Monthly
Photo Gallery: Trans-Siberian Orchestra at Allstate Arena
TSO brought their annual holiday extravaganza to a sold-out Rosemont arena on Dec 28th. Ed Spinelli caught the holiday spirit and their amazing lightshow showcasing the symphonic rockers in all their glory.
Media: January 2018
If you’ve listened to rock and roll radio for the last three decades, you’ve undoubtedly run across the work of Steve Seaver. He’s been rocking Chicago since 1991 at stations like The Blaze, The Loop, and currently The Drive (97.1 FM). He’s one of those rare personalities who can be identified by one name, […]
Cover Story: Avenged Sevenfold
Avenged Sevenfold frontman M. Shadows easily remembers exactly where he was and what he was doing when he received the remarkable news a few weeks ago. And it was the last bulletin on Earth he was expecting. “I was laying in bed, and I was checking my morning e-mails when I saw a ‘Congratulations’ […]
Photo Gallery: Greta Van Fleet at Lincoln Hall
Greta Van Fleet’s sold-out show at Lincoln Hall attracted a cross section of enthusiastic fans that greatly admire a band that carries the brightest flames of a classic rock torch. Their new double EP, From The Fires, mines the best of Led Zeppelin in a new way. This feral band of three brothers and a friendly […]
Photo Gallery: B96 Jingle Bash at Allstate Arena
’Tis the season for the annual radio station concerts. In brief: some of the biggest stars in music thank terrestrial radio buy agreeing to pop in, bang out a half a dozen songs and vanish almost as quickly. Kiss the ring and watch your songs go into heavy rotation. The B-96 Jingle Bash arguably scored […]
Gallery: Jay-Z at United Center
At this point in his career, Jay-Z is all but an elder statesman in Hip-Hop. The East Coast rapper has always had some of the silkiest flow in the genre and certainly has the record sales as proof (100 million and counting). His “4:44 Tour” touched down for a stop Tuesday at the United Center. […]
Photo Gallery: Gary Numan at Thalia Hall
Although his name is synonymous with the ’80s New Wave classic “Cars,” London-born Gary Numan has quietly carved out a career that is now deep into its third decade. He just released his 22nd (!) album Savage (Songs From A Broken World) and has hit the road to lend it support. “The Savage” Tour landed […]
Photo Gallery: A Perfect Circle at UIC Pavilion
Cell phones and photographers in the photo pit were prohibited at Friday’s post-Thanksgiving A Perfect Circle show at the UIC Pavilion. Although shots from the soundboard make it difficult to document the band was actually there, you’ll need to trust us and 3000 fans; APC was there. According to photographer Ed Spinelli, “Maynard [James Keenan] […]
Cover Story: Wolf Alice
It’s what every artist aspires to; one would imagine – a famous director one day finding their life so remarkable and their look so photogenic that it warrants its own documentary. But UK rocker Ellie Rowsell was just surprised that hers happened so fast, last year when her quartet Wolf Alice had only a single […]
Media: December 2017
It’s become a year-end tradition in this space to honor some of the broadcasters we lost in the past calendar year. All of them touched countless lives in the Chicago area, maybe even your own. The Chicago media community is diminished by their absence. JOE COLLINS – Collins was a veteran traffic reporter in Chicago best […]
Photo Gallery: John McLaughlin & Jimmy Herring at The Vic Theater
Ed Spinelli captured two guitar giants at The Vic last week, adding these show notes: “Chicago was the only city on this tour lucky enough to get two shows. Both easy sellouts to what appeared to be a male dominated audience, and guessing they were all guitar players getting their last lessons from the master […]
Live Review/Gallery – Elton John at the Tax Slayer Center
Elton John TaxSlayer Center, Moline Friday, November 10, 2017 Nearly every season in Elton John’s illustrious career is filled with some sort of milestone, but perhaps more than any in recent memory, the last year prompted several reasons to celebrate. For starters, the international superstar released his 30th studio album Wonderful Crazy Night (the first […]
Recap/Gallery: Widespread Panic at Riverside Theater
Widespread Panic The Riverside Theater Milwaukee, WI Widespread Panic didn’t make it to the Windy City this year, so Ed Spinelli packed up the Plymouth Voyager min-van and went to one of the bands favorite hot spots – Milwaukee! Panic have been hosting their Fall, 3-day weekends in the Cream City for a decade. The […]
Photo Gallery – The National at House Of Vans
The National’s already busy schedule just became a bit more crowded. The Cincinnati quintet has already sold out two shows at Chicago’s Civic Opera House taking place later this month. But when a very popular former President (last name Obama) calls, well, what’s a left-leaning indie rock band to do but answer the call. […]
Media: November 2017
Tom Shaer’s career in Chicago media includes stints as the morning man (and first voice ever) on the Score, ESPN AM 1000, morning sports anchor on WBBM News radio, and TV sports anchor at Channel 5, among other positions, but the Massachusetts native got his start in the business in Boston, and he did it […]
Recent Comments