Two Gallants Ring in MLK Day in Chicago

Walking into Lincoln Hall for the Two Gallants show last Sunday, the door guy informed us that it “might be crowded in there.” Easily grabbing a table on the second floor, I thought maybe the door guy was high… until Two Gallants took the stage. The main floor filled with fans eager to hear the [...]

Waters – Impressive Band, Unimpressive Tourists

While the jam-packed crowd at Lincoln Hall was clearly not well versed in the Waters song catalog, they were instantly silenced when the Norwegian/California/Brooklyn rockers took the stage, supporting Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and push their new and first album, Out in the Light.
After two songs, Waters front man Van Pierszalowski started chatting up [...]

Maria Taylor – Leaves Chicago Crying

In general, the tag “from the Grey’s Anatomy soundtrack” doesn’t set my heart a twitter with excitement. As such, I wasn’t sure what to expect walking into see Maria Taylor, whose tune “Song Beneath the Song” graced the Grey’s album, last Friday at Chicago’s Subterranean. Far from the melodrama of the television show, Taylor put [...]

The Suicide Machines – Like They Never Stopped

After breaking up in 2006, The Suicide Machines have thrown increasingly regular reunion shows together over the last few years. Riot Fest was lucky enough to be one of those shows, as Suicide Machines took the stage on the third night of the Fest at Congress Theater to support the Descendants.
Suicide Machines put on an [...]

Social Distortion – Riot Fest Openers

The thing about a band with a history as long as Social Distortion is that audiences are basically guaranteed an entertaining show. The decades of experience are more than enough to qualify them to open Riot Fest, headlining the first show on Thursday at Chicago’s Congress Theater. If that weren’t enough, there are also the [...]

New York Magazine – Epic Cover Fail

It’s no secret that I have a mild obsession with New York City. More than 2 years since my accidental return to Chicago, I maintain the unshakable belief that the Times is the only newspaper worth reading and complain that most other cities goes to bed too damn early, but I have otherwise acclimated somewhat [...]

The Walkmen – A Softer, Gentler Indie Rock

The Chicago Theater in (shocking) Chicago is something of a landmark in our fair city. I say this only because it says “Chicago” in giant, flashy letters and the image shows up in a lot of Chicago-centric movies and shows. Maybe “iconic” is a better description. In any event, the theater is a unique venue [...]

Riot Fest – Congress Theater

Congress Theater, the flagship venue of Riot Fest, boasts the most dates, the biggest bands, and, if history has taught this girl anything, more out of control high schoolers than prom night laced with hypnotism and meth.
The first night, Thursday October 6, pulls no punches, featuring Social Distortion. The old school punk group will be [...]

Riot Fest – Bottom Lounge

The Bottom Lounge is a funny place – it sort of feels like it wants to be two bars in one. One bar tries to be a sports bar, with flat screens and domestic bottles of lite beer. The other bar has a giant venue with great sound enough stage for a gypsy ensemble. So [...]

Riot Fest at Cobra Lounge

Along the somewhat desolate stretch of Ashland in Chicago’s “west side” or “west loop” or whatever that area is called, lies an oasis to rock and roll called the Cobra Lounge. Well known to rock fans and anyone else who enjoys hitting people while listening to live music, Cobra Lounge will get into the Riot [...]

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