Live Reviews
Live Review: Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs at Park West • Chicago
Mike Campbell & the Dirty Knobs Park West, Chicago, IL Saturday, April 2, 2022 Review by Jeff Elbel Photo by Chris Phelps After a delay of two full years, Mike Campbell was finally able to bring his band the Dirty Knobs to Park West. The guitarist and former Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers co-captain […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery: Nick Cave and Warren Ellis – Auditorium Theatre • Chicago
Nick Cave and Warren Ellis Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL Sunday, March 20, 2022 Review by Jeff Elbel Photos by Andy Argyrakis courtesy of the Auditorium Theatre When Australian singer-songwriter Nick Cave last performed at the venerable Auditorium Theatre in 2017, there was no trace of worry about a global pandemic. The show became a religious […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery: Colin Hay at Thalia Hall • Chicago
Colin Hay at Thalia Hall, Chicago, IL Saturday, March 26, 2022 Review by Jeff Elbel Photos by Philamonjaro Even more welcome to many music lovers than the first robin of spring is the return of Colin Hay to touring as a solo acoustic juggernaut. The erstwhile Men at Work bandleader is now well established as […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery: Zebra and Angel at Arcada Theatre
Zebra at Arcada Theatre, with special guest Angel St. Charles, IL Friday, March 18, 2022 Review and Photos by Jeff Elbel An otherwise wet and dreary Friday evening was enlivened for those who visited the Arcada Theatre to witness the return of ‘80s rock heroes Zebra. In the band’s 47-year career, it was only […]
Live Review and Galley: Neal Morse Band • Arcada Theatre • St. Charles
The Neal Morse Band The Arcada Theatre, St. Charles, IL February 19, 2022 Review by Jeff Elbel Photos by Luciano J. Bilotti The Neal Morse Band presented a master class in progressive rock on Saturday night, with a hint of laudable grace under pressure as the quintet returned to a faithful audience at the supportive […]
Photo Gallery: Ghost and Volbeat • Allstate Arena • Rosemont
Ghost & Volbeat Allstate Arena Rosemont, IL February 18, 2022 Recap and Photos by Edward Spinelli Co-headliners Ghost and Volbeat brought the fans out en masse (despite a freak snow squall) to Allstate Arena Friday. Beelzebub ruled the evening. Ghost vocalist Tobias Forge donned his signature ghoul makeup like a 19th-century zombie in the […]
Live Review: Emmylou Harris and the Red Dirt Boys • Old Town School of Folk Music • Chicago
Emmylou Harris and the Red Dirt Boys Old Town School of Folk Music January 31, 2022 Review by Jeff Elbel The snow forecast for a Monday evening held off long enough to allow Emmylou Harris fans clear passage to and from the Old Town School of Folk Music in Lincoln Square. Inside Maurer Hall, the […]
Photo Gallery: Baroness at Cobra Lounge • Chicago
Baroness Cobra Lounge December 1, 2021 Chicago, IL – Recap and photos by Curt Baran Baroness have finally clawed their way back onto stages in America! Their most recent album, Gold & Grey, was released in 2019, and we all know what happened next. So, the quartet from Savannah, Georgia, is doing something special to […]
Live Review: Musical Box at Arcada Theatre • St. Charles
The Musical Box Saturday, November 20, 2021 Arcada Theatre, St. Charles by Steven Kikoen There’s an understanding among Genesis fans that when the time came where arguably the most prolific progressive rock ensemble that ever existed crossed the line into the pop microcosm, they would all secretly fain forgiveness and pretend to ignore this […]
Live Review: Genesis at United Center • Chicago
Genesis United Center November 15, 2021 Review by Andy Argyrakis Photo by Patrick Balls When Phil Collins proved he was Not Dead Yet with a tell-all book and tour of the same name in 2018, speculation began swirling that another final hurrah with Genesis could be coming right around the corner. Though it […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery: LANY at Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom • Chicago
LANY Saturday, October 16 Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom Chicago, IL Review and photos by Andy Argyrakis A major slice of the three years since LANY brought Malibu Nights to both Lollapalooza and the Riviera may have been spent with the entire world stopped, but that doesn’t mean the ascending indie-pop players wasted a single second. The […]
Stage Buzz Live Review: Thievery Corporation at Park West
Thievery Corporation Thursday, September 30, Park West, Chicago On Thursday night, a fully packed Park West had the vibe of a trance-dance party, with the love and unity of an Afrobeat ensemble. If strictly immersed on the dance floor, one would think it was DJ night. But it was so much more with five boundless […]
Stage Buzz: Live Review and Photo Gallery • Colin Hay at Park West
Colin Hay Park West, Chicago, IL Sunday, August 29, 2021 Review by Jeff Elbel, photos by Philamonjaro Colin Hay has spent decades building his brand as one of popular music’s premier solo acoustic entertainers and all-around raconteurs. His performance benefits from a miraculously ageless voice, fluid and dexterous guitar playing, and stories that overflow […]
Stage Buzz: Review and Photo Gallery • Wilco, Sleater-Kinney at Pritzker Pavillion
Wilco, Sleater-Kinney, Nnamdï Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park, Chicago, IL Saturday, August 28, 2021 Review by Jeff Elbel Photo Gallery by Curt Baran Saturday’s performance at Pritzker Pavilion was Wilco’s first hometown show since December 2019, when the band supported 2019’s Ode to Joy album at the Chicago Theatre. After 20 months of waiting, Jeff […]
Stage Buzz: Live Review and Photo Gallery – James Taylor and His All-Star Band and Jackson Browne • United Center
James Taylor and His All-Star Band, Jackson Browne Thursday, July 29, 2021 United Center, Chicago, IL The third time’s the charm. Originally scheduled for the summer of 2020, the long-anticipated tour by James Taylor and His All-Star Band featuring Jackson Browne’s opening set was bumped to June of this year by the pandemic. Opening […]
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