WXRT

You Say It’s Your Birthday

Terri Hemmert — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:57:30 +0000

Well I did a birthday tribute on Facebook this morning for Morrissey, but then I noticed some other fascinating birthdays for May 22nd. I couldn’t resist.

But lets start with Morrissey, 54 years old and former lead singer of the Smiths. Now with a solo career and a load of doctors’ notes to explain why he couldn’t make it to the concerts on his 2012-2013 tour, or attempt at a tour.

Bernie Taupin is 63 today. He has written all that poetry that people call lyrics for Elton John songs.

Now here’s where we take a left turn. The great jazz man Sun Ra was born this day in 1914. When you see Parliament/Funkadelic’s Mothership land, just know that Sun Ra was in outer space years before that. Amazing. You’ve gotta watch this. What a trip.

And last but not least, happy 200th birthday to Richard Wagner. Great composer. Kind of a creep. For more on that check my Classic Encounter blogs. So if you had a birthday dinner party with Morrissey, Bernie, Sun Ra and Wagner, it would be the most interesting night of your life, and Wagner would probably hit on your wife. Or worse.

20 Bands to See Before You Die (Plus FREE Rolling Stones Tickets!)

Zack Nechvatal // Staff Writer — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:16:02 +0000

With plenty of new acts on tour and established artists that continue to fill venues, it’s difficult to know which shows to go to.

Amidst all of the hype, there are tried and true acts that are still hitting venues around the nation and the world. If you don’t want to miss out on some of the best acts of our time, check out this list of artists that you should see before you die.

Pearl Jam: Formed in 1990, these guys have been selling out venues for years, including the much anticipated July 19th show at Wrigley Field in Chicago this summer, making it the fastest selling concert in Wrigley Field history. With over 30 million records sold in the US and over 60 million worldwide, Pearl Jam remains a staple of rock music and a must-see act.

Bruce Springsteen: A New Jersey native known for his working class attitude and being an advocate for political and social change, Bruce Springsteen remains a favorite in the hearts of Americans and those around the world. Springsteen has sold over 65 million albums in the US and more than 120 million worldwide, has won 20 Grammy Awards, received an Academy Award, was inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, and was recently awarded the Kennedy Center Honor in 2009.

Rush: A Canadian rock band formed in 1968, Rush has been making an impact on audiences around the world, being named third behind The Beatles and The Rolling Stones for most consecutive gold or platinum studio records for a rock band. Known for their science fiction and fantasy related lyrics, technical mastery of their instruments, and genuine live stage presence, Rush remains to this day a highly sought after act.

Prince: Seven-time Grammy Award winner, Academy Award winner, Golden Globe winner, and 2004 inductee of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, Prince remains a well-respected performer and a common household name. Known for his unique costumes and energetic stage presence, Prince continues to be a hot ticket item worldwide. He will be touring the United States later this summer, with a show at the United Center on July 13th.

Jack White: Known originally for his involvement with the popular rock band The White Stripes, singer and multi-instrumentalist Jack White has made a huge impact on the music industry and continues to rise. White was a founding member of The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather, and recently released his grammy-nominated debut solo album, Blunderbliss, in 2012.

AC/DC: Since the group’s formation in 1973, AC/DC has consistently delivered some of the most powerful and high-energy rock music to date. With over 200 million records sold worldwide and hits such as “Thunderstruck”, “Back in Black”, and “T.N.T.”, AC/DC has made its way into millions of households and continues to tour and sell out venues all around.

Stevie Wonder: Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and child prodigy, Stevie Wonder was signed to a Motown record label at the age of eleven and has been recording and performing in that genre ever since. Famous for tunes such as “Superstition” and “You Are the Sunshine of My Life”, Stevie Wonder’s charismatic and soulful personality has shone through in his music, keeping him at the top of the charts.

Paul McCartney: Apart from his widely known success as a member of The Beatles, Paul McCartney has had great success not only in his post-Beatles band Wings, but also as a solo performer. With sixty gold discs and over 100 million albums sold, McCartney has been named by Guinness World Records as the “most successful composer and recording artist of all time”. He will be touring the United States this summer, with a variety of shows in the Midwest.

