Chicago’s premiere beachside festival, Mamby On The Beach, is returning to the Windy City this year, and the lineup rivals even last year’s! Hitting the stage at Mamby in 2016 will be Lupe Fiasco, Milky Chance, Animal Collective, Chromeo, Santigold, Chet Faker and many more. Mamby is set to take place on July 2nd and 3rd at Chicago’s Oakwood Beach, and if you were there last year, you know it’s an amazing location for a music festival, so enter our contest now!
Winning is easy, enter at the link below and by following The Early Registration on social media, by sharing the contest with your friends, you gain entries that increase your chances of winning! Contest ends June 12th.
But why leave things to chance? Buy your tickets here before they sell out!
Spring Awakening is returning to Chicago to kick off your summer and it’s better than ever! And that’s why we are giving you a chance to see Deadmau5, The Chainsmokers, Dillon Frances and many more, and all for free. Taking place on June 10th through the 12th at Addans/Medill Park, Spring Awakening is a must for your summer this year so enter our contest now!
Winning is easy, enter at the link below and by following The Early Registration on social media, by sharing the contest with your friends, you gain entries that increase your chances of winning! Contest ends May 30th.
But why leave things to chance? Buy your tickets here before they sell out!
If you’ve ever seen comedian Aziz Ansari’s stand-up review of an R. Kelly concert and viewed it as sheer entertainment and comedy, instead of an accurate representation of what an R. Kelly performance is actually like, then you were wrong. In Ansari’s special, “Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening”, the Parks and Recreation comedian describes an elaborate production where Kelly splices his music with unimaginable theatrics, video clips, entertaining conversations with the audience, and wild pyrotechnics. Not only is all the above 100% factual, but fans in attendance tonight at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL can attest to it all first hand. To say R. Kelly is a one of the best showmen from the past two decades would be an understatement, and tonight he certainly delivered for his hometown crowd of Chicago.
If R. Kelly was anyone but R. Kelly, we would have expected “The Buffet Tour” to open with a performance of the majority of tracks from Kelly’s most recently LP, The Buffet, with a few of the Chicago singer’s biggest hits mixed in throughout the set and in the encore. And if that predictable and structured layout would have took place tonight, it would have been just fine and fans would have certainly left with their money’s worth. However the night’s performance was nothing but structured and predictable, and totally rewrites your expectations going into a live show. And in the most unique way, despite the show being a weird random mess (for lack of better words), it all worked and fans were more than entertained throughout the night. Beyond the music, highlights of the night included R. Kelly responding to internet haters by watching Kobe’s last game on a 50 ft. screen, a flying blimp robot named R. Bot, and random videos of R. Kelly playing basketball and talking about his love of chili. R. Kelly reinvents the wheel when it doesn’t need reinventing, and in doing so he takes us down a whole new and amazing path that we never knew existed.
Despite being dubbed “The Buffet Tour”, tonight’s performance focused around R. Kelly’s massive catalog of hits instead of pinpointing on just his most recent project. Fans went from feeling sexy during ‘Bump N’ Grind’ to getting emotional while singing along to ‘I Believe I Can Fly’. Kelly’s 2-hour long performance truly reminds you of his consistency in the R&B world and the massive number of hit records that R. Kelly has delivered throughout the years. While the video intermissions and added production value certainly make R. Kelly’s performances stand out, it’s the individual performances of tracks that serve as the highlights of the night. The Buffet Tour left not one fan hungry for more tonight, but many would definitely come back for second helpings if they could.
Check out our photos from tonight’s performance below and check out the remaining dates for The Buffet Tourhere.
Just a few weeks removed from her huge headlining performances at Coachella, Ellie Goulding brought her Delirium World Tour to Chicago’s Allstate Arena in Rosement, IL. What will be Goulding’s second Windy City performance of the summer, as she is scheduled to perform at Lollapalooza’s big 25th year anniversary, the arena was packed with Goulding’s fans who came ready to dance the night away. The ‘Love Me Like You Do’ singer didn’t come alone however, as the English singer/songwriter brought British electronic trio, Years & Years, and the immensely talented, Bebe Rexha.
