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Layne Lindroth writesConcert Review: The Head and the Heart at the Peoria Civic Center (2/24/17)
Text and pictures by Layne Lindroth
“Are you enjoying this? We’re trying, I think we’re playing pretty good,” Julien Ehrlich, drummer and lead singer of Whitney innocently asked, drawing laughs from The Head and the Heart fans fumbling for their seats. Ehrlich’s easygoing banter between songs reflected the youthful personality and kaleidoscopic tones of Whitney’s debut LP, Light Upon the Lake.
The darkened Peoria Civic Center crowd continued to collectively bob their heads until the six-piece dove into a cover of NRBQ’s “Magnet”, before which Ehrlich joked again, “You can dance if you want, but I wouldn’t stand up if I were you.” Nevertheless, small groups of new fans jumped to their feet to bounce along, adding some much needed energy to the now packed venue. But it was the bursting trumpet solo that made the room explode with excitement, summoning hoots and hollers from every corner of the theater. Whitney closed their set how every opening act aspires to, with the audience on their feet, singing along to their latest single (“No Woman,” in this case), and excited, of course, for The Head and the Heart.
Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writes@CHIRPRADIO (Week of March 6)
New Media
- First Time: First Issue with comedian and immigration rights activist Chris Trani
- Amelia Rhuby interviews Angela James, who has a month-long residency at the Hideout
- Friday MP3 Shuffle: Happy Birthday Ira Glass Edition
Greg Kantowicz writesCHIRP Radio in March
Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesFriday MP3 Shuffle: Happy Birthday Ira Glass Edition
[photo from The A.V. Club]
Today on the MP3 Shuffle we wish a very Happy Birthday to Ira Glass, as much a modern radio pioneer as we have in the 21st century. His radio program This American Life, originally produced right here in Chicago, is the standard for non-commercial radio interview/news/essay/non-fiction variety shows. This program is, in this writer’s opinion, a national treasure with a knack for making the local universal as well as addressing the big issues of our time. Check out the show archives for a couple of hundred examples. (I rank “The Giant Pool of Money,” “Plan B,” “The Fix Is In,” "Somewhere in the Arabian Sea," and “Fiasco!” among the best examples of journalism produced by any media outlet in the last few decades.) Moving from local to national and international distribution at a time when radio was being written off as a dead medium, Glass proved that public radio could compete with multi-million dollar media operations when it comes to telling intelligent, compelling stories that matter to people.
Like some others who got their start in Chicago, Glass has taken his talents elsewhere (he currently resides in New York), but there’s no question that his show and voice are an institution tied to Chicago. Let’s wish him a happy birthday by playing the MP3 Shuffle: Take your MP3 player, press the “shuffle” button, and share the first 10 songs you hear…
Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesThere’s Still Time to Spot a CHIRP Coaster for Fun and Prizes!
Remember, you have a whole weekend to spot one or more of the CHIRP Radio coasters that we’ve given to more than 30 of our favorite bars and breweries around town. You can look for them at the following fine establishments:
Bad Apple | Baderbrau | Beermiscuous | Begyle | Bitter Pops | Blue Island Beer Co. | Burlington | Cafe Mustache | Cole's Bar | Crown Liquors | Empirical | The Grafton | Green Street Smoked Meats | Half Acre | Heartland Cafe | Hideout | Hopleaf | Independence Tap | Jerry's | Lagunitas | Lizard's Liquid Lounge | Logan Hardware | Madison Wines | Map Room | Maple Tree Inn | The Owl | Quenchers | Red Line Tap | Rocking Horse | Rock Island | Rockwell's | Spyners | Township
In order to be eligible for CHIRP swag, you have to:
1. FOLLOW CHIRP Radio on Instagram (@chirpradio1) or Twitter (@chirpradio)
2. POST a photo of the CHIRP coaster you found with your favorite drink
3. TAG a friend that you like to share a drink with
And that's it! You can enter as many times as you'd like (each post counts as one entry). We'll announce a winner on Monday, March 6th!