Hallmark card isn’t going to do it.

Visit our online photo galleries for more pictures from the weekend.

Seattle quintet Pearl Jam chose to acknowledge their 20th Anniversary by throwing a massive party honoring themselves. If this all seems a bit narcissistic, then perhaps further explanation is required. Since their inception, during the heyday of what was then collared with the moniker Alternative Rock, the band have managed to cultivate one of the most devoted followings in popular music. How? In addition to writing music that is so emotionally charged it has managed to connect with an amazing number of people, the band have taken their business model and added an element most don’t contain: customer satisfaction.

Throughout their existence, Pearl Jam have fought to keep ticket prices low, product quality high, and have treated their fans with respect, as opposed to just another paying customer. In return, those same fans have showered the band with a devoted relationship that has rarely been seen in rock music. Comparisons to the Grateful Dead, Phish, and Jimmy Buffet are apropos, given the commitment those groups have also showed to those who pay their bills.

So it should come as no surprise that Pearl Jam would extend the same courtesy and attitude toward a festival that they curated themselves, extending invitations to artists and friends they admire and get them all in the same place in the hope of creating something special.

Over two nights on Labor Day weekend, singer Eddie Vedder and company were once again rightly served by their instincts. By booking acts like grunge veterans Mudhoney, psych-metal giants Queens Of The Stone Age, The Strokes, and a host of other artists playing side stages, the band dialed in a mix of well-known and critically respected co-conspirators (Glen Hansard, Liam Finn, and John Doe among others) into a memorable birthday bash.

Given the way this band operate, it was an early assumption that this would not be a tour through the greatest hits. Considering people literally came in from around the globe, the band dug deep. Over the course of two sets (one each night), the band searched the darkest corners, unearthing deep cuts from a now extensive list of choices.

“Push Me, Pull Me” and “Help Me” had serious mothballs on them due to the rarity with which they’ve been played. Queens frontman Josh Homme popped out for a cameo on “In The Moonlight” and The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas added backing vocals to “Not For You.” (Members of Pearl Jam would return the favor all weekend, hitting side stages for cameos and sit-ins).

What was arguably the highlight of the weekend was a reunion of Temple Of The Dog. The group were formed by PJ members Jeff Ament (bass), Stone Gossard (guitar), Mike McCready (guitar) and Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell (vocals) and drummer (Pearl Jam’s current skinman) Matt Cameron. Their self-titled (and only) release was written in the wake of the loss of their friend Andrew Wood, the lead singer of the Seattle-based band Mother Love Bone.

The golden throated Cornell powered through spiraling anthems like “Say Hello To Heaven,” “Reach Down,” and called Vedder out to replicate his vocals on “Hunger Strike.” By now, most in attendance were seriously losing their shit.

Combined, the two sets that Pearl Jam played on Saturday and Sunday totaled more than six hours of music and close to 60 songs. It would have been an epic stretch of music for a group of younger steeds, let alone a collection of fortysomething men. But as Vedder remarked Sunday night, the weekend felt less like a look back and more like a rebirth.  

– Curt Baran

Head to our photo site for a full gallery of Taylor Swift pics by Curt Baran at Allstate Arena last week!

The idea of centering a tour around a classic album is nothing new, but it’s a concept that always seems to attract both the radio browsers banking on the hits and more studied aficionados craving deep cuts. Few have perfected the formula better than Steely Dan, who first tested it out in 2009 during multiple stands at the Chicago Theatre highlighting different albums each evening, though there was a slight tweak to the concept across a pair of sold-out, inaugural appearances at Ravinia.
 
In the case of Friday’s concert, the band’s acclaimed Aja earned top billing, followed by a multitude of hits, while Saturday’s show was anchored by fans’ online requests, followed by a shuffled hits set. It certainly encouraged repeat customers, while also demonstrating just how nimble eccentric frontman/keyboardist Donald Fagen and accountant-like guitarist Walter Becker have become since their partnership began in 1972.
 
During the first show, the co-leaders, an eight-piece band, and three background singers kicked off the sophisticated trip down memory lane with the instrumental overture “Dizzy’s Blindness,” which aptly set the tone for the cocktail-sipping evening. From there, they wasted no time diving into the sax-saturated “Black Cow,” a jazzy, extended edition of the experimental title track from the aforementioned opus, and, after a supporting singer literally turned over a vinyl album, more commercially minded sing-alongs like “Peg” and “Josie.”
 
