Stage Buzz
Kuma’s Doomfest preview
Kuma’s Doomfest Double Door, Chicago December 20-21, 2008 Kuma’s Corner (great burgers, great beer, great heavy metal) is finally throwing the two-day metal extravaganza we’ve been promised for so many months. It definitely appears worth the wait.
Nocturnal Fear
Nocturnal Fear Metal Shaker, Chicago Saturday, December 20, 2008 On the back of the promotional copy of Nocturnal Fear’s Code Of Violence, Moribund Records describes the Detroit band as “the ultimate in modern U.S. thrash metal.” Ironic, given most the album is throwback German thrash metal.
Yourself And The Air preview
Yourself And The Air Bottom Lounge, Chicago Sunday, December 21, 2008 Forgive this Chicago band their name: Yourself And The Air clearly spent more time writing and arranging their stormy, agit-indie than worrying about what to call it.
Mercury Rev preview
Mercury Rev Martyrs’, Chicago Thursday, December 11, 2008 Jonathan Donahue and Dave Fridmann’s ties to The Flaming Lips have always influenced the way people perceive Mercury Rev more than is fair. Indifferent to the desire to be pop stars (though they were, briefly and unexpectedly, in the U.K.), the band’s albums were widescreen before the […]
Dark Dark Dark preview
Dark Dark Dark Heaven Gallery, Chicago Thursday, December 11, 2008 In 1998 the just-reunited and rejuvenated Kiss released an album called Psycho Circus. It sucked. Dark Dark Dark sound nothing like Kiss, but if any band deserves to call a record Psycho Circus, it’s Dark Dark Dark.
Monte Montgomery preview
Monte Montgomery Morse Theatre, Chicago Friday, December 12, 2008 Here’s why Monte Montgomery is playing at the newly reinvented Morse Theatre in front of sophisticated jazz connoisseurs instead of Joe’s on Weed Street for drunk, “oh there’s a band playing?” Lincoln Parkers: He can play the guitar like an S.O.B.
Longwave preview
Longwave Double Door, Chicago Wednesday, December 17, 2008 Other than local New York music papers, at IE we have the sneaking suspicion we’re the only magazine to have had Longwave on our cover. Granted, they were one of four bands in a now-embarrassing “next big things” buzz article (hey, we got Interpol right), but there’s […]
Civet preview
Civet Subterranean, Chicago Thursday, December 4, 2008 Judging from Hell Hath No Fury (Hellcat), Civet is awfully fond of The Distillers. Let’s hope that’s the case, at least, because the Southern California quartet is surely hearing plenty of comparisons.
The Gates Of Slumber preview
The Gates Of Slumber Metal Shaker, Chicago Friday, December 5, 2008 Apparently, we can’t deal with high expectations at Illinois Entertainer, because that’s exactly what we had for The Gates Of Slumber’s newest album, Conqueror, and either it failed us or we failed it.
Q-Tip preview
Q-Tip, 2K Sports Bounce Tour House Of Blues, Chicago Saturday, December 6, 2008 Some critics are trying to equate the timing of Q-Tip’s long-awaited sophomore album to the first time we met him, as a member of A Tribe Called Quest, as if he’s here to save hip-hop again. The Renaissance (Universal Motown) is pretty […]
Harry Connick, Jr.’s coming to town
Harry Connick, Jr. Chicago Theatre, Chicago December 10 & 11, 2008 What better way to slip into the holiday mood than four original tracks sprinkled among a 15-song collection and German football superstar Michael Ballack on the cover?
Jeremy Enigk & Alex Chilton previewed
Jeremy Enigk | Alex Chilton Bottom Lounge | Old Town School Of Folk Music, Chicago Wednesday, December 3 | Saturday, December 6, 2008 Jeremy Enigk hasn’t willed himself into obscurity quite the way Alex Chilton has, but as the former frontman of a beloved, obsessed-upon cult band his legend far outstrips his draw.
Terry Reid preview
Terry Reid Empty Bottle, Chicago Friday, November 21, 2008 Word on the street is Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and Jason Bonham are trying to force Robert Plant’s hand (Plant said he has no intentions of participating in a full-fledged Led Zeppelin reunion tour) by holding rehearsals with Myles Kennedy, lead singer of Alter Bridge […]
Lordi preview
Lordi House Of Blues, Chicago Saturday, November 22, 2008 Let us tell you how much cooler Finland is than the United States (notice I said “cooler,” not tougher, or more patriotic, or more armed or anything — so please no “Love it or leave it” e-mails”): Here, we mock, or in the least, dismiss costumed/masked […]
Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival preview
Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival Congress Theatre, Chicago Saturday, November 22, 2008 The 2008 Bluegrass & Blues Festival is neither bluegrass nor blues: discuss. Subtopic, the Saving Tiny Hearts Society benefits either way.
Recent Comments