Philadelphia punk rockers The Menzingers continued their fall tour at Chicago’s Salt Shed over the weekend. The band is supporting their seventh studio album Some of It Was True, which was released in October of this year. Check out our full gallery from Saturday’s show.

Depeche Mode returned to Chicago for the second time this year on their “Memento Mori Tour”. The new wave and electronic rock pioneers, which now includes two of the four founding members Dave Gahan and Martin Gore, are supporting their 2023 album of the same name. Check out our full gallery from Monday’s sold out show.

Killer Mike and El-P first announced a new joint venture under the name Run The Jewels back in April of 2013. A decade and four albums later, they’re celebrating their 10th anniversary with a limited series of concerts in New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and Los Angeles.

The Americana quartet Mipso returned to Chicago’s Thalia Hall last Thursday to play what the band described as one of “our favorite venues on this green earth.” Following the release of their sixth studio album Book of Fools earlier this year, Mipso is in the thick of an expansive national tour that will extend into early 2024.

Ahhh, another sold out night at The Salt Shed. Where stale Flaming Lips confetti still shakes free from the rafters as MisterWives and Bishop Briggs make their co-headlining stop in Chicago on The Don’t Look Down Tour.

After having to postpone a series of shows earlier this year due to illness, Tove Lo made her rescheduled appearance in Chicago early this month. The original date also happened to be The Salt Shed’s - the city’s newest venue - planned debut for their newly renovated indoor stage. Tove Lo still made sure to make this one a show to remember.

Beach Bunny hosted their inaugural, one-day ‘Pool Party’ Fest at Chicago’s Salt Shed. Launching a festival had been a lifelong dream of frontwoman Lili Trifilio. That dream came to life with the support of The Beth’s, Charlie Bliss, Squirrel Flower and Elita. The festival also took on the theme of a county fair and included carnival games, a carousel, flash tattoos, food trucks and various vendors.

Celebrating a decade since the release of his acclaimed mixtape ‘Acid Rap’, Chance The Rapper kicked-off a three concert series in his hometown last Saturday night. In front of a sold out United Center, the Chicago native performed an emotionally filled set including favorites from the breakthrough project and hits spanning his catalog.

Japanese Breakfast brought their Jubilee tour to Chicago one last time this week for a two night, sold out residency at The Salt Shed. The band has been touring their third studio album Jubilee since 2021, including previous stops at Thalia Hall and at Pitchfork music festival. Check out our gallery from night one’s show.

L.A. based Saint Motel brought a piece of the red carpet with them to kick off their Awards Show Tour in Chicago. The “dream pop” band relied on their academy of fans to vote for their favorite songs throughout the night. Each stop on the short, 7-stop tour followed the choose-your-own-adventure format.

There’s a King Of The Hill episode wherein Bobby becomes interested in entering a rose growing competition. And, through the wisdom of two head shop owners, embraces the Zen Buddhist philosophy of ‘wabi-sabi’. Which, in a digestible-white-western way, is the acceptance of life being inherently imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete. Which is what makes it so wonderful. Bobby then channels into the primping and pruning of his roses, ultimately losing said competition while gaining a whole new perspective on life. (Sorry, this is how my brain makes connections.)

Joliet, located about an hour southwest of Chicago, is not a big town and the two day flood of Isbell fans definitely put its infrastructure to the test. Their wide appeal stemming from a catalog packed with simple pleasures, heartache, unbridled joy and sobering reality. They do it all with conviction and truth, adding a backing track to any reflective period of your life.

I’ve seen a lot of shows at Chicago’s Riviera Theatre. A venue with potential but also known for its strict security, poor vantage points, and arguably less than favorable sound. A typical show at the historic Uptown theater forces fans to obey by the painted yellow lines and accept their fate if arriving after doors, which results in having to “watch” their favorite artist from behind the venue’s main bar - located well behind the sound engineer. Cory Wong’s sold out show Friday night offered something different.

The New Zealand indie rock band hunkered down in Chicago last weekend for two consecutive sold out shows at Thalia Hall. The Beth’s are continuing a North American tour supporting their third studio album, Expert In A Dying Field. BAND photographer, Josh Druding, attended night one. See the full gallery.

No strangers to the Midwest, the indie-folk trio Oliver Hazard hail from Waterville, Ohio, population 6,000. Now embarking on their first ever nationwide tour supporting The 502’s “Fresh Squeezed Happiness Tour,” the group is soaking it all in while giving it their all. Last night’s sold-out show at Chicago’s historic Thalia Hall was no exception.

After a five-year hiatus, Tennessee trio Paramore have released their sixth studio album, This Is Why. It’s a gritty, yet mature post-punk record trying to tackle the impossible questions surrounding the state of the post-pandemic world.

