Apr 29, 2015
On Sunday, Jack White performed his final concert before taking an indefinite hiatus from touring. The final show of his all-acoustic tour, which took place in the five states he had yet to perform, occurred in Fargo, North Dakota.The 14-song set streamed through TIDAL, of which Jack White is a partial owner, and featured...
Apr 28, 2015
Chicago's North Coast Music Festival has in past years been a bit of a jam purist's puzzle. There has always been a smattering of jam-friendly acts in its lineups, but EDM and flavor-of-the-minute bands tended to cast a long shadow for those looking for improv in Chicago over Labor Day Weekend.The scales seemed to...
Apr 27, 2015
Vulfpeck is exploding like a supernova right now and for good reason. You're not likely to find a young band, especially a four piece, with such a distinctive, raw funk sound.So what does it look like when a band blows up like this? Well, first they touch down for a sold-out midweek run like...
Apr 27, 2015
I'll admit that it's nowhere close to my favorite place to see music, but you have to admire its tenacity.The Aragon Ballroom has become a rite of passage for Chicago area youth for decades and has seen its share of important events and performances throughout. As they say... if those walls could talk.The...
Apr 27, 2015
Two of Chicagos best small venues, Schubas and Lincoln Hall, were sold to Audioleaf this week in a multi-million-dollar deal, according to the Chicago Tribune.Brothers Chris and Mike Schuba bought Schubas in 1998 and Lincoln Hall in 2008, the venues quickly becoming mainstays in the Chicago music scene.Mike Schuba will continue to work as chief...
Apr 27, 2015
The Replacements have been performing a new song titled Whole Foods Blues during their current tour. Video of the song, literally written about the grocery store chain, now exists.The song features a laid-back, bluesy vibe, with plenty of guitar soloing throughout.According to Billboard, the band has produced seven or eight new songs over...
Apr 25, 2015
More on this show to come. But just WOW. "Throwing Stones" had to be close to 20 minutes. Jams within jams all night. Could this be my present favorite band?Friday, April 24, 2015Music Never Stopped > Here Comes Sunshine > THROWING STONES, Scarlet Begonias > Fire On The Mountain, Ophelia Alligator > Crazy...
Apr 24, 2015
Five things I learned attending DeadPhish Orchestra at Wire on Friday, April 17th.1. Intellecutally, I cant help feeling a small sense of betrayal in choosing a cover band over the many original music options available. But, my heart very much belongs to Grateful Dead and Phish, and in creating a band that specializes in those...
Apr 22, 2015
Shortly before the Kurt Cobain documentary Montage Of Heck is to be released, a slew of new videos and audio clips have arisen. Amongst the newly discovered material from the late singer is this somber cover of the Beatles And I Love Her.The raw home recording finds Cobain fitting the McCartney-penned pop song to...
Apr 17, 2015
It has been a remarkable run for Mountain Goats, who headline a show Saturday, April 18th at The Vic. Here's a look at an older recording from Empty Bottle that helps to put this achievement in perspective.Back in 2002, the Mountain Goats released two albums, All Hail West Texas and Tallahassee. Though both are widely...