Weekly
Stage Buzz Q&A: Wednesday 13 at Concord Hall
For Wednesday 13 [Joseph Michael Poole], horror and spooky things aren’t just a hobby. It’s his full-time job. There’s a reason he’s known as The Duke of Spook. For the past three decades, he’s been making music about hideous creatures, evil monsters, and all things horror. He’s a modern-day Alice Cooper. He lives and breathes […]
Stage Buzz: Brigitte Calls Me Baby, Cutthroat, Perfume Genius
Chicago’s own Brigitte Calls Me Baby is going back to where it all started. The band will preview new music from their upcoming album, Irreversible, during a special, intimate hometown show. The sold-out performance takes place at Schubas this Wednesday, January 21st. If you can’t make this one, the band will be back in April […]
Stage Buzz: DIIV, Armnhmr, Deacon Blues, Youth Fountain
Youth Fountain Pop punk fans in the know have been buzzing about Youth Fountain since the release of their 2023 album, Together in Lonesome. What started as a solo project for singer/songwriter Tyler Zanon transformed into a full band a few years later. And though they may not be a household name (yet), the band […]
Spins: Oasis • Familiar to Millions 25th Anniversary 3xLP
Oasis Familiar to Millions 25th Anniversary 3xLP (Big Brother) As part of the juggernaut Oasis Live ’25 reunion tour selling out stadiums worldwide, Oasis’ stop at Soldier Field was the hottest ticket in town last summer. Fans can relive some of the energy generated that night by spinning this 3xLP audio reissue of 2000’s live […]
Spins: Dr. John • Live at the Village Gate
Dr. John Live at the Village Gate (Omnivore) The late Mac “Dr. John” Rebennack and his Louisiana Luminoids raised the spirit of New Orleans in New York City’s Greenwich Village on March 5, 1988. This previously unreleased 12-song set stretches beyond 90 minutes, giving ample opportunity to revel in the sound of Rebennack’s sparkling […]
Spins: Stevie Nicks • Bella Donna Ultradisc One-Step 2xLP
Stevie Nicks Bella Donna Ultradisc One-Step 2xLP (Mobile Fidelity) 2025 was a good year for devotees of audiophile vinyl and Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab followers. The label reissued pristine pressings of albums reviewed in Illinois Entertainer, including Rick James’ soul-funk classic, Street Songs, and Miles Davis’ genre-blending jazz standout, Sketches of Spain. Fans of the best ’80s […]
Spins: Emmylou Harris • Spyboy expanded LP reissue
Emmylou Harris Spyboy expanded LP reissue (New West) After releasing a startlingly potent and career-redefining album, Wrecking Ball, helmed by producer Daniel Lanois in 1995, Emmylou Harris assembled a band she dubbed Spyboy to bring the songs to life on the road. This live album from 1998 documents the Wrecking Ball tour, during which Harris and her Spyboys, including guitarist […]
Spins: Tears for Fears • Songs from the Big Chair 40th Anniversary 2xLP
Tears for Fears Songs from the Big Chair 40th Anniversary 2xLP (Mercury/EMI/UMe) Tears for Fears emerged with a milestone debut album in 1983’s The Hurting, but the band’s rapid creative evolution soon exceeded that success. 1985 sophomore effort Songs from the Big Chair would become one of the decade’s best-loved albums and cement Tears for […]
Spins: Split Enz • ENZyclopedia Volumes One and Two 3xLP box
Split Enz ENZyclopedia Volumes One and Two 3xLP box (Chrysalis/Mushroom) Can the music of Split Enz really be 50 years old? ENZyclopedia Volumes One and Two offers a crash course in the influential and off-the-wall group’s music for 21st century listeners who might only know the Neil Finn single “I Got You” from 1980’s True […]
Stage Buzz: Local H, LSDREAM, Umphree’s McGee, Dru Hill
Want to spend New Year’s Eve vibing to ‘90s R&B? Dru Hill’s got you covered. Join the group as they ring in 2026 performing their biggest hits, like “Tell Me”, “5 Steps”, “In My Bed”, “Never Make a Promise”, and “How Deep Is Your Love.” The celebration goes down with two shows at City Winery […]
Spins: Jason Sinay • The Mountain
Jason Sinay The Mountain (Next Revolution) Veteran guitarist and singer Jason Sinay expanded his recognition and audience by holding his own alongside revered Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell in The Dirty Knobs. Other notable sessions have ranged from work with pop legend Neil Diamond to alt-country singer-songwriter Tift Merritt. Sinay departed […]
Spins: Christopher Cross • All Right: The Worldwide Singles 1980-1988
Christopher Cross All Right: The Worldwide Singles 1980-1988 (Omnivore) Call it yacht rock if that gets you in the door, but don’t write off Christopher Cross. Possessing a supple and immediately identifiable tenor, Cross’s songs also reveal an inventive melodist, meticulous and thoughtful songwriter, and formidable musician. All Right collects 20 singles from Cross’ heyday […]
Spins • Roland Gift “Everybody Knows it’s Christmas” 7″ vinyl single
Roland Gift “Everybody Knows it’s Christmas” 7″ vinyl single (London) Just in time for the holidays comes the first Christmas single from Roland Gift. The singular voice heard on ’80s favorites by Fine Young Cannibals, including “She Drives Me Crazy,” “Good Thing,” and “Johnny Come Home,” remains unmistakably recognizable in this cheerful seasonal offering. The […]
Spins: Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats •. Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats 10th anniversary expanded 2xLP
Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats Self-titled debut 10th anniversary expanded 2xLP (Stax) Following Nathaniel Rateliff’s restless career has been a rewarding journey. Clued-in fans from Rateliff’s earliest days have witnessed the Denver-based artist’s growth as a captivating songwriter and his transition from intimate folk to the technicolor variety of soulful R&B now featured […]
Gear: Gift Guide: D’Addario Tour-Grade String Change Kit
Gear: Gift Guide Tour-Grade String Change Kit (D’Addario) Here’s a practical, high-quality, and reasonably affordable gift for the musician or instrument tech in your life. D’Addario’s Tour-Grade String Change Kit offers a premium upgrade to three everyday tools. A tuning peg winder with smooth ball-bearing action speeds the process for bringing new strings to concert […]
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