Columns
Media: September 2012
Chicago is one of the most talented cities in the country as comedians, actors, artists, bands, indie filmmakers, etc,” says Craig Erpelding, creator and writer and co-producer of the new, independently-produced local sitcom, “Two Flat.” “I felt it was a tragedy that sitcoms that are supposed to take place in Chicago are really produced in […]
Digital Divide: September 2012
The Hunger Games Lionsgate Full disclosure: The latest and hottest young adult works of fiction have never quite been able to make an appearance on my reading list. Not because I’m a literary snob mind you (O.K., I’m a bit of a snob, sue me), but I stopped being the target audience more years ago […]
Caught In A Mosh: September 2012
We’ve been on that path for many years,” says a voice seven hours in the future. In Sweden, it is already dark. Ola Lindgren, vocalist/guitarist of Grave, assumes nothing while fielding foreign questions in preparation of Grave’s North American tour with Morbid Angel and Dark Funeral. He is referring to the no-frills gravel road his […]
Studiophile: September 2012
Chicago-based Empires recently finished recording their second full-length album, Garage Hymns at HEDGEHOG STUDIOS in Chicago. The band’s self-produced debut album, Howl, garnered a considerable amount of attention when it was released in 2008, and now (with its new release) the band feels that they have found the sound they’ve been searching for all along. […]
Gear: September 2012
Quilter Labs MicroPro 200 Guitar Amplifier From the founder of QSC power amps, comes a super powerful and modern analog guitar amplifier that produces “the warm, rich tone of a vintage tube amp without the hassle of tubes,” according to the company. The MicroPro 200‘s small size and light weight makes it easy to transport, but […]
Around Hear: September 2012
The funk-infused rock on 3 In Counting‘s full-length debut, At The Edge will likely appeal to people into the Dave Matthews Band. Singer/guitarist Mike Hayes, who writes all the group’s material, often uses a rapid-fire delivery for his evocative vocals, while Eric Csukor’s fluid keyboards work is consistently impressive. “Handshake,” is a slap at superficial […]
File: September 2012
MY FAIR FESTIVAL There’s more than corn in . . . oh wait, that’s the slogan for Indiana Beach. You’ll find plenty of maize in Champaign-Urbana, but these cities – overrun with scholars donning the ol’ orange and blue – close out the outdoor music festival season with Pygmalion. Now in its eighth year, the […]
Hello, My Name Is Roger
IE: Duran Duran are part of the Olympic Team Great Britain? Roger Taylor: This is going to be the musical version of that. We’re representing England; Stereophonics are representing Wales; Snow Patrol are representing Northern Ireland; and Paolo Nutini is representing Scotland. It’s a big night for the Brits. We’re all going to unite under […]
File: August 2012
Last month, Eagle Rock released Muddy Waters & The Rolling Stones’ Checkerboard Lounge Live Chicago 1981 CD/DVD combo, a thrilling document of the pair’s secret local gig when the Stones were in town on tour.
Around Hear: August 2012
The journey from carpenter to musician only took Joe Pug four years, and it’s already proven to be the right career change. On his sophomore effort, Pug, surrounded by several great musicians, proves he can hang with the singer/songwriter stylings of Dylan and the folk sounds of Wilco.
Digital Divide: August 2012
Boss: Season One Lionsgate It has become increasingly clear that the quality of programming on the major networks has been in a serious nose dive for almost a decade. There used to be a time when serious, thoughtful dramas and well-written comedies were actually the norm. Apparently, with a few rare exceptions, those went out […]
Caught In A Mosh: August 2012
Listen to enough U.S. talk radio these days, and one could believe he or she lives in the land of a vintage Vince Locke Cannibal Corpse album cover. On a pink Miami highway ramp lie two leaking men: one is stripped, ass-up, and stiff, bleeding out from a bullet hole in the back.
Media: August 2012
Remember Michael Essany? He’s the teen who hosted a nighttime public access talk show in his parents’ Valparaiso living room from 1997 to 2007. In 2003 and 2004, he starred on an eponymous reality show on E! and was poised to take over late-night television.
Sweet Home: August 2012
Belting out lyrics with pleasing raspiness and punctuating them with kicks, Peaches Staten sings with the conviction and sass of a seasoned blues singer. She prowls the stage like she’s scraped her way through swamps and gutbucket bars to snag recognition. Except she hasn’t.
Studiophile: August 2012
Chicago-based We Feed Alone has tracked and mastered its self-titled debut. The CD was produced, recorded, and mixed by Steven Gillis (Filter, Naked Raygun, Munroe) at Transient Sound in Chicago.
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