Author Archive
Warren Haynes Christmas Jam | 20th Anniversary, Lineup
The hardest working man in music, Warren Haynes, is back with the 20th year of his annual Christmas Jam. Though I'd pay a lot of money to go back in time and see all of the canadian tuxedos that people wore in 1988, this year looks like it could be... more
Photos: Fleet Foxes @ Metro, Chicago 10/12/08
A few Sundays back, I was among the lucky few to attend the Fleet Foxes show here in Chicago. It was a perfect a show for a Sunday -- tangible energy from the crowd and melodic music from the band. Yet, I caught Fleet Foxes back in July at Pritzker... more
Giveaway: Crystal Castles, Lymbyc Systym @ Metro
Earlier this week we let you know about some great things we'll be doing at Metro here in Chicago to help get more and more readers to see great live music. For this Saturday's show featuring two pairs of musicians, Crystal Castles & Lymbyc Systym, we're offering two pairs of... more
My Old Kentucky Blog Comes Down from the Mountain
Over the last month or two, My Old Kentucky Blog has been putting together a series of posts that I've been all about, waiting with baited breath for the next. The entire piece of work is called The Ten Commandments Guidelines of Concert Behavior -- I guess they opted out... more
Live Music Blog & Metro Chicago | Crystal Castles, Lymbyc Systym 10/25/08
The last few weeks have been really exciting for LMB especially here in Chicago where both Mitch and I call home. Not only did the blog get its wish -- it has to do with a certain band -- but we've been ironing out a relationship with Metro Chicago to... more
Jamie Lidell @ Metro, Chicago 10/8/08
Blue-eyed soul has been around forever, white dudes have been trying -- sometimes very successfully -- to replicate the music that poured out of Detroit and Memphis during the 50's and 60's throughout almost every other decade to date. Jamie Lidell may have the most uncommon path to blue-eyed stardom,... more
Heady Links | New Year’s Eve Preview Edition
The live music universe is a world filled with ebbs and flows of energy; when things get busy, they really get busy and then there will be a down period. Suffice to say that in Chicago, right when that 90 day limit Lollapalooza puts on its performers finishes, October is... more
My Morning Jacket @ The Greek Theater, Los Angeles 9/21/08
After hearing of Jim James' unfortunate fall in Iowa City, its a little tough to write about the great time I had catching My Morning Jacket at the Greek Theater a few weeks back. Jim James has such energy and is totally in command when on stage, it is awful to think... more
Ticket Giveaway: Jamie Lidell @ Metro 10/8/08
A happy Monday to everyone! Just spent a full weekend in Chicago for the first time in some time and I am smitten with this city all over again. I saw a great show Saturday, ate some amazing food and though the Cubbies lost, there is a lot of excitement... more
Monolith 2008 | Recap, Photos (Band of Horses, TV on the Radio, Justice)
Sunday at Monolith was not really a full day. After watching my beloved Redskins -- they won -- and picking my buddy up at the airport it was nearly 6pm and our arrival to Red Rocks was marked by the setting sun. It was a sunny but chilly day for... more
20 Bands, 20 Nights | Tired and Five Bands Short
About a month ago I realized that I had the opportunity to see over 20 bands in about the same number of nights; I figured it could be a cool little "feat of strength" while on vacation. But I ran into something much bigger and more powerful than myself: mother... more
Black Moth Super Rainbow @ The Empty Bottle, Chicago 9/11/08
Few bands are worth waiting through two hours of over the top, arty music for; I was nearly prepared to walk out of the Empty Bottle two Thursday's ago because I was pretty sure Black Moth Super Rainbow wasn't going to make me forget the previous two hours of shitty... more
Monolith 2008 Recap: Day One Photos
A first trip to a historic place is always special. The first day of the Monolith Festival at Red Rocks was especially nice. A cool, sunny day highlighted the already picturesque venue all afternoon. Adding to the atmosphere was probably the best single festival day of music I've had all... more
Photos: Mike Gordon @ Park West, Chicago 9/4/08
Last Thursday night I braved the remnants of Hurricane Gustov here in Chicago to go catch Mike Gordon at Park West. The show was promoted as a variety show, which to me denotes multiple performers from different genres and maybe a comedian or two. To say the least, I was... more
20 Bands, 20 Nights | Ten Days In…
Its Friday, ten days into my end of summer tour and I'm blurry eyed and a little hung-over from last night's Black Moth Super Rainbow show, which started late and went well past my work-week bedtime. I am four bands down, sixteen to go. With a little help from the... more
Monolith 2008 | Festival Preview
Though my end of summer extravaganza started last week, I must digress that I haven't really gone anywhere yet. There have been a a number of shows here in Chicago and there will be more on that later. This weekend is when things really get started when I travel to... more
