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Photo Gallery: The Pixies and Spoon at Salt Shed • Chicago
The Pixies and Spoon Salt Shed Chicago, IL September 15, 2025 Recap and Gallery by Curt Baran Even by ’90s alt-rock standards, Pixies were weird. They sang songs about Surrealism, existential dread, drug dealers, art films, and fringe artists. For their trouble, they were met with critical acclaim and some minor commercial success. By 1993, […]
Photo Galley: Rilo Kelly at Frederik Meijer Gardens • Grand Rapids, MI
Rilo Kelly Frederik Meijer Gardens Grand Rapids, MI September 14, 2025 Recap and photo by Curt Baran “I think it’s going to be a special night. We’re playing in the Garden of Eden!” It turns out that Jenny Lewis is a pretty good prognosticator. The Frederik Meijer Garden Amphitheater is a 2000-capacity music shell dropped […]
Live Review: Supergrass at The Riviera Theatre • Chicago
Supergrass The Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL September 9, 2025 Review and photos by Jeff Elbel. Supergrass may not have scaled the same heights in North America as Britpop frontrunners, including the Verve, Blur, or touring hosts Radiohead during the ’90s and early ’00s, but the band from Oxford, England, made an indelible mark and […]
Photo Gallery: System of a Down at Soldier Field • Chicago
System of a Down with Avenged Sevenfold August 31, 2025 Soldier Field Chicago, IL Recap and photos by Edward Spinelli; additional photo by Clemente Ruiz After three sold-out shows at the historic lakefront venue (Oasis, My Chemical Romance, The Lumineers), System of a Down arrived at Soldier Field (with Avenged Sevenfold) for their penultimate debut […]
Stage Buzz: Finn Wolfhard, PUP, Clipse
Finn Wolfhard is best known for playing Mike Wheeler on Netflix’s hit Stranger Things, but in recent years, he’s set his sights on his other passion: music. After spending time in bands Calpurnia and The Aubreys, Wolfhard released his debut solo album, Happy Birthday, this past June. Hear Wolfhard’s jangly, indie pop sound when he […]
Cover Story: The Barbarians of California • From L.A. to Riot Fest
At first glance, the Barbarians of California seemingly appeared out of nowhere. For Aaron Bruno and Eric Stenman, this has been decades in the making. The hardcore scene is one of Bruno’s first loves. He discovered the music during a pivotal time in his life as a 14-year-old punk skater. He was not only […]
Media: September 2025 • John Owens’ Passion Project
You may not realize it, but you have either read or watched the work of John Owens if you lived in Chicago any time over the past 35 years. He wrote for The Chicago Reader (including a front page piece at the young age of 21) and the Chicago Tribune (for 28 years). But […]
Stage Buzz: Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters at Joe’s Live September 16 • Rosemont
The Boxmasters — featuring musician/actor Billy Bob Thornton and guitarist J.D. Andrew – plays an amalgam of twangy country music, jangling rockabilly, and infectious pop, with large doses of Americana and British Invasion influences. Although most people are primarily familiar with Thornton as an actor, music was his first love. Thornton initially started out as […]
Photo Gallery: The Lumineers at Soldier Field • Chicago
The Lumineers August 30, 2025 Soldier Field Chicago, IL Recap and photos by Curt Baran The Lumineers perform music that wouldn’t feel out of place being performed on a dilapidated front porch adjacent to a gravel road. Yet there they were on a perfect Chicago summer evening, taking the stage inside a massive football stadium. […]
Photo Gallery: My Chemical Romance at Soldier Field • Chicago
My Chemical Romance Soldier Field Chicago, IL August 28, 2025 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Is Classic Rock getting younger? Over the past week or so, the city has welcomed visits from rock radio staples such as Oasis and Nine Inch Nails. But unlike those Gen X-leaning acts, My Chemical Romance has not so […]
Photo Gallery: Volbeat with Halestorm at • Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre • Tinley Park
Volbeat with Halestorm Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre Tinley Park, IL August 22, 2025 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Consummate road dogs Volbeat and Halestorm arrived at Tinley Park’s Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre to wrap up what has essentially amounted to a co-headlining trek through North America. Both bands straddle a sort of netherworld between […]
Photo Gallery: The Flaming Lips at The Salt Shed • Chicago
The Flaming Lips The Salt Shed Chicago, IL August 16th, 2025 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Mother Nature was determined to spoil the evening. The Flaming Lips said, “Hold my beer!” Severe storms rolled through Chicago’s near West Side this past Saturday night, threatening to shut down a sold-out show at The Salt Shed. […]
Photo Gallery: Billy Idol at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre • Tinley Park
Billy Idol Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre Tinley Park, IL August 14th, 2025 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Billy Idol somehow continues to rage against the dying of the light. Hard living and a serious motorcycle accident should have snuffed him out some time ago, yet here he is, still standing like punk rock’s version […]
Photo Gallery: Lollapalooza 2025 – Day One (Part One)
Lollapalooza Grant Park Chicago, IL July 31 Recap and photos by Curt Baran In its past few incarnations, Lollapalooza seemed to have lost its luster. Competition in the form of festival oversaturation cut into the supply of talent needed to distinguish one of the county’s marquee events from countless others. Well, for the 2025 version, […]
Photo Gallery: Lollapalooza 2025 – Day One (Part Two)
Lollapalooza Grant Park Chicago, IL July 31 Recap and photos by Curt Baran In its past few incarnations, Lollapalooza seemed to have lost its luster. Competition in the form of festival oversaturation cut into the supply of talent needed to distinguish one of the county’s marquee events from countless others. Well, for the 2025 version, […]
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