Items filtered by date: November 2007

Kathy Griffin, Hollywood's most self deprecating redheaded comedienne, graced the historic Chicago Theatre with her presence (Thursday-Sunday if you want to be technical). Yours truly was in attendance Sunday night with my mother as my date (feel free to insert your own joke here). The self proclaimed D-Lister regaled the masses..

New Millennium Theatre Company’s “Plans 1 Through 8 from Outer Space” is probably the epitome of the word “zany”. Packed with outlandish humor and bizarre characters “Plans 1 Through 8” is the story of an alien race intent on taking over the Earthlings

I’ve never had the pleasure of attending a Van Morrison concert, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect – but during most of the evening (with a few notable exceptions), it seemed like Morrison was just going through the motions and certainly not putting any extra effort into pleasing the audience.

Porcupine Tree came on to a roar from the audience, and immediately launched into “Occam’s Razor”, part 1 of their 55 minute epic from The Incident. I recently picked up the album and gave it a few spins before the show so I was familiar with the material but looking around I did see a few blank faces...

Leave it to U2 to revolutionize the art of the concert. In U2’s 360 Tour the band brings their show to major stadiums, in Chicago’s case Soldier Field, where they play their music on a circular stage below a giant, claw-like “spaceship”, catering to fans in every direction.

Let’s just start by saying Coed Prison Sluts is certainly not your average musical. Claimed as the longest running musical in Chicago, this Annoyance Theatre production takes its viewers inside a prison – a very unusual prison to say the least.

“Happy Birthday Michael,” were the words Michael Firestone said just as the band started the song, “You Are Not Alone.” This Michael Jackson impersonator was incredible to see perform live.

Hilarity, madness, and good old-fashioned fun are high-flying in “Poseidon! The Upside Down Musical”, based on the book by David Cerda. Directed by Matthew Gunnels, Poseidon is the story about a ragtag group of “Poseidonites” who regularly get together to watch the 1972 disaster film The Poseidon Adventure.

Rick and I met for the first time when he ever so graciously agreed to be my very first on-camera celebrity interview back in 2006 right before his performance at The House of Blues here in Chicago. You never forget your first.

Last Friday at Durty Nellie's in Palatine, Talking Heads cover band This Must Be the Band showed the audience just how much fun a concert should be.  Lead singer and David Byrne's long lost son, Charlie Otto, took the stage in a kimono, channeling Byrne's quirkiness in everything he does.