Minutes ago, producer-songwriter duo THEY. stepped off stage for a sold out crowd in Milwaukee, WI. Performing at The Rave, in support of R&B rising superstar Bryson Tiller’s T R A P S O U L tour, THEY. performed some new music as well as their 2015 EP, Nü Religion, which was well received by many and got some major co-signs from Zane Lowe and Ebro from Hot 97’s “Ebro in the Morning”. The emerging duo, which consists of Dante and Drew, is not only one of the most exciting R&B acts to watch this year, but they are certainly picking up a ton of new fans while on the road with Tiller.
THEY. has a sound that certainly plays well for the T R A P S O U L tour crowd, and whether it’s natural or learned throughout their previous tour stops, Dante and Drew already have found comfort on the big stage. It’s one thing to produce their addictive records, which have gathered millions of streams on SoundCloud, it’s another thing to perform those same tracks live for a sold-out audience, city-after-city. Tiller has already taken advantage of the voids in the left in the R&B world left by Frank Ocean, and there is more than enough room for THEY. to sit at the table as well. Expect THEY. to continue to make a name for themselves throughout the rest of the tour and soon after it concludes.
Check out our photos from THEY.’s opening performance tonight below, and be sure to check out the remaining dates for Tiller and THEY.’s current tour here.
SAVEMONEY rapper and Chicago’s own, Towkio, surprised many with his awesome 2015 project, .Wav Theory, but the emerging rapper is already on to the next one as he recruited his friend and long-time collaborator Vic Mensa for his new record, ‘G W M’. Short for “gang with me”, ‘G W M’ isn’t a gang banging street record, rather it’s a fun Mr. Carmack and Kenny Segal produced track where Towkio raps about his whole squad, which as many know includes Vic, Chance The Rapper and many more. SAVEMONEY isn’t your average rap collective, and Towkio’s new track definitely helps show that.
Phoebe Ryan is one of our favorite emerging acts from 2015 and she is keeping the momentum going in 2016. Debuting her new single on Zane Lowe’s Beats 1, fans can now listen to Ryan’s addictive new track, ‘Chronic’. Ryan is currently on tour with ‘See You Again’ singer/songwriter Charlie Puth, and fans can definitely some memorable performances from both Puth and Ryan, who will be making a stop at Chicago’s Park West on March 22nd.
Watch the official lyric video for ‘Chronic’ below.
What’s cooler than going to a music festival at The Indy 500? Nothing, right? Well get excited because The Indy 500 Snake Pit is returning to Indianapolis this year and it just announced its huge lineup. Performing at the festival this year will be ED superstars Skrillex, Martin Garrix, Zeds Dead and hip-hop mega producer DJ Mustard. The Snake Pit will take placed on Sunday, May 29th and there is no better way to spend your Memorial Day weekend.
Get your tickets before they are all gone here, and check out the Snake Pit’s official trailer below.
Chicago is bar none one of the best cities for live music, not only in the U.S. but in the world. Whether you are seeing an intimate performance at the Concord Music Hall, a packed show at some of the city’s most historic venues like the Chicago Theatre or the Aragon Ballroom, one of the cities awesome music festivals, or even a huge production at the United Center, Chicago has something for everyone.
And right now, even in the middle of winter, it’s a great time to catch a show in the Windy City. This month alone fans can check out some performances by rapper GoldLink, R&B’s super emerging artist Bryson Tiller, the talented Carly Rae Jepsen, American soul singer Leon Bridges and many more.
Bryson Tiller @ House of Blues (3/4)
In just a few days Bryson Tiller is bring his T R A P S O U L Tour to Chicago’s House of Blues. With a scheduled opening performance from They., which will surely set the tone for the rest of the night, there is not a better place to be this Friday than Chicago’s Marina City. Unfortunately if you haven’t got your tickets yet, you may be out of luck, as tickets are all sold-out. But for those lucky enough to get tickets on time, you are surely on track to start off this upcoming weekend on a high note.
