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Live Review: Geddy Lee at Auditorium Theatre ⢠Chicago
My Effinâ Life in Conversation Book Tour Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL Sunday, December 3, 2023 Review by Jeff Elbel. Rush frontman Geddy Lee has performed in Chicago concert halls, including the Auditorium Theatre, many times during the last five decades, but never like he did on Sunday when appearing on his speaking tour for […]
Media – December 2023 ⢠In Memoriam
Every December, I write a column dedicated to the great pros we lost in the media this year. This year was a particularly cruel one. We lost writers like Bill Zehme and Joe Goddard (Chicago Sun-Times), television stars like Jerry Springer, Richard Belzer, Suzanne Somers, Matthew Perry, and Richard Moll, recording and movie stars […]
Cover Story: Trans-Siberian Orchestra ⢠A Quarter Century of Christmas
If you still havenât experienced the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s annual winter holiday show, you should seriously consider adding it to your bucket list. The TSO traveling holiday rock opera is a multimillion-dollar act that has grown exponentially since the bandâs inception, making it one of the biggest-grossing concert bands in the US. In true holiday-giving […]
Show Recap: KISS at Allstate Arena ⢠Rosemont
KISS Allstate Arena Rosemont, IL November 27, 2023 By Curt Baran; Setlist via Setlist.FM The âEnd Of The Roadâ Tour recently flirted with the end of times. Paul Stanley, lead singer and guitarist of the rock band Kiss, was forced to cancel three of the bandâs final eight performances. A serious bout of influenza landed […]
Stage Buzz: Noname, Deafhaven, KISS, Deacon Blues
After releasing her critically acclaimed debut album Room 25, Chicago rapper Noname took a break from music to deal with her frustrations about the scene and to focus her energy on her education and her book club. She wasnât completely absent, releasing various one-off singles now and then. But she finally returned with her long-awaited […]
Hello My Name is… Geddy Lee of Rush – talks about his “Effin’ Life”
Rush bassist and frontman Geddy Lee makes it clear that the word âretirementâ has no place in his vocabulary. Rush may be finished (or is it?), but Lee is a whirlwind of activity. His series for Paramount+, Geddy Lee Asks: Are Bass Players Human Too?, premieres on December 5 as an outgrowth of his best-selling […]
Stage Buzz: Beauty School Dropout, Jackyl, Off Broadway, Baroness, Orianthi
When Beauty School Dropout formed, they couldâve never imagined touring with one of their idols, Mark Hoppus of blink-182. Fast forward to 2022, and the band is traveling with the band and being mentored by Hoppus, who signed them to new record label Verswire. After spending the first half of the year opening […]
IE Record Store Day Black Friday Guide 2023
Record Store Black Friday is Fri., November 24. Our guide includes complete RSD listings, previews, album reviews, local RSD lists, and advertisements from your favorite local stores. READ IT HERE
Stage Buzz: Wednesday 13, Depeche Mode, Skinny Puppy
My Morning Jacket is celebrating the 20th anniversary of their critically acclaimed third album, It Still Moves by performing the album in full on their latest tour. The outing ends with a three-night stint at the Chicago Theatre starting on Thursday, November 9, with a complete performance of It Still Moves, followed by non-anniversary shows […]
Spins: The Vince Guaraldi Quintet ⢠A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving: Original Soundtrack Recording
The Vince Guaraldi Quintet A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving: Original Soundtrack Recording (LMFP) Following 1965âs A Charlie Brown Christmas and 1966âs Itâs the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, 1973 saw the arrival of the third Peanuts holiday special with A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Fifty years after first airing, the cartoonâs complete soundtrack is released as a vinyl […]
Stage Buzz: My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, LP, Corrosion of Conformity at Heavy Chicago
When you first hear singer/songwriter LP, you never forget it. They have a soulful yet haunting voice thatâs truly mesmerizing. Starting with breakout single 2017âs âLost On You,â they have garnered critical acclaim with albums like Lost on You and Churches. Hear this enchanting singer for yourself when they perform at The […]
Media: November 2023: The Loop Files: An Oral History
Iâve written a new book called The Loop Files: An Oral History of the Most Outrageous Radio Station Ever. The book comes out officially at the end of this month, but this monthâs media column is a free preview. Â All the biggest stars who helped make the Loop (FM 98) so memorable tell the […]
Cover Story: The Hives – The Best Part of the Day
When a band makes a grand return after a decades-long absence, itâs a mix of emotions. Thereâs equal parts dread and excitement, happy to return to adoring fans, yet anxious to see if anyone still cares, especially in the short attention span of the streaming age. But those pesky thoughts never seemed to bother The […]
Stage Buzz: Clown Core, Trouble at Heavy Chicago, The 1975
Itâs hard to describe exactly what Clown Core is. The avant-garde duo is comprised of two mysterious musicians, speculated to be Louis Cole and Sam Gendel, whose music is an eclectic blend of funk, jazz, electronica, synth, metal, and lots of clown horns. You can experience this oddball duo yourself when they play […]
Stage Buzz: Motionless in White, Bullet For My Valentine, Laufey with Adam Melchor
John Mayer has spent the past few years moonlighting as the leader of Dead & Company. Now, Mayer gets back to basics with his solo acoustic tour. The Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter will treat fans to the latest tracks from his recent album Sob Rock along with classics like âDaughtersâ and âYour Body is a Wonderlandâ […]
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