While Steely Dan made a strong case that Aja is among its most important works — thanks to its classy, though occasionally untamed, merger of classic rock, jazz — there were plenty later examples of the group’s well-chiseled niche as recently as the mid-2000s. “Everything Must Go” and “Godwhacker” proved the duo can still write catchy, finger-snapping flourishes with their left-of-center sense of humor in tact, while suggesting their musicianship has only perfected with time.
 
Even so, the bulk of the crowd most likely came to hear the chart-toppers and the group didn’t disappoint, covering memories as far back as the psychedelic southern rocker “Dirty Work” (carried by the backing vocalists) through the lean and sultry “Hey Nineteen” and the more straight-forward retro reflection “Reelin’ In The Years.” Add a surprisingly soulful cover of James Brown’s “Papa Don’t Take No Mess” and the funky, Kanye West-sampled finale “Kid Charlemagne,” and Steely Dan’s sonic smorgasbord was certainly satisfying.
 
– Andy Argyrakis

To call Kids These Days sudden upstarts on the scene would be an understatement. The group began turning heads earlier this year on high profile blog-curated bills at SXSW, and have been making moves ever since. IE caught up with the group’s Liam Cunningham, Vic Mensa, Nico Segal, and Macie Stewart backstage at Lollapalooza to ask the adolescent group about operating across multiple genres and being underestimated due to their age.

IE: It looks like Kids These Days are having a hell of a year. Is that fair to say?
Segal: Definitely a hell of a year. Going to a lot of different festivals around the country, places I’ve never been, and doing a lot of shows, and recording music. We have a new project coming out pretty soon called Trap House Rock. And just making this music with all my brothers and my sister.
Mensa: Yeah, man. It’s that official [Kids These Days] summer, so we’ve been in here all day, every day, getting it crackin’, at the trap everyday rehearsing, listening to albums together, just doing everything, just being together. It’s a good feeling to know that the world is embracing our work ethic, and just liking what we put out. It’s just good for anybody to like you. Because these days, there’s a lot of haters, there’s a lot of people that don’t like stuff. So, for them to like us, and for us to be so young still, and only two years into being a band, it’s just crazy.
Cunningham: Yeah, I mean, the hands down thing you can say is, in the past year we’ve turned this into, a hobby and a passion of ours, into a job. This is absolutely in the purest sense a job, we work hard, we work more than a lot of people do, I think. And while it is fun, it’s what we love, it’s great to see our hard work is finally turning into something that we can really sort of work with over a long period of time.

IE: Running down some of the highlights from the last year: SXSW, Mobfest, the Rahm Emanuel Chicago Together inauguration event in Grant Park, and performing at Lollapalooza. How does it feel? Is it surreal?
Segal: It’s surreal to me, man. Coming out of Chicago, being a jazz trumpet player, I never thought any of that stuff would happen. Obviously, it’s a sad thing, but jazz music doesn’t really get the recognition it deserves these days. But this type of band, and the music, I really feel, deep down in my heart, is this kind of music. So, the fact that this is getting the recognition, or starting to get the recognition it deserves, is a beautiful thing.

Following her time in The Hush Sound, musician Greta Morgan now fronts Gold Motel, an act whose upbeat pop is perpetually infused with a strikingly summer-set aesthetic. Prior to Sunday’s later torrential downpour, they opened the day at Lollapalooza, with Morgan later finding time to talk to IE about the group’s reaction to landing on the Lolla bill and what’s in store for their second record. 

IE: How was Gold Motel’s set?
GM: We had perfect weather, and the set could not have gone more beautifully. I was so excited about how many people came early to hang out with us. I thought we played one of our best shows, and it was just perfect. It was great!

IE: That seems appropriate, as Gold Motel’s music is very sunny sounding and inviting.
GM: I think it was a good opener for the day. We were the first band on one of the major four stages, and so, it was, I think it was a good warm-up for people.

IE: It’s been a pretty momentous week leading up to Lollapalooza. You guys played on a sold out bill opening for Cold War Kids at Metro before going on to perform at WGN and The Apple Store. How has the week felt?
GM: It’s been exciting to me in every way. Not only all those things for the band, which were so exciting, and kind of just show that we’re on the right path, that was really exciting. But also personally, my brother and his girlfriend and their two month old baby came to visit, I had four generations of my family over on Saturday. So, really just in every way, I had one of the best weeks of my life. The band, my family, my friends — everybody’s been close by, it’s been really great.

Though the group’s full length offering Perch Patchwork (Barsuk) dropped last summer, Chicago’s Maps & Atlases are really feeling the pay off from that album in 2011. Earlier this year, the band performed as official festival talent at SXSW, and here at home, the act made it onto Lollapalooza. IE caught up with Maps & Atlases’ Dave Davison and Erin Elders to talk about the year they’re having and delayed returns.

