Weekly
The Dr. is on
As The Black Keys put their production hands on another artist, they manage to push him back in time. Slightly. Dr. John appears this weekend, as do Gospel Music.
When life gives you Lemonade . . .
. . . you certainly don’t make tracks like U2’s “Lemon.” Nevertheless, in town this weekend are Lemonade, Madonna-picked DJ Martin Solveig, and Royal Headache. Whether you add raspberry, Lynchburg tea, or gobs of sugar is up to you.
New Edition reunion
Even though New Edition’s remained a consistent presence on the road in various incarnations, this year marks a complete reunion for the R&B supergroup in celebration of its 30th anniversary. Besides taking a trip down memory lane to dust off
Thrice’s last Chicago show!
Farewell shows and tours are a tricky proposition. Few acts truly stay broken up (welcome back, Soundgarden). And even the finality of death isn’t quite the performance deterrent it once was (nice to have you back, Pac).
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros live!
Anyone awaiting the second coming only had to snatch up tickets to Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros‘ sold out stop in Chicago to see it come to fruition. At least that’s how the sweaty throngs up front treated the streamlined show
World’s longest Canasta match
Chess games get all the hype, but Chicago’s Canasta have dealt their indie-pop rummy into a second decade this month! Also as June opens: Two Brothers Hop Juice fest, The Cult, Sonny Landreth, and Margot & The Nuclear So And So’s.
Mayday! Mayday!
May’s going down! Before it all ends and we head into the unknown — has anyone named the next month yet, for God’s sake???!!! — live every day like your rockin’ last with Big Science, Emeli Sandé, Patrick Watson, and Machine Gun Kelly.
Switchfoot live!
North Central College’s barely-3-year-old venue simply named the Recreation Center/Residence Hall (picture a really big high-school gym) hosted its first concert ever on Sunday night, when San Diego’s Switchfoot came to Naperville.
Connventional war
If Bobby Conn were as big as Oprah, the national association of mac-and-cheese producers would be lining up to fight him. His home release show is Friday, as are the first TopGolf “Let’s Play” party, ALO, and Haley Reinhart’s post-“Idol” blitz.
Post script
That schoolchildren aren’t mandated to learn cursive has the irrational class believing that the art of letter-writing will disappear with it. Keeping faint hopes alive, PS I Love You are in town, as are Shovels & Rope.
The Beach Boys live!
So many incarnations of The Beach Boys have hit the road over the years, that it’s often tricky to keep track of who’s in the band. But considering 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of summer’s supreme act,
Polyphonic Spree live!
Sic The Polyphonic Spree on those rambunctious NATO protestors and the need for a mile-long line of police officers outfitted in riot gear would disappear. One look at Tim DeLaughter and his band of merry pranksters would either send the chanting mass exercising their First Amendment rights running off in fear or persuade them to […]
NATO! Run!
Gridlock downtown! Restrictions on commuter trains! Riot gear! (Thanks to considerate Loop employers, less traffic on Foster this morning.) Only Jennifer Herrema, ex-Royal Trux, would do a show this weekend! Ane Brun waits a day or two.
Down in the country
As with any genre, many aren’t shy about their opinions of what country music should be. Admittedly, we’re glad it’s not all about heartache and crops drying up and tears in beer: Jason Boland & The Stragglers, however, like to keep things serious. Also in town: Rocky Votolato and Here We Go Magic.
Eric Church live!
When Eric Church, sporting his trademark sunglasses finally evolved onto the stage at 9:32 on Friday night, engoulphed in a thick cloud of smoke, there was a feeling of the unknown.










Recent Comments