Sounds of the season, pt. II: Rap and country

The fall music preview continues -- the critics had their turn, now it's ours

September 19, 2008|By Kevin Williams, TRIBUNE REPORTER

Okay, kids. Part One was last week, where Tribune critics Greg Kot, Howard Reich and John von Rhein gave you their very vetted worldview on shows not to miss for the coming music season.

Now it's our turn. This is promising to be quite a season in two genres that Chicago loves: country, rap and metal (yes, metal). There's so much going on that we aren't even going to bother with anything except laying out the goodness.

Ready ... set ...


So it's kind of crazy, because Travis Tritt is like luggage -- open the closet, and there he is. You can talk about your alt-country, countrypolitan and all that stuff, but Tritt just delivers, time and again.

Friday, Star Plaza Theatre, 8001 Delaware Plaza, Merrillville, Ind. 312-559-1212;

Wayne "The Train" Hancock is about as pure as honky-tonk gets these days. It's butter-smooth, elegant and swings like a home-run hitter on speed. Like Hank Williams? Good. You need this show. Bad.

Oct. 20, Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake St. 312-666-6775.

Clint Black. We know. You're done, right? The only question is where can you see him?. He's been up, he's been down, but there's that voice -- oh, so sweet but not cloying, with that perfect hint of nasal twang. We could listen forever.

Saturday, Pfeiffer Hall, North Central College, 310 E. Benton, Naperville. 630-637-7469.

Remember the Flat Duo Jets? That bygone group's front man Dexter Romweber is still going strong, with edgy rockabilly stylings that are, for us, country. There's no big hat or jeans, but there's most definitely plenty of twang and sincerity.

Wednesday, Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake St. 312-666-6775.

There was a time when Carrie Underwood kinda had the stank. Then all of a sudden she went country for real, and people stopped laughing. Then came "Before He Cheats," and suddenly she wasn't that "little 'Idol' girl" any longer. We still can't look at baseball bats the same way.

Oct. 3, Sears Centre Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Pkwy., Hoffman Estates. 847-649-2270.

Canada? Country? Say what now? Yes, Kathleen Edwards. Her beautiful diction and bare-bones emotion will win the heart of anyone. And live, she's irresistible.

Oct. 5, Rialto Square Theatre, 15 E. Van Buren St., Joliet. 815-726-6600.

Alan Jackson and Trace Adkins on the same bill? Jackson is giant, and for-real country. And are you going to argue with 50 million records sold? We aren't. Adkins was serious for a while, but some say he lost his way with "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk." Maybe, but he coined a phrase, added some rap flava and sold a ton of records. So shut up.

Oct. 10, Sears Centre Arena, 5333 Prairie Stone Pkwy., Hoffman Estates . 847-649-2270.

Jimmie Dale Gilmore is country as can be, possessed of that classic high, lonesome sound. He's an Austin, Texas boy, who has studied with gurus and ripped it up with noisy grungeniks Mudhoney.

Oct. 11, Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln Ave. 773-728-6000.

Finally, and we aren't making this up, you get Gretchen Wilson, Justin Townes Earle and Taylor Swift, all for free. Chicago has done it again, with a ChicagoCountry Music Festival to remember. It's gonna be big.

Oct. 11 and 12, Soldier Field Parkland, 1410 S. Museum Drive.


It's hard to find new superlatives to characterize Lupe Fiasco, Chicago's rapper most likely to. Unlike other Big Thang wannabes, Fiasco has the chops and flow.

Oct. 31, Congress Theatre, 2135 N. Milwaukee Ave. 888-512-7469.

Yes, Nelly. You know you have "Hot in Here" on your music player. Irresistible. It's getting hot in here/So take off all your clothes. This guy surfs the junction of pop crossover and rap like few other artists.

Oct. 7, House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn St. 312-559-1212.

We never get tired of The Roots. Sure, that whole organic thing can start to get on your nerves after a while, until Black Thought begins dropping lyrical bombs. Live instruments and live vocals? An actual rap concert? Imagine that.

Oct. 24, Congress Theatre, 2135 N. Milwaukee Ave. 888-512-7469.

If rap is about pace, flow and movement (lyrical and musical), homeboy Pugslee Atomz is like Beethoven. He's been on the edge for what seems like forever. He's name checked all over the place and yet here he stays, making Chicago-style rap and bringin' the noise. We like, we like.

Oct. 14, Abbey Pub, 3420 W. Grace St. 773-478-4408.

Here's the biggest reason to like Murs: you will smile. Now that's saying a lot in a world of guns, money and ... um ... women. But this rapper's lyrics come at you like folk music with a flow like melted butter.

Oct. 21, Abbey Pub, 3420 W. Grace St. 773-478-4408.