Monthly
Media: February 2018
When I called Chicago radio legend Fred Winston (WLS, WMAQ, WFYR, WCFL, WPNT, WJMK, WLUP, and just about every other station on the dial), the gentleman farmer now living in Southwest Michigan, was in the middle of a project. âYou caught me repairing a doorknob. Thank God for the internet. There are scores of YouTube […]
Photo Gallery: [Updated] Umphrey’s McGee at Park West
650 lucky Umphrey’s McGee fans were treated to an intimate performance at the Park West in Chicago Sunday, featuring a dynamic performance of music from their new album It’s Not Us and some old favorites. Fans were treated to a free CD of the new album, some unique band swag, a post show meet-and-greet, plus […]
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 youâve listened to rock and roll radio for the last three decades, youâve undoubtedly run across the work of Steve Seaver. Heâs been rocking Chicago since 1991 at stations like The Blaze, The Loop, and currently The Drive (97.1 FM). Heâs 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. âI was laying in bed, and I was checking my morning e-mails when I saw a âCongratulationsâ […]
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
âTis 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 â4:44 Tourâ 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 âCars,â 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. âThe Savageâ 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
Itâs what every artist aspires to; one would imagine â 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
Itâs 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 COLLINSÂ â 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 Johnâs 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 […]










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