Weekly
Paid Dues preview
Paid Dues Tour Abbey Pub, Chicago Wednesday, July 25, 2007 With the exception of a few possible spots on the Vans Warped Tour, indie hip-hop acts are pretty much on their own when it comes to touring the states in the summertime. But thanks to down-to-earth MC Murs and marketing company Guerrilla Union, some of […]
Back Door Slam reviewed
Back Door Slam Roll Away (Blix Street) Close your eyes and pop in Roll Away — maybe reverse that order or you may be at it awhile — and you’ll hear a band sounding much older than it is (perhaps by 20 years). Appearing: July 20th at the World’s Largest Block Party at Old St. […]
The Black Crowes live!
The Black Crowes Grant Park, Chicago Friday, July 6, 2007 The “greening” of Chicago took on a different meaning when noted marijuana advocates The Black Crowes accepted their invitation to this summer’s Taste.
Pitchfork Music Festival preview
Pitchfork Music Festival Union Park, Chicago Friday, July 13 – Sunday, July 15, 2007 Wal-Mart has everything you could possibly want or need, right? Still, it’s nice sometimes to go to the local grocery mart instead. The choices may be fewer and parking might be tougher, but you don’t have to give your hard-earned cash […]
John Doe preview
John Doe Abbey Pub, Chicago Sunday, July 15, 2007 John Doe has established enough of a solo career that it feels uncomfortable and lazy to keep mentioning his old band, Los Angelino punk juggernaut X.
Weedeater preview
Weedeater Empty Bottle, Chicago Monday, July 16, 2007 Some bands eschew “stoner rock.” Fu Manchu, often thought of as one of the sub-genre’s grizzled vets, aren’t fond of the term, for example. Weedeater aren’t either. To hear them explain it, they aren’t stoner rock – how degrading? The North Carolinians much prefer “weed metal.”
Mirah reviewed
Mirah Share This Place: Stories And Observations (K) Mirah Zeitlyn remains traditional on her fifth album, in that she’s still with Calvin Johnson’s K Records and lists close-friend Phil Elverum in the liners. Yet her choice to go deep underground could startle even her closest Olympia-scene compatriots. Appearing: July 17th at Logan Square Auditorium in […]
The Aliens reviewed
The Aliens Astronomy For Dogs (Astralwerks) Despite the wonder contained on their first album (technically a compilation of EPs), The Beta Band can be viewed as a failure. By intentionally throwing fans off their scent, they were never able to refocus in time for people to really start caring again. Which makes Astralwerks’ decision to […]
Gogol Bordello reviewed
Gogol Bordello Super Taranta! (Side One Dummy) Gogol Bordello are to East-European folk what The Tossers are to Irish music, only now they’re caught in a time warp. Appearing: July 15th at Vic Theatre in Chicago.
Apostle Of Hustle live
Apostle Of Hustle Schubas, Chicago Wednesday, June 27, 2007 The clattering sonic wake of Broken Social Scene has never been useful when trying to account for its parts. It’s hard enough to track the contributions of Leslie Feist or Stars or Metric — forget lesser-known quantities like Andrew Whiteman, aka Apostle Of Hustle.
women in docs preview
women in docs National Women’s Festival, Bloomington Thursday, July 5, 2007 Friday, July 6, 2007 The duo known as women in docs sound exactly the way you might imagine given their moniker and the photo sent alongside the album in the press kit. Yes, we’ve all been told not to judge a book by its […]
Sage Francis preview
Sage Francis Abbey Pub, Chicago Friday, July 6th, 2007 Saturday, July 7th, 2007 Make no mistake, Sage Francis, who won 1999’s Superbowl Battle and 2000’s Scribble Jam, considers himself retired from competitive battle rapping. “Won the biggest battle in a Metallica shirt before the album dropped/a week later smashed the trophy at a show/it was […]
Ozma preview
Ozma Beat Kitchen, Chicago Saturday, July 7, 2007 Sound-wise, the parallels between Weezer and Ozma should be enough. If one of them have a “z” in their name, so do the other. Rivers Cuomo even speaks of Ozma in an iTunes store blurb as “beating me at my own game.” In 2007, Weezer’s “Beverly Hills” […]
Rasputina preview
Rasputina, Jana Hunter Abbey Pub, Chicago Sunday, July 8th, 2007 Despite plenty of big-name fans and more than a few brushes with stardom, Melora Creager and her band, Rasputina, remain just under the radar, one of those bands said to have a “cult following.”
T.I. live!
T.I. Riviera, Chicago Wednesday, June 20, 2007 While not marketed as a “secret” show, the location of rapper T.I.’s free MySpace performance wasn’t made available until the day before. But that didn’t stop his fans from arriving in throngs — lining up the entire stretch of the 4700 block of Magnolia around Lawrence, all the […]
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