For some years now, I’ve been writing essays for Chicago altweekly NewCity, previewing upcoming shows in and around the city. The essays are a kind of boiled-down biography and critical assessment (every once in awhile including interview quotes), and I’ve covered a wide variety of acts. A full list is here, but below are links to some specific essays.
- Adam Ant
- The Airplane Family
- The Allah-Las
- Peter Asher
- Brian Auger
- The B-52’s
- Joan Baez
- Tab Benoit
- California Guitar Trio + Montréal Guitar Trio
- Peter Case
- Kasey Chambers
- The Church
- The Claudettes
- Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven
- The Damned
- Drive-By Truckers
- Kat Edmonson
- Jeff Lynne’s ELO
- Tinsley Ellis
- Alejandro Escovedo
- Fantastic Negrito
- Fleetwood Mac
- Gang of Four
- Gin Blossoms
- Margaret Glaspy
- Guided by Voices
- Steve Gunn
- Jimmy Herring
- Hiss Golden Messenger
- Robyn Hitchcock
- Eilen Jewell
- The King Khan & BBQ Show
- The Marcus King Band
- Jim Lauderdale
- The Lemon Twigs
- Lollapalooza 2016
- Lollapalooza 2017
- Nick Lowe with Los Straitjackets
- Marillion
- John Mayall
- Mekons
- Mike Mills
- Mud Morganfield
- The Musical Box
- The Mystery Lights
- Nektar
- Mike Nesmith and Micky Dolenz
- The O’Connor Band
- Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy
- Postmodern Jukebox
- Procol Harum
- Project/Object
- Todd Rundgren’s Utopia
- Savoy Brown
- Shonen Knife
- Sloan (2016)
- Sloan (2018)
- Patti Smith
- The Smithereens
- Esperanza Spalding
- Wesley Stace
- Sting
- Allen Stone
- Straight No Chaser
- The Struts (2016)
- The Struts (2018)
- Supersuckers
- Matthew Sweet
- Teenage Fanclub
- Tedeschi Trucks Band
- Tennis
- They Might be Giants
- Tortoise
- Nicholas Tremulis
- The Tubes
- KT Tunstall
- UFO
- The Vibrators
- The Vulgar Boatmen
- Kamasi Washington
- Keller Williams
- David Wilcox
- Brian Wilson
- Steven Wilson
- The Edgar Winter Band
- Wreckless Eric
- Yes featuring Anderson, Rabin & Wakeman (formerly ARW)
- Dweezil Zappa