Category: Legends

Public Image Ltd. announce new U.S. tour dates.

Photo: Paul Heartfield

John Lydon’s iconoclastic band, Public Image Ltd (PiL) have just announced new dates for 2027 in Chicago, Omaha, Kansas City, and Indianapolis. Currently on the first leg of their North American tour, billed as ‘This Is Not…The Last Tour’, these are their first shows here in 8 years, and have included stops in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Minneapolis, New York, Detroit, Toronto, Boston, and other major cities, concluding October 9th in Nashville. Plague Vendor are special guests on all dates, and tickets are available from the venues and via the PiL website.

This year’s tour follows the momentum gained in 2025, when the band played a string of shows and festival appearances in the UK and Europe. Following the passing of his wife, Nora, and lifelong friend and manager, John Rambo Stevens, both in 2023, Lydon thought he might retire from touring. However, he was overwhelmed by the response, love, and support of fans and this year is an important one for the band.

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, Lydon said: “I think live Public Image is a ferocious band,” And, he adds, he still gets a blast out of performing. “I feel fear, torment, anxiety, self-doubt, all of those things before I actually get onstage. But then once onstage, you drop all the ego and all of that trepidation — there’s a nice word — and you pile into it and you find that that’s where you truly belong.”

A new live album, ‘Alive’, recorded during last year’s tour, is available via A Way With Media, and the band are working on an album of new material for release in 2027.

After fronting the Sex Pistols, John Lydon formed post-punk originators Public Image Ltd (PiL). Widely regarded as one of the most innovative bands of all time, their music and vision earned them 5 UK Top 20 Singles and 5 UK Top 20 Albums.

With a shifting line-up and unique sound – fusing rock, dance, folk, pop and dub – Lydon guided the band from their debut album ‘First Issue’ in 1978 through to 1992’s ‘That What Is Not’, before a 17-year hiatus.

Lydon reactivated PiL in 2009, touring extensively and releasing three critically acclaimed albums, ‘This is PiL’ (2012), ‘What The World Needs Now…’ (2015) and ‘End of World’ (2023).

Following the departure of long-serving drummer Bruce Smith at the end of 2023, his replacement, Mark Roberts, joins John Lydon (vocals), Lu Edmonds (guitar) and Scott Firth (bass).

2027 tour dates:

February 12 – Chicago, IL – Vic Theatre JUST ANNOUNCED

February 13 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown JUST ANNOUNCED

February 15 – Kansas City, MO – The Truman JUST ANNOUNCED

February 17 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Grand At The Complex

February 18 – Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre

February 20 – Oklahoma City, OK – Tower Theatre

February 21 – San Antonio, TX – Aztec Theatre

February 23 – Austin, TX – Mohawk

February 24 – Dallas, TX – Echo Lounge & Music Hall

February 25 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall

February 27 – March 6 – New Orleans, LA – The 80’s Cruise 2027

March 8 – St. Petersburg, FL – Jannus Live

March 9 – Fort Myers, FL – The Ranch

March 10 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – Revolution Live

March 12 – Orlando, FL – The Plaza Live

March 13 – Ponte Vedra Beach, FL – Ponte Vedra Concert Hall

March 14 – Charlotte, NC – The Underground

March 16 – Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom

March 17 – Lexington, KY – Manchester Music Hall

March 19 – St. Louis, MO – The Sovereign

March 20 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue JUST ANNOUNCED

March 21 – Cincinnati, OH – Bogart’s

March 23 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall

March 24 – Cleveland, OH – Globe Iron

w/ special guests Plague Vendor on all dates

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Jo Murray.]

Review: Motörhead – Kiss of Death (2026 reissue)

Originally released in 2006, the new reissue of Motörhead‘s Kiss of Death is here for its 20th anniversary and includes a lot of great extras.

The album gets off to a fast start (of course) with “Sucker,” and Mikkey Dee getting you moving with his fast, sharp beats. The firearms pictured on the album’s cover fit right in with the hard and heavy “Trigger” (which has a great breakdown in it) and “Under the Gun.”

