Its delightful to come across a band with mass amounts of emotion and passion in their playing, expressing it in live performances. Tea Leaf Green is one of those bands, that gathers a unique life force through their music. They have redefined present day jam-rock and appealed to audiences accustomed ...view article

Wintertime in the windy city is a rough experience for the residents, one positive that comes from the snowfall and bitter cold can be the opportunity to groove to the amazing music that stumbles through the city. This notion proved to be so when the Kinetic Playground sported a 3 night run of spectacular ...view article

Umphrey’s McGee has graced almost every stage of significance in their hometown of Chicago.  So when the opportunity arises to see them in a new venue there is a palpable sense of excitement and expectation. Such was the mood when guitarists Brendan Bayliss and Jake Cinninger followed up their ...view article

With a brisk start to November in Chicago, a crowds outside the House of Blues barred the chilly winds for a late night party. Conspirator, featuring Aron Magner and Marc Bownstien of the Disco Biscuits as well as BoomBox, a breakthrough duo featuring Russ Randolph and Zion Rock Godchaux. These bands ...view article

Well, the final day of the Summer Camp Music Festival was upon us.  How fast time flies when you’re having fun.  Today, it looked like some of the shows I wanted to see where over at the Starshine Stage, clear on the far side of the park.  Another day of intensive walking, and my dogs were killing ...view article

In 1969, Jerry Garcia wanted an outlet to play pedal steel and John “Marmaduke” Dawson was looking to get his songs out to the San Francisco music scene and general American public. This was the evolution of the New Riders of the Purple Sage and they have trotted onward like cowboys on horseback ...view article

I have been fortunate to see Umphrey’s McGee in 16 states across this great nation. Living on the west coast I have not had the opportunity to see many shows on the eastern shore of the United States. Luckily I have met a whole host of fellow Umphfreaks in my travels and was able to find some friends ...view article

With toils and trouble all through Chicago, there was only one concert that could spook like no other. Down in the loop there brewed chaos as witches, zombies, ghosts, ghouls and even Max (from Where the Wild Things Are) s wormed the Auditorium Theater looking for life in the night. Antsy, wide eyed ...view article

When we woke up at the hotel Sunday morning it was raining hard.  It looked like it had been raining all night.  When we left the festival the previous evening things were really muddy, and we figured it was going to be even worse today.  We checked the schedule and saw that things were getting ...view article

Bluegrass in my mind is envisioned as a small town gathered together to enjoy a knee slap and a yee- haw as well as to enjoy the simple subtleties of the strings while letting the worries of everyday life be lifted with the steps and spins of dancing. Hot Buttered Rum with the Coop opening at Clearwater ...view article