With his skills and accomplishments with an amplified band well-documented, Jason Isbell executed the equivalent of a 180-degree reversal at his first-ever local solo appearance. Seated for the duration, the Alabama native mesmerized with a handful of acoustic guitars, descriptive storytelling and, in what emerged as a pleasant revelation, spotlit vocals whose command and expressiveness matched that of his virtuosic six-string abilities. The bare-bones intimacy and pin-drop quiet acoustics reinforced Isbell\u2019s standing as one of the finest songwriters of his generation. His no-frills presentation and willingness to take risks \u2014 he played seven songs from his then-unreleased \u201cFoxes in the Snow\u201d LP for an audience unfamiliar with nearly all of them \u2014 served as reminders that spectacle doesn\u2019t always carry the day.<\/p>\n
Jack White at Salt Shed, April 10<\/a><\/p>\n You could tell Jack White was feeling it at the first of a sold-out two-night stand at Salt Shed before he played a note. He began by greeting the crowd like dearly missed friends before throwing himself into high-voltage songs as if he\u2019d recently discovered the menacing thrills that come with plugging instruments into loud amplifiers and stomping on effects pedals. White and his formidable three-piece backing band served everything raw. Gleeful disrupters, they shredded scripts and torched boundaries. They pulled apart and reconstructed solo fare, White Stripes favorites and cover tunes. Unable to stand still, White increased the energy with animated movements and man-of-a-thousand-voices declarations. The guerilla-style ambush implied rock \u2018n\u2019 roll\u2019s vocabulary still has room to expand.<\/p>\n Less than two years removed from her blockbuster \u201cRenaissance\u201d shows at the same stadium, what would Beyonc\u00e9 do for an encore? Go bigger, of course. All the while challenging common assumptions about identity and music. The lion\u2019s share of her \u201cCowboy Carter\u201d extravaganza unfolded as an intelligent reckoning of American history, culture and language. As much a reclamation of whitewashed history and assertion of long-overdue recognition as a joyous concert that seamlessly blurred lines between genres, it established new standards for visual symbolism in the larger pop sphere. For all the instantly sharable appeal of the snazzy costumes, choreographed routines and mechanical bulls, Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s outsized confidence and defiant attitude left the deepest impressions. Backed by an ace band and dance squadron, this was the global superstar gone maverick \u2014 a rebel with a cause.<\/p>\n Paul Simon at Symphony Center, May 21<\/a><\/p>\n Few aspects of Paul Simon\u2019s opening of a three-night stand work on paper. A singer whose once-harmonious voice showed clear signs of thinness and frailty. A first set devoted to a start-to-finish interpretation of the recent \u201cSeven Psalms,\u201d the least commercially successful album of Simon\u2019s career. The decision to bypass classics for deep cuts. Yet practically every moment captivated. Simon chased mystery with the intrepidness of a youthful voyager. Ruminating on mortality, faith, doubt and home, he revealed how little we really control or know. And his acoustic hymns and calm deliveries landed with a quiet, reflective beauty on a par with Zen meditation. Part soothing balm and part spiritual exploration, Simon\u2019s \u201cconversation\u201d doubled as an unspoken dialogue we often have with ourselves and the universe.<\/p>\n Kendrick Lamar started the year with five Grammy Awards and the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show in history. When his record-shattering Grand National Tour pulled into Soldier Field in June, Lamar justified the acclaim and attention. To quote hip hop pioneers Eric B. and Rakim, he \u201clet the rhythm hit \u2018em.\u201d Leveraging extraordinary focus, diction and phrasing, Lamar let words to bob and weave, jab and pummel. His broad storytelling arc spanned an array of emotions, and his vocal dynamics mirrored the smooth hydraulics of the 1987 Buick GNX coupe that functioned as a central prop. Even the inadvisable decision to interweave his program with that of co-headliner SZA couldn\u2019t derail the primacy of a rapper who just might be the GOAT in his field.