Bits and Bobs
Maggie’s weekly newsletter
Something Different…
Sorry it’s been a while again!! Only a few weeks this time though. I am trying out something different for this post. In an effort to know more about music and go to more shows and hit every venue in Chi I am going to do a concert review of 2025. I think I did some major damage in one year but more to come.
2025 Concert Reviews!!!!
Lunar Vacation
Lincoln Hall - 03/25/2025
This band is from my high school. Some of the members are friends with Kyle and Rose and so we got to chat with Maggie after the show. I’ve seen this band live the most out of all bands, probably like 8 times. This time was extra special because their most recent album Everything Matters, Everything’s Fire features the song “Better Luck,” the song I heard them play live like 8 years ago once and I loved it and they never played it again. Until now. In my head they invented bedroom pop 10 years ago when we were freshman in high school watching them play at the Drunken Unicorn in Atlanta. No one else had a sound like them seriously! Go listen to “Anna” and “Blue Honey.” Then later - Inside Every Fig is a Dead Wasp is in my top 15 albums.
MJ Lenderman
Salt Shed (indoors) - 06/18/2025
Yippieeee brother hang out. Finn visited me in Chicago during an insane heat wave and we ran through pouring rain to see our fav MJL rock out so hard. Nobody wants to believe me but I played “Someone Get the Grill Out of the Rain” at one of my radio shows in 2022, but I didn’t realize the extent of his greatness until Waxahatchee’s “Right Back To It” eventually led me to Manning Fireworks. My family are the biggest Lenderheads you’ll ever know. Favs: “Catholic Priest” and “Pianos”
Waxahatchee
Salt Shed (outdoors) - 09/09/2025
I’ve seen sets by myself at festivals but I believe this was my first time going to a concert all alone. Was scary at first but was actually so incredibly chill. The venue was beautiful and felt like summer (it was summer). I caught the last half of Jessica Pratt, she rocks. This was my first time at the Salt Shed and I did some snooping inside and upstairs to check out the inside stage as well. Waxa surprised me with tears of joy with her This is Lorelei cover 🥲. She walked out to “Here I Am” by Dolly and then went right into “3 Sisters” it was so epic.
Lollapalooza
SO many good artists. One of my favorite lineups of all time. Here’s who I got to see: Clairo, Ravyn Lenae, Magdelena Bay, Mk.gee, Gracie Abrams, Foster the People, Dominic Fike, Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter, Tyler the Creator, Djo, Remi Wolf, Willow Avalon, Sammy Virji.
Between Friends
House of Blues - 10/08/2025
Went to this with THE gotworms aka Lucy “the Hoff” Hoffman. I knew their song “Affection” and when Lucy said she wanted to go I listened to WOW! and it was amazing. I would be lying if I said that Lucy didn’t griddy for the security guards on her way in. We explored the venue and its glorious artwork before grabbing some fries and settling into our spots. Such good energy and they are really sexy performers. Their outfits were hot and the music was even hotter. We were JUAD (jumping up and down). So much fun!!!!!!
Geese
The Fillmore (SF) - 10/28/2025
Brother hang. So much fun and electric. Vibes insane. One of my favorite shows of all time. I would give an arm and a leg from my first born child to see them tour with 3D Country!! Great company. Worst part was I accidentally was drinking nonalcoholic IPAs. Racing Mount Pleasant has 14 band members. I am embarrassed to share my rank on Spotify for minutes listened among all Geese fans for 2025, but let’s just say the entire discography is in my top 100 songs. So this concert was pretty epic for me. I’m just a girl so my favorite song is “Cobra,” but my favs were also “Domoto” and “Long Island City Here I Come”
Flatland Cavalry
The Riviera - 08/22/2025
Did I go just because I have this hat? Perhaps. But they also have really good music and I was able to sing along a lot more than I thought. The set design was very cool as well. They played a cover of Alan Jackson’s “Chattahoochee” and I had to convince my friends that this is in fact a real river and I used to go swimming in it every summer. Love me a good honkey tonk.
Addison Rae
Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom - 10/10/2025
I think this may be my favorite of 2025 based on vibes and showmanship and production and fabulousness. This might be one of my favorite venues too. I wish I was sitting in the upstairs balcony part it looks very fun and fancy. The staircases are very elegant I felt like I was attending a princess ball. The staff was so nice they told us to come buy merch at the beginning rather than the end because of the crowds. Genius. Adeline and I dressed up and boots downed for this one. I don’t even care if she was maybe doing some lip syncing. The dancing and outfit changes and ladder climbing was all such an amazing show. She has crazy aura, and the venue suited her perfectly. I’m in awe!! Still!!!
Sun Room
Bottom Lounge - 10/18/2025
This band was pretty good. I had never heard a song from them before we went but we were on the VIP guest list so it felt very special. The drummer was very good. The band that opened up for them, West 22nd, was spectacular, they have a song about Virginia Highlands and Porchfest, although apparently they are from Austin and not Atlanta.
Cameron Winter
Rockefeller Chapel (U Chicago) - 12/17/2025
Wowwww wow. The most stunning venue and he sounded amazing live. It was almost like a piano recital. I feel like I’ve talked about this on my Substack before but I can’t STFU about it. I wish I had gotten there early to get upfront but I was coming almost right from work and also did not want to stand in the cold. Big mistake. Favs: The unreleased emperor shades whatever one, “The Rolling Stones.” 9 crossbowed returners return to birds before me.
Dijon
Salt Shed (indoors) - 12/07/2025
So good. Not as good as the first time I saw him but still amazing. The live arrangement for “Automatic” was super unique and I wish he would record it for me to listen to on Spotify. I knew every song which rocked. He played “TV Blues” for us which I did not see on any other city’s setlist. I just watch it on YouTube though. He needs Ryan Richter and Mk.gee back.
Pretoria
Lincoln Hall
Oops this was actually in Jan. This is our friend Jordan’s boyfriend’s band. They opened up for Six Foot Blonde (fantastic!) which was awesome because I am essentially six foot blonde. I listened to them a bit in preparation and they sound much better live than on their record. The first opener was like a RMP dupe they had about 10 people on stage and at least 4 brass instruments.
That’s it. To many more
upcoming:
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Divorce - YASSSS!!
Dove Ellis - hopefully
Alice Phoebe Lou aka APL ❤️
They’re saying my email is almost at the max limit
I hope you enjoyed this week and care about my opinions even just a little bit. Drop a like and comment and hit the subscribe button and turn on post notifs and merch link in bio
P.S. I’m almost done with my quilt…
P.P.S. Comment below what you’d like to see on a shirt
Til next time…
Juad
Apl