Foo Fighters: Founded by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, the band Foo Fighters have and continue to rock hard and provide their audiences with exciting shows and a constant output of new music, recently announcing their commencement on an eighth studio album. Four Foo Fighters albums have won eleven Grammy’s, including winning Best Rock Album four times.

Radiohead: Formed in 1985, the members of this English rock band have been innovators in the music industry ever since, including offering their album In Rainbows as a digital download where fans named their price. In 2009, Rolling Stone readers voted Radiohead as “the second best artist of the 2000’s”.

Depeche Mode: Formed in 1980 in Essex, England, Depeche Mode has gone on to be a huge influence in the music world–especially in terms of electronic and synthpop music. Named “the most popular electronic band the world has ever known” by Q Magazine, the band has released a total of 13 studio albums, received five Grammy nominations, and won a Brit Award and UK MVA. Depeche Mode has influenced artists such as The Killers, Pet Shop Boys and Coldplay. Their most recent album, Delta Machine, dropped March 22, 2013.

Fleetwood Mac: Fleetwood Mac, a blues rock band/pop formed in 1967 London, gets its name from two of its original members: Mick Fleetwood and and John McVie. It wasn’t until Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined the band in 1975, however, that they really gained widespread popularity. In 1977, their album Rumours produced four U.S. Top 10 singles. Today, this album remains the eighth highest selling album of all time. Fleetwood Mac played at Chicago’s United Center on April 13th, 2013, as part of their 2013 world tour.

Jay Z: Shawn Corey Knowles-Carter (a.k.a. Jay Z) is an American rapper, record producer and entrepreneur. He has released eleven studio albums, 5 collaboration albums and has won seventeen Grammy Awards. Jay Z is considered one of the most important artists in the hip-hop and rap world, with two of his albums (1996’s Reasonable Doubt and 2001’s The Blueprint) ranked in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of 500 greatest albums of all time. He also is the record holder for the most #1 albums by a solo artist on Billboard 200. Jay Z is touring with Justin Timberlake this summer, and the two will be performing at Soldier Field on July 22nd.

Daft Punk: Daft Punk is a French electronic duo that formed in 1993. The duo gained popularity in the 1990s during the French house (music) movement, and became extremely popular in the United States with their 2001 release of Discovery, which featured songs like “One More Time” and “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.”
The duo is well known for wearing robot costumes during their performances. They have been nominated for eight Grammy Awards, and they have won two. Daft Punk released their fourth studio album, Random Access Memories, in the United States on May 21, 2013.

The Roots: The Roots are possible best known for being the house band on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Formed in 1987 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the group has released ten studio albums, won four Grammy Awards, and was named one of the “twenty greatest live acts in the world” by Rolling Stone in 2003. The Roots have also won three NAACP Image Awards. In January 2013, Questlove, the band’s drummer and joint-frontman, revealed that The Roots are working on a new album with Elvis Costello, which is expected to drop in late 2013 or early 2014.

David Bowie: (Or Ziggy Stardust. Your call) Musician, record producer, arranger (and sometimes actor), David Bowie began his rise to fame in 1969, when his song “Space Oddity” became one of the top five singles in the UK. In 1975, his hit-single “Fame” gained widespread popular in the United States. Bowie has won a Grammy Award, 3 MTV Music Video Awards and has received numerous other awards and nominations. In 1996, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. David Bowie has released twenty-four studio albums. His most recent album, The Next Day, was released on March 8, 2013.

David Byrne: David Byrne is currently a solo artist, and recently released a collaboration album with St. Vincent called Love This Giant. Byrne and St. Vincent are touring to promote the album this summer. Throughout his solo career, Byrne has released nine studio albums. He is, however, most famously known as the frontman of New York-based band Talking Heads. Talking Heads were a major influence on artists like Radiohead and Primus. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.

Neil Young: Neil Young is a Canadian singer-songwriter, who is well known as both a solo artist and as a member of many projects (such as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young). The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame website calls him “one of rock and roll’s greatest songwriters and performers.” He has been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and has won both Grammy Awards and Juno Awards. His most recent album, Psychedelic Pill, was released October 30, 2012. Young will be touring Europe this summer with Crazy Horse.