<\/p>\n Nine Inch Nails at the United Center, Aug. 19<\/a><\/p>\n The fact that Nine Inch Nails felt more relevant at the opening of their two-night run at the United Center than during their \u201890s heyday is a credit to leader Trent Reznor\u2019s vision \u2014 and sobering reflection of where we\u2019ve headed as a society. No longer coming across as personal screeds, Reznor\u2019s toxic songs spoke to systemic shifts in modern technology, communication, industry, wealth, health care and politics. In the same manner that novels such as George Orwell\u2019s \u201c1984\u201d foresaw the future, Nine Inch Nails\u2019 dystopian-minded setlist echoed present circumstances despite being almost entirely comprised of decades-old works. The band\u2019s lean attack and chiaroscuro lighting underscored the stakes: What were once distressful warning signals had transformed into bleak truths.<\/p>\n Dua Lipa at the United Center, Sept. 5<\/a><\/p>\n Few entertainment realms are currently more competitive than contemporary pop. Dua Lipa separated herself from the pack when she spearheaded a disco-laden dance party at the United Center in September. Composed and disciplined, she represented a maturer, sleeker kind of female diva. Somebody unbeholden to fleeting trends or tawdry humor. Someone who regarded a strong vocal range as a primary asset and didn\u2019t airbrush imperfections. A confident, charismatic personality who valued accessibility and sincerity, her celebrity status and gorgeous appearance be damned. Lipa\u2019s black-tie soulfulness and finger-wagging playfulness dovetailed with her tasteful sense in fashion and lighting. With such fluid and harmonious execution, she set a high bar for herself to follow \u2014 and offered plenty of reasons to watch what she does next.<\/p>\n Lady Gaga at the United Center, Sept. 15<\/a><\/p>\n Because Lady Gaga craved a more intimate connection with her fanbase of \u201clittle monsters,\u201d she hosted her Mayhem Ball in arenas instead of stadiums. The multi-hyphenate took full advantage of the smaller confines. Her all-out spectacular shattered the limits on what\u2019s possible in a touring production, integrating grand theatricality, surrealist fantasy, gothic horror, lavish scenery, epic narratives and gripping music into a cohesive whole. It dazzled with imaginative costumes, cutting-edge props, on-point choreography and Gaga\u2019s rich singing. It cleverly referenced a litany of literary, visual and operatic works. And it inspired deeper thinking with its mind-bending originality and relevance, especially via the ways it addressed fame, mustered bliss and challenged fear. If that weren\u2019t enough, Gaga re-contextualized the meaning of select songs and rearranged others to magnificent effect. If you have an opportunity to attend this ball when it swings through parts of the U.S. early next year, book your ticket.<\/p>\n Robert Plant remains the premier example of why following one\u2019s creative muse begets more rewards and adventures than following the nostalgic reunion route. He could rake in millions per gig if he re-teamed with guitarist Jimmy Page under the Led Zeppelin banner. However, it\u2019s unlikely he\u2019d be as enthused or enthralled as he was delving into more than a century\u2019s worth of \u201clost and found\u201d music with his latest ensemble, Saving Grace. Demonstrating superb chemistry and ease, the collective of friends from the Welsh Borders whisked fans on sonic journeys to the United Kingdom, Africa and the Deep South. It cracked open the DNA of English ballads, psychedelic dirges, gospel traditionals, Zeppelin chestnuts and more. At 77, Plant, who sang with nuance and texture, remains insatiably curious about ideas and correlations. A lesson for us all.<\/p>\n![\"Sakara](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/CTC-L-ENT-BEYONCE-Fans-0515_e3994f.jpg\")
Sakara Heade, from left, her daughter Micah Heade, and Adelia White, all from Detroit, walk toward Soldier Field before the first Chicago night of Beyonc\u00e9\u2019s Cowboy Carter performance, May 15, 2025. (Armando L. Sanchez\/Chicago Tribune)
\nBeyonc\u00e9 at Soldier Field, May 15<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Paul](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/CTC-L-paul-simon009_229518328-e1747930334317.jpg\")
Paul Simon performs at Symphony Center in Chicago on May 21, 2025. (Chris Sweda\/Chicago Tribune)
\nKendrick Lamar at Soldier Field, June 6<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Dua](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/CTC-L-dua-lipa043_234454289_938d23.jpg\")
Dua Lipa performs at the United Center in Chicago on Sept. 5, 2025. (Chris Sweda\/Chicago Tribune)<\/p>\n![\"Robert](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/CTC-L-ENT-ROBERT-PLANT-REVIEW-20_247229084.jpg\")
Robert Plant performs with Saving Grace at the Vic Theatre on Nov. 12, 2025. (John J. Kim\/Chicago Tribune)
\nRobert Plant at the Vic Theatre, Nov. 12<\/a><\/p>\n