Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Aimee Mann creates perfect mood music. “Voices Carry” set that tone in the 1980s when she fronted the band ‘Til Tuesday. Her Grammy and Oscar nod for her solo songs in “Magnolia” clinched it. Touring in support of her latest album, “Lost in Space,” released on her own SuperEgo label, Mann will perform tonight at Navy Pier’s Skyline Stage.
The name is Bond. Just Bond. The comely, classically trained lookers in Bond are the musical headliners at Friday’s Glamorama. While it’s tempting to dub the Aussie quartet the Spice Girls of the string set, there’s no doubt these women can actually play.
There are some of us who lived through the 1970s who not only loved the soundtrack of that era, but also have fond memories of that decade’s music–even schmaltzy numbers such as “You Light Up My Life,” “I’m Not in Love” and, yes, “I Write the Songs.” So it’s not surprising that Rick Seeber came up with “8-Track, the Sounds of the ’70s.” What is unfortunate, however, is that the director either had too little time to craft an innovative stage production or just didn’t care enough about the music to attempt doing it justice.
When we last spoke with Aaron Carter, he said he coveted his famous brother’s height. He’s almost there. The younger brother of Backstreet Boy Nick Carter stands at 6-foot-1. The 15-year-old Aaron will be in Chicago on Tuesday for an autograph session at Marshall Field’s State Street store followed by an all-ages concert at the House of Blues.
Bye, bye, bye ‘N Sync. Hello Justin Timberlake. With his debut solo album “Justified,” Timberlake has set the ball in motion for a promising career sans J.C., Joey, Lance and Chris. With his current tour, which also features fellow former Mouseketeer Christina Aguilera, Timberlake is showing a more grownup side.
Shelton Lee always had a bit of an edge. When his schoolteacher mother began calling him Spike, even he realized the nickname fit him to a T. “I was always a little different,” Lee says, laughing. “I don’t think I knew it as a kid, but it wasn’t a bad thing. I grew up in a wonderful environment filled with love, knowledge and lots of jazz.”
If there was anything lacking at the Blue Man Group’s “Complex Rock Tour” Saturday night at the Rosemont Theatre, I didn’t notice. PVC pipes, Judy Jetson dresses and an odd little trio of bald, blue men. …What more could you ask for in a rock ‘n’ roll concert?
The Black Eyed Peas are enjoying the success of their new album, “Elephunk” (Interscope). Currently on tour with Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake–who sings with them on the oh-so-cool “Where Is the Love”–while also playing their own gigs, the Peas’ sole woman, Fergie (no, not that one), woke up early to call us at noon, yawning every now and again.
The All-Star game hits Comiskey, um, US Cellular Field on Tuesday. For those who can’t get enough baseball, we’ve got some of this season’s big hitters and strikeouts … in videogames, we mean. As for the popcorn and peanuts, you’re on your own.
The lawsuit between Viacom and director Spike Lee may be settled, but that doesn’t mean the filmmaker is happy. He told GLARE Tuesday, “I think that when people settle, no one’s happy because it’s a compromise. But we’ll all move on. I would like to state that I have no affiliation whatsoever with Spike TV–never did and never will.”