Would it be stating the obvious to say that Killer Mike has some serious momentum right now? Last summer he dropped Michael, his first solo album since 2012's legendary R.A.P. Music, to universal acclaim. He followed that up with a late-summer tour barnstorming across the country

This was a pretty cool first for me. I've reviewed bands more than once before. Sometimes I catch them at a festival and then a dedicated show of their own. Other times a band comes through as an opening act only to come back through town later as

I never claimed to be unbiased. Hell, I'm not getting paid anything for this, so I'm actually quite open to being biased. Sadly, no offers (monetary or otherwise) have rolled in just yet. So for the time being, if someone wants to get a glowing review

After taking over a year off from touring because of COVID-19, band re-emerged in mid-to-late 2021 like the cicadas we get here in the midwest, teeming with energy and vaccines. Awaiting them was an audience almost begging to fork over their disposable income to see not only their favorite bands,

Yeah, but I still come through when you want/It's like if I serve no use, where will I get my purpose from?/And then it always changes the second we see the sun Lyrics like that bring to mind a shoegaze-y downtempo number perfect to slot in

Dear Chance, At the risk of things going...well, something like this, I thought I would write this piece directly to you as a combo thank you letter/birthday wish. Why take such a huge risk doing something potentially lame with little to no upside? Variety, I guess. Telling other

As someone in his early 40's, I've had an absolute blast over the last few years musically celebrating the 20 year anniversary of some of the most awkward and uncomfortable years of my life. With so many bands cashing in on the "20 year anniversary

There's a line in the Manchester Orchestra song 'The Silence' that's been on my mind a lot lately. You can go anywhere but you are where you came from Now I'm not normally the type to be walking around with lyrics from

Porno for Pyros has always been a pretty big deal for a side project. If you mention Perry Farrell to someone that remembers the early to mid 90's pretty well, they're going to know him as the enigmatic lead singer of Jane's Addiction. Ask

Growing up in rural northwest Illinois, I was faced with a crucial decision as I entered my formative years: country or rock? In the mid to late 90's, there weren't many artists trying to straddle the line between the two, so it was a much more

"I'm a bitch and my band is an industry plant, 'least that's what it says on the internet." That's not just the beginning lyric to Meet Me @ the Altar's hit single "Say It (To My Face)". It&

Writing these concert reviews is never an easy thing. Maybe it's just me, but it almost feels like being set up to fail. Here I am, someone that most of you don't know, and I'm supposed to take one of the ultimate "you

As someone that came of age during the 90's in the Chicago suburbs, Q101 was THE authority when it came to alternative music. I spent more hours listening to the DJs on that station than just about anyone else in my life for a very long time (and