How's My Living? » jessica robbins

Songs For Vision: A Benefit for CHM Research Foundation – March 16 at Schubas

Sarah — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:56:32 +0000

Still in Chicago while it seems like the rest of the music universe is in Austin? Head to Schubas on Wednesday at 7 pm for a show featuring some stellar local artists and in support of a good cause.

Wednesday’s show, featuring singer-songwriters Jeff Breakey, Donnie Biggins, Jessica Robbins, and Sam Wahl, as well as Jane and the Steadfast Acrobats, is a benefit concert for the Choroideremia Research Foundation (CRF). Choroideremia is a degenerative and hereditary eye disease that attacks the peripheral vision and slowly erodes it over time until total blindness. There is currently no cure or treatment, but doctors say with more funding a treatment is very possible.

To learn more about Choroideremia, check out the CRF’s website. The show is asking for a $10 minimum donation, and will also feature a silent auction from 7 – 10 pm.

This Week in Great Music: 3/14 – 3/20

Sarah — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 15:51:30 +0000

It’s that time again: where concert-going for the rest of the country slows down because every band ever is down in Austin for SXSW.

That doesn’t mean that there aren’t worthwhile shows to check out here, though: tons of shows this week feature stellar local acts who are just as deserving of your love and attention as everyone down in Austin. And in a completely shameless plug, one of those local acts just happens to feature yours truly on vocals. Head out to the Elbo Room on Sunday, March 20th, and you’ll get to see me grace the stage, singing with Jungle of Cities. We go on at 9, and you should be there. If you come, please stick around after the set and say hello! I’m easy to identify by virtue of being the only woman in the band.

Monday, March 14
Kelly Hogan, Scott Ligon; Hideout. 7 pm, $10 suggested donation

Tuesday, March 15
Bright Eyes, The Mynabirds; the Riviera. 7:30 pm, sold out
SongCircle: Chicago Showcase, featuring Rachele Eve, Bone and Bell, Tyler James Beach, Ryan Anderson, Ashley Brooke Toussant, Anna Vogelzang, Steve Leaf; Schubas. 8 pm, $10

Wednesday, March 16
Jane and the Steadfast Acrobats, Jeff Breakey, Donnie Biggins, Jessica Robbins, Sam Wahl; Schubas. 7 pm, $10

Thursday, March 17
The Polkaholics; Lincoln Square Lanes (4874 N Lincoln). 8 pm, free

Friday, March 18
Cheryl Wheeler, Chely Wright; Old Town School of Folk Music. 7 pm, $18-22
Willie Nelson, Brett Eldredge; Chicago Theatre. 8 pm, $45-70
Robbie Fulks; Lincoln Hall. 9 pm, $15
JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound; Double Door. 9 pm, $8

Saturday, March 19
Detholz!, Rachel Ries; Hideout. 9 pm, $8

Sunday, March 20
The Ditty Bops; Old Town School of Folk Music. 7 pm, $18-22
Trashcan Sinatras, Canasta; SPACE. 8 pm, $18-30
Common Swift, Eraserhead, Last Mono Station, Jungle of Cities, Megan Crain; Elbo Room. 8 pm, $7

This Week in Great Music: 11/8 – 11/14

Sarah — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 16:32:00 +0000

A bit of a quiet week overall, and yet I still will be finding myself at two, maybe three, shows. I’ll be at Dawes on Wednesday and Johnny Flynn on Friday, and thinking about catching the Heavy on Saturday. Busy week. If you see me, say hi!

