ilentertainer's Latest Posts
Stage Buzz: Pitchfork Music Festival Chicago 2017 at Union Park
Now entering its second decade of existence, the 2017 Pitchfork Music Festival has assembled what is arguably one of their finest line-ups yet. The curation has always made an effort to be eclectic, and this year is certainly no exception. This year’s headliners include a newly activated LCD Soundsystem on Friday (July 14), old-school […]
Review and Gallery: Gorillaz at HBP at Northerly Island
Gorillaz Huntington Bank Pavilion At Northerly Island, Chicago Saturday, July 8, 2017 “I’ve been coming to Chicago since 1990 and you never cease to bewilder me,” exclaimed Gorillaz mastermind Damon Albarn to a widely enthusiastic and entirely sold out Huntington Bank Pavilion At Northerly Island on opening night of alternative ensemble’s Humanz Tour. While […]
Recap and Gallery: Dead & Company at Wrigley Field
Dead & Company Wrigley Field, Chicago Saturday, July 1, 2017 No, Dead & Company aren’t exactly the Grateful Dead, but considering the group consists of Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann, plus the originally unexpected but nonetheless exceptional John Mayer with Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti, it’s an all-star tribute to the original Dead. […]
Photo Gallery: Red Hot Chili Peppers at United Center
Red Hot Chili Peppers stormed Chicago’s United Center this past weekend, acting like the Jam Band they’ve always secretly hidden under a heavy blanket of tattoos and punk rock-infused funk riffs. Curt Baran parked himself in the photo pit for night one of a two night residency, fighting a soundtrack that all but dared him […]
Photo Gallery: 311 with New Politics at HBP at Northerly Island
An ominous looking cloud gathered over Northerly Island just before 311 took the stage. On an otherwise postcard ready evening, the gathering storm…oh who are we fooling?…it was weed people! This is 311 after all, the two go together like mac and cheese. Curt Baran went into the pit to capture the evenings proceedings. New […]
Stage Buzz/Recap/Gallery (Updated): Wolf Alice at Schubas
North London’s Wolf Alice completely eviscerated Chicago’s Schubas Tavern Wednesday. The intimate confines at Belmont and Southport proved to be the perfect setting for the quartet to preview songs from their forthcoming release (due this fall). They also tore through fan favorites that included “Moaning Lisa Smile,” “Bros,” “Giant Peach” and “Lisbon.” Curt Baran managed […]
Live Review and Gallery: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers with Chris Stapelton at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL Thursday, June 29, 2017 Reviewed by Jeff Elbel; Photos by Curt Baran Tom Petty paused during a deep dive through the Wildflowers album to tell Thursday’s sold-out Wrigley Field crowd exactly what it has been like to celebrate 40 years with the Heartbreakers. “I was going to say we’re having so […]
Media: July 2017
When Len O’Kelly was working in Chicago as a music director and disc jockey for radio stations like WJMK (104.3), academia was the furthest thing from his mind. At the time he was a college dropout and working in one of the top markets in the country. He thought he’d be doing that the rest […]
Cover Story: Megadeth
Not too long ago, Dave Mustaine brought his pile driving thrash-metal outfit Megadeth on tour – backing its recent Grammy-winning return to form, Dystopia — to Jakarta, the bustling capital of Indonesia on the island of Java that boasts a population of over ten million people. And he has a heartwarming when-in-Rome philosophy that guides […]
Photo Gallery: Def Leppard/Poison/Tesla at HCA
Ed Spinelli captured the stalwarts of ’80s metal in Tinley Park on June 24.
Photo Gallery and Recap: Metallica with Avenged Sevenfold and Local H at Soldier Field
Metallica Soldier Field, Chicago Sunday, June 18, 2017 In their 36-year career, Metallica never previously played Soldier Field until Sunday night, and while the home of the Chicago Bears doesn’t come equipped with a dome, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Robert Trujillo and Lars Ulrich would’ve surely blown the roof off the joint if it […]
Live Review: Nick Cave at the Auditorium Theatre
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL Friday, June 16, 2017 Review by Jeff Elbel So much for the fourth wall. Early during his concert at the Auditorium Theatre, Nick Cave blurred the line between the audience and the stage. By the end of the show, he had simply erased it. As […]
Live Review and Gallery: Iron Maiden at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Iron Maiden Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre Tinley Park, IL June 15, 2017 Photos by Curt Baran Review by Jeff Elbel The weekend began a day early for local headbangers of all ages, when legendary British metal band Iron Maiden made the final Chicago stop on its juggernaut The Book of Souls World Tour. The six members […]
Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds: HBP at Northerly Island
Ed Spinelli captured Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds acoustic tour at the former Meigs Field Setlist Lie in Our Graves Satellite Save Me What Would You Say Dive In Funny the Way It Is Warehouse Proudest Monkey Stay or Leave So Damn Lucky Bismarck Crush Che * Out of My Hands Worried Man Blues Samurai […]
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