Junior Varsity and Foster The People performed to a sold out Metro on Saturday, August 2nd, as part of an official Lollapalooza aftershow. Check out photos of the late-night gig below, and see where you can catch Foster The People on tour next here.
Post Animal and Djo hit the stage at Salt Shed ahead of their respective Lollapalooza festival sets over the weekend, performing to a sold-out crowd on Thursday, July 31st.
Check out photos of the show below, and see where you can catch the bands back on the road this fall here.
Winnetka Festival returned to downtown Winnetka on Friday, June 20th and Saturday, June 21st, featuring a jam-packed lineup of more than 20 artists across the two days and two stages.
I got the chance to catch the last part of Saturday’s festivities, arriving shortly before sunset to see Kam Franklin and her band at the Lincoln Stage. Franklin’s soulful powerhouse vocals captured the audience’s attention, and her raw, compassionate storytelling in songs like “Byrd And Shepard” pulled at our heartstrings. Before performing the song, Franklin told the crowd “It’s about James Byrd Jr. and Matthew Shepard. James Byrd Jr. was killed in 1998 in a dragging death in Jasper, Texas for being black and Matthew Shepard was killed in October 1998 for being gay.” In the song, she sings “Fact checker, fact fact checker/They’re trying to ban the books/But we won't forget ya” in homage to the men who suffered these hate crimes and a stark reminder that we can’t forget the tragedies of history.
Kam Franklin performing
Next up, Pete Yorn and his bandmates took the Main Stage on the other end of the festival grounds. Yorn opened up his set with a cover of “Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)” by The Buzzcocks, which he introduced as a song from the movie Shrek. The band also sprinkled in a couple of other covers later on in the show, sharing their own version of “Bizarre Love Triangle” by New Order and “Atlantic City” by The Boss. In between the covers, Yorn also made sure to play a few newer tracks from his 2024 album The Hard Way, including the titular track, “Different Roads,” and “Real Good Love.” Long-time fans were also ecstatic to hear some of his earlier material like “Life On a Chain” and “Murray” from his 2001 debut album musicforthemorningafter.
Pete Yorn and his band performing
While Yorn wrapped up his set, Eggy began their show that closed out the Lincoln Stage for the festival. The quartet provided the jam band vibes of the evening, performing an eclectic mix of their expansive discography. Their setlist surprisingly didn’t include much from their most recent album, 20204’s Waiting Game, but like Pete Yorn, they also threw some covers into the mix. Fans got to travel back to the 60’s and 70’s and experience Eggy’s versions of “Skin It Back” by Little Feat and “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” by Crosby, Stills & Nash while the sun went down.
Fans enjoying Eggy’s set
Last but not least, Cold War Kids wrapped up Winnetka Fest 2025 at the Main Stage. While night had fallen at last, the air was still muggy and thick with the heat of the day, but that didn’t stop fans from singing and dancing along to the hit-heavy setlist that the band delivered. Opening with the 2017 single “Love Is Mystical” from their LA Divine album, Cold War Kids then ventured through their winding discography that spans over 20 years. The band reciprocated the energy that the fans brought to the performance by jumping and moving across the stage, and the lead singer Nathan Willett made sure to express his gratitude saying, “We were at The Salt Shed last year around this time. We love Chicago, and now we love Winnetka.” After playing for a little over an hour, Cold War Kids ironically wrapped up their set by playing their song called “First” as the last and final tune of the evening and festival.
Cold War Kids closing out the night
Check out more photos of the festival below, and be sure to check out the lineups for Out Of Space and Evanston Folk Festival coming up later this Summer to continue the festivities.
Jack’s Mannequin performed to a packed Salt Shed Fairgrounds on Friday, June 20th. The night was full of nostalgia and positive energy. Check out photos from the show below, and see where you can catch the tour next here.
Perfume Genius, the musical project of Michael Alden Hadreas, returned to Chicago on June 17th to play a stunning show at The Vic Theatre in honor of his new album Glory.
The night opened with Urika’s Bedroom performing a set that felt like stepping into a hazy, dreamy soundscape. Their music was delicate and ethereal, floating across the room in soft, shimmering layers. The light show added a subtle glow to their already atmospheric sound, making the room feel intimate and otherworldly — a beautiful, quiet beginning to the night.
