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| basement tapes | concert reviews | cd reviews | interviews | ticket swap | music news |
 By Andy Argyrakis |
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Weekend Report: B96's Jingle Bash, XRT's all-star Christmas
Friday, December 11, 2009 Every year 93XRT's Christmas concert grows in size, making this year's "Big Holiday Show" a fitting title. Headliners The Flaming Lips are literally bringing a larger than life spectacle to the occasion, amping up its production from previous years to include even more confetti, costumes and craziness. Dance/rockers Phoenix should have no problem setting the festive tone, though opener Pete Yorn is worth skipping thanks to his snooze worthy new tunes. (Worth a shot - Friday at Allstate Arena- Rosemont, IL: www.ticketmaster.com). Speaking of holiday shows, the B96 Jingle Bash gears up the following night boasting a plethora of tween and teen-friendly acts spanning Disney pop, dance, hip-hop and rap. Though the list of performers is long  (including Jeremih, Justin Bieber, Keri Hilson, Pitbull, Sean Kingston), none are up to proper headliners' status. (Fan club only - Saturday at Allstate Arena- Rosemont, IL: www.ticketmaster.com).In the world of cover bands, very few are worth catching outside a crowded bar, but American English is recognized worldwide as one of the best Beatles tribute bands. That's because the Fab Four imitators perform a career spanning set, complete with accurate costumes, while sounding pretty close to the original act. Bill mates Infinity tip towards the commercial dial from the 1980s, basically spanning Boston to Bon Jovi. (Worth a shot - Saturday at The Venue at Horseshoe Casino- Hammond, IN: www.thevenuechicago.com). |
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Street Week: Brown attempts a comeback, Timbaland's new compilation
Monday, December 7, 2009 As one of this year's biggest public relations disasters, Chris Brown's become a bad boy of R&B known even more for the headlines than his music. But the incredibly famous turned infamous artist is attempting a comeback throughout Graffiti (Jive) with a little help from guest artists like Lil Wayne, Trey Songz, Swizz Beatz and others. Controversy aside, Brown's no stranger to the charts and will likely land somewhere towards the top, if only for curiosity's sake. Super producer Timbaland is known for producing the likes of Justin Timberlake, Madonna, Nelly Furtado and everyone in between. These days, he's turning in a new compilation of artists he's working  with via Shock Value II (Blackground Records), featuring a plethora of today's top stars. Expect to hear collaborations with Daughtry, The Fray, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Drake and a reprise from Timberlake.Movie soundtracks are often a mixed bag of genres and artists, which is a tradition kept by The People Speak (Verve). After kicking off with Bob Dylan's "Do Re Mi," everyone from soul star John Legend to bluesman Taj Mahal to the roots rocking side of Bruce Springsteen appears on the album. As for the flick itself, executive producer Chris Moore says "The People Speak will do for a new generation. Writing speeches and books is one way to bring about change; music is another. There is a long history of music serving as an inspiration for others to stand up and make a difference. One song can affect people unlike anything else." |
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