Recent Articles
Sister Act
Chicago is a city of firsts. It’s the home of the first steel-frame skyscraper, the first atomic reaction, and the first daytime TV soap opera. It’s also where the term “jazz” was coined, back in 1914. And on August 12th, the Windy City became one of the first major media markets in America to boast […]
Studio Happenings
At ENERGY COMMAND STUDIOS in Park Ridge, A Better Place To Be finished their five-song, self-titled CD. Amery (Amo) Schmeisser did ProTools editing and mixed two tracks. Schmeisser and Dave Banks engineered the sessions, and Banks produced the CD . . . Rapper Young Eighty (Darius McGee) recorded and released his latest CD, Madison Square. […]
Fooled Around & Fell In Love
Booty Bumpin’ (Blind Pig), by legendary good-time guitarist Elvin Bishop, is a CD you will listen to again and again. Bishop and his six-piece band were captured live December 3rd, 2006 at Constable Jack’s in California, and he is still the real deal after all these years. His authentic, rootsy approach to the blues was […]
Bruce Springsteen live!
Bruce Springsteen United Center, Chicago Sunday, October 21, 2007 Sunday night’s appearance by Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band wasn’t anything close to the three-and-a-half-hour lovefests of the recent past. Instead The Boss and co. pushed a trim, two-hour piledriver that leaned heavily on the new Magic (Columbia). Visit illinoisentertainerphoto.com for an exclusive Bruce […]
CMJ Marathon Report
CMJ New Music Marathon New York City, New York October 16 through 20, 2007 Much like its sister conference South By Southwest, the 2007 version of the annual CMJ New Music Marathon emerged with no clearer vision of tomorrow. No rapscallioin Midwesterners established themselves as the new “it” band, and no NME-sanctioned Brit sensation had […]
New Pornographers live!
The New Pornographers Metro, Chicago Friday, October 19, 2007 The enthusiastic ovation that greeted the much-revered Canadian collective The New Pornographers was startling, even after taking into consideration this was the second of a sold-out, two-night run at Metro. The voluminous salutation rose even higher when head Pornographer A.C. Newman and silver-throated siren Neko Case […]
Jersey Boys review!
Jersey Boys LaSalle Bank Theatre, Chicago Sunday, October 14, 2007 The Frankie Valli love fest finally arrived in Chicago with an audience so eager to express their affection for the octave jumper they rose to their feet after “Walk Like A Man.” Maybe it was a case of opening night fever or maybe the man […]
Queens Of The Stone Age preview
Queens Of The Stone Age Riviera, Chicago Thursday, October 25, 2007 When did Queens Of The Stone Age get so stinkin’ boring? Maybe the better question is what made the Queens so stinkin’ boring? The answer is pretty obvious.
Josh Rouse preview
Josh Rouse Park West, Chicago Thursday, October 25, 2007 Nebraska-born singer-songwriter Josh Rouse currently resides in Spain where he recorded his latest disc, Country Mouse, City House, in just six days. Released on his own Bedroom Classics imprint, the album has more in common with ’70s California than his new digs.
Nightwish preview
Nightwish House Of Blues, Chicago Saturday, October 27, 2007 Fans probably thought Finland symphonic metalers Nightwish were nuttier than squirrel turds for dumping their vocalist right after their most popular record. A stonesy move, for sure, but with it Nightwish proved a band can actually downgrade the singer position while upgrading the group.
Eulogies preview
Eulogies Schubas, Chicago Wednesday, October 31, 2007 Thursday, November 1, 2007 I can’t help think singer-songwriter Peter Walker has backed his new band into a corner by picking Eulogies as a band name. Aside from upsetting countless, burgeoning metal bands, everything they do is going to be filtered through a spectrum of death.
His Name Is Alive reviewed
His Name Is Alive Xmmer (Silver Mountain) A record deal with 4AD used to mean something, almost as if you could record by fiat. You could do anything, people would respect it, and if the relationship ended it was because 4AD were selling out and not you. Appearing: Thursday, October 25th at Schubas in Chicago.
Small Sins reviewed
Small Sins Mood Swings (Astralwerks) Next time you bring a ruler to hip-hop’s knuckles for glorifying guns, you might consider stopping by electro pop for a swat or two.
Van Halen live!
Van Halen Allstate Arena, Rosemont Tuesday, October 16, 2007 The summer of reunions continues. We’ve had the Police, Genesis, hell even The Bangles have shown up. Now it’s Van Halen’s turn with David Lee Roth in tow. If you close your eyes and listen, you’d swear it was 1984 again. For the Van Halen live […]
Jethro Tull live!
Jethro Tull Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet Saturday, October 13, 2007 Prior to Jethro Tull’s sold-out performance at the ornate and acoustically complimentary Rialto Square Theatre, an announcement was made stating whistling, shouting, and even drinking at any point during the concert would be completely inappropriate. At first, the list of regulations was meant with defiant […]
Recent Comments