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Live Review and Photo Gallery: The Claudettes at Old Town School of Folk Music • Chicago
The Claudettes Old Town School of Folk Music December 9, 2023 Review by Jeff Elbel. Live Photos by Timothy Hiatt. The Claudettes concluded a sprint of travel dates with a sold-out hometown gig at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Lincoln Square on Saturday. The band’s wide-ranging set list drew from the […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery: The Rick Holmstrom Band at SPACE • Evanston
The Rick Holmstrom Band Thursday, November 30, 2023 SPACE, Evanston, IL Review and photos by Jeff Elbel. For music fans with boundary-bypassing tastes running through jazz, blues, roots, soul, folk, swamp-rock, R&B and gospel, Evanston’s SPACE was the place to be on a drizzly Thursday evening. California guitarist Rick Holmstrom brought his expert rhythm section […]
Media – December 2023 • In Memoriam
Every December, I write a column dedicated to the great pros we lost in the media this year. This year was a particularly cruel one. We lost writers like Bill Zehme and Joe Goddard (Chicago Sun-Times), television stars like Jerry Springer, Richard Belzer, Suzanne Somers, Matthew Perry, and Richard Moll, recording and movie stars […]
Cover Story: Trans-Siberian Orchestra • A Quarter Century of Christmas
If you still haven’t experienced the Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s annual winter holiday show, you should seriously consider adding it to your bucket list. The TSO traveling holiday rock opera is a multimillion-dollar act that has grown exponentially since the band’s inception, making it one of the biggest-grossing concert bands in the US. In true holiday-giving […]
Photo Gallery: Mark Farner at Des Plaines Theatre • Des Plaines
Mark Farner Des Plaines Theatre Des Plaines Saturday, November 11 Photos by Edward Spinelli Grand Funk (Railroad) co-founder Mark Farner brought his version (the best version, IMHO) of the storied band (Grand Funk) to the Des Plaines Theatre complete with a deep catalog of classics (“Were an American Band, “Your Captain” (Closer To Home)”) to […]
Photo Gallery: The Hives at Bottom Lounge • Chicago
The Hives Bottom Lounge Chicago, IL Sunday, November 5, 2023 Photos by Curt Baran IE November cover subjects The Hives sold-out show on Lake Street delivered all the energy and joy you’d expect on this tour supporting their long-awaited album The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons. The Swedish garage rockers delivered a night of unbridled energy, […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery: Marvelous 3 at House of Blues • Chicago
Marvelous 3 House of Blues Chicago, IL Friday, November 3, 2023 Review and photos by Jeff Elbel The energy, musicianship, and production of Friday’s concert at House of Blues by the Marvelous 3 did not seem like the work of a band playing a mere five gigs after 22 years apart (aside from a […]
Photo Gallery: Steve Hackett at Pabst Theater • Milwaukee
Steve Hackett Pabst Theater, Milwaukee, WI Friday, November 3, 2023 Recap and photos by Ed Spinelli Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Steve Hackett brought the groundbreaking Genesis 1972 album Foxtrot to the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee Friday. Let’s say it’s probably the closest any member, past or present, will ever achieve recreating the classic […]
Photo Gallery: Queen + Adam Lambert • United Center • Chicago
Queen + Adam Lambert United Center, Chicago, IL Monday, October 30, 2023 Recap and photos by Ed Spinelli “The Rhapsody” Tour keeps rolling for Queen + Adam Lambert, who stopped by the United Center on Halloween Eve before its encore on the official holiday. It was the perfect season to see a band that was […]
Photo Gallery: deadMau5 at Radius • Chicago
deadmau5 Radius Chicago Saturday, October 28 Gallery by Edward Spinelli Ed Spinelli captured storied DJ deadmau5 at Radius Chicago, waiting through a near monsoon on the West Side and a late/early Sunday start (1:30 a.m.) for the master of ceremonies powered by a sold-out crowd dressed to the nines in Halloween gear. His signature deadmau […]
Media: November 2023: The Loop Files: An Oral History
I’ve written a new book called The Loop Files: An Oral History of the Most Outrageous Radio Station Ever. The book comes out officially at the end of this month, but this month’s media column is a free preview.  All the biggest stars who helped make the Loop (FM 98) so memorable tell the […]
Photo Gallery: Farm Aid 2023 • Ruoff Music Center • Noblesville, Indiana
Farm Aid Ruoff Music Center Noblesville, IN September 23, 2023 Photos by Edward Spinelli IE’s Ed Spinelli spent the day at Farm Aid 2023 perched in the photo pit on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Noblesville, Indiana. The sold-out crowd of more than 22,000 people showed great enthusiasm for the event; the all-star cast was […]
Photo Gallery: Nick Cave at Auditorium Theatre • Chicago
Nick Cave Auditorium Theatre Chicago, IL September 29th, 2023 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Perhaps it was the influence of the harvest moon that hung like low-hanging fruit above the surface of Lake Michigan or some other unseen, celestial force. Whatever was lurking about, its presence seemingly helped to provide some additional voodoo when […]
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