Another great week for Loop shows in Chicagoland began with the 6 hour plus Cruefest 2 marathon at the First Midwest bank Amphitheatre this past Wednesday. Motley Crue marked the 20th anniversary of their "Dr. Feelgood" album by performing the work in it's entirety to begin their headlining set. Motley Crue didn't just perform the songs from "Dr. Feelgood" in note-perfect fashion, they even donned their stage attire and replicated the set (including the female background singers) from the original 1989 tour that supported the record. After a short intermission, the Crue retook the stage in their current garb and pounded out another set, this time focusing on their other classics as well as their most recent "Saints Of Los Angeles" to cap off the evening.

(See Motley Crue perform "Wild Side" live at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHu9DI_YtE4)

(See Motley Crue perform "Saints Of Los Angeles" live at the first Midwest Bank Amphitheatre here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSTqGAKSnu0)

(See Motley Crue perform "Sticky Sweet" live at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8Azu8xbPbw)

(See Motley Crue perform "Looks That Kill" live at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UhNheUgs2w)

Friday night saw the return of Ratt and Extreme to Chicago, this time together at the House Of Blues.

(See Ratt perform "Round & Round" live at the House Of Blues here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv3m0DsKliQ)

(See Extreme perform "Decadence Dance" live at the House Of Blues here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiAzdpvKOuw)

As we at the 97.9 The Loop rapidly approach our 33rd anniversary as Chicago's Rock Station, a film featurette was created to commemorate the occasion... and you, the Loyal Looper!

(See the Loop's anniversary featurette here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnbwCSck4TU&feature=channel_page)

Another piece of Chicago history took place this week as Mark Buerhle of the White Sox pitched a perfect game. We've all seen the play-by-play, but what was it like to actually be there in the stands?

(See the final 3 outs of Mark Buerhle's perfect game from the stands at US Cellular Field here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbUKKwxg248)

This week on my show from 10am-3pm, win Nickelback tickets plus the chance to go backstage as well as a trip to see them in Las Vegas in September daily at 10:05am and 2:05pm. During the noon hour, win "dinner and a show" prize packs. Guests this week include comedian Jim Breuer this Tuesday at 2:30pm and Joey Kramer of Aerosmith on Thursday at 1:30pm.

This past weekend was one stellar weekend for concert going in Chicagoland! Some of the most anticipated shows of the summer all fell within days (and sometimes merely hours) of each other all weekend. Friday saw the terrific Def Leppard/Poison/Cheap Trick triple bill at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre. Just as Phil Collen of Def Leppard, Bret Michaels of Poison and Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick all promised when they checked in with me during my show leading up to the concert, it was a night filled to the brim with hits and a party atmosphere. Killer sound and mind-blowing visual accompaniment merely topped off an already spectacular evening.

(See Def Leppard perform "Rock Rock Till You Drop" live at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j3tv8ljpBk)

(See Def Leppard perform "Foolin'" live at the First Midwest bank Amphitheatre here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyHEex7dg3I)

(See Def Leppard perform "Rock Of Ages" live at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y1DsW9AAhg)

(See Def Leppard perform "Pour Some Sugar On Me" live at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LM7AO4BzGI)

(See Def Leppard perform "Bringing On The Heartbreak" live at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKD741ToR-o)

(See Poison perform "Nothin' But A Good Time" live at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr72Z3VyRdI)

(See Poison perform "Unskinny Bop" live at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3CyBtrB6xM)

(See Cheap Trick perform "Surrender" live at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s93Ecvi_TLs)

The other Loop mega-show this weekend took place Sunday at the Charter One Pavilion starring Judas Priest, Whitesnake and Pop Evil. Judas Priest celebrated the 30th anniversary of the release of their seminal "British Steel" disc by performing the album in it's entirety live for the very first time. Both Rob Halford of Judas Priest and David Coverdale of Whitesnake were in top-shelf vocal form for the concert, effortlessly nailing the tough vocal parts. Both the guys told me when they appeared on my show how excited they were about the upcoming pairing, and it showed. Revitalized and reinvigorated, both put in ferocious performances.

(See Judas Priest perform "Breaking The Law" live at Charter One Pavilion here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7f8anDsIpg)

(See Judas Priest perform "Living After Midnight" live at Charter One Pavilion here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45YCuiZ9wvk)

(See Judas Priest perform "Freewheel Burning" Live at Charter One Pavilion here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVbsTsd-SbQ)

(See Judas Priest perform "The Ripper" live at Charter One Pavilion here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWqaVkPy9Cc)

See Whitesnake perform "Lay Down Your Love" live at Charter One Pavilion here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG2vA9nHVRw)

(See Whitesnake perform "Still Of The Night" live at Charter One Pavilion here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Alf0VeiAan0)

(See Whitesnake perform "Slow & Easy" here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMip9V9EJLI)

(See Whitesnake perform "Here I Go Again" live at Charter One Pavilion here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GozFyjhAgp0)

Saturday night saw the Black Crowes play the "Festival Of The Lakes in Hammond, and Candlebox at the House Of Blues.

(See the Black Crowes perform "Twice As Hard" live in Hammond here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4FxuBTxvxY)

(See Candlebox perform "Far Behind" live at House Of Blues here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQfCEFBLCSs&feature=related)

This week on my show from 10am-3pm, chances to win tickets to see Chickenfoot at 10:05am and 2:05pm daily, tickets to see Ratt and Extreme this Friday night during the noon hour every day and a conversation with Tommy Lee of Motley Crue this Wednesday at 11:30am.

