Busy week in Chicago for fans of The Who and Mr. Eddie Vedder.The Who play tonight at Allstate Arena, Eddie joins Pete Townshend for a benefit at Rosemont Theater on Thursday.But the sneaky pick was Who touring member, and brother of Pete, Simon who played a club gig at Martyr's last night. Well,...

Umphrey's McGee's Brendan Bayliss treated hometown fans to a rare Monday night solo and acoustic gig at Tonic Room. The two sets featured highlights from the Umphrey's catalog, a sit-in from an old friend (Michelle Hallman), some classic and modern rock covers and even an new song that is still unnamed. Bayliss read the lyrics...

A couple of newish tunes from some local artists (H&H is from Wisconsin but I'll give em a proximity credit), that I thought I'd share.In my alternate universe "Short But Sweet" is a bona fide smash hit from a bluegrass group that features some sweet harmonica and great hooks.Here's some Uptown...

Last decade, Derek Trucks toured the world in Eric Clapton's band -- a poetic match of the best of two generations of blues rock guitarists.Clapton returned to the stage at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, a celebration of his 70th birthday, and perhaps among his last big performances.So it was a nice...

Vulfpeck is exploding like a supernova right now and for good reason. You're not likely to find a young band, especially a four piece, with such a distinctive, raw funk sound.So what does it look like when a band blows up like this? Well, first they touch down for a sold-out midweek run like...

By Alex Wood | Videos:seijinleeMuch like his albums, every Sufjan Stevens tour changesdramatically, showcasing a different side of the complex and endlessly evolving songwriter. Though known best for the intricate, dense layering of instruments and melodies on albums like Illinois, his Chicago Theatre performance boasted a more stripped-down, minimal sound, tomatch the tone of his...

Pinch me. Neil Young playing at a brewery with two of Willie Nelson's kids, debuting a ton of new tunes, most of which are filled with righteous anger about corporate disregard for the earth's fragile ecology. When news broke about this gig last weekend, it seemed like a dream.The videos that emerged the next...

It has been a remarkable run for Mountain Goats, who headline a show Saturday, April 18th at The Vic. Here's a look at an older recording from Empty Bottle that helps to put this achievement in perspective.Back in 2002, the Mountain Goats released two albums, All Hail West Texas and Tallahassee. Though both are widely...

Dr. Dog played a trio of shows at two separate venues in Chicago over the weekend.The run kicked off with an all ages affair at our venue-crush Thalia Hall, before adjourning to House Of Blues for the Saturday and the cozy confines of Lincoln Hall for the Sunday gig.So glad to have stumbled...

Sometimes the booking agents and talent buyers just get it right.Los Lobos at Fitzgeralds is slam dunk artist / venue pairing, that had me wondering... what took so long? I wasn't alone. The show sold out in minutes.Not to let a good thing go to waste. Los Lobos welcomed Chicago bluesman Ronnie Baker Brooks...