IE: I was looking at the Maps & Atlases Tumblr, and it looks like you guys are coming off a sizable wave of touring this summer. Are you guys exhausted at this point?
Davison: We were exhausted I think the day before yesterday, but being back here, being able to see lots of people, and sort of being in this nice environment in Chicago, I think really has genuinely been, I mean it sounds cheesy, but it has kind of been rejuvenating. Like after you’re gone for so long, and then to come back and have things be familiar and nice and also be really exciting, it’s fun. We’re having a great time.
Elders: We basically got into town from being on tour for like six straight weeks, to, we just drove straight to Lollapalooza. So, it’s been crazy.

IE: When you’re out on the road so long, do you hit a wall where you can’t wait to get home, or when you’re home, are you antsy to get back on tour?
Davison: I think there’s somewhat of a balance. At this point, I think we’re used to it enough and we have — so many of our friends that were here, we all went to college here, and a long time – in the band, we were just were in college and not touring too much. So many of those friends have spread out, that it really is an amazing situation, or amazing opportunity to be able to visit with those people who live wherever else, and obviously, sometimes you just want to be home. But, we typically haven’t really toured like, crazy long tours, this has been the first time we’ve done that. But, we’re having fun and it’s been awesome, and we usually are touring with our friends and stuff, anyway. So, it’s like, kind of no big deal, it’s like a kind of comfortable and mellow environment.

IE: Looking at 2011, Maps & Atlases performed at SXSW as an official festival act, and now the band is on the bill at Lollapalooza. Has it been a good year?
Elders: Yeah, definitely. It’s been really intense for us, but it’s been a really positive [year], and I think we’re definitely excited about all the stuff we’ve gotten to do in the past year. And definitely Lollapalooza feels like a really exciting kind of cap to that.
Davison: I think also, the record that we released almost exactly a year ago, I think it’s kind of now seeming like we’re really – it seems like people are just getting more familiar with it over the past year. This is the first LP that we’ve released, and it seems like, just, I don’t know, it’s kind of interesting and, once again, maybe sounds cheesy, but it does seem like people have developed more of a relationship with it over time, which is really, I don’t know, it just feels really rewarding to play for people who have this — I don’t know, it’s just amazing, I never really — when you are creating something, you never necessarily think that people are going to develop a relationship with it, and I think that, we toured right when it came out, we were really touring a lot, and, so now to go back to these places and headline, again, after a little bit of time later, it’s like, we are playing the songs better and have a better relationship with them, just in our level of comfort and sort of made them our own in the live setting, and people are responding to them differently. Like, responding to them like something that they know, rather than something that they’re being shown for the first time. So, it’s really cool.

– Jaime de’Medici

Following a serious car accident in late 2008, Deftones bassist Chi Cheng entered a coma, with his current condition described as “minimally conscious.” In the aftermath of Cheng’s tragedy, longtime friend of the band and previous musical collaborator Sergio Vega, formally of Quicksand, was brought into the Deftones as a touring and recording member in 2009. Vega would go on to perform on the band 2010 effort, Diamond Eyes, as well as at the album’s tour dates. Now, settled into his role in the band, Vega spoke with IE about his reception within the group, joining under tragic circumstances, and the group’s lost album, Eros, which was shelved following Cheng’s accident.

IE: You’ve been a touring and recording member of the Deftones for a few years now. How has that been?
Sergio Vega: They’re really nice people, and they just make me feel at home and comfortable. They’re very nice to work with and collaborate with, I was totally surprised — (or,) not surprised about that, because actually, I’ve known them for awhile. We met on the first Warped Tour, and I filled in for Chi in ‘99, and so, being brought into it to this extent, and just the way they treated me and made me feel comfortable, while still Chi being very much a prominent part of the thing, and never making me feel like a way — just a friend, it’s always been like, a friend. “You’re a friend, you’re a homie, thank you.”

IE: It’s never been Deftones and Sergio?
SV: No. I’ve always felt like brought into the fold and treated really nicely. it just speaks to their character, considering what they were going through, and not to have any carry-over and spillover. The way they treated me, the way that they were able to keep everything in a nice place, and Chi was always a part of our sessions when we were writing and recording, and just talking about him, and his presence was there, but in this really positive kind of energizing way. And, I can’t speak highly enough of them, really. They’re cool.”

– Jaime de’Medici

Catch a teaser now, and check the full interview coming in the September 2011 print edition of Illinois Entertainer.