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Rock The Clock 2025 is HERE
Mar 28, 2025 1:00 PM
Entertainment
Tigran Hamasyan Brings Harmony to Thalia Hall
Mar 28, 2025 9:00 AM
To call Tigran Hamasyan unique would be an understatement. He is the only Armenian pianist and composer blending elements of jazz, metal, and Armenian folk music into a syncretic original sound. When I first discovered his music in high school, I was absolutely blown away by the rhythmic complexity; it was unlike anything I had heard before. A devout listener since, I even included one of his compositions on my senior recital a month ago. Needless to say, when I saw Hamasyan had a Chicago stop at Thalia Hall on his current tour, I knew I had to be there.
Entertainment
Emile Mosseri Comes to Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music
Mar 27, 2025 9:00 AM
Emile Mosseri is a renaissance man. Not only has he composed multiple movie scores (Minari (2020), Kajilloinaire (2019) and The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019)) he has also released two other albums filled with lyrics, Heaven Hunters in 2023 and trying to be born this past February. Mosseri's eclectic combination of instruments combined with his crisp falsetto makes his music truly stand out as a tree among shrubs. I had the pleasure of seeing Emile Mosseri perform at Old Town School of Folk Music on March 20th.
Entertainment
Enter Kelly Lee Owens’ Dreamstate
Mar 27, 2025 8:36 AM
CHICAGO | The first time I heard Kelly Lee Owens, it felt like a beacon of light smashed through my apartment. My girlfriend featured Owens’ cover of Aaliyah’s classic “More Than A Woman” on my birthday mixtape. I instantly fell in love with her ethereal vocals and the reimagined electronic production of the song.
Interview
Lorraine-Dietrich: The Band Breathing New Life into Vintage Sounds
Mar 26, 2025 9:00 AM
When you hear the name Lorraine-Dietrich, your mind might first go to the legendary French automobile manufacturer that made its mark in early 20th-century racing. But in the modern music scene, Lorraine-Dietrich is something entirely different—a band blending vintage influences with contemporary sound, crafting a unique identity that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly new.
Entertainment
Tigran Hamasyan Brings Harmony to Thalia Hall
Mar 28, 2025 9:00 AM
To call Tigran Hamasyan unique would be an understatement. He is the only Armenian pianist and composer blending elements of jazz, metal, and Armenian folk music into a syncretic original sound. When I first discovered his music in high school, I was absolutely blown away by the rhythmic complexity; it was unlike anything I had heard before. A devout listener since, I even included one of his compositions on my senior recital a month ago. Needless to say, when I saw Hamasyan had a Chicago stop at Thalia Hall on his current tour, I knew I had to be there.
Entertainment
Emile Mosseri Comes to Chicago's Old Town School of Folk Music
Mar 27, 2025 9:00 AM
Emile Mosseri is a renaissance man. Not only has he composed multiple movie scores (Minari (2020), Kajilloinaire (2019) and The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019)) he has also released two other albums filled with lyrics, Heaven Hunters in 2023 and trying to be born this past February. Mosseri's eclectic combination of instruments combined with his crisp falsetto makes his music truly stand out as a tree among shrubs. I had the pleasure of seeing Emile Mosseri perform at Old Town School of Folk Music on March 20th.
Entertainment
Enter Kelly Lee Owens’ Dreamstate
Mar 27, 2025 8:36 AM
CHICAGO | The first time I heard Kelly Lee Owens, it felt like a beacon of light smashed through my apartment. My girlfriend featured Owens’ cover of Aaliyah’s classic “More Than A Woman” on my birthday mixtape. I instantly fell in love with her ethereal vocals and the reimagined electronic production of the song.
Entertainment
Paris Paloma Brings Ethereal Fairy Feminism to Chicago
Mar 25, 2025 9:00 AM
On Saturday March 15th, Paris Paloma waltzed onto the stage at Thalia Hall. Her ethereal, fairy-like presence made one feel transported into a Lord of The Rings film. Indeed, many people looked like they had just stepped out of a gathering of woodland nymphs. Closer to the merch stand, in the back of the venue, there was a pile of books where fans could take part in book swaps. When asked why she likes Paris Paloma’s music, one fan, Alex, said “It’s emotional rage. That’s why I like it.” Alex’s friend Ellen describes Paloma’s music as a sound that “makes her feel feminine rage.”
