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 […]
Review: Samia and Raffaella Make Thalia Hall Feel Like Summer
Sometimes you just need the right show to pick up your spirits. Last week Samia and Raffaella made their way to Chicago for two nights of fantastic performances that not […]
Dispatch: Neighbors from the North, Guitars,and Memories of Street Corner Concerts in Day 2 of Blues Festival
Day two of the Chicago Blues Festival was a trip down memory lane—the days of big production concerts, tailored clothes, and memories of summers in Louisiana. The mainstage performers on […]
Dispatch: An Old School Icon and a Contemporary Blues Master Kick Off Chicago Blues Festival at Ramova Theatre
June 5 at the Ramova was my opening day to summer in Chicago. The Chicago Blues Festival has kicked off, and what a blast it was. The last time I […]
Review: Tennis Bids Farewell to Chicago at the Salt Shed
There are very few bands that have successfully put out flawless albums consistently back to back so I was rather astonished and heartbroken to hear the news that Alaina Moore […]
Review: A Place To Bury Strangers Is Still the Loudest Band In the World
A Place To Bury Strangers rose to prominence in the early aughts off the strength of being dubbed the loudest band in New York. Donning messy hair and a My […]
Review: Truth or Consequences New Mexico Makes This Time of Year the Best Time of Year
We’re coming up on two months of Truth or Consequences New Mexico’s second EP This Time of Year being out in the world and although it has about 20 years […]
Review: James Gaffigan Leads Janai Brugger and the CSO through an American-Inspired Program
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra gave an enjoyable performance of an American-inspired program at Symphony Center on Saturday evening. With James Gaffigan conducting, the program included the warm and expressive voice […]
Review: Baroness Baptizes Sleeping Village in Red andBlue
Two of the most enthralling live music pleasures are the full album play-through and the intimate smaller-than-usual venue show. Baroness provided both on Wednesday, as they performed their first 2 […]
Review: An Energized Cat Ridgeway Rocks Subterranean
After my delightful interview with Cat Ridgeway last weekend, as well as several spins of her latest record, Sprinter, I was very excited to see her perform at Subterranean on […]
In Between Trains: Music for Union Station
There’s something special about hearing music in a public setting when it is free and unexpected. And when it is held in a train station, especially so. It’s one thing […]
Review: Ichiko Aoba’s Beautiful Sounds Delight a Reverent Thalia Hall
There are few venues that can transform themselves for their performers as well as Thalia Hall can. Usually when going to see artists like Ichiko Aoba and Gia Margaret, you […]