Juke Joint Festival Boasts Great Jams from Over 100 Blues BandsWords: Robin Zimmerman | Photos: Howard GreenblattForget the big-ticket festivals -- long lines, superficiality, and craning your neck just to see who's on stage. For many, there's nothing better than heading down to the birthplace of the blues every April for Clarksdale, Mississippis Juke Joint Festival. ...

By: Heidi PetersCount The Avett Brothers among the artists capable of selling out Madison Square Garden in New York City.  So when they hit town for three nights at the relatively cozy Chicago Theater, you can excuse the fans for being a little giddy.So they ended up with a marriage proposal from...

By: Sean Wilmsen | Photos: Kristine Condon Photgraphy"Above The City". It's the Cut Copy tune that I was listening to as I pulled up to the Willis (Sears for the real Chicagoans) Tower last Sunday. It seemed appropriate. After all, I was gearing up for anight on the 99th floor with one of my favorite...

While musicians -- and truly everyone -- worldwide werehonoring Prince and his career after he passed away tragically yesterday, there was another news story that had grabbed the attention of usChicagoans, and baseball fans everywhere.Jake Arrieta, of the Chicago Cubs tossed his second no-hitter in 11 regular season starts as a part of a 16-0...

We'll have much more on tonight's show when we'll have a reporter in attendance, but newsfrom The Avett's Chicago run opener was too good not to share.The band ran through a 25 song set, paying tribute to Merle Haggard early in the set, and tipping their hat to Prince during an emotional "Pretty Girl From...

Smashing Pumpkins welcomed original guitarist James Iha to the stage for a mini Siamese Dream set and an encore take on The Rolling Stones' Angie. It was Iha's third appearance with the band after a pair of LA shows in late March.His appearance was just one highlight inside a super-sized show that featured David...

Hey! Gilmour introduced a new song to distinguish the final Chicago appearance from his previous two.  The title track from his 2006 solo album, On An Island, found it's way into Friday's second set.  Otherwise, he stayed close to the script, while pleasing a whole new crowd on the Chicago closer.Have a listen...

There are fan shot videos and then there are FAN SHOT VIDEOS.Mark Burgin and Dan Vasen put together this six camera edit of the Greensky Bluegrass at Portland's Wonder Ballroom from November 5th, 2015.The editing actually makes it worth a look on a big screen and the audio sounds fantastic.  Do stick around...

By: Heidi Peters PhotographyMountain Goats. What is it? A band? A person? Possiblya small cult?In any case, it was clear from the get-go that the fans are "all in", knowing words and subtleties acrossa vast catalog of songs.Prolific songwriter John Darnielle assembled crew of crack musicians for this run, with drummer Jon Wurster,...

By: Philamonjaro StudioRouge Electro Swing Chicago, Calliope Presents and Calliope Festivalteamed up to create aneo-vintage circussideshow, combining music and spectacle on stage at Reggie's. The joint was hopping until close to a full house of steampunk and retro vaudeville clad dancers and revelers, egging on the side show antics by Philadelphia's Squidling Brothers Sideshow,...