Weekly
Paul Simon live!
Tipping the scales of 70 seems to have lit a spark in Paul Simon, not necessarily enhancing his laid-back personality, but giving him renewed creative vigor. The recent studio set So Beautiful Or So What (Hear Music/Concord Music Group) is among his most magnetic since Graceland (though it favors folk over African arrangements), while his […]
Ray Davies live!
He may not tour very often, but thankfully Ray Davies’ music never goes out of style. Between an endless stream of classics he wrote and sang for The Kinks to the occasional solo chestnut, there’s plenty of material in his arsenal, which translated to no less than two-dozen tunes in front of a healthy crowd […]
Monday, Monday
Not much overlap in the competition for your dollaz on the 14th. You’re either gonna focus all your energy on breaking something (Wu Lyf), dancing with somebody who loves you (Body Language), or geeking the eff out (Emperor X).
Taylor day
Six years ago, Maria Taylor made a solo album. We’ll give you one guess which night the author of 11:11 plays Chicago. Also in town this weekend: John Scofield, Ron Pope, The Dirt Drifters, Nikki Lane, and Premonition13.
Smile! You’re in Chicago!
Though our review of The Beach Boys’ The Smile Sessions (Capitol) won’t appear ’til December, since we’ve been listening to it so much we thought we’d use it to filter our previews of Pat Jordache, Joe Lally, and Skrillex.
Managing expectations
Reversals of fortune work fine in books and movies, but in music — where the protagonists and narrators tend to be one in same with their authors — they’re not always so appreciated. In town next week, Rachael Yamagata, AA Bondy, and Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter know. White Denim might yet learn.
Chickenfoot Saturday!
Supergroup Chickenfoot is Sammy Hagar teamed with fellow Van Halen exile Michael Anthony, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith, and guitar god Joe Satriani, formed out of live jams at Hagar’s club, Cabo Wabo Cantina in Mexico.
Thrice live!
Towards the end of Thursday night’s sold out show at the Metro, Thrice frontman Dustin Kensrue looked back upon his band’s history with the venue. As it turns out, the Metro served as the first stop of the group’s very first national tour, a full decade ago.
Tomorrowland
The news media constantly reminds us that, according to polls, Americans aren’t excited about the future. But are kids? Do they still get ’50s-perspective cartoons sprinkled into their daily regimen? The first week of November promises We Were Promised Jetpacks, Reckless Kelly, Cash Box Kings, The Devil Wears Prada, and Touch People.
Local Sumerians tonight!
A Sumerian Records showcase lands this weekend, featuring west-suburban Veil Of Maya. Also consider Azita’s record release (finally), Caitlin Rose, and Future Islands.
Howard Jones live!
When Howard Jones was at the height of his 8-million album-selling career during the mid-1980s, the time period’s limited technology forced him to skip performing several of his more complicated songs on stage.
No, I am Shelby Lynne
Helpless. That’s how we feel about suppressing her Grammy anecdote when we hear Shelby Lynne’s name mentioned. But this time, the story’s oddly useful. She’s in town this weekend, along with Secret Colours’ psychedelic Halloween, Spank Rock, Ollabelle, Tabi Bonney, and Dashing Assassins.
Guns, blazing
An aging hair-metal band and an up-and-comers’ hip-hop tour. Which do you think involves beefing and guns, and which is just one big party? All that, plus Frank Turner and The Envy Corps.
Duran Duran live!
Very few bands survived the new-wave era with integrity in tact, and though Duran Duran‘s certainly made a few missteps along the way, the Fab Five (well, technically now just Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, and Roger Taylor), haven’t just survived but thrived. Besides the band’s hysteria-inducing beginnings and a second bout with […]
Down with JC
Sometimes you pay the price for trying to be first. We were so excited about JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound‘s debut on Bloodshot that we featured them back in January. The record drops 10/25 and gets a party on the 28th at Double Door. Click here to reminisce.
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