News

Riot Fest Aftershows Have Been Announced

Before I go any further, I have to get it out of my system or I won't be able to concentrate: "More like Delta Sleeping Village, amirite?" (Sorry, I hate that I'm like this too.) The Riot Fest aftershows have been announced and here

Concert Reviews

Luke Combs Brings His Stadium-Sized Show to Chicago's Metro

As a country, it's not a controversial thought to say that we're obsessed with size. Sure, part of that energy is focused on making things smaller, especially in the tech world. Cell phones. Laptops. Power sources. Years or refinement and engineering go into making the next

Concert Reviews

Ben Burnley and Lacey Sturm Get Unplugged and Personal at the House of Blues

The 2000's rock scene was an incredibly crowded and competitive scene. In the decade prior, we'd made the painful transition from hair metal to grunge, and now we were leaving grunge in the rearview in favor of the absolute soup that was post-grunge/nu-metal/alt-metal. It

Riot Fest

We Are Officially Two Months Out From Riot Fest and My Schedule is Better Than Yours

Lollapalloza is here next week, which means that the countdown to Chicago's best music festival is truly on, and we are now less than 60 days away from Riot Fest. To celebrate and tease the shit out of you having to still wait that long, our friends at

Concert Reviews

Winona Fighter Serve a Five Star Course at Chicago's Subterranean

Winona Fighter's Yes, Chef Tour couldn't have been any more appropriately named considering Chicago cannot get its fill of the band. As a city our Winona Fighter appetite is apparently insatiable. The initial signs of the hunger showed when the band made their first stop in

News

Nine Inch Nails Release New Single That Can Beat Up Whatever Single You're Listening To

Stop whatever it is that you're doing, as long as it doesn't involve some kind of lifesaving care. And even then, maybe just put some headphones on whoever it is you're operating on because holy shit, this song just might bring the dead back

Concert Reviews

Perfume Genius in All His 'Glory' at Chicago's Vic Theatre

The relationship I've had with Perfume Genius' new album Glory in the two and a half months since its release has been interesting and unexpected to say the least. I can't pretend to be the world's biggest Perfume Genius fan. Hell, I had

Concert Reviews

Sleigh Bells Rekindle the Old Magic at Chicago's Metro

Are you able to forget one of the seminal albums of your life? It doesn't seem so when you first think about it. If you truly consider an album to be a big part of who you are or associated with your developmental years, it's going

Concert Reviews

Japanese Breakfast and Ginger Root Show They Can Do It All at Chicago's Salt Shed

Everyone knows that one person that's just good at everything, right? Whether it's someone you knew growing up that went to the special math and science academy once high school hit or someone at your workplace that you just know is going to make more money

Riot Fest

THE RIOT FEST LINEUP IS HERE!!!!

Holy shit, you guys! The Riot Fest lineup is here and has it ever been here this early before and I am freaking out and dude why is everything spinning. (Deep breath) Wow, this was not expected. No headliner tease. No blurry bands on the bill to be announced later.

Concert Reviews

The Linda Lindas Prove That Youth Is Still King At Chicago's Metro

If there's one thing my regular readers know (yes, both of you), it's that I don't shy away from my age when writing. A lot of the time it's to make a self-deprecating joke, but in reality age and music have always

Concert Reviews

Lauren Mayberry Puts On A 'Vicious' Performance at Chicago's Lincoln Hall

There's nothing in the music industry quite like a good Best Albums of the Year list. The ultimate opportunity to flex equally how contrarian and diverse you can be, it's also an easy way to get traffic and stir up controversy. But just like the seasonal

Concert Reviews

Magic City Hippies Flip Expectations on their Head at Chicago's Metro

Walk up to any fan of the HBO series Game of Thrones and say the words "subvert expectations" and see what kind of reaction you get. Don't blame me if you get spit on or slapped. The downfall of that show, going from what looked like

Concert Reviews

Marc Rebillet Flies by the Seat of his Undies at Thalia Hall

No matter who you are, where you come from, what your age is...chances are that you've seen some bad improv in your life. I'd argue that improv gets an undeserved rap, but if I'm being honest a lot of improv is not very

Concert Reviews

Enter Shikari Pack A Massive Show Into Chicago's Metro

England gave us The Beatles. And The Rolling Stones. And James Bond. For these things, we thank our friends from across the pond. England also gave us James Corden. And Russell Brand. And British cuisine. Hard pass on all of the above please and thank you. But not everything falls

Concert Reviews

Rise Against Write Their Own Script At Salt Shed Debut

I've got good news and bad news about the current Rise Against tour. Getting the negative out of the way first, the bad news is that there is no new Rise Against album, either right now or anywhere in the near future. And while that's not

News

Winona Fighter Have Our Complete 'Attention' With Big Announcement

Hey, it's my birthday today. Before you even mentally react to that, I am in no way mentioning that for any kind of attention or well wishes. I am well past the age where birthdays matter. That's for younger folk. The reason I mention it is

Concert Reviews

Riot Fest 2024 Review Part 2: The People

Obviously the main selling point of a multi-day festival is the bands. That's who you're there to see and that's where the majority of your attention is going to be. Not many people give a lot of thought to the crowd that they'

Concert Reviews

Riot Fest 2024 Review Part 1: The Bands

I really do need to start this out by asking Riot Fest to forgive me for my stupidity. For as much as I talk about how much I love the Fest both on this very site as well as in my everyday life, in reality I'm a semi-recent

Concert Reviews

Sum 41 Get Their Windy City Farewell at Concord Music Hall

As someone whose college years spanned 2001-2005, I have been absolutely feasting over the last few years when it comes to tours. With my generation finally breaking into the coveted 40+ demographic, all of the sudden Super Bowl halftime shows and classic rock stations and network television commercials cater to

Concert Reviews

Bright Eyes Hide in Plain Sight For Secret Show at Chicago's Lincoln Hall

"This is actually our first show ever, so thanks for taking a chance on an unknown band." Normally, a lead singer making a true statement like that would not expect a solid chuckle from a sold-out audience. They also wouldn't expect the audience to sing along

Concert Reviews

Dillinger Escape Plan Reunite Just To Dismantle Chicago's Salt Shed

I'm not even that old and there are absolutely concerts I barely remember attending. Sure, everything from two drink minimums to late start times can contribute to the loss of those memories (or if the band is bad enough, prevented them from being formed in the first place)

Riot Fest

Riot Fest Reverses Course, Comes BACK To Douglass Park

So about 5 weeks before Riot Fest was set to kick off for the first time at SeatGeek Stadium, we get the surprise word that Riot Fest will be back where it all began. No, not multiple venues...after that. No, not Humbolt Park. Douglass Park! Home of outside food

Concert Reviews

Killer Mike Shows His 'Michael' Side At Intimate Promontory Lollapalooza Aftershow

Would it be stating the obvious to say that Killer Mike has some serious momentum right now? Last summer he dropped Michael, his first solo album since 2012's legendary R.A.P. Music, to universal acclaim. He followed that up with a late-summer tour barnstorming across the country

Concert Reviews

idobi Radio Summer School Holds Class At Concord Music Hall

We're all best friends here, right? I can bare my soul to you all without judgement? I'm a bit of a late bloomer when it comes to festivals. For all the raving I do about Riot Fest (all of it deserved), I've only been