Category: Music

Twenty years ago, I was a 17-year-old punk wandering outside of Soldier Field in Chicago with some friends, hearing some strange music from inside and witnessing an even stranger scene in the parking lot, having no idea what a “jam band” was or the scene that it entailed. We never…

Last weekend I completed a trifecta of shows – three in eight days (#THANKYOUWIFE). It started with The Gaslight Anthem at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago on Thursday, October 16th, who are touring in support of their excellent, if a touch ballad-y, new album Get Hurt. The New Jersey-bred lads…

I’ve seen some great bands on back-to-back Fridays in Chicago. First, Dropkick Murphy’s at the Aragon Ballroom on February 22. This was my seventh or eighth time seeing the American-Celtic punk bank from Boston (technically Quincy) and they never seem to disappoint. The band is best known for their “I’m…

Last month I made one of my frequent pilgrimages to Alpine Valley in Wisconsin to once again see my boys Phish, and as usual, they did not disappoint. For those who have never been, I recommend checking out one of the best jam bands (and in my opinion bands) of…