Weekly
Live Review: The Saints ‘73 -‘78 at Metro • Chicago
The Saints ‘73-‘78 Metro Chicago, IL November 11, 2025 Review and Live Photos by Jeff Elbel Fans of classic punk rock arrived at the Metro on Tuesday night for a rare opportunity to see originators of the form when founding guitarist Ed Kuepper and original drummer Ivor Hay brought The Saints ‘73-‘78 from Australia […]
Stage Buzz: IC3PEAK, Pixel Grip, Tom Morello, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets
It’s no surprise that IC3PEAK’s music found an audience outside of their native Russia. Their latest album, Coming Home, arrived amid political unrest and social uprising. This is the duo’s bread and butter. They’ve come under fire in their country for their unapologetic criticism of the Russian government. Despite numerous attempts from authorities to censor […]
Stage Buzz: Thrice, Halsey, Thundercat, The Saints ’73-’78
Singer/bass maestro Thundercat keeps fans clamoring for new music. He hasn’t released an album since 2020’s It Is What It Is. Luckily, fans can still experience their favorite songs live on Thundercat’s latest outing. The tour makes its Chicago stop at Aragon Ballroom this Friday, November 7th. You can still grab tickets here. Singer/songwriter […]
Spins: Frank Zappa • Halloween ’78: Live at the Palladium, NY Super Deluxe
Frank Zappa Halloween ’78: Live at the Palladium, NY Super Deluxe (UMe/Zappa) Spooky! Scary! I am, of course, referring to the compositional skill and dazzling technical chops on display by Frank Zappa and his top-flight band on the Halloween night of 1978 in New York City. This is the fourth Super Deluxe costume box […]
Live Review & Gallery: David Byrne at Auditorium Theatre • Chicago
David Byrne Auditorium Theatre October 28, 2025 Chicago, IL Live review by Jeff Elbel, Live photos by Curt Baran. Tuesday’s concert by David Byrne began with a recorded welcome from the artist, informing patrons that the Auditorium Theatre management had agreed to allow dancing if the aisles were kept clear. “In the event of a […]
Spooky (Stage) Buzz: Plain White T’s and We the Kings, Ho99o9, My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult,
Chicago industrial legends My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult have been shakin’ and groovin’ to their brand of sleazy metal for nearly 40 years. With an eclectic sound spanning disco, metal, and rockabilly, their music is still fresh, exciting, and tantalizing as it was three decades ago. Catch Groovie Mann and co in action […]
Spins: Clifton Chenier/The Rolling Stones featuring Steve Riley
Clifton Chenier/The Rolling Stones featuring Steve Riley Zydeco Sont Pas Salés Valcour/Arhoolie/Smithsonian Folkways This 7” vinyl single is a six-minute getaway to the Big Easy by way of London and a tribute by some surprising acolytes of Creole and Cajun music. King of Zydeco Clifton Chenier’s original single occupies the A-side. “Zydeco et Pas Salés” […]
Stage Buzz: Lorna Shore, Between the Buried and Me, Herbie Hancock
There’s a reason Lorna Shore’s Will Ramos went viral in 2021; his vocals are out of this world. Ramos and co perform with such fury, it sounds like they’re summoning demons from hell to join them. In support of their latest album, I Feel the Everblack Festering Within Me, the band hits up Salt Shed […]
Live Review: Tommy Emmanuel at Cahn Auditorium • Evanston
Tommy Emmanuel Cahn Auditorium Evanston, IL October 15, 2025 Review by Steven Kikoen On a gray, rain-spattered day in mid-October, the campus of Northwestern University still seemed to maintain its quiet collegiate grandeur. Inside the 85-year-old Cahn Auditorium—a favorite among Northwestern students and the Evanston community—there are more than a thousand seats which would soon […]
Stage Buzz: Elvis Costello, Doechii, Brandy and Monica
If there’s one artist who’s taken over the hip-hop world within the last year, it’s Doechii. Representing the Florida rap scene, her quirky style and lyrical flow made tracks like “Denial Is a River” and “Anxiety” explode in popularity. See Doecii in action when she brings her “Live from the Swamp Tour” to Aragon Ballroom this Tuesday, […]
Live Review: Elbow at The Riviera Theatre • Chicago
Elbow The Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL October 6, 2025 Review and photos by Jeff Elbel Elbow’s arrival on Monday night was beautifully timed. The general mood in Chicago is currently tense – a frame of mind that this band from Manchester, England, is uniquely gifted to counter. Elbow reliably spreads goodwill and encourages community through […]
Stage Buzz: Riot Fest, Tacos and Tequila Festival, Tomorrow X Together, Rhapsody of Fire with Witherfall
Cancel your dinner plans for Thursday night, the Forge in Joliet will be serving a smorgasbord of Heavy Metal. Headliners are Italian symphonic power metal stalwarts Rhapsody of Fire, who are touring in support of 2024’s Challenge the Wind, as well as celebrating the 25th anniversary of their classic Dawn of Victory album. LA’s Witherfall also […]
Live Review: Supergrass at The Riviera Theatre • Chicago
Supergrass The Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL September 9, 2025 Review and photos by Jeff Elbel. Supergrass may not have scaled the same heights in North America as Britpop frontrunners, including the Verve, Blur, or touring hosts Radiohead during the ’90s and early ’00s, but the band from Oxford, England, made an indelible mark and […]
Live Review: The Who at United Center • Chicago
The Who United Center Chicago, IL September 7, 2025 Review by Jeff Elbel When the Who undertook their first farewell “Schlitz” tour in 1982, fans took them at their word and packed arenas. The British rockers even released a successful live album called Who’s Last in 1984. The following year, the band was strong-armed by […]
Stage Buzz: Mudvayne, Lady Gaga, YUNGBLUD
Dominic Richard Harrison, better known as YUNGBLUD, fuses his love of hip-hop, post punk, punk rock, and pop punk for a sound that can only be defined as “YUNGBLUD.” He continues to evolve on his newest album, Idols, which may be his most ambitious record yet. Hear cuts from the new album along with fan […]
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