Recent Articles
Sonic Youth live!
Vic Theatre, Chicago Saturday, June 27, 2009 Sonic Youth have always seemed like a band who shouldn’t exist. Or, more specifically, should no longer exist. In their embryonic stages, the New York-based quartet (stretched into a five-piece for this tour by adding ex-Pavement bassist Mark Ibold) could barely play their instruments. So they improvised […]
The Horse’s Ha preview
Schubas, Chicago Friday, July 3, 2009 Chicagoans Janet Bean (Eleventh Dream Day) and Jim Elkington (The Zincs) have made their Horse’s Ha side-project official. Sommeliers across the county can relax, as they’ve moved on to more salt-of-the-earth venues like Schubas.
Cage preview
Reggie’s, Chicago Tuesday, July 7, 2009 Cage has never really been the typical MC, but within the past four years, the New Yorker has moved further into his own alternative sonic existence.
File: July 2009
God Bless The Queen The blues world has lost its Queen. Koko Taylor, whose raw-edged, impassioned vocals won the hearts of fans worldwide for five decades, passed away at 80 on June 3rd of complications from gastrointestinal surgery.
Hello, My Name Is Lita
Q&A With Lita Ford IE: I’ve noticed a lot of Runaways imports in the record stores. That seems to be really hot right now. What is your involvement, if any, in the upcoming Runaways biopic? Lita Ford: We’ve had a bit of a falling out, and I just don’t care to be a part of […]
Around Hear: July 2009
Local Band Reviews Lubriphonic Lock five skilled blues musicians from the heart of Chicago in a room and ask them to jam for a couple of hours, and what do you get? Hopefully an all-out blues-soul-funk experience — and in the case of Chicago newcomers Lubriphonic, that’s exactly what’s delivered. The quintet lets all its […]
Media: July 2009
Live Local Bands Get Their Own Free Weekly (Free) TV Show “We’re encouraging local bands to support each other in a grassroots way,” says John Sink, executive producer of “Chicago/ Live,” a new live, weekly music performance series that airs Wednesday nights at midnight on WJYS TV-Channel 62 — just after “JBTV.” Editors note: Due […]
Caught In A Mosh: July 2009
Master’s No Puppet As if Master wasn’t enough of a reason to like Paul Speckmann, the dude credits this humble little magazine with boosting his career! In early 1984 Speckmann had just left War Cry (which, along with fellow Chicago doomsters Trouble, was a major influence on the mighty Cathedral) and craved something faster, more […]
Sweet Home: July 2009
Whole Lotta Music Goin’ On The bright spot in an otherwise drab and dreary spring is the group of high-quality new releases that have crossed my desk for review. I am especially pleased to see that Chicago labels are recording local talent — a trend I hope continues. As I have said many times before […]
DVD Zone: July 2009
Iron Maiden: Flight 666 UMe If Bruce Dickinson isn’t the coolest person on the planet, I’d be hard-pressed to tell you who is. Not only is he still one of the best and most charismatic frontmen in the business at age 50, but if he needs to catch the afternoon shuttle from London to Cardiff, […]
Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood live!
United Center, Chicago Wednesday, June 17, 2009 Considering the nucleus of Blind Faith hadn’t toured together since 1969, it was particularly monumental when Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood performed a short set together at Bridgeview’s Toyota Park in 2007 as part of the Crossroads Guitar Festival. Given that evening’s rave reviews and the pair’s unfathomable […]
Better Than Ezra preview
House Of Blues, Chicago Saturday, June 27, 2009 Most people you’d ask either love or hate Better Than Ezra, but the reason is probably the same: they’re full of hooks and they’re pretty good at fishing an audience with them. The band have never taken themselves too seriously, opting instead to show their fans […]
King Sunny Ade & Femi Kuti preview
Ravinia Festival, Highland Park Wednesday, July 1, 2009 Nigeria might be notorious for constant political turmoil, but there’s another constant in Nigerian culture that everyone should experience at least once: participating in a raucous Nigerian party with non-stop music. If you don’t have any Nigerian friends, not to worry, Ravinia is throwing a blockbuster Nigerian […]
Q101 Block Party review
Charter One Pavilion, Chicago Sunday, June 14, 2009 Mother Nature made a lot of people happy Sunday night, as she gave Q101, 311, and a whole slew of music fans a perfect night of weather for Q101’s annual “Block Party.” The not-quite-sold-out crowd enjoyed a beautiful summer night of quality live music, and judging by […]
PJ Harvey & John Parish live
Riviera, Chicago Friday, June 12, 2009 PJ Harvey has never shied away from the dark spaces. In fact, they almost seem to define her work. So it wasn’t at all unusual to find her singing “When you call out my name in rapture/I commit my soul to murder” during the opening moments of Friday night’s […]
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