Concert Reviews

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Written by Brian Cheli Wednesday, 19 June 2013 07:44

From Burnett’s movements on stage it looked as if he was letting the bass beat his body into submission, and he was offering up the carcass to everyone for their approval.

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Written by Janet Rhoads Sunday, 16 June 2013 21:25

When a crowd wildly cheers you on through a few broken notes and a fumble on the keyboard, you are loved.

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Written by Jim Ousley Wednesday, 05 June 2013 15:18

Korn had the audience on its feet, fists in the air, throwing back every bit of energy they were being quite happily pummeled by.

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Written by Bruce Matlock Sunday, 26 May 2013 18:47

Everyone who had seen Cornell’s previous appearances recognized that this was an entirely different animal.

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Written by Alexy Irving Saturday, 25 May 2013 11:44

Moving slowly and sensually, she kept the crowd screaming with her passionate vocals.

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Written by Kristyn Potter Tuesday, 14 May 2013 20:51

These girls are like the love child of Joan Jett and Jack White; it’s shocking that people as beautiful and talented are so amazingly humble.

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Written by Gary Pierson Sunday, 28 April 2013 17:01

The band marched through its set with vigor and intensity, mixing more well-known material with newer songs.

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Written by Janet Rhoads Saturday, 27 April 2013 13:01

All in all, and despite a couple of embarrassingly drunk asshats, it was a feel good night.

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Written by Janet Rhoads Wednesday, 24 April 2013 20:25

Ritter’s “put the Dalai Lama to shame” smile is ever present.

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Written by Ashley White Saturday, 20 April 2013 12:36

It’s amazing what phenomenal talent can do.

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Written by Mike Koehler Saturday, 20 April 2013 12:26

He was extremely funny and full of pride (and made several jokes about Canada and Morrissey).

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Written by Janet Rhoads Monday, 15 April 2013 16:47

Their live performance was filled with light and happiness.

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Written by Bruce Matlock Tuesday, 09 April 2013 12:45

Pop’s in Sauget, IL is the place for loud British bands looking to smash things such as eardrums and instruments.

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Written by Jennifer Metzler Tuesday, 26 March 2013 20:34

Some bands rely on shenanigans to cover up musical inefficiencies, but Pinback’s musical complexities and technical proficiency were very clear.

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Written by David Von Nordheim Sunday, 24 March 2013 13:01

The druggy aesthetic of psychedelic rock was fully communicated at Firebird by two luminaries of the recent wave of revivalists, Foxygen and Unknown Mortal Orchestra.

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Written by Brian Cheli Sunday, 24 March 2013 12:29

The set looked like a bunker made out of boomboxes, and mish-mashed with various speaker systems.

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Written by Chuck Lavazzi Sunday, 17 March 2013 11:36

It was, in short, quite a feather in the cap of the organization I’m starting to regard as The Little Opera Company That Could.

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Written by Chuck Lavazzi Sunday, 17 March 2013 11:26

It’s as though the composer sought release from his dark mood in unstintingly sunny music.

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Written by Brian Cheli Sunday, 17 March 2013 11:10

You could just stare at the screen and zone out while the band oozed perfection into your ears.

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Written by Alexy Irving Wednesday, 13 March 2013 20:47

Before the show started, Sara announced, “I swear, this is going to be the best show of the tour.”

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Written by Brian Cheli Tuesday, 12 March 2013 21:03

Throughout the performance of “Madness,” Bellamy’s glasses projected the lyrics, proving to be the sexiest indoor sunglasses I’ve ever seen.

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Written by Lauren House Saturday, 09 March 2013 11:47

Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds spoke humbly and genuinely about how thankful they all are, because “it’s been a long four years and it hasn’t always been like this.”

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Written by Janet Rhoads Wednesday, 06 March 2013 09:47

When you have such fine ingredients, you make a tasty dish indeed.

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Written by Jennifer Metzler Monday, 04 March 2013 21:08

A seemingly never-ending bubble machine on either side of the stage aided in making “Take a Walk” an even more magical experience.

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Written by Janet Rhoads Monday, 25 February 2013 22:26

As for Crain and her cohorts, they performed like the inner mechanisms and cogs in a beautiful old grandfather clock, in which every piece moves the other forward.

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Written by Brian Cheli Monday, 25 February 2013 21:31

Delivering more costume changes than any show I’ve seen in the past year, you could tell that he enjoys entertaining.

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Written by Bruce Matlock Thursday, 21 February 2013 15:08

Part of that awkward, uncomfortable feeling of watching a band discover its newfound fame is fun in itself.

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Written by Chuck Lavazzi Sunday, 17 February 2013 21:43

Written for a large orchestra, the music has the kind of cinematic sweep that suggests a classic private eye flick on steroids.

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Written by Janet Rhoads Thursday, 14 February 2013 21:15

From sweet trills to ominous tones, I love the interesting ways she manipulates her voice, and that it sometimes makes me uncomfortable.

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Written by Chuck Lavazzi Sunday, 10 February 2013 00:00

The integration of the solo part with the orchestra is really quite seamless and the balance between light and dark couldn’t be better.

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Written by Chuck Lavazzi Sunday, 10 February 2013 00:00

The Winter Opera production boasted some fine singing actors, especially in the central roles, but some of the cameo parts were noticeably weaker.

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Written by Chuck Lavazzi Friday, 08 February 2013 00:00

Local gal Debby Lennon captured every nuance of Ravel’s exoticism and de Parny’s poetry.

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Written by Chuck Lavazzi Sunday, 03 February 2013 00:00

After multiple bows, he returned with an encore: Liszt’s equally thorny “Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6,” delivered all the fire one could wish for.

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Written by Sara Boyd Thursday, 31 January 2013 13:47

“Rain don’t change the sun/Jealous is the night when the morning comes."

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Written by Mike Koehler Monday, 28 January 2013 13:49

I know I’m gushing about how everything was peachy, that’s because really I couldn’t find anything wrong with this show.

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Written by David Von Nordheim Monday, 28 January 2013 13:43

A lo-fi wash of vaguely new wave-inflected dance rock, ON AN ON brings to mind M83 at their most emotive.