“Listen to the hundred million dead. They didn’t know it, but they died for you,” Lemmy Kilmister sings / roars on the excellent “Sword of Glory” (which features a soaring solo from Phil Campbell). “If all that slaughter doesn’t make you sad, you’ll just make the same mistake again and again,” Kilmister warns. It hits hard, like everything Motörhead does.

Speaking of hitting hard, Kilmister’s bass on “Be My Baby” sounds like an eighteen-wheeler coming at you with no brakes down a steep hill. The furious “Going Down” has a ripping outro that leaves you breathless. The album ends with the 2006 version of “R.A.M.O.N.E.S.”, a fun tribute to some of their punk contemporaries…unless you get the CD version of this reissue, because that includes the gritty, dangerous “Whiplash” and a live version of “R.A.M.O.N.E.S.”

The album (in both CD and LP versions) also includes a previously unreleased full live recording of a 2007 concert from the Netherlands Lowlands Festival. It includes live versions of Kiss of Death tracks “One Night Stand” and “Be My Baby,” as well as classics like “Stay Clean,” “Metropolis,” “I Got Mine,” “Killed by Death,” and, of course, “Ace of Spades.”

It’s another gem of a record for your Motörhead collection. The amount of unreleased material that’s come out in the last few years is astounding, and there seems to be no end in sight.

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Maria at Adrenaline PR.]

Live: Danny Elfman – Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, IL, September 07, 2026

I’d forgotten until my friend told me that Danny Elfman‘s show at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom was the first of his “rock show” tour. No orchestra, no choir, just him and a group of solid musicians.

Elfman started with “Sorry,” one of his recent tracks, and mixed up songs from multiple eras. After “Sorry,” he launched two Oingo Boingo tracks to send the crowd into a frenzy – “Insects” and “Nothing to Fear (but Fear Itself).”

Another Oingo Boingo treat came after “Native Intelligence” when Elfman announced he hadn’t performed “Just Another Day” since 1994. He sounded great. More recent tracks came afterward with “Sayonara” and “Happy,” and also a brand new one called “Upside Down.”

There’s nothing to fear.

The only song from his extensive film work he played was “This Is Halloween” from The Nightmare Before Christmas. It was a pleasant surprise, as we didn’t expect any film music.

Even if there are ghosts and vampires in the venue.

Another new one, “The River of Life,” came afterwards. It’s an interesting, slightly psychedelic track, making me want to seek out the new album. They played “Dead Man’s Party,” of course, which sounds weird without the Oingo Boingo horn section.

They closed with “No One Lives Forever,” another one that they’ve morphed into almost a metal track. The encore was “Who Do You Want to Be,” which almost blasted the back of the building into dust.

It was a fun show, full of memories and damn loud. Josh Freese on drums puts on a clinic with each song. Also, Elfman is ripped. He looks great. I hope I’m that fit in my seventies.

Everyone now wants a full Oingo Boingo reunion tour, of course. I somehow doubt it will happen, but this might be the closest we get.

Keep your mind open.

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Rewind Review: Françoise Hardy – En Vogue Best of 1962 – 1967 (2025)

Françoise Hardy is one of the queens of yé-yé – the French pop music with slight psychedelic flair that charmed the world in the 1960s. En Vogue Best of 1962 – 1967 doesn’t encapsulate all of Hardy’s career, but it does collect twenty-four of her best tracks from a five-year period in which she was one of the voices of the generation who would protest the status quo.

“Tous Les Garçons et Les Filles” (“All the Boys and Girls”) has this haunting sound to it with Hardy’s voice echoing over simple beats and guitar and not-so simple bass grooves. “Le Temps de L’Armour” (“The Time of Love”) ups the fuzz a bit and could’ve been a Bond film theme in another life. “Le Premier Bonheur du Jour” (“The First Joy of the Day”) has a bit of a melancholy feel, leaving you wondering if Hardy is feeling joyful, or if she’s trying to convince herself that she is. “J’aurais Voulu” (“I Would’ve Liked To”) blends guitar and soft string instruments well.

