By: Philamonjaro StudioSunday at Ravinia, Seal performed a two hour set with a stripped down back up band (just keyboardists and his guitarist).With no recent or upcoming material to anticipate or promote -- not even any merchandise, T-shirts or other souvenirs available for purchase -- the night was...

By: Philamonjaro Studio | Video: Wyatt BrakeEx-Deep Purple bassist brought his brand of 70's hard rock to Chicago's South loop for two special sold nights on his 2016 world tour.With sound production worthy of large concert halls, Hughes and his bandmates filled up every square inch of the club with their riveting, hard rocking, bluesy jams....

By: Philamonjaro StudioYES fans of all stripes were thrilled with the band's set at Chicago's Copernicus Center on Saturday night.  Greying temples and longer hair dotted the audience as well as the stage, but younger fans got a glimpse of what has been delighting fans for decades.One thing the enire...

By: Howard Greenblatt, Imagine PicturesA legend was in the house when Guitar Shorty came to Buddy Guys Legends.Shorty played two sets of tunes filled with blistering guitar riffs from his lengthy catalog.He also played a number of requests from the audience and dedicated Its a Hard Life to Alligator Records president Bruce Iglauer,...

By: Heidi PetersPleasantly muggy air hung over Pritzger Pavillion to welcome Mandolin Orange and Elephant Revival as part of the City of Chicago's Summer Music Series. Mandolin Orange started off with their own blend of folk, mountain, bluegrass and county. The core duo of Emily Frantz and Andrew Marlin moved between...

By: Faraz ChaudryDrooling over festival lineups is a common pastime for many concertgoers come spring, yet there were few as saliva-inducing as the Peach Fest lineup for 2016, its 5th anniversary.  Yes, the musicians make the 12-hour trek to beautiful Scranton, PA worth it, but with this year's edition taking place on Montage Mountain,...

Words: Robin Zimmerman | Photos: Howard GreenblattWith everything from  Pitchfork to the Windy City Smokeout, the city of Chicago was bustling over the weekend of July 16th-17th. But life was a lot less frenetic on Northerly Island as, true to its name, the Laid Back Festival got underway at 4pm on a lovely...

Words: Robin Zimmerman | Photos: Howard Greenblatt (imaginepictures.net)The 36th Annual Taste of Chicago closed out with a bang as iconic percussionist Sheila E brought the huge crowd to its collective feet on Sunday, July 10th. This multi-faceted performer pulled out all stops for the audience.Opening with a spirited salsa, Sheila...

Words: Robin Zimmerman | Photos: Howard GreenblattTheres nothing like a nice, chill Sunday afternoon on the Front Porch stage at the Chicago Blues Festival.  After two days of blistering heat, fans loved sitting in the sunshine while basking in the blues AND cooler temperatures.A large contingent of fans lined up around the stage to...

By: Philamonjaro StudioThe 80s were alive Saturday night in Chicago -- with Billy Idol (Taste of Chicago), Duran Duran (Ravinia), and The English Beat (Thalia Hall).  While each brought a whiff of nostalgia, it was The English Beat, in their club setting, who probably played to the hardest core of music freaks.From first...