Nashville

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Judah Akers of Judah and the Lion.

CHICAGO – On a dark and overcast night in Chicago, Judah & the Lion took the stage after an extended rain delay at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island, radiating charisma and positive energy. HollywoodChicago.com’s Music Editor and photographer Jeff Doles was there to capture the action and cover the performance.

NASHVILLE – I recently had the extraordinary opportunity to attend a performance at The Listening Room Cafe, where I was treated to an unforgettable evening featuring the “Next from Nashville” lineup. The showcase was nothing short of exceptional. Amidst this lineup of talent, one performer truly stood out to me … Zandi Holup.

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Michigan Rattlers Rock Thalia Hall in Chicago.

CHICAGO – The Michigan Rattlers are a group of uncompromising folk-rock musicians who have captured the hearts of audiences everywhere with their timeless sound, rich, deep vocals, and memorable nostalgic performances. The band is composed of lifelong friends and deep-north natives Graham Young (guitar), Adam Reed (bass), Christian Wilder (piano), and Tony Audia (drums).

CHICAGO – The ongoing REELING39 Festival … Chicago’s International LBGTQ+ showcase … will screen “Invisible,” a new documentary by T.J. Parsell. The original subtitle of the film was “Gay Women in Southern Music,” but the shortened title points out the nature of this industry subset to hide certain elements of their talent. For more info and tickets, click REELING39.

CHICAGO – Larkin Poe features sisters Rebecca and Megan Lowell, who are singer/songwriters and multi-instrumentalists creating their own brand of rock ’n roll … rooted in grit, soul, and their southern heritage flavor. Originally from Atlanta and currently living in Nashville, they are descendants of tortured artist and creative genius Edgar Allan Poe. 

CHICAGO – She is the oldest daughter of movie legend Charlie Chaplin, from his fourth marriage to Oona O’Neill, but she also was a spectacular actress in her own right. She is Geraldine Chaplin, and she was honored at the 52nd Chicago International Film Festival, and was president on a film jury for the fest.

When I expressed excitement over the fact that Robert Altman’s stunning “Nashville” was being released in a Criterion Collection Blu-ray edition a few months back, a colleague asked me why I loved the film and I had trouble verbalizing my feelings about Altman’s sprawling, brilliant tapestry of characters. Watching the excellent new documentary about the making-of the film on the Criterion release makes it clear that I’m not alone.

CHICAGO – This time of year is so rich with Blu-ray and DVD releases of last year’s television seasons that we thought we’d break out the latest ones into their own special edition of What to Watch. Stay tuned for a movie-specific one later in the week that includes “World War Z,” “The East,” “All is Bright,” and more, but this is just for you TV junkies. Pick your faves from the recently-released seasons of television on Blu-ray, DVD, and streaming platforms. Most of these are new to Blu-ray and DVD today, September 17, 2013. If I had to rank them in order of preference, here’s how it would go…

CHICAGO – ABC announced their 2013-14 schedule this morning and revealed an aggressive slate of new programming, including four new comedies and four new dramas. Tuesday nights will be entirely new, anchored by “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”.

CHICAGO – It seems unlikely to be the artistic accomplishment of “Friday Night Lights” or “American Horror Story,” but Connie Britton has done it again, bringing another character vibrantly to life on “Nashville” and cementing her position as one of the best actresses on television. She’s easily the best thing about this entertaining if inconsistent show, a program that too often submits to its soap opera trappings but has enough rhythm to presume that it could be a solid weekly diversion.