The Handsome Family and Rennie Sparks’ art exhibit
The Handsome Family have a new album called Unseen, which brought them to Chicago for a concert on Sunday night at the …
The Mekons at the Hideout
The Mekons have a new record called Existentialism — a lo-fi live CD of new songs performed into one microphone, with an …
Hideout 20-Year Reunion
The Hideout, one of my favorite music venues, celebrated its 20th anniversary with a daylong mini-festival on Saturday — billed as a “20-Year …
Ragamala
Ragamala was an epic experience — a 15-hour concert of Indian classical music, stretching from 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 9, until 9 a.m. …
The Flat Five at the Green Mill
The Flat Five — that wonderful Chicago group I’ve photographed and written about many times before — played three sets on Saturday, Aug. 27, …
BÖC, Rob Mazurek & Emmett Kelly and Horse Lords
Friday, Aug. 26, was another two-concert night for me. Talk about strange juxtapositions. I started out the evening by driving to Skokie …
Tortoise and Ryley Walker concerts, in one night
Aug. 25 felt like a quintessential night of live Chicago music: seeing Tortoise at Millennium Park, followed by Ryley Walker’s late concert at the …
The Rizdales at the Hideout
The Rizdales — a country band from London, Ontario — played Aug. 20 at the Hideout, apparently playing in Chicago for the …
Comm to Black and Cinchel at the Comfort Station Fundraiser
I always love seeing concerts at Logan Square’s Illinois Centennial Monument — that tall column with the eagle on top — but these …
Mbongwana Star at Millennium Park
The African band Mbongwana Star got the audience dancing on Aug. 11 at Millennium Park’s Jay Pritzker Pavilion, playing wildly infectious beats …
LCD Soundsystem at Lollapalooza
One of the main reasons to attend Lollapalooza this year was the reunion of LCD Soundsystem, and the band did not disappoint. …
Radiohead at Lollapalooza
As expected, the highlight of this year’s Lollapalooza for me was Radiohead. It was great to see the band again after an …
GØGGS at the Empty Bottle
The prolific Ty Segall has yet another new band — GØGGS, which also includes Chris Shaw from the Memphis punk band Ex-Cult …
2016 Pitchfork Music Fest: Day 3 Photos
My photos from the 2016 Pitchfork Music Festival are featured on the A.V. Club website. Here are some additional pictures from Day 3, …
2016 Pitchfork Music Fest: Day 2 Photos
My photos from the 2016 Pitchfork Music Festival are featured on the A.V. Club website. Here are some additional pictures from Day 2, …
2016 Pitchfork Music Fest: Day 1 Photos
My photos from the 2016 Pitchfork Music Festival are featured on the A.V. Club website. Here are some additional pictures, starting with a …
King Sunny Adé at Millennium Park
It had been years since the legendary Nigerian singer King Sunny Adé played in Chicago. He was scheduled to perform in Millennium Park’s concert …
Bully at West Fest
The Nashville rock band Bully played a rousing, energetic set on Saturday, July 9, at West Fest, a street festival on Chicago …
Femi Kuti in Millennium Park
Femi Kuti‘s father, the legendary Nigerian bandleader Fela Kuti, created the extraordinary and exhilarating style of music called Afrobeat. As Fela’s eldest …
Haymarket’s history inspires a new musical
The Haymarket Affair — sometimes called the Haymarket Square Riot or Massacre — is one of the most famous and important chapters of Chicago’s …
Waco Brothers at Wire
My photos of the Waco Brothers — as fun and lively as ever — on Saturday, May 21, at Wire in Berwyn. …
The Sadies at Wire
My photos of the Sadies — as always, one of the best live rock bands — on Saturday, May 21, at Wire …
Rhys Chatham at Constellation
My photos of Rhys Chatham’s performance on Friday, May 20, at Constellation, along with a picture of opening act Natural Information Society.
A Giant Dog at the Empty Bottle
My photos of A Giant Dog’s show on Wednesday, May 18, at the Empty Bottle, along with Melkbelly and So Pretty.