Carly Rae Jepsen @ The Metro (3/12)
Courtesy of The Huffington Post
Don’t necessarily expect her to perform her Full House theme cover that picked up a lot of buzz on the internet, but you can certainly expect Carly Rae Jepsen to put on a great show at The Metro in Chicago next week. The ‘Call Me Maybe’ singer and Canada native put out one of the best albums last year, with her latest LP Emotion, and if her live shows are half as good as her new album, then fans will definitely get their money’s worth March 12th. Tickets for this one are all sold-out, so if you missed out, definitely be sure to get your tickets on time when Carly Rae comes back to the Windy City.
GoldLink @ The Chop Shop & 1st Ward (3/9)
Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration
GoldLink is easily one of the most exciting rappers to watch in 2016. Last year he introduced himself to many, while opening for Mac Miller on his GO:OD AM Tour. So after picking up a bunch of new fans in 2015, 2016 is definitely the year of GoldLink. He has a huge co-sign from Rick Rubin, his lyrics are more than impressive, and anyone who has seen him live will tell you that he puts on a great show. Tickets for this one are a steal, only $16, so get them now before they are all gone.
Fall Out Boy @ The United Center (3/12)
Fall Out Boy is expected to put on one hell of show next week at the United Center. Accompanied by AWOLNATION and Pvris, expect Pete Wentz and company to blow the roof off at the house that Michael Jordan built. Chicago definitely shows love for Fall Out Boy so tickets have been gone for quite some time, but if you’re one of the many thousands to be in attendance next week, be prepared to have a night that you won’t soon forget.
Leon Bridges @ The Chicago Theatre (3/11)
Courtesy of LeonBridges.com
Leon Bridges had an amazing 2015 and it seems like he has been on tour ever since we first heard his name. His debut album Coming Home was by far one of the best projects of last year, it landed Bridges his first (of many to come) Grammy nomination, his live performances are critically acclaimed, and you can see all the above for yourself at the history Chicago Theatre on March 11th. Tickets for this one as well, have long been sold out, so if you already have your tickets, get ready for a great show.
Charlie Puth & Phoebe Ryan @ Park West (3/22)
Photo by Dan Garcia/The Early Registration
Charlie Puth probably had the best year imaginable in 2015. His Wiz Khalifa-assisted smash hit ‘See You Again’ was one of the biggest, if not the biggest, song of 2015, and most importantly it introduced Charlie Puth to the world and showcased his amazing song-writing skills. His new single ‘One Call Away’ is getting a lot of traction on pop radio, and you can see the talented singer-songwriter perform at Lincoln Park’s Park West on March 22nd with the equally talented Phoebe Ryan. Expect Puth to perform a number of tracks from his 2016 debut album, Nine Track Mind, and Ryan to perform a number of her fan favorites, including her new single ‘Chronic’. Tickets are all sold out, so if you didn’t get yours in time, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep a close eye on Puth, as he is easily one of the most exciting pop artists to watch this year.
Hermitude @ The Chop Shop & 1st Ward (3/10)
Following their sold-out headlining tour last fall, Australian hip-hop duo Hermitude are returning to the Windy City for a headlining show at The Chop Shop & 1st Ward. On March 10th fans are sure to hear a number of cuts from the duo’s latest LP, Dark Night Sweet Light, which was well received by many. The album featured the likes of Big K.R.I.T., Chuck Inglish, Estelle, Pell and more. And even if you can’t make it to the Chop Shop this month, be sure to make the trip down to Manchester, TN to see the guys perform at Bonnaroo this year! Get your tickets for Hermitude’s forthcoming Chicago show before they are all sold out, here.
New Zealand’s 4th most popular folk parody duo, and stars of HBO’s breakout 2007 comedy series of the same name, Flight of the Conchords are reuniting for a huge tour this summer. Kicking off their reunion tour on June 11th at Cleveland’s State Theatre, the ‘Business Time’ singers will hit stops in Phili, Chicago, Milwaukee, New York, and many more, until the tour concludes at Los Angeles’ historic Greek Theatre on July 27th.