“Pourtant Tu M’aimes” (“Yet You Love Me”) has a Phil Spector “wall of sound” vibe with the big instruments and backing vocalists behind Hardy’s breathy vocals. The deep piano and hand claps of “Et Même” (“And Even”) keep up this big, bold sound balance with Hardy’s soft voice. “Mon Amie la Rose” (“My Friend the Rose”) almost sounds like an Ennio Morricone song with its use of vocal sounds in the background, Spanish-tinged guitar, and Hardy’s voice drifting like dust across the land.

“Je N’attends Plus Personne” (“I’m Not Waiting for Anyone Anymore”) has Hardy a bit angry (as evidenced by the fuzzy guitar and frantic strings) and punching above her weight with her bold vocals. It’s a nice contrast with the next track, “Je Veux Qu’il Revienne” (“I Want Him to Come Back”), in which Hardy is tired of waiting for her lover to return. It’s a fast-paced rocker. “La Nuit Est Sur la Ville” (“The Night Is on the City”) is a tender ballad.

“DisLui Non” (“Tell Him No”) is funky and fabulous. “All Over the World” is the lone English track on the compilation (which is fine with me, give me all the French stuff!). “L’Amitié” (“Friendship”) is almost a lullaby. Hardy’s vocals on the chorus of “Le Temps des Souvenirs” (“A Time for Memories”) grab your attention and don’t let go.

Other standouts on the collection are “La Maison Où J’ai Grandi” (“The House Where I Grew Up”) with its peppy acoustic guitar chords, the soaring “Je Changerais d’Avis” (“I Would Change My Mind”), and the folksy “Au Fond du Rêve Doré” (“Deep in the Golden Dream”).

It’s a lovely collection from a lovely chanteuse and a great introduction to her work.

Gardez l’esprit ouvert.

[Veuillez vous abonner.]

Rewind Review: Ennio Morricone – Il Bandito Dagli Occhi Azzuri (The Blue-Eyed Bandit) (2021 reissue)

When you find a reissue of a rare Ennio Morricone film score on sale for ten bucks, you put down ten bucks.

In this case, it was the score for the 1980 crime thriller Il Bandito Dagli Occhi Azzurri (The Blue-Eyed Bandit). This is a rare Morricone score in that it’s mostly a jazz album he composed and conducted for the well-known Italian trio of Ricardo Del Fra (double bass), Robert Gatto (drums), and Enrico Pieranunzi (piano). There’s also a full horn section brought in by the Maestro on a few tracks.

Such as the opener, “Città Viva,” which sets up the action fight away with bold horns and Gatto’s snappy snare work. “Madre Assente” is a lovely track that has Dino Asciolla‘s viola joining Pieranunzi’s piano. “Campi Aperti e Spospesi” has a haunting sound that only Morricone can seem to create.

“Double Face” portrays the moment when we realize the main character isn’t all he seems to be, and Pieranunzi has fun with it. “Esecuzione Radifonica” has beats that hip hop DJs will want to snatch. The whole trio thumps and grooves on the first version of the song Morricone named for them – “Per Enrico, Riccardo e Roberto.”

If you’re thinking “Sotto I Ponti Dell Città” sounds like Dave Brubeck‘s “Take Five,” that’s because it does. Many of the tracks are in 5/4, and Morricone wanted a similar sound to Brubeck’s classic track for many of the moments in the film. It’s a delightful piece. “Per Dalila” is almost soft-rock and perfect for romance. “Stranamente Di Notte” ratchets up the tension with Pieranunzi’s piano coming straight out of a giallo film and Del Fra’s bass creeping up on you out of the dark.

The big brass of “Cinque Quarti” is sharp and deserves to be its own theme song for a TV action show. What follows are variations on previous tracks for the rest of the score. “Per Dalila #2” is especially nice.

It’s yet another fine score from the Maestro, and a fun one with all of its jazz elements.

Keep your mind open.

