Chicago is My Home

08
Feb

Top Chicago Music Picks For the Weekend of Feb. 8, 2008

Author: Adam Fendelman, Category: Music

The thrill of a day near the beach in Waukegan may still be gone for a few more months, but if you must have the blues, you may as well share them with guitar legend B.B. King.

Octogenarian King – who took down the house at last summer’s Crossroads Guitar Festival benefit from Eric Clapton – will perform at the Genesee Theatre on Saturday night. While you may have to sit through some of his classics, his trusty mate, Lucille (the Gibson guitar he has been playing since 1949), more than makes up for the diminished energy.

If you’re looking to get comfortably numb in the city on Saturday and want some tunes to complement your psychedelic scene, bounce on over to the House of Blues for the “Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular Show”.

The band’s original mates reunited a couple years back in London for Live 8. It was the first time since The Wall they performed together in public, and from reports, will likely be the last. This may be the closest we get to seeing them live again.

Though Fat Tuesday has come and gone, that doesn’t mean we can’t shake our bones to some Cajun funk. Buckwheat Zydeco, which has been touring for more than 20 years now, comes to the House of Blues on Friday. We hope you didn’t give up too much for lent!

By Brad Spirrison

17
Jan

Top Chicago Music Picks For the Weekend of Jan. 18, 2008

Author: Adam Fendelman, Category: Music

In the genealogy of rock and roll, Robert Johnson beget Chuck Berry who beget The Rolling Stones who beget The Black Crowes who have now given us The Redwalls.

The Deerfield, Ill.-based band of early 20 somethings first made the scene in 2005 with hit song “Thank You,” which still makes the WXRT rotations.

Though sales for the band’s “De Nova” album were ultimately underwhelming and they were unceremoniously dumped from label Capital Records, the music never stopped. Their live performances helped to build a rabid fan base. The 2007 follow-up album simply titled “The Redwalls” is getting both critical and commercial acclaim.

The Redwalls will play a pair of 18-plus shows at Schubas in Lakeview on Friday and Saturday night. Don’t miss them!

If 21st century jam-band teenybopping ain’t your thang, I suggest a more culturally cultivated scene at Symphony Center as jazz great Wynton Marsalis will perform separate shows for children and adults alike all weekend. It is part of his “Jazz at Lincoln Center” series.

Finally (and I know I’ve mentioned it before), if Chicago winters give you the blues, the best remedy to thaw your heart out is to see Chicago’s very own legend Buddy Guy at least once for what I think is a 115-show stand at his Legend’s bar in south Chicago. Go ahead and shake your tail maker, baby!

By Brad Spirrison

03
Jan

Top Chicago Music Picks For the Weekend of Jan. 4, 2008

Author: Adam Fendelman, Category: Music

If you have a desire to elevate your new-year spirits in the name of love, you should take pride in taking in a performance of U2 cover band Elevation at the House of Blues on Thursday evening.

If fact, a quartet of classic rock tributaries will be on hand at the 8:30 p.m. show. Walk in your footsteps to Police cover band One World, gulp a big orange crush to the REM musical mimicry of Reckoning and boldly yet lovingly kiss the sky for Jimi Hendrix tribute Band Axis.

If you’re looking to get closer to the source of the source of our favorite rock heroes, I get down on my knees and beg you to check out Chicagoan Buddy Guy at his Legends nightclub on Saturday night. He will provide the tonic required to get through the winter doldrums and bend your body into the stratosphere if the weather really reaches the 50s.

Finally, to put a bracket around our cover-friendly weekend, Trippin Billies (which salutes the jam-band lite Dave Matthews Band with everything you always wanted in a regular band – but less) will occupy the space between Elevation and Buddy Guy on Friday night at the House of Blues.

By Brad Spirrison

27
Dec

Top Chicago Music Picks For the Weekend of Dec. 28, 2007

Author: Adam Fendelman, Category: Music

Are you all ready to let your New Year’s freak flag fly? There are a few warm-up shows you should check out before Monday’s annual amateur night.

To kick things off Friday night, “Come Sail Away” to Merriville, Ind. to see the Midwest’s own ode to below-average classic rock in Styx. While I would say this is a reunion tour for the men from Mulletville, I don’t think they ever left us in the first place.