Entertainment
Weatherday and Your Arms Are My Cocoon Rock Subterranean
Mar 23, 2025 9:00 AM
In the grip of a dark and gloomy Chicago winter’s day on March 16th, I had the pleasure of being able to see Weatherday and Your Arms Are My Cocoon put on a great performance at Subterranean.  Despite the chilly weather and frustrating CTA delays that threatened my arrival time, I grabbed a coffee on my way there as a lifeline for the long St. Patrick’s Day weekend. The coffee proved to be essential, helping me appreciate the energy and excitement pulsing throughout the venue.CTA delays caused me to miss the opening set by Sweet Bike, but I arrived just in time to catch Summer 2000’s set. I had never heard them before, but I enjoyed seeing their set, with a sound combining emo, twinkly guitars, and great riffs. One of their members stood directly in front of a mini keyboard, loaded with all kinds of fun sound effects to play during and between songs. After seeing their set, I felt inspired to practice guitar more.
Interview
Lorraine-Dietrich: The Band Breathing New Life into Vintage Sounds
Mar 26, 2025 9:00 AM
When you hear the name Lorraine-Dietrich, your mind might first go to the legendary French automobile manufacturer that made its mark in early 20th-century racing. But in the modern music scene, Lorraine-Dietrich is something entirely different—a band blending vintage influences with contemporary sound, crafting a unique identity that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly new.
Interview
An Interview with Abby Holliday
Mar 22, 2025 9:00 AM
A 27-year-old musician and songwriter from Ohio, Abby Holliday frequently jumps between genres and uses a variety of acoustic and electronic sounds. She is an artist full of wildcards. During her live show at Schubas Tavern on March 13, she even used auto tune on stage, which I have never seen an artist do before.
Interview
A Conversation with Carol Ades
Dec 30, 2024 9:00 AM
On November 29th, 2024, I got to meet up with Carol Ades, an artist I last saw in 2022 opening for superstar singer/songwriter Lizzy McAlpine. I have always found Carol’s music to perfectly encapsulate what it is like to be a young adult, trying to navigate their way through life. Ades perfectly combines the whimsicality of childhood with the stark honesty of adulthood, packaged in beautiful set design with the stage dotted with quilted stars and a quilt displaying ‘Carol Ades’ in patchwork as the set backdrop. 
Interview
Australian Psych-Rockers Pond Talk Stung!
Nov 21, 2024 10:47 AM
The psychedelic rock world knows Pond as a household name, and after ten albums they have continued to make a name for themselves. The quintet returns to Chicago this Friday at Vic Theatre on their 2024 North American tour after the launch of their new album, Stung!. Released June 21st, it was a monumental drop as the group joined the double digits in album releases club, which is already difficult to achieve from bands worldwide. The LP explores Pond’s strongest rock styles and a touch of their experimental side, like the instrumental “Elf Bar Blues”, or the strong continuation of “Edge of the World Pt. 3”, echoing earlier parts 1 and 2 from their 2017 album, The Weather. I got to interview the group about Stung!, including the challenges they may face after expanding their discography.
Interview
Sixpence None The Richer’s Long-Awaited Reunion/25th Anniversary Tour
Oct 30, 2024 9:30 AM
On Friday, October 25th, I had the honor of seeing Sixpence None the Richer, a band I have been listening to for almost my entire life, perform live at City Winery as part of their first tour in 8 years and their first time releasing music together again in 11 years. I vividly remember songs from their self-titled album putting me at ease as a child in the car with my mom. These songs continued to underscore my life as I grew up, and I began to explore more of their discography, with The Fatherless & The Widow emerging as a favorite. 
