December 2025 • Volume 52, Number 02 • www. illinoisentertainer. com
C
CHEAP TRICK heap Trick bassist Tom Petersson has a few wise words to offer that might, at the very least, give you pause. After over five decades with his core bandmates, vocalist Robin Zander and guitarist Rick Nielsen, he knows the nature of the Showbiz Beast. And he doesn’ t pull any punches.“ Do what you love and you’ ll never work a day in your life,” goes the old adage, he chortles.“ But usually, doing what you love comes with a bunch of stuff? that you never knew you had to do, that you DON’ T love, so most of the stuff you end up doing, you do NOT want to do. So it’ s not like,‘ I won the lottery! Let’ s get some money in here!’ It’ s not like that— you’ ve got to keep your head above water, try to raise a family, or whatever it is.”
Cheap Trick just issued its latest effort, All Washed Up, its 21st overall, and it’ s an elusive, rock-solid collection reminiscent of some of its best work, like the underrated“ One on One”; Several tracks, in fact, would have fit well into their halcyon days, not an easy feat.
. All in all, reasons to be cheerful about his long-ago choice to roll the dice on the entertainment industry, right? Petersson sighs. It’ s illusory, he confesses.“ The business is NOT fun and enjoyable. Fortunately, Petersson has a great sense of humor about it all, and an unflagging devotion to— and firm faith in— Cheap Trick and its still-crackling camaraderie. By Tom Lanham.
06 NAOKO YAMANO OF SHONEN KNIFE
Can old-fashioned rock and roll still manage to change anything? Naoko Yamano believes so. That’ s why the Osaka-bred artist, at 64, is bringing her all-girl proto-punk trio Shonen Knife back to tourAmerica once again, backing career-bookend releases: A collectible cassette reissue of its 1982 debut and a bonus-track reworking of its most recent Our Best Place effort. Both are out on Good Charmel Records, the Japan-centered imprint of Goo Goo Dolls bassist Robbie Takac. Not surpisingly, her English is pretty fluent all these years on the road.“ We are doing good!” She bubbled. Tom Lanham spoke to one of Japan’ s greatest exports.
PAGE 20: CHEAP TRICK
CinemaScopes
December film preview.
Spins
Smashing Pumpkins, Husker Du, Pelican and more.
Media
MBC’ s Chicago Media pop-up exhiibit including FM98- The Loop.
Calendar
1350 shows and 3500 bands, it’ s IE’ s live music calendar.
Classifieds
Music services, musicians and more.
12 14 19 24 31
4
Publisher John Vernon
Contributing Editors Curt Baran Tom Lanham Lori Vernon
Design Team Notion Pool Dragon Design Teknigram Graphics
Calendar Editor Aubrey Vernon
Classified Advertising David Gedge
Founder Kenneth L. Voss
Publisher Emeritis
David Roberts Publisher John Vernon
4 illinoisentertainer. com april 2019 Contributing Editors Curt Baran Tom Lanham illinoisentertainer. com december 2025
Advertising Sales Scott Assmann Mike Engel
Advertising Director John Vernon
Website Direction Notion Pool
Senior Columnists
Rosalind Cummings-Yeates
- Sweet Home Rick Kaempfer- Media
Kelley Simms- Caught In A Mosh
David C. Eldredge- East Coast
Advertising Sales Scott Assmann Mike Engel
Advertising Director
Contributors: Andy Argyrakis, Guy Arnston, Penelope Biver, Patrick Conlan, Deena Dasein, Jaime de ' Medici, Andy Derer, Jeff Elbel Terrence Flamm, Steve Forstneger Michael Gallucci, Michael C. Harris, Max Herman, Tom Lanham, Aubrey Vernon Carter Moss, Michael Obrecki, Greg Olma Arsenio Orteza, Rodney Pawlak, Steven Kikoen Bruce Pilato, Matthew Pollock, Jason Scales, Kelley Simms, Ed Spinelli, Riley Vernon, Tim Shockley, James Turano
SUBSCRIPTIONS: $ 35 per year( first class). Material for insertion must reach our office by the First Of The Month preceding publication. We cannot assume responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs.
Follow us online at: facebook. com / ieentertainer instagram: illinoisentertainermagazine Contributors twitter:. com / ie _ entertainer Andy Argyrakis, Guy Arnston, Penelope Biver, Patrick Conlan, Deena Dasein, Jaime de ' Medici, Andy Derer, Jeff Elbel Terrence Flamm Steve Forstneger
,
Address All Correspondence to:
Illinois Entertainer
4223 W. Lake St., Suite 201
Chicago, IL 60624( 630) 618-2177- email us at:
Editorial: ed @ illinoisentertainer. com
Advertising: service @ illinoisentertainer. com n2 w The ILLINOIS ENTERTAINER is published monthly by Roberts Publishing, Inc, All materials copyright
2025 2024 by Roberts Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from Roberts Publishing, Inc. Current and back issues of the IE are $ 10.00 postpaid.
Address All Correspondence to:
Illinois Entertainer
4223 W. Lake St., Suite 201 Chicago, IL 60624
( 630) 618-2177