Items filtered by date: November 2007

It was one of this summer’s most beautiful nights – balmy, but not too humid, warm, but with a perfect light breeze and clear enough to see a host of stars overhead. Ravinia’s lawn was filled with picnickers – some which did things simple with just a blanket, maybe a chair or two, a few snacks and a bottle of wine, and some who set up grand displays with candlelit tables, dining ware, goblets and a feast large enough to feed a small army. Of course this occurs on most nights at Highland Park's Ravinia, but this was not most nights – this was Tony Bennett’s birthday - his 85th!

To get things started, Tony’s daughter, Antonia Bennett came out to do a short set. The tall redhead quickly proved that she was not riding on her father’s coattails, showing off her own dynamic voice.

The entire crowd took to their feet as Tony Bennett then took the stage in his white lounge jacket, blue tie and blue slacks. As Tony went into song, the cheers accelerated and the cries of "I love you, Tony" and "Happy Birthday, Tony" were heard. Looking robust, tanned and as healthy as an ox, Tony played a variety of favorites including "The Best is Yet to Come", "The Way You Look Tonight", "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" and "Fly Me to the Moon", which he dedicated to the people on the lawn.

Tony was indeed the legend we know him as. His voice was strong and his timing was that of perfection. Smiling his way through the energized set, the crowd erupted in a handful of standing ovations to honor the great star. Antonia even joined her father for a duet in which the two exchanged a few dance moves.

As classy as Tony was, his band certainly held their own and more. Featuring greats such as Harold Jones on drums, Gary Sargent on guitar, Marshall Wood on stand up bass and Lee Musiker on piano, this was a performance to cherish – a performance, and picture-perfect setting, that made a magical evening.

Of all things I could say about Lifehouse, "They put on an amazing concert!" is probably one of the last things I would even think to say about them. In fact, you wouldn't even hear them playing in my car sitting in 5 o'clock traffic. I would like to point out that I'm not trying to bash Lifehouse (I don't want any upset Lifehouse fans out there!), they are great musical artists, and Jason Wade is a very talented singer; they are simply not my cup of tea. But one thing certain about LIfehouse' live concert on Saturday at Ravinia - they really put on a spectacular concert.For someone who never really appreciated their music before, I have certainly found a new respect for Lifehouse. I had a great time and was blown away by their performance.　

All I could see as I looked around while Lifehouse played, was that everyone was really rockin' out to their music - and not just the teenage rockers! I saw everyone from small children to adults on their feet, singing and head bobbing along to all of Lifehouse's hits. I never realized how popular this band really was. By the end of the show, I was even getting into the music and bobbing my head too! I was even singing along to a few of the songs that I actually did recognize! This live Lifehouse show really did change my opinion on the band. They still may not be my most favorite band in the world, but I would certainly not mind seeing them live again. Just seeing how much they can work up a crowd was exciting in itself, even the security guards themselves were getting in their show. They are a great band to see live for all ages, as I'm sure that it was the first concert for a lot of children there that night. I'd like to thank Lifehouse for coming to Chicago and changing how I see their band. As good as music sounds on a CD or an Ipod, there is no comparison for how great this band sounds live. Their talent really shines on stage.

One question by the way, WHY DIDN’T ANYONE TELL ME HOW GREAT THE RAVINIA IS BEFORE?!?! Seriously. After hearing so much about all of the great concerts, shows and events that happen there, I was pleased to finally able to feed my curiosity. Ravinia even has it's own Metra station stop, so it just had to be a great venue, right? OF COURSE! My first impression of this place just walking in is how remarkably clean this place is! Hats off to the Ravinia for keeping this place near to spotless. I'm used to trash on the floor and dirty smelly bathrooms, however, Ravinia certainly takes the cake for the cleanest outdoor venue in the Chicagoland area.

