Stage Buzz
Jingle Your Bells Preview
Jingle Your Bells Abbey Pub, Chicago Friday, December 15, 2006 Saturday, December 16, 2006 50 Cent has a new beef. It’s not Nas, The Game, or Ja Rule, though. This time, it’s two pale indie rockers from Chicago.
Jon McLaughlin Preview
Jon McLaughlin House Of Blues, Chicago Friday, December 15, 2006 It’s all happening for singer-songwriter Jon McLaughlin. The Billy Joel/Ben Folds-influenced pianist debuts Indiana, his first album for Island Records, early next year and coming this summer he’ll put his Andy Roddick-like good looks to use in Disney’s Enchanted, a mix of animation and live […]
Unknown Hinson Preview
Unknown Hinson Stage 83, Lemont Friday, December 15, 2006 Trying to think of a schtick for your musical act? Some novelty to catch people’s eyes and ears? Might as well forget about backwoods-hillbilly-vampire-1950s country and western singer, ’cause Unknown Hinson already has the market cornered.
Frank Morey Preview
Frank Morey Uncommon Ground, Chicago Wednesday, December 20, 2006 Singer-songwriter Frank Morey isn’t from Chicago, but he certainly has ties to the city.
Twisted Sister Preview
Twisted Sister House Of Blues, Chicago Thursday, December 7, 2006 By all accounts, A Twisted Christmas (Razor & Tie) was supposed to be Twisted Sister’s swan song. What has happened since the record’s release in October, though, has been as much a surprise to the band as it has everyone else.
Alexis Gideon previewed
Alexis Gideon Reversible Eye Gallery, Chicago Saturday, December 2, 2006 Meet Alexis Gideon. Possibly the most schizo motherfucker making music today. You might remember Gideon as one half of Chicago bizarre cross dressing rap duo Princess, and if you do, you likely don’t think his solo project, Welcome Song (Sick Room, January 9th), could possibly […]
Sonya Kitchell, Ben Taylor reviewed
Sonya Kitchell, Ben Taylor Schubas, Chicago Saturday, December 2, 2006 Sunday, December 3, 2006 Heaps of expectation have been poured on Sonya Kitchell and Ben Taylor (he of The Ben Taylor Band), but so has skepticism. Kitchell has the approval of Herbie Hancock, the first deal signed with coffee empire Starbucks imprint Hear, and is […]
Saosin, Bleeding Through previewed
Saosin, Bleeding Through House Of Blues, Chicago Saturday, December 2, 2006 Sunday, December 3, 2006 Many, many bands, no matter how hard they work, how good their records are, or how incredible their live show is, will never get two minutes of face time with a major label A&R person. Then there are bands like […]
Planes Mistaken For Stars preview
Planes Mistaken For Stars The Note, Chicago Friday, November 24, 2006 It isn’t unusual for Midwestern bands to flee their homestead for a destination they consider more promising. After all, Middle America can seem awful limiting compared to New York City or Los Angeles, two cities contaminated with major labels and major tastemakers. So the […]
The Black Keys previewed
The Black Keys, Dr. Dog* Vic Theatre, Chicago November 24 and 25, 2006 Pretty much everyone dismissed guitar-and-drum duos who sprang up in the early 2000s as fads. After The White Stripes stormed MTV, it seemed for awhile all there was to write about were The Kills, Mates Of State (actually organ and drums), The […]
Brazilian Girls preview
Brazilian Girls Metro, Chicago Saturday, November 25, 2006 Given the knee-jerk reaction to world music in the U.S., it was a chancey proposition for Brazilian Girls to name themselves what they did with only one girl, non-Brazilian at that, in the band.
Napalm Death previewed
Napalm Death Pearl Room, Mokena Monday, November 27, 2006 Love metalcore? Thank Napalm Death. Hate metalcore? Blame Napalm Death.
Ray Lamontagne preview
Ray Lamontagne Vic Theatre, Chicago November 28 and 29, 2006 Maine-native/singer-songwriter (how many people can claim that?) Ray Lamontagne and his second album seem to have taken to mind all the reviews from his first, 2003’s Trouble (RCA). Instead of making like an R&B singer and amping up the vibrato, however, he turns inward.
Burden Brothers preview
Burden Brothers Double Door, Chicago Wednesday, November 29, 2006 Where have all the good men gone from the ’90s? While Gavin Rossdale babysits, Jeff Buckley’s mother tries to convince Brad Pitt not to play her late son in a biopic supposedly in the works, and Chris Cornell pens the latest James Bond theme song, the […]
Heavens, Darker My Love Preview
Heavens, Darker My Love Metro, Chicago Friday, November 17, 2006 Alkaline Trio with synth, Rhodes, programming, synths, organ, and Wurlitzer? Heavens no.











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