Kicking off the night as the arena began to fill up was singer/songwriter Bebe Rexha. Perhaps known best now for her G-Eazy collaboration, ‘Me, Myself & I’, a record that Rexha wrote before it found its home on the Bay Area rapper’s most recent LP, Rexha is one of the most underrated songwriters of the past half-decade. Rexha got her big break when Eminem bought her track ‘Monster’, a record that previously had little backing from label heads. Lucky for Rexha, ‘Monster’ became a hit and ever since then the Brooklyn native has continued to prove her doubters wrong. Rexha has had some big festival appearances, has worked with the likes of Selena Gomez, Nick Jonas, David Guetta and Nicki Minaj (to name a few), and now of course she is on a huge U.S. tour leg with Ellie Goulding. During her live performances, Rexha converses with the crowd, reminding fans of catalog of records that she has worked on behind the scenes. Don’t be mistaken though, Rexha is much more than just a talented writer and is well on her way to putting “Bebe Rexha the artist” at the forefront of the records that she produces.
Following Rexha’s performance, electronic trio and London natives, Years & Years, hit the stage in Rosemont. Consisting of frontman Olly Alexander, Mikey Goldsworthy (bass guitar) and Emre Turkmen (keys), Years & Years has seen a great amount of success back home, especially with their hit single ‘King’, and that success has been carrying over to the states. Tonight fans saw performances of a number of the band’s records from their 2015 debut, Communion. Although they have been together since 2010, they really took their time in putting together a quality first studio project, and the results showed. Not only did their debut receive great reception from critics across the board, but its live performances tonight were definitely embraced by Ellie’s electropop fans in attendance.
After a brief intermission between sets, it was time for Ellie Goulding to hit the stage. Goulding has consistently raised in popularity in the U.S., and the energy throughout the arena was evidence of just that. After her 2010 debut, Lights, it would have been hard for many Chicago fans to imagine Ellie headlining her own show at the Allstate Arena. Just a few years ago, Goulding performed at Chicago’s Schubas Tavern, an intimate 550-capacity club in the city’s Lakeview neighborhood. In just a couple year’s time, Goulding would return to the city for a daytime set at Lollapalooza in 2013. So for the Delirium singer to headline an arena show that foreshadows a headlining Lolla performance is huge and indicative of her global success in the past few years.
Goulding’s performance tonight was very similar to her headlining set at Coachella this year, a performance which many thousands caught, whether live in Indio or via the festival’s live webcast. Opening with the Intro to her 2015 album, where the tour get its name, and transitioning into the LP’s second track, ‘Aftertaste’, Goulding performed the majority of Delirium, which brought fans singles like ‘Something In The Way You Move’ and ‘Love Me Like You Do’. Ellie Goulding’s performance tonight was much more than just a carbon copy of the album however. Mixing in intimate acoustic performances, a beautiful tribute cover to Prince’s ‘When Doves Cry’, and performing a few fan favorites from her first two albums, Halcyon and Lights, Ellie certainly put on a memorable performances that fans in attendance will definitely want to relive when Ellie returns to Lollapalooza this year on July 31st, as one of the festival’s final performances celebrating a quarter-century of great live music. If you get a chance to catch Goulding at Grant Park this year, jump on the opportunity.
Check out our photos from tonight’s performance below and check out the remaining dates for the Delirium World Tourhere.
Madison’s Revelry Music and Arts Festival has evolved year after year, and while it’s style and location have changed on multiple occasions, one thing that’s consistent is that it always supplies the students of the University of Wisconsin with some great music. Last year was our first year on-site for Revelry, where fans saw great performances from Chance The Rapper, The Chainsmokers, Mick Jenkins and AlunaGeorge, just to name a few. This year’s stellar lineup was no exception to the great lineups of the past. Now hitting stage at Madison’s historic Orpheum Theatre, Revelry saw some great sets from ‘Tuesday’ rapper/singer and OVO Sound artist iLoveMakonnen, GOOD Music‘s Hudson Mohawke, Milwaukee’s talented emerging artist WebsterX, a surprise appearance from IshDARR, Minnesota rapper Finding Novyon, and many more!
If you missed out this year, you did just that, you missed out… because everyone from the bottom to top of the lineup delivered tonight. Hit the jump to check out some of our favorite photos from Revelry 2016, as we sent our photographer Dan Garcia to capture some of the festival’s best moments.
