Recent Articles
CinemaScopes: UHF 35th Anniversary Edition
UHF 35th Anniversary Edition (Shout! Factory) Review by Jeff Elbel It’s been 35 years since we were introduced to the Twinkie-wiener sandwich, and fans everywhere were encouraged to grab life by the lips and yank. Shout! Factory invites us once again to “turn up the volume, and yank of the knob.” All of that yanking […]
Photo Gallery: Japanese Breakfast
Japanese Breakfast The Salt Shed Chicago, IL April 30, 2025 Recap and photos by Curt Baran While not exactly the equivalent of securing an EGOT, at the very least, Michelle Zauner has established herself as a multi-hyphenate. Singer-songwriter-best-selling author is now her title to claim. Her book Crying In H Mart, a devastatingly emotional account […]
Rock of Pages: The Ballad of the Lost Dogs of East Nashville • by John J. Thompson
The Ballad of the Lost Dogs of East Nashville By John J. Thompson (Gyroscope) Review by Jeff Elbel Like a few of the central characters in this book, singer-songwriter John J. Thompson of alt-country/gospel band the Wayside may seem a bit tardy in offering his best gifts to the world. He’s an experienced storyteller and […]
Stage Buzz: Wednesday 13, Machine Head, Unto Others, Vintage Blonde
For the past two decades, Wednesday 13 aka The Duke of Spook has been serving up spooky tricks and ghostly gags with his brand of horrorpunk. Now, the rocker is looking back on his horrific career on the “There’s No Such Things as Monsters” tour, which celebrates 20 years of his debut album, Transylvania 90210, […]
Stage Buzz: Jon Anderson, Bullet For My Valentine, Spiritbox, L.S. Dunes
In only a few short years Spiritbox became one of the most notable bands in metal. They breathe new life into the genre with their blend of metalcore, shoe-gaze, hard rock, and nu metal. They’ve even dipped their toes into hip hop with unexpected collabs with Megan The Stallion. Their second album, Tsunami Sea, cements […]
Stage Buzz: Mogwai, Peter Frampton, 2025 Millennium Tour
The legendary Peter Frampton forever changed how we thought about guitars with his iconic talk box. His landmark double album Frampton Comes Alive! featuring hits like “Show Me The Way,” “Baby I Love Your Way,” and “Do You Feel Like We Do” earned him guitar hero status. Hear these classics and more when Frampton performs […]
Photo Gallery: The Linda Lindas at Metro • Chicago
The Linda Lindas April 13, 2025 Metro Chicago Recap and photos by Curt Baran The web and social media have become a quasi-American Idol lottery. It has created a portal for musicians to get their music exposed, but the traffic and sheer volume of products make it nearly impossible to break through. In 2021, The Linda Lindas, […]
Photo Gallery: Ani DiFranco at Thalia Hall • Chicago
Ani DiFranco Friday, April 11, 2025 Thalia Hall Chicago Recap and photos by Curt Baran “In a coffee shop in a city/Which is every coffee shop in every city/On a day which is every day.” It could be argued that these lyrics are quintessential Ani Difranco. They certainly speak to her earliest days of busking […]
Stage Buzz: While She Sleeps, Jack White, The Linda Lindas
Over the past 19 years, While She Sleeps went from scrappy Sheffield punks with an itch to play music to one of the titans of metalcore. With their latest album, Self Hell, they chart new sonic territory, broadening their sound to push beyond the confines of metal. After the pandemic cut their 2020 US […]
Live Review: Daniel Lanois • Epiphany Center for the Arts • Chicago
Daniel Lanois Epiphany Center for the Arts Chicago Friday, April 4, 2025 Review and live photos by Jeff Elbel Friday’s performance in the ornate Sanctuary at Chicago’s Epiphany Center for the Arts was the latest entry in the venue’s second season of Reflections concerts. The series offers local fans of ambient music an immersive experience […]
Live Review: Stereophonics at The Vic Theatre • Chicago
Stereophonics The Vic Theatre, Chicago, IL Sunday, March 30, 2025 Live review and photos by Jeff Elbel Welsh rock heroes, Stereophonics reunited with a sold-out roomful of Chicago-based fans to close the weekend at the Vic Theatre. Sunday’s setlist was loaded with European hit singles and favorites of the band’s devoted local cult. In addition […]
Cover Story: Peter Murphy • Return of the Lion
As an Artist matures, amasses a tangible catalog of work, and inches — or even hurtles — toward their career’s coda, many arrive at moments of insightful, illuminating wisdom that effectively encapsulate their achievements for posterity. For example, Picasso noted that “Inspiration does exist, but it must find you working,” while Thoreau insisted that “It’s […]
Media: April 2025 • Road to Rock Class of ’24 and ’25
If you were wondering what happened to the 2024 Class of the Illinois Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which was supposed to be inducted on March 30th, the answers were revealed last month. The Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66 has rescheduled its annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony to Sunday, […]
CinemaScopes: April 2025 • 20 Years of The Revenge of the Sith
If you somehow lived under a rock or were not old enough (or born enough) to see this in theaters, Disney is re-releasing Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, the final film in the prequel trilogy, in celebration of the 20th Anniversary. Starting April 25th, the film will be shown in select theaters […]
IE 2025 Record Store Day Guide
Record Store Day was conceived in 2007 at a gathering of independent record store owners and employees as a way to celebrate and spread the word about the unique culture surrounding nearly 1400 independently owned record stores in the US and thousands of similar stores internationally. The first Record Store Day took place on April […]
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