Recent Articles
Tossers interview
IE Feel We Owe The Tossers An Apology Being the classy gentlemen (and lady) they are, though, The Tossers don’t hold a grudge. Sitting in the third-floor green room of Cobra Lounge, tin whistle player Aaron Duggins, older brother/vocalist/mandolin player Tony Duggins, and drummer Bones admit they’re still geeked about a surprising cover appearance earlier […]
Travis interview
Travis Spotless Mind It was something new, all right. Bravely, boldly, with no sound-system assistance, Healy began to strum and sing “Flowers In The Window,” one of the optimistic Travis chestnuts featured on the recent Singles showcase. And there was silence in the hall — dead, hear-a-pin-drop silence. Fans watched reverently, almost awestruck as their […]
The Narrator interview
The Narrator Bob Dylan Gospel Hour The first thing one learns when doing research on local rock outfit The Narrator is not to believe everything you read, especially when it comes from the band themselves. According to the short bio on the back of the promo disc for their latest release, All That To The […]
File: June 2007
Clubs Gone Dry One of the downplayed outgrowths of music’s digital age has been its role in altering the concert landscape, especially in Chicago. It’s not something extended from MP3 files or iPods specifically, but more the mindset that comes with them. The touch-of-a-button conveniences we all enjoy have led to a revival of the […]
DVD Zone: June 2007
Not Just The Best Of The Larry Sanders Show Sony Pictures Nineteen ninety-two saw a seismic shift in the landscape of late-night television, touched off by the retirement of Johnny Carson. In a futile effort to fill the void, every network tried to throw someone up in the 11:30 time slot. The results, for the […]
Local CD Reviews
Led by ex-Caviar lead guitarist Dave Suh, The Assembly offer bright, powerful pop on their sophomore EP, Paranoia Will Destroy Ya. “Never Even True” is the standout cut, but all four tunes (plus a remix) are first-rate, helping cement the group’s growing reputation (recently validated by their selection as a Q101 “Local 101 Band To […]
Around Hear Page 2
Although technically proficient, Finneus‘ Superstar & The Ballerina may be a bit too testosterone-fueled for some, due in no small part to ’70s/’80s vocal stylings of bassist Dave Bucher. Blues-tinged in some areas and metallic in others, Finneus even incorporates a little ska. Despite this bucket of influences, the end product leaves a rather bland […]
Around Hear Page 3
Taking bits of free jazz, modern classical, and acid rock, Random Touch truly lives up to its moniker. On its CD/DVD combo, Alchemy, the trio takes an experimental, albeit sleepy, instrumental stab at the icy “Abandon,” the choppy “Bound For Escape,” and dreamy “As Above, So Below.” While not incredibly worthwhile in audio contexts, the […]
No Respect
Quickly: Welcome to the first “Caught In A Mosh,” the Illinois Entertainer‘s new monthly heavy music column penned by me, associate editor Trevor Fisher. While you won’t read much about Korn or Godsmack here, I’m not too snobby – underground or mainstream, if worthwhile I’ll talk about it. I never have nor will claim to […]
Riff Raff
TASCAM MP-GT1 Tascam is finally shipping its MP-GT1 Guitar Trainer it introduced with much fanfare at the Winter NAMM Show. The company calls it “the first MP3 player designed for musicians.”
Please Mr. Postman
Small, independently owned publications such as No Depression and Punk Planet could face financial ruin if a proposed rate hike goes through July 15th.
Come Knock On Their Door
Taking a cue from legendary Sun Studio in Memphis, Chicago’s Handwritten Recording allows artists to come in for as little as 30 minutes to lay down tracks. Open since April, the Belmont storefront studio caters to musicians who find the “normal” studio setting intimidating.
Carey Bell: 1936-2007
Blues vocalist and harmonica master Carey Bell died of heart failure on May 6th at Kindred Hospital during a visit to Chicago. He was 70. Bell was one of the last of the classic Chicago blues harp players. Steeped in the traditions of Mississippi and Chicago blues, Bell developed a signature harmonica style characterized by […]
The Arcade Fire live!
The Arcade Fire Chicago Theatre, Chicago Friday, May 18, 2007 Toward the end of the first night of a three-night stand, Arcade Fire frontman Win Butler made a rather crafty, self-conscious joke: “Well, we’ll see you tomorrow night!” Part of it was disbelief he could sell-out such a hall for a weekend; the other half […]
Two Cow Garage live!
Two Cow Garage The Hideout, Chicago Thursday, May 17, 2007 For the rusted-out, ’85 Camaro of a band they are, Two Cow Garage still packed a brass-knuckled punch at a packed Hideout on Thursday. Micah Schnabel’s perpetually hoarse, steel-wool howl scraped through the layers of guitar while drummer Dustin Harigle pounded the dusty rug of […]
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