Music

Get drunk around young people this week.

The 3rd annual C-U Folk and Roots Festival is this weekend, and Cody talks with organizer Brenda Koenig about that very fact.

Folk and/or roots.

The corporate-sponsored Noisey U tour rolled into town on Wednesday, with predictably disastrous results.

Chris is feeling let down after listening to the Rhode Island band’s latest release.

You’re going to be out twenty bucks in cover this weekend if you don’t have a costume.

It’s a shambling Americana extravaganza at Highdive on Saturday, with the documentary Blaze Foley: Duct Tape Messiah, followed by Gurf Morlix playing Foley’s songs.

Chris goes looking for Ryan Adams in the singer/songwriter’s new album Ashes & Fire, and discovers the search is the most rewarding part.

Hey, you probably want to know what local bands are doing, right?

There are no shows on Friday or Saturday, so clear your calendars for some day drinking.

Admit it, you just look at the pictures in these things anyways.

A week of odd music.

In just over an hour on Friday night, Wild Flag ripped through an impressive set that restored Seth’s faith in rock ‘n roll.

Come out (pun!) this Tuesday to see God-Des & She tear down the Courtyard Cafe, and then put it all back together again.

Wondering why our formerly great college radio station is now swimming in Linkin Park and Chevelle? Answers lie within.

New writer Seth Valentine talks to (and about) the band that will bring guitar heroics to the Highdive this Friday.

Annie talks to Jessi Darlin in advance of the band’s show at Highdive on Sunday. (Plus, we’re giving away tickets.)

Chris finds a lot to like about the band’s return to form with The Whole Love.

Jason explores the brief, creepy (and very impressive) debut album from the local psych rockers.

Hope you’ve shaken off that post-Pygmalion hangover.

Saturday was a good day to be on campus and not all of it was football related. Death Cab For Cutie breathed life into Assembly Hall.

This week features two big ones at Assembly Hall, plus a benefit fundraiser.

The final days of the festival features sets from Cut Copy, Braid, Washed Out and the Dodos.

Thursday featured sets from Toro y Moi, NewVillager, and MiM0SA among others.

Once a year, Christmas comes to Champaign-Urbana in September, with more skinny jeans than you can shake a stick at. The perfect guide to plan your weekend awaits merely a click away.

The Brooklyn experimental collective’s Lizzi Bougatsos on labels, touring, and Alexis Taylor

The view of the opening night action from the Canopy balcony, with pics from a much closer vantage point.

Pygmalions final artist will leave you earned sense of nostalgia for the past, but also the joy of creating something new.

Expect the usual at this Saturday night’s Duke of Uke show. By which we mean rowdy, funky, captivating and fun.

Annie’s expecting raw energy (and hoping for fist pumping) during tomorrow’s set by the Vancouver rock duo.

Jeremiah talks with Ernest Greene about his rapid rise, how his approach has evolved and his take on music festivals.

Andrea Johnston speaks with percussionist Logan Kroeber of The Dodos about their tour and their upcoming show late Friday.

Danny takes a look at what is arguably Tim Kinsella’s most oblique and frustrating release, this year’s Oh Brother.

Everyone’s favorite art-rock-band-fronted-by-unintelligible-Asian-pixie combo is coming to the Polyvinyl showcase. Ready?

Chris talks to the harmonizing folk pop band while they clean their studio, fresh off the road from a tour with Brandi Carlisle.

Cody talks to Cut Copy about Zonoscope, how the band approaches the live performance and that video with apes playing dismembered limbs.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra could be one of the breakout stories of this year’s festival. Chris does his best to keep up.

Though Mayfield keeps a busy schedule these days, Chris managed to catch up with her through the power of the internet.

We check in with local musicians, including members of Easter and Evil Tents, to find out what Pygmalion means to the bands that aren’t traveling to get here.

In this preview of EITS, Laura mentions rabbits, antelopes, bears, mountain climbing, black holes, the apocalypse and much more. You might want to be there tonight.

If you’re going to insist on being difficult, I guess there are some non-Pygmalion shows going on this week.

We talk to co-founder Matt Lunsford about 15 years of music, the death of record labels and the importance of Champaign-Urbana.

We asked many of the bands from Polyvinyl’s roster about what it’s like to work with the label.

This weekend’s Ellnora blowout at Krannert was a great time, but some flaws showed themselves through the veneer as well.

That calm week before Pygmalion hits actually isn’t calm at all.

So far the reviews of Braid’s release have been mixed (to say the least). But Jason says the new EP provides the perfect mix of nostalgia and maturity.

Brandon chats with the Brooklyn avant-garde artist, who appears tomorrow night at Ellnora.

Mark talks with Elsinore’s keyboardist about some of the best of rock’s pianists, from the ’50s to today.