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Spins: Beastie Boys ⢠To the 5 Boroughs
Beastie Boys To the 5 Boroughs (Capitol/UMe) In 2004, Beastie Boysâ sixth album found the bicoastal trio of MCA, Mike D and Ad-rock returning to and celebrating their place of origin. To the 5 Boroughs finds the group in full flourish with an album full of infectious grooves, dizzying pastiches of inscrutable (and probably costly) […]
Spins: Robin Trower Live! expanded 50th anniversary 2xLP
Robin Trower Live! expanded 50th anniversary 2xLP (Chrysalis) Robin Trower is an enduring guitar hero from the golden age of classic rock and roll. The veteran British musician is still thrilling fans with work including 2025âs Come and Find Me and packing theaters as an energetic octogenarian. Still, most fans will prize 1974âs Bridge of […]
Spins: Violent Femmes ⢠The Blind Leading the Naked 40th anniversary
Violent Femmes The Blind Leading the Naked 40th anniversary (Craft) This reissue of Violent Femmesâ third album arrives on âCandlelight Swirlâ vinyl in celebration of its 40th birthday. For The Blind Leading the Naked, the Milwaukee alt-punk trio parted ways with Mark Van Hecke, producer of the bandâs landmark 1983 debut and its follow-up. The group […]
Photo Gallery: Lollapalooza 2026 – Day One (Part One)
Lollapalooza Grant Park Chicago, IL July 30-August 2nd Recap and photos by Curt Baran Day One Lollapalooza, the massive, annual four-day music festival, once again landed back at its home in Chicagoâs Grant Park for its 2026 run. It featured dozens of bands, sprawled out over four days, all on the cityâs front lawn. Day […]
Photo Gallery: Lollapalooza 2026 – Day One (Part Two)
Lollapalooza Grant Park Chicago, IL July 30-August 2nd Recap and photos by Curt Baran Day One Lollapalooza, the massive annual four-day music festival, returned to its home in Chicagoâs Grant Park for its 2026 edition. The festival featured dozens of bands spread across four days, all performing on the cityâs front lawn. On the first […]
Photo Gallery: Lollapalooza 2026 – Day Two (Part One)
Lollapalooza Grant Park Chicago, IL July 30-August 2nd Recap and photos by Curt Baran Day Two The second day of Lollapalooza provided no respite for those seeking diverse musical experiences. The afternoon commenced with a performance by The Army, The Navy, and continued to keep the crowd entertained with a series of performances from High […]
Photo Gallery: Lollapalooza 2026 – Day Two (Part Two)
Lollapalooza Grant Park Chicago, IL July 30-August 2nd Recap and photos by Curt Baran Day Two The second day of Lollapalooza provided no respite for those seeking diverse musical experiences. The afternoon commenced with a performance by The Army, The Navy, and continued to keep the crowd entertained with a series of performances from High […]
Photo Gallery: Lollapalooza 2026 – Day Three (Part One)
Lollapalooza Grant Park Chicago, IL July 30-August 2nd Recap and photos by Curt Baran Day Three Mother Nature attempted to thwart everyoneâs plans for Saturday, and she managed to succeed momentarily. Severe overnight storms persisted into early morning, making it increasingly challenging for Chicago Park District officials to prepare the park for another day of […]
Photo Gallery: Lollapalooza 2026 – Day Three (Part Two)
Lollapalooza Grant Park Chicago, IL July 30-August 2nd Recap and photos by Curt Baran Day Three Mother Nature tried to ruin everyoneâs plans for Saturday, and she briefly got her way. Severe overnight storms continued into early morning, making it increasingly difficult for Chicago Park District officials to ready the park for another day of […]
Photo Gallery: Lollapalooza 2026 – Day Four (Part One)
Lollapalooza Grant Park Chicago, IL July 30-August 2nd Recap and photos by Curt Baran Day Four On the final day of Lollapalooza, there was still a bevy of music to get lost to. Attendees got to see sets from Sunshine Benzi, Easy Honey, New Constellations, Destin Conrad, Adela, Amber Mark, Muna, Hot Muligan, Turnstile, […]
Photo Gallery: Lollapalooza 2026 – Day Four (Part Two)
Lollapalooza Grant Park Chicago, IL July 30-August 2nd Recap and photos by Curt Baran Day Four On the final day of Lollapalooza, there was still a bevy of music to get lost to. Attendees got to see sets from Sunshine Benzi, Easy Honey, New Constellations, Destin Conrad, Adela, Amber Mark, Muna, Hot Muligan, Turnstile, […]
Cover Story: Queensrÿche ⢠Prog Metal Titans Return to Arcada Theatre
Power/prog metal innovators QueensrĂżche are among the first bands to capture this style of metal before most of their peers eventually caught on. QueensrĂżcheâs 1983 self-titled EP remains one of metalâs most significant EPs ever recorded and still holds up well 43 years later. Throughout the late eighties and early nineties, QueensrĂżche were unstoppable, largely […]
Feature: Arcada Theatre Celebrating 100 Years
The historic Arcada Theatre in St. Charles celebrates its 100th anniversary on September 6 this year. Owner Ron Onesti, who also owns the Des Plaines Theatreâwhich celebrated its 100th anniversary last year â couldnât be happier to be celebrating the venueâs history. âThe Arcada Theatre has become a nationally recognized iconic music venue, and […]
Media: August 2026 ⢠Kev Meets the Pope
Kevin Matthews is still fondly remembered in Chicago for his days on the radio here, particularly his time at the Loop (AM 1000/FM 98). Those crazy days of improv radio are chronicled at the Museum of Broadcast Communications if you want to check it out. Kevin was just over there recently and signed the […]
Live Review: Wet Leg at The Vic Theatre ⢠Chicago
Wet Leg The Vic Theatre Chicago, IL July 29, 2026 Review by Jeff Elbel. Photos by Curt Baran. Hailing from the Isle of Wight in the UK, indie rock quintet Wet Leg performed a bit of time traveling magic in addition to crossing the Atlantic Ocean for their first appearance in Chicago this year. The […]
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