Monday, November 8
Candy Town, Tim Seisser Quintet, Hood Smoke; Martyrs. 8 pm, $7
Ezra Furman, Rambos; Schubas. 8 pm, $6

Tuesday, November 9
Kate Nash, Peggy Sue; Park West. 7:30 pm, $20

Wednesday, November 10
Green River Ordinance, Miggs; SPACE. 8 pm, $12
Dawes, Vetiver, Peter Wolf Crier; Lincoln Hall. 9 pm, $15

Thursday, November 11
Johnny Flynn, Owen; Mayne Stage. 8 pm, $15
Derek Nelson and the Musicians, Rachele Eve, Jessica Robbins; Schubas. 9 pm, $8

Friday, November 12
Mindy Smith; SPACE. 8 pm, $18-30

Saturday, November 13
Robyn, Maruka, Natalia Kills; Metro. 6:30 pm, sold out
The Fab Faux; the Vic. 7:30 pm, $45-125
The Heavy, Wallpaper; Double Door. 9 pm, $15
My Gold Mask, Unicycle Loves You, Blane Fonda; Schubas. 10 pm, $10

Sunday, November 14
Janis Ian, Natalia Zuckerman; Old Town School of Folk Music. 7 pm, $24-28
The Chapin Sisters, The Pines; SPACE. 8 pm, $10-18

Upcoming Event: Chicago Roots Collective Festival, 11/5 & 11/6

Sarah — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 16:16:19 +0000

If you’ve been paying attention around here, you know that I’ve got a particular love for all things folk/roots/Americana, and that one of my favorite things about Chicago is its rich and vibrant local music scene. S0 it’s no surprise that I’m a big fan of the Chicago Roots Collective, which is now entering its second year of life here in the city. The Collective is made up of ten local bands, has put on 30 shows over the past year, and has a monthly showcase at one of my favorite venues, Lincoln Hall.

And now, they’re branching out into something even bigger: their own festival, two nights at the Elbo Room, featuring all of the Collective acts, as well as tons of local singer/songwriters. They’re teaming up with the Intonation Music Workshop, a non-profit promoting music education for children; all t-shirt sales from the weekend will go directly to Intonation.

The lineup looks a little something like this:

Friday, November 5th

Downstairs Music Room

BandCalledCatch

The Shams Band

Goodbyehome

Molehill

Jackpot Donnie

Upstairs Lounge:

Jack Brett
Rachele Eve
Brendan Losch
Katie Scrantom
Dan Price
Will Phalen
Jessica Robbins
Kevin Garvey
Nelken
Nathan Xander

Saturday, November 6th

Downstairs Music Room

How Far to Austin
Cobalt & the Hired Guns
Todd Kessler & the New Folk
Mike Mangione & the Union
The Future Laureates

Upstairs Lounge:

Andrew Francis
Jeff Churchwell
Jane Thatcher
Shelley Miller
Bassel Al-Madani
Diana Lawrence
Matt Campbell
Michael Kostal
Bobby Minelli

Both shows kick off at 8 pm at the Elbo Room. Tickets are $10 per night, or $15 for the whole weekend, and are available from the Elbo Room, here. For more information on the show, the Collective, and all of the bands, check out the Collective’s website.

This Week in Great Music: 7/26 – 8/1

Sarah — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:22:52 +0000

Less commentary from me, more sleeping, which is what I’m going to go do right now.

Monday, July 26
Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens, Bomba Estereo; Millennium Park. 6:30 pm, free
Robbie Fulks, Hideout. 7 pm, $10 suggested donation
David Dondero, The Heligoats, Animal City; Schubas. 8 pm, $8

Tuesday, July 27
Gaslight Anthem, House of Blues. 6 pm, $21-23
Marc Broussard, Jeffery David; SPACE. 8 pm, $30-40
Smashing Pumpkins, Kill Hannah; Metro. 8 pm, $100-500 (benefit for Madina Lake bassist Matthew Leone)
Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens, JC Brooks and The Uptown Sound, Daytonics, Soul Summit DJs; Empty Bottle. 9:30 pm, $15

Wednesday, July 28
Keane, Ingrid Michaelson, Fran Healy; Chicago Theatre. 7 pm, $29.50-49.50

Thursday, July 29
Todd Carey, Jessica Robbins, Josiah Leming; Lincoln Hall. 8 pm, $10