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WSND DJ set list: Deep Dive of Christine McVie and Fleetwood Mac

Thanks to all who tuned in for my Deep Dive of Christine McVie and Fleetwood Mac on WSND. Here’s the set list:

  1. Christine McVie – Got a Hold on Me
  2. Fats Domino – I Hear You Knocking
  3. The Everly Brothers – Bye Bye Love
  4. The Spencer Davis Group – Gimme Some Lovin’
  5. Jimmy Smith – Back at the Chicken Shack
  6. Chicken Shack – It’s Okay with Me Baby
  7. John Lee Hooker – King of the World
  8. Chicken Shack – Get Like You Used to Be
  9. Chicken Shack – Pony and Trap
  10. Chicken Shack – I’d Rather Go Blind
  11. Fleetwood Mac – Stop Messin’ Round
  12. Christine Perfect – When You Say
  13. Christine Perfect – Let Me Go (Leave Me Alone)
  14. Fleetwood Mac – Station Man
  15. Fleetwood Mac – Tell Me All the Things You Do
  16. Bob Welch – Hypnotized
  17. Fleetwood Mac – What a Shame
  18. Fleetwood Mac – Morning Rain
  19. Fleetwood Mac – Come a Little Bit Closer
  20. Fleetwood Mac – Prove Your Love
  21. Fritz – Special Care (live)
  22. Buckingham Nicks – Frozen Love
  23. Fleetwood Mac – Monday Morning
  24. Fleetwood Mac – Over My Head (live)
  25. Fleetwood Mac – Say You Love Me
  26. Zeke – Rhiannon
  27. Fleetwood Mac – Don’t Stop
  28. Fleetwood Mac – You Make Lovin’ Fun (outtake version)
  29. The Beach Boys – Come Go with Me
  30. Fleetwood Mac – Think About Me
  31. Fleetwood Mac – Hold Me
  32. Fleetwood Mac – That’s Alright (alternate take)
  33. Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs – Trouble
  34. Christine McVie – Love Will Show Us How (live)
  35. Fleetwood Mac – Little Lies
  36. Fleetwood Mac – I Do
  37. Fleetwood Mac – Steal Your Heart Away
  38. Fleetwood Mac – Songbird (live)

Come back next week for another Deep Dive!

Keep your mind open.

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WSND DJ set list: Deep Dive of The Allman Brothers Band

Thanks to all who tuned in and offered requests for my Deep Dive of The Allman Brothers Band on WSND. Here’s the set list:

  1. The Allman Brothers Band – Ramblin’ Man
  2. B.B. King – Mr. Pawnbroker
  3. Otis Redding – Pain in My Heart
  4. Patty LaBelle and The Bluebells – All or Nothing
  5. The Allman Joys – Spoonful
  6. Hour Glass – Southbound
  7. The 31st of February – Morning Dew
  8. Wilson Pickett – Hey Jude
  9. The 2nd Coming – Evaluation
  10. Muddy Waters – Trouble No More
  11. The Velvet Underground – Some Kinda Love
  12. Blind Wille McTell – Statesboro Blues
  13. The Allman Brothers Band – Black Hearted Woman
  14. The Allman Brothers Band – Whipping Post (1973 Beginnings mix)
  15. The Allman Brothers Band – Dreams (live)
  16. The Allman Brothers Band – Midnight Rider
  17. The Allman Brothers Band – In Memory of Elizabeth Reed
  18. Boz Scaggs – Lowdown
  19. Derek and The Dominos – Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out
  20. The Allman Brothers Band – Stormy Monday (live) (request)
  21. The Allman Brothers Band – Melissa (live acoustic version)
  22. The Allman Brothers Band – Blue Sky
  23. Cher & Gregg Allman – Don’t Mess Up a Good Thing (live)
  24. The Allman Brothers Band – Jessica (live)
  25. Dickey Betts – Highway Call
  26. The Allman Brothers Band – Can’t Lose What You Never Had
  27. Chuck Berry – Too Much Monkey Business
  28. Sea Level – Just a Good Feeling
  29. The Allman Brothers Band – Straight from the Heart
  30. The Allman Brothers Band – Firing Line

Come back next week for another Deep Dive!

