Recent Articles
Radiohead live at FMBA!
If you think this is over then you’re wrong: Thom Yorke convincingly sang those words during the Radiohead‘s first encore Sunday night, at a near-capacity First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre. Now rewind to 2011: the band released The King Of Limbs (TBD), its eighth studio album, played a handful of dates, and all but disappeared. Speculation […]
Roger Waters live!
Epic: it’s a word that gets bandied about so often that it’s lost a great deal of its impact. But back in 1979, when Pink Floyd released the The Wall, the word was the most concise and accurate way of describing the work.
The Dr. is on
As The Black Keys put their production hands on another artist, they manage to push him back in time. Slightly. Dr. John appears this weekend, as do Gospel Music.
When life gives you Lemonade . . .
. . . you certainly don’t make tracks like U2’s “Lemon.” Nevertheless, in town this weekend are Lemonade, Madonna-picked DJ Martin Solveig, and Royal Headache. Whether you add raspberry, Lynchburg tea, or gobs of sugar is up to you.
New Edition reunion
Even though New Edition’s remained a consistent presence on the road in various incarnations, this year marks a complete reunion for the R&B supergroup in celebration of its 30th anniversary. Besides taking a trip down memory lane to dust off
Thrice’s last Chicago show!
Farewell shows and tours are a tricky proposition. Few acts truly stay broken up (welcome back, Soundgarden). And even the finality of death isn’t quite the performance deterrent it once was (nice to have you back, Pac).
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros live!
Anyone awaiting the second coming only had to snatch up tickets to Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros‘ sold out stop in Chicago to see it come to fruition. At least that’s how the sweaty throngs up front treated the streamlined show
Cover Story: Tenacious D
Following the undisputed success of their debut album and given the experience of a cult-favorite HBO series, letting Tenacious D make a movie seemed the logical thing to do. Few expected 2006’s Tenacious D In The Pick Of Destiny
Interview: The dB’s
However few they may have been at the time (or remain still today), those of a certain age with some degree of rock enlightenment in the 1980s found a moment of pure pop incandescence in The dB’s‘ (however seemingly brief) rise to
Interview: Like Pioneers
When it comes to Chicago’s fraternal indie-rock pool, few outfits are in as deeply as Like Pioneers. In fact, it wouldn’t be that far-fetched to suggest the quintet is an underground supergroup of sorts, thanks to former
Around Hear: June 2012
With an acoustic guitar and a sweet, Midwestern croon, singer/songwriter Heather Styka sings her heart out on Lifeboats For Atlantis. Styka’s sincerity and a knack for vivid storytelling permeate the 14 tracks. Traces of Janis Joplin, Karen
Caught In A Mosh: June 2012
Our July 2007 cover story on Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival at Toyota Park focused on the increasingly limited role of lead guitarists in pop music. Les Paul and Jim Marshall have since died, meanwhile potential investors have been
Digital Divide: June 2012
It’s got to be quite a daunting task: how do you make the transition from creating an iconic film character beloved around the world, to leaving it behind and staking your claim to a long and successful career? Some, like Sean Connery, manage
File: June 2012
In what was expected to be a slam-dunk conviction, Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan acquitted Justin Pivec of aggravated battery in 2010’s brutal beating of Madina Lake bassist
Hello, My Name Is Jackie
IE: It’s been 28 years since The Jacksons hit the road. Why did this summer feel right for the “Unity” Tour? Jackie Jackson: We decided we should go out because the fans kept calling us and saying we should tour.










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