On the
rainy night of September 6th, I had the pleasure of going to see Ben
Harper and the Innocent Criminals play at the historical Chicago Theatre. It may not be possible to not be in awe
regardless of who is performing when you enter into the beautiful Chicago
Theatre. However, Harper and the
Innocent Criminals let the theatre be only a background to great show they put
on that night.
Continue reading "Ben Harper and The Innocent Criminals: Chicago, IL 09.06.07" »
After attending my first Lollapalooza at Grant Park in Chicago for its entire
three-day span, let’s just say it has become my new favorite weekend of the
year. My friends and I have decided that
there needs to be a Lolla at least once a month. That would be amazing. The only minor downfall was that after
spending three days running around in the blistering hot sun, I got pretty sick
the week after and spent more time laying around than I like to. But I am still not complaining and would like
to point out the fact that it was well worth it.
Jack's Mannequin
Continue reading "Lollapalooza August 4th-6th Chicago, IL" »
2007 marks the fifth anniversary of my attendance at the Vans Warped Tour. It's weird to think that I still get excited about going to the same summer concert that I did when I was only 15, but ever since my first time, I have been hooked. Warped is more than just a tour, I really think that it is growing more and more to represent a large subculture of our younger generation. After spending a week on the tour last year with one of my best friends and a record label that we were interning with, I fell even more in love with it. And after going this past Saturday, I thought to myself "why didn't I try to work the whole tour this summer?" As an added bonus that you get to listen to countless bands playing fun music, it really is just a bunch of mostly 20-something year old kids hanging out and having a good time. Why wouldn't I want to be a part of it? Kevin Lyman, if you happen to read this, I'd really love to work for you next summer after I get my degree. Anyway...
Me and my friend Caitie on stage during Bayside
Continue reading "Warped Tour Chicago, IL 07.28.07" »
Interestingly enough, as I ended my last blog entry with the
idea that I was definitely ready for “some more METAL,” I didn’t have the
upcoming Sounds of the Underground show in mind. I did, however, get what I had hoped
for! SOTU has been a nationwide tour
since 2005 and although on a smaller scale, is almost a rival tour for
Ozzfest. Despite 10+ hours consisting of
15+ metal, hardcore, and metalcore bands seeming like almost too much for
anyone to handle, the 3000 capacity Congress Theatre sold at least 2000
tickets, and for most people there, it was probably worth every penny of the
$30 spent.
Job For A Cowboy
Continue reading "Sounds of the Underground @ Congress Theatre: Chicago, IL 07.23.07" »
It has always been a curiosity of mine to see a heavy metal hair band
live in concert, but until now, I have never been provoked to actually
do so. Although this is not music I listen to on a daily basis, I
definitely enjoyed seeing the glam band Poison play live, and even
recognized most of their songs... I'm not surprised considering they
were at the peak of their popularity while I was growing up. My most
favorite part of going to a show that I wouldn't ordinarily attend is
recognizing the crowd's enthusiasm and even fanaticism. When you're a
big fan yourself, you don't usually notice these things. So let me
tell you, there are more than a few HUGE poison fans out there.
Continue reading "Poison, Ratt, and Vains of Jenna in Tinley Park, IL 07.17.07" »
Whether or not Summer Fest really is "the world's largest music
festival," it has to be one of the most interesting. On my way to
watch the extremely influential punk band Social Distortion, I walked
past stages blaring with music from every genre, including R&B
singer Ne-Yo and even the popular 70's band Heart, where my parents
were actually in the crowd watching. How could you not appreciate a
festival that celebrates musical variety?
Continue reading "Social Distortion at Summer Fest, Milwaukee" »
Southern California heartthrob Andrew McMahon definitely ended the opening night of Milwaukee's annual Summer Fest on a good note... literally. His incredibly melodic piano skills are unlike any of today's numerous piano rock bands, and for a full hour, Jack's Mannequin had everyone standing on bleachers and singing along into the late summer night.

Being an avid Something Corporate fan throughout high school, I had no
less than the highest expectations of a live performance from McMahon's
new band, and I was definitely not disappointed. After a long and
serious battle with leukemia, it is more than impressive that he is
still able to woo any crowd with his amazing talent and stage
presence. Perhaps his relaxed persona was due to a little alcohol,
"don't mind the Jager, I'm a little nervous," but his flawless
performance would never let you tell.
Continue reading "Jack's Mannequin Sets the Mood for Summer Fest 2007" »