Unlike most venues, Ravinia offers its goers freedom from annoying security and pesky venue employees telling you what you can and cannot bring into the park. You are free to bring blankets, picnic tables, chairs, wine, cheese and any other goodies you can manage to bring in! If you don't want the hassle of lugging around any of this stuff however, fear not! Ravinia offers all of the above there at the venue! Ravinia has a beautiful little dining area offering all kinds of foods and snacks to munch on, as well as a dainty little seating area to enjoy it all! They also offer table/chair rental for those of you who don't want to be a pack mule! Not to mention a variety of beer/wine for those of you who like to enjoy some drinks as you enjoy a great concert and a cool summer breeze. I should mention again, that Ravinia is pretty lenient with what you can bring in to the venue, so if you plan on having a few drinks, I encourage you to bring your own from home! Like most places you can expect to pay 7 dollars for a beer or some wine. So save that cash and load up on goodies for you and your date. This place is the perfect place for a nice romantic evening with that special someone - take note of this guys!

With all these great amenities, why wouldn't you want to go to this place!? At this point I should mention that all this talk of chair rentals and table rentals, etc, is for anyone who plans on purchasing lawn seating. There are seated tickets available for purchase in the Ravinia's Pavilion (the stage is in the pavilion, so if you want to be as close as possible to the action, I highly recommend purchasing tickets in the Pavilion). However, no food or alcohol is allowed in the Pavilion's seating area, barring bottled water. Concert goers can only enjoy bottled water in this area. This must explain why I saw a sea of people all over the lawn! So keep that in mind when purchasing tickets to any of the Ravinia's wonderful events.

Getting to Ravinia is also a cinch. They are easily accessible via the Metra rail system; the train actually stops right at the front gates (this is the best way to get there is the train is convenient for you). However if the train is not convenient for you, consider driving. Parking is available right at the venue, but expect a lot of traffic there. I recommend using the many "Park and Ride" lots located in the Ravinia's general vicinity. They provide free parking and a free shuttle service to the venue and back in the "Park and Ride" lots. Personally, I think this is the best way to get to the Ravinia. I found it to be quick and easy, and you can't be FREE, not at all. Please visit http://www.ravinia.org/ for more venue information on where the "Park and Ride" lots are located. Events, ticket information, parking information, etc. can also be found on the website, so check it out before it's too late for this year. Although summer is nearing it's unfortunate end, fall is right around the corner. There is still some time left to enjoy some of the great events going on at the Ravinia, so be sure to check this place out while you still can this year! I certainly am looking forward to seeing more concerts and events there in the near future!

On Saturday night a little after 7:00 P.M. ticket holders were having their tickets scanned in as they walked through the door. Even the ones who knew how great these musicians were had no idea what was about to hit them. No one had any idea how incredible this show was going to be. The super groups, Return to Forever-IV and Zappa Plays Zappa, were in Hammond, Indiana at the Horseshoe Casino and The Venue was a great setting for this musical display.

After paying the outrageous toll, climbing the mile high bridge, you come over the Ski-way to the bottom of the bridge to the first exit which takes you to where you want to be. As you walk in the doors, you are reminded by the smell of smoke that you aren’t in Illinois. You make your way across the building to The Venue. You find your seats and you are ready to start the show.

Opening out the evening was Zappa Plays Zappa. The amazing and talented band conquered old classic Frank Zappa Material with ease. The band led by Dweezil Zappa played every intricate change with precision and clarity. The comical lyrics and stories within the music made it hard to ever take this music seriously, but they were told amongst some of the toughest music written in the twentieth century.

Dweezil is a highly underrated guitarist. The most incredible guitar runs of the night came from the hands of Zappa. He ripped through the songs with complete syncopation, through very complicated pieces. He stepped up to the plate and tackled these songs for the crowd appearing very cool and laid back. He seemed lost in his own little world as he focused on the music coming through his ear monitors. There was no fancy stage show, just kick ass music. That’s all this crowd wanted to see anyway.

The band involved in backing up Dweezil on this quest was amazing to see. Including Zappa, there were eight musicians that made up this ensemble. Sheila Gonzalez played saxophone, flute, keyboards, and sang within this lineup. This one is really a Jill of all trades and was a necessary piece of the puzzle.

Pete Griffin comes in on bass guitar holding the bottom end together. He had a few real warm bass parts to provide. On all sorts of percussion instruments was Billy Hulting who hit out some rhythms that sounded almost robotic. This machine doesn’t make a mistake.