The Rolling Stones: The Rolling Stones formed in London in 1962, and have since released twenty-three studio albums. Rolling Stone ranked them number four on the list of “100 Greatest Artists of All Time,” and Billboard ranked them at number ten on “The Billboard Top All-Time Artists.” In 2012, The Rolling Stones celebrated their 50th anniversary, and are now wrapping up in their 50 & Counting Tour. They play at the United Center on May 28th, May 31st and June 3rd.

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Aretha Franklin Postpones Tour To July

mreal197 — Wed, 22 May 2013 21:01:34 +0000

After canceling two shows last week due to “medical reasons,” Aretha Franklin has announced she’s taking off the month of June and will resume her scheduled tour in July, according to Rolling Stone.

A spokesperson for Franklin said that the 71-year-old singer will reschedule her two dates from May 20th in Chicago and May 26th in Connecticut and pick up the remainder of her tour in July.

Franklin announced the canceled dates earlier this month to seek medical treatment under doctor’s recommendations for an unspecified health issue. This isn’t the first time the Queen of Soul had to postpone shows due to medical reasons in recent years. Franklin previously canceled a tour in 2010 to undergo surgery for a pain her side, which sparked rumors that she was seeking treatment for pancreatic cancer.

Though her health has posed some interference with shows in the past, Franklin has never been interested in divulging specific details of her health with the media. After her surgery in 2010, Franklin told Jet magazine that she doesn’t “talk about my health with anybody other than my doctors” and only revealed that “the problem has been resolved.”

Last week, Franklin appeared in good health when performing on the season finale of American Idol via satellite singing a medley of her greatest hits with the female finalists.

– Britt Bickel, K-EARTH Los Angeles

Prius Route to Rock, Vol. 60: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound, John Talabot

Jason Thomas — Wed, 22 May 2013 20:05:52 +0000

Memorial Day weekend is almost upon us and while some people you know might be getting out of town this weekend and heading off to their cabins and/or a lake of some kind, many of us will be holding down the fort here in Chicago. If you’re one of the folks that will be sticking around, you won’t be short on entertainment this weekend. This weekend’s concert picks include a band from the great city of Royal Oak, MI, one of Chicago’s most exciting live bands, and a DJ/producer from Barcelona entertaining at one of the best sounding rooms in all of Chicago. Let’s get to the picks, shall we?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. @ Lincoln Hall, Friday, May 24

Are these guys Red Wings fans? They come from just outside of Detroit, so that’s a possibility, but you shouldn’t let an NHL playoff series between two original six rivals come between you and good tunes. They stop by Lincoln Hall on Friday night for an XRT Big Beat Show. Tickets here.

JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound @ Mayne Stage, Saturday, May 25

Easily, one of Chicago’s most exciting bands. This show will be taking place at Mayne Stage, and if you haven’t yet been there yourself, you’ve probably heard nothing but good things about this room and are dying to check it out. No better reason to get up there than JCBTUS. Not only is it a JCBTUS show, it’s a JCBTUS CD release show for their album, “Howl.” Tickets here.

John Talabot @ Lincoln Hall, Sunday, May 26

In this DJ’s opinion, John Talabot was responsible for one of the best albums of 2012, ƒIN. John is a Spanish DJ/producer and if you’d like to hear his work, which many consider to be the finest electronic music produced in the past few years, it will be on display at Lincoln Hall this Sunday evening. Tickets here.

Patrick Kelly Intern Bio

Marty Rosenbaum // Staff Writer — Wed, 22 May 2013 18:14:32 +0000

Hello there. My name is Patrick Kelly and I am honored to be one of WXRT’s newest interns for the summer of 2013, working with the promotions and programming departments.

I have just completed my junior year at Illinois State University, where I am majoring in Music Business and minoring in Jazz Performance. Since I started playing saxophone at the age of 10, I have been deeply involved with music all throughout my schooling. During my time at ISU, I have performed with Symphonic Winds, Wind Symphony, Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Combo, Saxophone Quartet, and more. Through these experiences, I have been privileged to perform with legends such as Ernie Watts, Steve Wiest, and Dave Hagelganz.

