Live Reviews

Polyphonic Spree live!
Sic The Polyphonic Spree on those rambunctious NATO protestors and the need for a mile-long line of police officers outfitted in riot gear would disappear. One look at Tim DeLaughter and his band of merry pranksters would either send the chanting mass exercising their First Amendment rights running off in fear or persuade them to […]

Eric Church live!
When Eric Church, sporting his trademark sunglasses finally evolved onto the stage at 9:32 on Friday night, engoulphed in a thick cloud of smoke, there was a feeling of the unknown.

Kaiser Chiefs live!
Shortly after the Kaiser Chiefs opened their concert at House of Blues last Thursday, vocalist Ricky Wilson offered a cheeky introduction for the first single from the band’s latest release by declaring, “It’s new, it’s brilliant, and it’s called ‘On The Run.’”

Live From Daryl’s House . . . live!
What originally started as an under-the-radar webcast in 2007, has since evolved into an MTV Award-winning syndicated TV show and subsequent seven-city tour. Enter “Live From Daryl’s House,” the seemingly out-of-the-blue reinvention by Daryl Hall

Company Flow live
It’s baffling that Company Flow’s first-ever Chicago show happened just now in 2012. Sure this NYC-based trio disbanded years ago, but they were only one of the most influential independent hip-hop groups of the mid-to-late-’90s.

Gotye & Kimbra live!
Gotye managed to jump from the Park West to the Aragon Ballroom without playing a single note in Chicago. This impressive leap probably irked the Belgian Aussie’s handful of devotees and those taking pride in unearthing the undiscovered gem.

Fiona Apple live!
With plenty of time to do the math while waiting for Fiona Apple to reappear for an encore that never materialized Sunday night at Lincoln Hall, it turns out the sold-out crowd shelled out about $1 per minute to witness the reclusive singer’s grand return.

The Head And The Heart live!
Listening to The Head And The Heart with anything other than that thumping, muscular organ whacking against your insides will only bring about feelings of dissatisfaction.

Van Halen live!
From the moment Van Halen non-chalantly took the United Center stage, one of the most paradoxical shows in rock began. First comes the band — Alex Van Halen playing comfortably and business-like behind the drums, while Eddie and son Wolfgang, dressed in their button-down shirts and jeans, worked their guitar and bass, respectively, with straight-ahead […]

Peter Frampton live!
Like Linus who found his long lost blanket, Peter Frampton owned the Chicago Theatre Saturday night with his old pal and newly found 1954 Gibson Les Paul.

The Promise Ring reunited!
Before it became an epithet and anyone outside of punk-rock circles knew what it was, The Promise Ring were highlighted in nascent Teen Vogue magazine as the access point to emo.

Guns N Roses & Flogging Molly pics!
Tim Hiatt was a busy boy this weekend! Visit our photo site for live pics of both Guns N Roses and Flogging Molly at the Aragon!

Glen Campbell’s farewell!
When an artist stages a farewell tour, it’s generally just a bluff to sell more tickets and they wind up coming through town for an endless parade of victory laps. (Cher and the Eagles come to mind.) But in the case of Glen Campbell, this really is his last hurrah,

Wilco live!
For the first half hour, Jeff Tweedy hardly spoke to the audience. For a homecoming gig, that’s an interesting choice, one that didn’t hinder Wilco‘s kick-off of their five-night Chicago residency a bit.

Tori Amos live!
For the length of her career, the saga of Tori Amos has, at its most basic, come down to the story of a woman and her piano. Certainly, there’s much more at play there, what with all the mystical lyrical imagery, fearless revelations, heady concept albums, and endless personas.
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