By: Alex WoodExpectations from a Paul McCartney concert should be high.With endless money, a fanbase spanning every living generation and a catalog that includes hundreds of timeless classics, how could the Beatles bassist address the eternal demand for his live performances with a show that meets, if not exceeds, the hype?At Milwaukees Summerfest,...

[fblile]By: Aaron Stein (@neddyo) | Photos: Rene Huemer (via @phish_ftr)There are few things greater in the Phish arsenal than the build/release jam. The anticipatory tension that can only be resolved satisfactorily with an epic climax, the moment when all four musicians (and usually the lighting director, too) hit their mark at...

Photos via phishfromtheroad instagramPhish at Wrigley.  From the time it was just a rumor, it was a band and venue combination that got people emotional. Ill admit to being one of them.  Id been visiting the ballpark regularly since I was a kid, and the place was heavy with history even then. &...

By: Alex WoodChicago four-piece Mungion embrace the jamband aesthetic whole-heartedly, fusing progressive rock, jazz, funk and more into a musical tapestry that echoes the scenes biggest names without sounding redundant. Their debut album, Scary Blankets, captures this experimentalism with an ambitious but carefully formulated set of songs that jam fans should fully embrace.Look...

By: Alex WoodM. Ward flies under the radar of the average music listener, though his knack for understated folk songwriting has earned his discography a following of diehard fans.Despite his reputation for simplicity, his live shows breathe new life into his already-outstanding compositions, as proven during his performance at Thalia Hall on Thursday, Wards...

By: Ryan MannixI dont get up to Milwaukee much -- but there is a certain draw for Chicago live music fans, who don't mind a short trip o see a show at one of their many fantastic venues. My personal favorite of the bunch is Turner Hall. The historic ballroom sits in a...

By: Ryan Mannix | Photos: Kristine Condon PhotographyThe final day of Summer Camp got started with the return of Umphreys McGees Sunday afternoon set.Starting the set off with Cemetery Walk, and the popular, danceable Bad Friday flew in the face of the relaxed atmosphere I was expecting.  But, the boys "brought it down"...

Photos: Howard Greenblatt I'm running out of superlatives when it comes to describing the music of Tedeschi Trucks Band.I've already dubbed them the Best Band In America after their recent Chicago Theater stop, and the team has done nothing to refute that title in their return to the area this...

Reporting / Photos: Ryan Mannix & Jesse McMahanVulfpeck has come up so fast and so furious in the last year, it's nearly impossible to predict their next move.Chicago has been an early supporter of this Ann Arbor, Michigan-bred band, so when it came time for plotting a return to the city -- post-Brooklyn Bowl multi-night...

By: Ryan Mannix |Photo: carmelocorn InstagramAfter a festival Thursday that delivered way more than just a pre-party, Friday kicked the festival off in earnest.So it was appropriate to be eased in with one-man-band Keller Williams. A staple of the jam and festival circuit, Williams brought his big but affectionate presenceto the afternoon crowd --...