Consisting of actor/comedians Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, Flight of the Conchords are not only the inventors or rap but the best blend of comedy and music you will ever see. The forthcoming tour, which is titled their “Flight of the Conchords sing Flight of the Conchords Tour”, will not only consist of a ton of their top tracks and fan favorites, but fans will see new material as well. “I’m thrilled to get back on the road with over half the original band,” Bret tells fans in the tour announcement’s press release.
See if Flight of the Conchords are coming to a city near you below.
Just minutes ago People Keep Talking rapper, Hoodie Allen, said his goodbyes to the Windy City after a memorable performance at The Riviera Theatre. Bringing his Happy Camper Tour to Chicago, IL tonight, fans in attendance saw a great opening performance from ‘Keep It Real’ rapper Kyle and an energic headlining set from Hoodie himself. Touring in support of his new LP,similarly titled Happy Camper, which released just last month and features both Kyle and Blackbear (who was not able to perform tonight), Hoodie has gathered quite the fan base due to his music’s broad appeal that transfers over to his live performances.
Up first for the night was Ventura native Kyle. Kyle’s set was full of crowd surfing (and we mean that in the most literal way possible), a lightsaber fight, a Pikachu cameo and wild energetic performances from some of his best songs from his latest album, Smyle, and his 2013 project, Beautiful Loser. There is nothing quite like a Kyle show, and with his DJ and right-hand-man SuperDuperBrick helping hype up the crowd, Kyle always delivers.
It was not long after Kyle’s set before it was time for Hoodie Allen to step on stage. The University of Pennsylvania graduate who worked at Google before quitting his job to pursue music, Hoodie Allen is smarter than your average rapper, and certainly smart enough to know that you may attain fans by making great music but you keep those same fans by putting on great performances. Not a moment went by where the energy levels were low, and the Chicago crowd sang along with Hoodie song-after-song. Highlights of his set included his memorable performances of ‘No Faith In Brooklyn’, ‘All About It’ and ‘Champagne and Pools’. Despite performing for a big theatre, Hoodie puts on an intimate performance that is still full of production value. As the confetti fell from the ceiling near the end of the night, The Rivieria Theatre had seen one of it’s best performances in quite sometime.
Check out our photos from tonight’s show below and see if Hoodie & friends are coming to a city near you on one of their remaining 18 stops on the Happy Camper Tour.
Minutes ago rapper Logic stepped off stage in Wisconsin, as he brought The Incredible World Tour to a crowd of 4,000+ The Rave in Milwaukee, WI. Performing for a sold out Wisconsin crowd, Logic was accompanied by rapper Dizzy Wright and his in-house DJ, the talented DJ Rhetoric, who also joined Logic on his 2015 tour. From start to finish, Funk Volume‘s standout MC Dizzy Wright and the man of the night, Logic, both killed it in their own regards. A collection of Logic’s best songs, killer mixes from Rhetoric, 4,000 people dabbing at once, there was not a dull moment in the evening, and while The Incredible World Tour (similarly titled to Logic’s latest LP, The Incredible True Story) may not be the most incredible live performance you will ever see in your life, tonight’s show proves that Logic is more than just a talent lyricist with amazing beat selection, rather he is also one of the best live performers in rap music today.
Check out our photos (more to come soon) from Logic’s Milwaukee stop on The Incredible World Tour below and be sure to get your tickets to a tour stop near you.
Last night Dirt Nasty and Mickey Avalon brought their Married To The Game tour to The Rave in Milwaukee, WI. Performing for an intimate crowd of a few hundred, there was not a better place to be on a random Thursday night. From the very beginning, Dirt Nasty made sure that his Wisconsin fans would get a unique show that they would not soon forget. Opening with with some of his fan favorites, bringing up a number of girls on stage, Dirt Nasty had a conversation with the crowd throughout the night. His set was full of laughs, twerking, a “white girl who looks like she could be Mexican mostly because she has dark hair”, repping of a “Drink Wisconsinbly” t-shirt and an awesome closing performance of ‘1980’. Before Lil Dicky, you had Dirt Nasty, and last night he proved that there is no one who mixes comedy and rap quite like Simon Rex.
