Recent Articles
Stage Buzz: Heavy Chicago Fest November 1, 2 and 3
By Kelley Simms Heavy Chicago returns to Avondale Music Hall in this weekend for a second consecutive year. Last year’s festival was considered a rousing success, and this year’s fest is already living up to its prestige. A fantastic lineup is scheduled for three sweat-inducing days beginning this Friday, Nov. 1, and ending on Sunday, […]
Live Review & Photo Gallery: Iron Maiden at Allstate Arena • Rosemont
Iron Maiden Allstate Arena October 24, 2024 Rosemont, IL Live Review by Justice Petersen, photos by Edward Spinelli On Thursday, British heavy metal legends Iron Maiden brought The Future Past World Tour to Rosemont’s Allstate Arena. This tour is a thrilling and satisfying spectacle for well-experienced Iron Maiden fans. Like the band’s Eddie Rips Up […]
Spins: Woke Mountain Boys • Afraid of Leaving Home
Woke Mountain Boys Afraid of Leaving Home (Independent) Long before earning acclaim as a documentary filmmaker (notably including 1997’s In Whose Honor?, examining the use of Native American archetypes in sports), Jay Rosenstein was a local hero on the University of Illinois campus in Champaign. His band Otis and the Elevators were roots-rockers with jam […]
Live Review: The Claudettes at Mary’s Place • Rockford
The Claudettes Mary’s Place October 18, 2024 Rockford, IL Review and photos by Jeff Elbel. Enjoying a busy fall season on the road, Chicago’s inimitable wonders, The Claudettes, swung to nearby Rockford for a return visit to Mary’s Place. The watering hole rests along the Rock River and is the oldest bar in town. “This […]
Stage Buzz: The Sisters of Mercy, Iron Maiden, Justin Timberlake
British post punk icons The Sisters of Mercy are hailed as the godfathers of goth rock. Known for songs like “Temple of Love,” “Lucretia My Reflection,” and “This Corrosion,” the band’s influence spans across generations. They even influenced tour openers Blaqk Audio. Catch the two bands at the Aragon Ballroom on Wednesday, October 23 […]
Live Review: Saga at Arcada Theatre • St. Charles, IL
Saga Arcada Theatre St. Charles, IL Thursday, October 17, 2024 Review by Jeff Elbel. Photos courtesy of Onesti Entertainment/Jim Summaria Fans of Canadian progressive rock heroes Saga can thank Onesti Entertainment and the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles for hosting a rare US headlining stop on the band’s It Never Ends Tour. On Thursday night, the […]
Hello My Name is Exene from X • LA’s Seminal Punk Band on their Final Album and Tour
   1977. In a word: Whoa. While it never occurred to me at the time, as a college freshman back in Indianapolis, just starting to cover music for my school paper, in hindsight, it’s 20/20 clear just how lucky I was. Arguably, it was the year that punk rock broke and sped past all […]
Photo Gallery and Reap: Jelly Roll • United Center • Chicago
Jelly Roll with Warren Zeiders and Alexandra Kay Thursday, October 10 United Center Chicago, IL Photo Gallery and Reap: Edward Spinelli Some call him country; others say his style is southern rock with a hint of hip-hop, although perhaps most accurately, it’s a hybrid of them all; no matter how Jelly Roll is categorized, the […]
Stage Buzz: Tom Petty: Heartbreakers Beach Party Film Screening
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ fifth album, Long After Dark, added indelible singles, including “You Got Lucky” and “Change of Heart” to the band’s canon. In the studio and on the road in 1982 with the Heartbreakers, Cameron Crowe and his crew rolled film to create Tom Petty: Heartbreakers Beach Party. The documentary was the […]
Stage Buzz: Local H, André 3000, Rise Against, SAGA, Mushroomhead
You can’t keep Local H down. From lineup changes to last-minute tour cancellations, the Illinois natives keep moving forward. After their tour with Helmet was axed in August, the duo regrouped and planned a new tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of the fifth album, Whatever Happened to P.J. Soles? The duo will perform the 2004 album […]
Live Review: The Red Pears with Ultra Q at Park West • Chicago
The Red Pears with Ultra Q Wednesday, October 9 Park West Chicago, IL Review by Ashley Perez-Hollingsworth The Red Pears are proof that rock isn’t dead. It’s just underground. The El Monte band brought their garage-rock/Latin-infused sound to Chicago’s historic Park West in support of their latest album, Better Late Than Never. With The […]
Photo Gallery: Fontaines D.C. in Chicago
Fontaines D.C. The Salt Shed Chicago, IL October 9, 2024 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Over the course of nearly a decade, Dublin, Ireland’s Fontaines D.C., has cultivated an audience that is one performance at a time. Their take on Post-Punk across four albums has ensnared them a larger audience upon each subsequent release. […]
Stage Buzz: King’s X, Air, The Red Pears, The Psychedelic Furs
French electronic duo Air earned critical acclaim with their debut album, Moon Safari, back in 1998. With its blend of dream pop, downtempo beats, electronica, and trip-hop, the album was only the start of their influential legacy. The band will celebrate the 26th anniversary of their debut album with a full album performance at the Auditorium Theatre this […]
Photo Gallery: PJ Harvey • The Salt Shed • Chicago
PJ Harvey The Salt Shed Chicago, IL September 30, 2024 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Throughout her extraordinary career, Polly Jean Harvey has excelled at shape-shifting. It’s an extraordinary talent that has kept her audience guessing since her debut back in the early 90’s. What has never been in question is her galvanized status […]
Cover Story: Myles Kennedy • The Golden Voice
Since stepping up on stage from the audience to join the fictitious metal band Steel Dragon from the 2001 motion picture Rockstar, starring Mark Wahlberg, Myles “Thor” Kennedy has shuffled from one extraordinary musical opportunity to the next. In 2002, Kennedy was offered an audition for the vocalist spot in the newly formed supergroup Velvet […]
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