Apart from my passion for playing music, I find great enjoyment in and gather much of my inspiration from listening to music. This is where 93.1 WXRT comes in. My father introduced WXRT to me when I was just a kid, and I soon got hooked. I have yet to find another radio station that provides more variety and quality of music from the past, present, and the cutting edge than WXRT. Among my favorite artists who can be heard on the WXRT radio waves are Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Black Crowes, Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers, and Alabama Shakes.

I am extremely excited for all that I am sure to learn through my experiences with this internship and am looking forward to contributing my skills and talents to the greatest radio station, 93.1 WXRT.

Queens Of The Stone Age To Perform “Live On Letterman” Concert Webcast

Marty Rosenbaum // Staff Writer — Wed, 22 May 2013 17:35:07 +0000

With only a few days remaining until the first Queens of the Stone Age record since 2007 hits stores, Josh Homme and crew are set to take the stage for a “Live On Letterman” concert webcast.

Taking place on Wednesday, June 5th at 9 PM EST, Queens of the Stone Age will be performing tracks from their new record …Like Clockwork live from the Ed Sullivan Theatre in New York City. …Like Clockwork is the sixth studio album from the group and will be released June 4th via Matador Records.

Fans can watch the show at CBS.com or on Vevo.

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Rolling Stones Exhibit Brings ‘Satisfaction’ To Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame

mreal197 — Wed, 22 May 2013 17:26:50 +0000

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum will unveil its newest exhibit this Friday, May 24th.

Titled Rolling Stones: 50 Years Of Satisfaction, the exhibit will chronicle the band from the very beginning to present through artifacts from private collections and band members.

Carl Harp from our sister station WNCX in Cleveland took a tour of the exhibit earlier this week; here is his report:

“As visitors exit the escalator on the museum’s 4th floor, they are greeted by several video screens with around 100 still photos and music on a 9-minute loop.

The entrance to Rolling Stones: 50 Years of Satisfaction on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Museum’s 5th floor. (Photo Credit: Carl Harp / 98.5 WNCX

Visitors then move up the stairs to the fifth floor, where a giant mouth with drapes for a tongue mark the entrance to the exhibit. Among other things, you’ll see vintage photos of Rolling Stones members, memorabilia from the band’s late keyboardist/road manager Ian Stewart, and records from Chuck Berry and Muddy Waters on display in the “roots section.”

MORE: See a full photo gallery from the Rolling Stones exhibit.

Digital installations are placed throughout the exhibit giving visitors the opportunity to interact and learn more about the band, their place in music history, and innovative impact. iPads programs enable you to dig deeper into the music, explaining Jagger/Richards’ songwriting approach and describes how the Stones were able to take popular techniques and styles of various time periods, like disco and funk, and convert them to their formula. During the press-only tour, the museum’s Director of Education, Jason Hanley, demonstrated the interactive iPads by showing off a video presentation and “Guitar Hero-like” graphics that dissect individual songs.

The Rolling Stones’ Mellotron on display in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum. (Photo Credit: Carl Harp / 98.5 WNCX)

The items on display on the fifth floor move throughout the Stones’ early years, ending right around 1970. Visitors will see how the band transitioned from playing mostly cover music, to originals. Featured artifacts include signed merchandise like toy guitars, a Brian Jones dulcimer used on Aftermath‘s “Lady Jane” and “I Am Waiting”, a Sgt. Pepper-esque military jacket, the Mellotron (an early analog predecessor to the synthesizer) used on “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” drawings from the Stones’ drummer and art director Charlie Watts, the red shirt worn by Keith Richards when the band played Altamont, and a poem written by Jim Morrison following the death of Brian Jones.

Rehearsal song lists from the 2002-2003 Rolling Stones Licks Tour on display in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum. (Photo Credit: Carl Harp / 98.5 WNCX)

As visitors move up the spiral staircase to the sixth floor, various takes on the “tongue and lip design” are pasted on the walls – one with spikes or thorns on the tongue, another with a nail driven through it, and the standard design are included. More memorabilia line the walls of the top floor where the exhibit starts where the fifth floor left off and moves to present day. You will see where Ronnie Wood was made a member of the band after the departure of Mick Taylor, the Lotus flower stage design from the 1975 tour, various clothing worn by Jagger and Richards, instruments, and even the rehearsal song lists on dry erase boards from the 2002-2003 Licks Tour.