If you’re looking to put a groove on your core a bit further, swing on by the House of Blues on Sunday night for a dual bill of Rusted Root with Doko Benjo. Perhaps you will even see them cover The Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” and relive their breakthrough moment from an early “Ally McBeal” episode.

If you’re still in need of a jam-band fix, Chicago’s very own Umphrey’s McGee will dispense its own tonic during a hat trick of performances at the Aragon Ballroom in Uptown. Though the group may not have the national following of bands like Phish and Widespread Panic, they can still get a groove on and will be ringing in 2008 on Monday night.

Finally, for you 30-somethings out there who don’t really want to go out but don’t want to stay in, I recommend hedging your bet by seeing Tributosaurus become Ray Charles at Martyrs’ in North Center. That is “What’d I Say” for this holiday weekend. Enjoy!

By Brad Spirrison

20
Dec

Top Chicago Music Picks For the Weekend of Dec. 21, 2007

Author: Adam Fendelman, Category: Music

While pickings are a little slim this holiday weekend, there are still a few options out there to aid in your yuletide groove. On Friday night, Chicago’s very own R. Kelly graces the stage of the United Center. Let’s just hope he shows more energy than the Bulls who are still stinking up the joint a month after a circus road trip.

A self-described “Ali and Marvin Gay of today,” Kelly – who has had a run in or two with the law over the past five years – is touring to promote his “Double Up” album, which was released last May. This could be a hot show. Just don’t bring the kids.

For those of you who can’t wait for the return of “American Idol” in 2008, your Christmas blessing has arrived in the form of Clay Aiken. The cheeky pseudo-star and recent appointee to the Bush administration’s U.S. Department of Health & Human Services arrives on Saturday night in Merrillville, Ind. to perform at the Star Plaza Theater.

For all you buttercups out there, don’t let the sun go down on this one.

Finally, you can never go wrong with a holiday performance from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. They will be performing on Thursday night through Saturday at the Grant Park Symphony Center. The cheap seats are only $16. Happy holidays!

13
Dec

Top Chicago Music Picks For the Weekend of Dec. 14, 2007

Author: Adam Fendelman, Category: Music

Who needs casinos when you have the bloody prince of darkness? That’s right, Ozzy Osbourne – that dude who starred in the 2003 reality series and used bite off bat heads on stage – is coming to Rosemont’s Allstate Arena on Sunday night with opening act Rob Zombie. Tickets range from $50 to $100.

While the Oz man may have lost a leap since his Black Sabbath days or when he used to tour with the late Randy Rhodes, he’s a consummate performer who knows how to wink at his legacy of contrived decadence while thrilling crowds with power chords of yesteryear.

Ride that crazy train into the holiday season and check out Ozzy before you can see him wallow in retirement on Nick at Nite.

What can be more fun than waiting outside the Chicago Theatre on a frozen December evening trying to score a ticket to the sold-out Duran Duran show? Just about everything.

Finally, for those of us not fortunate enough to make it to London’s Wembley Stadium this week to catch the first full-length concert performed by Led Zeppelin since the Carter administration, breathe a collective “Thank You” in Elmhurst on Friday night night as Zep cover band Kashmir performs at the Good Times Pub.

While clips from the Wembley show can still be found on YouTube, the IP police at Warner Bros. are scavenging unauthorized clips of “Black Dog,” “Trampled Under Foot” and “Stairway to Heaven” more quickly than a Bears three and out. Let’s just hope Page, Plant, Jones and young Jason Bonham make their way to the Midwest in 2008.

By Brad Spirrison

07
Dec

John C. Reilly Delivers Dewey Cox at Chicago’s Cubby Bear For ‘Walk Hard’

Author: Adam Fendelman, Category: Celebrity News, Film, Music

We reported on Wednesday that man-of-many-faces John C. Reilly would be performing in character as Dewey Cox on Thursday in Chicago to pump his upcoming film “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story”.

Excellent photos are in from the Chicago native’s packed show. These are credited to Joseph Mohan and have been published by Pitchfork. The show took place at the Cubby Bear by Wrigley Field in Chicago.

The group will also play at Stubb’s in Austin on Dec. 7, the Mercy Lounge in Nashville on Dec. 8, the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco on Dec. 10 and the Knitting Factory in New York on Dec. 19.

“Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” hits theaters on Dec. 21.