The temperature climbed past 100 degrees on a Wednesday evening when Death Cab for Cutie pulled up to Jacobs Pavilion for a stop on the band’s I Will Build You A Tower World Tour.

Lead singer Ben Gibbard, frequently wiping sweat from his brow, admitted to the crowd that it was a struggle. Formed in 1997 in Bellingham, Washington—between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia, and roughly half an hour south of the U.S.-Canada border—DCFC wasn’t made for this kind of heat.
It didn’t help much when the sun graciously set, as even in the pitch dark the mercury sat at around 90.
Still, DCFC powered through the swelter, bringing their own heat to the outdoor amphitheater show on the banks of the Cuyahoga River, with the Cleveland city skyline as a backdrop.
Gibbard took a minute in the band’s set to ask the fans to get help if someone in the crowd became overheated and passed out or otherwise needed medical attention.
And thusly, the band and the fans took care of each other, as they have for nearly 30 years.

Singer-songwriter Jay Som, from California, and her band seemed a little less phased by the blazing sun. Each with their hair tousled by abundant stage fans, they provided the warm-up for DCFC, with selections from Jay Som’s four studio albums since 2016.
For its set, Death Cab For Cutie held nothing back, rocking out well-worn radio hits like “I Will Possess Your Heart” and “Here to Forever” alongside singles from the latest record, “I Will Build You A Tower,” including “Riptides” to kick things off.
Likely no one would have blamed them for a somewhat abbreviated performance, given the beating they were taking from Mr. Sun, DCFC went the distance with a four-song encore that included the tour debut of two songs, “Blacking Out the Friction” and “The Flavor Of Metal.”
The holy rollers kept rolling for this show that occupied the first full week of this tour in the U.S., which will roll into August before heading overseas to Ireland, the U.K., and other European venues.
And the fans proved they will not only follow this Death Cab into the dark, but also into the very heart of the blazing sun.
Follow Robert McCune on Instagram (@Every_Thing_After_Photo) and listen to the “Every.Thing.After Podcast” on Spotify.

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HIghland Park, IL

August 25, 2026

Photos and Review by: Anita Maree

There are bands you go see because you remember them. And then there are bands you see because, the moment the music starts, you remember exactly why you loved them in the first place.

Kansas delivered that kind of night at Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, IL on August 25, 2026.

Opening the evening for Deep Purple, Kansas had approximately 70 minutes to make their case—and they made every minute count. From the opening notes of “Point of Know Return,” it was immediately apparent that this was not a nostalgia act simply going through the motions. This was a highly polished group of musicians attacking some of progressive rock’s most demanding material with confidence, precision and genuine enthusiasm.

Illinois native Ronnie Platt remains an impressive frontman. His vocals carried the power these songs demand, particularly on “Song for America,” “Dust in the Wind,” and the inevitable showstopper, “Carry On Wayward Son.”

Tom Brislin was terrific on keyboards and vocals, helping provide the rich, layered sound that has always been central to Kansas. Zak Rizvi and Scott Bernard brought plenty of fire to the guitars, while Joe Deninzon supplied one of Kansas’ most recognizable ingredients—the violin. His playing added both energy and character, particularly when the band shifted into its more intricate progressive passages.

Dan McGowan provided a rock-solid foundation on bass and vocals, while Eric Holmquist handled the drums with power and precision.

And that’s really what stood out: the musicianship. Kansas songs aren’t exactly easy to play. The changing time signatures, complex arrangements and instrumental interplay require serious chops. This lineup delivered them without making the songs feel overly technical.

The band also wisely mixed the familiar with the newer, performing “Jets Overhead” from The Absence of Presence.

But when “Carry On Wayward Son” arrived, Ravinia erupted. It was the perfect ending to a set that reminded everyone that Kansas isn’t simply preserving its legacy—they’re still out there playing it with conviction.

Under the stars at Ravinia, Kansas proved that great songs don’t age.

They become classics.

