Joanna Newsom is somewhat of a controversial artist; people seem to either hate her or love her. Some say she’s just a unicorn-loving, harp-plucking faerie and others say the singer / songwriter / harpist is an avant-garde leader of the neo-folk scene. Well, we think she’s pretty fantastic and that her music isn’t all angelic and innocent like her instrument of choice might connote. Fellow fans will be glad to hear that she’s coming to Chicago in April in support of her upcoming album, Have One On Me, a triple LP running over two hours long. Samples and details of the massive album, due for release February 23, have been kept strictly under wraps, but for the past few weeks Newsom’s label, Drag City, has been streaming one selected track each week on its site. more ›

Not much on sale this weekend, but there are still good shows to see and changes to be made to your rock and roll lifsetyle. more ›

Last evening at The Vic, Wired kicked off Next Fest with a show curated by Jeff Tweedy featuring The Handsome Family and Joanna Newsom. The stage was stark with only a white backdrop and a chair holding a computer that pumped the sound of crickets throughout the room. Chris Anderson, Editor-In-Chief of Wired Magazine, started off the evening with a few words explaining Next Fest's history. Jeff Tweedy saunters on stage wearing the shirt... more ›