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Photo Gallery: Lollapalooza 2026 – Day Three (Part Two)
Lollapalooza Grant Park Chicago, IL July 30-August 2nd Recap and photos by Curt Baran Day Three Mother Nature tried to ruin everyoneâs plans for Saturday, and she briefly got her way. Severe overnight storms continued into early morning, making it increasingly difficult for Chicago Park District officials to ready the park for another day of […]
Photo Gallery: Lollapalooza 2026 – Day Four (Part One)
Lollapalooza Grant Park Chicago, IL July 30-August 2nd Recap and photos by Curt Baran Day Four On the final day of Lollapalooza, there was still a bevy of music to get lost to. Attendees got to see sets from Sunshine Benzi, Easy Honey, New Constellations, Destin Conrad, Adela, Amber Mark, Muna, Hot Muligan, Turnstile, […]
Photo Gallery: Lollapalooza 2026 – Day Four (Part Two)
Lollapalooza Grant Park Chicago, IL July 30-August 2nd Recap and photos by Curt Baran Day Four On the final day of Lollapalooza, there was still a bevy of music to get lost to. Attendees got to see sets from Sunshine Benzi, Easy Honey, New Constellations, Destin Conrad, Adela, Amber Mark, Muna, Hot Muligan, Turnstile, […]
Cover Story: Queensrÿche ⢠Prog Metal Titans Return to Arcada Theatre
Power/prog metal innovators QueensrĂżche are among the first bands to capture this style of metal before most of their peers eventually caught on. QueensrĂżcheâs 1983 self-titled EP remains one of metalâs most significant EPs ever recorded and still holds up well 43 years later. Throughout the late eighties and early nineties, QueensrĂżche were unstoppable, largely […]
Feature: Arcada Theatre Celebrating 100 Years
The historic Arcada Theatre in St. Charles celebrates its 100th anniversary on September 6 this year. Owner Ron Onesti, who also owns the Des Plaines Theatreâwhich celebrated its 100th anniversary last year â couldnât be happier to be celebrating the venueâs history. âThe Arcada Theatre has become a nationally recognized iconic music venue, and […]
Media: August 2026 ⢠Kev Meets the Pope
Kevin Matthews is still fondly remembered in Chicago for his days on the radio here, particularly his time at the Loop (AM 1000/FM 98). Those crazy days of improv radio are chronicled at the Museum of Broadcast Communications if you want to check it out. Kevin was just over there recently and signed the […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery: Rush at United Center ⢠Chicago
Rush United Center Chicago, IL July 22, 2026 Review by Jeff Elbel. Photos by Curt Baran. The unexpected reignition of Rush has emerged as the must-see concert tour of the year, as witnessed on Wednesday by an ecstatic audience at the United Center. In addition to touching 13 of the Canadian rockersâ 19 studio albums, […]
Photo Gallery: Summer of â99 and Beyond at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre ⢠Tinley Park
Summer Of â99 And Beyond⌠Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre Tinley Park, IL July 18-19, 2026 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Tinley Park hosted their annual Time Machine festival this past weekend, titled âThe Summer Of â99 And BeyondâŚâ. The festival took place at the outdoor venue in the southwest suburbs and featured a diverse […]
Photo Gallery: Summer School â26 at House of Blues ⢠Chicago
Summer School ’26 House of Blues Chicago, IL July 16th, 2026 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Since its inception in 2024, the Summer School tour has been a platform for emerging bands to showcase their talents and collaborate on the road. The tour thrives on musical diversity and unpredictable performances, much like a punk-pop […]
Photo Gallery: Noah Kahan at Wrigley Field ⢠Chicago
Noah Kahan Wrigley Field Chicago, IL July 14th, 2026 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Noah Kahan, Pearl Jam, Chappell Roan, and more than three decades of elapsed time share a commonality: they were all booked to perform at Lollapalooza. Between signing up and hitting the stage, their popularity skyrocketed, leading to massive crowds arriving […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery: Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets at Square Roots Festival ⢠Chicago
Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets Square Roots Festival Chicago, IL Â July 13, 2026 Review and photos by Jeff Elbel Nick Lowe started his week with some quality time in Lincoln Square. First, he and his luchador-masked bandmates in Los Straitjackets drew lucky fans and strangers alike to a free (and hot!) street performance on Sunday […]
Photo Gallery: Tyler Childers at Wrigley Field ⢠Chicago
Tyler Childers Wrigley Field Chicago, IL July 12th, 2026 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Tyler Childers has mastered the art of the crossover, and it seems heâs achieved it one fan at a time. In the past, the Kentucky native would perform in front of hundreds of people. However, with each subsequent visit, the […]
Photo Gallery: Jack Johnson at Huntington Bank Pavilion ⢠Chicago
Jack Johnson Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island Chicago, IL July 11th, 2026 Recap and photos by Curt Baran They donât make âem much more laid-back than Jack Johnson. As a teenager, he was well on his way to becoming an elite surfer, having grown up near Hawaiiâs renowned North Shore. However, a horrific accident […]
Photo Gallery: Muse at Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre ⢠Tinley Park
Muse Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre Tinley Park, IL July 10th, 2026 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Bombast. Thatâs what Muse delivered when their âThe WOW! Signal Tourâ touched down in Tinley Park on a perfect summer evening to hear live music outdoors. Every available inch of the stage seemed to be stacked with fog […]
File: Remembering Bonnie Tyler
In February 2020, just as the pandemic was beginning to take hold, my IE Green Day interview could have been my last as we weathered the early days of the COVID-19 storm. By March, as Lockdown tightened its stranglehold on the world, I toyed with the idea of quitting, just walking away from writing to […]
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