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Ultimate Painting at the Hideout
The British duo Ultimate Painting keeps turning out one splendid record after another — three albums in the past three years. James Hoare and Jack Cooper’s newest collection, Dusk (on Chicago label...
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Joan Shelley at the Hideout
Joan Shelley’s album Over and Even was my favorite record of 2015, , so of course I’m thrilled to hear that she’s working on a new album. She mentioned this during her concert on Saturday, Dec. 3, at...
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Favorite Albums of 2016
1. David Bowie: Blackstar The year began with the sound of David Bowie, sounding as alien and inventive as he ever had. The mysterious and wondrous title track that opened his new album, “Blackstar,”...
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Favorite Concerts of 2016
1. Bill Callahan Bill Callahan Sept. 26 during the Cropped Out festival at the American Turners Club in Louisville. After 7 p.m., as the sun was going down, Callahan walked out onto the American Turner...
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Mirror of Nature at the Hungry Brain
I’ve written before about my friend Jason Shanley, who performs guitar and electronic music under the name Cinchel. He is part of a new group called Mirror of Nature, which performed a cool set of...
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Big Thief at Schubas
The Brooklyn band Big Thief released a great album last year called Masterpiece — and the group, led by singer-songwriter-guitarist Adrianne Lenker, was even more impressive in concert last week at...
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Seven Years of Robbie Fulks at the Hideout on Mondays
Robbie Fulks performs during the second show of his Hideout residency, on February 8, 2010. In January 2010, Chicago’s Hideout announced that singer-songwriter-guitarist Robbie Fulks was going to play...
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Robbie Fulks’ Final Hideout Residency Shows: Photo Gallery
My photos of the final three shows in Robbie Fulks’ seven-year-long series of Monday-night concerts at the Hideout. (Read my blog post about the finale of Fulks’ epic residency.) February 6, 2017: With...
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Thigh Master at the Hideout
Thigh Master, a rock band from Brisbane, Australia, played on Friday, March 10, at the Hideout — and like so many of the Australian bands I’ve heard lately, these guys played scrappy garage rock. I did...
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Big Ears: Photos from Day 1
Photos from Day 1 of the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee, on March 23, 2017. (See more Big Ears Festival coverage) Carla Bley with the Knoxville Jazz Orchestra Emilia Amper Matana Roberts...
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Big Ears: Photos from Day 2
Photos from Day 2 of the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee, on March 24, 2017. (See more Big Ears Festival coverage) Maya Beiser Matmos Performing Robert Ashley’s Perfect Lives (Private Parts)...
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Big Ears: Photos from Day 3
Photos from Day 3 of the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee, on March 25, 2017. (See more Big Ears Festival coverage) Lisa Moore Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble Xiu Xiu Plays the Music of...
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Big Ears: Photos from Day 4
Photos from Day 4 of the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee, on March 26, 2017. (See more Big Ears Festival coverage) Pauline Oliveros’ ‘Rock Piece’ Knoxville Symphony Orchestra Directed by Aram...
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Big Ears: Photos of Wilco
(See more Big Ears Festival coverage) Wilco March 24, 2017, at the Tennessee Theatre Jeff Tweedy with Chikamorachi March 25, 2017, at the Mill and Mine — Chikamorachi is Darin Gray (upright bass) and...
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Big Ears: Photos of the Gavin Bryars Ensemble
(See more Big Ears Festival coverage) March 25, 2017, at St. John’s Cathedral Performing Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet on March 26, 2017, at the Mill and Mine Performing The Sinking of the Titanic...
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Big Ears: Photos of Nils Økland
(See more Big Ears Festival coverage) Nils Økland Band March 24, 2017, at St. John’s Cathedral Nils Økland and Mats Eilertsen March 26, 2017, at the Standard More Big Ears Festival coverage: Read my...
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Big Ears Festival 2017
(Links to Big Ears Festival photo galleries) The Norwegian composer and violinist Nils Økland summed up the spirit of the Big Ears Festival when he spoke to the big crowd applauding his music at St....
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Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds at Detroit’s Masonic Temple
Why did I go to Detroit to see Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, rather than attending their concert next week in Chicago? Well, for one thing, I wanted an excuse for a road trip to Detroit. But I also...
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Negative Scanner and Sweet Cobra at Bric-a-Brac
Negative Scanner — one of my favorite rock bands in Chicago these days — played a great free show on Saturday, June 10, at Bric-a-Brac Records. It was part of the fourth anniversary party at...
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Solid Sound Festival 2017
As promised, Wilco performed its 1996 album Being There from beginning to end on Friday, June 23. Being There had won an online poll asking Wilco fans which of the band’s records it should perform on...
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