New Wave Archives - Chicago Concert Reviews

Thomas Dolby does indeed blind House Of Blues with science, ’80s, Gail Ann Dorsey’s assists

Few artists were as identifiable with the 1980s as Thomas Dolby, though the electronic innovator went on to explore a multitude of projects as a singer, songwriter, keyboard [More…]

“Totally Tubular” Thomas Dolby plans to blind Illinois with science and “Iconic 80s Recollections”

There’s so much more to Thomas Dolby than simply being the inventor of “She Blinded Me With Science,” although the fact it had such a prominent presence [More…]

Boy George & Culture Club cheerfully spread all kinds of “Karma” around a sold out Hard Rock Live

So many aspects of 1980s were defined by Boy George & Culture Club, from a brilliant blend of new wave, soul and reggae sounds, to pushing the envelope with gender fluid [More…]

“Stop Making Sense”: Genesee Theatre “Must Be The Place” when Jerry Harrison talks Heads

Despite being broken up since 1991, outside of a single Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction reunion in 2002, Talking Heads are back in the cultural conversation, thanks in [More…]

CU1 Amp encounters the mind-blowing “Breach” of Twenty One Pilots’ closing “Clancy” saga

A mere year after dropping the “Clancy” collection, Twenty One Pilots followed it up with “Breach,” a continuation of a conceptual saga whose narrative dates as far [More…]

Rivers Casino relishes 40th anniversary of Howard Jones’ “Dream,” Haircut 100 in America

Between the 40th anniversary of Howard Jones’ breakthrough album, “Dream Into Action,” and the fact that Haircut 100 hasn’t been to the Chicago area in at least as [More…]

“Love Plus One” when London’s Haircut 100 joins Howard Jones in rare Rivers Casino return

The initial incarnation of England’s Haircut 100 was relatively short but extremely impactful, thanks primarily to the landmark “Pelican West” project that brought [More…]

Credit Union 1 Amp lets out a “Rebel Yell” for Billy Idol’s revved up “Dream Into It” resurgence

Multiple generations of pop/punk/hard rockers wouldn’t be in business if it wasn’t for Billy Idol paving the way, who ever since fronting Generation X in the late 1970s, [More…]

Toto, Christopher Cross, Men At Work trifecta take CU1 Amp “Sailing” to “Africa,” “Down Under”

Individually speaking, Toto, Christopher Cross and Men At Work are established household names, especially to those who grew up in the 1980s, or at the very least, caught up [More…]

Cyndi Lauper shows CU1 Amphitheatre “True Colors” in “Girls Just Want To Have Fun Farewell”

The news of Cyndi Lauper retiring from the road is certainly bittersweet, but at least it’s accompanied by the globetrotting “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell” Tour [More…]