Live Reviews
Natalie Merchant live!
Chicago Theatre, Chicago Thursday, July 22, 2010 After Natalie Merchant spent 2003 sifting through the vintage and contemporary folk vaults for The House Carpenter’s Daughter, it was apparent she was steering toward a more organic route than the jangle rock of 10,000 Maniacs and her blissful solo beginnings. Seven years later, she ups the random […]
Lilith Fair live!
First Midwest, Tinley Park Saturday, July17, 2010 Sarah McLachlan’s 2010 version of Lilith Fair arrived in Chicago carrying some heavy baggage, having already canceled over a dozen of the 35 showcases scheduled for other cities. A few days before the tour hit the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre in suburban Tinley Park, it was announced that […]
Sting live!
Ravinia, Highland Park Sunday, July 18, 2010 Ever since Sting first left The Police in 1985, his careerâs taken several unexpected twists, many of which have soared and a handful that have sunk. No matter the publicâs reception level, the singerâs certainly been unpredictable, from his early jazz origins to a more straightforward pop/rock flavoring […]
James Taylor & Carole King return!
United Center, Chicago Friday, July 9, 2010 Time-tested classic songs performed by musicians entertain. These same songs, sung by the writers send their message. So, when James Taylor and Carole King cha-cha’d by the United Center Friday night — the second local performance in their Troubadour Reunion Tour — one had to figure there were […]
Against Me live . . . on TV, sorta.
JBTV Studios, Chicago Saturday, July 3, 2010 Prior to taking the stage that evening at the Aragon Ballroom, Gainesville, Florida’s Against Me stopped by the JBTV studios for a brief afternoon set. Performing plugged-in and stripped-down in front of a crowd of roughly 50, the five-man live act played a handful of cuts across 25 […]
Crossroads Guitar Fest review!
Toyota Park, Bridgeview Saturday, June 26, 2010 Eric Clapton called in enough favors Saturday to make Bridgeview the one-day center of the musical universe.
Erykah Badu, N.E.R.D., Janelle MonĂĄe live!
Chicago Theatre, Chicago Thursday, June 3, 2010 If you thought pop music had dissolved into flashy diva spectacles with lots of hooks and no soul or substance, you may have missed a few musical revelations. Specifically, Erykah Baduâs singular brand of tripped-out soul and hip-hop funk, N.E.R.Dâs vivacious rock and hip-hop mĂ©lange, and Janelle MonĂĄeâs […]
Carole King & James Taylor live!
Allstate Arena, Rosemont Monday, May 24, 2010 Forty years ago, right on the crest of the singer/songwriter movement, Carole King and James Taylor first shared the stage at West Hollywoodâs now legendary Troubadour. Though their paths have crossed on the pop and rock charts repeatedly since (and theyâve also swapped album credits), the Troubadour Reunion […]
A-ha live!
A-ha live! Riviera Theatre, Chicago Thursday, May 13, 2010 Â To the bulk of American audiences, A-ha will always be remembered for its monster smash âTake On Me,â which once topped the charts and has since been spun an average of 375 times a day. But to the rest of the world, especially in Europe, […]
Ben Folds live!
Vic Theatre, Chicago Wednesday, April 21, 2010 Anyone who’s ever seen Ben Folds perform live in front of a crowd of die-hard fans (and really, is there any other kind of Ben Folds fan?), or is even just familiar with the piano man’s solid 2002 live disc, Ben Folds Live, knows full well the events […]
Thom Yorke live!
Aragon, Chicago Saturday, April 10, 2010 It’s not unusual for musicians to moonlight when an opportunity presents itself. Thing is, for every so called supergroup that finds a genesis in the curiosity of what could be, very few achieve the critical or commercial success of, say, Blind Faith or The Traveling Wilburys. More often than […]
Drive-By Truckers live!
Vic Theatre, Chicago Friday, April 9, 2010 Chicago is a special place for Drive-By Truckers. The band still talk about the lift they felt by a line outside Hideout back when nobody else cared they were making records.
Florence + The Machine live!
House Of Blues, Chicago Monday, April 12, 2010 Florence Welch is no fluke. The British 23-year-old wowed an already converted, sold-out audience during her debut Chicago appearance. In just over an hour, the fiery redhead’s bellowing vocals and surprisingly demure demeanor brought her lone album, Lungs to life with the determination of a woman poised […]
Stone Temple Pilots live!
Riviera, Chicago Saturday, March 27, 2010 After a five-year hiatus, which included the formation of several new groups, a couple of solo albums, and several stints in rehab, the ’90s’ other grunge pioneers Stone Temple Pilots have reunited for a tour and a new album.
Michael Bublé live!
Allstate Arena, Rosemont Saturday, March 27, 2010 If it seems like Michael BublĂ© exploded from obscurity to being able to sell out arenas in a finger snap, that’s because the 34-year-old was instantly embraced for his ability to juggle traditional ideals with contemporary pop appeal. Raised just as much on Frank Sinatra and Bobby Darin […]
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