Minneapolis-based PHO is comprised of Arthur “LA” Buckner (drummer), Spencer Christensen (guitarist), Joe Paris (guitar), Luke Ibach (bass), Aaron Levin (tenor sax/flute), Lukas Skrove (trumpet/flugel horn) and Patrick Horigan (keyboardist). Don’t let the fact that these cats look young-enough-to-get-carded fool you; they are a bonafide funk machine plus. Perhaps in theory, the formula sounds simple:… Continue reading PHO Live in Chicago | 3/10/17 | Review
Louisiana natives Sweet Crude brought their up-beat, drum-heavy pop sound to a quiet corner of Soho on Monday night. The band took the stage at the Ludlow House, a members-only club that the lead singer of the band, Sam Croft, referred to as “a weird freaky place with no signage” – calling out its nondescript… Continue reading Sweet Crude | Ludlow House | Review
It’s a winter night in Manhattan and the three members of Edison are unloading their gear in the exclusive underground stage of the infamous Rockwood Music Hall. There’s an electric excitement buzzing between them – the kind that only comes when you’re busy doing what you love. After this show they’ll load their gear back… Continue reading Edison | Rockwood Music Hall | Review
In a three-set, five hour night of music at the Warfield Theatre on February 25 that began with an unusual David Nelson Band performance, the current, proficient Melvin Seals and JGB turned in an fine set before giving way to special band roster, also led by monster organist Seals, but with the addition of Stu… Continue reading Melvin Seals & JGB | The Warfield | 2/25/17
The original rhythm section of the seminal Swamp Rock pioneer band, Creedence Clearwater Revival, brought to life an arsenal of classic rock and blues tunes, Thursday night, February 23 at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez. The packed Samala Showroom burst into a cacophony of light, sound, and multimedia, right on time at 8… Continue reading Creedence Clearwater Revisited Rock The Chumash Casino Resort
How many lead guitarists does it take for one to sufficiently experience Jimi Hendrix? Well, according to the Experience Hendrix Tour that rolled through the Mondavi Center in Davis, California, on Feb. 22, the correct answer is seven. Now gone for 46 years, the music and legend of Jimi Hendrix, still recognized as among the… Continue reading Experience Hendrix Tour | Davis, California
The stars seem to be aligning for John Craigie, a Portland-based songwriter whose stripped down and relatable songs are a refreshing dose of Americana in our saturated musical landscape. Craigie was recently picked by Jack Johnson to open for the West Coast leg of his Summer 2017 tour. This announcement comes after Johnson sat in… Continue reading John Craigie | "No Rain, No Rose" | Review
Sunday February 26, Julian Lage & Chris “Critter” Eldridge from The Punch Brothers performed a 90 minute duet guitar repertoire for a sold out house at Old Town School of Music, Chicago. One could here a pin drop as the audience was so intensely focused on every nuance, passage, and improvisational direction. It is hard… Continue reading Julian Lage & Chris Eldridge live at Old Town School of Folk Music
In the fall of 1991, the Jerry Garcia Band embarked on its first extensive Fall Tour since 1984. The previous year, Jerry Garcia had kept his band close to their West Coast home base, with San Francisco’s Warfield Theatre serving as their sanctuary. While 1990 and 1991 are widely celebrated as exceptional years for… Continue reading Garcialive Volume 8: 11/23/91 | Review
Billy Bragg stopped through Chicago as a one off concert en route home from his performance at Kansas City Folk Festival 2017. A perfect setting, Old Town School of Folk provided an intimate stage for this sold out show. Solo with only his guitars and a mic, Bragg delivers so much punch. Again proving lyrics… Continue reading Billy Bragg | Old Town School of Folk Music
