Live Reviews
Iron Maiden live!
Iron Maiden Allstate Arena, Rosemont Wednesday, October 18, 2006 Five songs into his band’s Allstate set Bruce Dickinson made the announcement Iron Maiden would play A Matter Of Life And Death, the group’s newest record, in its entirety, from start to finish. This drew one of two reactions from fans: 1.) Excitement because they love […]
Lindsey Buckingham live!
Lindsey Buckingham Park West, Chicago Tuesday, October 24, 2006 The first words out of Lindsey Buckingham’s mouth at a packed Park West appeared to be a brutally honest self-examination that aptly summarizes the content found on his new CD, Under The Skin: “Reading the paper, saw a review/Said I was a visionary, but nobody knew/Now […]
Jerry Douglas, Paul Simon Live!
Jerry Douglas & Paul Simon Rosemont Theatre, Rosemont Monday, October 16, 2006 If Clapton is God, Jerry Douglas is the Holy Ghost. There are things this man can do with a dobro, or even a slide on electric guitar, that a lot of guitarists can’t do with 10 fingers. And we’ve played enough slide to […]
Trivium, The Sword, Protest The Hero Live!
Trivium, The Sword, Protest The Hero Metro, Chicago Tuesday, October 17, 2006 It’s uncommon anymore to see three bands that sound completely different from one another at a non-festival show. This is especially true for heavy metal, where, for whatever reason, headliner-plus-four-sound-alike-openers gigs have become status quo.
Aerosmith, Motley Crue live!
Aerosmith, Motley Crue First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, Tinley Park Thursday, October 5, 2006 “The Route Of All Evil Tour” was a fitting title to this fall’s Aerosmith and Motley Crue outing because both are known for partying, pyrotechnics, power ballads, and last but not least, flowing locks. Though the members of Aerosmith have toned down […]
Jenny Lewis, Viet Nam live!
Jenny Lewis With The Watson Twins, Viet Nam Vic Theatre, Chicago Wednesday, October 4, 2006 For someone so concerned with the meteorology of relationships, Jenny Lewis sure doesn’t check the weather reports as often as she could. In January 2003 while fronting her regular gig, Rilo Kiley, she wore a tank top in the Abbey […]
Sleeping At Last live!
Sleeping At Last The Union, Naperville Friday, October 6, 2006 Sleeping At Last may just be Chicagoland’s best-kept secret, so it should be no surprise that they chose to kick off their first headlining nationwide tour in a small, virtually unknown venue. The little old white church building (now a concert venue dubbed “The Union”) […]
Shooter Jennings Live!
Shooter Jennings Joe’s, Chicago Saturday, September 30, 2006 With the exception of a quick “How ya doin’ Chicago?” as he took the stage Shooter Jennings offered little chit chat during the first four songs – “Electric Rodeo,” “Gone To Carolina,” “Little White Lines,” and “Solid Country Gold” – at Joe’s Saturday night.
Lupe Fiasco’s Secret Show
Lupe Fiasco Metro, Chicago Tuesday, September 19, 2006 At last, Lupe Fiasco’s day has come. On an unseasonably cool September evening, this Chicago-reared MC gathered hundreds of fans for this free “MySpace Secret Show” — one that he initially cancelled due to illness. But after having his long-awaited debut, Food & Liquor, pushed back seven […]
Sufjan Stevens live
Sufjan Stevens Riviera, Chicago Tuesday, September 26, 2006 Things have gotten serious for Sufjan Stevens. When Illinois was just a twinkle in his eye, he brought his so-called “Militia” to Schubas on the Seven Swans tour; Schubas holds approximately 200 people. After Illinois came out, he played a sold-out Metro. Tuesday he packed the Riv […]
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Strokes Live!
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Strokes Charter One Pavilion, Chicago Thursday, September 14, 2006 Steady as he goes, Tom Petty’s inaugural appearance at the outdoor Charter One Pavilion on Thursday was as by the book as it gets — and exactly what you want from him.
Catfish Haven Live!
Catfish Haven Double Door, Chicago Saturday, September 16, 2006 Missing from the garage rock renaissance of the early millennium were great singers. Roky Erickson was as essential to 13th Floor Elevators as that nauseating electric jug, just as a sinewy Iggy Pop not only gave The Stooges unpredictibility, but also an unquantifiable grace. A rudimentary […]
World Music Fest Report
Sara Tavares, Cibelle, Natacha Atlas World Music Fest, Chicago September 2006 Hosting a bevy of quirky, globally hip, international acts shimmying across various stages, the Chicago World Music Festival kickstarted its opening weekend with style. After years of struggling with immigration challenges and skimpy attendance, the eighth annual festival seems to have hit its stride. […]
Touch And Go Block Party Review
Touch And Go’s 25th Anniversary Hideout Block Party, Chicago September 8th through 10th, 2006 The weekend felt like the prom most of the graying punks never bothered to attend or a family reunion with more piercings and tattoos than a biker rally. Touch And Go, Chicago’s venerable independent record label, turned 25 years young and […]
Def Leppard & Journey live!
Journey, Def Leppard Marcus Amphitheatre, Milwaukee Saturday, September 9, 2006 Look up “guilty pleasure” in the rock ‘n’ roll encyclopedia and it’s sure to include a host of ’80s-based arena rockers and hair metallers, including Journey and Def Leppard. The double bill indeed embodied that very idea, and while it compromises one’s cool to admit […]
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