Jamie Kime chimed in on guitar helping this group pull it all together. He himself is a guitar virtuoso without a doubt. On vocals was Ben Thomas who did a number on the old stuff that won’t soon be forgotten. His vocal abilities are fitting, but the man’s way of telling a story was very charismatic. He is truly an entertainer of a highest caliber.

Joe Travers takes the roll on top of the riser hitting with dynamics and power creating wicked drum rolls. Chris Norton finalizes a great band within everything that he does. He is surrounded by keyboards, a laptop, and a few other gadgets to get the old school sounds. Every one of these musicians has a key part in this band. Together they make up Zappa Plays Zappa.

Some of the songs chosen to be performed were “Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing,” “Pojama People,” and the classic “Don’t eat the yellow snow.” “Dancing Fool” was another whimsical song that was done to perfection. During their shared stage time they had a guest violin player sporting a candied blue electric violin. Jean Luc Ponty sat in for one of the compositions and he added some magical tones to the music that was just a delightful moment.

As their show ended there was no encore for this group. Instead Dweezil Zappa did a very cool thing. He reached down at the front of the stage and started to sign autographs. The stage hands started switching the bands up and get everything ready for Return to Forever IV. Dweezil signed autographs, took pictures, and shook hands with everyone who came up to the front of the stage. Just when everyone thought he was done, he proved them wrong. It was now time for the next act and he was still signing all the way up until a few minutes before the lights dimmed. That is such a rare thing to see and very well appreciated by the fans. It was a very nice gesture from a first class act.

It was time to see the musical masters do it up. No intro music or fancy anything. They just walked out, waved hello and started playing. From the opening notes if Return to Forever IV, it was quite obvious you were about to see greatness.

Chick Corea destroyed the egos of any amateur keyboardist in the room within his falling runs. His quick finger style was beyond just being skilled. The keyboardist extraordinaire wowed the crowd within the first few minutes of playing. At one point he even pulled out his most popular piece “Romantic Warrior.” He made the comment to the audience, “If you weren’t here …..” shrugged his shoulders and smiles, “you wouldn’t be here,” then walked back to his keyboards.

Stanley Clarke, “the master of everything,” has to be the best bass player ever. The audience at The Venue Saturday night couldn’t imagine seeing a bass player that is any better than Stanley Clarke. He played bass solos on acoustic and electric basses that were slapping and thumping away. He did runs that today’s top bass players couldn’t find by accident even once.

Jean Luc Ponty is just a graceful act. This gentleman played some intricate pieces himself. The strings were touched by his bow to help create some magical moments. At other points he did stuff in a pizzicato fashion sometimes trading off with a complimentary guitar piece. He made reference to the old days of performing Zappa’s music stating that “Dweezil was only 4 years old at the time. It’s nice to see his band doing Frank’s music so well.”

Lenny White stepped up to introduce a piece. He said, “It’s really nice to play music for people who appreciate it. We’re gonna play you some manly music now, cus we’re a man band.” He went back to this drum kit and proved it. His modest sized kit was all he really needed. Honestly, this man could make pots and pans sound good. His drum solo was filled with some offbeat jazzy stuff that is really an acquired taste that not all ears can appreciate. Only handfuls of drummers are as talented as Mr. Lenny White.

Frank Gambale is amazing guitarist in all respects to share a stage with these fine musicians has to be an honor. As the night proceeded, the talents in his hands were not used much as he appeared only to be a gun for hire. During some songs he sat back on a chair and bopped his head to the music. For as much talent as this six stringer has, it seems like his talents were wasted. He looked like the first string quarterback sitting on the sidelines being punished, itching to jump in and play.  

As Return to Forever IV played, the time allotted was running out. They finished their last song and said their goodbyes. They signed a few autographs, shook some hands, and they were gone. They may never have sung a note in any songs, but they said a lot within their instruments of choice. The theater started to clear out and the stunned crowd dissipated into the casino. The ones that made it back to their vehicles right away after the show got to enjoy a traffic jam that awaited another vehicle in the parking garage.