Tracy Letts’ ‘Mary Page Marlowe’ at Steppenwolf
All storytelling involves omission. What do you leave out when you tell a story? Last September in The New Yorker, John McPhee …
Cate Le Bon and Mega Bog at Schubas
As I’ve said in previous blog posts, the Welsh-born singer-songwriter Cate Le Bon has developed into one of today’s most exciting musicians. …
Cross Record at Schubas
In 2013, I saw a couple of concerts by Cross Record, a group led by the promising Chicago singer-songwriter Emily Cross. (See my blog …
Klaus Johann Grobe at the Empty Bottle
The Swiss group Klaus Johann Grobe played its first U.S. show ever on Tuesday, April 26, at the Empty Bottle in Chicago. …
Woods, Ultimate Painting and Bill MacKay & Ryley Walker at Lincoln Hall
My photos of Woods, Ultimate Painting and Bill MacKay & Ryley Walker on Saturday, April 23, at Lincoln Hall. Woods Ultimate Painting Bill …
The Coke Dares at Logan Arcade
Years have gone by since the last time when the Coke Dares played in Chicago, but the trio returned on Friday, April …
OBN IIIs at the Empty Bottle
My photos of the OBN IIIs on Saturday, April 16, at the Empty Bottle.
Record Store Day 2016
My photos of musical performances I saw on Record Store Day, Saturday, April 16 — mostly at Permanent Records, plus a picture of …
Songhoy Blues at Martyrs’
There’s a serious and sobering story behind the band Songhoy Blues. These four musicians are in a sort of exile — as …
The Necks at Constellation
The Necks have been improvising beautiful music for many years now. You might call them a jazz trio — after all, they …
Freakwater at the Hideout
Freakwater is the sound of two pining, earthy, twangy voices coming together — the voices of Janet Bean and Catherine Irwin, who …
Spunk at Constellation
The concert Wednesday, March 16, at Constellation was the first U.S. performance by Spunk, a quartet of Norwegian woman who have been improvising music …
Wussy at the Red Line Tap
The great Cincinnati rock band Wussy has a new album out, Forever Sounds — an outstanding follow-up to its 2014 album Attica! — …
Reginald Robinson at First Unitarian Church
Some audience gasped as the ragtime pianist Reginald R. Robinson made an announcement at the beginning of his concert Saturday, March 12, …
Le Butcherettes at Subterranean
Le Butcherettes, the Mexican garage punk band led by the phenomenal Teri Gender Bender (aka Teresa Suárez), returned to Chicago on Thursday, …
Music Frozen Dancing 2016
For the last three years, the Empty Bottle has hosted an outdoor winter concert called “Music Frozen Dancing.” It’s a somewhat ridiculous …
Frequency Series Festival of Chicago New Music
“New music” seems to be catching on lately as a label for the stuff that we used to call “20th-century music.” Neither …
Neko Case and Robbie Fulks at the Tivoli Theatre
Neko Case said she was playing “deep cuts” at her concert Feb. 25 at the Tivoli Theatre, a grand old cinema in …
Eleanor Friedberger at the Empty Bottle
Eleanor Friedberger, who plays in the Fiery Furnaces with her brother, Matthew Friedberger, has also made three solo albums — including a fine …
Lawrence Peters Outfit at the High Hat Club
The Lawrence Peters Outfit plays old-fashioned country music on the fourth Wednesday of every month at the High Hat Club, a new bar in …
Bonnie “Prince” Billy and Maiden Radio at the Vic
Bonnie “Prince” Billy (aka Will Oldham) returned to Chicago on Feb. 18, playing a concert at the Vic with the same band …
Godspeed You! Black Emperor at Rockefeller Chapel
Last summer, I took a ride all the way to Bloomington, Indiana, and back just to see Godspeed You! Black Emperor perform in …
Bitchin Bajas at the Hideout
On Tuesdays in February, the Hideout hosted a residency of concerts featuring Chicago musician Rob Frye. I was there on Feb. 23, …
Royal Brat and Mr. Ma’am at Bric-a-Brac
On Saturday, Feb. 20, Bric-a-Brac Records hosted another one of its fun in-store punk/garage rock performances. Chicago’s Mr. Ma’am played the first set, …
Favorite Films of 2015
1. World of Tomorrow Yes, it’s a short film, so few people would put in the same category with the year’s best …
Disappears, Negative Scanner and Hide at the Empty Bottle
The Chicago band Negative Scanner made one of my favorite records last year — just narrowly missing out on my top 10. …