Kishi Bashi and Tall Tall Trees Light Up Thalia Hall
Kishi Bashi masterfully plays the violin. He strums it like a mandolin, plucks it pizzicato, and bows it in long sonorous strokes. He also loops himself and toys with pedals […]
Mykele Deville Drops Third Album in Two Years, And Isn’t Stopping Soon
We haven’t seen a Chicago music scene like this before. With the newfound attention on our city following Chance The Rapper’s rise to fame, every artist in the city that […]
Richard Thompson Takes Old Town School of Folk with British Bravado and Old-Man-Leather Sex Appeal
Richard Thompson started playing music professionally in 1967 with Fairport Convention. He was 18. Fifty years of performing, touring, and recording 40+ albums should leave a musician spent. Rather than […]
I’m Falling for You, Chairlift
Chairlift let its music speak for itself Friday night at Park West in Chicago on its farewell tour. Normally I would comment on lighting, costumes, size of the venue and […]
Foxygen Promises Spectacle, But Delivers Karaoke
When Foxygen’s Sam France walked on The Vic’s old vaudeville stage, it was like Tim Curry waltzing within Rocky Horror’s castle: he looked tall, pale, and unkempt. Amid a full torrent […]
Song by Song, Adrian Belew Saved My Sanity
Adrian Belew and his signature Parker Fly guitar (photo courtesy All About Jazz) Toiling in the Trumpocalypse trenches, I needed an infusion of hope. At Chicago’s Old Town School of […]
Regina Spektor Gives the Chicago Theatre Time
Regina Spektor couldn’t have chosen a better venue at which to represent herself and her music Friday night, as she performed her Remember Us To Life tour. I have followed […]
Tennis and Overcoats Crafted a Wonderful Night for Thalia Hall
[soliloquy id=”10481″] Last week Tennis’ new album Yours Conditionally was released. The album continues Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley’s progression into their 70s laden sound, delving even deeper into their […]
You! Me! Los Campesinos! Dancing at the Metro!
The band Los Campesinos! became important to me during a particularly unremarkable part of my life. Due to a critical lack of ambition on my part, the summer after my […]
Frances Luke Accord Mesmerizes Schubas with Sweet Folk Sounds
[soliloquy id=”10033″]“Save me your laughter and your religion…” sang Nick Gunty of Chicago-based folk duo Frances Luke Accord. Gunty and bandmate Brian Powers played their sonically meticulous, poetry-infused folk-rock to […]
The Radio Dept. dazzles at Thalia Hall
Swedish indie group The Radio Dept. let its instruments and minimal backdrop speak for itself at Thalia Hall Saturday. As someone who suffers from synesthesia, the four sets of striped […]
Sinkane Showed Lincoln Hall How to Live Life
[soliloquy id=”10056″] Sinkane, the main musical outlet of Ahmed Gallab, is a band of the world. His music evokes sounds from every corner of the earth, blending them together with […]