A fantastic night of music was once again held at The Venue within Hammond, Indiana’s Horseshoe Casino. The super groups of Return to Forever IV and Zappa Plays Zappa were the talented entertainer’s of the evening. This was an amazingly talented show to see.

Comedian Jim Gaffigan triumphantly returned to his native state Indiana, this time taking on a full house at The Venue, located inside the Horseshoe Casino. Touching on all subjects from the urgency and awkward process of getting a drink at a crowded bar to his famous bit on Hot Pockets, Gaffigan had the crowd laughing nonstop from beginning to end.

With a healthy combination of material that included a healthy dose of King Baby as well as new stuff and old, Gaffigan was sure to incorporate his high-toned side commentary of the ignorant or offended audience member with every opportune moment. "Oh really, Jim. The baby and diarrhea joke already?" "My girlfriend is allergic to tuna, Jim. How offensive."

All subject matter was open game for Gaffigan, who even targeted Extenz (penis enlarger) spokesman Jimmy Johnson. "Do you think they called him to do the spot originally as a joke?" "Do you think they were going to try Dick Butkus, too?" Gaffigan went on taking shots at Subway’s watery tuna fish, praised his overweight self for being the "skinny guy" at McDonalds, and challenged the bar back who is unable to hand him a beer in a busy bar. "Ok, you just carried five cases of beer up a narrow staircase but you are not qualified to hand me one?"

As far as working out goes, Gaffigan told the audience he would just prefer to wear black. Still, funny as ever, for most, Jim Gaffigan’s humor was the perfect remedy to the doldrums of a monotonous workweek even if just for a couple hours. Do yourself a favor and keep a lookout for his show the next time around and mark it on your calendar as a "must see".

On a wonderful summer evening, I had the privilege of visiting one of the best venues in the Chicago area.  The Ravinia Festival in Highland Park is a pillar of the outdoor concert community, and I can't believe I considered myself a seasoned concert-goer without ever stepping foot on the grounds.  From an extensive lawn where nobody seems bothered that they cannot see the stage, to the wonderful pavilion where there isn't a bad seat - everyone is bathed in amazing acoustics.  What better band to drive those acoustics than the perfectionists, Steely Dan.

The show started with an instrumental called "Dizzy's Bidness" that consisted of most, and then the entire backing band.  As the two men that make up the heart of Steely Dan, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, entered the stage the needle was dropped and the band broke into the 1977 album "Aja".

I've become quite a fan of bands covering an entire album at a show, and Friday night's performance of "Aja" did not disappoint.  The tightness of this band and the familiarity with the material really showed as it was a faithful reproduction of the album that reached #3 on the US charts.  Though Fagen's vocals are slightly declining with age, he showed no fear in belting out each song with as much energy as he could possibly muster.  He was quite obviously having more fun than anyone else at the show.  Fagen was given a vocal assist by three lovely backup singers he endearingly referred to as "The Embassy Brats".

After the completion of "Aja", Fagen, Becker and crew broke out material from across the spectrum of the band.  This included an interesting prelude to "Hey Nineteen", where Becker informs the audience of the importance of keeping a hip flask handy.  Prior to this, Becker had been so intensely focused on the music that he seemed as if this little speech was the first time he noticed the audience.  Song after song rocked on, and it became more and more apparent just how great the musicians are that Fagen and Becker have surrounded themselves with.

There were a total of 13 musicians on the stage for the entire show, playing in sync the entire time.  This lead to an extended cover of James Brown's "Papa Don't Take No Mess" where Becker once again stepped up to the mic in order to introduce every single member of the band.  It was a well deserved salute and maybe a bit too long of a rest before the awesome conclusion that was in store.

The set came to a raucous conclusion with "My Old School" and "Reelin' In the Years".  The last song finally got the crowd on their feet - one of my pet peeves at a show is when everyone is sitting down, but the venue doesn't strike me as the kind of place where everyone gets up and dances.

The band was back on stage nearly as quickly as they exited, with Fagen informing us that they still had 7 minutes to play.  The band broke into "Kid Charlemagne" and the crowd went nuts all over again.  As the show wrapped up, Fagen and Becker exited the stage, and the band played everyone off with the theme from "Last Tango in Paris".  This provided excellent framing for a fantastic show.  The band played for a solid two and a half hours and didn't let up once.  Now that I've crossed Steely Dan off the list of my bands to see, my next objective is to see them again as soon as possible!

