Stage Buzz
Good girls
Image is everything. Dowdily dressed women can be the most sexual creatures alive, while vacantly expressioned art waifs don’t necessarily lie with any man or thing just because “life is empty.” Where do Lisa Hannigan and Anika fit in?
Bringing Saxon back
Saxon come to town on their 19th album; Wild Flag on their first. Yet which of the two are the real classic rockers?
The October of our years
Wow. September’s only ending and it’s already been October for a month. Tom Russell, Ty Segall, Jens Lekman, and Color Radio’s local release party: bring us to the light!
Ach! Toe = brrr!
Before we beat you upside da head with the October issue, perchance you’d glance at previews for the Diane Izzo tribute, Chipotle’s Cultivate Chicago fest, Wild Beasts with Twin Sister, Randy Montana, Wood Brothers, and Darling!
Rapturous, unpaused
The House Of Jealous Lovers was foreclosed upon, leaving this week’s preview targets (The Rapture, Megafaun, Hymn For Her, and Mates Of State) all to look for new housing.
Father’s day
You can picture Neil Finn walking past son Liam’s bedroom and wondering, “Where did we go wrong?” The younger Finn, They Might Be Giants, and Peter Hook close our weekend preview.
The Right stuff?
There’d seem little to bind Fox News and Chris Brown. We examine the connection prior to Brown’s concert this weekend, along with Ani DiFranco, Laura Marling, local stars packing a local benefit, New Villager, and Toddla T.
Jacket required
In honor of the near 35-year wait Chicago has endured to lay eyes on them, we’ve waited ’til the weekend to preview The Raincoats’ appearance on Monday.
Cold wind blowin’
It seems cruel to talk outdoor music festivals on the coldest day since May, but we believe the heat will rise this weekend for Brilliant Corners Of Popular Amusements, Bash On Wabash, Edgewater Lounge’s block party, Uproar Festival, and the beginning of the week-long Chicago World Music Festival.
All the hues that are fit to print
Treat the rest of your week to a sampling of Marissa Nadler, Gold Motel starring at a Grammy U event, Tommy Keene, Active Child, Sick Of Sarah, Young Man, and Sleeping In The Aviary.
American band
As the election cycle amps up, we’re in line for some more hopelessly partisan bickering, a lot of which will shamelessly exploit the 9/11 anniversary. There are ways to get around the politics of it all — this weekend has Grand Funk Railroad at the Honor Flight fundraiser in Woodstock.
The little continent that could
With colorful exports such as Kylie Minogue, Nick Cave, and Cut Copy, it’s easy to forget the gritty side of Australia. Paul Kelly arrives in town next week, as do non-compatriots John Hiatt, The Jim Jones Revue, Adam Levy, Painted Palms, and The Dirt Daubers.
Fruits of Labor
Labor Day traditionally represents the spiritual end of summer — oh yes, it has spirit, how ’bout you? — but don’t tell ANR, Fruit Bats, Male Bonding, Robert Earl Keen, or Motopony, all in town this week.
North By Northcoast
Electronic music doesn’t have to be scary. But if you continue to avoid it while it advances at its rapid pace, you’ll be terrified in no time. Here’s our rock-leaning preview of North Coast festival, as well as upcoming gigs by Jim Ward, Plain White T’s, Keegan DeWitt, and Heart-Set Self Destruct.
I Am . . . somebody
We just noticed that two of the biggest local-music showcases, Mobfest and I Am Fest, are acronyms (Music Over Business and Independent Arts & Music). That’s not the only weirdness you’ll find in our preview containing I Am, The War On Drugs, the long-awaited Braid reunion, and Blah Blah Blah’s release show.
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