Tonight: Black Moth Super Rainbow @ Empty Bottle, Chicago
It's always great to see a band for the first time and I am especially excited to see Black Moth Super Rainbow on the penultimate night of Empty Bottle's mini-festival, "Adventures in Modern Music." BMSR is as avant-garde as bands come, making super intelligent electronic music that's actually worth listening... more
Tomorrow: Stay Smooth X @ Columbia Yacht Club | Preview, Interview
It's finally here! Stay Smooth X is finally here! The smooth music themed party is taking place on Saturday at Chicago's Columbia Yacht Club on a boat! Inspired by the now infamous Yacht Rock web-based TV show, Stay Smooth is a party celebrating all that is smooth in music. You... more
20 Bands, 20 Nights | My End of Summer Music Tour
A month or two ago, I wrote a column forecasting some of the changes in the current state of live music and the path the industry may take over the next year or two in natural response to the current state of the overarching music industry. In it, I claimed... more
Tonight: Mike Gordon @ Park West
Tonight is the unofficial beginning of a serious run of concerts for me and I couldn't be more excited for this evening's show. Mike Gordon is stopping by Park West in Chicago. The last time I caught Gordon was with The Duo and the show was off the charts. Tonight... more
Radiohead to Webcast Concert Tonight from Santa Barbara
It's great that most everyone got to see Radiohead this summer on their numerous individual tour dates or here, here and here. Yet if you didn't get a chance to catch the most blogged about band in the world or you didn't quite get your fill, the band is webcasting... more
Steely Dan, Deep Blue Organ Trio @ The Chicago Theater, Chicago 8/16/08
All Photos by Ken Gilbertsen Since moving to Chicago, almost a year has passed before I was finally treated to a show at the theater which bears the city's name. It was worth the wait, as I got to see Steely Dan tear up the beautiful Chicago Theater. The Dan put... more
TV on the Radio | Extends Fall Tour, Album Details
A few weeks back, Justin posted some news about TV on the Radio's upcoming fall tour. I remember reading the post and thinking that it was short tour considering TVOTR has an album release in the near future. Well, my intuition was spot on and they've extended their tour... more
Forward Music Fest Schedule Announced
Poster Art by Judge Forward Music Fest is in full force as the schedule is now up on the website. The organizers are quick to acknowledge that accessibility is paramount to this festival, so Friday's headliner, Neko Case, goes on at 8PM even though Dan Deacon will be pushing the throttle... more
HARD Haunted Mansion | Justice, Soulwax, Simian Mobile Disco, Crystal Castles
Now that Vegoose is no longer a reality, a lot of folks have their Halloween night all freed up. Let me make a suggestion. If you were planning on going to Vegas you might as well take the road all the way out west to LA. The folks who... more
STS9 Announce Fall 2008 Tour Dates
The touring just never stops for STS9, and yet regardless of how many times I've seen this band I get really excited whenever they announce new dates. STS9 seems to be taking the road most traveled and is really reaping the rewards of touring to develop a larger and larger fan... more
My Morning Jacket | More Dates, New Video, Punctuality Promised
Just as My Morning Jacket returned to the US in support of Evil Urges, they announced 12 additional dates in Europe during the months preceding their hopefully earth shattering New Year's Eve show at Madison Square Garden. To the relief of tired feet everywhere, they also announced that every show... more
Canada Pulls a Fast One | Public Funds Cut for Artists
There's been an interesting story coming out of Canada over the last few days and it is unfortunately negative news for a lot of touring bands that come from the great white north. PromArt is a funding program for artists who seek to share their form in the international community... more
Atmosphere | “Paint the Nation” Fall Tour 2008
Last spring Atmosphere released When LIfe Gives You Lemons, You Paint that Shit Gold, which saw the highest level of success for any of their albums to date. Moving away from the melodramatic narrative that has predominated most of their previous albums, When Life Gives You Lemons has redemption as... more
Dan Deacon & Wham City Friends | Round Robin Tour
Known to take hard left turns when it comes to the live music experience, Dan Deacon is at it again. This time around I think he may have outdone himself, which is saying a lot if you've ever seen him live. Deacon will take over 60 musicians out on the... more
Going Down the Road Feeling Bad: Touring in the Current Economy
With the the stock indexes in the first bear market in almost six years and gas prices that have hit lifetime highs, we are all feeling the proverbial tightening of the belt. Obviously I am not a columnist for the Wall Street Journal but I try and keep close tabs... more
