After the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that brought Nepal to its knees this April, the world witnessed an outpouring of humanity’s generosity; and now Chicago will see even more of it, up close. Albatross, one of the top alt-rock bands from hard-hit Kathmandu (they won both Best Performance by a Group or a Duo with Vocals and Best Rock Vocal Performance at the Hits FM Awards in Nepal last year), is now on a tour of ten U.S. cities to raise funds for earthquake relief programs. Influenced by international groups like Pearl Jam and Foo Fighters, the four-man rock band, formed in 1998, aims most of their songs (such as “Ma Ra Malai” and “Farki Farki”) at their frustration with the political situation in Nepal. Though we may not all speak the same language, when it comes to music there is no limitation on communication; and Albatross demonstrates this with rock music from the other side of the world that gets your feet tapping and your head banging. You’ll also be helping those who still don’t have proper clothes to wear, food to eat or clean water to drink. That’s the power of music. Jai Nepal! (Nirajan Khadga)
September 17 at Reggies Rock Club, 2105 South State, (312)949-0120. $18-$23, 21+.
Brutal Finesse: A Preview of King Crimson at Ravinia There have been few new compositions from King Crimson these past two decades, but the live arrangements of songs from its catalog are often strikingly different than the recorded versions.
For “Want” of a Change: A Preview of Rufus Wainwright at Ravinia Park Rufus Wainwright isn’t the first singer-songwriter to reinterpret earlier work through an orchestral lens. And much of Wainwright’s third and fourth albums, “Want One” and “Want Two”—whose twentieth anniversaries are the prompt for this new tour—is fully scored. But when Wainwright hits the Pavilion stage at Ravinia tonight, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra will be behind him.
Cooling It: A Preview of Colleen Green at Cole’s Bar When Green strums power chords or chiming notes on top of her backing track, you might think you’re at Ramones karaoke night and Madonna is taking her turn.
