Words / Photos: Alex WoodThe Del McCoury Band defines traditionalism in the bluegrass genre.The five piece band, including Dels sons Ronnie and Robbie, performed an acoustic set comprising of originals, covers and traditional songs, the musicians huddling around two microphones for amplification.With few older bluegrass veterans left to carry the torch of traditionalism, 75-year...

There was a pure, collective excitement about White Denim at Metro that I haven't felt in a good long time. With so many regular contributors to this site in attendance, I asked a few of them to contribute short thoughts to our "team coverage", while I chime in with my thoughts of my own below....

Mike's long, engaging introduction for guest Sugar Blue at the end of his first set was certainly informed by the type of comedic improv that he experienced first hand during his encounter with Second City at last year's Phish Chicago run. He was personable, funny and interesting.What followed were three perfect choices for a...

Photos: Mike Kaiz PhotojournalismAs both Bob and Phil have conspired to avoid Chicago for nearly two years, it was great to see Grateful Dead family rally around Bobby at Friday night's sold out Ratdog gig.But Steve Kimock was the pope of this gig -- stealing the spotlight again and again, a considerable task, as...

Words / Photo / Video: @WeirScrewedOn a cold and sunny Sunday afternoon following a spectacular Hard Working Americans show, Todd Snider fans packed the City Winery to watch the documentary East Nashville Tonight, directed by Todd Barnes and his brother Brad. In addition to screening the film, fans were enticed with a Q&A with Snider...

Words / Photos: Alex WoodEven without Workbooks 25th anniversary, Bob Mould has reason to celebrate.Always ahead of his contemporaries, Mould mastered punk in the 80s with Husker D and alternative rock in the 90s with Sugar.The cornerstone connecting the two, of course, was 1989s Workbook.The albumstands as a historical marker in the story...

Photos by Heidi Peters, additional reporting by Des PetersMaceo Parker has been on the front lines of funk from the days of James Brown through the P-Funk revolution and remains something of a hero to today's modern day funk crusaders.His set on Saturday night at Evanston's SPACE touched on all these spaces and more,...

Words: @WeirScrewedPhotos: Tom HarmonTodd Snider and the Hard Working Americans wrapped up their first ever tour Saturday night at the Park West. From the opening notes of "Blackland Farmer", the band extended most of the tunes from their self-titled debut into lush jammy landscapes. After exploring "Farmer" a bit, the band settled into a "New...

Words / Photos: Alex WoodLucius has everything it takes to be a hip indie band: matching outfits, two female singers, percussion instruments scattered on stage before a mod, faux-psychedelic backdrop, and plenty of wordless sing-along melodies.Yet despite the carefully planned approach, the bands music proved to be anything but formulaic.Part of the Free Sample...

Words/Photos: Alex WoodThroughout TR3s set at SPACE, the trio played a fun combination of originals, covers and new songs that emphasized Tim Reynolds versatility as a guitarist.The trio, consisting of Tim Reynolds, bassist Mick Vaughn and drummer Dan Martier, ripped through songs in every style a power trio could possibly take on....