Monthly
Local Studio Happenings
At BOMBSHELTER RECORDING STUDIO in Park Ridge, Dan Precision, founding member of Rise Against and 88 Fingers Louie, finished the vinyl remaster of Shot Baker‘s Take Control. He originally engineered, mixed, and produced the CD, and Blaise Barton mastered it . . . Precision also worked with gothic metal band Urn; he tracked all of […]
Heavy Duty Rock ‘N’ Roll
Lair Of The Minotaur‘s War Metal Battle Master might not have been the best heavy metal record of 2008 (fifth best, says me), but I can’t think of a more metal heavy metal record released all year. It’s only fitting the Chicago band also made the most metal music video, too.
Reasons To Be Cheerful Pt. III: “JBTV”
“I love to help those that have talent, give them a place to be a rock star . . . on ‘JBTV,’” says Jerry Bryant, who has been bringing alternative-music videos, concert footage, and free-form interviews to the Chicago area since 1986. “JBTV” has featured everyone from The Afghan Whigs to Zwan, and won two […]
It’s NAMM, man
NAMM show postgame Despite the dodgy economy, there was no lack of enthusiasm or new musical instruments and sound/recording gear at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, California last month. Here are a few of our favorites.
Local CD reviews
It’s tough to be negative about Brown Like Fiasco, a band so friggin’ happy on tracks like “Lovely Day” and “Somewhere” from Superstar. But the group’s Mr. Rogers outlook on life sucks all the power out of its power pop. Nothin’ wrong with feel-good jams, but these guys could write a cheery song huddled in […]
Cover Story: The 25 Greatest Chicago Songs
Illinois Entertainer presents: The 25 Songs That Make Chicago Shake With the album declining due to the Internet, we’re here to help kick it out the door and celebrate the songs that gave them life. But not just any songs: Chicago songs. Good grief, was this difficult. First, don’t ask what the parameters were – […]
Of Course, Chicago Wouldn’t Be Great Without . . .
The 25 Greatest Chicago Songs Drawing the 25 Greatest Chicago Songs took some effort, and don’t think any of the following didn’t factor in. And to think, there’s so much more (metal, industrial, hip-hop, jazz) to be mined.
Songs 1 to 10
Illinois Entertainer picks the 25 greatest songs in Chicago history, continued below. Click here for 11 to 20 and here for 21 to 25.
Songs 11 to 20
Illinois Entertainer picks the 25 greatest songs in Chicago history, continued below. Click here for 1 to 10 and here for 21 to 25.
Songs 21 to 25
Illinois Entertainer picks the 25 greatest songs in Chicago history, continued below. Click here for 1 to 10 and here for 11 to 20.
The Best Of 2008
IE Rates 2008: Our Best Ofs Click below to see our choices for top albums, songs, DVDs, reissues, and shows, and don’t forget Trevor Fisher’s “Caught In A Mosh,”David Gedge’s “Gear,” and Beverly Zeldin-Palmer’s “Sweet Home” columns, as well as our “Best Of Around Hear.”
Shot Baker interview
Shot Baker You Aren’t Here Shot Baker frontman Tony Kovacs finds himself in the unusual position of hoping for continued economic distress. The passing of the presidency from George W. Bush to Barack Obama threatens to take the arts community, including Chicago-based punk bands like his, off its game. Appearing: Friday, March 6th at Reggie’s […]
Radio Hip-Hop
The Hip-Hop Project Connected It’s no secret commercial radio in Chicago has never been best buddies with hip-hop. It almost seems surreal to recall there was once heard an all-hip-hop station in the city – “Rap Radio” on WJPC-AM (950) – even if it didn’t last long. But where mainstream stations have failed to properly […]
DVD Zone: January 2009
DVD Zone Burn After Reading Universal Seriously, are there any filmmakers out there with a more varied canon than the Coen brothers? They’ve run the gamut from pitch-perfect film noir (Blood Simple, No Country For Old Men) to surrealistic masterpieces (Barton Fink, O Brother, Where Art Thou?) to works that can only be described as […]
Local CD Reviews
There’s a lot of negative energy on After The Fight‘s second CD, No Brownie Pie, Same Old Sh††, but it’s packaged in short, energetic blasts that capture the raw emotion of vintage punk. With the band aiming so much anger at society, work, and life in general, it’s surprising to find the unabashed romance of […]
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