Columns
Media: December 2020
2020 was a rough year everywhere, but we lost some of our all-time greatest broadcasters in Chicago. Television greats like Sheldon Cooper (WGN-TV general manager), Lee Phillip Bell (The Lee Phillip Show), Bob Petty (Channel 7/ABC anchor/reporter), Dick Johnson (anchor at Channel 5/NBC), Jerry Taft (longtime Channel 7/ABC weatherman), and Joel Daly (iconic Channel 7/ABC […]
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 […]
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), […]
Media: October 2020
When Richard Milne was told he was replacing Lin Brehmer as the WXRT morning host in February, he knew the implications. “I’m the 5th ever XRT morning man in 48 years,” he says, ticking off the others: Scott McConnell, Garry Lee Wright, Terri Hemmert, and Lin Brehmer. “I’ve admired all of those people, but I […]
Stage Buzz: Livestream Buzz September 30th – October 2nd
Emmylou Harris and Friends host an intimate performance benefiting Bonaparte’s Retreat and Crossroads Campus on September 29th and 30th. Joining Harris are Sam Bush, John Randall, and Byron House. Grab tickets here. AWOLNATION performs live from The Wiltern in Los Angeles on September 30th at 8 PM. Get tickets and merch bundles here. Nathaniel Rateliff […]
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 […]
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 […]
CinemaScopes: September 2020
We’ve waited so long to see a movie on the big screen, and with about 65% of U.S. theaters now open, we finally get the chance – albeit with limited seating capacities, mandatory masks, and strict social distancing guidelines required. And as promised, Christopher Nolan’s long-awaited Tenet will be leading the way as the first […]
Stage Buzz: Livestream Buzz September 1st – 5th
Local heroes Umphrey’s McGee present “Wrapped In the Round,” a virtual concert experience that not only features a performance from the band but also sees them improvising soundtracks based on fan suggestions. The band will perform on Tuesday, September 2nd and Wednesday, September 3rd at 8 PM. Get details and tickets here. Red Rocks Unpaused […]
Hello, My Name Is: Ian Gillan of Deep Purple
Ian Gillan admits that it’s a strange, surreal time to be releasing a new album. But the Deep Purple vocalist was justifiably proud of his band’s latest Whoosh! comeback, overseen by legendary, sound-effects-favoring producer Bob Ezrin, of Alice Cooper and Kiss Destroyer renown. “And Bob is the same age as us,” notes Gillan, who will […]
Media: September 2020
Fred Weintraub, co-host of The Hannah & Fred show on WCGO-AM 1590 and executive producer of sports at Weigel Broadcasting (WCIU-TV), lives a life that is very different from your average broadcaster. “I’m a Chicago-born and bred kid,” Fred says, “But for the last 13 years I’ve been living between London and Singapore and Chicago. […]
Stage Buzz: Livestream Buzz August 26th – 30th
Ellie Goulding presents The Brightest Blue Experience, a one-off virtual performance from London’s historic V&A museum featuring to-be-announced special guests on Wednesday, August 26th, at 2:30 PM. The singer will perform songs from her latest album Brightest Blue along with other fan favorites. Tickets are on sale now. Dave Matthews Band continues their DMB Drive-In series with a broadcast of their 2011 […]
Stage Buzz: Livestream Buzz August 12th-15th
Performing from his home studio in Denver, Nathaniel Rateliff will present his latest album, And It’s Still Alright, in its entirety. Rateliff will also sit down for a one-on-one interview with Rolling Stone editor David Fricke. The show airs Tuesday, August 11th at 5 PM. Tickets can be purchased using a “Pay What You Want” […]
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