Pyyramids produce dark tinted post-punk music that recalls the menacing mood of Joy Division and the lively agitation of The Cure circa Boys Don’t Cry. more ›

Honestly, it should be a recipe for disaster. Put seven guys on stage -- one of whom is only playing a tambourine and running into the rest of the band -- and turn the volume way up. It's the sort of thing that should clear a room. more ›

Halloween's on a Wednesday this year, which leaves much confusion about when to celebrate. We say go for broke and make it a Saturday-Wednesday free for all, ending at Schubas with San Franciscan angular rockers Film School, on the road to promote their latest release, Hideout. Rumor has it they'll be going as the Cure and Joy Division ... oh wait, that's every day. Throw in a little Interpol riffage and some swirling, My Bloody Valentine-indebted layers of ambient guitar and you're ready to sit at the head of this class. more ›

Things slow down a little this week, but not by much. In fact, the only upswing to this week's slightly lighter musical calendar is that it doesn't force us to make as many tough decisions as last week! Apollo Sunshine is steeped in the psych-pop of the '60s, and we admit it's beginning to feel like we've been waiting since that decade for a proper follow-up to their last album. Maybe folks checking out their... more ›

This is part of Chicagoist's continuing coverage of the Chicago International Film Festival. more ›

The Chicago International Film Festival begins on Thursday with The Kite Runner, a movie you'll be hearing a lot more about after the Oscar noms are announced. That's why we won't be seeing it. You see, we've got a strategy, and after many agonizing days we've got our "to-see" list all drawn up. The Kite Runner will be opening far and wide in November anyhow, so we'll wait. To us, the festival is a chance... more ›

Each morning we're going to highlight five bands playing at Lollapalooza that we think are worth seeing. Some will be popular, some less known, but we believe they're all worth your time. And for those not making it to the festival itself, we'll round it out with an additional show going on after the grounds close down for the evening. Matt & Kim Bouncy, jouncy, fun, and happy, Matt & Kim are just the sort... more ›

This past Sunday marked the 25th birthday of Chicago’s most beloved (and sometimes bemoaned) rock club, the Cabaret Metro. Known to most simply as “The Metro,” the joint kicked off its venerable life with a performance by a then-little-known rock combo from Athens, GA called R.E.M. A quarter-century later, Metro is one of the last remaining major independent clubs in the country, with a rich history of offering many of rock’s most hallowed names their... more ›

It seems fitting that 120 Days hails from Norway since their music perfectly fits as a soundtrack for the land of the midnight sun. Long sprawling compositions built upon beds of synthesizers, guitars and droning beats bear down oppressively only to be buoyed by the melodies spiking up through dense wall of sound. more ›

You would be totally forgiven for being so over that whole neu-New Wave/Joy Division/dance-rock trend that has gripped hipsters from coast to coast for the past couple of years. We wouldn’t hold it against you. Like any trend, this one was kicked off by a handful of talented groups that were eclipsed all too soon by a deluge of recent label signings motivated by the need to jump on the bandwagon before the tires blew... more ›

Last night at the Double Door Chicagoist checked out The Stills along with a capacity crowd. The Stills will be coming back this summer to play the Intonation Music Fest and we thought this would be a good time to see what we can expect from that weekend of music. more ›

We’ve got a lot of reasons to like Editors. First, they’re a Brit rock-influenced band that actually is British. Second, rather than going back to the Clash/Duran Duran well that’s rapidly running dry, Editors graduated from the Joy Division and The Bunnymen School of Romantic Angst and Longing. Finally, they have a song called “All Sparks” which pretty much describes most of our evenings out. more ›