Live Reviews
Live Review: Kingâs X at House of Blues ⢠Chicago
Kingâs X House of Blues Chicago, IL October 16, 2026 Review and live photos by Jeff Elbel Originally from Houston, Texas, veteran hard rock trio Kingâs X has held longstanding esteem as musiciansâ musicians and celebrated songwriters without attaining the full measure of financial reward to match the acclaim expressed by arena-filling peers like Soundgarden, […]
Live Review: Unto Others at Concord Hall ⢠Chicago
Unto Others October 15, 2026 Concord Hall Chicago, IL Sometimes you donât want metal thatâs flashy, gimmicky, or a fusion of five different genres. Sometimes you just want music you can rock the fuck out to. Luckily, thatâs exactly what Portlandâs Unto Others delivered during their set opening for Castle Rat at Concord Music Hall […]
Photo Gallery + Bonus Coverage: Riot Fest 2026 ⢠Day Two ⢠Douglass Park ⢠Chicago
Riot Fest Douglass Park, Chicago, IL Day 2: Saturday, September 19, 2026 Review by Jeff Elbel. Photos by Curt Baran. Moderate temperatures and overcast skies were a boon for bands that played early on Saturdayâs bill at Riot Fest. Gaslight Anthem frontman Brian Fallon and his band, the Painkillers, played to a respectable crowd on […]
Photo Gallery + Bonus Coverage: Riot Fest 2026 ⢠Day Three ⢠Douglass Park ⢠Chicago
Riot Fest Douglass Park, Chicago, IL Day 3: Sunday, September 20, 2026 Review by Jeff Elbel. Recap and Photos by Curt Baran. Rain that altered parts of Saturdayâs schedule persisted overnight. Doors shifted to 2 p.m., reshaping the timeline again. Puddles of mudâno pun intendedâformed on the Douglass Park grounds, echoing moist Riot Fests from […]
Photo Gallery: Lollapalooza 2026 – Day One (Part One)
Lollapalooza Grant Park Chicago, IL July 30-August 2nd Recap and photos by Curt Baran Day One Lollapalooza, the massive, annual four-day music festival, once again landed back at its home in Chicagoâs Grant Park for its 2026 run. It featured dozens of bands, sprawled out over four days, all on the cityâs front lawn. Day […]
Live Review: Wet Leg at The Vic Theatre ⢠Chicago
Wet Leg The Vic Theatre Chicago, IL July 29, 2026 Review by Jeff Elbel. Photos by Curt Baran. Hailing from the Isle of Wight in the UK, indie rock quintet Wet Leg performed a bit of time traveling magic in addition to crossing the Atlantic Ocean for their first appearance in Chicago this year. The […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery: Rush at United Center ⢠Chicago
Rush United Center Chicago, IL July 22, 2026 Review by Jeff Elbel. Photos by Curt Baran. The unexpected reignition of Rush has emerged as the must-see concert tour of the year, as witnessed on Wednesday by an ecstatic audience at the United Center. In addition to touching 13 of the Canadian rockersâ 19 studio albums, […]
Live Review: The Church at Park West ⢠Chicago
The Church, 2026 The Church Park West Chicago, IL July 7, 2026 Review by Jeff Elbel Led by founding member Steve Kilbey, Australian rockers the Church filled Park West with dreamy psychedelia, inventive alternative pop, and searing rock on Tuesday. âWhen I was young and getting started, the man opened the big book of […]
Live Review: Amy Grant at City Winery ⢠Chicago
Amy Grant City Winery, Chicago, IL Monday, June 15, 2026 Review and live photo by Jeff Elbel âI just love songs that start conversations,â said singer-songwriter Amy Grant when introducing âThe 6th of January (Yasgurâs Farm)â to an attentive, sold-out room at City Winery Chicago on Monday. Known for clean-cut and uplifting radio hits […]
Live Review: Robyn Hitchcock at Athenaeum Center ⢠Chicago
Robyn Hitchcock Athenaeum Center Chicago, IL April 10, 2026 Review and photos by Jeff Elbel Pop surrealist Robyn Hitchcock has been good to his devotees in Chicago, making regular visits to town with his engaging one-man shows. On Friday, fans got a special treat when the English musician and former Soft Boys frontman stopped […]
Live Review: Florence + The Machine at Allstate Arena ⢠Rosemont
Florence + The Machine Allstate Arena Rosemont, IL April 10, 2026 Review By Curt Baran âEverybody scream!â Not only is it the name of her latest single, but it was also something that shares the name of Florence Welchâs current tour. But at the first of two sold-out shows at Rosemontâs Allstate Arena, it also […]
Live Review: Billy OâNeill ⢠Liarâs Club ⢠Chicago
Billy OâNeill (of oh my god) Liarâs Club Chicago, IL Friday, April 3, 2026 Live Review and photos by Jeff Elbel Good Friday saw the welcome return to Chicago of erstwhile local hero Billy OâNeill. The singer and bassist visited Liarâs Club to reacquaint his former hometown audience with songs by theatrical post-punk band […]
Live Review: Lamb of God at Aragon Ballroom ⢠Chicago
Lamb Of God Aragon Ballroom Chicago March 25, 2026 It only took three songs for frontman Randy Blythe to express an overt and timely political message during Lamb Of Godâs all-ages headlining show at the Aragon on March 25: âNo more war for oil, motherfuckers,â Blythe spat out as an introduction to âBlood Junkie.â Otherwise, […]
Live Review & Photo Gallery: Paul McCartney at United Center ⢠Chicago
Paul McCartney United Center Chicago, IL November 25, 2025 Review by Jeff Elbel. Photos by Ed Spinelli. Can it really have been eight years since the last time Sir Paul McCartney performed in Chicago? The still-fab former Beatle was a relatively regular presence during the 2010s in the town he first visited with his old […]
Live Review: Pixel Grip at Metro ⢠Chicago
Pixel Grip Metro Chicago, IL November 14, 2025 Review by Ashley Perez-Hollingsworth Itâs been a big year for Chicago industrial-pop trio Pixel Grip. Releasing a successful new album. Fighting with Travis Scott over uncredited samples. Hanging out with Trent Reznor. Opening for Peaches on her highly anticipated 2026 tour. To cap off the year, their […]
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