Fans and visitors are asked to contribute to a fan-generated interactive exhibition through photos of memorabilia, artwork, Rolling Stones concerts and more. The content will populate a multimedia display in the Rolling Stones exhibit and online. You can contribute to the submission feed by uploading original photos and using the hashtag #rockhallsatisfaction on Twitter and Instagram.

The exhibit opens May 24th and runs through March 2014.

- Carl Harp / 98.5 WNCX

Producer Steve Lillywhite Attributes U2 Connection To Ian Curtis Death

Zack Nechvatal // Staff Writer — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:37:18 +0000

Big-name British producer Steve Lillywhite has worked with a plethora of famous artists including Talking Heads, Morrissey, The Rolling Stones, and most recently, Thirty Seconds To Mars.

Arguably, Lillywhite is best known for his work with U2, spanning from their albums Boy, October, War and How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, to songs on the infamous Joshua Tree and more.

Lillywhite worked with what he describes as “the bad mullet band” U2 when they were on the verge of blowing up and swiftly rose to success in a time when music made unfathomable amounts of money.

How did Lillywhite manage to work with such a pivotal band at an early point in his career? Though he’s been working in the “vacuum” of the studio since age 17, the producer joked with Kevin & Bean in an interview Tuesday (May 21) that he has to “thank Ian Curtis [of Joy Division] for dying.”

“[U2] had a producer who produced the very first U2 single called ’11 O’Clock Tick Tock,’ which I think is a great song if anyone remembers that,” Lillywhite explained. “And then, Ian Curtis committed suicide. Martin Hannett, who was the producer, decided not to produce the U2 album.”

For those unaware, Hannett was the producer behind Joy Division’s 1979′s Unknown Pleasures and 1980′s Closer and part of Factory Records in Manchester.

Lillywhite says Hannett’s close ties to Curtis made working on what would become U2′s 1980 debut, Boy, “too much for him” to handle emotionally.

“U2 went back to their list of their producers. I was second on the list. Thank goodness [Ian Curtis] committed suicide,” Lillywhite said, seemingly joking.

Curtis’ tragic death at the age of 23 occurred on May 18, 1980, almost exactly 33 years ago.

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–Nadia Noir, KROQ Los Angeles

XRT Rock & Roll X-Cursion To Forecastle Music Festival!

Zack Nechvatal // Staff Writer — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:05:56 +0000

We’re sending you to Louisville KY, the birthplace of Bourbon, to attend the Forecast Music Festival. You’ll be put up in a hotel and treated like a VIP as you rock out to the Flaming Lips, the Black Keys, Robert Plant, Jim James and many more! And did we mention you’ll get to attend a private show with The Flaming Lips? Join Wayne and the band at the Ali Center for a private knockout performance. Plus, you’ll get a free tour of Ali Museum and a look into the inspiring life of a legend. .. Don’t miss your chance to attend Forecastle happening July 12 – 14. For more info and tickets check out Forecastlefest.com. Get the new Flaming Lips album The Terror in stores and online now!

Joanna Nowak Intern Bio

Marty Rosenbaum // Staff Writer — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:55:11 +0000

My name is Joanna Nowak, and I’m so excited to be a part of the 93XRT family this summer! I’m obsessed with good coffee, colorful nail polish, Parks & Rec and amazing music.

My first notable experience with music was when I was about three years old…. My parents would play The Cranberries in our small apartment, and I would run around saying, “Lingu! Lingu!” (My favorite song was “Linger,” in case that wasn’t clear.) From there on out, I have always been passionate about music. You can usually find me walking around with my iPod and ginormous headphones. When I’m not doing that, I also love making music! I’ve been taking voice lessons for about eight years now, with a primary focus in opera, and I’m a classically trained soprano (cue glass shattering). I also love to play the ukulele.