Soon to follow was rapper Mickey Avalon. While Avalon certainly did not bring as many laughs to the table as Dirt, he put on a great set in his own right. Avalon mixed the new and the old throughout his set, and instead of recruiting local talent for his backup dancers like Dirt Nasty, he had a dancer of his own who probably had close to 10 costume changes throughout the night. It wasn’t anything major, but it was good to see some extra production value brought to the show.
The highlight of the night though came as Avalon invited Dirt Nasty back to the stage to perform some of their best collaborations. From some of their new records from their similarly titled Married To The Game project, like ‘Top Down’ and ‘Do It All Over’, to their classics like ‘What Do You Say’, the two played off each other well, making the night end on the highest possible note. As the two closed the night with an awesome performance of ‘My Dick’, complemented by about 20 backup dancers from the crowd, Milwaukee was certainly the place to be last night.
Check out our photos from last nights show below and see if Dirt and Mickey are coming to a city near you.
Broadcasting in 212 territories spanning 643 million homes and a potential TV viewership of 4.7 billion people, the Barclays Premier League is the most watched soccer league in the world. These numbers reflect the popularity of a sport that has continuous action on and sometimes off the pitch. It’s also a testament of an increasing fan base that covers almost all continents around the globe. However, for American sports fans, it’s still somewhat of a challenge appreciating the league as a whole and rooting for a specific club.
Part of the United States’ lack of appeal with soccer is it’s equally fascinating sports teams in major leagues such as the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, the Major League Baseball, and the National Football League. Take our beloved Chicago, for instance. Our city takes pride in having the most marketable teams in the world. The teams obviously include the Bulls, the Blackhawks, the Cubs, and the Bears – all of which consider the Windy City their home. But for prospective fans of the Premier League, it’s not too late to start cheering for a soccer club; all it takes is a little mirror comparison with these Chicago-based teams.
Chicago Bulls (NBA)
Photo Courtesy of NBA.com
Like the Chicago Bulls, Chelsea has seen a lot of ups and downs in recent memory. The club has gone from the pinnacle of the Premier League to the base of relegation and back. Before the beginning of the season, Chelsea were favorites to recapture the crown. Now though, they are facing life without successful manager Jose Mourinho and their captain John Terry who announced his intentions to leave when he becomes a free agent. Additionally, as the roll of the ball would have it – like the Bulls – the Blues are underachieving this season. On the other side of the coin, it still has iconic players, akin to the Michael Jordans, the Scottie Pippens, and the Derrick Roses of the NBA, like John Terry, who has been with the club since the start of his youth career in 1995, for now at least.
Chicago Blackhawks (NHL)
Photo Courtesy of NHL.com
Over the years, the Chicago Blackhawks have become perennial contenders for the Stanley Cup trophy. Manchester City, on the other hand, have also comfortably settled with competing at the top of the Premier League table in the last 5 seasons. Both teams recently won championships and even continued to revamp their rosters from top to bottom. For Chicago Blackhawks sports fans, City remains their soccer counterpart, especially with all the key acquisitions and the potential to once again bag the title.
Chicago Cubs (MLB)
Photo Courtesy of RantSports.com
They say that misery loves company. And what better way to share the dishonor of decade’s even century’s worth of frustration than in sports. The Chicago Cubs and Newcastle United have a common denominator in terms of being a wealthy team that has never won a league championship in almost a century. In layman’s term, they are these popular, overly attractive prom queens who grew up to always be the bridesmaid and never the bride. With the way things are going right now for the Magpies, the team looks like they will drop down from maid of honor to an evening guest.
Chicago Bears (NFL)
Photo Courtesy of ArgusLeader.com
After selling Fabian Delph and Christian Benteke to Manchester City and Liverpool, respectively, Aston Villa’s future in Premier League looks bleak. There will always be history involved when talking about the Villans, as they are (or were) a strong English team that are appealing and intriguing at the same time. With the infamous Tim Sherwood receiving his pink slip in the midst of a dismal season, who knows what the future holds for Aston Villa in the Championship next season.
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