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Photo Gallery: Mannequin Pussy at Thalia Hall • Chicago
Mannequin Pussy Thalia Hall Chicago, IL April 10, 2024 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Mannequin Pussy is on an absolute tear! After more than a decade together that has yielded four albums and an EP, the Philadelphia four-piece is arguably peaking. Their 2024 release, I Got Heaven, and its subsequent tour, brought them to […]
Media • April 2024 • Me-TV FM’s Deep Cuts
After a 20+ year stretch on the air in Chicago (WCKG, WLUP, and the Drive), most music fans know Phil Manicki as a disc jockey. But before he became known on the air, Phil had a vibrant background in programming, and that history is helping him in his new role as the program director of […]
Live Review & Photo Gallery: Mitski at Auditorium Theatre • Chicago
Mitski Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL Review of Friday, March 22, 2024, show by Jeff Elbel Photos of Sunday, March 24, 2024, show by Curt Baran On Friday, Mitski performed the second in a series of four sold-out concerts at Chicago’s storied Auditorium Theatre. The run of shows launched a new leg of touring in support […]
Photo Gallery: Sleater-Kinney with Black Belt Eagle Scout at Riviera Theatre • Chicago
Sleater-Kinney Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL March 21, 2024 Recap and gallery by Curt Baran Loss loomed large during Sleater-Kinney’s performance at the Riviera Theatre in Uptown Thursday night. The Olympia, Washington duo (expanded into a quintet for touring purposes) are out promoting their tenth studio album (Little Road) and grief certainly seems to be riding […]
Photo Gallery: Olivia Rodrigo with Chappell Roan • United Center • Chicago
Olivia Rodrigo with Chappell Roan United Center Chicago, IL Tuesday, March 19 Recap by Riley Vernon. Gallery by Curt Baran. Pop-rock superstar Olivia Rodrigo arrived in Chicago on Tuesday night with much fanfare on Night One of two sold-out performances as part of her highly anticipated and critically acclaimed Guts World Tour. Rodrigo brought a […]
Photo Gallery: KK’s Priest • Arcada Theatre • St. Charles
K.K.’s Priest Arcada Theatre St. Charles Friday, March 15 Photo Gallery by Ed Spinelli Co-founding guitarist of Judas Priest, K.K Downing, brought his band K.K.’s Priest to the Arcada Theatre on Friday, March 15. Like many former band members from high-profile rock acts – his time in Judas Priest didn’t end so amicably, but that hasn’t […]
Photo Gallery: Alkaline Trio • Aragon Ballroom • Chicago
Alkaline Trio Aragon Ballroom Chicago, IL March 16, 2024 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Chicago’s favorite coffin chasers (and February IE cover stars), Alkaline Trio, brought their Blood, Hair, and Eyeballs tour to Uptown’s Aragon Ballroom for a much-anticipated hometown show. Hours before even a single note was played, the line to enter the […]
Recap and Photo Gallery: Mammoth WVH with Nita Stauss at The Forge • Joliet
Mammoth WVH The Forge Joliet, IL Saturday March 2, 2023 Recap and Photo Gallery by Edward Spinelli Wolfgang Van Halen’s Mammoth WVH treated fans to an intimate sold-out show at The Forge in Joliet on Saturday. After a stunning show at The Vic Theatre last Fall – WVH’s return to the Chicago area shows the […]
Cover Story: Ministry • Age of Disinformation + March 14 Aragon Ballroom Photo Gallery
My apologies, Dear Readers. And I’m not joking here. I really believed that — after an adventurous, always enlightening, occasionally drug-blurred four-decade career in rock journalism that kicked off in the Midwest fresh out of high school back in halcyon 1977 — I had nothing left to offer, no moving words left to conjure, no […]
Media • March 2024 : Tom Skilling’s Parting Words
You won’t be surprised to discover that retiring WGN-TV meteorologist Tom Skilling has loved the weather since he was young. “My parents couldn’t figure out where the heck this weather passion came from,” Skilling admits. “I had a psychic tell me one time that I was a ship captain in a previous life. It’s […]
Recap and Photo Gallery: Porno For Pyros • Salt Shed • Chicago
Porno For Pyros The Salt Shed Chicago, IL February 26, 2024 Recap and photos by Curt Baran The “Final” tour in the Rock milieu has become about as dependable as the boy who cried wolf. But considering that he’s now reached his mid-60s, it certainly makes it easier to believe that Perry Farrell is packing […]
Photo Gallery: Deap Vally with Sloppy Jane at Thalia Hall • Chicago
Deap Vally Sloppy Jane Thalia Hall Chicago, IL February 10, 2024 Recap and photos by Curt Baran Final tours in rock and roll are the equivalent of deaths in science fiction. Are they really dead? Well, Deap Vally seems pretty convincing that this is their last go-round. The L.A. duo consisting of Lindsey Troy (guitar, […]
Photo Gallery: John 5 at Arcada Theatre • St. Charles
John 5 Arcada Theatre St. Charles, IL February 1, 2024 Photos by Edward Spinelli Acclaimed guitarist John 5 arrived at Arcada Theatre on Thursday. 5 made his mark with a musical resume that includes such diverse artists as k.d. Lang, Rod Stewart, Dolly Parton, David Lee Roth, Meat Loaf, Rob Halford, Lita Ford, Lynyrd Skynyrd, […]
Cover Story: Alkaline Trio • Urgent Energy
Alkaline Trio is no stranger to the macabre. The Chicago punk outfit doesn’t shy away from talking about heavy topics like loss, addiction, and depression. But even when they’re talking about how everything sucks, they do it with a wink and nod. Their wry lyrical wit paired with punchy high energy music makes their […]
Media • February 2024 • Remembering the Early Loop
One of the great advantages of writing an oral history like I recently wrote about WLUP Radio (The Loop Files) is the opportunity to hear the stories right from the horse’s mouth. I interviewed over a hundred of those horses (Loop employees). Since the book came out a few months ago, I’ve heard from […]
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