Stage Buzz
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 […]
Great Northern preview
Great Northern Metro, Chicago Friday, March 7, 2008 Los Angeles-based Great Northern doesn’t just write songs, the trio create soundscapes impossible to detach from. Vocalists Solon Bixler and Rachel Stolte intertwine harmonies in hushed, almost muted tones that shoulder the heavy burden of emotion coursing through the five tracks on the group’s Sleepy Eepee (Eenie […]
Grand Archives & The Acorn preview
Grand Archives, The Acorn Schubas, Chicago Saturday, March 8, 2008 Band Of Horses may have had an uncanny sonic resemblance to My Morning Jacket, but they actually were writing their own tunes. They’ll have to continue without co-founder/songwriter Mat Brooke, however, who took his single “t” and founded Grand Archives.
Sam Barsh preview
Sam Barsh Green Mill, Chicago Saturday, March 8, 2008 Sam Barsh seems like a fun guy. C’mon, there he is on the front cover of I Forgot What You Taught Me (Razdaz) jumping in the air with one hand clinched in a fist and the other holding a small keyboard with his name painted on […]
Ludo preview
Ludo Metro, Chicago Thursday, February 28, 2008 Unlike the band’s namesake, Ludo bears no resemblance to the gigantic, dumpy creature with a heart of gold in Jim Henson’s 1986 cult film, Labyrinth. Actually, take that back, the St. Louis-based quintet does embody a sound as enormous as Henson’s creation and flirts with darkly comedic subject […]
Tim Mahoney preview
Tim Mahoney Duffy’s, Chicago Monday, March 4, 2008 The name on the album cover says Tim Mahoney, but you might as well call him Frank, Joe, or Larry – even Moe or Curly for that matter. You aren’t going to remember his name after hearing Stay/Leave anyway.
Nicole Atkins & The Sea preview
Nicole Atkins & The Sea Subterranean, Chicago Thursday, February 21, 2008 Accolades for Amy Winehouse’s Back To Black were well-earned, though the album’s old-R&B/hip-hop marriage was clearly contrived and felt occasionally forced. Nicole Atkins can’t touch Winehouse for personality or moxy, but her Neptune City (Red Ink/Columbia) is decidedly less self-conscious about its chosen idiom.
John Ralston preview
John Ralston Schubas, Chicago Thursday, February 21, 2008 Like the wolf brigade of recent times (Wolf Parade, Wolf Eyes, Wolfmother), is a vampire resurgence on the rise? Vampire Weekend already have the indie press tied up in knots and now John Ralston’s sophomore release, Sorry Vampire (Vagrant), follows suit. The South Florida native didn’t leave […]
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