This past weekend could very well have been dubbed the "First Annual Chicago Super-Duper Loyal Looper Celebratory Sing-a-Long Weekend" for the full-lunged enthusiasm and wild abandon with which Loyal Loopers greeted their favorite bands and each subsequent song.

First up was the sold out Styx/REO Speedwagon/.38 Special show at Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island Friday night. Great bands, great location and great weather made for a truly memorable night that was "filled with hits" as James Young of Styx promised when he checked in with me on my show earlier in the week.

(See Styx perform "Come Sail Away" live at Charter One Pavilion here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGP57fsx1Wg)

(See REO Speedwagon perform "Roll With The Changes" live at Charter One Pavilion here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOQBZKSLxd0)

(See .38 Special perform "Hold On Loosely" live at Charter One Pavilion here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbabFeLvFAM)

Following in the "show us your hits" vein was the highly anticipated return of the Lynyrd Skynyrd/Kid Rock double bill Sunday at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre.

(See Lynyrd Skynyrd perform "What's Your Name" live at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM7ngxhU44w)

(See Kid Rock perform "Rock and Roll Jesus" live at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stipQmbrKSc)

Thursday saw Davy Jones of the Monkees pop by my show with his band in tow to say hello and perform a few numbers live before his appearance the next night at "Railroad Days" in West Chicago. Few people on the planet can claim to have been present at the Beatles recording sessions for "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", had Jimi Hendrix as an opening act, influenced the style of Loyal Looper Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses AND be recently voted the "#1 Teen Idol of all time"... but Davy can. I suspect I know what you're now thinking. "Wait a minute. Axl Rose was influenced by Davy Jones?!?" Yup. Pay attention to the dance moves.

(See Davy Jones and the Monkees video for "Daydream Believer" here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2hPJ_3m-kc&feature=related)

(See Axl Rose and Guns N' Roses video for "Sweet Child Of Mine" here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oobDQ0vdm8M)

(See Davy Jones perform "Pleasant Valley Sunday" live at Railroad Days here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_g9LFq90uc)

Busy week on my show from 10am-3pm! The Def Leppard/Poison/Cheap Trick concert is this Friday night at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre, so Bret Michaels of Poison will be joining me Tuesday and Phil Collen of Def Leppard on Wednesday. This Sunday at Charter One Pavilion the Judas Priest/Whitesnake double bill moves into town. A conversation with David Coverdale of Whitesnake Thursday on my show and Rob Halford of Judas Priest Friday, as well as your chance to score tickets to the show daily at 10:05am and 2:05pm and tickets to see UFO during the lunch hour. Phew!

Happy 4th Of July! Hope you got to enjoy some sun, fun, fireworks and bbq this weekend.

Several great shows and bands swept through town to help us celebrate the long weekend including Heart rocking at "Ribfest" Thursday night in Naperville. The Wilson sisters always deliver the goods, and this one was no exception.

(See Heart perform "Barracuda" live at Ribfest here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Miq4VBefkWk)

(See Heart perform "Crazy On You" live at Ribfest here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC6WNQi8n8Q)

Friday and Saturday night saw a packed line-up for what will hopefully be an annual event at Toyota Park called the "Bridgeview MusicFest." With great sound, lights and easy access, the bill included Billy Squier, Lita Ford and Warrant among many others.

(See Warrant perform live at the "Bridgeview MusicFest" here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u-_osSLPUk)

Michael Schenker - for some the bridge between the Jimmy Page and Eddie Van Halen guitar styles, ferociously kicked off the week Monday night at the House Of Blues. The former precocious "boy wonder" of guitar was in stellar form, redeeming his tarnished reputation and reclaiming his status as one of the greats.

(See Michael Schenker perform "Into The Arena" live at the House Of Blues here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zloan8aZ3y8)

Speaking of bad reps, the loathed and detested former manger of both the Rolling Stones and latter-day Beatles (many claim he was one of the main factors in the break-up of the band) Allen Klein passed away over the weekend. He was famously skewered by John Belushi for his personality traits and business practices as "Ron Decline" in the brilliant 1978 film spoof/commentary about show business and the Beatles career entitled "The Rutles - All You Need Is Cash." A joint effort from members of Monty Python and the classic Saturday Night Live cast, it became the inspiration for a whole new genre of films including another famous mockumentary... "Spinal Tap." Hysterical performances, razor-sharp writing and cameos from Mick Jagger and Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones, George Harrison of the Beatles among many others, make this a gem of a film well worth searching out.

(See John Belushi portray Allen Klein as "Ron Decline" from the movie "The Rutles - All You Need Is Cash" here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdjZSb0S7ZU)

(See more of John Belushi's portrayal of Allen Klein as "Ron Decline" from the movie "The Rutles - All You Need Is Cash" here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HnGNuj9RL0)

Some big changes and re-tooling from the Blackhawks in the off-season. The Hawks pick up Hossa and Kopecky from our rival the Detroit Red Wings and lose Havlat and Khabibulin. More coming soon in the latest "Byrd's Puck Podcast", through www.wlup.com.

This week on my show from 10am-3pm, JY of Styx will be checking in Wednesday at 11:30am about their upcoming show this Friday night at Charter One Pavilion with REO Speedwagon and .38 Special. All week, chances to win tickets to both the NASCAR 300 and 400 races this weekend at the Chicagoland Speedway at 10:05am and 2:05pm daily, plus chances to win tickets to see the Lynyrd Skynyrd/Kid Rock show at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre this Sunday where I will be doing my show live from 3pm-7pm. See you there!