Keep your mind open.

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Live: The Human League, Soft Cell, Alison Moyet – Chicago Theatre – Chicago, IL – June 23, 2026

It was a sold out night at the Chicago Theatre for this triple bill of 1980s music giants. The crowd was full of Gen Xers and Boomers who were buzzing outside the theatre and giddy once they got inside the place. I saw two people in their twenties there. I’m sure there were more, but they were vastly outnumbered…which is a shame because synthwave is hot stuff right now among the younger crowd. Go watch Stranger Things if you don’t believe me.

Alison Moyet started the night sounding and looking fabulous. Her backing band was sharp, especially her guitarist who subtly put down some slick riffs for those paying attention. Moyet was all smiles throughout her set, telling stories and expressing her thanks to the crowd. She played a good mix of stuff from her solo albums and Yazoo (known as Yaz in the U.S. for some weird reason) records. “Changeling” and “Only You” were lovely, and ending your set with “Don’t Go” is always a power move.

The modern version of Soft Cell was up next. Marc Almond is still on lead vocals and personality. David Ball died last year but not before they finished a lot of new material for their upcoming record, Danceteria. The new lineup came out right away with “Memorabilia,” the B-side to their first single, “A Man Could Get Lost,” which they also played. It was a weird new wave switch from Moyet’s sultry disco set, and I loved both. “Nostalgia Machine” (a clever takedown in 2022 and now) and “Out Come the Freaks” were other standouts, and, of course, they ended with “Tainted Love” to get everyone on their feet. They mentioned they’d be back in the spring to do a full show.

The Human League came out in full synthwave force with “The Sound of the Crowd” and “Mirror Man” with lead singer Philip Oakley quieting any curiosity about the strength of his voice right away.

Here comes The Human League…and the Mirror Man.

“The Lebanon” was a good highlight, and even stronger in 2026. An interesting moment was when I spotted a couple slow-dancing to “Human”…a song about infidelity. There’s a story there, I thought.

The League is only human.

“Love Action (I Believe in Love)” is already a great song, and it’s even better life. The same goes for their mega-hit “(Keep Feeling) Fascination.” Their encore included “Being Boiled” (their first single) and “Electric Dreams,” a collaboration Oakley did with Giorgio Moroder.

They had a fun energy for the whole show, including multiple costume changes for Oakley, Susan Sulley, and Joanne Catherall, good visual effects, and Oakley prowling around the stage like some mysterious wizard. They’ve said they plan to keep touring as long as people want to see them and they’re healthy enough to do it, so get to a show while you still can.

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Brian!]

WSND DJ set list: Deep Dive of Lalo Schifrin

Thanks to all who helped me celebrate the birthday of the great film and TV composer and jazz musician – Lalo Schifrin. Here’s the set list:

