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Pitchfork Music Festival 2024 • Day One
Pitchfork Music Festival Union Park Friday, July 19 Chicago, IL Recap and photos by Curt Baran The Pitchfork Music Festival has secured itself a reputation as being the “farm league” of fests, to borrow a baseball term. They cultivate the newest talent, and then those bands or artists move onto the larger stages. Some even […]
Pitchfork Music Festival • Day Two (Part One)
Pitchfork Music Festival Union Park Saturday, July 20 Chicago, IL Attendees for Day Two were greeted by perfect festival weather (80 degrees and sunny) and endless options from the day’s musical menu. Headliner Jamie xx took care of the techno crowd, but the afternoon and evening also featured performances from Lifeguard (Chicago’s own), L’Rain, Kara […]
Pitchfork Music Festival 2024 • Day Three
Pitchfork Music Festival Union Park Sunday, July 21 Chicago, IL Recap and photos by Curt Baran Arguably, the third day of P4K features some of the weekend’s highlight performances Model/ Actriz annihilated the fourth wall during their set, and Mannequin Pussy continued to prove that they are simply one of the best live bands on […]
Pitchfork Festival 2024 • Day Two (Part Two)
Pitchfork Music Festival Union Park Saturday, July 20 Chicago, IL Attendees for Day Two were greeted by perfect festival weather (80 degrees and sunny) and endless options from the day’s musical menu. Headliner Jamie xx took care of the techno crowd, but the afternoon and evening also featured performances from Lifeguard (Chicago’s own), L’Rain, Kara […]
Stage Buzz: Pitchfork Music Fest, Model/Actriz, Halestorm, Limp Bizkit
Pitchfork Music Festival returns to Union Park this weekend for three days of great music, lots of dancing, and good vibes. This year’s lineup features headliners Black Pumas, Jamie xx, and Alanis Morissette. Other acts on the bill include 100 gecs Jai Paul, Carly Rae Jepsen, De La Soul, Bratmobile, Brittany Howard, Grandmaster Flash, […]
Stage Buzz: Windy City Smokeout, Square Roots Fest, Mother Mother, Pussy Riot
One of Chicago’s most beloved music fests that haven’t fled to the suburbs this year, Windy City Smokeout, is back in the United Center parking lot this weekend with an impressive country lineup, including Thomas Rhett, Parker McCollum, Cody Johnson, and Carrie Underwood. The event also features some of the country’s best BBQ and craft […]
Stage Buzz: EKKSTACY, NASCAR: The Chainsmokers, The Black Keys, Keith Urban, and Lauren Alaina, The Wallflowers
The Wallflowers, led by Jakob Dylan, are still going strong over 30 years since their debut. Though their most recent album, Exit Wounds, came out in 2021, they’ll forever be known for their ‘90s staples “One Headlight,” “6th Avenue Heartache,” “The Difference,” and “Three Marlenas.” Hear the latest and greatest from the band during […]
Photo Gallery: Santana with Counting Crows • Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre • Tinley Park
Santana with Counting Crows Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre Tinley Park Saturday, June 29, 2024 Recap and gallery by Curt Baran Two titans of the San Francisco Bay Music scene touched down in suburban Tinley Park this past weekend. ‘60’s legend Carlos Santana, who, at age 76, may have spent the majority of his set playing […]
Stage Buzz: Rolling Stones, Hawthorne Heights, Third Eye Blind
The Rolling Stones are defying the odds. The original bad boys of rock are still touring and making new music 62 years (!) in their career. Their 24th album, Hackney Diamonds, dropped last year. But it’s classics like “Start Me Up,” “Miss You,” “Paint It Black,” “Sympathy for the Devil,” “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” and “(I […]
Stage Buzz: Brigitte Calls Me Baby, Big Suit
Actor, global superstar, dancer, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee. Janet Jackson has done it all. Even this far into her career, Ms. Jackson shows no signs of stopping. One of the most influential women in R&B/Pop, she still knows how to put on a killer show. See it for yourself when she performs […]
Live Review: Robert Plant & Alison Krauss • Ravinia Festival • Highland Park
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss Ravinia Festival Highland Park, IL Wednesday, June 12, 2024 Review by Jeff Elbel. Photos by Kyle Dunleavy/Ravinia Festival. Wednesday’s concert at Ravinia Festival celebrated the seemingly serendipitous pairing of rock legend Robert Plant and bluegrass torchbearer Alison Krauss. While emphasizing roots music and Americana, the bandleaders’ partnership testified to the […]
Photo Gallery: Sarah McLachlan • Huntington Bank Pavilion • Chicago
Sarah McLachlan Huntington Bank Pavilion Chicago, IL June 11, 2024 Recap and photos by Curt Baran If you closed your eyes, it was as if you’d been transported back to 1994. Sarah McLachlan began singing “Possession” from her Fumbling Toward Ecstasy album from that year and it sounded as if her voice had been cryogenically […]
Stage Buzz: The Dead Daisies with Enuff Z’Nuff, Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash, PVRIS
Heavy rock supergroup The Dead Daisies, led by ex-Motley Crue vocalist John Corabi, arrive at Arcada Theatre on Wednesday, June 12. Touring in support of their new single “Light Em Up” (and new album in September), expect an evening of classic tracks (“Rise Up,” “Long Way to Go”) from their decade together. Local glam rockers […]
Photo Gallery: Khruangbin • June 7 • Chicago
Khruangbin The Salt Shed Chicago, IL June 7, 2024 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Few celebrate summer like Chicago. It seemingly takes forever to arrive and vanishes in an eye blink. So, when an evening presents itself as the perfect combination of weather and soundtrack, it feels like an absolute victory. Such was the […]
Feature: Kula Shaker • Spiritual Relationships
“Not dead YET.” For better or worse, that has become my patented gallows-humored, post-pandemic response to anyone who casually inquires how I’m doing. Based on the hilarious Monty Python Death Cart scene in The Holy Grail, I’ve found it to be a good way of underscoring the […]
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