By Dave Cantor

“I’m actually walking around in my garden right now,” says William Elliott Whitmore, an adept guitarist and banjo player, from his Iowa farm when reached by phone. “I like planting seeds and watching things grow. That’s what I enjoy writing about most,” he continues in a slight accent, connecting his rural surroundings to music the singer’s issued over the last eight years. “A lot of people don’t know much about Iowa, so I let ‘em know what it might be like to be here. I actually just started growing my own hops to make beer. That’s been a cool horticultural experiment.” Read the rest of this entry »

The Beatles at Comiskey Park, 1965

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Given that Paul McCartney performed at the old Comiskey Park in August 1965 with the Fab Four, and concluded his 1989-90 tour—the first where he performed Beatles material since the band was together—at the old Soldier Field in July 1990, it seems only fair that Wrigley Field now gets its chance with two McCartney shows in the original ivy-covered park. Of course, a ballpark that didn’t add lights and only hosted day games for nearly seventy-five years has yet to experience anything quite like the night commotion that the former Beatle will likely bring to Wrigleyville. And having covered a McCartney show in a ballpark some years back where it rained the entire show, rest assured that unlike baseball, there will be no rain delays nor rain checks: nor can umbrellas be brought into the park. People sat there, and got wet. And barely noticed or cared. Read the rest of this entry »

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Before ever having released an album sporting his name as the top-billed player, Ricky Skaggs had already performed alongside Ralph Stanley, Flatt and Scruggs, J.D. Crowe and Emmylou Harris. Spanning bluegrass’ history, Skaggs also had the fortune to live through the early rock era’s pinnacle. Drawing from fifties and sixties styled players wouldn’t really impact his performances until a bit later in his career, but perhaps it prodded Skaggs to take up electric guitar after having already mastered mandolin and fiddle. Armed with the ability to perform any instrument he’d need to include on an album, Skaggs set out as a band leader, jettisoning his ensemble Boone Creek, and issued 1979’s “Sweet Temptation.” Read the rest of this entry »

If Hendrix were a weirdo-SoCal resident dressed up with a KFC carry-out container on his head, he’d have been Buckethead. The masked performer has been releasing albums since the early nineties, a ridiculous number. But since no two recordings sound all that similar, there’s actually a reason for such output. With a wild variety of sounds coming from Buckethead and whoever he’s decided to include as his backing group, the guitarist’s core audience is any manner of stoic music geek interested in collaborations with the funk cognoscenti, to some stoner metal-heads who get off at seeing a bucket-wearing gear-hound play arpeggios. Early on during the guitarist’s career, he was already reasonably renowned for shredding and tapped to join Praxis, which included bassist Bootsy Collins, keyboard player Bernie Worrell and Primus’ drummer Brain. The recordings that ensued reined in some of Buckethead’s more indulgent inclinations, resulting in the band’s ability to smoothly assimilate the guitarist’s soloing, the rhythm section’s funk and a handful of dub. The concoction, on paper, sounds like a number of other ill-fated super groups and countless crossover attempts. But a balance is struck on tracks like “Dead Man Walking,” which retains a nervy sense of aggression while mining deeply grooved rhythms. Read the rest of this entry »

Bryn Terfel

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It has been seven years since Bryn Terfel last sang in Chicago. The Welsh bass-baritone superstar has severely curtailed his American appearances and the Met has been his first priority when he does come to the States. This week Terfel makes his long-awaited return to Chicago at Ravinia, where he had several early career triumphs.

Terfel will sing the role of Scarpia in a concert version of Puccini’s “Tosca” with soprano Patricia Racette in the title role and Italian tenor Salvatore Licitra as Cavaradossi, with Ravinia music director James Conlon conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (not the CSO chorus, however, in another Ravinia cost-cutting move).