Kansas — Ravinia Festival, August 25, 2026

Complete Setlist

1. Point of Know Return
2. Paradox
3. Fight Fire With Fire / Play the Game Tonight
4. Jets Overhead
5. The Wall
6. Song for America
7. Dust in the Wind
8. Hold On
9. Down the Road
10. Portrait (He Knew)
11. Miracles Out of Nowhere
12. Carry On Wayward Son

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Simmons Bank Arena

North Little Rock, AR

August 29, 2026

By Dan Locke

Benson Boone walked into Simmons Bank Arena on August 29 with the kind of intensity you only see in artists who understand the fragility of fame. Not the fame that comes from streaming numbers or TikTok virality — Boone has plenty of that — but the deeper, more volatile kind: the bond between an artist and the people who show up in the flesh. Boone has said it repeatedly: his greatest fear is losing his fans. Not the millions he’ll never meet, but the ones who stand in front of him, breathing the same air, singing the same lyrics, giving him their night.

And in North Little Rock, he performed like a man determined to hold onto every last one of them.

This wasn’t a pop concert. It was a plea, a celebration, a confession, and a promise — all wrapped into one.

The Idol Exit That Defined Him

Boone’s story is already the stuff of modern pop mythology. He walked onto American Idol as a fresh‑faced kid with a massive voice and a clear shot at mainstream stardom. Then he did the unthinkable: he walked away. Not because he was failing — he wasn’t. Not because he couldn’t handle the pressure — he could. He left because the show didn’t fit the artist he wanted to become.

That decision, bold and borderline reckless, became the backbone of his career. It told the world he wasn’t chasing shortcuts. He wasn’t interested in being molded. He wanted authenticity, even if it meant taking the long road.

Little Rock got the version of Boone who has fully grown into that choice — confident, self‑aware, and fiercely protective of the connection he’s built.

A Stage Built for Contact, Not Distance

The arena setup was a physical manifestation of Boone’s philosophy. Two stages — one massive, one intimate — connected by a long runway that cut through the crowd like a lifeline. The main stage was built for spectacle: lights, band, production, the big dramatic entrances. But the second stage, tucked at the far end of the floor, was where Boone’s heart lived.

He didn’t treat it like a gimmick. He treated it like home.

When he walked the runway toward that smaller stage, the crowd didn’t just cheer — they leaned in. Boone wasn’t trying to be seen from afar. He was trying to see the people who came out. He wanted to feel them. He wanted to know they were real.

In an era where pop stars hide behind LED walls and pre‑programmed choreography, Boone built a show around proximity. He wanted to be close enough to see faces, read expressions, and feel the energy directly.

It worked. The arena felt less like a stadium and more like a giant living room he’d invited everyone into.

Little Rock Came Dressed for Him

One of the most delightful surprises of the night was the crowd itself. Fans didn’t just show up — they showed up in costume. Boone’s music videos have become cultural touchpoints, and Little Rock embraced them with full commitment. Everywhere you looked, people were dressed like Boone’s characters: vintage tees, denim, soft‑boy aesthetics, and yes — a sea of fake mustaches.

It was hilarious, charming, and strangely touching.

This wasn’t cosplay. It was connection. Fans weren’t just listening to Boone’s music; they were stepping into his world. Boone noticed it immediately, pointing out the mustaches with a grin that said he genuinely couldn’t believe it.

It gave the arena a communal vibe — half concert, half inside joke shared by thousands.

Freddie Mercury’s Ghost Was in the Room

Boone didn’t hide his influences. He practically wore them like a badge. Throughout the night, he mirrored Freddie Mercury with a level of commitment that was impossible to miss. The strut, the stance, the dramatic mic‑stand swings, the tank‑top aesthetic, the mustache — Boone was channeling Queen’s legendary frontman with full force.

But here’s the important part: he wasn’t impersonating Mercury. He was borrowing Mercury’s fearlessness.

Boone used that swagger to amplify his own identity, not overshadow it. It was a tribute, not a costume. A reminder that he studies the greats because he wants to connect with crowds the way Mercury did — boldly, theatrically, unapologetically.

At one point, Boone even leaned into the crowd with a Mercury‑style half‑smirk, holding the mic stand like a sword. The arena erupted. It wasn’t imitation. It was homage — and it worked.