When I’m not busy enjoying the magic of music, I like to do journalism type things (I’m a broadcast journalism major at the University of Illinois), watch great films, read or knit. During the school year, I am the Imaging Director at a different radio station (WPGU 107.1 FM) in Champaign-Urbana. My favorite color is teal, I am fluent in Polish, I have three cats and I hope to work in the wacky world of radio forever!

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Laura Marling Performs Live From Studio X [Listen]

Zack Nechvatal // Staff Writer — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:18:09 +0000
The lovely and talented Laura Marling has come a long way in a brief time thanks to her clear, distinctive voice and superlative guitar technique. Her songs are filled with compelling characters that are delightfully strange and hauntingly familiar at the same time. She has a brand new album coming out next week and will give some of those tunes the acid test when she returns to the Athenaum Theater for an XRT show tomorrow night. (Still some tickets available.) Ms. Marling stopped by the XRT studios about a year ago for music and conversation and here it is:

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Curator Remembers Ray Manzarek

mreal197 — Wed, 22 May 2013 14:22:11 +0000

Carl Harp from sister station WNCX was at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame yesterday to view a preview of the soon-to-open Rolling Stones exhibit. But while he was there, he spoke to Howard Kramer, the Hall Of Fame’s Curatorial Director about the sudden passing of Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek.

Six years ago, to celebrate the Doors’ 40th anniversary, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum presented “Break on Through: The Lasting Legacy of the Doors,” which Kramer worked on. When asked about his initial thoughts about Ray’s passing, Kramer took a deep breath and said, “I was deeply saddened. I worked with Ray on the Doors exhibit and I spent a lot of time with him and his wife Dorothy. I went to their home, and I feel like I got to know him and his brother Rick.” He continued, “I had no idea he was sick and it really caught me by surprise.”

Certainly considered more than a friend, Howard dug deeper into his relationship with Manzarek and the influence of the Doors.

“Ray was really talented and insightful guy. I think the Doors are often lumped together with a lot of other groups from ‘67, or became popular in ’67, like the (Grateful) Dead or the (Jefferson) Airplane, and that sort of thing. But they were very different. They were rooted in blues and rhythm and blues a lot more than those other bands, their contemporaries, particularly the San Francisco bands. They were truly an product of Los Angeles, not a product of San Francisco. And that’s one of the reasons I think they stuck out.”

”Their music had a different type of root than the people who are considered their contemporaries.”

The Doors were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, when, for the first time, the ceremony was held in Los Angeles – the Doors’ hometown. Twenty-years later, Kramer recounted the ceremony, even though he has only seen video.

”I was a pretty interesting thing. It was one of the last times that the three surviving guys played together. Having Eddie Vedder there, who in many people’s estimation, certainly filled the mantle that Morrison had in terms of being a charismatic front man.”

Visitors to the Rock Hall can still see Manzarek’s VOX keyboard and a drum head cover from Rick & The Ravens, the band Manzarek played in prior to the Doors. A photograph and biography will be added in the “In Memoriam” section on the museum’s 4th floor.

– Carl Harp / 98.5 WNCX

The Regular Guy Reviews: Star Trek Into Darkness [Free Download]

Marty Rosenbaum // Staff Writer — Tue, 21 May 2013 23:20:07 +0000

After the crew of the Enterprise find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction.

play pause

Star Trek Into Darkness

Regular Guy

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Win a foursome in the XRT Golf Outing!

Zack Nechvatal // Staff Writer — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:39:40 +0000

Are you king of the links? Want to test your stuff against Lin Brehmer and other XRT jocks? Enter below and you could find yourself hosting a foursome at the 93XRT Golf Outing, Wednesday, June 12 at Lost Marsh Golf Course in Hammond followed by a special post-party dinner at Horseshoe Casino. Must be 21+ to enter.

The 2013 XRT Golf Outing is brought to you by Lost Marsh Golf Course, BMW of Schererville, Horseshoe Casino, and Kendall-Jackson Wine.

Just Annouced: FitzGerald’s American Music Festival 2013 Lineup!

Zack Nechvatal // Staff Writer — Tue, 21 May 2013 21:11:06 +0000

FitzGerald’s 33rd annual American Music Festival is just around the corner. Four-day passes on sale now for the event, taking place July 3-6.

