Weekly
About last night
If you long ago dismissed the Grammys (or are an Eminem fan) you were likely surprised that Arcade Fire took home Album Of The Year last night. If you long ago dismissed the Grammys, you believe everything happens for a reason (a.k.a. the fix is in).
The Church today, tomorrow, yesterday
For all of its attributed disposability, ’80s indie bands from all corners of the British Empire were surprisingly durable. Are, if we’re to be correct. The Church might be celebrating an anniversary with some old material, but they don’t need to.
Linkin Park live!
While most rap-rock and nu-metal acts faded as the last decade closed, Linkin Park were wise enough to continually take major risks to expand their sonic boundaries. Their largest evolutionary step took place with 2010’s A Thousand Suns, a release that delves beyond angst and radio-friendly hooks and deeper into anthemic melodies and electronica.
As my uncle Olafur used to say . . .
Upper-crust classical music audiences certainly didn’t enjoy punk rock’s entrance into pop culture, but they got to watch from a distance as beer-guzzling jocks and classic rockers did the dirty work. Well now they have a punk in their house with Olafur Arnalds.
On The Shoulders Of Giants
To become a monolith, one must think monolithic. Very rarely will a band ascend from meek sonic origins and sit atop the mountain (see: Spoon). Young The Giant are of a mind to reach the apex.
Preview: Kings Go Forth
Regionalism used to drive popular music commercially and artistically — certainly more than it does now. Think West Coast jazz, the Bakersfield Sound, Stax . . . all were reactions to something else going on somewhere else in the country.
Jim Peterik And World Stage review!
McAninch Arts Center, Glen Ellyn Saturday, January 15, 2011 From founding Ides Of March through even more success in Survivor, his newest melodic rock project Pride Of Lions, several solo sidesteps and co-writes for Brian Wilson, Sammy Hagar, Cheap Trick, .38 Special, and Lynyrd Skynyrd (to name a handful), Jim Peterik is more than […]
One year of CHIRPing
We suppose with the way the big sports leagues trample on Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s not such a sin to offer you something to do on your day off, Monday.
Double live Weezer!
Aragon Ballroom, Chicago January 7 and 8, 2011 Andy Argyrakis hit both Weezer shows this weekend: one in support of the band’s debut, the next starring Pinkerton. Both albums were played from front to back.
Tomorrow Never Knows 2011
You know a festival’s doing well when people start grousing about how much better it was in the “old days.” Click on for our preview of this year’s TNK package.
Chuck Berry’s aborted New Year’s show
Photographer Tim Hiatt was shooting Chuck Berry’s rare, local appearance on New Year’s Day, a gig that was cut short when the rock legend slumped over his keyboard and couldn’t continue. Click for photos.
Elvis Costello’s Coffee House Show
Chicago Theatre, Chicago Monday, December 20, 2010 You would have been forgiven, on a cold and snowy winter’s night, if you chucked your Elvis Costello tickets and just hunkered down in front of a crackling fire. Never mind the Bears were also playing, nothing else seemed to matter to the 3,500 who saw Costello at […]
Satch-a Claus is coming to town
Thanks to Trans-Siberian Orchestra, orchestral guitar rock has joined instrumental acoustic-guitar picking as a default holiday-music setting. (Along with rockabilly, oddly.)
Holly Days
Metro presents its annual “Home For The Holidays” concert series, which begins tonight and runs through the 30th. The idea is to draw separated college kids together over cheap — er, inexpensive — music and help some less-fortunate folks out, as well.
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