Brassneck
Brassneck's Latest Posts
Stage Buzz: Frank Black, Psychostick, King Buffalo
Before Metalocalypse showed us just how funny metal could be, there was Psychostick. The band has been using hard rock and metal for their humorous songs that range from celebrating the tastiness of beer and how much doing laundry sucks. The band will bring their unique humor to Beat Kitchen this Saturday, January 25th at […]
Stage Buzz: Tomorrow Never Knows Festival, Joy Oladokun, Myles Kennedy
Brace yourself against the January freeze to check out rising local indie artists with this yearâs Tomorrow Never Knows festival. Taking place across various venues throughout the city, this yearâs lineup features Half Waif, Airiel, Your Smith, Linda Sol, Maps & Atlases, Been Stellar, Manwolves, and more. Kick off your year by checking out […]
Stage Buzz: Knuckle Puck, CupcaKKe, G Love and Special Sauce
After a six-year wait, Chicago native CupcaKKe returned with her new album, Dauntless Manifesto, last year. And as youâd expect, itâs full of the brazen, unapologetic, and raunchy flows the rapper is known for. She returns to her hometown for a performance at Bottom Lounge this Thursday, January 9th, at 9 PM. If you want […]
Cover Story: Alison Moyet ⢠Legacy is Overrated
 She may not have descended to the cynical, humanity-doubting depths of Moliereâs âThe Misanthrope.â But synth-pop diva turned Neo-soul stylist Alison Moyet could be getting awfully close.     The French-descended, English-bred artist first conquered worldwide charts via Yazoo (or just Yaz Stateside), her memorable duo with ex-Depeche Mode keyboardist Vince Clarke, and […]
Media: January 2025 ⢠Gone, But Not Forgotten
Every year, I write a piece about the people that we lost in the Chicago media world the previous year. We lost some great talent in 2024. Bob Newhart (July) If youâre my age or younger, you donât remember a time when Bob Newhart was not famous. Bob was an ordinary Chicagoan when […]
Stage Buzz: NYE: Lake Street Dive, Local H, Laura Jane Grace, Mr. Blotto
Lake Street Dive will perform a pair of New Yearâs Eve shows at Salt Shed. Even better, the performance will be featured on ABCâs Countdown Chicago with hosts Terrell Brown and Cheryl Scott. The celebration goes down at Salt Shed on Monday, December 30th, and Tuesday, December 31st, with support from Theo Katzman. Grab tickets […]
Advertiser Message: Drive Well Auto Spa ⢠Mount Prospect
For multitaskers who value mental health as well as a gleaming ride, Mt. Prospect is now home to a facility that is ready to serve both needs. Drive Well Auto Spa elevates the strictly utilitarian purpose of a drive-through car wash with immersive sight and sound. Owners Sanjay and Gita Murthy promise âMore than a […]
Stage Buzz: Daughtry, Suki Waterhouse, The Effigies, Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Grammy award-winning rockers Daughtry will treat fans to hit singles, acoustic renditions, and cover songs during the groupâs âAdrenaline Gone Ballistic Tour.â The tour rolls into Chicagoâs Radius this Tuesday, December 17th, at 6:30 PM with special guests Sleep Theory and Devour the Day. Treat yourself to an early gift and grab tickets here. Suki […]
Live Review and Gallery: Andrew Birdâs Gezelligheid ⢠Fourth Presbyterian Church ⢠Chicago
Andrew Birdâs Gezelligheid Fourth Presbyterian Church Chicago, IL December 13, 2024 Review and photos by Jeff Elbel Thanks to Andrew Bird, Chicagoans have known since 2009 that âgezelligheidâ is a Dutch term that loosely translates to âcoziness.â On Friday, Bird concluded a seven-night string of his Gezelligheid concerts celebrating the season in the beautiful […]
Stage Buzz: Twisted Xmas: Smashing Pumpkins, All American Rejects, plus Umphreyâs McGee
Q101âs holiday tradition, Twisted Xmas, kicks off this week with a series of canât-miss shows that will get you in the holiday spirit or (hopefully) help you escape the reigns of the Christmas Queen (aka Mariah Carey). The series of concerts kicks off on Tuesday, December 10th, with performances from Cage the Elephant and Franz […]
Live Review: Lou Gramm All Stars ⢠Arcada Theatre ⢠St. Charles
Lou Gramm All-Stars Arcada Theatre St. Charles, IL December 5, 2024 Review by Jeff Elbel Singer and songwriter Lou Gramm returned to his regular haunt at the Arcada Theatre to warm up a cold Thursday night in December. The original voice of newly minted Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Foreigner delivered 80 […]
Spins: Buck Curran ⢠One Evening and Other Folk Songs
Buck Curran One Evening and Other Folk Songs (ESP-Diskâ/Obsolete Recordings) Singer-songwriter Buck Curran offers the aptly named One Evening and Other Folk Songs as a snapshot of creative evolution since 2020âs No Love is Sorrow. Learned quickly and captured mostly in intuitive live takes in an Italian studio, these psychedelic folk songs find Curran and […]
Spins: Thompson Twins ⢠Into the Gap 40th Anniversary LP
Thompson Twins Into the Gap 40th anniversary LP (BMG) Thompson Twinsâ fourth album, Into the Gap, is one of the emblematic New Wave albums of the â80s. The album was a creative, cultural, and commercial smash that saturated radio and then-influential MTV. The albumâs indelible singles include a song of reconciliation, âHold Me Now,â the moody and amorous […]
Spins: Neon Horse ⢠Habit of Creature
Neon Horse Habit of Creature (Velvet Blue) The originally clandestine gothic rockers Neon Horse released a second full-length album called Haunted Horse: Songs of Love, Defiance, and Delusion in 2009. Already about as underground as they come, the band went further underground. Fifteen years later, the disbanded band has re-banded to lob this Molotov […]
Cover Story: The Effigies ⢠The Spirit of the Scene
At its outset, 2023 looked to be an unexpected banner year for Chicago punk-scene legends The Effigies. COVID had finally waned, national concert attendance had rebounded, and the once-moribund music business itself was on a creative upswing â a perfect backdrop for Burned, the bandâs latest (fifth) album, a surprise power-chorded treat for longtime fans […]
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