Recent Articles
Paradise Behind The Console
Michael Kolar recently took one of the biggest leaps in his five years of owning Soundscape Studios: moving from a hidden space within a factory on Fulton Street to a bustling building in the recently revitalized near South Side. Sitting in the deluxe, custom-designed Red Room of his new studio on South Wabash, the engineer […]
Bringing It All Back Home
Eric Bibb comes from a musical place. His father, folk-singer Leon Bibb, made a name for himself in the 1960s New York folk scene, his uncle was John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet, and the legendary Paul Robeson was his godfather. Bibb grew up surrounded by musical icons. Bob Dylan advised him to “keep […]
Hip-Hop Honors Tour live!
The Roots, MC Lyte, Big Daddy Kane House Of Blues, Chicago Saturday, September 22, 2007 Considering the popularity of crunk, “pop, lock, and drop it,” and everything else that passes for hip-hop these days, a tour highlighting the golden days of beats and real rhymes proves to be sorely necessary. With hip-hop revolutionaries The Roots […]
Common live!
Common Charter One Pavilion, Chicago Thursday, September 20, 2007 If he were born a century ago, Forrest Gump might have uttered “Life is like Common: You never know whatcher gonna get.” On the one hand there’s the Gap commercials and wannabe-Lothario stage antics — a newsboy-cap wearin’ radio hopeful who references Jennifer Aniston and Vince […]
The Chemical Brothers live!
The Chemical Brothers, Ladytron Riviera Theatre, Chicago September 24, 2007 Since 1993, The Chemical Brothers have consistently churned out an evolutionary form of electronica music that could find dual footing in a club or on the radio. Thankfully the dance-derived duo are also known for an equally enthralling stage show, complete with lights, lasers, and […]
Turbonegro, Mondo Generator live!
Turbonegro, Mondo Generator Metro, Chicago Wednesday, September 19, 2007 For the first stop on their U.S. tour, Turbonegro took not one, but two encores. For most rock bands this would be one too many and a bit pretentious for a group playing a 1,100-capacity club. For this Norwegian act, though, it was perfect – maybe […]
Blaqk Audio live!
Blaqk Audio Double Door, Chicago Tuesday, September 18, 2007 Given the over-the-top cartoon goth character Davey Havok perpetually lives in as the frontman for AFI, it’s understandable even he might need an escape. The concept came to life last Tuesday at the Double Door, where Havok and AFI bandmate Jade Puget debuted the Chicago appearance […]
Gruff Rhys preview
Gruff Rhys Schubas, Chicago Thursday, September 27, 2007 Frontman for the chronically miscast Super Furry Animals brings the crowd closer for an intimate gig.
The Good Life preview
The Good Life Subterranean, Chicago Friday, September 28, 2007 What’s in a name? The Good Life seem like a band who might produce happy-go-lucky tunes about the joys of existence – that is, if you go by the name alone. But, the reality is quite the opposite. Lead by Cursive’s Tim Kasher, The Good Life […]
The Black Lips preview
The Black Lips Logan Square Auditorium, Chicago Friday, September 28, 2007 A couple years ago, The Black Lips seemed like Johnny-come-latelys on the Nuggets-revival bandwagon, and yet they stuck with it long enough to parlay it into part of their success. Part.
Naked Eyes preview
Naked Eyes Lincoln Park Fest, Chicago Friday, September 28, 2007 You might not fully remember Naked Eyes, but they remember The Beatles. And Jimi Hendrix. And Elvis Costello. And The Rolling Stones. And . . .
Municipal Waste, Skeletonwitch preview
Municipal Waste, Skeletonwitch Knights Of Columbus, Arlington Heights Wednesday, October 2, 2007 Holy shit . . . thrash really is back! We’ve been hearing that for a few years now, thanks in large part to the sliver of mainstream success bands like Lamb Of God, Shadows Fall, and Trivium have enjoyed. But now there is […]
Mekons reviewed
Mekons Natural (Quarterstick) For their 30th anniversary, the Leeds-born punks forage off the country roads and through the fields. Appearing: September 28th at Old Town School Of Folk Music in Chicago.
Boris reviewed
Boris With Michio Kurihara Rainbow (Drag City) Low-end, Japanese noise terrorists call in a reinforcement for psychedelic doodling. Appearing: October 30th at Empty Bottle in Chicago.
Wall To Wall Guitar Festival live review
Wall To Wall Guitar Festival, Take Two Krannert Center, Urbana September 13 – 15, 2007 When curator and artistic director David Spelman brought the first Wall To Wall Guitar Festival to Champaign-Urbana’s Krannert Center For The Performing Arts in 2005, it presented the guitar as an object worthy of Serious Study. Through 30 artists and […]
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