Last night The Summer Set brought The Stories For Monday Tour to The Rave in Milwaukee, WI. Traveling with some great company, including Handsome Ghost, Call Me Karizma and States // Capitals, The Summer Set have now performed at all stages within the legendary Wisconsin venue. The punk rockers are currently on tour in promotion of their brand new album, Stories For Monday, but fans last night not only saw performance of The Summer Set’s new records but all of their favorites over the years as well.
Fans sang along, word-for-word for the new tracks and went wild for classic Summer Set songs like ‘Chelsea’ and ‘The Boys You Do’. Brian Logan Dales told fans that they would put on a memorable show for Milwaukee like it was their last show ever, and they did just that. Don’t expect this to be their last time at The Rave though, as the ‘Figure Me Out’ singers practically have made themselves a second home at the venue over the years.
Check out our photos from tonight’s performance below and check out the remaining dates for The Summer Set’s headlining tour here.
Hours after the big announcement of their forthcoming mini-album, Johannesburg, British indie rockers Mumford & Sons brought their huge world tour to Madison, Wisconsin’s Alliant Energy Center. With approximately 10,000 fans in attendance, Mumford & Sons brought American singer/songwriter Blake Mills to help warm up the Midwest crowd and contribute to what would be a memorable night. The rockers mixed the old with the new tonight, performing a number of their fan favorites & B-sides with a number of new records, which we can now expect to hear on their forthcoming mini-album.
Kicking off the night was singer Blake Mills. Mills is certainly not new to music, as the singer has been consistently releasing music since 2010, however he certainly picked up a number of new fans tonight in Madison. A California native, Mills is perhaps best known for his record ‘Hey Lover’ or his work with Simon Dawes, a band Mills co-founded with his high-school friend Taylor Goldsmith. Notably Mills also stands out for his production skills, which grabbed him a “Producer of the Year” nomination for his work on Alabama Shakes’ 2015 album Sound & Color. Tonight though Mills’ set showcased his skills as a solo artist and performer. While Mills’ music, new and old, was new to many fans in Wisconsin tonight, his records certainly resonated well with the sold-out crowd.
Soon after Mills’ opening performance, it was time for Mumford & Sons to hit the stage. Despite their indie status, Marcus Mumford and company have a wide appeal, which is more than evident from their ability to sell out arena after arena on their current tour. While the guys joined forces in 2007, Mumford & Sons quickly rose to their elite status after the release of their 2012 LP, Babel, their second studio album and the follow up to their 2009 debut Sign No More, which brought fans singles like ‘Little Lion Man’ and ‘Winter Winds’.
Mumford & Sons opened tonight’s performance with their record ‘Snake Eyes’, a track from Mumford’s 2015 album, Wilder Minds, a project which debuted a new sound for the band which took their folk sound and traded their acoustic instruments for electric ones. Throughout the night the band jumped from album to album, performing an excellent mix from their three studio albums. Next, Mumford & Sons gave fans some new music with their record ‘Believe’. Throughout the night they made time to give fans a first listen as to what’s to come from the band, records that will likely find home on Mumford & Sons’ upcoming project, Johannesburg.
Highlights of the night were all over. Whether it’s a more upbeat performance or a slower record that turned the arena into an intimate performance, the crowd loved every moment. Of course though when fans had to wait for Mumford’s encore performance of their mega-hit ‘I Will Wait’, the energy levels were at an all-time high. Mumford & Sons have the ability to take intimate performances that you’d expect to hear at your local pub, and bring them to some of the biggest venues and music festivals throughout the world. Their live performances are certainly like none other.
Check out our photos from tonight’s performance below and check out the remaining dates from Mumford & Sons’ current tour here.
Chance The Rapper is nearing a club ambassador deal with the Chicago White Sox, ESPN reports, and it’s our favorite new partnership in the music and sports worlds. Chance has famously sported his White Sox cap, repping Chicago’s Southside, for years, and which recently led to the Chicago native designing a special Sox cap of his own with New Era.
While Chance’s Sox deal isn’t final and public just yet, Chance is certainly on path to help re-brand the Sox, the way that Drake has helped the Toronto Raptors in the NBA. So what better way for the White Sox to kick off their 2016 season than with Chance The Rapper throwing out the ceremonial first pitch for their home opener against the Cleveland Indians.