Here’s the info needed for summer festival roundups.

This year’s AMF roster of more than 40 performers includes James McMurtry, Dave Alvin and the Guilty Ones, The Bottle Rockets, John Fullbright, Marcia Ball, Ian McLaglan, The Paladins reunion, The Fleshtones, Pat McLaughlin, Jimmy LaFave, NRBQ, Brave Combo, Jeffrey Broussard and the Creole Cowboys, The Warren Hood Band, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Luella and the Sun, Melissa Ferrick, Kevin Gordan Band, Michelle Malone, Tributosaurus becomes Tom Petty, Girl Group Chicago, Stormy Weather, Naomi Ashley, Sanctified Grumblers, Cannonball, Loves It, Doop and much more.

As usual, it all happens on three stages — in the club, SideBar and tent. Also Tom Cimms Cajun/American BBQ also will be available.

American Music Festival, July 3, 4:30 p.m.-2 a.m; July 4, 1 p.m.-1 a.m.; July 5, 4:30 p.m.-3 a.m.; July 6, 1 p.m.-3 a.m. Tickets are $30 ($25 during the first hour of each day); $100 all-festival pass. FitzGerald’s, 6615 W. Roosevelt, Berwyn. (708) 788-2118; fitzgeraldsnightclub.com.

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Rogue Wave Returns With “College” [Free Download]

Marty Rosenbaum // Staff Writer — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:35:13 +0000

Rogue Wave has released a new, great rock tune for the first time since 2010. Zach Schwartz and Pat Spurgeon have been the only two constants in Rogue Wave since the band started back in 2002. Schwartz and Spurgeon recruited bassist Masanori Mark Christianson to create ten songs for their upcoming album.

The debut track “College” is off of their fifth studio album Nightingale Floors which comes out June 4. “College” stays true to the unique Rogue Wave sound.

Don’t miss Rogue Wave in Chicago June 27th and 28th at Lincoln Hall.

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Emily Lowe Intern Bio

Marty Rosenbaum // Staff Writer — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:19:05 +0000

Hey there! My name is Emily and I am one of the new faces here at 93XRT this summer. I just joined the Promotions team and am ready to make a contribution to one of the greatest radio stations in existence! And, no, I am not over-exaggerating, they really are that great. I am currently a rising senior at the University of Pittsburgh, majoring in Communication Rhetoric and Sociology. I am also working toward obtaining a Public and Professional Writing Certificate, as well as achieving a certificate in Sociology for the Helping Professions.

Although going to school far from home puts me at a distance from XRT, live streaming the station to my apartment allowed me to stay connected to my favorite source for quality music. I was born in Chicago and grew up in the north suburbs and despite living here all of my life, this city never fails to take my breath away. I cannot wait to spend my summer appreciating what Chicago has to offer, especially by way of this amazing radio station.

I am excited to promote a station in which I feel such a great sense of pride. It sounds like I will be kept very busy exploring all the ins-an-outs of promoting XRT and attending familiar, as well as not-so-familiar events and festivals! Stay tuned, friends!

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Kate Joyce Intern Bio

Marty Rosenbaum // Staff Writer — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:16:15 +0000

Hey Chicago! I am Kate Joyce, one of the summer 2013 Interns for XRT. I have been listening to XRT since I moved from New York to the Chicago area about twelve years ago; it is the one and only station my dad will listen to. I will be a senior at the University of Dayton in the fall which I find incredibly sad but exciting. I have always had an obsession with music no matter the genre, I listen to rock, rap, pop, alternative and everything in between. My love for music goes far back, in grade school I was told that if I could learn school material like I learned song lyrics I would have fantastic grades. There was and still is a lot of truth to that statement, music has always just been that important to me. I especially like finding new music and showing it to friends. Because considering the research of new music and making CDs for friends is frowned upon as a summer job I had to find the next best thing but I must say I have a feeling this will be much better.

