Stage Buzz
Oh My God preview
Double Door, Chicago Saturday, September 26, 2009 All summer, in anticipation of Oh My God’s The Night Undoes The Work Of The Day (Split Red), I’ve been writing in “File” about the Chicago band’s massive, organ-ish keyboard attack. Well, the album arrived. No organs.
Soulsavers preview
Double Door, Chicago Sunday, September 27, 2009 Despite the weight of his contributions, Soulsavers is not Mark Lanegan. It’s nothing to do with Greg Dulli either, though the English group’s noir-rock feel is a sister sound and thus why Lanegan seems so integral to their music.
Sondre Lerche preview
Schubas, Chicago Saturday, September 19, 2009 Despite having a name most Scandinavian metal bands would die for (SON-der LARE-kuh), this diminutive Norwegian has battled to reconcile his lolli-pop with his taste for electric guitar.
Fool’s Gold preview
Bottom Lounge, Chicago Sunday, September 20, 2009 Being yacht-deck-dressed white musicians with African beats whipped up quite a backlash for Vampire Weekend last year, but not enough, apparently, to deter Fool’s Gold.
Death preview
Empty Bottle, Chicago Saturday, September 26, 2009 If you feel exhausted by a parade of artists who are only now getting their due for either influencing punk or freak folk or electronic music or raga . . . you’re excused. Whether Radio Birdman, Zero Boys, Rocket From The Tombs, or Vashti Bunyan, there’s no shortage […]
YACHT preview
Empty Bottle, Chicago Friday, September 11, 2009 Yachts are a great metaphor for ’80s oblivion, big, honkin’ seafaring jungle gyms with little intrinsic value other than to the people who buy them and those they pay to maintain them.
Alexis Gideon preview
The Whistler, Chicago Sunday, September 13, 2009 Not to slight Alexis Gideon, but people who saw the Chicagoan perform as half of rap duo Princess years ago probably went home thinking it was an elaborate farce, waxed about what great commentary it was on the joke existence of commercial rap, and bedded down for the […]
Polvo preview
Bottom Lounge, Chicago Saturday, September 5, 2009 You either knew Polvo or you didn’t. There were veteran indie-rock bands who mattered not to the mainstream press or major labels — even after Nirvana (gasp!) — yet floated around the Sub Pop/Merge/Touch And Go/Matador pool, won a few thousand fans, and disappeared when it came time […]
Ramona Falls preview
Chopin Theatre, Chicago Friday, September 11, 2009 It’d be interesting to watch the members of Menomena daily — making toast, turning a television on, walking. A self-designed computer program gave them their first album, which came with an 80-page flipbook (the vinyl cover folded like origami). The critically acclaimed follow-up, Friend And Foe, continued with […]
The Cult preview
House Of Blues, Chicago Wednesday, September 2, 2009 The Cult frontman Ian Astbury thinks the idea of making albums is passé. The reunited band won’t be making them anymore (yes to maybe the odd song), but this leaves them more time for ideas like Love Live, a reproduction of a classic album in concert.
Dar Williams preview
Old Town School Of Folk Music, Chicago Sunday, August 23, 2009 Dar Williams is handy enough with a pen that the GLBT community praises her for her humanizing insight despite being straight. But, like many from the Lilith Fair era, her music occasionally helps sustain rumors that a Sarah McLachlan assembly line exists somewhere. A […]
Modest Mouse preview
Aragon, Chicago Tuesday, August 25, 2009 Modest Mouse releases have always come with some deviousness (or deviantness), but with success things can change. Isaac Brock’s songs are increasingly mature, and when a summer tour coincides with a throwaway EP the air has a whiff of things dubious.
The Duke & The King preview
Schubas, Chicago Friday, August 14, 2009 Much of the talk of The Duke & The King centers on Simone Felice, whose weary, near-whisper was put to good use with his kin in The Felice Brothers. His story since proceeding with the D&K side-project is rife with tragedy and feels somewhat tailored to the debut’s cloudy […]
McFest preview
Metro, Chicago Sunday, August 16, 2009 Chicago-based music-marketing behemoth Jeff McClusky Associates returns with its third McFest, a local-music roundup that benefits Special Olympics.
Lollapalooza 2009 preview!
Kings Of Leon Without a list, Lollapalooza can be like going to a record store: You know there was something you wanted to see, but you end up going home with a Killers album. Here at IE, we want not only to help you choose what to see and avoid, but how to shape your […]
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