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| basement tapes | concert reviews | cd reviews | interviews | ticket swap | music news |
 By Andy Argyrakis |
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Weekend Report: Keys' second night stand, Isaak croons for the New Year
Friday, January 1, 2010 Last night, the Black Keys said goodnight to 2009, but tonight, the Akron, Ohio based pair says hello to 2010. While year ending shows are generally quite the party, the day after always means a much cheaper ticket price and a chance to see a band with true fans, rather than those amateurs looking for a hip night out on the town. However, let's hope the grueling garage rockers aren't hung over from the revelry, though then again, that could add an unusual dimension to its blues-entranced jams. (Bet your life - Friday at Riviera Theatre- Chicago, IL: www.jamusa.com). No matter where fans fall on the sobriety scale, they're sure to see Chris Isaak all the way up from the rafters thanks to the sparkling, sequined suit he'll no doubt be sporting. Currently touring in support of last year's Mr. Lucky (Reprise),  expect plenty of hip swirling, lip curling and good old fashioned, ultra-sophisticated crooning. (Worth a shot - Friday at House of Blues- Chicago, IL: www.ticketmaster.com).He probably makes more money as a producer for pop tarts like Avril Lavigne, but Butch Walker's also a power pop star in his own right. Best known in that underground scene for leading the Marvelous 3, plan on monstrous melodies and infectious ditties oozing with Cheap Trick-inspired textures. (Worth a shot - Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at Schubas- Chicago, IL: www.schubas.com). |
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Street Week: A tale of two DVDs and a coffee table book
Monday, December 28, 2009 Even after ten years together sold during its initial incarnation and over 35 million albums sold, Creed never released a concert DVD until its reunion tour in 2009. Creed Live (Dc3 Music Group) follows the foursome getting back together with all previous tensions transferred into a pummeling hard rock road show. Filmed in Houston in front of over 18,000 attendees, the disc defies convention with an astounding high definition shoot directed by the venerable Daniel E. Catullo III (Rush, Smashing Pumpkins, Nickelback). Though the British Invasion boasted a plethora of bands that literally exploded overnight and disappeared the next day, a handful actually endured with incredible influence and longevity. Of course there were The Beatles, but others from that same era like The Kinks, The Animals and The Zombies were also major players in shaping the sounds of the  1960s, in turn, rubbing off on the Brit-pop movement from the '90s through today. In fact, that latter act is still alive and thriving as documented on its new DVD The Zombies: Odessey & Oracle (Revisited): The 40th Anniversary Concert (MVD Visual).If any rock n' roll band deserves a coffee table book fit for royalty, it's Queen in all its Freddie Mercury-led grandeur. And across nearly 300 pages and more than 400 rare and newly unearthed photos, Queen: The Ultimate Illustrated History of the Crown Kings of Rock (Voyageur Press) not only lives up to its title, but provides an exhaustive overview of the group's legendary lineage. Author Phil Sutcliffe interviewed the band back in the day, but also provides updated assessments of the group's pop culture conquest. Of course, mere words don't do a band with such color and costumes as Queen justice, which is why every turn of the page is all the more alluring. |
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