Recent Articles
Despite All His Rage
Fender Guitars Billy Corgan Stratocaster Fender‘s new Billy Corgan Stratocaster was co-designed by the company and Corgan to accommodate the head Pumpkin’s need for a versatile Strat. “My greatest go-to guitar got stolen at a Pumpkins club date in 1991 or something like that [Club Avalon on Belmont?], and I’ve never seen it since,” Corgan […]
College Stations: Terrastrial Radio’s Last Frontier
Down at the left end of the dial, sprinkled among the non-commercial religious and public-radio stations, is where you’ll find the most subversive sounds on the radio. That’s the domain of college radio – where students and community DJs often play (and say) anything, and with its focus on the local and offbeat, college radio […]
Chicagoland Studio Happenings
At BOTA STUDIOS in Lake In The Hills, old-school thrashers Vicious worked on a full-length due out this month. BOTA also recently joined forced with Recording Artists Workshop (RAW) and have a new Web site at www.botastudio.com. At PARAGON RECORDING STUDIO in Chicago, local modern rock act 72 Hours tracked and mixed their next LP […]
A Skin Deep Preview
By the time you read this, Chicago’s premier axe man, Buddy Guy, will have received the first annual Great Performer Of Illinois Award on July 20th at Millennium Park. He will have hosted a record-release party at Legends on the same night, and, two days later, will have officially released his new album, Skin Deep […]
Breaking news: Brauerhouse burnt
The Brauerhouse, 57 N. Hillside Ave. in suburban Hillside, went up in flames late Monday, early Tuesday morning. The Chicago Tribune reports no injuries and police believe no one was inside at the time.
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.
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