Words & Photos: Ashley M. DowningFirstMerrit Bank Pavillion at Northerly Island has quickly become my favorite large venue in Chicago. It reopened last summer after extensive renovations and it now ranks as one of the best spots in the country to see a live show.It sits on the shore of Lake Michigan tucked away...

Words & Photos: Ashley M. DowningOn a brisk Friday evening in May, The Park West in Chicago kicked off its summer season with a wild, music filled event. This show was presented as the official Summer Camp Music Festival pre-party, with all of the musicians in attendance scheduled to play at upcoming fest the following...

You may want to sit back for this one.Let's start at the beginning. There is a band from Sweden who call themselves Goat.Why Goat? I'm glad you asked. Here's how they explain themselves:Goat are a collective who hail from a small and very remote village called Korpolombolo in deepest darkest Sweden. Legend...

The Growth Of Their GrooveWords: @312mrg | Photos: Ashley M. DowningSustained interest in a band is not accomplished easily. To achieve it, a band must be creative, considering the myriad of musical levers at play in a community where one size will not fit all. Tour t0 tour changes in approach or sound, setlist switch-ups, even...

Words / Photos: Ashley M. DowningCubby Bear has been going above and beyond to restore great live music in an unlikely neighboorhood. Despite its Wrigleyville location, The Cubby Bear is a lively venue that has all of the right amenities needed to put on a killer show and is supplementing some of its more questionable bookings...

Words & Photos: Ashley M DowningAfter taking a hiatus and implementing some innovative adjustments, Particle is back as a musical force that cannot be ignored. They have played a handful of shows over the past few months, gearing up to fully takeover the scene that they once helped to create.Within the jam-electronica world there...

Words: Alex WoodPhotos:Eujin KwakKishi Bashis set at the Metro balanced expressive violin performance with a creative use of effects. Though only three band members backed the violinist, their sound was massive, achieved through looping techniques and well-composed songs.Kaoru Ishibashi has released only two records under the Kishi Bashi moniker, but the set list...

Words: Alex WoodPhotos: Alex Wood & Tom HarmonEdward David Andersons album release show at Martyrs' was about more than his new full-length, Lies & Wishes. It felt like an odd family reunion, old friends gathering together joyously to see Anderson perform with a band after years of patiently waiting.Yet perhaps the most joyous member...

Words / Photos: Alex WoodWoods headlining show at the Subterranean was a sort of psychedelic extravaganza, a night full of flangers, phasers, reverb and guitar effects.Local opener Bike Cop sounded as many young psych bands do, using barre-chords to churn out simplistic garage-rock riffs, songs stretching out horizontally for minutes without changing.The four-piece played...

I'm pleased to have so many incredible photography contributors to the site, but I'm going to be frank for a second... With the majority of our coverage leaning towards frumpy, static jambands, geriatric classic rockers and shoe gazing, lo-fi indie bands, every now and then we could use some images to spice things up.Enter...