  1. Lalo Schifrin – Mission: Impossible theme
  2. Olivier Messine – Prelude for Piano
  3. Charles Koechlin – Epitaph for Jean Harlow
  4. Dizzy Gillespie – Panamericana
  5. Duke Ellington & Johnny Hodges – Weary Blues
  6. Lalo Schifrin – Rhino theme
  7. Lalo Schifrin – My Shawl
  8. Lalo Schifrin – An Evening in São Paulo
  9. Lalo Schifrin – Chora Tua Tristeza
  10. Lalo Schifrin – Lalo’s Bossa Nova
  11. Henry Mancini – Days of Wine and Roses
  12. Shirley Bassey – The Liquidator theme
  13. Lalo Schifrin – The Big Valley theme
  14. Lalo Schifrin – T.H.E. Cat theme
  15. Dean Martin – I’m Not the Marrying Kind
  16. Lalo Schifrin – Troubador
  17. Lalo Schifrin – Mannix theme
  18. Gary Lewis & The Playboys – Way Way Out
  19. Lalo Schifrin – Tar Sequence from Cool Hand Luke
  20. Sally Stevens – That Night
  21. Bullitt radio spot
  22. Lalo Schifrin – Bullitt main theme
  23. Lalo Schifrin – Coogan’s Bluff main theme
  24. Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart – Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows
  25. Lalo Schifrin – Medical Center theme
  26. The Mike Curb Congregation – Burning Bridges
  27. Lalo Schifrin – Offertory Verse
  28. Lalo Schifrin – Dirty Harry theme
  29. Lalo Schifrin – THX 1138 main title and St. Matthew’s Passion
  30. Enter the Dragon radio spot
  31. Lalo Schifrin – Enter the Dragon theme
  32. Magnum Force radio spot
  33. Lalo Schifrin – Magnum Force theme
  34. Lalo Schifrin – Ape Shuffle from the Planet of the Apes TV show
  35. Lalo Schifrin – Golden Needles main title
  36. Lalo Schifrin – Milady’s theme from The Four Musketeers
  37. Lalo Schifrin – Flamingo
  38. Lalo Schifrin – Jaws (Roger Groove remix)
  39. Lalo Schifrin & Dizzy Gillespie – Unicorn
  40. Lalo Schifrin – Rollercoaster
  41. Lalo Schifrin – Return from Witch Mountain theme
  42. Lalo Schifrin – Middle of the Night
  43. The Amityville Horror radio spot
  44. Lalo Schifrin – The Amityville Horror main theme
  45. Lalo Schifrin – The Big Brawl main theme
  46. Devo – Doctor Detroit
  47. Lalo Schifrin – Tango main title

Come back next week for another Deep Dive!

Keep your mind open.

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Top 25 concerts of 2021 – 2025: #’s 5 – 1

The final five on this list were, believe it or not, fairly easy to determine. This is probably because they were so good and also because they all hit some emotional note for me because I didn’t think I’d see any of them ever again (or, in one case, even once).

#5: Nine Inch Nails – United Center – Chicago – August 20, 2025

This surprise tour sold out in rapid time, but luckily Nine Inch Nails added a second Chicago show due to popular demand. I had tickets for my fiancé and I, and then learned that my future stepdaughter was a NIN fan. I managed to get a third ticket to what turned out to be a stunning show with three stages, excellent remixes, and an enthusiastic crowd who were roaring for every song.

#4: Underworld – Radius – Chicago – May 17, 2025

Here’s the band I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to see. Underworld playing two full sets at this intimate venue was an immediate purchase. It was a brilliant time, and stunning to see these two gents who can fill stadiums play such a small show with full energy to keep us dancing until the late hours.

#3: Midnight Oil – Riviera / Chicago – June 10, 2022

Midnight Oil was one of my late wife’s favorite bands. We’d seen them two during college, then on their reunion tour in the 2010s, and then we were supposed to see this show, but she died barely eight months earlier. I felt the need to go to honor her and see friends. It was the right decision. The show helped lift some of the weight off me. Midnight Oil sounded great, and it was their final tour. They belted out classics and left us all ready to resist tyranny and love each other.

#2: Love and Rockets – Riviera – Chicago – June 06, 2023

Here is the band I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to see. I missed them in their heyday, and the closest I’d come until this show was seeing David J play an acoustic set at Levitaiton Music Festival. Love and Rockets flattened the place, sounding as strong as ever and reminding all of us that they were and still are rock stars. I was on cloud nine for the whole show.

#1: Failure – Bottom Lounge / Chicago – July 01, 2022

Failure are one of my favorite bands of all time. I don’t joke when I tell people that their Fantastic Planet album can be life-changing. This reunion tour caught me off-guard. I stumbled upon the announcement and then word that they had a VIP package that included a meet-and-greet and attendance at their sound check. It was another emotional show for me, as I was still reeling from my wife’s death and hearing “Another Space Song” live brought me to tears. The show was powerful for a lot of us. I saw a lot of people beaming throughout it, and the band were all happy to chat with us, sign anything, and talk with us about everything from music to films, and, in my case, grief. Again, I don’t joke when I say this show was instrumental in my healing. I’ll always thank Failure for it.

There have been plenty of good shows already in 2026, so come back in early 2027 to see which of those make the list for the best of the year.

Keep your mind open.

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