Review: Heart Doesn’t Skip a Beat at Ravinia
Few artists have given me actual goosebumps, but Ann Wilson’s vocals and Nancy Wilson’s guitar playing delivered chills during Heart’s recent show at Ravinia Festival. The legendary first sisters of […]
Jessica Mlinaric is a writer, photographer and cat mom. Her first book on the strange and secret corners of Chicago is forthcoming from Reedy Press. Jessica founded urbnexplorer.com in 2010 to share stories about cities and their cultures. Right now, she is probably at a concert or volunteering at 826CHI. She tweets at @urbnexplorer.
Review: Air Embarks on a Spectacular Moon Safari at the Auditorium Theatre
Air dazzled at the Auditorium Theatre last week in a mesmerizing audiovisual display. The legendary French electronic duo is celebrating the 25th anniversary of their debut album Moon Safari by […]
Review: Róisín Murphy Delivers a Shapeshifting Electropop Dance Party at the Riviera Theatre
Róisín Murphy is a powerhouse performer. The Irish electropop artist vamps, dances, and whirls from one end of the stage to the other throughout the show. She changes into a […]
Riot Fest 2023 Day Three: Sunday, I’m in Love
It was a mad dash across Douglass Park on Sunday afternoon as the Riot Fest gates opened at 2 p.m. after a rain delay. Thursday fans sprinted to catch a […]
Riot Fest 2023 Day Two: Big Feelings and Faygo
A little afternoon rain didn’t deter fans from flocking to Douglass Park on Saturday for the second day of Riot Fest. Half arrived for the nostalgic indie rock album plays […]
Review: Metro Barely Contains the Raucous Sounds of Ultra Q, Cloud Nothings and Wavves
It was a sea of tie-dye and top hats on Clark Street Friday night as Deadheads poured into Wrigley Field for Dead & Company’s farewell tour. Across the street at […]
Review: Makaya McCraven’s Avant-Garde Jazz Transports Lincoln Hall
The crowd at Makaya McCraven’s Friday night show at Lincoln Hall was as varied as the hometown artist’s take on jazz. The first of a two-night stint at the venue […]
Riot Fest 2021: Sunday in Review
Douglas Park made some noise on Sunday as Riot Fest pulled off a successful festival weekend in the COVID-era. By Sunday morning everything hurt. My body felt, well, like someone […]
Riot Fest 2021: Saturday in Review
After how ever many months of being inside, the festivities at Riot Fest on Saturday showed that people are ready to have fun again. NYC art punks Les Savy Fav […]
Riot Fest 2021: Preview Party in Review
It felt good to riot again. I’ll admit it, after two years away I wasn’t sure my rusty festival skills and pandemic jitters could handle a fourth day of Riot Fest. The […]
Review: Fall in Love in Italy This Holiday with The Light in the Piazza at Lyric Opera
“Mother, what happened here?” The innocent question that opens The Light in the Piazza has a loaded answer. Clara Johnson (Solea Pfeiffer) and her mother Margaret (Renée Fleming) step into […]
Review: Amen Dunes Casts a Spell at Lincoln Hall
“It feels like we’re all waiting to go into a haunted house,” observed a fellow concert goer. Brooding synths echoed in a darkened Lincoln Hall as we waited for Amen […]