Rocking his new Sox hat, today marked the second time that Chance has thrown out the first pitch for the White Sox, but today’s pitch was especially significant. In a partnership that ESPN has called brilliant, as Chance wound up for his pitch this afternoon, the ‘Angels’ rapper may have given way to the start of a new era for the Chicago White Sox. Move over Wrigley, the U.S. Cellular Field is on its way to become the Windy City’s premiere place to catch a ball game.
Check out our snowy photos from Chance The Rapper’s ceremonial first pitch below.
The Indy 500 Snake Pit is returning to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this year and you definitely won’t want to miss out. With performances from the world’s top DJs, including Skrillex, Martin Garrix, Zeds Dead and DJ Mustard, there is no better way to start the summer and we have your chance to win free tickets. And not only will you score entry into the Snake Pit with your favorite DJs but you will get entry into the speedway for the 100th running of the Indy 500 as well!
Winning is easy, enter at the link below and by following The Early Registration on social media, by sharing the contest with your friends, you gain entries that increase your chances of winning! Contest ends May 8th.
But why leave things to chance? Buy your tickets here before they sell out!
Gary Clark Jr. holds the fate of a whole genre in his hands alone, and I mean that in the most literal way possible. When Clark Jr. holds his guitar, show after show, he is keeping blues rock alive in 2016. With huge co-signs from the Foo Fighters, Eric Clapton, John Mayer and critics across the board, Buddy Guy even called Gary Clark Jr. the savior of blues. I first had the opportunity to hear Clark Jr. live, performing in support of Outkast’s huge reunion tour in 2014. Since then I’ve seen him perform at a couple festivals throughout the country and I always leave impressed.
Tonight Gary Clark Jr. traveled to the Windy City in support of his second studio LP, The Story of Sonny Boy Slim, with his headlining tour of the same name. Performing for a sold-out crowd at Chicago’s Riviera Theatre, fans of all different ages and go-to genres got to see one of the world’s best guitarist live in action. Today marked April Fools’ Day but tonight’s performances at The Riv were certainly no joke. There was no better place to be in Chicago tonight than Gary Clark Jr.’s sold-out show.
To warm up the crowd tonight was another one of Austin, Texas’ most talented artists, country music singer Carson McHone. McHone received a lot of local attention after her self-titled EP in 2013, and since then she has shared the stage with Lydia Loveless, Charlie Mars, David Ramirez, and even toured in support of Shakey Graves last summer. Tonight though, McHone shared the stage with her fellow Austin native and performed a number of records off her latest studio album, Goodluck Man. While you wouldn’t expect an alternative country singer to warm up a blues rock crowd, that’s just what she did tonight. Despite minor feedback issues on the production side and some outside fan chatter from the bar area, the performance was excellent in every way. McHone has a lovable and calm stage presence that fans can’t help but enjoy. Sometimes a guitar is still a guitar, and despite the differences in McHone and Gary Clark Jr.’s music, the two both know how to work the guitar and write some great records.
Soon after McHone stepped off stage, it was time for the man of the night. The lights went low and the crowd erupted in anticipation of the night’s headlining performance. Gary Clark Jr. kicked off his set with his track, ‘Bright Lights’ from his 2012 debut, Blak and Blu, an LP which scored the Texas guitarist his first two Grammy nominations. ‘Bright Lights’ may not be one of Clark Jr.’s biggest records, but the B-side is definitely one of his best to see live.
Throughout the night, Gary Clark Jr. performed the majority of records from The Story of Sonny Boy Slim, a few awesome covers, and a lengthy encore. With his epic guitar solos, Gary Clark Jr.’s guitar almost served as a separate band member for the night. Considering the fact that the ‘Don’t Owe You a Thing’ singer has been killing it on guitar since he was 12, it is no surprise that his solos stole the show. And that isn’t to say that his vocal, the rest of his band and everything else weren’t on their A-game, because they definitely were. If you get a chance to see Gary Clark Jr. perform this spring or summer, you need to jump on the opportunity. No matter what type of music you gravitate towards, you will definitely leave the performance in awe.
Check out our photos from tonight’s performance below and check out the remaining dates from Gary Clark Jr.’s headlining tour here.
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