Stage Buzz
Seun Kuti preview
Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 House Of Blues, Chicago Monday, June 30, 2008 Afrobeat is best experienced live. The oft-charismatic frontman surrounded by an assortment of guitarists, percussionists, horn players, and back-up vocalists included in this Nigerian-born music equals a spectacle that must be experienced in person.
Less Than Jake preview
Less Than Jake House Of Blues, Chicago Wednesday, July 2, 2008 On the heels of re-releasing three albums of early material (Pezcore, Goodbye Blue & White, and Losers, Kings And Things We Don’t Understand), Less Than Jake hope to pop some integrity back into the term “ska punk.”
MOBfest preview
MOBfest Various Clubs, Chicago June 19 through 21, 2008 Long before Lollapalooza demanded the Chicago music scene’s complete and undivided attention, another form of festival had already left its mark on our summers. Despite also being a three-day affair, MOBfest might not dominate as absolutely as Lollapalooza inevitably will. Nevertheless, the music conference and showcase […]
Sanawon record release
Sanawon Beat Kitchen, Chicago Thursday, June 19, 2008 Nothing rallies people around a cause quite like music. Of course, you have to sometimes wonder if folks truly cared about famine relief in Africa, or if they just really wanted to see Freddie Mercury prance around on stage at the original Live Aid. Surely, Boomtown Rats […]
Mavis Staples recording live!
Mavis Staples Hideout, Chicago Monday, June 23, 2008 A night before Liz Phair arrives home at the Vic to recreate Exile In Guyville, Mavis Staples will rock the Hideout and record the sucker for a forthcoming live album.
Sloan preview
Sloan, The Golden Dogs Double Door, Chicago Monday, June 23, 2008 Normally, 13 songs on a CD would be considered pretty good bang for the consumer’s buck. When it comes to Sloan (who released Parallel Play on Yep Roc earlier this month), however, a baker’s dozen almost feels like a rip-off.
The Explorers Club preview
The Explorers Club Empty Bottle, Chicago Friday, June 13, 2008 We compare new bands to their forebearers because it helps get everyone on one page; sometimes there’s no other way to describe them. Interpol sound like Joy Division, Godsmack like Alice In Chains. John Mellencamp was “Baby Boss.” But The Explorers Club really sound like […]
Donita Sparks preview
Donita Sparks & The Stellar Moments Double Door, Chicago Friday, June 13, 2008 If you check the Double Door Web site for info on Donita Sparks & The Stellar Moments’ gig, you’ll notice it says “ex-L7” in parentheses behind Sparks’ name. It’s a safe assumption, considering the grunge band haven’t released new material since 1999’s […]
Soilent Green preview
Soilent Green House Of Blues, Chicago Monday, June 16, 2008 There’s bad luck, there’s terrible luck, and there’s absolutely, god-awful, ridiculous, don’t-wish-this-on-sewer-rats, Soilent Green luck.
White Hinterland preview
White Hinterland Hideout, Chicago Monday, June 16, 2008 Casey Dienel must hold the classic Peanuts cartoon specials dear to her heart. The 22-year-old pianist emulates the legendary Vince Guaraldi on her second disc, Phylactery Factory (Dead Oceans), especially on “Dreaming Of The Plum Trees.” Instrumentally the song constitutes a perfect foil for our unlikely hero […]
Ladytron preview
Ladytron Vic Theatre, Chicago Tuesday, June 17, 2008 Ladytron’s electro-pop sizzle had to undergo a series of maneuvers once trends caught up with them. Their 2001 debut, 604 (Emperor Norton), remains a bankable continental classic, but for their fourth entry, Velocifero (Nettwerk), they go international by looking at their own roster.
Centro-Matic preview
Centro-Matic Schubas, Chicago Saturday, June 7, 2008 Sunday, June 8, 2008 Centro-Matic’s Will Johnson can’t have just one. Of anything. It’s right there in his halved band name, as if we’d mispronounce it Cen-TROM-a-tic otherwise. Two shows this weekend (but only one club). Alternating headlining slots with The M’s. Supporting a split release (Dual Hawks) […]
Cyndi Lauper preview
Cyndi Lauper Chicago Theatre, Chicago Tuesday, June 10, 2008 Cyndi Lauper’s 1983 girl-power anthem “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” lives on in both clubs and You Tube and has been known to blare from the hallway PA system of Chicago’s own Mother McAuley, the largest Catholic all-girls high school in the country, during its […]
Tim Fite preview
Tim Fite Lakeshore Theater, Chicago Tuesday, June 10, 2008 Tim Fite certainly isn’t the first artist to attack Western culture, though he has kept his hands and conscience relatively clean. Artists from The MC5 to The Clash to Rage Against The Machine have looked silly by espousing rebellion and pointing fingers at the rest of […]
Lauren Harris preview
Lauren Harris Allstate Arena, Rosemont Wednesday, June 11, 2008 Opening a tour for Iron Maiden ain’t easy. It might not be as stressful as facing 30 minutes of continous (occasionally life-threatening) “SLAYEEEER!” screams, but tough nonetheless. Most Maiden fans, after all, don’t buy their concert tickets with discovering young, opening talent in mind. They want […]
Recent Comments