David Byrne and other like-minded artists performed at a benefit for the Content Creators Coalition at New York City's Le Poisson Rouge last night and the nature of the event called for something just a bit different than a typical Byrne performance. He is calling attention to the fact that in the US, unlike many...

One of the highlights of Panic's NYE run was the opening trio of Neil Young covers from Time Fades Away, Young's '73 Live Set that has never seen a proper CD release due to his inherent Neil Young-ness. However, JB points out that it was one of the only vinyl albums that the band had...

With roster changes completed, the Chicago favorites in Cornmeal are in a getting-to-know-you stage all over again. The new and coalescing lineup is in the midst of a Midwest and Colorado swing before heading to the Northeast -- they are getting their legs way they've always done it, by playing a shit ton of shows....

I expected to have a bit more coverage of this show closer to when it happened, but I hope that this makes up for it a mere two months later.Slowly, in the weeks that followed Leftover Salmons November 15th gig at The Vic, videos from YouTuber MyTallTripod have surfaced. Not only do these look...

It's not uncommon for Railroad Earth to find themselves in Chicago this time of year.This time they came to town with a little more to prove. Their two Land of Lincoln dates fell on the weekend before Tuesday's official release of Last Of The Outlaws, the band's 10 song volume of new tunes.And so...

Mr. Blotto and it's fans had plenty to celebrate as 2013 ticked to a close. It was the year they put out their long awaited new CD, Thread. They completed another circuit of their trademark Chicago area events, including a horn-fueled funktastic James Brown encore at the fourteenth Blottopia.Singer / guitarist Paul Bolger, specifically had reason...

In the same city, on the same stage, separated by just under two weeks, George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic and Lettuce delivered huge sets to enthusiastic Chicago funkateers. As usual, P-Funk created an absolute spectacle (rendered here in video and Adam McCall's superb photography), invoking their decades-in-the-making mythology to evangelize the power of the funk.Lettuce,...

With rumors of a March tour in 2014, I thought I'd be a good time to revisit Mike's first visit to Chicago with a solo band (he had previously been through with Leo Kottkeas a duo). There's no Phish songs or notable covers, just a heavy dose of theOutside Out material. However, this iteration of the...

Lots of bands play funk music, but the weird and wonderful universe of Parliament Funkadelic IS funk.  Complete with its own mythology, cast of characters, ensemble of players, and catalog of hits which climbed to tops of charts (both in their original and sampled forms), it's a miracle it could all be squeezed onto...

While Chicagoans were still glowing from a wild Bears victory last Sunday, Bill Nershi took the stage in a Denver Broncos (!) tie-dye.  You can't win them all I guess, but if you're a fan of banjo, you might consider putting this show in the victory column.Billed as a Travelin' McCourys show featuring Bill...