Interview
Founder of The Chicago International Film Festival, Michael Kutza on Radio DePaul
Oct 23, 2024 7:28 PM
CHICAGO - Michael Kutza has been as influential as someone can be in the film festival industry. At age 22, Michael transformed the city of Chicago into a festival hotspot that supported films from unknown artists, ready to get their name out there. In 2024, the festival is celebrating its 60th anniversary. 
Interview
June McDoom On Listening To Yourself Amidst The Noise
Sep 24, 2024 7:11 PM
Discovering June’s music split my mind. It centered around this voice that seemed to suddenly appear out of the ether in the most angelic and graceful way. Deeply emotive and raw, I didn’t expect its kaleidoscope of reflections of 60s/70s folk and more modern sounds. June’s 2023 EP, With Strings, opens with “Emerald River Dance,” a haunting track followed by a cover of the traditional Appalachian ballad “Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair.” The EP continues with orchestrally arranged versions of June’s original songs, previously released on a self-titled EP in 2022. Acoustic guitar rings out with arpeggiated motion while the orchestra’s longer tones reverberate to surround June’s yearning melodies. With drum machine and synth, the first EP includes some elements of 80s pop and rock. At the same time, it builds an intimate, contemplative world that strikes me in a similar way that Sibylle Baier does with Colour Green. Whatever way you categorize her work, it clearly demonstrates authenticity and seamless diversity of style.
Photograph of Marem Ladson
Interview
Marem Ladson's Tour Ritual for Staying Grounded and “Song to the Siren”
Sep 23, 2024 10:01 AM
I still remember exactly the way it felt to hear Marem Ladson’s “Rayo de Luna” for the first time. I was unprepared to be swept away in her underwater-like soundscape. Everything around me but the brushes of guitar and feathery vocals fell away to give me two minutes and forty-seven seconds of quiet bliss. Those couple of minutes were much needed as the intensity of city-life had begun to exhaust me on my walk home from campus. I had never heard anything like it before so I quickly placed it in my vault of Spotify finds as if it were a hidden treasure. I looked forward to losing myself in the rest of her discography throughout the Spring. Not long after, I was giddy with anticipation because Ladson’s tour would soon arrive in town at Thalia Hall. I was glad for a reason to return to the beloved venue in historic Pilsen and I danced shamelessly late into the night while watching the headliner, Helado Negro. When Ladson opened the show, the Spanish singer-songwriter was no longer a frequency in my headphones but a self-possessed woman illuminated by stage lights, swaying to angelic melodies. Our q&a left me with a deeper understanding of her relationship with music and how the busy performer lifestyle can look behind the scenes.
Interview
Music as Medicine: Miracle-Level and We Sang, Therefore We Were with Greg Saunier
Sep 20, 2024 9:00 AM
I dialed the number and anxiously waited for the phone’s ringing to stop. When it did, I thanked Greg Saunier, founder, for taking my call after the band had returned home from a demanding tour. Today Deerhoof consists of drums and vocals (Saunier), bass and vocals (Satomi Matsuzaki), and two guitars (John Dieterich and Ed Rodriguez). Just the night before, I was at their last show at Lincoln Hall. Afterwards I was still raving over the performance and their latest album, Miracle-Level, which I had repeatedly played through my headphones on my daily adventures around the city. It became the soundtrack of the burgeoning spring season along with the sounds of Sonic Youth, Radiohead, Tortoise, Liz Phair and other experimental, guitar-centered favorites of mine. Lincoln Hall was filled with many different kinds of people with a common, shared appreciation. The opener welcomed us with their psychedelic riffs and sensitive lyrics which Saunier complimented once Deerhoof took the stage. The band showed genuine chemistry, and they interacted with the audience as if there were no platform separating us. We felt intimately connected by the emotive sound filling up the entire venue, and their playful and sincere adlibs between songs created more closeness. After a gracious encore, no one wanted to leave the venue, and I became more eager to conduct the over-the-phone interview the next night. Saunier and I conversed for over an hour-and-a-half, and I could not be happier with what came of it. A college radio interview quickly became a deep reflection on creativity, productivity, and the healing properties of music that informs my own artistry from now on.
