Monthly
Photo Gallery: Sarah McLachlan • Huntington Bank Pavilion • Chicago
Sarah McLachlan Huntington Bank Pavilion Chicago, IL June 11, 2024 Recap and photos by Curt Baran If you closed your eyes, it was as if you’d been transported back to 1994. Sarah McLachlan began singing “Possession” from her Fumbling Toward Ecstasy album from that year and it sounded as if her voice had been cryogenically […]
Photo Gallery: Khruangbin • June 7 • Chicago
Khruangbin The Salt Shed Chicago, IL June 7, 2024 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Few celebrate summer like Chicago. It seemingly takes forever to arrive and vanishes in an eye blink. So, when an evening presents itself as the perfect combination of weather and soundtrack, it feels like an absolute victory. Such was the […]
Feature: Kula Shaker • Spiritual Relationships
“Not dead YET.” For better or worse, that has become my patented gallows-humored, post-pandemic response to anyone who casually inquires how I’m doing. Based on the hilarious Monty Python Death Cart scene in The Holy Grail, I’ve found it to be a good way of underscoring the […]
Photo Gallery: The Damned at Concord Hall • Chicago + Bonus Live Review from The Gothic Theatre • Denver
The Damned Concord Music Hall Chicago, IL June 2, 2024 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Although they’ve maintained a core of usual suspects, The Damned have certainly endured a revolving door of both personnel changes and musical directions. This is not entirely surprising, considering the UK band is now entering its FIFTH decade as […]
Media: June 2024 • 100 Years Of The Big ’89
This year, WLS-AM 890 is celebrating its 100th anniversary as a radio station. It’s really been three radio stations during that time. From 1924 to 1960, WLS served the farmers of the Midwest. Since 1989, it’s been a conservative talk radio station. But for 29 glorious years (1960-1989), it was the biggest Top-40 station in […]
Cover Story: Kerry King • Solo Time
Five years since Slayer played what was to be the band’s final gig on November 30, 2019, on their Farewell Tour during a hometown show at the Forum in Los Angeles, guitarist Kerry King has resurfaced with the release of his first solo album, From Hell I Rise (via Reigning Phoenix Music). Recruiting former Slayer […]
Photo Gallery: Angel at Arcada Theatre • St. Charles
Angel with Sabbath Nights Arcada Theatre Saturday, May 18 St. Charles Ed Spinelli captured the ’70s hard rock stalwarts Angel with Sabbath Nights at the historic Arcada Theatre in St. Charles.
Photo Gallery: The Decemberists with Ratboys at Salt Shed • Chicago
The Decembrists with Ratboys The Salt Shed Chicago, IL May 21, 2024 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Portland, Oregon’s The Decemberists haven’t released an album in eight years, a veritable lifetime in the record industry hourglass. Well, all that’s about to change. The band is set to release As It Ever Was, So It […]
Photo Gallery: Social Distortion & Bad Religion at The Riviera Theatre • Chicago, IL
Social Distortion/Bad Religion Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL May 20, 2024 Recap and photos by Curt Baran There was a time when just simply being a punk was dangerous. I mean, you could get your ass kicked just walking down the street!” Social Distortion singer Mike Ness shared this walk down memory lane during his band’s […]
Photo Gallery: Devo at Riviera Theatre • Chicago
Devo at the Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL Saturday, May 11, 2024 Recap and photos by Jeff Elbel New Wave pioneers Devo brought their Celebrating 50 Years of De-Evolution Tour to a full house of spuds and energy-domed mutants at the Riviera Theatre on Saturday. The career-spanning set list was packed with crowd favorites. Singer and […]
Photo Gallery: Kerry King at Reggies • Chicago
Kerry King Tuesday, May 7, 2024 Reggies Chicago, IL Recap and photos by Edward Spinelli Legendary Slayer guitarist Kerry King is likely one of the few artists to play Reggie’s, who parked an 18-wheeler behind the club. Mr. King and his band’s 17-song setlist debuted eleven new tracks from King’s upcoming debut solo album, From […]
Studiophile: Remembering Steve Albini
Audio engineer, musician, and studio owner Steve Albini passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday night (May 7). His death is a terrible loss not only to his family, colleagues, and friends but also to so many studio engineers and music fans who loved his production and passion. His extensive recording resume included groundbreaking bands like Nirvana, […]
Photo Gallery: Sessanta – Puscifer, A Perfect Circle, Primus • Wintrust Arena • Chicago
Sessanta: A Perfect Circle, Primus and Puscifer Wednesday, May 1 Wintrust Arena Chicago, IL Recap and photos by Edward Spinelli Maynard James Keenan turned 60 and wants the world to know about it. With a talented roster of musicians/friends throughout the “Sessanta” Tour, they delivered in a big way at a sold-out show at Wintrust […]
Media: May 2024 • WXRT’s New Afternoon Host Andy Chanley
It’s not like changes are made every day to the daytime lineup at WXRT. When disc jockeys come to work at the station, they stay a decade or five. New WXRT afternoon man Andy Chanley was well aware of this when he took the job. “That was my biggest worry going into all this,” Chanley […]
Photo Gallery: Waxahatchee • Salt Shed • Chicago
Waxahatchee The Salt Shed Chicago, IL April 20, 2024 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Even this early into the year, it’s not unreasonable to expect that Tigers Blood will appear on a smattering of ‘2024 Best of’ lists. The sixth album from Katie Crutchfield (who uses the moniker Waxahatchee as a performing title) takes […]
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