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Media: May 2023 • Andrea’s Illini Calling
After decades of working at WGN Radio and WGN Television, Andrea Darlas has fond memories of her time there. “I loved all the people I worked with at WGN. Working with Spike O’Dell was a joy. He was a legend. Being his news anchor for five years is probably the highlight of my career. I […]
Stage Buzz: The Interrupters, August Burns Red, The String Cheese Incident
The String Cheese Incident remains one of America’s most significant independent bands. They’ve been making their own rules for the past 30 years and show no signs of stopping any time soon. Everything from their marketing to the eclectic sound is done on their own terms, and it’s paid off. Though they haven’t released a […]
Photo Gallery: Joe Perry Project at Arcada Theatre • St. Charles
Joe Perry Project Arcada Theatre St. Charles, IL 4/21/2023 Recap and Photos by Edward Spinelli With Aerosmith still on break (but rumored to announce a tour at any moment), guitarist Joe Perry hit the road for a very limited number of “intimate” dates in support of the guitar hero’s latest album, Sweetzerland Manifesto MKII. Chicago-area […]
Stage Buzz: Waterparks, Bikini Kill, Joe Perry Project, Placebo
Some say the pop-punk revival is currently underway, but for Houston rockers Waterparks it never ended. Forming in 2011, the band has been leading the charge of the next wave of pop-punk groups. With their newest album, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, the band keeps their punk rock spirit but makes it fresh by continuing to play with their […]
Stage Buzz: John Mellencamp, R&B Music Experience, Black Flag, The Great Pretenders, Windy City Jazz Electric
When you’re a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer like John Mellencamp, it’s easy to rest on your laurels and coast off your biggest hits. Yet, Mellencamp has no interest in becoming a legacy act and is still pumping out new music. His latest album, 2022’s Strictly a One-Eyed Jack marked his 24th (!!) […]
Q&A: Susanna Hoffs at Chicago Humanities Festival • Chicago
Susanna Hofffs Chicago Humanities Festival Chop Shop, Chicago April 13, 2023 By  Tom Lanham “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” Charles Dickens once drily observed. And nobody could relate better to such innate situational irony than any contemporary artist — someone who traditionally creates to earn a […]
Digital Edition: Record Store Day Guide 2023
Record Store Day was conceived in 2007 at a gathering of independent record store owners and employees as a way to celebrate and spread the word about the unique culture surrounding nearly 1400 independently-owned record stores in the US and thousands of similar stores internationally. The first Record Store Day took place on April 19, […]
Stage Buzz: Paradoxx at Brauerhouse • Lombard
Paradoxx Friday, April 7, 2023 Brauerhouse Lombard, IL After four decades, Paradoxx could be considered as esteemed senior statesmen in the Chicago metal scene. Brothers Glen (vocals) and John Dobbs (guitar), formed the band in their parent’s basement in Portage Park [Chiicago] in 1980. Along the way, they added bassist Frank Rotondo, Drummer Jerry […]
Photo Gallery: Depeche Mode at United Center • Chicago
Depeche Mode United Center Chicago, IL April 5, 2023 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Considering that he wasn’t even in the room, Andy Fletcher’s (“Fletch”) posthumous presence loomed large at Chicago’s United Center on Wednesday night. The longtime Depeche Mode keyboardist passed away suddenly in May of 2022. For four decades, he was part […]
Featured: Q&A with Peter Case
During the pandemic, we all sought small bastions of sanity wherever we could find them. Especially visually, locked in at home with so many relatively new streaming services available like Netflix — you could latch onto an uplifting movie like “Eurovision Song Contest — the Story of Fire Saga” and dodge the doldrums, […]
Stage Buzz: Depeche Mode, Model/Actriz, Lil Wayne, Deacon Blues
Depeche Mode suffered a devastating loss last year with the passing of co-founding member Andy Fletcher. Now a duo, with a supporting cast – the band is marching forward with their new album Memento Mori and a highly anticipated world tour. The Basildon lads will swing by the United Center for a sold-out show on […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery: Rise Against (Residency) at Metro • Chicago
Rise Against March 30, 31 and April 1 Metro Chicago, IL Review by Jaime de’Medici; Photos by Curt Baran Over the past year, the Metro has welcomed a number of Chicago superstars as part of the venue’s ongoing 40th anniversary celebration. Among them have been The Smashing Pumpkins and Fall Out Boy, with Wilco even […]
Hello My Name is Ville Valo • Live Recap: House of Blues • Chicago
The last time Ville Valo performed at Chicago’s House of Blues he was reaching the end of a lengthy chapter in his life. HIM, the band he fronted for 25 years, was calling it quits. It was the last time they’d be on that stage together; a stage Valo wasn’t sure he’d ever return to. […]
Stage Buzz: QueensrĂżche, Blockchain Coalition, Snarky Puppy, Rise Against
Chicago alt-punk rockers Rise Against have come a long way from their humble beginnings as a local underground band. Because of their furious sound and their unwavering political commentary, it didn’t take long for the rest of the world to take notice. Now, they’re a staple of the punk rock world. To help celebrate […]
Live Review: The Church at Thalia Hall • Chicago
The Church Thalia Hall, Chicago, IL Sunday, March 26, 2023 Review by Jeff Elbel Australian psychedelic rockers The Church returned to Chicago following a five-year absence, playing to a full house at the Pilsen neighborhood’s Thalia Hall on Sunday. A selection of captivating new songs honored the band’s beloved sound while carrying it […]
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