Author: Derek Smith

An intimate evening of acoustic mastery, where the quietest moments spoke the loudest, as Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes) and MC Taylor (Hiss Golden Messenger) mesmerized the Chicago crowd with stripped-down performances that left a lasting impression.

Illiterate Light defies expectations by reshaping their songs live, creating unique, dynamic performances that stand apart from their studio recordings. With genre-bending music and eco-conscious initiatives like The Bike Stage at Newport Folk Festival, they continue to forge a new path in both sound and sustainability.

Music is often the great equalizer. And for two and a half hours on a beautiful November evening in Chicago, it was just that as the Truckers revisited the entirety of ‘Southern Rock Opera.’ Interspersed throughout the songs, Hood was not afraid to draw parallels between the issues addressed in the 2001 album and those that still permeate through America today.

Small stage, big stage, it doesn’t matter because Ostrander always delivers the goods. The Halloween show was no exception as the band ripped through 14 songs from each of his four albums.

Both bands are currently on tour together, co-headlining the Zen Diagram Tour with special guest Lucius. The tour recently stopped in Chicago for a show at The United Center.

Fusing Hall’s straightforward musical influences and stellar harp with quirky lyrics and often ethereal effects, ‘Did We Come Here to Dance’ is a delightfully original and fun album.

Supporting his eleventh solo release and first on German label Ruf Records, American blues rock singer, songwriter and guitarist Alastair Greene stomped out the doldrums and kickstarted the week for those fans in attendance at the intimate live music venue in Evanston, Illinois known as SPACE.   

And based on the smiles coming from Daltrey himself all night at Ravinia, it seems as if the fans continue to warm his heart, too.

Childers is a captivating live performer, capable of pulling his fans closer to him with each song rather than getting lost in the expanse of the larger arena.   

The symmetry between the two was on full display at Ravinia, an outdoor music venue north of Chicago. Plant and Krauss proved that while many male-female duos have come before them, few if any have done it better.