Weekly
Spins: Local H ā¢ LIFERS
LOCAL HLIFERS(AntiFragile) Twenty-five years after their debut, Scott Lucasā Local H continues to defy the odds – not only by producing aggressive music that still matters but by being a band that appeals to both city and suburban crowds. Their musical magnetism continues to be strong across both musical spectrums, and thatās no small feat. […]
Spins: Cy Curnin ā¢ Lockdown
Cy Curnin Lockdown (Self) Fixx frontman Cy Curnin has returned with Lockdown, his fifth solo LP, his latest since 2013ās The Horseās Mouth. The town crier continues to roam the global village with a sweet voice that conveys bitter truths when it must. That voice may not always bring comfort, but it nonetheless assures us […]
Feature: Testament and Exodus – Coping with COVID
On paper, it looked like a brilliant idea ā the recent comprehensive “Bay Strikes Back” month-long tour of Europe, featuring Bay Area thrash-metal stalwarts Testament, Exodus, and Death Angel. It was just the timing ā Feb. 6 to March 11 ā that proved a bit unfortunate. It happened to coincide with the appearance of the […]
Spins – The Outfit ā¢ “Viking”
The Outfit Viking (Pavement Entertainment) Chicago rockers The Outfit have done it again. On its second full-length album, Viking, the foursome ā brothers Mark (drums) and Matt Nawara (guitar), Mike Gorman (bass) and Andy Mitchell (vocals/guitar) ā seamlessly merge massive hooks, edgy riffs, soaring vocal harmonies and catchy choruses with pleasing results. Mixed by multi-platinum […]
Sweet Home – April 2020 ā¢ Blues Rona Playlist
A Blues Rona Playlist These are challenging times as the Covid-19 pandemic has touched all corners of the globe, all countries, and all societies. The quarantine forces us inside to piece together new routines around an uncertain situation. Music has always been a refuge in fearful circumstances, and blues literally evolved from pain, so thereās […]
Spins: Stephen Malkmus ā¢ “Traditional Techniques”
Stephen Malkmus Traditional Techniques (Matador Records) When Pavement first entered the rock scene nearly 30 years ago, they stood out like a sore thumb. While they were lo-fi, they werenāt punk, and while they had pop melodies, those were buried under tape hiss and inside jokes. Frontman Stephen Malkmus never went for a stylistic makeover, […]
Spins: Greg Dulli ā¢ “Random Desire”
Greg Dulli Random Desire (Royal Cream/BMG) Calling this āthe first solo albumā by The Afghan Whigs frontman Greg Dulli isnāt technically truthful ā unless itās a deliberate attempt to erase 2005ās Amber Headlights altogether. Whether first or second, it was time for another musical road less traveled for Dulli. Surviving way longer than most rock […]
Spins: Pearl Jam ā¢ “Gigaton”
Pearl Jam Gigaton (Monkeywrench/Republic) Pearl Jamās timing for the end of the world record is impeccable. The Seattle-based quartetās recorded output has been stalled for nearly seven years, and apparently, they have some shit they want to get off their chests. The bandās eleventh record, Gigaton, also finds its members looking for new ways to […]
Stage Buzz: Steve Aoki at Aragon Ballroom
Steve Aoki Friday March 13 (This Show Has Been Postponed) Aragon Ballroom, Chicago Steve Aoki, the founder of the Dim Mak label, is one of the most commercially successful names in all of EDM. Over the past decade, heās created tracks with the likes of Rivers Cuomo, Kid Cudi, will.i.am, Fall Out Boy, Machine Gun […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery – Dirty Honey at Bottom Lounge
Dirty Honey Tuesday, February 11 Bottom Lounge, Chicago For the past year, some music industry folks have been working themselves into a piranha-like frenzy over L.A. blues-rock quartetĀ Dirty Honey. Formed in 2017, the band features singer Marc Labelle, guitarist John Notto, bassist Justin Smolian, and drummer Corey Coverstone. The buzz surrounding theĀ band is heightened in […]
Live Review: DeadMau5 at Navy Pier
Deadmau5 āCube V3ā Saturday, February 1 Navy Pier, Chicago From 2008 to 2015, Joel Zimmerman, aka Deadmau5, was the inescapable force in the world of electronic dance music, one of the most prominent and most easily recognizable names in the genre, putting out albums like Album Title Goes Here and While(1<2).Ā To many people, he […]
Live Review: Squirrel Nut Zippers at Arcada Theatre
Squirrel Nut Zippers Arcada Theatre January 26, 2020 Review by Jeff Elbel Photos by Luciano J. Bilotti In the Squirrel Nut Zippersā heyday, the bandās music offered a singular throwback to the freewheeling fun of gypsy swing and pre-war hot jazz. In 2020, the retooled and rejuvenated band does the same […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery: EOB at Lincoln Center
Ed OāBrien (EOB) Lincoln Hall Saturday, February 8, 2020 Following in the footsteps of bandmates Thom Yorke, Colin Greenwood, and Phil Selway, guitarist and vocalist Ed OāBrien is stepping outside his role as a founding member of Radiohead and occasional high-profile sideman for other artists including Neil Finn. Performing under the name EOB, OāBrien […]
![Stage Buzz: Hey Nonny’s Winter Blues Summit [with added Photo Gallery]](http://illinoisentertainer.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/13JimmyJohnson1-150x150.jpg "Stage Buzz: Hey Nonny’s Winter Blues Summit [with added Photo Gallery]")
Stage Buzz: Hey Nonny’s Winter Blues Summit [with added Photo Gallery]
Winter has traditionally been a slow season for music festivals in Chicagoland while folks recover from their holiday hangovers. Other than the TNK Festival in Chicago, a sturdy and dependable showcase of emerging talent, thereās not been the equivalent in the suburbs. The folks at Hey Nonny and Straight Arrow Productions are changing the […]
Photo Gallery: The Black Keys at Aragon Ballroom
Q101 WKQX, Chicagoās flagship and only Alt-Rock station, threw itself a birthday party, Thursday. More specifically, hosted one to celebrate the one year anniversary of the morning drive time trio known as Brian, Ali and Justin. And they did so in glorious style by inviting a sold out Aragon Ballroom audience to enjoy a live […]
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