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Preview: Otter Presents Top Of The Tower Thanksgiving Jam @ Sears Tower 11/22/13

Let me take you back to September 2001. After a few smokin' Chicago appearances around town over the last few years, guitarist Steve Kimock had just announced a one-of-a-kind gig on one of the top floors of the Sears Tower (I don't even know what it was called at the time... but for a Chicagoan it'll...

Railroad Earth Plays A Pair Of Illinois Shows (Vic + Castle Theaters) on Winter 2013 Tour

January can be a pretty cruel month for the Chicago music scene, but at least for the last few years, we can reliably count on Railroad Earthto swing through during the winter .The last two Januarys found the band settling in at House Of Blues. The 2012 gig came during a busy weekend of Bluegrass and...

Ratdog To Play Chicago Theater For First Time Ever - March 7th, 2014

Only once in my memory have Grateful Dead alumnus played at the Chicago Theater: when Rhythmn Devils brought an all-star band including Phish's Mike Gordon and Steve Kimock in 2006 to the venerable landmark. It looks like Kimock will make a return, this time playing lead guitar role for Bob Weir's Ratdog on Friday, March 7th, 2014....

Telluride In Chicago? Bluegrass Favorites Converge For Weekend Performances

It's true that wherever Leftover Salmon plays they bring the FESTIVAL with them. But, it turns out it's truer than we even thought this weekend in Chicago as the Rocky Mountain favorites kick off a trio of shows this Friday night that would all receive the Telluride seal of approval. And we're happy to send...

Barn's Picks: Halloween Live Music In Chicago 2013

We've lined up our picks for the best live music experience in Chicago this Halloween.Best Bet for a Freaky Good Time:The masterminds at Otter Presents are taking over the lovely City Winery on Halloween night. The main event features Brothers Past with support from Lynx. But that's not all.... Yes, there's a costume...

Old Shoe's Family: CD Preview and Release Party Ticket Giveaway

As an unabashed Simpsons fan, one of my favorite pop-cultural catch phrases is the the jubilant "Everything's Coming Up Milhouse!"Originally uttered by Bart's nerdy blue-haired buddy, it's just the perfect thing to say when you feel like everything is coming together and working out perfectly.I'm happy to report that everything has been "coming...

Kimockowitz and Beyond: A Chat With Guitarist Steve Kimock

I think I stumped Steve Kimock with the very first question of our interview. With an upcoming weekend of shows at Martyrs with ALO guitarist Dan Leibowitz, I was curious as to how these two like-minded pickers first hooked up. "Over the years, we've just gotten better and better at playing together and have enjoyed...

Preview: Head For The Hills @ Martyrs 10/12/13

Head For The Hills is hitting the road hard this year and that's great news for Chicagoans, who seemingly just got a taste of their slick and modern bluegrass stylings. Their fall tour will bring them back to Martyr's (10/12), after a summer's end gig that found them at City Winery last month.If the August...

Mr. Blotto Moves Locations Once Again For 14th Blottopia Festival - July 26th & 27th 2013 in Yorkville, IL

After hosting for over a decade at Vasa Park in Elgin, Mr. Blotto shocked fans by moving their 2012 festival to the Illinois-Iowas border. The Iron Horse Campground in Sabula, IA was the scene for the band's most recent full album cover encore, The Allman Brothers Band's Eat A Peach, as well as other cover and...

Lineup Released, New Location For Whippersnap Music & Arts Festival 2013

We had a ball at last year's Whippersnap Festival, a fine mid-summer destination which married great regional talent with an emphasis on improv with some top notch national headliners. The festival is back in 2013, though moving closer to Chicago, at HideAway Lakes campground in Yorkville, IL. The lineup was released over the weekend on their...