Tag: featured
Cover Story: Elle King
If youâre craving some homespun wisdom in these complicated, hi-tech times, you need look no further than old episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies, a popular CBS TV series that ran from 1962 to 1971 (and 1993 film) and applied old-saw simplicity to complicated modern society. For any Gen X-, Y- or Z-er who might have […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery: Andrew Bird with My Brightest Diamond at Fourth Presbyterian Church ⢠Chicago
Andrew Bird with special guest My Brightest Diamond Gezelligheid concert at Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago, IL Wednesday, December 14, 2022 Review and photos by Jeff Elbel Absent since 2019, Andrew Birdâs seasonal Gezelligheid concerts returned in grand style this year. The homecoming event sold out a series of seven nights at the stately setting of […]
Feature: From Bauhaus to Love And Rockets, and the new Night Crickets, David J always delivers
Man of many bands, David J, is no stranger to iconic songwriting and inventive bass parts, dating all the way back to post-punk/gothic architects Bauhaus, continuing with alternative rockers Love And Rockets and now starting an entirely new chapter fronting the Night Crickets, all while juggling a slew of solo and passion projects. Along with […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery: The Claudettes at SPACE ⢠Evanston
The Claudettes SPACE, Evanston, IL Saturday, December 10, 2022 Review by Jeff Elbel. Photos by Timothy Hiatt. Chicagoâs genre-hurdling quartet The Claudettes concluded a busy year of touring with a show at Evanstonâs SPACE on Saturday. The air of a special event drifted through the evening from beginning to end. Before welcoming his bandmates onto […]
Feature: X-Mas Tidings with Exene Cervenka
Itâs not like Exene Cervenka has suddenly been transformed â through the charming stop-motion animation process of Rankin-Bass â into a warm, fuzzy feel-good protagonist this year. But the formerly feisty X firebrand has chilled out, post-pandemic, and actually become one Humble new Bumble as her four-decade-old combo heads out on its annual X-Mas Tour […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery: The Smile at the Riviera Theatre ⢠Chicago
The Smile Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL Thursday, December 1, 2022 Review by Jeff Elbel, photos by Curt Baran The Smile has earned praise as the most satisfying among Radioheadâs side projects by many fans, a status that benefits from inclusion of Radioheadâs creative engine. Singer Thom Yorke is joined by multi-instrumentalists Jonny Greenwood and Sons […]
Cover Story: 40 Years of W.A.S.P.
When youâve been consistently composing rabble-rousing metal anthems for several decades â like brainy W.A.S.P. bandleader Blackie Lawless has, to the point where heâs currently on a prestigious 40th Anniversary Tour â it helps to set your standards impeccably high. Which, for this Staten-Island-bred shock-rocker â whoâs not claiming his method would work […]
Media : December 2022 ⢠Baby Onions – Itâs Chuck Swirsky
Chuck Swirsky is in the midst of his 25th season as an NBA play-by-play man, and his 15th year doing radio play-by-play for the Bulls. Next month heâll do his 2000th game. âIf everything goes according to plan,â he says, âit will happen on January 13, a Friday night, against Oklahoma City.â Thatâs a […]
Live Review and Photo Gallery: Suede and Manic Street Preachers at Auditorium Theatre ⢠Chicago
Suede and Manic Street Preachers Wednesday, November 16, 2022 Auditorium Theatre Chicago, Il Review by Jeff Elbel. Photos by Curt Baran. Despite careers spanning decades and ample respect among music fans in the know, British glam-rock innovators Suede and sociopolitical firebrands Manic Street Preachers are not household names in the United States. These facts were […]
Q&A and Photo Gallery: Steve Vai at Copernicus Center November 16 ⢠Chicago
Hey, Chicago: guitar extraordinaire Steve Vai wants to make it up to you for canceling his concert in March of this year at the Copernicus Center. Due to personal injuries (undergoing two serious surgeries), his Inviolate Tour 2022 was postponed and rescheduled to the new date of Wednesday, November 16. As Steve explains, he couldnât […]
Stage Buzz: AFI, MĂĽneskin. Lorna Shore
Though theyâve been around for 30 years, punk rock icons AFI know how to keep things fresh. Not ones to shy away from reinvention, their sound spans multiple genres from gothic punk to dance electronic and, of course, good ol punk rock. After previously postponing the tour due to COVID, AFI is finally bringing […]
Stage Buzz Q &A: John Petrucci at the Vic Theatre ⢠Chicago
Grammy Award-winning Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci has stepped out on his own with his first-ever headlining solo tour. Performing material from his recently released solo album, Terminal Velocity, as well as songs from his widely acclaimed debut release, *Suspended Animation*, Petrucci has embarked on a 36-date tour, including a show at the Vic Theatre on […]
Media: November 2022 ⢠Chicago Radio Archives
You may not be familiar with Don Benoâs radio career, although he had a long one with extended stays in the Chicago area at stations like WJOL (Joliet), WCFL (Morris, IL), The Bus (Kankakee), and WLS-FM. But if you are on Facebook and are interested in classic radio, youâve probably seen Donâs work. […]
Cover Story: Smashing Pumpkins: Never Mind the Gatekeepers
Itâs not often that an artist is afforded the privilege of seeing the importance of their career painstakingly delineated in its relative historical importance. You usually have to wait until your screen has faded to afterworld black for that kind of cumulative honor. But at 55, after nearly four decades spent helming Smashing […]
Photo Gallery: Judas Priest with Queensryche at Genesee Theatre ⢠Waukegan
Judas Priest with Queensryche Tuesday, October 25, 2022 Genesee Theatre Waukegan, IL Recap and photos by Edward Spinelli Soon-to-be Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee Judas Priest brought their 50th Anniversary tour to the Genesee Theatre with special guest QueensrĂżche in tow. The Priest pounded out a rock-solid setlist that, pretty much as expected, […]
Recent Comments