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CinemaScopes – November 2020
With many films officially postponed or rescheduled until 2021/2022, the slate for what would normally be the biggest release window of the year has definitely changed due to COVID. Theaters are still open, but many films have now made the jump to VOD and streaming services to get their product out while still trying to […]
Media: November 2020
When you have already been inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, the National Radio Hall of Fame, and you are featured in the radio wing of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, you might think that there isn’t really anything left to accomplish. But when John Records Landecker recently got […]
Cover Story: Steve Kilbey
Serenity is where you find it; Steve Kilbey has decided, mid-pandemic. And in his beachside home in gorgeous Sydney, Australia, it’s something that the spiritual-minded Church frontman has been actively seeking, from the moment he awakens every potentially-oppressive day. First of all, he says, “I have to be near the sea, I need to see […]
IE Rewind: The Outfit
Combining savvy songwriting rooted in power-pop and glammy metal, The Outfit is breaking the mold for local music veterans. Over two albums, they’ve managed to not only defy the sophomore slump, but they’ve also shown that educated music stalwarts can still have something to say. The band features a group of seasoned Chicago musicians, including […]
Stage Buzz: Livestream Buzz October 14th-17th
This week Teenage Cancer Trust Unseen will stream archival performances from Pulp (October 14th), Noel Gallagher (October 15th), Them Crooked Vultures (October 16th), and The Cure (October 18th). The performances are free to watch on their YouTube Channel at 2 PM. Get all the details here. The one and only Spinal Tap reunites virtually to […]
Stage Buzz: Pegboy 30th Anniversary Show with Local H at SeatGeek Stadium on October 17th
Originally scheduled as a 30th Anniversary bash with two indoor shows in May, Chicago stalwart punk rockers Pegboy have recalibrated due to COVID and teamed up with Chicago Drive-in to offer a safe, socially distant drive-in concert at Seat Geek Stadium in Bridgeview on October 17. Powered by the Haggerty brothers – John (on guitar), […]
Stage Buzz: Live Review – The Claudettes at City Winery
City Winery, Chicago, IL Saturday, October 10, 2020 Chicago’s own The Claudettes are an uncategorizable but captivating blend of cheeky cabaret, gut-level blues, raucous rockabilly, cartoonish whimsy, and pop songcraft. 2020 was initially primed to be the band’s year, with the release of its most highly-praised set of songs. High Times in the Dark arrived in April […]
Cover Story: Mastodon
In the cold, clinical coronavirus age, no gift horse should ever be looked at directly in the mouth, reckons Mastodon drummer/lyricist Brann Dailor. So, take the Grammy-winning prog-metal outfit’s latest odds-and-sods anthology Medium Rarities at face value — as a surprise mid-pandemic present to diehard fans, featuring the jarring new juggernaut “Fallen Torches,” alongside a […]
File: Chicago’s Varaha Raises Awareness for Local Music Venues and #SaveOurStages
The waiting is the hardest part. Independent music venues in Chicago and across the country are fighting for their survival during the pandemic. Most music clubs are closed until a COVID-19 vaccine can be delivered to the masses, estimated by doctors to be sometime in 2021. In the meantime – rent, insurance, and other bills […]
Feature: The Mission
It was literally the last thing Wayne Hussey expected. His classic British goth-rock outfit, The Mission, had been on an extensive tour of Europe in March when the coronavirus started shutting down venue after venue until the situation got so desperate that he barely made it back to his new hometown of Sao Paulo, Brazil, […]
Stage Buzz: Livestream Buzz September 15th – 19th
The Killers will perform a mix of classic hits along with tracks from their new album, Imploding the Mirage, as part of Pandora LIVE. Tune in Tuesday, September 15th at 8 PM. The show is free, but you have to RSVP here. Devendra Banhart continues his “OLA: Devendra Banhart Sings Songs In the Order They were Written” livestream series on September 16th. This time he’ll perform songs from Cripple […]
Spins: Depeche Mode • Live Spirits Soundtrack
Rock Hall of Fame inductees Depeche Mode remain a touring force 40 years into their career. No stranger to selling out massive stadiums around the world, the band embarked on their longest trek yet with the Global Spirit Tour. To commemorate the outing, the final date in Berlin was filmed for the 2019 documentary Spirits […]
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