I really enjoyed the Stone temple Pilots concert tonight at The Venue in Hammond, Indiana.

I hadn’t seen singer/frontman Scott Weiland in a few years and I was worried that he might be looking disturbingly thin or strung out, but at this weekend’s show, Scott looked very healthy and fit. Scott’s face and entire physique looked filled out, muscular, robust and youthful again. Weiland impressed us with his fantastic pitch perfect rock voice and it was a pleasure to see and hear him sing.

Especially after the recent loss of musician, Amy Winehouse, it is never pleasant to witness the descent of someone with so much depth of emotion and real talent self-destructing over time and in front of you on the stage.

Tonight’s performance was just the opposite as Weiland, a childhood abuse survivor, with bipolar disorder, and a great dancer, moved sinuously and with flowing ease through the band’s hit list.

Scott referred to his drug dependency in his memoir, "Not Dead and Not for Sale",

"I was running wild during the second Velvet Revolver tour [in 2007]... At the beginning of the tour, I was okay, but then a single line of coke in England did the trick. I snorted it. And soon the demons were back. Thus began another decline... I was out there again, going to dangerous places to buy substances. All this was done in secret; the guys in Velvet Revolver didn't know I was using. When I told the guys that we'd have to miss a couple of gigs because I needed treatment, their reaction shocked me. They told me I'd have to pay them for those cancellations - in full. I reminded them that when they had relapsed and needed rehab, I had supported them completely. It made no difference to them.... It didn't matter that Velvet Revolver had sold some five or six million records. I was out."

It really disturbs me to hear stories like this where truly gifted musical artists like Weiland and Winehouse are pushed past the limits of their own physical and psychological endurance, whatever that level of endurance may be at the time, in order to fulfill financial obligations.

The lyrics from their hit song "Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart" … "I’m not dead and I’m not for sale…" "So keep your bankroll lottery eat your salad day deathbed motorcade" flashed on the big screen behind the band and as Scott encouraged the crowd to sing along with him. I thought that those lyrics were a perfect mantra that all gifted and often over-worked musicians should think about to remind themselves of their personal intrinsic value each night.

I loved the heavy, rolling, bass lines, Robert DeLeo, puts down as well as his brother, Dean DeLeo’s rich, crunchy, growling, psychedelic guitar sounds. Along with super solid drummer Eric Kretz, this seasoned rock band really holds it all down and lays out one of my favorite bouncing drum beats and guitar riffs in the song "Big Bang Baby".

STP touched on many favorites throughout the night including, "Vaseline", "Plush", and "Interstate Love Song" that Scott said moved him the very first time he heard it and went on to say how the band had written it in less than fifteen minutes.

Scott Weiland seriously looks ten years younger and healthier than he did in 2008 and if he keeps up whatever he’s doing healthwise, Grammy Award winning Stone Temple Pilots will be recording creative new albums and touring successfully for many, many years to come.

Stone Temple Pilots are now touring with their 2011 self-titled release and I highly recommend catching them when they come to your town.

For more information on tour dates check out their website at www.Stonetemplepilots.com.

It's been two years since the California band, Incubus, charmed Chicagoan's with a stellar performance on the scenic Charter One stage. For anybody who attended in 2009, the set was amazing - complete with a great light set, killer vocals, instrumental perfection, and an ensued misty rain that only enhanced the experience further. Fast forward to 2011 and Incubus is back with a new album, If Not Now, When? , and they are ready to grace the stage yet again for another incredible show. The set will include classic Incubus songs, as well as new material for hungry Chicago fans. Opening for Incubus is Tom Morello, former vocalist of Rage Against the Machine, making this show one worth catching. Everything kicks off at 7:30PM on Sunday, August 21st, 2011.

Tickets are still on sale for both general admission and the seating area, so grab yours before it's too late and I'll see you there!

