The personality and talent that is William Apostol, also known as the illustrious Billy Strings, is nothing short of striking, surprising, and one hell of a good time.

Chesterton, Indiana, sits at the southern end of Lake Michigan and has produced several notable athletes—as well as comedian Jim Gaffigan. Lately, a number of up-and-coming bands have emerged from this small town, and tonight, I’m lucky enough to see one of them: the Watershed Ramblers, Chesterton’s own bluegrass band.

Chicago in February isn’t exactly known for its tropical vibes, but when The String Cheese Incident rolls into town, they bring enough jam-soaked heat to melt the lakefront ice. On a frigid Saturday, fans flocked to The Salt Shed—Chicago’s newly minted temple of sound perched on the bones of a former salt factory—and transformed the night into a kaleidoscopic carnival of music, lights, and borderline delirious happiness.

If ya mix some of Owlsey’s acid with a lil DNA from Jerry’s middle finger, you get Bertha. Or so Greeley Duvall described for us to open the evening of Bertha: Grateful Drag at Chicago's Thalia Hall on Saturday, February 1, 2025.
 

Papadosio kicked off their final year of touring before an indefinite hiatus last weekend in Covington, Kentucky. The Friday and Saturday night shows marked their return to The Madison Theater for the first time since March 2019, and they were also the first shows since the band made their recent announcement that they would be done touring after 2025.

That’s right. The disco banana went all the way to the Majestic Theatre in Madison, WI on Saturday, January 25th. Your favorite indie-pop-psychedelic-art-alt-dance group, Rubblebucket, brought Year of the Banana to the fine folks of Wisconsin. Whether you already know, that is the title of their newest hit album. YOTB is a monumental record for the masterminds behind Rubblebucket. Alex and Kal put the best of their brains together on this one.

The emerging electro-funk quartet Dizgo packed Dharma Bums in New Hope, PA, on Friday, January 24, 2025, and truly rocked out. The rustic venue—tucked in the attic of a local restaurant—had very little data service but provided a great platform for this Bloomington, IN-based band to bring the heat, and bring the heat they did. Their two-hour set included a pair of debuts, as well as several familiar covers. Kevin Rovner Band provided support.

On January 18, while presenting a collective “rainbow full of sound,” Greensky Bluegrass and Railroad Earth left no doubt that they still possess the character, proficiency, relevance, and charisma that have kept them among the most notable of the so-called “jam bands” in the land for the past 20-plus years.

How do we define a music festival? AI tells me it is simply a gathering of people to enjoy live music. When just over a week had six live music events, I’d call that a festival, as the bands gathered to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Chicago Street Pub, an Irish-style pub. They were glad to be there for their friends, Michael and Kathy Trizna, owners and masterminds of the madness.

The good life can be as simple as good food, good beer, and good music. Combine those three in the right proportions, and you’ll find the right people gathered together, sharing in the joy of it all. This weekend, I experienced that magic at Burn ’Em Brewery in Michigan City, where the beer is cold, the food is excellent, and the music gets your feet moving. The vibe was perfect for fun times with great people as we geared up for winter with some Long Johns and lively tunes.