The Melvins 11/20 at Reggies
When I saw The Melvins play last year after not seeing them play for around a decade, I was amazed by the fact that they were better than ever so when I found out they were coming back to town and playing a far superior club this time around, I was really excited to go. [...]
Down 11/12 at House of Blues
A few days ago I went to see Down once again play at the House of Blues. They were just here about a year ago and put on a really good show, so i was excited at the chance to see them again. I also was a Pantera fan and since Down features Phil Anselmo [...]
Gwar 10/30 at House of Blues
After a bit of a hiatus, a Halloween tradition returned (one day early) with Gwar once again playing here, this time at the House of Blues. For a lot of years, Gwar would play Chicago every Halloween, but I think they took a few years off from doing it. After having so much fun seeing [...]
Riot Fest 2008 part two
Riot Fest continued as my blood sugar level and energy started dropping. I went to the catering room backstage for a quick sugar fix, stepped out the side door to make a quick phone call and then got back to work. Mighty Mighty Bosstones Mighty Mighty Bosstones Mighty Mighty Bosstones The next band was one [...]
Riot Fest 2008 part one
With fall comes the changing of the leaves, the beginnings of crappy weather, the kids go back to school, and if you live in Chicago it also means the return of Riot Fest. The annual punk rock festival rears its spiked head about this time every year and for me it’s usually the one show [...]
The Bollweevils – 9/27 at Reggie’s
Saturday night The Bollweevils returned to action over at Reggie’s. I hadn’t seen the band play since last year’s Riot Fest which was already a year ago, so I was pretty excited that the band was doing another show. After a quick trip upstairs to do a little record shopping, I walked in the club [...]
Vans Warped Tour 8/2/08 part two
After Mayday Parade, I walked clear across the venue to the Vans Highway 1 stage to actually see a band I had heard of before! Street Dogs Street Dogs Street Dogs Street Dogs The Street Dogs were the reason for my lengthy walk. They had a pretty huge crowd waiting to see them play and [...]
Vans Warped Tour 8/2/08 part one
Saturday I spent the day over at the Vans Warped Tour at the First National Bank Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, IL. I had two tasks: cover the show for this site and play chaperone to a car full of 14 year old girls. Either one of them means a day of non stop walking around [...]
Ministry 5/8/08 at House of Blues
Thursday night I went over to House of Blues to catch Ministry on what they are billing as their final tour. this was the first of a four night run of shows they are playing at the venue. Seeing as Chicago was their hometown for most of their career, it made sense that they’d more [...]
Hate Eternal, Soilent Green, Skeletonwitch 4/23 at House of Blues
Wednesday night I went over to House of Blues for a night of metal. It was a beautiful day outside and it was an early show so I skated over to the club from the train station instead of taking the bus. After having to check my skateboard at the hotel next door, I went [...]
Anti-Nowhere League 4/9 at Reggie’s
Last week I went to see the Anti-Nowhere League at Reggie’s here in Chicago. The band’s first album, We Are… The League, ranks extremely high on my list of favorite punk rock albums of all time so I was very excited to get a chance to see the band play. I took the bus and [...]
The Black Dahlia Murder 2/13/08 at House of Blues
Wednesday night I braved the frigid cold and crappy weather to go to the House of Blues here in Chicago to see The Black Dahlia Murder. I saw them play last fall with Cannibal Corpse and was pretty impressed, enough so that I left my winter hibernation to go to this show. Hate Eternal Hate [...]
Selections from The Punk Vault [Toothpaste]
Toothpaste – EP (1983 Schwa Records) Toothpaste were a band from my own city that I really didn’t know anything about until recently. I had heard the name mentioned a couple of times over the years but never gave it much thought. It wasn’t until the end of last year when the band along with [...]
Number Nine 10/12 at Champs
Last Friday Lunchbox, Beth, and I went to see Number Nine at Champs Rock Room in Burbank, IL. Number Nine is a punk rock band from the Chicago area that dates back to the mid 1980′s. They appeared on a cassette compilation I released back around 1987 but I never got the chance to see [...]
Destroy Everything 9/1 at Memories
Last night I went to see Destroy Everything play with four other bands I’ve never heard of over at Memories in Chicago, IL. I was in need of a night of fun at a show and I was itching to take some photos so this show couldn’t have come at a better time for me. [...]
Hotlips Messiah 7/26/07 at Ronny’s
Thursday night I went to Ronny’s for two reasons; to see Hotlips Messiah and to celebrate Slick Horrible’s birthday by meeting up with friends and having a couple of serums. I needed a good night out and this sounded like just what the doctor ordered. Ronny’s is a pretty small bar with a back room [...]
Game On revisited
Recently, the Museum of Science and Industry here in Chicago brought back the Game On exhibit that they had last year. Thanks to my friend Ken being a museum member, I got to go for practically free, which is pretty much the required cost for me to go anywhere in these lean times. So Ken, [...]
A tourist in my own city
Friday before I went to see the MDC show, I spent a little time with my family and did a little tourist activity in my own city of Chicago. My cousin picked me up and we met my sister who was in town, and my other cousin for lunch at a pizza place and then [...]