Little Rock didn’t just get Boone. They got Boone with a shot of Mercury electricity.

The Piano Moment: “Mama” — The Heart of the Night

The emotional center of the night came when Boone climbed onto the piano on the second stage and addressed the crowd directly. No band. No lights. No production tricks. Just Boone, perched above the arena like he was about to deliver a sermon.

He talked about fear. About gratitude. About the surreal reality of having millions of fans he’ll never meet — and how that makes the ones in front of him matter even more. Then he eased into “Mama”, and the arena shifted from loud to reverent.

Boone didn’t perform the song. He confessed it.

His voice cracked. The crowd sang back. He let the moment breathe, letting the arena carry the emotional weight with him. It felt less like a concert and more like a shared therapy session between Boone and 12,000 people.

When he finished, he didn’t rush. He stood there, soaking in the moment like he needed it.

“Before You” — The Crowd Takes Over

When Boone launched into “Before You”, the arena exploded. He stepped back from the mic multiple times, letting the crowd roar the chorus at him. Boone watched them with a stunned smile, shaking his head like he still can’t believe this is his life.

It was one of those rare concert moments where the artist becomes the audience — watching the fans take ownership of the song he wrote.

The crowd didn’t just sing. They claimed the song. Boone let them, standing there with his hands on his hips, smiling like a proud parent watching his kid graduate.

Boone’s Voice — Raw, Real, and Unfiltered

One thing Boone refuses to do is phone it in. No heavy backing tracks. No auto‑tuned shortcuts. He believes fans deserve the real thing, and he delivers it.

His vocals were raw, powerful, and unfiltered. When he strained, he let it show. When he soared, he soared without digital help. It made the show feel human — something pop concerts often forget to be.

Boone doesn’t hide behind production. He stands in front of it.

There were moments where his voice cracked from emotion, moments where he pushed himself to the edge, moments where he let the crowd carry him. All of it felt authentic. All of it felt intentional.

A Performer Who Understands His Audience

Boone’s connection with his fans isn’t accidental. It’s deliberate. He pays attention. He listens. He watches. He reacts.

When he saw fans dressed like his video characters, he acknowledged them. When he saw kids in the front row singing every word, he pointed at them. When he saw couples hugging during ballads, he smiled. When he saw fans crying during emotional moments, he softened his voice.

Boone doesn’t treat his audience like a mass. He treats them like individuals.

That’s rare. And it’s why his fear of losing them feels so genuine.

The Mercury Influence — Not Just Style, But Philosophy

Boone’s nods to Freddie Mercury weren’t just aesthetic. They were philosophical. Mercury was a master of crowd connection — a performer who could make a stadium feel like a living room. Boone is chasing that same magic.

He used Mercury’s moves not as imitation, but as inspiration. The dramatic poses. The exaggerated gestures. The confident strut. The playful smirk. Boone used all of it to amplify his own presence.

And it worked. The crowd responded to it instantly.

Boone wasn’t trying to be Mercury. He was trying to be the version of himself that connects most deeply — and Mercury’s influence helped him get there.

A Night That Felt Like a Promise

By the time Boone closed the show, it was clear Little Rock had given him exactly what he needed: proof that the connection he fears losing is still alive and fierce. The fans didn’t just show up — they participated. They dressed for him, sang for him, listened to him, and met him in every emotional moment he offered.

Boone walked offstage looking lighter, almost relieved. He gave Little Rock everything he had, and Little Rock gave it right back.

Final Word

Benson Boone’s August 29 performance at Simmons Bank Arena wasn’t just a concert. It was a declaration. A reminder that he built his career by choosing authenticity over convenience — and that he continues to choose his fans over everything else.

He fears losing them. But nights like this prove he doesn’t need to.

Little Rock didn’t just hear Benson Boone. They felt him. And he felt them right back.

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The Vic

July 15, 2026

by Mahrou Senobar

The Black Keys brought their Peaches ’n Kream World Tour ’26 to Chicago’s Vic Theatre on July 15 for a second
sold-out show in the Windy City.