The young San Diego soul trio is coming off of an impressive year. Thee Sacred Souls released their debut full-length album on Daptone Records, the independent label based in Brooklyn who’ve grown a reputation for bringing us the best in modern era funk and soul. Last fall, they sold out shows from NYC to LA and throughout Europe, with second shows added in many cities due to demand. The band is keeping the momentum going in 2023 with the help of two sold out shows this past weekend at Chicago’s Thalia Hall.

The Backseat Lovers released their sophomore album, Waiting To Spill, just over two weeks ago and are playing the album in its entirety in seven cities across the United States. Last week, they invited Chicago fans to stop by the Riviera Theatre for a listen.

Alexander Giannascoli, aka Alex G, continued his sold out North American tour with two nights at Chicago’s Thalia Hall this week. The indie rocker is supporting the release of his acclaimed ninth album, God Save The Animals, which was released this past September.

The California Honeydrops have spent the past decade reintroducing listeners to the classic sounds of R&B and soul, packaged in a way that unleashes an instant party atmosphere. Thursday’s two-part set at a sold out Thalia Hall in Chicago, which included no setlist and the band taking many cues from the crowd, was exactly that - a party.

Wolf Alice returned to Chicago’s Vic Theatre on Thursday. The English rockers are coming off a high after supporting Harry Styles’ during his European tour this past summer. Now the band is halfway through a headlining tour of their own across North America. The tour kicked off in September at New York’s Terminal 5, which marked the their largest show in the United States.

Blink-182 have reunited with founding member Tom DeLonge and announced their first tour together in nearly 10 years. The pop-punk trio also announced a new single to be released this Friday. A new full-length studio album is in the works, details of which are yet to be revealed.

“Chicago, we’re alive! We have to make up for lost times,” declared The Killers’ frontman Brandon Flowers at Chicago’s United Center Wednesday. As soon as the band finished just their second full song of the night, “When You Were Young”, the crowd was roaring at a decibel usually reserved for an encore. Feeding off the energy, Flowers shouted back “nobody is in isolation tonight. This is a superspreader event…we’re spreading peace, love and rock ‘n roll”.

Coming off their first post-pandemic set at Chicago’s Riot Fest Sunday, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs headed to the city’s North Side for an intimate surprise show at Metro on Monday night. The set was also part of a limit series of shows honoring the venue’s 40th anniversary celebration.

A curtain falls before a hazed crowd at Chicago’s Riviera Theatre, the majority of which tightly grip copies of Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix (the original WAP). The breakout album that gave indie dance pop backings to lyrics about existential dread, self doubt and letting go was a mandatory item on every 2009 college syllabus.

It’s the third day of the inaugural Sacred Rose Fest, a day riddled with weather delays, schedule changes and wind gusts that challenged the structural integrity of the three stages. The Kitchen Dwellers have finished their early afternoon set not knowing they’ll be one of the few lucky bands to experience uninterrupted stage time - or no time at all.

Syzygal caught up with BAND Magazine at the inaugural Sacred Rose Fest last weekend. The new electro-pop outfit is made up of Anna Soltys [vocals], Mickey Kellerman [Synthesizers] and Darren Heitz [Drums]. Saturday’s Sacred Rose set was their first show ever as a band as they ramp up support for their debut album Right Path, which was released this past February.

Sacred Rose pulls the plug, coming to an early close on day three. Although most of the buzz from Sunday was centered around the weather delays, schedule changes and stage closures, Sacred Rose still showcased some of its most solid acts on a third day wrought with challenges.

Sacred Rose day two has officially landed. After a night of social media monitoring, time shifts and speaker pivots, the jams have taken on a whole new life. The day one dead heads have been traded out for true believers and they are here to get weird.

Sacred Rose embarked on its maiden voyage this weekend, opening its grounds to a crowd that seemed to care more about being together than the music, which was an added bonus. Within minutes, the festival grounds took on a culture all their own. Where hula hooping is a form of sign language. Bucket hats weren't a stylistic choice, but one of utility. Where even the fresh open air can’t dissipate the smell of incense.

A new festival is coming to Chicagoland. The inaugural Sacred Rose Festival kicks off this weekend, Aug 26-28, at the SeatGeek Stadium campus in Bridgeview. BAND Magazine will be on the ground among the “Rosebuds” all weekend long sharing a first look at the debut festival.

Mt. Joy sold out two back-to-back shows at Chicago’s Salt Shed Sunday and Monday night. The indie rockers are currently on tour supporting their third studio record, Orange Blood. Wilderado kicked things off both nights marking the end of their seven show stint supporting the band.

Franz Ferdinand continued their first proper tour since 2018 with a stop at Chicago’s Vic Theatre Friday night. The Scottish rock band is currently supporting the release of a 20-track greatest hits record, Hits To The Head.

