Aug 30, 2017
Words: Lisa Torem | Photos: Philamonjaro StudioOn a Wednesday night at Ravinia -- dressed in black, like his collaborator Carlene Carters famous dad, Johnny Cash -- John Mellencamp wasted no time getting in tune for his second performance at the venue. Surrounded by a smoke machine and a background of scrawled graffiti, the stage was...
Mar 16, 2017
Ravinia Festival released its schedule of shows for 2017 yesterday. Along with its perennial classical programming, there's once again some more popular forms to supplement the symphony. True, they tend to book acts that are past their sell-by date, but there's still some fun-in-the-park experience for a BYOB venue with a flat...
Sep 30, 2015
Words: Carmel O' Farrell | Photos: Kristine Condon Photography & Paul NatkinAfter 30 years, Farm Aid is one of longest running benefit concerts.Rockers Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and John Mellencamp have been returning to this yearly event since its inception. Not only do they serve as this iconic festival's headliners, theyve also made it their...
Jul 28, 2015
Farm Aids 30th-Anniversary concert will take place at First Merit Bank Pavilion on Northerly Island on September 19. As always, the concert will feature board members Neil Young, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews (the latter performing with Tim Reynolds).Other guests performing include Jack Johnson, Kacey Musgraves, Old Crow Medicine Show, Mavis Staples, and...
Feb 18, 2015
John Mellencamp has been a summer shed staple in the Chicago area for as long as I can remember, so it's good to see him bring the show to a theater in the wintertime. The fact that it was at Chicago's flagship venue is icing on the cake.And while the beginning of his set...
Jan 29, 2013
I recently finished Neil Young's autobiography Waging Heavy Peace -- and while I'll save all my thoughts on that tome for another post, one of the things that did stand out was how much he values the friendships in his life, whether they be musical, business or otherwise. At around the same time, I came...