By Rickie KostinerBeats Antique headlines the Creature Carnival tour, which will make its way to Chicagos Riviera Theatre this Saturday and Sunday, October 18 & 19. We expect big sets feature Shpongle, Emancipator, and Lafa Taylor -- individually, all four acts deliver eye-popping , bass thumping and mind-blowing shows. Collectively, they are sure to put on an all-encompassing,...

Monophonics: Funk Sure To Rock Your Soul & Your BrainBy: Brian R. Brinkman - @sufferingjukeBy its definition funk is emotive in nature. Emphasizing rhythm in place of melody and harmony, funk exists to make you move. Yet, paired with introspective lyrics, funk can also make you think.San Franciscos Monophonics understands that the key to...

Rock coupled with the symphony has always made for a curious marriage. This is particularly true for improvisational music, which doesn't lend itself to arrangements for dozens of musicians.For jam fans in Chicago (and really most of the Midwest) we haven't had too much evidence to sway us either way. We've had to sit...

Fact: there is outstanding music every weekend in Chicago.But sometimes you just have to shake your head, sigh, and realize how lucky we are to have this city as our playground.What's more, the highlights of this weekend's cavalcade of stars feature that are right smack in our wheelhouse. the jambands, supergroups, heavy funk,...

Valentine's Day got you "In A Funk"? Try heading down to Double Door for The Main Squeeze, who make their next big hometown appearance since their big New Year's Eve appearance at Cubby Bear.Whether you're with your sweetheart, or looking for a steamy place to find your next one, these rising stars were certainly...

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....

Cold enough for you?Yes, it's been a particularly brutal winter, but festival season is a mere three months away. Wait three months?How about a sniff early? Old Shoe, festival mainstays and hosts of the fabulous Shoe Fest, bring the second edition of their winter event "Snow Shoe" north to Chicago.February 15th at...

The Barns love for Todd Snider runs deep. A classic American troubadour, he has travelled the country countless times over, building his legacy as an epic stoner storyteller. He is a Swiss Army knife of a musician, as comfortable playing by himself in an acoustic setting as he is fronting the plugged-in Great American Taxi....

Last month, Chicago musician Derek Nelson released Missouri, his newest EP, and debuted the full length release from his new band Martin Van Ruin, Every Man A King. The latter was recorded and engineered by Neil Strauch, who has worked with bands like Bonnie Prince Billy and Iron & Wine.I Am There from Missouri,...

Coverage around these parts has been so dominated by male musicians, at times we've gone out of our way to showcase women led bands. It's even rarer when you're talking about the bands that stretch out and improvise.Thanks to guitarist / bandleader Joe Marcinek for helping balance things out, as he's assembled an all-star lineup...