Weekly
Two Decades Of Century Media reviewed
Various Artists Century Media — Covering 20 Years Of Extremes (Century Media) It’s not fair, but to review Century Media’s 20-year celebration, in which the renowned metal label has former and (mostly) present-day acts cover other former and present-day acts, inevitably turns into more a critique of the label’s current place in heavy metal than […]
Omara Portuondo reviewed
Omara Portuondo Gracías (Montuno/World Village) So, she has gone a little soft. Can you blame her? Omara Portuondo stuck it out for decades as Cuba’s starlet, and even smiled pretty when Ry Cooder dragged her back into the spotlight for Buena Vista Social Club.
Terry Reid preview
Terry Reid Empty Bottle, Chicago Friday, November 21, 2008 Word on the street is Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and Jason Bonham are trying to force Robert Plant’s hand (Plant said he has no intentions of participating in a full-fledged Led Zeppelin reunion tour) by holding rehearsals with Myles Kennedy, lead singer of Alter Bridge […]
Lordi preview
Lordi House Of Blues, Chicago Saturday, November 22, 2008 Let us tell you how much cooler Finland is than the United States (notice I said “cooler,” not tougher, or more patriotic, or more armed or anything — so please no “Love it or leave it” e-mails”): Here, we mock, or in the least, dismiss costumed/masked […]
Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival preview
Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival Congress Theatre, Chicago Saturday, November 22, 2008 The 2008 Bluegrass & Blues Festival is neither bluegrass nor blues: discuss. Subtopic, the Saving Tiny Hearts Society benefits either way.
Brother Von Doom reviewed
Brother Von Doom Relentless (Deathcote) Everything about Relentless, pre-CD-player insertion, says “totally fucking badass.” Everything about Relentless, post-CD-player ejection, says “total fucking waste of time.”
Hotel Café Tour live!
Hotel Café Tour Park West, Chicago Wednesday, November 5, 2008 Girls just want to have fun until it’s time for a soul-baring, singer-songwriter night. The Hotel Café tour rolled into Chicago’s Park West the night following Barack Obama’s historic presidential win and quickly sucked the euphoria left lingering from Election Day out of the room. […]
Jack’s Mannequin live!
Jack’s Mannequin Bottom Lounge, Chicago November 9, 2008 Despite hailing from sunny California, the Windy City is almost a second home for Jack’s Mannequin, at least according to frontman Andrew McMahon at Sunday night’s Bottom Lounge show. And judging by the commitment of the sold-out crowd (some camped out in the cold for hours to […]
The Rosebuds preview
The Rosebuds Bottom Lounge, Chicago Thursday, November 13, 2008 For a band who’ve chosen such an iconic name in American arts, The Rosebuds seem to practice an ad hoc self-iconoclasmtreating the styles on past albums like used tissues.
Iced Earth, Early Man preview
Iced Earth, Early Man Metro, Chicago Friday, November 14, 2008 You’ll notice five guys in the above Iced Earth picture — resembling, to most, a band. But consider this: Since 1991 (the group officially formed in the mid’80s) Iced Earth has released 10 albums . . . and had more than 20 members! That’s not […]
Totally Michael preview
Totally Michael Abbey Pub, Chicago Sunday, November 16, 2008 Technological advances in the last half decade have drastically changed the music industry. Some for the better (musicians with little-to-no budget can record at home instead of burning money in big-dollar studios); some for the worse (Totally Michael — one guy from Bloomington, Indiana — can […]
Coheed And Cambria quadruple live!
Coheed And Cambria Rivieria, Chicago Tuesday, October 28-31, 2008 Coheed And Cambria have always gone big. From overly pretentious album titles (Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness) to sprawling nine-minute epics, the group has continually aspired toward the ambitious and grandiose. Thus, it was hardly surprising […]
The Academy Is preview
The Academy Is House Of Blues, Chicago Thursday, November 6, 2008 Friday, November 7, 2008 Both Rolling Stone and Spin hammered The Academy Is’ second album, Santi, but so what? Fans still grabbed copies, Atlantic Records didn’t give Fueled By Ramen/Decaydence any ultimatums, and the Hoffman Estates-based band felt confident enough to book two House […]
My Brightest Diamond preview
My Brightest Diamond Schubas, Chicago Friday, November 7, 2008 Led Zeppelin’s burning yen to hit the road without Robert Plant (and with some choda from Alter Bridge) has given us something similar to the DTs: shaking, nausea, gas, seething intolerance for blatant stupidity. However, if Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones absolutely must go all […]
Tech N9ne
Tech N9ne Pearl Room, Mokena Saturday, November 8, 2008 Skits, guest appearances, and bloated songs counts are as common to hip-hop as blast beats are to black metal, but Tech N9ne takes things to a whole new level on Killer.
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