Lord Huron joined the list of inaugural headliners to sell out Chicago’s newest venue Monday night. The Salt Shed opened its gates less than a month ago and has already hosted a handful of national acts, including Fleet Foxes, Andrew Bird, and Sharon Van Etten.

The Swedish folk duo, First Aid Kit, joined Lord Huron as they promote their upcoming album, Palomino, which is scheduled to be released on November 4th.

Lake Street Dive returned to Chicago Saturday night to headline the city’s newest and most talked about venue this year, The Salt Shed. The band is no stranger to Chicagoland having played everywhere from corner bars to Thalia Hall and The Vic. Saturday’s sellout show was their biggest yet in the City, marking a new milestone for the band.

Chicagoland’s newest festival is set to make its debut this month. Sacred Rose music festival will kick off on August 27th at SeatGeek Stadium. The three-day festival will include performances by the Black Pumas, Dawes, City & Colour and many more. Notably, the festival will also include the live debut of the new supergroup Philco, featuring members of both the Grateful Dead and Wilco.

J-Hope closed out Lollapalooza last night with a landmark performance at Chicago’s Grant Park. He became the first South Korean artist to headline a major American festival and the first BTS member to perform solo. With an electric performance that drew ARMY fans from all over the world, it’s clear that this is just the beginning of a new chapter for J-Hope.

Motion City Soundtrack’s keyboardist Jesse Johnson made it clear that the five-piece rock group is no stranger to Milwaukee. Johnson spoke to a packed room Wednesday night, sharing that the show marked their 18th appearance at The Rave in 19 years. Formed five hours away in Minneapolis, the band has been a favorite among the Midwest punk scene dating back to the early 2000s.

A blackened stage with nothing but the flickering of a streetlight gives shape to Bleachers’ frontman Jack Antonoff. A post-apocalyptic Milhouse, draped in a purposely ill-fitting blazer, fogged glasses concealing a black eye. He kneels before the horde of raw nerves that line their inaugural arena show at the Kia Forum. All members of the Antonoff army, here to aid in the fight against silence, vibrate along with the strings of their song ‘91.

“Happy Pride, everybody! Don’t let all the appropriation get you down” said Phoebe Bridgers to a sold out crowd at Chicago’s Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island Saturday night. Accompanied by a downtown skyline adorned with rainbow colors celebrating Pride Month, it’s hard to imagine a more dreamy setting for an artist renowned for her moody songwriting.

“Damn Chicago, you might be my favorite” said Sydney Bennett (aka Syd) in front of a sold out crowd at Chicago’s Thalia Hall Wednesday night. The alternative R&B singer is nearing the end of her current leg of a North American tour.

“It may be Monday for you guys, but we’re off tomorrow. So, it’s Friday night for us!” declares PUP front man Stefan Babcock before ripping into their one-day weekend with the same fervent energy as me tearing into a bag of kettle chips at a cookout.

The Canadian punk rock band is currently touring to support their 2022 critically acclaimed LP, The Unraveling of PUPTheBand. Monday night’s stop at Milwaukee’s Turner Hall Ballroom marked the first time the band has played in Wisconsin since 2017.

New Found Glory made a stop at Chicago’s Riviera Theatre last night to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their third studio album, Sticks and Stones. Chicago was just the third stop on a 29-date tour that will have the pop punk trailblazers playing the album in its entirety every night, plus favorites from their other nine studio albums.

Catie Turner has hit the road supporting LÉON’s Fade Into A Dream tour. The singer-songwriter played Chicago’s Vic Theater last night, which was just the second stop on what will amount to a 22-date North American run.

Lucius wrapped up their North America tour over the weekend with stops in both Chicago and St. Paul. The indie pop duo have been on the road supporting their 2022 record, Second Nature. They’ll pick back up their Feels Like Second Nature tour this fall in Europe and the UK.

“Is everyone doing alright?” asked Turnstile frontman Brendan Yates. “I want to celebrate.” Fans at Milwaukee’s sold out Eagles Ballroom Thursday night responded with a united enthusiasm and assurance before the band launched into “Holiday” off of their massively acclaimed 2021 release, Glow On. Despite handouts from the venue that read in bold black letters “No Moshing", the pit again took on a life of its own.Description goes here

“I’m John, you’re Chicago, and I love you very much” said John Mayer as he introduced himself to a sold out crowd in Chicago Friday night. The singer-songwriter and guitarist closed out a two-night stint at the United Center as he nears the end of his tour supporting his acclaimed 2021 album, Sob Rock.

Ashe closed out the weekend with two sold out shows at Chicago’s Metro as she nears the end of a 27-date tour of the U.S. and Canada before embarking on a European tour. The singer-songwriter’s Fault Line Tour is supporting her highly anticipated 2021 debut album, Ashlyn.

