Tag: featured
Cover Story: Depeche Mode
At 56, Depeche Mode bandleader Martin Gore no longer feels the need to pull any lyrical punches. So he gets right to the prickly, political point on the band’s latest Spirit set, starting with its clickety-clacking rhetorical question of a lead single “Where’s the Revolution,” with a grim societal accusation intoned in unusually ominous fashion […]
Review and Gallery: Paul McCartney at Hollywood Casino Amphitheater
Paul McCartney Hollywood Casino Amphitheater, Tinley Park, IL Tuesday, July 25, 2017 Reviewed by Jeff Elbel. Photos by Curt Baran. Former Beatle Paul McCartney knows what people want. “We can tell what songs you like,” he said midway through a nearly three-hour show. “If it’s an old Beatles song, your phones light up. It’s like […]
Review and Gallery: The Who at Van Andel Arena
The Who Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, MI Tuesday, July 25, 2017 Who needs Desert Trip when The Who, Paul McCartney and Roger Waters all made the Midwest rounds a mere of couple hours apart from one another within a 48-hour period? While Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend and their immaculate backing cast’s appearance at a […]
Live Review and Gallery: Roger Waters at United Center
Roger Waters “Us + Them” Tour United Center, Chicago, IL Saturday, July 22, 2017 Reviewed by Jeff Elbel; Photos by Ed Spinelli Former Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters’ first of three nights at United Center began with clockwork precision at exactly 8PM, with sounds of crashing surf and film footage of a hooded figure […]
Riot Fest 2017 Single-Day Line-Up, Danzig Performance Announced
The wai-it-ing is the hardest part when it comes to Riot Fest’s single-day line-ups, but the wait is over. Riot Fest announced Friday, Saturday and Sunday (September 15-17) line-ups today with a bonus performance from Danzig to the Saturday bill. As expected, Jawbreaker’s historic reunion closes things out on Sunday September 17th. Single Day and […]
Review and Gallery: Queen and Adam Lambert at United Center
Queen + Adam Lambert United Center, Chicago Thursday, July 13, 2017 By sheer coincidence, Queen + Adam Lambert’s latest visit to another sold out United Center just so happened to fall on the exact same date of Live Aid 32 years ago. Of course, that “global jukebox” featured Queen with its late front man Freddie […]
Review and Gallery: Gorillaz at HBP at Northerly Island
Gorillaz Huntington Bank Pavilion At Northerly Island, Chicago Saturday, July 8, 2017 “I’ve been coming to Chicago since 1990 and you never cease to bewilder me,” exclaimed Gorillaz mastermind Damon Albarn to a widely enthusiastic and entirely sold out Huntington Bank Pavilion At Northerly Island on opening night of alternative ensemble’s Humanz Tour. While […]
Recap and Gallery: Dead & Company at Wrigley Field
Dead & Company Wrigley Field, Chicago Saturday, July 1, 2017 No, Dead & Company aren’t exactly the Grateful Dead, but considering the group consists of Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, and Bill Kreutzmann, plus the originally unexpected but nonetheless exceptional John Mayer with Oteil Burbridge and Jeff Chimenti, it’s an all-star tribute to the original Dead. […]
Photo Gallery: Red Hot Chili Peppers at United Center
Red Hot Chili Peppers stormed Chicago’s United Center this past weekend, acting like the Jam Band they’ve always secretly hidden under a heavy blanket of tattoos and punk rock-infused funk riffs. Curt Baran parked himself in the photo pit for night one of a two night residency, fighting a soundtrack that all but dared him […]
Stage Buzz/Recap/Gallery (Updated): Wolf Alice at Schubas
North London’s Wolf Alice completely eviscerated Chicago’s Schubas Tavern Wednesday. The intimate confines at Belmont and Southport proved to be the perfect setting for the quartet to preview songs from their forthcoming release (due this fall). They also tore through fan favorites that included “Moaning Lisa Smile,” “Bros,” “Giant Peach” and “Lisbon.” Curt Baran managed […]
Live Review and Gallery: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers with Chris Stapelton at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL Thursday, June 29, 2017 Reviewed by Jeff Elbel; Photos by Curt Baran Tom Petty paused during a deep dive through the Wildflowers album to tell Thursday’s sold-out Wrigley Field crowd exactly what it has been like to celebrate 40 years with the Heartbreakers. “I was going to say we’re having so […]
Cover Story: Megadeth
Not too long ago, Dave Mustaine brought his pile driving thrash-metal outfit Megadeth on tour – backing its recent Grammy-winning return to form, Dystopia — to Jakarta, the bustling capital of Indonesia on the island of Java that boasts a population of over ten million people. And he has a heartwarming when-in-Rome philosophy that guides […]
Photo Gallery and Recap: Metallica with Avenged Sevenfold and Local H at Soldier Field
Metallica Soldier Field, Chicago Sunday, June 18, 2017 In their 36-year career, Metallica never previously played Soldier Field until Sunday night, and while the home of the Chicago Bears doesn’t come equipped with a dome, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Robert Trujillo and Lars Ulrich would’ve surely blown the roof off the joint if it […]
Live Review: Nick Cave at the Auditorium Theatre
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, IL Friday, June 16, 2017 Review by Jeff Elbel So much for the fourth wall. Early during his concert at the Auditorium Theatre, Nick Cave blurred the line between the audience and the stage. By the end of the show, he had simply erased it. As […]
Live Review and Gallery: Iron Maiden at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Iron Maiden Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre Tinley Park, IL June 15, 2017 Photos by Curt Baran Review by Jeff Elbel The weekend began a day early for local headbangers of all ages, when legendary British metal band Iron Maiden made the final Chicago stop on its juggernaut The Book of Souls World Tour. The six members […]
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