Friday, July 30
Anna Fermin’s Trigger Gospel; Navy Pier Beer Garden. 5 pm, free
The Barehand Jugband; Hideout. 5:30 pm, $5 suggested donation
The Dead Weather; Congress Theater. 8 pm, $35
Tift Merritt, Dawn Landes and the Hounds; Lincoln Hall. 9 pm, $18

Saturday, July 31
The Right Now, JT and the Clouds, Dan Dyer; Lincoln Hall. 10 pm, $10

Sunday, August 1
Nothing

This Week in Great Music: 4/19 – 4/25

Sarah — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:51:57 +0000

So my last week was a little bit absurdly busy, to the point where I just couldn’t make it to a show I’d planned to go to on Sunday, and just slept instead. I felt bad about it, because I’ve been looking forward to having a chance to see Eliza Gilkyson for a long time, but I figured that falling asleep mid-show (or, more likely, falling asleep on the Brown line and not actually even making it to the Old Town School) would be more rude than just not using the ticket.

But it looks like I’ve got a chance to make up for that, as Eliza is playing at the Hideout tonight along with Robbie Fulks for his Monday night residency. So looks like I’ll (finally!) be heading out to the Hideout for a show! (It’s only taken four years of living here for me to make it out there…) I’ll also be checking out the Antlers at Lincoln Hall on Thursday, and Gogol Bordello at the Congress on Friday. I’m actually going to that one more to see Devotchka than anything else, but oh well. It will be an adventure.

Monday, April 19
Robbie Fulks, Eliza Gilkyson; Hideout. 7 pm, $10 suggested donation
Ben Folds, Kate Miler-Heidke; The Vic. 7:30 pm, sold out
Hot Chip, The xx; the Riviera. 8 pm, sold out

Tuesday, April 20
Ben Folds, Kate Miler-Heidke; The Vic. 7:30 pm, $35
JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound; Lincoln Hall. 8 pm, $5 (DVD release party for Fish Out of Water)
Blue October; House of Blues. 9 pm, $28-30

Wednesday, April 21
Ben Folds, Kate Miler-Heidke; The Vic. 7:30 pm, sold out
Charlotte Gainsbourg, AM; Park West. 8 pm, $30

Thursday, April 22
Corinne Bailey Rae; The Vic. 8 pm, $26
Passion Pit; Congress Theater. 8 pm, $25
The Raveonettes; Cubby Bear Wrigleyville. 9 pm, free with RSVP to RedEyeEvents@tribune.com
The Antlers, Phantogram; Lincoln Hall. 9 pm, $13-15
Horse Feathers, Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps; Schubas. 9 pm, $8-10

Friday, April 23
Gogol Bordello, Devotchka, Jessie Malin, St. Mark’s Social; Congress Theater. 7 pm, $27.50-29
Marie Digby, Jessica Robbins; Schubas. 7 pm, $12
Las Guitarras de Espana, SPACE. 8 pm, $20-32
Martin Sexton, Ryan Montbleau Band; Park West. 8 pm, $27
Semi Precious Weapons, Subterranean. 8 pm, $10-12
Carbon Leaf, Alex Band; Lincoln Hall. 9 pm, $15

Saturday, April 24
Natalie Merchant; Art Institute of Chicago (Rubloff Auditorium). 7 pm, $45
Yonder Mountain Duo; Old Town School of Folk Music. 7:30 pm, $18-22
BB King, Rachel Cantu; House of Blues. 8 pm, $76-78
Umphrey’s McGee; Lincoln Hall. 8 pm, sold out
The Polkaholics; Atlantic Bar & Grill (5062 N Lincoln). 9 pm, free
Melissa Auf Der Mar; Beat Kitchen. 9:30 pm, $12 Cancelled due to volcano.
The Infamous String Dusters; Martyrs. 10 pm, $15

Sunday, April 25
Sia, Girl in a Coma; The Vic. 7:30 pm, $22.50
BB King, Rachel Cantu; House of Blues. 8 pm, $76-78
The Album Leaf, Sea Wolf; Lincoln Hall. 9 pm, $14