Chicago / Milwaukee Concert Preview
September 20-30, 2010
First Appeared in The Music Box, September 2010, Volume 17, #9
Written by John Metzger
Mon September 20, 2010, 06:30 AM CDT
9/20-21, 23-24 - Roger Waters - United Center - Chicago - 8:00 p
Will David Gilmour make an appearance in Chicago when Roger Waters touches down for four nights at the United Center on September 20–21 and September 23–24? Just a few months ago, this seemed impossible, but ever since Waters leant a charitable hand to Gilmour, it has become the million-dollar question. Waters, of course, didn’t need any help selling tickets. After all, he is employing state-of-the-art technology — including a quadraphonic sound system and a video projector capable of covering the full length of the 230-foot barricade that will be built in front of the band — to bring Pink Floyd’s opus The Wall to life. Waters has always excelled at turning his concerts into musical theater spectacles. Regardless of whether or not Gilmour shows up, these shows are certain to entertain fans and raise the bar for future events.
9/21 - Land of Talk - Lincoln Hall - Chicago - 9:00 p
The hype surrounding Montreal’s Land of Talk had been steadily building ever since the band issued its debut EP Applause Cheer Boo Hiss in 2007. Everything was brought to a screeching halt, however, when front gal Elizabeth Powell developed a polyp on one of her vocal chords, the product, no doubt, of her demonstrative style of singing. Putting her time to good use, she began writing the material that became the foundation of the group’s full-length sophomore set Cloak and Cipher. Issued late last month, the endeavor features appearances by an array of guests from the Canadian music scene — including members of Arcade Fire and Stars. Considering that Cloak and Cipher was designed to bring greater complexity to the collective’s live performances, Land of Talk’s concert at Lincoln Hall in Chicago on September 21 will provide a true test of the outfit’s success.
9/23 - Jackson Browne / David Lindley - Chicago Theatre - Chicago - 8:00 p
9/24 - Jackson Browne / David Lindley - Riverside Theater - Milwaukee - 8:00 p
There is no doubt that Jackson Browne created his finest efforts in collaboration with David Lindley. Nevertheless, it certainly is understandable that, over the past 30 years, they have spent more time apart than they have together. After all, they each had to seek their own independent identities in order to grow as artists. Still, whenever, they happen to reunite, the distance that had separated them instantaneously melts away. The last time that Browne and Lindley collaborated on tour, their performances were limited to Spanish soil, which makes their current trek across America even more vital. Material from these shows was culled for their latest set Love Is Strange. In addition to showcasing songs from their classic efforts Late for the Sky, The Pretender, and Running on Empty, the duo also is tackling tunes from Browne’s recent efforts, such as The Naked Ride Home and Time the Conqueror. Selections from Lindley’s canon (Cat Food Sandwiches) and well-chosen cover tunes (Warren Zevon’s Seminole Bingo, Blind Willie Johnson’s Soul of a Man) also might surface during the stripped-down acoustic set that opens the show.
9/30 - Basia Bulat / The Acorn - Schuba's - Chicago - 9:00 p
Over the course of her first two albums — Oh, My Darling and Heart of My Own — Basia Bulat has grown more confident in her talent. In the process, the Canadian songstress rather improbably has managed to find balance — however delicate it may be — among her youthful lyrics, pop-star aspirations, and indie-movement credentials. It’s a tough act to achieve, but under the guidance of producer Howard Bilerman, she has succeeded in polishing her arrangements without losing her sincerity. The Acorn, another outfit from America’s northern neighbor, will share the stage with Bulat at Schuba’s in Chicago on September 30. If the group’s penchant for sonic exploration happens to influence Bulat’s future direction, there’s no telling what she might accomplish.
Of Further Interest...
Local Concert Preview for Chicago / Milwaukee: September 16-19, 2010
Local Concert Preview for Chicago / Milwaukee: September 11-15, 2010
Local Concert Preview for Chicago: September 1-10, 2010
Local Concert Preview for Chicago: August 25-31, 2010
Local Concert Preview for Chicago / Milwaukee: September 24-30, 2009
Copyright © 2010 The Music Box