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Win Flogging Molly tickets!
We have a pair of tickets for the Flogging Molly concert next Saturday, the 12th! Click on to answer our question and enter the giveaway.
Merging of species
Pre-SXSW, two of Merge Records’ non-Grammy winning, power-poppish heroes arrive to state their case for next year’s awards season.
More photos up!
Be sure to check out our exclusive pictures site for recent live shots of Motorhead, Kesha, and Kid Rock! All at illinoisentertainerphoto.com!
Cover Story: Rise Against
Target Market To just about any music fan, Rise Against would be hard to ignore. Arlington Heights-raised Tim McIlrath sings as if his skin is on fire, while his bandmates push relentlessly behind him and pause only to rally behind a new anthemic phrase.
Interview: Cut Copy
Get Them To The Park It’s tough to find transcendent live performances. Great shows abound, no doubt, but contrivance and choreography rob fans of that unique experience. You can throw festivals out almost altogether, no matter how many times Wayne Coyne hops in his bubble
Interview: Iron & Wine
The Dis-Quiet Man Two days on, news of Arcade Fire’s shock win at the Grammys hadn’t reached Sam Beam in Amsterdam. “Wow,” he says, clearly surprised. “That’s great.” Will this be a game-changer for him? Is now the time for indie rockers to sell out en masse?
Special Section: Studio Guide 2011
Picking A Producer They can make you or break you. For every great producer (Butch Vig/Smashing Pumpkins; Phil Chess/ Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon) who’s made the career of a local or national artist or band, there’s a horror story of band and producer conflicts.
Around Hear: March 2011
Local Band Reviews Logan Square’s Love Raid carry on a tradition of Chicago bands who have an affinity for Brit-Pop of all eras, ranging from Village Green-era Kinks (“Superstar Serenade”) to Pulp (“Present Tense”), and Parklife-era Blur
Caught In A Mosh: March 2011
Eastern Promises There’s very little to complain about when it comes to being a headbanger in Chicago. There are good-to-great shows every week of the year, metal-catering venues across the city, and a metric ton of homegrown talent.
Digital Divide: March 2011
Due Date Warner Home Video Funny thing about career revivals — one gets the impression that they can do no wrong. As a result, the actor in question will take roles that perhaps they should have been warned against.
File: March 2011
Austin Power Yes, the South By Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas has become something entirely different. Like MTV, SXSW doesn’t aspire to modesty. Miller Lite and Chevrolet are sponsors, Duran Duran and Duff McKagan will perform, and sxsw.com features an interview with “American Idol” runner-up (and holder of a major-label contract) Crystal Bowersox. There […]
Hello, My Name Is Gord
Q&A With Tragically Hip’s Gord Downie IE: How do you balance The Tragically Hip with your solo career? Gord Downie: I don’t really worry about balance. Just like anybody, I move from one thing to the other. I’m into the process of discovering things and chasing surprises.
Gear: March 2011
Roland R-05 Digital Recorder In the past several years, the competition in the hand-held digital-recording business has become extremely cluttered with dozens of contraptions to capture your music in a portable format. www.roland.usMost major manufacturers (Tascam, Korg, Boss) have released multitudes of cellphone-sized recording devices that recorded HD-quality sound onto an SD card or onboard […]
Media: March 2011
The Future Of Public Access TV In Chicago Any individual or organization in Chicago can learn how to produce their own program at Chicago Access Corporation (CAN TV) and show it on one of its five channels. That’s because of the city’s strong cable-TV franchise agreement, which allows CAN TV to receive its funding directly […]
Studiophile: March 2011
Smoking Hot Mic Smoking Popes vocalist Josh Caterer recorded a solo track for a yet to be named benefit compilation, and is currently working on another non-Popes project at MILLION YEN in Chicago . . . Also at Million Yen, acclaimed indie producer J. Robbins was in town tracking noted indie band
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