Check out this pretty fantastic look from Opening Day 1984 (airing on - we think - the old show Eye on Chicago) at the two very different crowds that frequented the Cubby Bear at the time, a time when Cubs games were always during the day, the punks came out at night, and no one had yet to utter the phrase "Dave Matthews Band." more ›

When Jason Frederick learned that one of the bands he had founded and then disbanded had reformed and were playing without telling him, we guess his feelings got a little hurt. It also provided the stimulus for him to kick off a new band under the moniker Cool Devices and storm Electrical Audio in Chicago to craft a protest album. While the disc was originally supposed to exorcise Frederick's "playful angst" towards his former bandmates, what ended up emerging was firestorm of '60s inflected fuzzed-out punk rock anthems centering on various themes besetting society today. In Frederick's words "...these songs are calling on all people, everywhere to give up ideologies that don't work." more ›

To mark the 20th (!) anniversary of Johann's Face Records, No Empathy and Not Rebecca are getting back together for an April 4, 2009 celebratory show at The Abbey. Sass Dragons and Bread and Bottle round out the bill (so far?). more ›

Brauerhouse was a favorite venue amongst the punk rock bands we know, primarily due to its open-minded staff, its friendliness to bands of all stripes, and its liberal booking policy. It burned down this morning, and we are saddened to see another good venue go down. [TRIB] more ›

Jay Reatard is playing Reggie's Rock Club tonight and we've got a pair of tickets for one lucky Chicagoist reader. Reatard lives in some glorious time warp where rockabilly cuts itself with broken glass and bashes headfirst into Dischord records. His songs throb with a spasmic energy and their anarchic structure is guaranteed to get the crowd spinning in circles, and the fists pumping the air. more ›

Belle Diablo, Windy City Roller more ›

What do you get when you combine an elaborate set design, rock and roll magicians, acoustic custom poetry, and a melange of feel-good local bands? A whole lotta awesome, that's what. more ›

So we just got word that Juliette and the Licks will be appearing at Reggie's on November 16. We saw this group, led by Juliette Lewis, at The Note over the summer and admit to loving her live show. Some have opined that Ms. Lewis is too busy ripping off Iggy Pop and PJ Harvey to be very interesting, but we suspect these folks have a) never seen her live and b) have not heard... more ›

The Thermals have always sounded kind of like Superchunck to us, only tighter and way more political. In our opinion, those are all good things.Their appearance at this year's Wicker Park Summerfest was a highlight amongst the live acts performing, and last year's The Body, The Blood, The Machine remains a pretty electrifying punk rock diatribe. Opening the show is Chicago's Chin Up Chin Up. We've written about them in the past, and we're always... more ›

We admit we were a little late to the Watchers boat, not jumping on until we heard the band’s latest, Vampire Driver, shortly before its release this summer. It has now become one of our favorite albums of the year. Vampire Driver is hard; it’s jolting and jarring. But the harshness is backed by a funk bass-line and Talking Heads-esque vocals that contrast the beefy rock and create something that just makes you want to... more ›

Marnie Stern may look like a bookstore clerk or a Starbucks barista, but this Brooklyn guitar virtuoso has little else to do with lit or lattes. She's a metalhead through and through, having mastered such thrash-god techniques as finger-tapping, shuddering time-signature shifts, and balls-to-the-wall shredding that would make Eddie Van Halen blush. So what's this obvious shred-head doing on venerable punk rock shock shop Kill Rock Stars Records? She's carefully bridging the gap between the colorful, technical, and often posturing world of metal, and the guttural vocals, minimalist production, and eff you attitude that "punk" has come to inspire. It's a tenuous position, given that punk set out to destroy all the egotistical excess and arrogance of the metal scene, but maybe the old adage is right -- it just takes a woman's touch. more ›

Here's what happened while a punk rock choir distracted us from Doomsday: Fall arts season preview season is here. If you didn’t pick up a Reader over the weekend, you can still bookmark their A & E preview online. The Trib’s writers chose their 10 most promising in theater, art, dance, music (rock and otherwise), comedy and architecture. The Bright One previews Broadway in Chicago and upcoming rock concerts and CDs (remember those?). New City... more ›

The world over, there is no place we'd rather be than Chicago. Sometimes though, with spring bringing only blustery winds and rain, it's nice to bury ourselves in a book that puts us someplace warm and dry. more ›

It's that time of year again! Chicagoist would like to add several more people to our staff to fill in some gaps in coverage and make the site even better. If you're interested in writing about food, music, books & literature or general Chicago topics, let us know. Also, we're looking to add 2-3 more interviewers (for real this time!) so if you're good at grilling people and writing about it, please apply. Specific positions... more ›

It's that time of year again! Chicagoist would like to add several more people to our staff to fill in some gaps in coverage and make the site even better. If you're interested in writing about food, music, books & literature or general Chicago topics, let us know. Also, we're looking to add 2-3 more interviewers (for real this time!) so if you're good at grilling people and writing about it, please apply. Specific positions... more ›