Lucia Sarmiento poses with her saxophone
Interview
An Interview with Lucia Sarmiento
Sep 9, 2024 1:18 PM
Lucia Sarmiento is a saxophonist, composer, and educator based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She leads a synth-heavy jazz quintet that fuses elements of funk, pop, jazz, and Latin American music. You may have seen Lucia pop up on your instagram feed where she has amassed nearly 70,000 followers or sharing the stage with artists like Pitbull and Karol G. I sat down with Lucia on June 5th for an interview about her newly released single “Porcelain” and her soon-to-be-released debut album.
News
Mustafa the Poet: Confiding in Vulnerability
Feb 18, 2025 11:40 AM
It’s impossible to walk away from an experience with Mustafa the Poet without feeling intensely inspired. On Sunday, February 16, his sold-out show at The Old Town School of Folk Music was more than live music, it was an evening of bared souls. 
News
Third Times the Charm
Nov 18, 2024 9:00 AM
This summer, Clairo dropped her third studio album Charm, which has now been nominated for Best Alternative Album in the 2024 Grammy Awards. Her music career started in 2017 with the release of four singles, including the songs "Pretty Girl" and "Flaming Hot Cheetos," which gained traction for their unique bedroom pop sound. However, it was in 2019 when her career really started to take off with the release of her debut album, Immunity. In these first couple of years, Clairo was known for her indie-pop melodies and soft girl aesthetic. She perfectly encapsulated the vibes of 2017-2019 with lo-fi, bedroom pop songs that quickly became her image, though they did not fully feel authentic compared to her style now.
News
What is Happening To Music Journalism?
Nov 14, 2024 9:00 AM
On November 11, 2024, in a crushing blow to the Chicago music community, Pitchfork Music Festival announced via Instagram that the festival would not be returning to Chicago in 2025, ending its 19 year run in Union Park. The publication cited little cause other than the rapidly evolving music festival landscape.
News
In Defense of Nostalgia-Bait Festivals
Oct 24, 2024 9:00 AM
There seem to be very few certainties in life: death, taxes, and 12-year-old My Chemical Romance fans. Once a 12-year-old My Chemical Romance fan myself, I can attest that there is just something about that band that speaks to kids at that age who are learning how to navigate adult emotions and need something to latch onto. Even during the six years the band split up, they maintained that hold on the youth. My Chemical Romance meant a lot to me at that age, in a way that I don’t know if I could ever fully articulate. Now a 22-year-old My Chemical Romance fan (with a bit of disposable income), I jumped at the opportunity to see My Chemical Romance co-headline a festival with another band that shaped me as a person, Chicago’s very own Fall Out Boy.
News
The Road to Chromakopia: The Roll Out of Tyler, the Creator's Eighth Studio Album
Oct 23, 2024 7:10 PM
Fans of Tyler, the Creator are buzzing with excitement after the artist dropped an album announcement, a creative festival crossword puzzle, a new single, and a world tour announcement. Just a day after teasing us with a snippet of "St. Chroma," on October 17, he unveiled his eighth studio album, Chromakopia, a highly anticipated follow-up to Call Me If You Get Lost three years in the making.
Newsletters
Jordana Takes Over Lincoln Hall to Show Off New Album
Mar 11, 2025 9:00 AM
On February 18th, I had the wonderful opportunity to catch Jordana on one of the final dates of her Lively Premonition Tour. It was my first show at Lincoln Hall, and it did not disappoint.
Newsletters
aespa Takes over United Center with Synk: Parallel Line Tour
Feb 20, 2025 9:00 AM
On February 15th, I had the amazing opportunity to see aespa perform at United Center, my first time attending a K-pop show. Upon arriving outside, I was astonished by the displays on the venue to promote the show: each member displayed on a screen almost as tall as the venue itself. As I finally got into the venue, I continued to be blown away. I could feel the energy and how excited people were right as I stepped in the doors, with most people already at their seats with light sticks in hand anticipating the show.