Opening with “Heavy Soul,” Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney wasted no time setting the tone. The
atmosphere inside the Vic was lively from the beginning, with a packed crowd ready to sing, dance and take
in the duo’s signature blend of blues and rock.
The tour comes in support of the band’s new album, Peaches!, the band’s 14th studio album released in May.
The album taps into the raw blues sound that has been a major part of The Black Keys’ identity, and the
newer material fit naturally alongside their older favorites throughout the night.
The set moved between newer material and familiar songs, giving the night a good balance without turning
it into a simple greatest-hits performance. Auerbach’s guitar work and Carney’s driving drums carried the
show, while the smaller size of the Vic made the performance feel energetic and close to the audience.
One of the best parts of the night was the chemistry between the music and the crowd. The energy stayed
high throughout the performance, especially when the band leaned into some of its most recognizable
songs.
The night ended with “Lonely Boy,” sending the crowd out with one final burst of energy. With its lively
atmosphere and blues-heavy sound, the show was a strong reminder that The Black Keys know how to turn
a small Chicago theater into a rock ’n’ roll party

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On Friday, August 28, Malcolm X College and City Colleges of Chicago gathered on Chicago’s West Side to celebrate the legacy of U.S. Congressman Danny K. Davis, officially naming the new Malcolm X College West Campus Community Center in his honor.

The ceremony brought together an impressive gathering of elected officials, college leadership, community leaders, students, supporters, and other esteemed guests. Among those in attendance was Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, joining a number of public officials and community leaders who came to recognize Congressman Davis and his decades of service to Chicago.

Throughout his career, Congressman Davis has helped secure millions of dollars in funding benefiting Malcolm X College and its West Campus, supporting campus renovations, childcare, technology labs, study abroad opportunities, and other resources designed to strengthen the student experience.

The newly expanded West Campus represents a $17.5 million investment in both education and the surrounding Austin and Garfield Park communities. The project adds approximately 3,000 square feet of training and learning space while creating new recreational and meeting areas for students and community members. The expansion also has the potential to increase the satellite campus’s capacity by 50 percent, serving approximately 2,000 students annually.

Beyond the speeches and formal dedication, the afternoon was filled with moments that reflected the relationships Congressman Davis has built throughout his career. I had the opportunity to capture some of those moments—from conversations and embraces to laughter, applause, and interactions between Congressman Davis and the many leaders and guests who came to celebrate alongside him.

For a public servant who has represented Illinois’ 7th Congressional District since 1997, the dedication was more than the unveiling of a name on a building. It was a celebration of a legacy rooted in education, community, and opening doors for generations of Chicagoans.

By Rob McCune

A late-May outdoor concert on the banks of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio, was an unmistakable kickoff to the summer concert season for a sold-out crowd of thousands.

The full blaze and penetrating rays of the sun emanating from Jacobs Pavilion surely must have been felt for miles as Young the Giant kicked off its Victory Garden Tour. (Cleveland is technically the second stop on this tour, but Vegas doesn’t count.)

The Irvine, California-originating alt-rock band fronted by Sameer Gadhia is touring its sixth studio album, “Victory Garden,” released just this spring and verifiably blooming with hit after hit. Boosted by fan enthusiasm and along with the themed staging, with swirling spotlights as pistil and stamen of a lush flowerbed, this tour feels like a real “Eras” moment for YTG.

A 22-song set included nine of the 11 tracks on “Victory Garden,” all destined to dominate mainstream radio, starting with “Evergreen” and “Bitter Fruit,” during which Gadhia crooned on a cover snippet of The Beatles’ “Blackbird.”

YTG’s other five records also were well-represented, with earworms like “Cough Syrup” off the 2010 debut and fan favorite “Mind Over Matter” rounding out the set.

Gadhia’s on to something with his “we’re tired of encores” rule, and here’s hoping that catches on, but it’s not every band that can play for 90+ minutes nonstop at full energy.

There was a brief interlude a little more than halfway through the set, when Gadhia stopped the music while arena staff took care of a front-row fan who was overcome, overheated, or otherwise in need of medical attention. Ironically, this happened during the song “This Too Shall Pass.”

