Review: Bruce Springsteen drops off ‘Western Stars’ in Vegas
The notion of "Springsteen on Broadway" sounded like an oxymoron when he was ripping up theaters in the '70s, before stadium-rock fame took hold. By the time he finally made...
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Shabaka Hutchings rides a new kind of jazz comet
There's a message buried within the music of London-based saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings and dozens of kindred spirits, from Los Angeles titan Kamasi Washington to Chicago drummer Makaya McCraven: Their fresh,...
The Rolling Stones just can’t shake the Chicago blues
Three years ago the Rolling Stones released "Blue & Lonesome," an album that many listeners regarded as the band's best in decades. It's no coincidence that though the album was...
The Rolling Stones in Chicago: A timeline of the band’s 55-year fascination with the city’s blues
The Rolling Stones' fascination with Chicago predates the band, when Mick Jagger and Keith Richards bonded as teenagers over their mutual interest in Chicago blues and Chess Records.
How Ry Cooder persuaded Rosanne Cash to bring the songs of her dad, Johnny Cash, to Chicago
Ry Cooder may have done the impossible. He persuaded Rosanne Cash to devote a series of concerts – including a June 18 date at the Chicago Theatre -- to songs...
Billie Eilish review: A teen-pop outlaw with sing-along hooks at packed United Center
"I'm gonna run this town," Billie Eilish sang in a voice more matter-of-fact than boastful. The line was delivered over sinister keyboards and gut-punch bass lines, the kind that typically...
Chicago’s Pelican packs melodies inside powerhouse instrumentals on ‘Nighttime Stories’
After a six-year break between studio albums, Pelican returns with "Nighttime Stories" (Southern Lord), an eight-pack of tightly arranged compositions that underlines the band's skill at harnessing volume and mayhem...
#MeToo, #BlackLivesMatter and #Resist: Protest music is once again in the air. How do today’s songs compare with past eras?
Is there a formula that explains artistic expression in hard times? Fear and anxiety equal urgent music? "Music comes and goes in cycles," Mike Watt, bassist of the groundbreaking postpunk...
Review: Ariana Grande’s efficient pop buzzes through United Center
Ariana Grande is all business on stage. She didn't have much time for chit-chat Tuesday in the first of two concerts at the United Center as she buzzed through more...
Lollapalooza 2019 after shows: Idles, Death Cab, Sharon Van Etten and more
Idles and Sharon Van Etten at Lincoln Hall, Death Cab for Cutie at Metro and Jade Bird at Schubas will be among the headliners at 52 Lollapalooza aftershows announced Tuesday....