Newsletters
THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS BRIDGED GENERATIONS FOR TWO NIGHTS AT THE VIC THEATER
Sep 9, 2024 2:49 PM
On June 18th and 19th, prolific band They Might Be Giants took residency in Lakeview’s historic Vic Theater to play to a crowd that spanned from age sixteen to sixty. However, as the man behind me noted, “there’s no thirty-year-olds here. It’s twenty-year-olds and Gen-X-ers. I was expecting a bunch of 50-year-olds, you know, but I realized these guys are marketing geniuses. As soon as their main audience got old enough to start settling down and having kids, they started making kids music. They taught those kids their ABCs, and now they’ve aged into the scene.”
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Newsletters
PLAYLIST: The Only Indie Mix to Ever Exist
Mar 7, 2024 6:48 PM
This playlist “The only Indie Mix to Ever Exist”, combines some of the best songs from all the hit indie bands from the late 2000’s into one mix. Some of these great highlighted bands that made the 2000’s indie scene what it was include MGMT, The Strokes, Foster the People, Cage the Elephant and many more. Although these bands were in their prime nearly fifteen years ago, their songs still remain classics to many people. I mean who doesn’t love “Time to Pretend”, “Hang Me Up To Dry”, or “Shake Me Down”? They’re all indie staples that will continuously live on due to just how much of an impact that had on the music scene. A lot of the artists included on the playlist also have upcoming albums after years of taking a hiatus, so this playlist is a great way to enjoy their hits while waiting for the new releases!
Newsletters
PLAYLIST: Women with Reputations
Feb 29, 2024 6:53 PM
Female singers often get bad reputations regardless of their singing and songwriting capabilities. So many of these women have bad reputations because of choices they’ve made or people they choose to date. Men can do the same things but don’t get bad reputations.... Riddle me that! This playlist is a carefully curated list of some of the most influential female singers who are frequently looked down upon. Many of them have paved the way for pop or rock music and should get the credit they deserve. When looking up a list of the worst female singers, names like Shakira, Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears and Kesha come up. All of these women have faced issues in the music industry but still made great music that has been essential in our culture. I mean, who doesn’t know the song Party in the U.S.A.? Here is the link to the playlist below! I hope you enjoy some of the most influential women in music.
Newsletters
Champion: A New Approach to Opera
Feb 8, 2024 4:41 PM
CHICAGO | On the evening of Saturday, February 3, we went to the Lyric Opera in the loop to see Champion, an opera composed by Terence Blanchard and written by Michael Cristofer. Based on the real-life boxer Emile Griffith, the opera follows his life from his childhood in the Caribbean to the rise and fall of his boxing career in America using three singers to represent Emile in different phases of his life: Little Emile (as a child), Young Emile (during his boxing career) and Older Emile (nearing the end of his life).
Newsletters
The Dwarves, Live at Reggies; a Commanding Presence
Jan 18, 2024 7:33 PM
CHICAGO | Stepping into a dimly lit massive room with people surrounding you from all sides, the thump of the bass from the speakers is so intense you can feel it in your chest, like a ghost with two mallets is using you as a drum. The wail from the electric guitar is absolutely shredding and deafening but it’s so good you are forced to listen. A burly man with a massive beard and a leather studded jacket pushes you up to the front and you’re staring up at the band. 
Newsletters
Eye on the Bat, Eye on the Prize: Palehound at Empty Bottle
Jan 11, 2024 6:35 PM
If you weren’t already “in the know”, now’s your chance to catch up. Palehound has been an absolute force in the indie rock world since the release of their freshman record Dry Food, which is easily one of my favorite albums to play while sitting on my porch chain-smoking Marlboro Reds. On July 14th of this year, the band released their fourth album Eye on the Bat, and it was completely unsurprisingly 29 minutes of heat. I know 29 minutes seems like the shortest long play imaginable, but it still does not compare to the famously 18-minute PinkPantheress album, to hell with it, which sparked memes about how short the songs are for way too long past the point it stopped being funny. Are short records making a comeback? Regardless, though it is short, I do also feel that Palehound’s writing proves a certain level of tastefulness that makes it just make sense.