Check Incubus out at www.enjoyincubus.com

Each security team member received a briefing prior to the event, which ended up being completely accurate. It read: People expected: 14,000, mostly male and a very active crowd.

As I approached the Mayhem Metal Festival I immediately began hearing people say, “Fuck yes!” and “Fuck that!” The swearing was an unintelligible indication of what was lying behind the entry gate: Metal fans that will stop at nothing to hear their anthem of thrashing guitars, loud vocal abuse and thundering drums. The second stage presents up-and-coming bands along with old fan favorites. Legends such as The Metal Melitia and Hatebreed brought the crowd to their highest hope and prepared them for the chaos that was scheduled to follow. The main stage headlined such acts as Machine Head, Megadeth, Godsmack, and Disturbed.

The crowd starts cheering, “Machine fucking Head!” and  it feels as though the crowd is an army going into battle, with Machine Head giving them the best pre-battle speech they’ve ever heard. The pit starts and the fists start pumping.  Machine Head was a perfect band to open the main stage. They prepped the crowd with energy that I didn’t know even existed. Once they finished their set, people were prepared to take on anything and everything.

Megadeth approaches the stage and the older crowd gets excited as the younger crowd tremendously calms down. The crowd had nothing but respect for them, but as a whole, the crowd didn’t have as much energy as they had for Machine Head. Megadeth takes the stage with a veteran’s approach. They’ve been around for years and have continued to wow generations of metal fans. They know their routine and they know how to put a killer show that has gotten them to where they are today.

Megadeth plays a very safe performance.  They play older songs like “Rust in Peace” and close it out with “Peace Sells.” They also play newer songs to promote their new album coming out in November. Once Megadeth leaves, Godsmack approaches with a no-holds-barred attitude.  Sully Erma is quite possibly one of the best front-man performers I have ever seen.  Erma brings an unsettling excitement for his music and enthusiasm.  He sounds just like he does on the album and you can tell that he loves his craft.  He was one of the only performers who moved around the entire stage and engaged the whole crowd. Godsmack performed songs from their entire collection bring a presence that will satisfy any concertgoer.

The band was a great breath of fresh air that main stage needed. Godsmack revived all fans of metal music, and closed with “I Stand Alone.” The stage was set, the crowd was ready, but no prayers could be spoken for the Atom bomb that exploded when Distubed struck their first chord. I’ve seen many concerts explode in an arena, but none were as insane as Disturbed. They open their show with “Stupified” and I wish I brought a crash helmet. Everyone is glad to see their boys back home and give them the best homecoming a band could ask for. The crowd sings every line to every song as they welcome their hometown boys. This year’s Mayhem Festival delivered a satisfying tour-de-force with crowd-pleasing bands that delivered an outstanding show.

*Photos by Carl Burke

You very well may have first heard ZZ Top rock, while carrying your boom-box on your shoulder, and walking down your block. It was the lovely ‘80s when I was no longer a virgin to ZZ Top's tunes, and it was also when Aqua Net hairspray was rampantly used to create cockamamie up-do's.
 
(On a serious note, in the process of one getting his or her cigarette lit, hair fires were quite frequent).
 
However, ZZ Top ignited a blast of a time starting way back in 1969. Billy Gibbons (guitar, vocals, harmonica and bass) had started "Moving Sidewalks" and kicked the two other men in the band to the curb. Gibbons, then, stumbled upon Frank Beard (drums, percussion, vocals, saxophone, trumpet and tuba) as well as Dusty Hill (bass guitar, keyboards, vocals, saxophone and base clarinet ), forming ZZ Top, also known as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas." The three buds got the taste of success pretty quickly, becoming a band in demand.
 
The creation of the name "ZZ Top" may devastate Marijuana-joint-making enthusiasts, since it did not actually stem from the highly esteemed Zig Zag (ZZ) and Top's Rolling papers. Rather, it was Gibbon's cross-breeding of Z.Z. Hill's name, and B.B King's up on "top" status that resulted in the name of the band.
 
ZZ Top has broken records, received awards up the wazoo, and has worked on numerous television shows plus movies. The band, which once had their stage the shape of the state of Texas, was honored in a big way when "They were inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 2004. With that said, I was expecting to see star qualities while they perform. Besides, ZZ Top have opened for The Rolling Stones, Janis Joplin, Joe Cocker, Santana and many other Music Industry heavy weights for Pete's sake!
 
