Stage Buzz
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.
Dumb, da-dumb-dumb dumb!
LMFAO are not the most terrible thing to happen to music, ever. Even if it seems that way. They’re in town this week, as are Canon Blue, Kyle Andrews, and Something Fierce.
For your benefit
Another block of weekend shows features two illness benefits, the rebirth of Q101, Shayna & The Catch, and Radiation City.
Lovett every minute of it
Leave it to Lyle Lovett to leave a tribute album to a fellow Texan sounding like an entirely different Texan — the Rick Perry effect? It’s all part of your unpredictable weekend including Tim Kasher, Nikka Costa, Elzhi, and Natalia Kills.
Woodstock started today . . .
. . . and The Spirit Of Peace And Music Festival begins this weekend in Freeport, just west of Rockford. Also this week, donate some coin for the damaged Garfield Park Conservatory, see George Thorogood revisit Chess Records, and Incubus commit career suicide. The inaugural Spirit party launches Friday and lasts all weekend, during which […]
Your mud-free weekend
This weekend isn’t entirely without festivals, but regular shows are trickling in as Lollapalooza peels itself off our front lawn. Digitalism, Dntel, Disney’s Selena Gomez, Lil Wayne, and more will be stumbling through a patch of days that ends with a Bret Michaels marathon.
Of a Revolution
There’s nothing wrong with another festival, so long as you have a point to it. Entrepreneurial Chicago-based/focused band manager Shawn Kellner wants to start a Local Music Revolution this weekend at Metro, and so he shall have one.
Get what you came for.
The problem with salad-bar festivals like Lollapalooza is you always overload your plate and can never be sure what was good under all the dressing. The Ettes, Mia LeBlon, and Totimoshi provide simple, a la carte entrées. It’s easy to imagine what cubby hole The Ettes would tidily fit if it weren’t for the sixth […]
This is not a photoshopped mix of Neil Young & Grace Slick
It’s Richard Buckner. And he, Walter Meego, and Alkaline Trio have shows coming up that will take us through the unveiling of our next issue!
Laughing, dead people, and fictional music
This weekend’s menu has so much (little) variety (consistency), it’s a surprise Pitchfork hasn’t sponsored it. It also means one of you out there might have interest in one of The People Under The Stares, Gillian Welch, Air Guitar Championships, intimate Kelley Deal, or Tally Hall. Surely, one of you.
Hotter than a Furnace fan
Why just the other month we were telling you about a Fiery Furnaces show. How they’re all so Oak Park – specifically Oak Park. When they’re of Illinois at all. Those words cut Eleanor Friedberger to the bone. And so she’s back to make amends.
Hush now, don’t say a word . . .
Falling asleep wearing headphones hasn’t gotten much easier since the proliferation of earbuds, but it’s worth the attempt nonetheless. Despite a frantic rise in sleepy records, King Creosote and Jon Hopkins‘ Diamond Mind is one of the few worth adding to your doze-off collection.
A Pitched battle
Like our cover stars Soundgarden, not every band has a slot locked down at Pitchfork or an afterparty — be they Moonface, Country Mice, Miguel on the Ravinia undercard, or the 2011 Metal Mergence festival.
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