Live Reviews
TV On The Radio live!
TV On The Radio Riviera, Chicago Wednesday, October 22, 2008 Shortly before the end of TV On The Radio’s Wednesday-night stint, the group’s show became too expansive to merely be contained on the Riviera’s stage. For “Let The Devil In,” the band was joined by a slew of accompanying musicians, including percussionists wielding maracas, extra […]
Maxwell live!
Maxwell Chicago Theatre, Chicago Saturday, October 18, 2008 “I can’t tell you how special it is not to have to put out an album, but to still see you all here,” Maxwell shouted to those gathered at the Chicago Theatre during his first trip through town in seven years. “It’s just me meeting my people […]
Death Cab For Cutie live!
Death Cab For Cutie Assembly Hall, Champaign Sunday, October 12, 2008 Seattle’s Death Cab For Cutie released its first album a decade ago. Comprising smart geeks who write melodic songs, DCFC manages the spectacularly difficult feat of combining quirkiness with muscle. Sunday’s 90-minute-plus set at the Assembly Hall demonstrated just how very good at that […]
Ben Folds live!
Ben Folds Congress, Chicago Friday, October 10, 2008 As a performer, there has always been a sense of duality surrounding Ben Folds. Initially, there was his alt-era piano-man rock outfit Ben Folds Five and, following the group’s demise, Ben Folds, sometimes introspective, sometimes cheeky solo artist. On record, there was the Folds who would heartbreakingly […]
Tina Turner live!
Tina Turner United Center, Chicago Friday, October 3, 2008 Tina Turner must have forgotten she vowed 2000’s tour would be her very last (though it’s certainly not the first time a diva’s done one or the other). Apparently the decision was motivated by her show-stopping duet with Beyoncé at the 2008 Grammy Awards, but without […]
Beck live!
Beck Aragon, Chicago Friday, October 3, 2008 Beck and his four-piece band tore through 25 songs in less than 90 minutes Friday night at the Aragon Ballroom with nary a wave or hello. Stripping away the gimmicks of yore – goodbye marionettes – Beck played it straight . . . really straight. Skewed dance moves […]
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds live!
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Riviera, Chicago Monday, September 29, 2008 The script goes: we see a veteran act and report back how whoever it is may have lost a step but is much more seasoned. Monday night, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds slipped out of our hold and jammed a finger in […]
Hot Chip, Growing live!
Hot Chip, Growing Metro, Chicago Sunday, September 28, 2008 Who knew five pasty British guys armed with synthesizers could put on the year’s best rock show? On Sunday night, the first of a two-night Metro stand, Hot Chip egged on a libido-soaked crowd until the band’s angular, repetitive “Bendable Poseable” served to characterize the frenzied […]
My Bloody Valentine live!
My Bloody Valentine Aragon, Chicago Saturday, September 27, 2008 From a trio of stewards hocking free earplugs for fans filing in the Aragon to a set-closing, 20-minute cannonade of noise that kicked everyone out, there was no mistaking the intent behind My Bloody Valentine’s return. Frontman Kevin Shields, crippled by 17 years of artistic paralysis, […]
Stars, Bell X1 live!
Stars, Bell X1 Vic Theatre, Chicago Wednesday, September 24, 2008 When the credits roll in the imaginary film depiction of Stars’ Wednesday night gig at The Vic, the following phrase – no flowers were hurt in the making of this film – will not flash across the screen. During the Montreal collective’s 90-minute set, dozens […]
Opeth, High On Fire live!
Opeth, High On Fire House Of Blues, Chicago Wednesday, September 24, 2008 Before Opeth and High On Fire even rolled into town last week, their House Of Blues show became more about what wasn’t than was. This tour looked can’t miss when it was announced: progressive metal wizard Opeth with support from stoner king High […]
Cut Copy, The Presets
Cut Copy, The Presets Metro, Chicago Wednesday, September 17, 2008 Despite the fact The Presets weren’t so much openers for as they were co-headliners alongside Cut Copy last Wednesday night at the Metro, the group nonetheless preceded the evening’s final act. As such, there are customary roles to be acted out during the build into […]
Neko Case live!
Neko Case Hideout, Chicago Saturday, September 20, 2008 Neko Case triumphantly closed the Hideout Block Party’s Saturday lineup, returning to the watering hole that not only employed her behind the bar, but also helped propel her musical career.
Vince Gill live!
Vince Gill Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet Thursday, September 18, 2008 Even before Vince Gill took the stage at the ornate Rialto Square, it appeared the evening would be a lot more stripped back than his usual trips through auditoriums and arenas. The country/bluegrass/blue-eyed soul crooner may have had plenty of guitars stacked up, but many […]
Journey, Heart, & Cheap Trick live!
Journey, Heart, Cheap Trick First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, Tinley Park Friday, September 12, 2008 New album, new tour, new singer. Does that cycle sound familiar for those faithfully following Journey? For those living under a rock, Steve Perry is long gone, his replacement, Steve Augeri, is out after vocal damage, Jeff Scott Soto was just […]
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