To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Human Be-In, Leftover Salmon got a special welcome from Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann Saturday at the Fillmore in San Francisco and Jay Blakesberg was kind enough to share some of his photos.He joined the band for "Playing In The Band" and "New Speedway Boogie" to...

By: Philamonjaro Studio"Strings of lights above the bedCurtains drawn and a glass of redAll I ever get for Christmas is blue"Over the Rhine performed a sold out New Years Eve concert at Old Town School of Folk Music.The husband-and-wife duet, pianist/guitarist Linford Detweiler and vocalist/guitarist Karin Bergquist have...

Photos: Howard GreenblattIt's January in Chicago and that means Buddy Guy is back for his winter residency at his namesake South Loop club.Howard was on hand with his camera to grab some great shots of the 2017 residency's very first night, Thursday, January 5th.  It continues each weekend in January -- Thursday...

By: Alex WoodChildish Gambino- Awaken, My Love [12/2]Actor, screenwriter and musician Donald Glover returns with his third full-length release as Childish Gambino, reinventing his sound entirely in the process. Known initially for his fresh and intelligent take on hip-hop, Awaken, My Love finds Glover channeling musical influences like Prince and Funkadelic, leading to an album...

So many publications offer so many end of the year album lists, so why do most of them look like they are written in a foreign language? Sure a handful of my favorites records find themselves in the "lists that matter", but even after looking at Rob Mitchum's incredible aggregation work, I still find myself...

Photos: Howard Greenblatt | Words: Robin ZimmermanThe cold and wintry weather was out in full force on Saturday, December 17th. But that didnt stop people from flocking to the City Winery for a pair of sold-out shows by Tab Benoit.While Benoit is known for his environmental activism and down-to-earth persona, he also puts on...

I suppose it takes a talent as singular as Mike Gordon to produce an effect as positively unsettling as what I get from his gigs.This November marks the third time in three years I found myself walking in a way from a Mike Gordon Band show, knowing I'd definitely be back, but...

By: Howard GreenblattShemekia Copeland brought her powerhouse voice from the outskirts of love to City Winery Chicago for two shows on Sunday.Although she is expecting a bundle of joy next month, she was still hittin it two hours in to the second performance.Shemekia was joined on stage by big brother Ronnie Baker...

By: Alex Wood | Video: the1stMikeC | Photo: @jamesrichardsivAndrew Birds Gezelligheid performances at Fourth Presbyterian Church are a tradition of sorts in Chicago, ringing in the holiday season with a solo performance from the violinist as gorgeous as the intimate setting itself.Having attended at least one of Birds church dates nearly every year...

By: Ryan MannixIt was another snowy winter night in Chicago with two up and coming jam-rockers ready to impress a packed house.Lincoln Hall is one of the cleanest, most comfortable, and best sounding rooms in the city, so it was a real treat to see these two bands at their shreddiest. A year...