Washington-based Metallica cover band Blistered Earth had their instruments stolen after a show last Saturday, and help came from unexpected sources.The band listed the stolen gear online, which included five guitars, multiple amplifiers, seven pedals and a drum set, a loss of nearly $20,000.Local media soon picked up on the story, which led...

This installment of Notes From The Jazz Underground is based on the August 19th broadcast.Regrettably, the theme of this week's playlist was a bit of a downer.  It was an elegy for one of host Paul Abell's oldest friends, Reed, who was murdered in Milwaukee that week.Reed was a fan of...

This edition of  Notes From The Jazz Underground was culled from the June 10th broadcast. a show that host Paul Abella describes as "an exceedingly odd duck."Why?  First off, it was recorded in the middle of the night, and the late night musical gremlins definitely make an appearance.Second, there...

Beatallica is just what the name implies. Four guys from Milwaukee who totally blur the lines between The Beatles and Metallica because, why the hell not?TJ Superfanwas on hand this past weekend to capture their Chicago gig and offered up a video that captures some of the band's spirit and creativity. Touching on everything...

I often get a kick out of the odds and ends shared by members of theChicago Rock Concerts of the 70s and 80s Facebook Group.This was one that I just had to share. The contract and rider for Metallica's December 1983 show at the now shuttered Broadway Jack's. $1250, a deli tray, some coffee and tea...

Lollapalooza's 2015 lineup was announced via The Chicago Tribune this morning. The festival, which will take place July 31 through August 2 at Grant Park, will feature headliner Paul McCartney, the singer's first appearance at the festival. Other headliners include Metallica, Florence & The Machine, Sam Smith, Bassnectar and The Weeknd.Of course that was the DAY AFTER...

Six-piece Belarus-based band Stary Olsa has made a career out of performing traditional medieval music, utilizing lutes, flutes, mandolin and simplistic percussion instruments common to the medieval era (between the 5th and 15th century).Perhaps to prove their talent to an audience unfamiliar with their usual traditional style, Stary Olsa recently covered Metallicas One on...

There seems to be no end to creative use of GIFs, but this Tumblr page takes it to a new level -- animating classic album covers.Clearly he is a fan of metal and hard rock, but JB also nails some of the classics, bringing motion and life to album artwork in incredibly creative ways....

This is just so cool in so many ways. Let's start at the beginning and work our way to the end...1. Somebody identified what he considers to be the 100 most essential riffs of all time -- spanning seven decades of rock history2. This person can play every single one in a convincing manner3. He has...

Pop Chart Lab makes some of the coolest looking charts / prints / posters that I've seen. Their design philosophy employs a simple, clean aesthetic. I'm particularly happy to see their music-related efforts pop up every now and then. Though this print doesn't feature an Irwin or Languedoc, there are pleny of iconic guitars (...