Bringing more of that penetrating California heat on this tour are Cold War Kids, blues-tinged indie rock out of Long Beach with 10 albums since forming in 2012. With the sun still up, CWK sizzled with road-trip rockers like “Miracle Mile” and “Run Away With Me.” Two songs made their live debut in this show: “Push My Luck” and “There Goes the Night,” signaling a new album in the making.

For “We Used to Vacation,” frontman Nathan Willett sat for a piano solo before the full band joined in. The set ended on a very high note with “First,” off the band’s 2015 album “Hold My Home” and their biggest hit with a U.S. Billboard top-5 run.

The evening started with a stellar set from young indie pop rock band Almost Monday out of San Diego, bringing a very sunny disposition with surf-town charm. Curly-mop-topped lead singer Dawson Daugherty danced with the crowd to tracks off the band’s debut album “Dive,” including “Can’t Slow Down” and “Enjoy the Ride.”

It was a summer night to remember, and one of many as this YTG tour winds its way back through the U.S. before heading to Europe in the fall.

Follow Rob McCune on Instagram (@Every_Thing_After_Photo) and listen to the “Every.Thing.After Podcast” on Spotify.

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Violent Femmes played their arguably biggest hit seventh – about a third of the way through their setlist – in a show on their “45 Years” tour.
A lot of legacy bands – those who are marking 30 to 40 years of making music and touring – will wait until the end, or even the encore, to play the song that most people are waiting to hear them play.

The song that you can’t leave until you hear.
But the Femmes, a Milwaukee-founded folk punk band with the theatrical, incomparable Gordon Gano as frontman, have never been conventional.
And its paid off with a faithful fan base who were outwardly unfazed by “Blister in the Sun” coming so early in the set list.
There was no opening band. No warmup. The show started about 15 minutes after the announced 8 p.m. start, featured 21 songs, including an encore of “American Music,” and ended before 10.
And the crowd was all for it, every step of the way.
Most songs were audibly sung along to, which warms the hearts of every singer-songwriter, even Gano.
Founding member Brian Ritchie wielded a bass that looked like something out of Mad Max; drummer John Sparrow whisked out a rhythm on a variety of percussive instruments; and the youngest member of the troop, Blaise Garza, filled in on saxophone, keys and guitar.
The finesse with which this group keeps a crowd captivated, and engaged, is what has kept them going for 45 years, and will keep them going a while longer, surely.
Follow Robert McCune on Instagram (@Every_Thing_After_Photo) and listen to the “Every.Thing.After Podcast” on Spotify.

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Poppy is not an easy artist to explain—and that is exactly what made her performance at Chicago’s Riviera Theatre on July 24th so interesting. Part pop concert, part metal show, and part surreal performance, the Constantly Nowhere Tour showed why Poppy has built such a dedicated following over the past decade.

Poppy first gained attention for her strange, almost robotic internet persona and sugary electronic pop. Since then, her music has taken a much heavier turn. Her albums I Disagree, Negative Spaces, and Empty Hands have pushed her further into metal and industrial sounds without completely abandoning the catchy melodies that have always been part of her music.

That contrast was on full display in Chicago. Poppy opened the show with “Constantly Nowhere,” immediately setting the tone for the night before moving into “have you had enough?” Her roughly 75 minute set moved between newer material and older fan favorites, including “Concrete,” “Scary Mask,” and “V.A.N.” She closed the main set with “If We’re Following the Light” before returning for an encore that ended with “new way out.” The performance was loud, intense, and full of energy, keeping the crowd
engaged throughout the night.

One of the most interesting parts of the Constantly Nowhere Tour is how it brings together different sides of Poppy’s career. Rather than focusing only on Empty Hands, the set moves through songs from several eras, showing how dramatically her sound has changed. She also plays guitar during parts of the show, adding a more personal, musician-focused element to the performance. With metalcore bands LANDMVRKS and Thousand Below opening, the tour also places Poppy firmly in a heavier live-music setting. The result is a show that feels less like a single-album tour and more like a look at where Poppy has been—and where she is going next.

