Stage Buzz
Ben Jelen preview
Ben Jelen Martyrs, Chicago Sunday, April 6, 2008 Scottish-born singer-songwriter Ben Jelen can’t decide whether he wants to be a musician or save the world. He’s determined to try his hand at both, but listening to his sophomore effort, Ex-Sensitive (Custard), one wonders if he’s stretching himself too thin.
Cherryholmes preview
Cherryholmes Raue Center, Crystal Lake Tuesday, April 8, 2008 Next time you go to a concert and complain about the opening acts, spend too much on drinks, drink too much, and forget most the evening’s highlights by the time the headache wears off the next morning, think of the Cherryholmes family. They went to a […]
Gary Louris, Vetiver preview
Gary Louris, Vetiver Metro, Chicago Friday, March 28, 2008 Jayhawks founder and Golden Smog co-conspirator Gary Louris is always surrounded by so much talent you can never be sure where his begins or ends. It’s also the case on his first(!) solo album, Vagabonds (Rykodisc). Maybe, finally, the tour in its support will set the […]
Doro preview
Doro Pearl Room, Mokena Saturday, March 29, 2008 Occasionally, when writing about a heavy metal band I’ll pull out The Book Of Metal, written by Metal Hammer editor Chris Ingham and billed as “the most comprehensive encyclopedia of metal music ever created,” as a reference. Most comprehensive ever, yet no damn Doro?
Today Is The Day, Lair Of The Minotaur preview
Lair Of The Minotaur, Today Is The Day The Note, Chicago Tuesday, April 1, 2008 Chicago heavyweights Lair Of The Minotaur walk tall and swing a big, big, big — very fucking big — sword. Probably a good-sized axe too.
Born Ruffians preview
Born Ruffians Empty Bottle, Chicago Wednesday, April 2, 2008 With Columbia-educated New Yorkers Vampire Weekend riding high on a deafening wave of hype and “Saturday Night Live”-scale appearances, Toronto-based trio Born Ruffians probably wish they beat the Afro-centric Ivy Leaguers to the punch.
Tally Hall, The Spinto Band preview
Tally Hall, The Spinto Band Schubas, Chicago Thursday, March 20 & Friday, March 21, 2008 How chipper can one band possibly be? Recession is breathing down our necks, most the world dislikes the United States, extreme weather is ravaging our country, and soon it will be cheaper to charter a flight to work than drive. […]
The Color Fred preview
The Color Fred Beat Kitchen, Chicago Friday, March 21, 2008 Fred Mascherino shocked fans when he announced his departure from Taking Back Sunday last fall to embark on a solo project under the moniker The Color Fred. The guitarist/singer didn’t hide the fact relations within the band were tenuous at best and expressed a desire […]
British Sea Power preview
British Sea Power Empty Bottle, Chicago Monday, March 24, 2008 British Sea Power have caught all sorts of hell for not deciding whom they want to be: clunky post punkers, Pixies, or U2. For their third album, Do You Like Rock Music? (Rough Trade/World’s Fair), they settled on plain old loud.
Mike Relm preview
Mike Relm Abbey Pub, Chicago Wednesday, March 26, 2008 The art of turntablism became a battle ground throughout the mid to late-’90s, with hip-hop DJs training year round to compete in one-day scratch- and beat-juggling-competitions like DMC (Disco Mix Club) and ITF (International Turntablist Federation). But as tablists became champions and had nothing left to […]
The Tossers preview
The Tossers Metro, Chicago Friday, March 14, 2008 St. Patrick’s Day is Monday, March 17th for most people, but for Tossers fans it’s Friday night.
Nick Jaina preview
Nick Jaina Subterranean, Chicago Sunday, March 16, 2008 Oregonian Nick Jaina obviously cherishes Tom Waits’ pre-Island Records catalog, though is careful not to reverently trace the steps of Closing Time or Nighthawks At The Diner.
Mission Man preview
Mission Man Elbo Room, Chicago Wednesday, March 19, 2008 In his press materials Gary Milholland, aka Mission Man, claims he chose his stage name because he is “on a mission to change the way people see hip-hop.” He succeeded with me – I may never be able to listen to it again.
Mike Doughty preview
Mike Doughty Band Vic Theatre, Chicago Thursday, March 20, 2008 It can be really difficult for a singer-songwriter to make enough of a living to pay the bills, much less make music that stands out from the crowd. Fortunately for Mike Doughty, he has been able to do both. Of course it doesn’t hurt that […]
Evangelicals preview
Evangelicals Schubas, Chicago Friday, March 7, 2008 Not long ago, I was in a friend’s car when he popped in Steve Vai’s 1990 guitar opus, Passion & Warfare. The opening “Star-Spangled Banner”-esque harmonies caused me to think, “No one does it like this anymore.” Then I sat down with Evangelicals’ second album, The Evening Descends […]
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