Resistance Pro: Rise 1/13/12 at Excalibur
Friday the 13th was bad luck for weather but good luck for wrestling fans as it marked the second show of Resistance Pro Wrestling at the Excalibur. For the unfamiliar, Resistance Pro Wrestling is a new federation based out of Chicago that was co-founded by Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins who serves as the creative [...]
Anthrax, Testament, and Death Angel 10/15/11 at Congress Theater
Saturday night the Congress Theater presented a metal trifecta that would make any late 1980′s metal fan drool and that was the return of Anthrax along with Testament and Death Angel. All three of these bands were held in very high regard during the late 1980s when thrash metal reigned supreme and Anthrax were one [...]
COC/Coliseum 7/30 at Reggies
Saturday night over in the South Loop, Reggies had a four band show that featured one legendary punk/metal band from the old days who was touring with one of the finer bands of the modern-day. Those two bands are COC and Coliseum and you couldn’t ask for a more solid pair of bands playing a [...]
UFO 5/20/11 at House of Blues
Friday Night the House of Blues in Chicago was packed full of old rock fans eager to see the return of legendary rock and roll band, UFO. The band has gone through a number of lineup changes over the years but has been coming and going since they formed around 1970. It has been a [...]
T.S.O.L. 5/14 at Reggies
Saturday night after a ten-year absence from touring through the Windy City, T.S.O.L. made their long, long-awaited return to Chicago to play to a venue of excited fans, some of whom were babies the last time the band rolled through town! They headlined a four band bill over at Reggies in the South Loop which [...]
The Dead Milkmen 4/30 at Congress Theater
Saturday night the Congress Theater was the host of the long-awaited return of the Dead Milkmen. This historical band ended their retirement recently and started playing and recording again after more than a decade of dormancy. They had a fan favorite playing right before them in the form of the Lawrence Arms. First up was [...]
Wax Trax Retrospectacle day one
If it wasn’t for Wax Trax Records this site may never have existed. Wax Trax Records (the store) did more to shape the punk and new wave scene in the Chicago area than anything and Wax Trax Records (the label) did more to create the industrial music scene of the mid 1980′s to early 1990′s [...]
Gifts From Enola, If These Trees Could Talk 3/12 at Reggies
Saturday night Reggies put on a late show featuring two of the premier post-rock bands who rarely come to town and happen to be label mates on one of the best labels around today, The Mylene Sheath. The two bands are Gifts From Enola and If These Trees Could Talk. You couldn’t ask for a [...]
The Adicts 3/11 at Reggies
Thursday night a massive crowd of mostly young punk fans stuffed themselves into Reggies for the long-awaited return of The Adicts to our cold city. It may have been cold outside but the band got a warm and crazy reception from the crowd. A local band, Curtains, started the show to a nearly full club. They [...]
The Pogues 3/3 at Congress Theater
Last Thursday night the Congress Theater was the place to be if you liked to drink and you wanted to see The Pogues farewell tour. All the original members of the band got together for a big sendoff tour of the United States. A small group of eager fans got to the club and camped [...]
Cradle of Filth 2/20 at House of Blues
Sunday night droves of metal fans celebrated Presidents Day Eve by packing the House of Blues for the Creatures of the Black Abyss Tour, headlined by Cradle of Filth. The venue filled up early and the place was full of eager metal fans, all dressed in black and some even wearing makeup. Daniel Lioneye got [...]
The Bollweevils 12/11/10 at Metro
Saturday night the Metro was the venue chosen to host the return of the Bollweevils, a band that hasn’t played in close to two years. They headlined a five band bill that saw them sharing the stage with a nice lineup of bands from Chicago including 88 Fingers Louie. It also was a celebration for [...]
The Hamburglars and Hotlips Messiah 11/24 at Lucky Number
Thanksgiving Eve was the “pre-gobble robble” starting The Hamburglars and Hotlips Messiah; two of the better and under-rated bands from the Chicago area. They were kicking off the mini-holiday in a small bar on the second floor of the Lucky Number Grill. Sporting a new drummer and Indian headdresses, Hotlips Messiah took the stage/floor first. [...]
The Tubes 10/31/10 at Reggies
Reggies hosted a fun Halloween show starring rock legends, The Tubes. This long-running band was on a small tour and ended it with a special evening here in Chicago that featured four bands and a costume contest. The only thing missing was free candy. First up was Springa Sonic Droogs. Now if you are wondering [...]
MDC 5/26 at Reggie’s
Last night a legendary hardcore band returned to Reggie’s for a night of punk rock. That band happened to be MDC and they are once again touring in honor of releasing some new material. It’s hard to believe the band has been around about 30 years now. Talk about something making you feel old! Chicago [...]
Public Image Limited 5/2 at House of Blues
Sunday night, Public Image Limited (PiL for short) made their long awaited return to Chicago to play a pair of shows at the House of Blues (this being the second night). The band had been inactive for around 18 years and until the beginning of this year the future of the band was uncertain and [...]
Kreator, Voivod, +3 at Bottom Lounge 3/12
Friday night the Bottom Lounge played host to a big metal show featuring a couple big veterans playing alongside a few newer bands. The result was a little bit of something for everyone, providing the something you were looking for was fast, heavy and mostly brutal thrash or death metal. Newer band, Lazarus A.D. started [...]
Arch Enemy 1/29 at House of Blues
Friday night the House of Blues played host to another big metal show, this time one being headlined by Arch Enemy, hailing all the way from Sweden! Last week was the week of overseas death metal first with Behemoth and now Arch Enemy, quite an exciting week for metal fans indeed! Mutiny Within Mutiny Within [...]
Riot Fest secret show w/The Falcon
Saturday night the fine folks at Riot Fest put on their last “secret” show of the year at the same location they did all the other ones, the AAA building in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago. As with the previous shows, admission was by invitation only and it was the recession friendly price of [...]
Skinny Puppy 11/9 at House of Blues
Monday night was the most exciting night of the year in music for me, the return of my favorite band in the entire world, Skinny Puppy! It had been over two years since they last played here. This time they are on the In Solvent See tour which unfortunately is not in support of a [...]
You Weren’t There DVD release show
Saturday night was a big night in the world of Chicago punk rock, it was the official DVD release screening and show for the documentary, You Weren’t There. The documentary does a monumental job of telling the history of punk rock in Chicago, which was a city whose punk scene never got the recognition that [...]
Riot Fest 2009 Day Five
Sunday was the fifth and final day of the biggest Riot Fest yet, and it was being held simultaneously at two different venues. I choose to return to the Congress Theater for the show being held there and the chance to see a couple bands that I’d never seen before. She Likes Todd She Likes [...]
Riot Fest 2009 Day Four
Saturday’s Riot Fest show (well one of the them) had me back to the venue where Riot Fest all began, the Congress Theater. I’m quite fond of that venue and it’s nice big stage and good lighting so I pretty much figured I’d be in for a good time and of course a good time [...]
Riot Fest 2009 Day Two
The only good thing about fall continued on Thursday over at the Beat Kitchen, which I believe is another first time for Riot Fest venue. This show was a three band bill and got off to a pretty early start. The small size of the venue and the popularity of the headlining band, 7 Seconds, [...]
