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File: In The Face Of Loss – A GoFundMe for The Empty PocketsÂ
Over St. Patrick’s Day weekend, Chicago’s Empty Pockets returned home from a string of tour dates. As was their usual routine, they had secured the trailer in their studio lot in the city. Monday morning, they were alerted their trailer had been stolen. This was a massive blow, and the band was devastated. After […]
Photo Gallery: Maya Hawke at Metro • Chicago
Maya Hawke Metro Chicago, IL March 18, 2023 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Maya Hawke is well on her way to becoming multi-hyphenated. She’s best known for her acting roles, specifically her character Robin on the hugely successful  Netflix television series Stranger Things. As the daughter of actors Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, one […]
Stage Buzz: Fozzy, Quasi, Wilco, Yo La Tengo
Believe it or not, New Edition has been delivering smooth R&B jams for 45 years. With such a long career, the band has experienced its share of highs, lows, breakups, and reunions. New Edition celebrates its legacy with the appropriately named “Legacy Tour” with Keith Swear and Guy. The tour rolls into Rosemont’s United […]
Stage Buzz: The Wonder Years, Show Me The Body, The Roots
Rotator photo: Show Me the Body (Photo Nick Stehi) When emo band The Wonder Years released their seventh album, The Hum Goes on Forever in 2022, it was a momentous occasion that was a long time coming. Lockdown, COVID precautions, and vinyl shortages caused delays with the record. But the band is finally back […]
Live Review & Photo Gallery: Winery Dogs at Arcada Theatre • St. Charles`
The Winery Dogs The Arcada Theatre, St. Charles, IL Friday, March 10, 2023 Review by Jeff Elbel. Photos by Ed Spinelli. On Friday night, the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles welcomed a full house of faithful hard rockers. Fans were on their feet from the moment that supergroup The Winery Dogs walked onstage. The celebratory […]
Feature: Circa Waves
“Keep calm and carry on” was a mass-produced British poster from 1939 intended to help rally spirits in the face of a looming WWII and its attendant Blitz-strafing air raids. But it’s since become a much larger metaphor for the traditionally stoic, unflappable English constitution, in general, the type of personality that remains virtually […]
Spins: Paramore • This Is Why
Paramore This Is Why (Atlantic) After a nearly 6 year hiatus, Paramore is back with a vengeance, and their new album This Is Why is proof that time apart makes the musical heart grow fonder. Joining its neo-pop predecessor After Laughter in solidifying Paramore’s golden trio — Zac Farro on drums, Taylor York on guitar, and the […]
Media: March 2023 • Sky Daniels Remembers The Loop FM98
Sky Daniels was one of the biggest stars at the Loop in their first heyday (1979-1981), and although he has gone on to an incredibly successful career in the record and radio business and is now retired and living in California, he still has very fond memories of his time in Chicago. But […]
Cover Story: Betty Who
As Australian-born pop composer Betty Who recalls it, the only things missing from her recent spine-tingling trip into the supernatural were Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, and their trusty old VeeDubs Mystery Machine with which to beat a hasty retreat. Because Zoinks! The three specters she encountered were all too real and not engineered by some local huckster […]
Stage Buzz: Soulfly, Elle King, Badflower, John “Papa” Gros
Twelve albums in and thrash metal staples Soulfly show no signs of stopping soon. They’ll bring their fusion of groove metal, nu metal, and world music to The Forge in Joliet, IL, with special guests Bodybox, Skinflint, Embryonic, and Autopsy on Friday, March 3rd. Doors open at 6 PM. Grab tickets here. It’s hard […]
Photo Gallery: Viagra Boys at The Salt Shed • Chicago
Viagra Boys Salt Shed Chicago, IL February 24, 2023 Recap and photos by Curt Baran “He says he don’t believe in science/He thinks that all the news is fake/And late at night he sits at his computer/And writes about the things he hates.” If you need a sense as to where the left-leaning Viagra Boys […]
Stage Buzz: SZA, Rick Springfield, Local H, Muse
The release of SZA’s long-awaited sophomore album SOS was a huge moment not only for the singer but for music in general. It became her first album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 and broke the record for the largest streaming week for an R&B album in the US. Now, SZA […]
Stage Buzz: We Came As Romans, Great Pretenders, GoRilla, Norma Jean
The future of We Came as Romans was uncertain when frontman Kyle Pavone passed away in 2018. Rather than call it quits, the band decided to move forward without replacing Pavone as a way of honoring his memory. With keyboardist Dave Stephens taking over vocal duties, the band released its sixth album Darkbloom last […]
Stage Buzz: Our Lady Peace, Teenage Bottlerocket, Sheila E
Canadian alternative rockers Our Lady Peace aren’t afraid of taking risks. Their tenth album Spiritual Machines 2 is not only a sequel to their art-rock concept album Spiritual Machines, but it was also initially released as an NFT, which also led to a successful multi-media tour. Now, you can catch the band’s “The Wonderful […]
Stage Buzz Q&A: Tim Burgess of The Charlatans • Vic Theatre February 7 • Chicago
English band the Charlatans (aka The Charlatans U.K.) came of age with 1990’s Some Friendly. The album featured the organ-fueled alternative rock hit “The Only One I Know,” which nodded to classics by the Byrds and Deep Purple. The quintet’s sound was bundled into the era’s Madchester scene, with danceable house rhythms, R&B grooves, […]
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