A few nights ago, at Hammond Indiana's Horseshoe Casino, three sharp dressed men came out onstage, playing many of their greatest hits that sounded just like if you were listening to them on the radio. Only a handful or so of fans were dressed in clothes reminiscent of the ‘80s, and the stage design proved ZZ Top are no "cheapos", also keeping up to date with the latest technology. That is, they had three Paul Bunion-sized screens, one in back of them and on each side. Everyone in the crowd was able to see the ZZ Top guys up close and personal, and at one time during their performance, the monitor behind them played graphics of intricately-designed hub caps that appeared to be flying out into the audience.
 
ZZ Top filled the venue with their signature, sizzling Texas boogie rock and blues, and it was great to watch folks passionately adore them and want more. A "Yee-haw!" is also in store, because ZZ Top will have a new album, currently untitled, out this fall and you can catch them on tour!

Big Randy knows how to throw a party! Some of the best parties of the summer in recent years have been in Schiller Woods in the form of Woodsbash. For the tenth anniversary celebration it was a fantastic time. Woodsbash 2011 was a blast!

Sweet G has been a tremendous asset to Woodsbash as she has helped promote this event or the last five years. This was most likely her last year working on the committee for Woodsbash and is deciding to step down. This lady has helped out so much on these events over the years and not all the credit does go to Randy.

The day started out with the usual rain in the morning scaring a lot of music lovers away. As luck would have it, the skies cleared up and the sun came out for a bit to help out in having a better time. An abundance of the partiers that weren’t afraid to melt still showed up and didn’t mind the couple of raindrops that fell later in the day as it was quite refreshing.

The entertainment was awesome as always. Starting out the show was the band Sonic Pistol. The sweet sounding grooves provided by the tight rhythm section were very cool. These guys kicked off the show and helped to knock the sleep out of the eyes of the vampires within the crowd. If they didn’t wake you up, you might want to see a doctor because you might be dead.

Old Chicago area veterans Diamond Rexx came up next and jammed for your entertainment. The aging musicians within this band date back to a much simpler time for Chicago area musicians. Some of the old Thirsty Whale crowd showed up and it was definitely a nostalgic moment. The band played and had some cool tricks up their sleeves. They rocked!!

The up and coming Veilside came out and jammed their asses off. Very cool group with all the makings of a band that should succeed. Each one of the members in this band is a solid show themselves. Together? As a band? They are unstoppable!

The final act of Woodsbash 2011 was Loveblast and why not save the best for last. This guitar oriented band makes use of the talents within the hands of their guitar slinger. The rhythm section creates the templates for the guitarist to showboat his playing. With multiple influences driving this band from the hair metal days, this is one of the bands that got it right.

Woodsbash would not be complete without Jell-O shots, kickass music, and the heavy metal Godzilla. A guy dressed up in a Godzilla suit wearing a leather jacket walked around the crowd and posed for pictures. To be trapped within a hot suit during an above eighty degree day should make just about anyone pass out from the heat. Inside this custom suit are battery operated fans to help keep the guy inside cooler as he entertains the crowd.

The day after Woodsbash 2011, many heads needed aspirin, the woods needed to be cleaned, and Big Randy needs to start organizing Woodsbash 2012! He keeps saying that he isn’t going to do it again; that this year is the last year. He said it last year and the year before. It’s a lot of work for one person to organize and headaches come with it.

Funding is the hard part of the equation. To throw a party like this will cost an upward of a thousand dollars. In the last few years, Randy, Sweet G and a few others working behind the scenes have done a Winterbash that helps to fund the Woodsbash. It has been a successful idea for the last few years, but it is becoming tougher on the comittee. The obligation and commitment to run a show like this is huge and in future years, Randy may need to get some help with setting it up and with the funding the entire event. If he decides to put the torch down, someone else needs to pick it back up. Donations to the event are always welcome and that is what really helps to put on this party. Thank you Randy and Sweet G for doing this!!