Though I love finding new music, I do have a love for the oldies and not so old oldies, in fact Free Fallin’ by Tom Petty was my ringtone sophomore year of high school. I have become a bigger fan of XRT since entering college as I listen online so to still feel part of the Chicago community. As if I needed another reason, when I began to hear the likes of The Lumineers and Of Monsters and Men on XRT I became like my dad and I now never change the station from 93.1. I am beyond excited to spend the summer with XRT. I look forward to seeing all of you at XRT events this summer!

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A Look At The Most Anticipated Albums Still To Be Released In 2013

Marty Rosenbaum // Staff Writer — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:52:12 +0000

Before saying hello to 2013, we ran down a list of our most anticipated albums of the upcoming year. Now that we are coming to the halfway point of the year, here is a look at 10 albums set to hit stores later this year.

Portugal. The Man – Evil Friends June 4th

Portugal. The Man’s second major label release, Evil Friends, is due out on Atlantic records June 4th. Known as a very active band, 2012 was the only year in which they did not come out with a new album since their 2006 debut.

Queens of the Stone Age – …Like Clockwork June 3rd

Queens of the Stone Age is resurfacing to the music world for the first time since 2007’s Era Vulgaris with their new album …Like Clockwork on June 3rd. Josh Homme described the thought process behind their new album, “…documenting the journey of moving forward, you know. It was a tough time and I thought, ‘I can run away from this, or I can run into it.’” The album has an extensive guest list, including Dave Grohl, Alex Turner, Trent Reznor and Sir Elton John. They are currently touring in support of the album, come see them at Lollapalooza.

Surfer Blood- Pythons June 11th

Surfer Blood’s first studio album Astro Coast, propelled them into the indie music scene in 2010. Major label interest followed the debut and they ended up signing with Warner Bros. Three years have past since then and Surfer Blood is releasing their major label debut Pythons on June 11th.

Smith Westerns – Soft Will: June 11th

For the first time since 2011, Chicago band Smith Westerns are back with a new album this summer entitled Soft Will. Smith Westerns will be touring all summer long in support of Soft Will, including a stop at Lollapalooza. Check out the new single off Soft Will “Varsity” below:

Sigur Ros- Kveikur June 18th

Kveikur, Sigur Ros’ follow up to last summers’ Valtari, is due out June 18th. It is the first album by the band as a trio, following the departure of keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson in 2012. The album is described being a darker, heavier and “more aggressive” sound than any of the band’s previous works.

Mavis Staples – One True Vine June 25th

American R&B and Gospel legend Mavis Staples is coming out with her fourteenth album June 25th, One True Vine. Like her last album, You Are Not Alone, this album will be produced by Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy. Tweedy or his son Spencer played almost every instrument included on the album.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros July 23rd.

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros look to build momentum gained from last summer’s success, Here. The self-titled LP is described by frontman Alex Ebert as “These songs mean everything to me – It’s the rawest, most liberated, most rambunctious stuff we’ve done.” Look for the album online and in stores July 23rd

Franz Ferdinand – Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action August 23rd

Scottish favorite Franz Ferdinand is back with a new album that comes out on August 26th entitled Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action. This is the follow up to 2009’s Tonight: Franz Ferdinand and they have been performing new songs off this record single last summer. Look for Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action online and in stores later this summer.

The Black Keys – TBA TBA

Not much is known about the specifics of a new Black Keys album. One thing we know for sure is that it’s happening. As we reported earlier in the year, the group plans a late 2013 release for the record.

Arcade Fire – TBA TBA

Much like the Black Keys new album, details surrounding a new Arcade Fire record are scarce. What we do know is that as of March the band was recording at DFA Studio’s in New York with James Murphy. With no release date or album title confirmed, we can only go off the news XRT reported about their work with Murphy

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The National Perform on ‘Late Show’ [Watch]

Jason Thomas — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:12:39 +0000

If you’re a fan of Brooklyn’s The National, you’re a happy camper today with the release of their sixth album, Trouble Will Find Me. It goes without saying that you’re probably listening to the album on a loop all day long, but try to find time between spins to check out their performance on Letterman last night. The band calls New York home, the show is shot in New York and since it also seems to be the music capital of America, they had no problem finding a string section to back them on their national television performance of “Don’t Swallow The Cap.” Lots of folks on the Late Show stage last evening…

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