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Stage Buzz Feature: Biffy Clyro
Scottish heavy rockers Biffy Clyro are set to return to North American shores for their first US tour since 2017. It doesn’t sound like a long stretch of time, but the constant delays, cancellations, and uncertainties that came with COVID make it feel like an eternity. The band is thrilled to open the tour in […]
Gallery and Recap: PUP at The Riviera Theatre • Chicago
PUP Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL April 3rd, 2021 Recap by Ashley Perez Hollingsworth Photos by Curt Baran After two long years, PUP made their triumphant return to Chicago on Sunday night for their sold-out show at The Riviera Theatre. Playing one of their largest headline shows so far, the night was not only a celebration […]
Live Review: Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs at Park West • Chicago
Mike Campbell & the Dirty Knobs Park West, Chicago, IL Saturday, April 2, 2022 Review by Jeff Elbel Photo by Chris Phelps After a delay of two full years, Mike Campbell was finally able to bring his band the Dirty Knobs to Park West. The guitarist and former Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers co-captain […]
Stage Buzz: English Beat, Chi-Town Blues Festival, Slowthai, Maxwell, Clutch
Code Orange with special guests Loathe, Vended, and Dying Wish plays Metro this Monday, April 4 at 7 PM. Tickets are available here. The Flaming Lips’ “American Head American Tour” swings by The Riviera Theatre on Wednesday, April 6 at 8 PM. You can still get tickets here. We Were Promised Jetpacks and Weakend Friends […]
Media: April 2022 • Dana Kozlov • Home at Channel 2
She’s the new weekend anchor at WBBM-TV, Channel 2 in Chicago, but Dana Kozlov has been in the news business for a long time.“This month is my 30th anniversary as a paid reporter.” After paying her dues hustling for stories for Channel 2, and before that, WGN Channel 9, she’s excited about the chance to […]
Photo Gallery: Ministry at The Riviera Theatre • Chicago
Ministry Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL March 31, 2022 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Although he now resides in multiple locales, whenever Al Jourgensen brings his Ministry project to Chicago, it will always feel like a homecoming. The band has long outgrown its synth-pop genesis, but even then, its sound hinted at the menacing Metal […]
Photo Gallery: The Darkness at Park West • Chicago
The Darkness Park West Chicago, IL March 30, 2022 Recap and photos by Curt Baran When The Darkness debuted in 2003, they set off an are-they-are-they-not-sincere debate. Their Glam-Rock compositions were so over the top, it was hard to distinguish between flattery and parody. Fortunately, the one thing that was never in doubt was that […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery: Nick Cave and Warren Ellis – Auditorium Theatre • Chicago
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL Sunday, March 20, 2022 Review by Jeff Elbel Photos by Andy Argyrakis courtesy of the Auditorium Theatre When Australian singer-songwriter Nick Cave last performed at the venerable Auditorium Theatre in 2017, there was no trace of worry about a global pandemic. The show became a religious […]
Cover Story: Midnight Oil • “The Last Dance”
As combustible as ever, Midnight Oil is again doing what they’ve done better than anyone else. At home and abroad, the band is rocking with furious post-punk energy and pop-savvy while agitating for change on social, political, and environmental issues. Like its biggest hit, “Beds are Burning,” the Oils’ 2020 release The Makarrata Project advocated […]
Stage Buzz: The Darkness, Ministry, Darryl Hall & Todd Rundgren
Join MusiCares: Music on a Mission as they celebrate “the power of music to make a difference” with a virtual show featuring never-before-seen performances from Cage the Elephant, Brandi Carlile, Shawn Colvin, Jason Isbell, k.d. lang, Fantastic Negrito, and more. Catch the stream Wednesday, March 30 at 7 PM. Tickets are on sale now. Don’t miss […]
Gear Review • Apogee Digital: Symphony Desktop Interface
The most basic function of Apogee Digital’s Symphony Desktop is its capability as a two-channel audio interface. Apogee has a range of portable interfaces available, but Symphony Desktop represents the company’s first offering of its top-quality converters in a desktop format that travels easily. Boasting a pair of Apogee’s flagship Symphony microphone preamps and analog […]
Spins: Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs • External Combustion
Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs External Combustion (BMG) Mike Campbell wrote piles of great rock ‘n’ roll and jangle-pop songs during a 40-year career as lead guitarist for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (and Mudcrutch), but waited until the untimely 2017 loss of his co-captain before releasing his own album. Campbell even sublimated his […]
Stage Buzz: PUP at The Riviera Theatre • Chicago
Just a day after the release of their highly anticipated new album, THE UNRAVELING OF PUPTHEBAND, Toronto punks PUP will play the Riviera Theatre on Sunday, April 3. PUP is one of those rare bands who hasn’t released a bad album. If anything, they’ve only gotten better, but if you told them that, they would probably […]
Photo Gallery: Circle Jerks, 7 Seconds and Negative Approach at the Vic Theatre • Chicago
Circle Jerks Vic Theatre Chicago, IL March 25, 2022 Words and photos by Curt Baran It’s was a big night out for the aging punk rockers (stares deeply into a mirror). The initial plan was for the Circle Jerks to embark on a tour to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their 1980 album Group Sex. Unfortunately, for […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery: Colin Hay at Thalia Hall • Chicago
Colin Hay at Thalia Hall, Chicago, IL Saturday, March 26, 2022 Review by Jeff Elbel Photos by Philamonjaro Even more welcome to many music lovers than the first robin of spring is the return of Colin Hay to touring as a solo acoustic juggernaut. The erstwhile Men at Work bandleader is now well established as […]
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