Apr 22, 2016
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...
Mar 30, 2016
In case you haven't heard, we're ALL IN on Tom Hamilton around here. And I guess that goes for all of Chicago, too.He'll be back with American Babies in May, but not before he's part of two big nights with Electron in April. For those keeping score at home, Electron is the supergroup featuring...
Sep 16, 2015
Words & Photos: Carmel O'Farrell (@carmelocorn) The Disco Biscuits have now clocked in numerous appearances at North Coast Music Fest but their sets in Union Park tend to be short and perhaps a bit too formal for most die-hard Biscuits fans like myself. A late show is a natural place to rectify this,...
Aug 10, 2015
We've already gone on-and-on about why we're excited about this year's North Coast Music Festival. Now there areseventeenmore reasons.First, there are sixteen awesome after-shows that are at some of the city's best venues, stretching from the Thursday night before the festival to the Monday after it closes. These feature tribute sets (to Daft Punk &...
Jun 18, 2015
Special guests musicians apparently are the order of the day for many of the Dead 50 after shows.Our friends at City Winery have been committed to keeping their lineups interesting. In addition to the indiejam allstars lined up to support Alex Bleeker on Friday night, they are lending Matisyahu some jamband creed with the addition...
Apr 28, 2015
Chicago's North Coast Music Festival has in past years been a bit of a jam purist's puzzle. There has always been a smattering of jam-friendly acts in its lineups, but EDM and flavor-of-the-minute bands tended to cast a long shadow for those looking for improv in Chicago over Labor Day Weekend.The scales seemed to...
Nov 25, 2014
Whatchoo Talkin' 'Bout Wills Tower Jam?Words:@312mrg| Photos: Daniel Peterson courtesy of musicfestivalcentral.comIt takes two elevator combinations to get to the 99th floor of the Willis Tower. Somewhere around floor 40 of my first, I struck up conversation with a guy from Philly who had just arrived in Chicago on Saturday and was just...
Nov 19, 2014
One of the most unique events that we covered in 2013 was Otter Presents' grand experiment in venue selection married with super group curation: The Top Of The Tower Jam. Hosting a party 99 stories in the sky, essentially putting a band-for-a-night in a venue-for-a-night, makes for memories that definitely stands out.With a lineup that mixed...
Jun 20, 2014
Words & Photos: Ashley M. DowningOn a brisk Friday evening in May, The Park West in Chicago kicked off its summer season with a wild, music filled event. This show was presented as the official Summer Camp Music Festival pre-party, with all of the musicians in attendance scheduled to play at upcoming fest the following...
Nov 25, 2013
Reporting by @WeirScrewedCrafting a true "destination" event can be as risky for a promoter as the improvisational turns that performers take on stage. Stakes are higher when the music is delivered by a one time configuration, then ratcheted up another notch when the supergroup draws from a pool best known for both Grateful Dead related...