Oftentimes hype way exceeds the result, but in the case of the Avett Brothers, it really is a act you have to see and experience for yourself, because you sincerely won’t regret it. Here’s to next year’s West Coast tour!
“There are the things that haunt my mind: The blurred relationship of good vs. evil, ghosts, and the lessons and stories of history….. I’d like to think that this isn’t an exhaustive list,” says Montreal based artist Chris Velan on the vast inspiration of lyrical themes found in his songs. His latest recording Fables For Fighters (NewSong Recordings/Fontana North) is influenced by a range of influences spanning David Byrne, Randy Newman, Neil Young, West African music and reggae that can be summed up best as “smart pop/folk song-smithing.”
One of the biggest stories in the world of music this year is undeniably the public return of Jeff Mangum. The reclusive Neutral Milk Hotel front man, who has performed
[rating=4.00] When Dave Stewart’s new album, The Blackbird Diaries, opens, the initial shock of finding a smoking, swinging roots-based rock jam is quickly assuaged by digging into the caliber of
Hurricane Irene is bearing down on the East Coast as we speak, so for this week’s Friday Mix Tape we thought it only fitting to focus on hurricane/storm-themed songs. However,
The last scheduled Phish shows of the summer take place next weekend at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park near Denver. To help get the fanbase even more excited, archivist Kevin Shapiro
On November 8, singer-songwriter Laura Veirs will release her first album of children’s music called Tumble Bee: Laura Veirs Sings Folk Songs For Children. Inspired by the birth of their
Chicago, Chicago that toddlin’ town.
Frank Sinatra certainly sang it straight up about The Windy City.
Words cannot express how thrilled Chris and I were when our favorite band Phish announced they were playing three nights at the famous UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Illinois, this year. We have friends in Chicago that we don’t see nearly enough and the prospect of Chicago eats for a week had us salivating. We had many fun culinary experiences during our stay, but three restaurants topped the pack. I will tell you about our adventures in eating at Hot Doug’s and The Purple Pig this week. Stay tuned for next week’s article about our fantastic meal at Girl and the Goat.
HOT DOUG’S
While planning for the Phish run, one theme came up repeatedly: SAUSAGE! Chicago is well known for its tubular meat—whether it be in the form of the famed Chicago hot dog, Polish sausages or the more creative gourmet sausage sandwiches—and we were determined to try them all. Chris insisted that we spend at least one lunch at Hot Doug’s – otherwise known as “The Sausage Superstore and Encased Meat Emporium.”
Hot Doug’s is a bit of an enigma. It is a tiny space by Chicago standards, and their hours are 10:30am – 4:00pm six days a week. You are almost always guaranteed to wait in line—sometimes for hours—while you drool at the thought of eating these encased masterpieces. Doug Sohn creates all of his sausages in-house, and each sandwich receives careful consideration in pairing the ingredients.
- Previously: Jon Hochstat’s Chicago Hot Dog Trip
READ ON for more on Hot Doug’s and The Purple Pig…
The Flaming Lips‘ 2009 album Embryonic signified a return to the band’s early acid-drenched days, trading in their pop hooks for a healthy dose of weird psychedelia. For their latest
The season VH1’s Storytellers that just finished has been among the best in the series’ 15-year run. You can catch repeat of episodes airings featuring HT faves My Morning Jacket,
