Recent Articles
Pitchfork Music Fest roundup!
Pitchfork Music Festival Union Park, Chicago July 18 to 20, 2008 / 7.5 It took nearly 24 hours of festival, but Pitchfork 2008 finally had its Dan Deacon moment after the “last band” took the stage. To put it in perspective, crowd safety was never threatened the way it was when fences were toppled during […]
John Mellencamp live!
John Mellencamp Charter One Pavilion, Chicago Tuesday, July 22, 2008 Often, all it takes is a little alone time to work out the kinks in an unruly or crabby attitude. Time-outs work wonders for children, then why not for Indiana-native John Mellencamp? Far from throwing any tantrums on a brisk Tuesday night at the Charter […]
The Crue And Friends Live!
Cruefest First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, Tinley Park Wednesday, July 16, 2008 Metalheads young and old united last Wednesday for Cruefest, so named for headliner Motley Crue. With a bill running the gamut of metal sub-genres –Trapt, Sixx: A.M., Papa Roach, Buckcherry, and Crue — the crowd was a Mulligan Stew of characters, from 35-year-old yuppies […]
The Coke Dares
The Coke Dares Ronny’s, Chicago Thursday, July 24, 2008 Jumping out of an airplane and finding out halfway down your parachute fails to open will probably result in one of those life-flashing-before-your-eyes moments. The same can be said of The Coke Dares’ second full-length, Feelin’ Up (Essay/Reibenbach). The trio blast through 33 songs in less […]
Jonny Rumble preview
Jonny Rumble Metro, Chicago Friday, July 25, 2008 Rock ‘n’ roll hasn’t kicked the bucket yet, but according to Jonny Rumble, it’s definitely seen better damn days.
Earlimart preview
Earlimart Hideout, Chicago Saturday, July 26, 2008 Nonchalant indie rockers Earlimart dropped two members and broke their customary, three-year stretch to post Hymn And Her (Majordomo) within a year of their last album, Mentor Tormentor. How does this blistering pace manifest itself?
The Black Ghosts reviewed
The Black Ghosts The Black Ghosts (Iamsound) Judging from Simian Mobile Disco’s debut, it seemed likely the split occurred on artistic grounds: Jameses Ford and Shaw wanted to go pop, while Simon Lord and Alex MacNougthon preferred the experimental angle. Judging from The Black Ghosts, Lord should be in SMD. Appearing: Thursday, July 24th at […]
Red Red Meat reunite!
Red Red Meat Hideout, Chicago Thursday, July 10, 2008 The grin on Red Red Meat frontman Tim Rutili’s face was eerily similar to the one on Steve Albini’s puss two years earlier. Then, during Big Black’s three-song reunion, Albini cracked: “I know what you’re thinking: ‘What’s the big deal?’” During the Meat’s, Rutili was more […]
Yaz returns!
Yaz Chicago Theatre, Chicago Monday, July 14, 2008 The entire short-lived career of Yaz (known as Yazoo overseas) could be summed up in the final 15 minutes of its “Reconnected” tour: the dance floor packer “Don’t Go,” the haunting ballad “Only You,” and the club anthem “Situation.” But somehow the synth-pop duo of frontwoman Alison […]
Gregory Isaacs live!
Gregory Isaacs African Caribbean Festival Of Life, Washington Park Saturday, July 5, 2008 The Cool Ruler lives. In a characteristically laid-back performance, Gregory Isaacs, one of reggae’s most singular and prolific artists, proved that 40 years of pumping out hits has not made him obsolete, but essential to the genre’s contemporary canon.
Pitchfork Music Festival preview
Pitchfork Music Festival Union Park, Chicago July 18 – 20, 2008 Chicago-based Pitchforkmedia.com hosts its annual festival this weekend, and though tickets only remain for Friday night’s “Don’t Look Back” expose, we’ve marked some highlights for those of you inside and outside the gates.
Pat Benatar preview
Pat Benatar House Of Blues, Chicago Friday, July 18, 2008 Everything that once was comes back again and again. Walk into an Express these days and you’ll find leggings, stirrup pants, and wide elastic belts for sale. Someone having an ’80s party? No need to scrounge thrift stores or those old boxes in the basement […]
Valient Thorr preview
Valient Thorr Reggie’s Rock Club, Chicago Saturday, July 19, 2008 Tom Cruise believes they attach their souls to chosen humans, members of the Air Force’s 509th Bomb Group stationed in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947 might have captured a few, and Sammy Hagar was abducted by them (twice!), but most of us know very little […]
Bowerbirds preview
Bowerbirds Schubas, Chicago Sunday, July 20, 2008 This backwoods-dwelling, North Carolinian trio emerge for another road trip, supporting the re-release of their homespun debut.
Feufollet preview
Feufollet Dawes Park, Evanston Sunday, July 20, 2008 It’s not hard to imagine Anne Rice’s vampire, Lestat, sulking in the dark corners of a Louisiana dance hall scoping out the lean necks of his potential victims with Feufollet’s music driving the activity.
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