Dec 11, 2018
By: Michael LepekNestled between towering buildings of New Orleans and in the shadow of historic Gallier Hall is a grassy acre of green space known as LaFayette Square. The park serves as a lunchtime spot for the bustling downtown crowd as well as a gathering place during the spring and summer. Folks come to...
Jun 23, 2017
Words: Robin Zimmerman | Photos: Michael LepekOn a beautiful, breezy June evening, a pair of powerhouse performers kicked off Auroras 21st Annual Blues on the Fox festival in fine fashion.Rising star Shemekia Copeland, along with the iconic Mavis Staples, treated the crowd to a satisfying mlange of music, which ran the gamut from blues and...
May 23, 2017
Festival Watch is a Tomorrows Verse feature where we break down festival news into the facts you need to know.FitzGeralds American Music Festival June 30 - July 3The 36th Annual FitzGeralds American Music Festival will take place at the Berwyn venue, celebrating the musical traditions of folk, country and Americana. Here are the details....
Dec 19, 2016
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...
Jun 30, 2016
Words: Robin Zimmerman | Photos: Howard Greenblatt (imaginepictures.net)Over 500,000 people recently flocked to Grant Park for the 33rd Chicago Blues Festival. Behind the beautiful backdrop of the citys high-profile skyline, fans enjoyed blues from a variety of traditional and contemporary artists. This years festival ran from June 10th through June 13th....
Oct 3, 2015
By: Alex WoodThunderbitch- Thunderbitch [9/1]After releasing one of the years best records with The Alabama Shakes, singer, songwriter and guitarist Brittany Howard surprised fans with an unannounced record as Thunderbitch. Consisting of Howard and a handful of Nashville rock musicians, the record has a gritty rock n roll sound, full of distorted guitar, pounding drums...
Jan 17, 2014
Shemekia Copeland gets a lot of love in the Chicago area. Besides being in constant rotation on WXRT, the blues and soul vocalist was crowned the Queen of Blues at the 2011 Chicago Blues Festival.Copelands 2013 performance at Jay Pritzker Pavilion finds the vocalist in top form, her live performance boasting more grit and soul than...
Nov 20, 2013
Each year brings a little something different for the Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival. From big shows and headliners to outrageous special guests to diverse lineups and even a three night String Cheese run; the fest has followed its own muse to bring best and brightest to Chicago. In 2014 the fest takes a more "South...
Feb 22, 2012
It was blues night last night at the White House. I guess when you're commander-in-chief, not only do you get to assemble an All Star team for the event, you also get to get "talked into" singing a verse. Here, the President makes a grand exit by contributing some vocals to "Sweet Home Chicago" (even...