Newsletters
A Chat with Haley Blais
Oct 19, 2023 12:36 PM
On Chicago’s first truly autumnal day, Canadian singer-songwriter Haley Blais sat down with Radio DePaul preceding her set at Schubas Tavern, where she would be opening for soft rock duo Tommy Lefroy. Blais had just returned from thrifting at the iconic Brown Elephant Resale Shop in Lakeview, and enjoyed a dirty chai from Whole Foods while hanging out in Schuba's greenroom, where she answered a few questions.
Newsletters
Geese Prove Why They’re the Most Exciting Band in the Business at Lincoln Hall
Oct 19, 2023 12:21 PM
Nobody knows how to stand out from the crowd quite like Geese. Although they have proven through their two albums that they are effective and creative in the studio setting, their recent performance at Lincoln Hall showed that the stage is where their home is. 
Newsletters
Episode 122: RDP Goes to NYC
Mar 27, 2023 4:06 PM
A few weekends ago, some managers at the station got to go to NYC for the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System conference and awards show- and also have a little bit of fun.
Newsletters
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard at Radius Chicago: My Experience and Review
Nov 10, 2022 11:37 AM
Nearly a year has passed since a friend of mine first introduced me to King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard. Despite having heard of them before, I have never been driven to explore them because I hadn't previously been a fan of psychedelic music. But nonetheless, I decided that I'd give them a shot as I was browsing for new bands to play. I was told to listen to I’m In Your Mind Fuzz (2014) first, and I was instantly hooked. I could visualize the songs in my mind, with the combination of guitar riffs, incredible basslines, and distorted vocals. I knew from there on out I needed more, and my love for King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard began.
Opinion
The Raincoats: Rebellion Through the Art of Imperfection in the Post-Punk Genre
Mar 8, 2025 9:00 AM
The Raincoats were never meant to fit into a mold. When Gina Birch and Ana da Silva created the all-girl band in 1977, they weren’t interested in the gritty energy of punk or the polished precision of mainstream rock. Instead, they embraced chaos through an offbeat, dissonant space where a lack of instrumental experience became a tool rather than a hindrance. Their sound was not just music; it was a statement, which raw and unfiltered themes emerged from the depths of post-punk’s experimental spirit. 
Opinion
Reflecting on Creative Nonviolence in Uncertain Times
Feb 19, 2025 9:00 AM
On Tuesday, February 11, I attended an evening lecture at DePaul titled “More Power Than We Think: Unleashing Creative Nonviolence.” The event was co-sponsored by the DePaul Humanities Center and DePaul’s Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies (PAX) program and featured two guest speakers. Given the size of the event, I am sure they had been planning this since before President Trump’s inauguration, but the subject matter seemed particularly pertinent in light of recent executive branch actions, and the large audience turnout reflected that.
Podcasts
Episode 125: Wrigleyville Tourism
Jun 7, 2023 12:40 PM
Earlier this month, Misha, accompanied by the station's GM, Grace, headed up to Wrigleyville to gain insight into the Chicago tourist experience.
Podcasts
Episode 124: DePaul Restroom Review
May 9, 2023 2:00 AM
In this mini-sode, Misha gives her field notes on the best and worst restrooms on DePaul's campus.
Podcasts
Episode 123: Rock the Clock
Apr 24, 2023 4:05 PM
A compilation of some of Radio DePaul's lovely hosts who participated in this year's Rock the Clock fundraiser.
Podcasts
Episode 122: RDP Goes to NYC
Mar 27, 2023 4:06 PM
A few weekends ago, some managers at the station got to go to NYC for the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System conference and awards show- and also have a little bit of fun.
Podcasts
Episode 121: My Lawyer Made Me Change The Name Of This Episode So I Wouldn't Get Sued
Feb 21, 2023 6:03 PM
In this episode, Misha talks about Fall Out Boy's history and some of their new music and promotions.