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The Genius Switch
Though the blame often lies squarely on our foreheads, it’s easy to shift it to downloads and the transformation of MTV into a teen-lifestyles network regarding our disconnect with bands.
Before winter sets back in . . .
Not to be so vulgar as to talk weather, but March is supposed to get warmer as it progresses. Not that it isn’t a cruel reminder to all the knobs who return from Austin each spring, but we’d like to put our snow boots away.
Live: Huey Lewis
The Venue at Horseshoe Casino, Hammond, IN Friday, March 18, 2011 For the first time in nine years, Huey Lewis & The News released a new studio CD, so it’s no wonder why they decided to play the majority of it before dusting off their ’80s oldies. Though that decision might look self-indulgent on the […]
Carlos Murphy’s
We’re all for interracial mingling, though the Irish/Mexican thing’s special treatment has kept us guessing. Is it a Catholic thing?
How St. Patrick gets his groove back
So close to Mardi Gras and not quite on a weekend (though thankfully not a Lenten Friday — what would we do with all this corned beef???), there’s still plenty to do to celebrate the greenest icon, including a blowout at Peggy Kinane’s with Sister Hazel.
Live review: OMD
Park West, Chicago Saturday, March 12, 2011 For lovers of the 1980s, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark will always be tied to the Pretty In Pink soundtrack thanks to its monster hit, “If You Leave.” But for those who dive deeper into the electronic rockers’ annals, there’s actually much more to enjoy and a fairly […]
Just like a man
The Band, Cars, and Police didn’t have to deal with modern technology, but contemporary musicians know full well the first time a curious person wants to learn more, they’ll Google them.
The ol’ switcheroo
The process of selecting opening acts will confuse and frustrate fans until their dying (fandom) days. The mind still spins when wondering why Bobcat Goldthwait warmed up for Nirvana on their final American tour.
Season of The Witch
Emerging from the U.K. in 2008, Ebsen & The Witch come Stateside with Violet Cries, their first U.S. release on Matador. Blending ethereal sonic landscapes with pulsating rhythmic metallic seasonings,
Party hearty, Marty
Those of you who survive the local drinking orgy that is Casimir Pulaski Day have another quirk in the schedule to deal with tomorrow.
Cover Story: Rise Against
Target Market To just about any music fan, Rise Against would be hard to ignore. Arlington Heights-raised Tim McIlrath sings as if his skin is on fire, while his bandmates push relentlessly behind him and pause only to rally behind a new anthemic phrase.
Interview: Cut Copy
Get Them To The Park It’s tough to find transcendent live performances. Great shows abound, no doubt, but contrivance and choreography rob fans of that unique experience. You can throw festivals out almost altogether, no matter how many times Wayne Coyne hops in his bubble
Interview: Iron & Wine
The Dis-Quiet Man Two days on, news of Arcade Fire’s shock win at the Grammys hadn’t reached Sam Beam in Amsterdam. “Wow,” he says, clearly surprised. “That’s great.” Will this be a game-changer for him? Is now the time for indie rockers to sell out en masse?
Caught In A Mosh: March 2011
Eastern Promises There’s very little to complain about when it comes to being a headbanger in Chicago. There are good-to-great shows every week of the year, metal-catering venues across the city, and a metric ton of homegrown talent.
File: March 2011
Austin Power Yes, the South By Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas has become something entirely different. Like MTV, SXSW doesn’t aspire to modesty. Miller Lite and Chevrolet are sponsors, Duran Duran and Duff McKagan will perform, and sxsw.com features an interview with “American Idol” runner-up (and holder of a major-label contract) Crystal Bowersox. There […]
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