Lee fields & The Expressions stopped at Chicago’s Thalia Hall last Friday night as the soul singer continues his two-month tour across the U.S. Fields was joined by Kendra Morris, who’s now headed west to join Neal Francis on tour. See more photos from Friday’s show.

A lot has happened since singer-songwriter Lindsey Jordan last hit the road with her solo indie-rock project, Snail Mail. A pandemic, 45 days in rehab, major vocal surgery, a painful breakup, and the release of her critically acclaimed sophomore album Valentine. Now, Jordan and company are embarking on a lengthy 43 city tour across North America. Chicago’s Riviera Theatre was just their 8th stop and it was obvious Jordan is ready to introduce fans to this new chapter in her young career.

The Flaming Lips waste no time when it comes to entertaining concert goers with loads of confetti, mechanical birds and bubbles. That all came during just the first song at Chicago’s Riviera Theatre Wednesday night. And that was just the beginning. As we’ve come to expect from The Flaming Lips, the entire night was adorned with giant robots, inflatable rainbows, balloons and even more confetti.

Bright Eyes made just their fourth stop of an extensive 46 date tour at the historic Chicago Theater last night. The band is supporting their latest album Down in the Weeds, Where the World Once, which was released in 2020 after a 9-year hiatus. This tour across the US and Canada is their largest since the band’s return, and the energy in the theater last night reflected how excited fans were to see the indie rockers back on stage again.

Chicago natives Ratboys played their first show of 2022 at Thalia Hall last night. The indie rock group led by Julien Steiner (guitar, vocals) and Dave Sagan (guitar) is gearing up for a 35 show tour across Europe starting on April 13th. They’ll be opening for Julien Baker on most stops with a handful of headlining shows along the way.

Hiss Golden Messenger has finished a 27 show tour that hit the road on February 3rd in Greenville, SC and wrapped in Nashville last week. The folk band continued their pledge of donating $1 from every ticket sold to support public education in their hometown of Durham, North Carolina.

Chicago welcomed back Manchester Orchestra at the Riviera Theatre last night as the band continued its nationwide Million Masks of God tour. The indie rock group’s 18-song set included favorites from their expansive six album catalog, including six tracks off their latest record “The Million Masks Of God.” They closed out the night with an encore of 100 Silence and the wildly popular Silence.

SLASH featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, aka SMKC, continued their 2022 tour last night at Chicago’s Riviera Theatre. The group's 21-song set didn’t include any material from the Guns N’ Roses catalog, but that didn’t weaken the energy felt from a crowd seeing one of rock’s greatest guitarists hit the stage.

Lucy Dacus isn’t letting two herniated discs keep her off the stage. The singer-songwriter has continued her tour and performed from a couch for the fifth consecutive show last night at Chicago’s Thalia Hall. As Dacus shared on Twitter "the only way I am not in pain is laying down... I am both sorry and also pleased to offer this most humiliating and hilarious moment to you."

Katie Crutchfield, aka Waxahatchee, closed out her tour with two sold out shows at the historic Thalia Hall in Chicago. Hailing the city as the best place for live music, Crutchfield spent a lot of the night playing tracks from her 2020 album ‘Saint Cloud’. Madi Diaz Kicked off the evening with an intimate set featuring tracks from her 2021 album 'History Of A Feeling'.

There’s such relatability and nostalgia to Dawes’ lyrics that when frontman Taylor Goldsmith belts out lines like “so pile on those mashed potatoes, and an extra chicken wing” or “I hope that life without a chaperone is what you thought it’d be” the crowd responds in a fever comparable to an anthemic guitar solo. The band’s 17 song set at Chicago’s Vic Theatre included tracks from all of their seven LPs and never fell short of such sentimental moments.

Local favorites Whitney perform at Thalia Hall during their week-long Chicago stretch.

Jack Antonoff is no stranger to Chicago. The five-time Grammy winner, singer-songwriter and producer has played nearly all of the city’s stages over the years. His most recent visit was at The Aragon Ballroom with his indie pop band Bleachers. Once an opener for Tegan and Sara at the historic Uptown venue over 10 years ago, Antonoff didn’t hide his enthusiasm for being back to headline in front of a packed house.

See photos from the Black Puma’s sold out show at Chicago’s historic Thalia Hall.

“You saved me” yelled one fan as singer-songwriter Dallas Green took the stage at Thalia Hall. Green’s solo project, City and Colour, is now almost a month into its 2021 tour and Chicago fans were more than ready to get a little emotional.

“Is everyone okay?” asks Turnstile frontman Brendan Yates before launching back into another fevered two and a half minutes of pure adrenaline and sweat. The crowd responds with a united enthusiasm while the Metro staff quickly scours the venue floor and pulls fallen concert goers back to their feet. Seconds later, the mosh pit again takes on a life of its own, a singular entity pulsing to the beat of drummer Daniel Fang.