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Media: July 2025 ⢠40 Years of Steve Bertrand
A few weeks ago, WGN Newsman Steve Bertrand celebrated his 40th anniversary at WGN Radio. He was kind enough to sit down and chat with me about his tremendous career. IE: 40 years. I donât want to say thatâs a long time, but they were filming âFerris Buellerâs Day Offâ on your first […]
Stage Buzz: Less Than Jake, Mark Farner, Prairie Fest, Tyler The Creator
Floridaâs Less Than Jake proves that ska punk isnât dead. Though the band has dabbled in other genres, like pop punk and skate punk, they canât shake their ska roots. This summer, theyâll be celebrating the beloved genre with veteran ska bands Fishbones and The Suicide Machines on their âSummer Circusâ tour. The trek pulls […]
Hello My Name Is ⌠Jim Kerr of Simple Minds + Photo Gallery ⢠Friday, June 20: Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island ⢠Chicago
Although Scottish art-rockers Simple Minds enjoyed massive support in Europe and elsewhere, mainstream success in the United States remained elusive through the early â80s. The band had gained a modest foothold with college radio airplay for songs like the shimmering âPromised You a Miracleâ from 1982âs New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) and the anthemic homage to […]
Stage Buzz: Barenaked Ladies, Bonobo, Taste of Randolph
Iâm Itâs been more than one week since weâve seen the Barenaked Ladies, but fear not! The beloved Canadian rock band is returning this year with their Last Summer On Earth Tour. Featuring special guests Guster and Fastball, itâs sure to be a night of groovy tunes, non-stop fun, and lots of dancing. Barenaked Ladies […]
Cover Story: The Feelies ⢠Be Kind, Rewind
 The Feelies (photo by Doug Seymour)     When most rock bands release a new album, itâs usually the hard-won result of weeks, months, sometimes even years of careful consideration and execution. But New Jersey quintet The Feelies recently stumbled on a new, more reckless method of adding a new volume to its […]
Media: June 2025 ⢠Swany Leaves 101.9FM The Mix
WTMX (The Mix) recently announced that midday personality Lisa Allen was leaving the station. The announcement added âalong with three other staffers.â When I read that, I had a bad feeling, so I called my old friend John âSwanyâ Swanson, my co-author of The Radio Producerâs Handbook, and asked him if he was one of […]
Stage Buzz: Push Puppets, Do Division Fest, The Weekend
The Weeknd may have built his career off hit songs like âI Canât Feel My Face,â âStarboy,â âThe Hills,â and âSave Your Tears,â but over the years, heâs proven himself to be a visual artist as well. With innovative technology, stunning light shows, high concepts, and striking costumes, The Weekndâs performances are indeed a spectacle […]
Live Review: Paul Simon at Symphony Center ⢠Chicago
Paul Simon Symphony Center Chicago Wednesday, May 22, 2025 Review by Jeff Elbel Paul Simonâs appearance in Chicago seven years ago at United Center wasnât quite the farewell it was purported to be at the time. Those who arrived on Wednesday for the first of Simonâs three-night stand at the comparatively intimate Symphony Center, however, […]
Stage Buzz: AC/DC, Post Malone, Youth Code
Is Post Malone a rapper? Country superstar? A sensitive rocker? Heâs all of the above. From hip hop to hard rock, Post Malone has spanned multiple genres and shows no sign of stopping. Refusing to be pigeonholed, he breaks the rules of genre to create music thatâs soul-bearing, heartfelt, and provocative. Post Malone will perform […]
Photo Gallery: Amyl and the Sniffers in Chicago
Amyl and the Sniffers The Salt Shed Chicago, IL May 8, 2025 Recap and photos by Curt Baran âIf someone gets knocked down, you pick them back up! We look out for each other!â Amy Taylor usually exclaims these words before every Amyl & The Sniffers show. It has come to represent a sort of […]
Media: May 2025 ⢠Triton College Radio Celebrates 50 Years
50 years ago, college radio was thriving. Every major college or university had a college radio station, and most universities had a radio/TV department. Those college radio stations were the breeding ground for the hugely popular radio industry, spawning radio stars, up-and-coming musical artists, and a whole generation of hitmakers. Sadly, across the country, college […]
Cover Story: May 2025 ⢠Crimson Glory Co-Headlines Reggiesâ Storied Legions of Metal Festival 2025
The Chicago metal festival tradition continues with the seventh annual Legions of Metal Festival triumphantly returning to hallowed ground at Reggies on Friday, May 2nd, and Saturday, May 3rd. Friday nightâs headliners are Portland, Oregonâs speed/thrash wrecking machine, Toxic Holocaust, preceded by Bostonâs symphonic power metal darlings, Seven Spires, as the co-headliners. Saturday nightâs lineup […]
Stage Buzz: Jon Anderson, Bullet For My Valentine, Spiritbox, L.S. Dunes
In only a few short years Spiritbox became one of the most notable bands in metal. They breathe new life into the genre with their blend of metalcore, shoe-gaze, hard rock, and nu metal. Theyâve even dipped their toes into hip hop with unexpected collabs with Megan The Stallion. Their second album, Tsunami Sea, cements […]
Photo Gallery: The Linda Lindas at Metro ⢠Chicago
The Linda Lindas April 13, 2025 Metro Chicago Recap and photos by Curt Baran The web and social media have become a quasi-American Idol lottery. It has created a portal for musicians to get their music exposed, but the traffic and sheer volume of products make it nearly impossible to break through. In 2021, The Linda Lindas, […]
Live Review: Stereophonics at The Vic Theatre ⢠Chicago
Stereophonics The Vic Theatre, Chicago, IL Sunday, March 30, 2025 Live review and photos by Jeff Elbel Welsh rock heroes, Stereophonics reunited with a sold-out roomful of Chicago-based fans to close the weekend at the Vic Theatre. Sundayâs setlist was loaded with European hit singles and favorites of the bandâs devoted local cult. In addition […]
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