It's that time of year again! Chicagoist would like to add several more people to our staff to fill in some gaps in coverage and make the site even better. If you're interested in writing about food, music, books & literature or general Chicago topics, let us know. Also, we're looking to add 2-3 more interviewers (for real this time!) so if you're good at grilling people and writing about it, please apply. Specific positions... more ›

As the world holds its breath, teetering precariously on the cusp of the Super Bowl (well, at least in America), the wheels of the -ists keep on turning. Austinist was in a musical frame of mind as they listened to the new Shins album, updated the SXSW band listings and got called "punk rock" for their efforts by MTV. And an ice storm swept through the area. Bostonist said goodbye to John Kerry's plans... more ›

We heart Club Foot. We might be a little biased since, years and years ago, you could find us checking IDs and slinging the occasional drink there, but we’re reasonably sure that the bar is pretty easy for anyone to fall in love with. We don’t know if it’s the walls festooned with equal parts toys and rock and/or roll memorabilia, or the crowds hungry to have fun, or the kick ass tunes the rotating cast of DJs always seem to sling, that make the place such a personal hit, but we do know there’s no other place like it in the city. more ›

Two Chicago pop-punk faves are ringing in the New Year* at The Metro. Swoon-worthy gods of the mall, Alkaline Trio will be headlining the evening, but they’ve enlisted the aid of legendary, and recently regrouped, locals The Smoking Popes to insure that everyone is happy, no matter which camp they belong to. We personally admit to enjoying both bands, even if we think neither is in their heyday any longer. Each group’s winning melodies, no... more ›

Tim Nordwind; Bassist, OK Go more ›

Mondays are usually the official punk rock nights at Delilah’s, but tomorrow you can see Bad Brains bring its D.C. hardcore punk to the joint, via a new DVD of its Live at CBGB’s set from 1982. more ›

Celebrate Ben Franklin's 300th birthday with the Bikini Bandits and Phillyist! (NSFW). Speaking of Mr. Franklin, send in a picture of Ben (or Ed Rendell) with a red tongue and win a free t-shirt. And they might have the next YearlyKos in Philly. more ›

Chicagoist awakened Sunday morning to grey skies and rain. Luckily, Day Two of the Intonation Music Festival was anything but dreary. Following are some recaps of the performances that we liked best (and, boy, narrowing that down was a hard decision). Before the clouds even had a chance to dissipate, we were blown away by the Tyrades. Finally, a pure and simple punk band. We loved Jenna Tyrade's screams and the whole band's assaultive attitude.... more ›

We enjoy hot and sweaty rock and/or roll which is why we readily admit we’re rabid fans of The Riverboat Gamblers. Watching their live show is akin to playing a frenzied game of Addams Family pinball on speed. Singer Mike Wiebe takes his cues from James Newell Osterberg, Jr., copping all of his best moves sans cliché or ironic intent, and sets the blender to crush/kill/destroy. The band's first album was a cauldron of hotblast... more ›

We enjoy getting all fall down drunk just as much as the next guy, but we’re not so fond of doing it surrounded by a bunch of amateurs. This makes St. Patrick’s Day a bit of a conundrum since this evening seems to bring out an enormous number of idiots blaming their bad behavior on their “love o’ the Irish.” Luckily for us there is an annual option to embrace in lieu of sitting huddled in a corner, rocking back and forth, just waiting for the legions that can’t hold their liquor to finally pass out and sleep it off. more ›

"[We’re] reminding the kids that there is another way of life, that you don't have to be Britney Spears. Trying to get 16-year-old girls to pick up guitars instead of hot pants. Or guitars and hot pants." The source of that quote is Justine Frischmann, lead singer of the punk rock band Elastica (ask your older brother about them; then ask your cool uncle to tell you about Wire). One could argue whether Elastica was... more ›

Brendan Canty where have you gone? On the road with Bob Mould to work your ass off. Thursday’s show at the Metro reminded Chicagoist why we live for live music. Also touring with Bob this round are Rich Morel on keyboards and Jason Narducy of Verbow and Rockets Over Sweden. more ›

Outside of iPods in the gym, it’s rare that physical fitness and rock and roll intersect. Frankly, Chicagoist prefers it this way, as the results can be a bit dicey. Sure there’s punk rock aerobics, but there’s also sweatin’ to the oldies. more ›

Today is Independence Day in India and Pakistan. In 1947, the independent nations of India and Pakistan were born after a decades-long struggle for freedom against colonial rule. Finally it was time to shout: The British Are Leaving! The British Are Leaving! Chicagoland's Independence Day celebrations will take place tomorrow, Tuesday the 16th, at Daley Plaza downtown, from noon to 3pm. Join the celebrants for food, vendors, and speeches galore. Hopefully someone will recite... more ›

Punk rock manager and band wrangler Danny Fields once said “when the music moves from the music section to the front page of the newspaper, you’re in trouble.” By that measure, R. Kelly’s been in trouble for a while. But there was good news for him in both sections of the papers this week. more ›