Then came Perfume Genius, who transformed the stage into a strange, visceral, exhilarating performance space. From the start, the stage was framed by long, orange cords curled around like tendrils, hinting at the chaos to come. The set moved fluidly between tender, beautiful moments — like a lullaby rendition of “Me & Angel”, or a haunting cover of “Kanga Roo” by Big Star — to physical, kinetic displays that felt part modern dance, part raw impulse. During “It’s a Mirror,” Hadreas jumped on an exercise ball mid-song; in “No Front Teeth,” he spun wildly in a chair. At one point, during “Clean Heart,” he gathered the stage cables around himself, sat in a chair, and reached for the ball with his legs in a strange, tender moment of theatricality.
The choreography was wild and magnetic — moves like The Matrix during “Otherside”, chair dancing, leaping to the rail, then bouncing across the stage. The lighting played its part too: some songs like “Describe” glowed in eerie red, while others kept the singer backlit by towering, blinding lights, with smoke adding to the atmosphere. Perfume Genius created a show that felt entirely alive, unpredictable, and deeply human.
Check out photos of the evening below and see where you can catch the tour next here.
On Thursday, May 15th, singer-songwriter Jensen McRae headlined a sold-out show at Lincoln Hall in Chicago, with support from Lauren Juzang.
Check out a photo recap of the show below and see where you can catch Jensen on the road next here—including a stop at The Metro in Chicago in October.
Jensen McRae Setlist:
The Rearranger
My Ego Dies at the End
God Has a Hitman
Mother Wound
Savannah
Fever Dream
Taken (MUNA cover)
Tuesday
I Can Change Him
Daffodils
Dead Girl Walking
White Boy
Thinking of You (Katy Perry cover)
Good Legs
If I Have a Boy
Novelty
Let Me Be Wrong
Praying for Your Downfall
I Don’t Do Drugs
Massachusetts
Singer-songwriter and 1/3 of the band MUNA Katie Gavin warmed up the stage for two sold-out nights with Lucy Dacus at the iconic Chicago Theatre on May 1st and 2nd—and I was lucky enough to attend for the second show on Friday night.
Gavin debuted her side-project last year, releasing the acoustic-driven solo album entitled What A Relief in October 2024. The record leans alt-country at times, particularly on tracks like “Inconsolable” and “The Baton” that feature Gavin on violin and pulls out a slight twang on her vocals. This collection of songs on the debut album showcases a tonal shift from MUNA’s usual vibe, but Gavin has said in an interview that shift was driven from the origin of these songs; throughout the years she’s written some material that the band ultimately decided wasn’t a fit with MUNA’s vision.
During the show on Friday night, Gavin told the crowd “This is the last tour that I’m gonna do for this solo record.” When her statement was met with audible disappointment from the audience, Katie added, “No, but you’re not upset because that means I’m going back into MUNA!” The upset immediately turned into excited cheers at the tease of MUNA’s return, but it felt special to get to catch one of the last shows for What A Relief . Another special moment of Gavin’s set included an appearance from her younger sister, who joined the band to play some cowbell for the duration of “Sanitized.” In addition to the cowbell, Gavin brought these stories to the stage playing the keyboard, guitar, and live violin on the aforementioned tracks “Inconsolable” and “The Baton,” the latter of which also featured a full crowd clap-along to the beat.
Towards the end of her set, Gavin slowed things down with the mellowed-out “Sketches,” which she introduced by sharing the song’s inspiration. “This song is a little bit of an exploration of that thing that maybe is love but maybe is addiction and kind of noticing that there’s certain relationships in your life that you can really grow and bloom with, and sometimes your life gets smaller. This song is about one of those times,” Katie said.
Katie Gavin’s performance wrapped up with her single “Aftertaste” and her wishing Lucy Dacus a very happy birthday. Check out photos of the show below, and catch the last few tour dates for Katie’s solo project here.
CHVRCHES singer Lauren Mayberry recently released her solo album Vicious Creature, and ventured out for a tour in honor of the new songs. On Wednesday, February 5th, Mayberry and her band performed at Thalia Hall with support from Cult of Venus. Check out photos of the Chicago show below and see where you can catch the tour next here.
The All American Rejects, The Maine, and Andrew McMahon performed on Wednesday, December 11th to a packed Aragon Ballroom as part of Q101’s annual holiday show, Twisted Xmas. Check out photos from all of their sets below and check out photos from the first night of Twisted Xmas here.
