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Tomorrow Never Knows preview!

Tomorrow Never Knows preview!

| December 31, 2011 | 0 Comments

Winter is always the hardest season for music lovers in Chicago because so few bands hit the road. And who can blame them? After all, the below-freezing temperatures, blustery snow, and icy roads are enough to make even the proudest native wish they were somewhere south,

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Interview: No I.D.

Interview: No I.D.

| December 31, 2011 | 0 Comments

Grab your torches, we found the person responsible for Kanye West. Actually, while most of local hip-hop history goes relatively unsung, people far and wide shout No I.D.’s praises – probably without knowing it.

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File: Year-End Top 10s

File: Year-End Top 10s

| December 31, 2011 | 2 Comments

The IE staff picks its favorite albums, reissues, live shows, and local bands of 2011.

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Best Songs Of 2011

Best Songs Of 2011

| December 31, 2011 | 0 Comments

Is that a giant list of songs, or are we just happy to see ya? For all the discussion surrounding the deaths of various recording styles and formats, 2011 was a fantastic year for songs. IE found very little overlap when our writers submitted their votes, which is astounding.

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Around Hear: January 2012

Around Hear: January 2012

| December 31, 2011 | 0 Comments

Richard Anthony is much more gifted as a songwriter than he is as a singer throughout Connected Part One, an odd but occasionally endearing synth-pop project where 100-percent of the proceeds go to foster-children’s charities.

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Caught In A Mosh: January 2012

Caught In A Mosh: January 2012

| December 31, 2011 | 0 Comments

Like Hulk Hogan, I am a real American. That means, first and foremost, I fight for the rights of every man. It also means I use geographically specific release dates for my year-ending top five. Hence Ghost‘s Opus Eponymous inclusion

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Digital Divide: January 2012

Digital Divide: January 2012

| December 31, 2011 | 0 Comments

So if you believe those wacky Mayans (and really, when have they ever lied to us?), there’s less than a year left on the lease here on the big blue marble. The countdown to oblivion is coming to town, so get dressed.

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Gear: January 2012

Gear: January 2012

| December 31, 2011 | 0 Comments

Of the dozens of musical gadgets we preview and review every year, a few stand out as “the best of best.” As we look back at 2011, we present Gear’s best of, uh . . . Gear!

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Media: January 2012

Media: January 2012

| December 31, 2011 | 0 Comments

Back in 1979, half of Chicago tuned into Wally Philips’ popular WGN-AM (720) morning show. That year, newcomer Steve Dahl released his song parodying the venerable Philips and his loyal listeners, “Oh Wally.”

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Studiophile: January 2012

Studiophile: January 2012

| December 31, 2011 | 0 Comments

It’s been six years since the release of her debut album . . . this side of yesterday, but January marks the return of indie-folk singer/songwriter Martha Berner. Her long-awaited full-length follow-up, Fool’s Fanatsy, also bears the stamp of her new band, The Significant Others.

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Sweet Home: January 2012

Sweet Home: January 2012

| December 31, 2011 | 0 Comments

Hubert Sumlin was one of the greatest blues guitarists of his generation. Famous for the explosive guitar riffs that he produced as a member of Howlin’ Wolf’s band, Sumlin influenced such rock-guitar gods as Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Keith Richards. His 80-year journey began in the Mississippi Delta and took him across the world […]

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The czars of the show

The czars of the show

| December 21, 2011 | 0 Comments

All the seasoned holiday performers are home with loved ones, frantically tearing through a hundred, identical Amazon.com boxes cuz the damned USB cable for Bobby’s gift has to be somewhere! Instead we have a plate of hard rock including Czar, Fires, and Steel Panther.

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New photo galleries online!

New photo galleries online!

| December 21, 2011 | 0 Comments

Head to our photo site for the latest pics from The Joy Formidable and Five Finger Death Punch!

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Language lessons

Language lessons

| December 16, 2011 | 0 Comments

“C’est la vie, adios/Good riddance, fuh –” oh, my. Coming up, you may find yourself getting some inexact language lessons from Five Finger Death Punch, or maybe just working on the ones you know with either Great Society Mind Destroyers or Ximena Sariñana.

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Celebrate the gift of giving to yourself

Celebrate the gift of giving to yourself

| December 15, 2011 | 0 Comments

This is the last weekend to shop for Christmas gifts. Wouldn’t you rather spend it at a concert? Try Foreign Exchange/ex-Little Brother rhymer Phonte, The Sea And Cake, or localboys I Fight Dragons!

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