Live Reviews
Jersey Boys review!
Jersey Boys LaSalle Bank Theatre, Chicago Sunday, October 14, 2007 The Frankie Valli love fest finally arrived in Chicago with an audience so eager to express their affection for the octave jumper they rose to their feet after “Walk Like A Man.” Maybe it was a case of opening night fever or maybe the man […]
Van Halen live!
Van Halen Allstate Arena, Rosemont Tuesday, October 16, 2007 The summer of reunions continues. We’ve had the Police, Genesis, hell even The Bangles have shown up. Now it’s Van Halen’s turn with David Lee Roth in tow. If you close your eyes and listen, you’d swear it was 1984 again. For the Van Halen live […]
Jethro Tull live!
Jethro Tull Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet Saturday, October 13, 2007 Prior to Jethro Tull’s sold-out performance at the ornate and acoustically complimentary Rialto Square Theatre, an announcement was made stating whistling, shouting, and even drinking at any point during the concert would be completely inappropriate. At first, the list of regulations was meant with defiant […]
Down live!
Down House Of Blues, Chicago Wednesday, October 10, 2007 “Fucking Chicago, we’re Down” frontman Phil Anselmo roared as he and his all-star crew of bandmates — guitarists Pepper Keenan (Corrosion Of Conformity) and Kirk Windstein (Crowbar), bassist Rex Brown (ex-Pantera), and drummer Jimmy Bower (Eyehategod) — took the stage at House Of Blues. Not exactly […]
Yo La Tengo live!
Yo La Tengo Lakeshore Theater, Chicago Thursday, October 11, 2007 Having never seen one of Yo La Tengo’s Hanukkah-in-Hoboken residencies, I can only imagine the randomness of the covers and arrangements they choose. A window was opened, however, on Thursday night, during the first of two stripped-down-and-tossed-in-the-air gigs at the intimate Lakeshore.
Brandi Carlile, A Fine Frenzy live!
Brandi Carlile/A Fine Frenzy House Of Blues, Chicago Thursday, October 11, 2007 Kicking off a two-night stand at House Of Blues, ingénue Brandi Carlile enticed the rowdy crowd to put up or shut up when she veered dangerously close to the lip of the stage and belted out a chugging new tune, “How These Days […]
Interpol live!
Interpol Aragon Ballroom, Chicago Thursday, October 11, 2007 For the third time this year, Interpol visited Chicago with its haunting, atmospheric indie rock. Though it may seem like overkill, each setting and circumstance was remarkably diverse, from its Our Love To Admire prerelease publicity gig at the intimate Metro, to a co-headlining slot alongside Muse […]
Patrick Wolf live!
Patrick Wolf Metro, Chicago Tuesday, October 9, 2007 If he so chose, Patrick Wolf could probably get by on spectacle alone. Maybe on just his fans. One curiously dressed attendee donned a silver-sequined frock while another, sporting homeless chic, tapped away on an iPhone. Somehow the South London prodigy retains the headliner status at his […]
Beirut live!
Beirut Portage Theater, Chicago Thursday, October 4, 2007 Rock ‘n’ roll is a young man’s game, but what about European folk? For 75 minutes on Thursday night, 21-year-old Zach Condon led his Beirut on a pseudo-Old World tour with a bandleader presence that approached James Brown.
Beastie Boys live!
Beastie Boys Charter One Pavilion, Chicago Thursday, September 27, 2007 Two sides of the Beastie Boys touched down in Chicago for the trio’s tour behind this fall’s all-instrumental CD, The Mix-Up. The first was a chilled-out, stripped-down, generally wordless affair held at the intimate confines of the RivieraTheatre (billed as “A Gala Event,” complete with […]
The Aliens live!
The Aliens Schubas, Chicago Tuesday, September 25, 2007 When the core members were known as The Beta Band, The Aliens dealt in a sort of musical disinformation campaign. The promise of their debut EPs was purposefully sent up in smoke, live performances abused patience, and it seemed their interest was inversely proportionate to their fans’.
Hip-Hop Honors Tour live!
The Roots, MC Lyte, Big Daddy Kane House Of Blues, Chicago Saturday, September 22, 2007 Considering the popularity of crunk, “pop, lock, and drop it,” and everything else that passes for hip-hop these days, a tour highlighting the golden days of beats and real rhymes proves to be sorely necessary. With hip-hop revolutionaries The Roots […]
Common live!
Common Charter One Pavilion, Chicago Thursday, September 20, 2007 If he were born a century ago, Forrest Gump might have uttered “Life is like Common: You never know whatcher gonna get.” On the one hand there’s the Gap commercials and wannabe-Lothario stage antics — a newsboy-cap wearin’ radio hopeful who references Jennifer Aniston and Vince […]
The Chemical Brothers live!
The Chemical Brothers, Ladytron Riviera Theatre, Chicago September 24, 2007 Since 1993, The Chemical Brothers have consistently churned out an evolutionary form of electronica music that could find dual footing in a club or on the radio. Thankfully the dance-derived duo are also known for an equally enthralling stage show, complete with lights, lasers, and […]
Turbonegro, Mondo Generator live!
Turbonegro, Mondo Generator Metro, Chicago Wednesday, September 19, 2007 For the first stop on their U.S. tour, Turbonegro took not one, but two encores. For most rock bands this would be one too many and a bit pretentious for a group playing a 1,100-capacity club. For this Norwegian act, though, it was perfect – maybe […]
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