What makes Poppy different is that the weirdness never feels like an accessory. The music, visuals, fashion, and mysterious persona all seem connected. At the Riviera, that created a show that felt distinctly like Poppy rather than a standard rock or metal concert. Beyond her unique style, Poppy is also a remarkably talented artist, able to move between genres, play guitar, and deliver both melodic and heavier material with confidence.

For fans who have followed her through her different eras, the Chicago show was another reminder of what makes her so compelling: you may not always know what Poppy is going to do next, but you can usually count on it being something unexpected

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Between them, Devo and Billy Idol changed outfits more times than Taylor Swift.

Devo, the post-punk new wave geniuses out of Akron, Ohio, and English punk-rocker Billy Idol have their own Eras, too.
Both have been making music for 50-plus years now, and combined, they’ve put out more than 20 full studio records.
Legends, icons and, yes, idols, both have earned a status that would allow them to settle a bit.
Face it, there are plenty of legacy bands and performers who are phoning it in, to cash out on anniversary tours.
But not these two.
Watching them on stage, their experience shines, but their age fades away.
You might never guess, from a fair distance, that these rockers are in their 70s.
Devo, led by Mark Mothersbaugh, is still just as quirky as ever in their jumpsuits and signature pyramidal hats, which they tossed into a crowd where a good number of fans where already wearing them. And their sound is still almost otherworldly, and still feels experimental, like science fiction playing out on stage.
At the same time, Idol in studded and spiked leather and hair still struts a stage like he did in the early 1980s, when he was part of a “Second British Invasion” of the U.S.

On classic rock anthems such as “Cradle of Love” and “Rebel Yell,” he was a beast unleashed. For softer sonnets such as “Eyes Without a Face,” he crooned with a voice unstrained. On dance hits such as “Mony Mony,” “Dancing With Myself” and “Hot in the City,” he swayed seductively with his backup singers/dancers like a man unrestrained.
A three-song encore ended with the goth-iconic “White Wedding,” from his 1982 solo, self-titled debut.
On paper, Billy Idol and Devo might seem an odd pairing. But on a starry night at a pavilion on a lake in little Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, they were a wedding in rock-and-roll heaven.
Follow Robert McCune on Instagram (@Every_Thing_After_Photo) and listen to the “Every.Thing.After Podcast” on Spotify.

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On the other side of the tiny door in the bottom of Ashnikko’s purse is a world of Smoochies and Demidevils, fearlessly feral in their affections and fanaticism for the singer/songwriter/rapper/dancer/model.

It’s a world anyone can visit or inhabit and be, unflinchingly and jovially, the selves they might elsewhere feel pressure to hide, suppress or subdue.
A world where weird is wonderful, freakiness fantastic, and wearing your severed doll limbs on your sleeve, or head, is enthusiastically encouraged.
Ashnikko crawled through that tiny door in the bottom of her purse and emerged on a stage at Cleveland’s The Agora in front of a costumed crowd, who might just profess to in fact be shed of the costumes they wear in the “real world.”
The most outwardly expressive of the fans in the front few rows were awarded with “smoochies,” with an official Smoochie queen crowned on stage and autographed accolades handed out to others. One such fan, with a hat hand-fashioned from foam into the shape of a giant tooth, stood out to the singer as she peeked from backstage, and delivered a postcard of sorts: “That hat is Smoochies!”
At an Ashnikko show, all the world is a stage, and the stage is all the world they need, at least for a few hours on a weekday night. Reality, conformity are unwelcome.
Original is too tame a word to describe the experience of this show, which looks and feels as through the rabbit hole as anything Alice ever wondered about.
Taboo loses all meaning. Erotic becomes emblematic.
Ashnikko and her “Trinket Girls” dancers performed a graphic choreography to explicitly lyrical songs like “Sticky Fingers,” “Chokehold,” “Cherry Python,” “I Want My Boyfriends To Kiss” and “Slumber Party.”
Before full abandonment of all inhibition, Jordan Patterson with an acoustic guitar and a dee-jay serenaded the room with her emotionally raw, distinctive voice.
The Smoochies Tour is now in Europe and heads to Australia next.
Follow Robert McCune on Instagram (@Every_Thing_After_Photo) and listen to the “Every.Thing.After Podcast” on Spotify.

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