The title and most popular aria (“Vissi d’arte”) may belong to Tosca, but in many ways, this is Scarpia’s opera, and Terfel is known for his blood-curdling portrayal and for the way that he toys with Tosca and creates sadistic sexual tension with her. Read the rest of this entry »

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Pretty much every band proclaims that the recording of a new album entails trying something utterly new. For the most part, that’s nonsense. North Carolina’s Corrosion of Conformity, as its name hints, actively works towards confounding listeners, moving from its early thrash to metal and, as of 2005’s “In The Arms Of God,” even including a bit of funky percussion from Stanton Moore, best known for his contributions to NOLA’s Galactic. Despite the endless procession of stylistic shift-ups, COC’s still best remembered as being one of the early eighties’ metal/hardcore crossover provocateurs. 1983′s “Eye for an Eye” put the Southerners squarely at hardcore’s apex, drawing from the harDCore thing in the nation’s capitol as much from delinquent skateboarders on the West Coast. Read the rest of this entry »

Tyler Jon Tyler

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The Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival differentiates itself from other Chicago street fests by placing a focus on exploration of the many independent art galleries in the neighborhood. However, it is worth getting to Logan Square even if it’s just to see some of the great local bands that will be playing. Here are a few highlights of the more-than-forty bands playing over the course of the three days. On Friday, there’s sure to be a dance party when JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound, whose explosive jams gained attention on Numero Group’s Eccentric Soul Revue tour in 2009, perform at 9pm. You can hear two different takes on psychedelic pop earlier in the evening: at 6pm, the dreamy Secret Colours, Columbia College students and Brian Jonestown Massacre fans; while at 8pm, the more uptempo, garage-tinged Outer Minds plays. On Saturday at 6pm, hear the garage girl-group Hollows, and the ubiquitous White Mystery at 9pm. Sunday kills it with Black Math playing its dark and densely layered yet melodic synth pop at 7pm, followed by Tyler Jon Tyler, often labeled garage pop, but whose excellent EP stood out for its uncommonly earnest and addictive songs. (Rachel Lazar)

North Milwaukee between California and Kimball, July 29, 4pm-11pm; July 30-31, noon-11pm. $10 for three-day admission.

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The Miami four-piece Torche is one of those “Dirty Southern” metal bands that can easily be filed alongside the likes of Baroness, Mastodon and Kylesa. What these bands have in common is that they are all unashamedly heavy, with their feet firmly planted in the sludge metal genre, but are progressive enough in their outlook to engulf myriad other influences to create a sound that appeals beyond the typical metal fan base. Torche’s crushingly heavy drop-tuned riffs and thunderous bass parts, which have made up their back catalog, blend with a sense of melody and pop sensibility that makes their songs exceedingly catchy. Read the rest of this entry »

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Even a cursory listen to the Black Crowes’ 2009 “Before the Frost” and its countrified companion “Until The Freeze” displays a Chris Robinson with a somewhat diminished singing voice. He retains a noticeable stash of Georgia in his performances, what Mick Jagger was angling at fifty years ago. The various incarnations of Robinson’s other road bands, each basically modeled on his best-known group, have steadily moved away from anything resembling concise song-craft, further embracing a stoned seventies vibe, working Grateful Dead covers into live sets. New Earth Mud, Robinson’s first post-Crowes ensemble, issued a few well-received albums, toured to its fan-base, but was supplanted by a brief Crowes reunion, resulting in the aforementioned recordings. For the Chris Robinson Brotherhood, its namesake picks up a few session players and a disenfranchised guitarist from Ryan Adams’ Cardinals. Basically, Robinson again creates a musical atmosphere capable of reigning in his most hippiefied inclinations while still dispensing sturdy hard rock. Read the rest of this entry »

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For those seeking relief from this excruciating heat, let the new work of folk crooner Cass McCombs wash over you like a bucket of cool water. No, it’s not the same as standing in front of a blasting air conditioner vent, but for the musical mind, it has a similar effect.

McCombs has returned to his onetime home on his tour supporting his new album, “Wit’s End,” which was released in May. He has walked back through the door—or sauntered, rather—calm and composed. This new work hangs in a much lower and more somber place than before, requiring full attention from the listener, or rather full immersion. Without this, the bubbling blister of emotion beneath these songs won’t pop. Read the rest of this entry »