Recent Articles
Pitchfork Music Festival Preview
We’ve been asked for weeks: Are you guys doing a Pitchfork preview? What kind of preview are you doing for Pitchfork? Pitchfork?
‘Til Tuesday
This weekend you can do Folk & Roots, see 2 Live Crew at the Exxxotica Expo in Rosemont, or, in a bizarre symbiosis of the two, watch Dave Matthews dump poop in the lake at his Caravan. But what for Tuesday? Jolie Holland returns . . .
U2 live!
At a Grammy Awards ceremony a decade ago, U2 frontman Bono proclaimed that his band was “reapplying for the job of the best band in the world.” In order to accomplish this Herculean task, the Irish quartet would fall back on a dependable approach, specifically aping their own sound for maximum impact. The side effects, […]
We’re getting the band back together
Those words might seem cringe-worthy for, say, Loverboy or someone. But coming from Archers Of Loaf, one of the true progenitors of indie rock, they’re welcome words – fightin’ words. They play Friday, as do Yob and The Wooden Birds.
Your holiday schedule
You’ve proven incapable of handling the most meager tasks when left to your own devices. Independent study? FAIL! This weekend, you will see Ronnie Montrose, Jeff The Brotherhood, hit FitzGerald’s American Music Festival, and then drive to Iowa for the 80/35 Festival, too. Get going!
Cover Story: Soundgarden
The Place I Tried To Live Through the phone line, you can practically hear Kim Thayil’s eyes squint and roll a little up. He’s drawing mental maps and can’t quite picture Chicago’s layout as his questions are answered. Appearing: Saturday, July 16th at UIC Pavilion in Chicago.
Interview: Mat Kearney
Water Log Like many Nashville musicians, Mat Kearney lost practically all his instruments and equipment in the 2010 flood, and while that could’ve easily spawned a negative attitude (not to mention a pile of bills), the singer/songwriter simply stripped his entire life down. Appearing: Friday, July 29th at Aragon Ballroom in Chicago.
Interview: The Flaming Lips
All Points ‘Bulletin’ Normally about this time – two years removed from album release, marking up the skies while flying between festival appearances – Wayne Coyne would retreat into filmmaking. Appearing: Thursday, July 7th and Friday the 8th at Aragon Ballroom, and Sunday, July 10th at Dave Matthews Band Caravan in Chicago.
Interview: Centro-matic
Bass Desires Will Johnson doesn’t see it. Of course, he’s tethered to his cellphone charger, so he lacks for range right now. But a binding characteristic among Texan musicians, specifically those from his former base/musical hotbed Denton? No. Not really.
Eddie Vedder live!
Dark and depressing are rarely, if ever, words that get appropriated when referring to the ukulele. The fragile instrument usually stirs visions of grass skirts and Hawaiian sunsets. But on his first, non-soundtrack solo effort (Ukulele Songs) Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder searches the shadows beyond the palm trees, finding surprising sadness in the twine […]
Hello, My Name Is Dolly
Q&A with Dolly Parton IE: What advice would you pass on to a 20-year-old Dolly? Dolly Parton: One of my favorite sayings of all time is that to thine ownself be true. I think that says so much.
Around Hear: July 2011
Local Band Reviews In just six songs, Automata packs an atmospheric soundtrack in its debut EP. Microcosm is a genre-defying pastiche of psychedelic guitar, swirling keyboards, and shuffling rhythms supporting Rachel Sarah Thomas’ soulful crooning.
Caught In A Mosh: July 2011
. . . And Justice For All In Use Your Illusion II‘s “Get In The Ring,” Axl Rose called out a number of rock journalists and editors, but famously referred to Mick Wall as the “punk in the press who wants to start shit by printing lies instead of the things we say.” There was […]
Digital Divide: July 2011
A Few Small Repairs If there’s one thing that can be taken as gospel, it’s the belief that if something works once, it will most assuredly work again for someone else. Of course, that little pearl of wisdom rarely turns out to be true, but it sure doesn’t stop Hollywood from clicking its heels three […]
File: July 2011
Ah, Gee, Pat More than 50 Major League ballplayers have gone 6-for-6 at the plate in a single game – a handful went 6-for-7; only Rennie Stennett ever hit 7-for-7 – but no Chicago reps since One Dog in ’95 and Scammin’ Sammy in ’93. What could we possibly be driving at? Last year, for […]
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