Photos: Mandy Pichler PhotographyI first became aware of Steve Kimock as he was touring with the West Coast collective Zero in the early 90s. I became further intrigued throughout a series of collaborations with members of the Grateful Dead in the late 90s. But I truly went "all-in" on Kimock via his instrumental, four-piece SKBs...

Intimacy is a word that gets tossed around a lot in music writing.Sometimes it describes a feeling of connection with the artists, or their particular openness to the crowd. Sometimes it's the relative size of the venue (I've heard8000 seat amphitheaters described as intimate).But since the last time I saw Phil Lesh it...

On Highway 61: Music, Race and the Evolution Of Cultural Freedom - Dennis McNallyBy now, everybody knows that the story of America is the story of race. So, too, is the story of its music perhaps even more overtly. Onetime Grateful Dead publicist and historian Dennis McNally takes an uncompromising look at how various ingredients fall...

By : Ryan MannixI got a chance to speak with Aqueous guitarist Mike Gantzer before Thursday's show at Chicago's The Original Mothers.He described the band'ssound as groove rock, and while that definitely applied for the dancing crowd, he might be selling the band a bit short.Might I suggest improvisation-heavy groove prog-rock? Certainly more fitting,...

By: Ryan MannixWhen a band walks out to an 8-bit version of their own tunes, you know something strange is about to go down.Dr. Dog used a Nintendo-fied version of "Badvertise" to kick off their show at Riviera Theatreand pivotedinto a psychedelia infused pop and rock showworthy of the creative walk out music.They...

By: Ryan MannixMarbin has come home.After 37 days on the road, the funk-fusion band paired up with local prog-rockers Audiobakery for a Thursday night gig atEmporium Arcade Bar in Wicker Park. A fine opportunity to not only catch two rising acts, but also to enjoy a craft beer while playing Galaga in between sets.That...

What if -- suddenly --Neil Young exploded onthe scene at age 40, complete with his very sameprolific master songwriting stroke, an unstoppable propensity to rock the fuck out, and the ability (and willingness) transform himself and his band from tour to tour and gig to gig?Then, my friends, you'd be pretty close to how I...

By: Ryan Mannix | Photos: Dale Foster PhotoEGi was the main attraction at Bottom Lounge on Saturday, celebrating the release of Plyatron with a set that kicked off with the titular instrumental, setting the stage for 90 minutes of dancing to the Chicago crowd.Noted: EGi has managed to cultivate an electronic sound, but without...

The Kevin Bacon Effect with Joe Marcinek BandMartyrs - Chicago, ILBy: @312mrgI had a talk pre-gig with Joe Marcinek and asked him about being a sort-ofKevin Bacon of the jam scene. Considering the range of high-profile artists that routinely support his art or become members of the JMB, I thought it was a fair question....

Leftover Salmon brought their Funkn' Bluegrass Bash for two nights at The Vic last weekend. We've got team coverage, with my take on Friday's show with Dumpstaphunk and Bonerama, and Ryan Mannix offering some thoughts on Saturday's bluegrass affair with Travelin' McCourys and Love Canon.FRIDAYIn the absence of a suitable genre label for Leftover...