Stage Buzz
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.
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!
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