Stage Buzz

Stage Buzz: Steve Aoki at Aragon Ballroom

Brassneck | March 12, 2020 | 0 Comments

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, he’s created tracks with the likes of Rivers Cuomo, Kid Cudi, will.i.am, Fall Out Boy, Machine Gun […]

Stage Buzz: Hey Nonny’s Winter Blues Summit [with added Photo Gallery]

Brassneck | February 8, 2020 | 1 Comment

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, there’s not been the equivalent in the suburbs. The folks at Hey Nonny and Straight Arrow Productions are changing the […]

Stage Buzz: Tedeschi Trucks at Chicago Theatre [Updated with Photo Gallery]

Brassneck | January 12, 2020 | 1 Comment

Florida’s legendary Tedeschi Trucks Band, led by married blues guitarists Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, return to the Chicago Theatre for a 4-night run beginning this weekend. TTB has redefined blues and soul over their decade together, powered and defined best by the debut album Revelator. IE’s Ed Spinelli talked with Derek Trucks as he […]

Stage Buzz: Ace Frehley at Joe’s Live Rosemont [with added photo gallery]

Brassneck | December 8, 2019 | 0 Comments

Ace Frehley Friday, December 13 Joe’s Live Rosemont KISS co-founding guitarist and vocalist Ace Frehley takes the stage at Joe’s Live in Rosemont on Friday, December 13, with openers Ladrone and Like It beginning at 7:30 PM. Real rock fans know the history of this iconic guitar slinger. The former original lead guitarist for KISS […]

Stage Buzz: Kris Kristofferson at The Chicago Theatre

Brassneck | November 12, 2019 | 0 Comments

It’s like seeing Muddy Waters or Merle Haggard on the back forty of their final farewell tours (even Dylan, The Stones, and Paul McCartney are on those “what if” touring jaunts these days). Kris Kristofferson is a household name, but it may be as much for his film resume as for his music. True music […]

Stage Buzz and Gallery: The Hu at House of Vans

Brassneck | October 30, 2019 | 0 Comments

The Hu Vans Chicago October 31, 2019 Nothing says “Happy Halloween” like a morin khuur solo, am I right? What the hell is a morin khuur you ask? Exactly! Anyone who attended the 2019 version of Riot Fest may have encountered such an instrument if they caught the much talked about set from The Hu. […]

Stage Buzz: Michael Franti at Concord Music Hall

Brassneck | October 21, 2019 | 0 Comments

In this era of building walls, unsettled government and strife at the border, Michael Franti continues his message of positive vibes and bringing people together. Franti made his mark a decade ago with his massive hit “Say Hey (I Love You).” Mixing rock steady beats, ska, reggae, rock, hip-hop and electronica – Franti has […]

Stage Buzz: Municipal Waste at Metro

Brassneck | October 15, 2019 | 0 Comments

Richmond, Virginia crossover party animals Municipal Waste return from a two-year recording hiatus with the raging four-track EP The Last Rager (released on Oct. 11 via Nuclear Blast). Featuring vocalist Tony Foresta, guitarists Ryan Waste and Nick Poulos, drummer Dave Witte and bassist LandPhil Hall, the retro-thrash quintet will be returning to Chicago on […]

Stage Buzz: Art Alexakis at S.P.A.C.E. Evanston

Brassneck | October 4, 2019 | 0 Comments

Art Alexakis and Everclear defined the post-grunge ’90s where melodies were king, and dirty guitars were toned downed mercifully down to manageable, yet filthy levels. Singles “I Will Buy You A New Life” and “Santa Monica” are practically genres unto them themselves, which are not only benchmarks for melodic rock in the Friends-era but the […]

Q&A and Live Review: Rick Wakeman

Brassneck | October 1, 2019 | 0 Comments

Rick Wakeman Arcada Theatre (St. Charles, IL) October 4, 2019 Celebrated prog-rock keyboardist and raconteur Rick Wakeman visited the Arcada Theatre on Friday night, performing a set of classically oriented solo piano pieces. The songs performed as part of Wakeman’s Grumpy Old Rock Star tour are connected by stories that were equally poignant and ludicrous. […]

Stage Buzz: Riot Fest Undercard Preview

Brassneck | September 8, 2019 | 0 Comments

Riot Fest returns this fall for its historic 15th anniversary, once again in Douglas Park (Ogden & Ashland). From its humble beginnings in small clubs to its current incarnation as a classic punk, indie rock, and hip-hop celebration, Riot Fest has a connection to Chicago like no other festival. Now in its 15th year, the […]

Stage Buzz: King Crimson at The Auditorium Theatre

Brassneck | September 1, 2019 | 0 Comments

As the godfathers of progressive rock, you won’t find a band with a more dedicated cult following and more influence as King Crimson. Their 1969 debut In the Court of the Crimson King is the benchmark for the prog-rock movement. Led by inventive “quality control” guitarist Robert Fripp, the band’s line-up has been noted for […]

Photo Gallery: Queen plus Adam Lambert at United Center

Brassneck | August 14, 2019 | 1 Comment

Eddie Spinelli captured Queen with Adam Lambert in a 2 hour sold-out show at United Center. As expected Lambert channels the ghosts of Freddie Mercury with aplomb, featuring original members Brian May and Roger Taylor running through a set of hits and deep cuts.

Stage Buzz: Jay O’Rourke Band at SPACE

Brassneck | August 9, 2019 | 0 Comments

Jay O’Rourke Band Cover Tracks (Self) O’Rourke released one of 2018’s best local albums (Sumthin’ Good), but Cover Tracks mines music he’s loved in his formative and modern years. It’s his labor of love. Longtime IE readers will remember him as the guitarist for the Insiders and BB Spin, and his engineering resume is almost […]

Stage Buzz: Bands in The Sand at Sideouts: New Found Glory and Vince Neil, Island Lake

Brassneck | August 5, 2019 | 0 Comments

As summer winds down, some of suburbia’s larger venues are bringing their A-game to their stages. At Sideouts in Island Lake, the Bands in The Sand event has become one the highlights of the summer in the northern suburbs and commences on Friday, August 16 with Florida’s pop-punk stalwarts New Found Glory one pop/punk’s most […]