About Us

In The Loop Magazine is Chicago’s only publication dedicated 100% to music news and entertainment. No fluff, no filler, just killer reviews, photos, interviews, stories, videos, news and more. Chicago’s most eclectic music publication covering everything from Americana to Zef.

Our main focus is on Chicago’s music scene: yesterday, today and tomorrow, but we have expanded our reach both near and far with events covering events in as near as Milwaukee, short flights to LA  and across the pond to London. If it’s newsworthy in the music industry, we’ll be there.

We let you know what’s happening in and around town on a variety of things. Whether it be your favorite artist making a stop in the windy city or a local record producers new studio popping up, we cover it all.

In the Loop Magazine is a media source for music fans in the Chicagoland area, by music fans of the Chicagoland area. Plain and simple, we love music and we like to share.

With us, you’ll get true, real and from the heart stories. Information on clubs and venues were you can experience live music. Exposure to new, up and coming bands as well as legacy artists. We take pride in producing content with no stories about Kim and Kanye’s dinner date scuffle or Miley’s tongue waggling, twerking nightclub antics. We’re not a snooty rag or a punk rock zine, but somewhere in between.

In The Loop Magazine can’t be pegged as one style or genre of music publication. We love it all. All music styles. All music related sources. All music industry focused events throughout the year and whats happening in and around town.

Let us help keep you in the loop on music. Be In The Loop Chicago!

For Inquiries : beintheloopchicago at gmail.com

Staff

James Currie

Editor-in-Chief / Publisher / Photojournalist

James, a man of many hats, comes from a very long and diverse background in music. He’s played in bands since junior high, performing on stage at everything from local battle of the bands to the main stage of the Metro. He was a radio DJ in college and mobile DJ afterwards. Has an ability to discover/recognize talent before the fame. Worked for national media outlets, publications and studios covering just about everyone from AC/DC to ZZ Top (which by the way happens to be the first ticketed band he ever saw live at age 10).

His passion for music started at a very early age. Raised by a family of musicians, at the age of 1, he was listening to music and reacting to it with a positive note. By age five, he had his first drum set. At age eight, he bought his first album with his own allowance, KISS’ “Double Platinum”, a band his Uncle turned him onto earlier. By high school, he was playing in bands at parties and local events. During college he was a regular in the music circuit playing as well as reporting on the club scene.

It was in college he really honed in on the music industry as his passion. Working for the school paper doing concert reviews and photos. In the later years of college, he put together an annual music festivals which helped discover and promote new music as well as awareness for needful events. He states one of his main influence in the industry is Perry Farrell (Jane’s Addiction). Perry at this point has done a variety of things in the music industry besides just playing in a band, including creating the now iconic, Lollapalooza music festival.

A major career move to New York City and working for MTV Networks, exposed his mind to even more. Bringing him to the national level of the business and a new underground culture. From there, he worked for almost two decades for various publications as a music journalist and photographer.

It was at this point he decided there had to be something more. Instead of working for others doing what he loved, it was time to create something of his own. He saw a need for showcasing the Chicago music scene better than it was being represented. He wanted to support and promote the great talent in the Chicago area and on all levels, not just bands, but the venues, studios, artists and music journalists not getting seen or heard. To create something for the passion he had for the area he called home. “Chicago is a stronghold in the music industry. We have everything here and it just keeps getting better. Chicago is more than a second city, more than a 3rd Coast, it’s a Mecca for the whole music scene from beginning to end. Just look at all the industry leaders who set up shop here in one way or another. This music magazine is a labor of love. It’s a passion that I’ve been wanting to do for a long time.” Thus, In The Loop Magazine was born.

Kelly Clausen

Editor

Kelly, has a background in editorial journalism that started in High School, continued through college where she worked for the school paper as editor and past the education system into the real world. Her midwestern values and roots have kept her close to all things in the Chicagoland area. Music and arts being a passion of hers as well. Today, Kelly keeps the news flowing and the team in check with her warm charm and knowledgable management sense.

Charles Pearce

Art Direction

Nick Hebert

Web Developer

Courtney Holmes

Web Designer

Courtney LaStarge

Marketing Consultant

Staff Journalists

Christopher David

Lead Journalist / Head Writer

In 1974, Chris attended a KISS concert, in-utero, and hasn’t looked back since. He’s the guitarist/co-lead vocalist for Chicago indie-popsters Magatha Trysty and psychedelic rock band Spaceships at Twilight, as well as a solo singer/songwriter and spends the rest of his time attending live shows and watching horror films. He drinks a tremendous amount of coffee and craft beer, oversees several neurotic cats and enjoys reading crime fiction.

Fred Peth

Rock Critic / Photographer

Fred Peth’s love for music goes deeper than most. He’s been involved in the industry on many fronts, from club security to interviewer to photographer he’s seen many sides of it. His passion goes far beyond just listening to music, but digging deep into it and finding out everything he can about a band he gets his sight on. He brings that knowledge and passion to each interview, review and photo session and continues to reach out for more with every passing year.

Amy Hughes

Street Editor / Music Historian / Graphic Designer

iPhoneographer, Designer, Historian and Music Critic, Amy has a diverse background that started in her home town of Boston where she interviewed and wrote about the British music scene that started with The Beatles and flourished into the early 90’s brit-pop phenom.  She has worked with many of Chicago’s iconic bands and has her heart on the pulse of the scene.

Priscilla Kunamalla

Contributing Writer

Priscilla Kunamalla is a writer and music lover based in Chicago. When she’s not occupied at her day job as a Social Media Marketing Manager, she loves reviving her playlists with up-and-coming artists of all genres as well as rediscovering R&B and hip hop classics.

Peter Thomas Ricci

Theatre Critic

As In the Loop’s theatre reviewer, Peter delights in covering Chicago’s vibrant musical scene. From the latest Broadway in Chicago spectacle to intimate theater spaces in Rogers Park, his appetite for theater is insatiable. An all-around creative, Peter lives on the city’s North Side, where he reads, writes, runs, and reads some more.

Ethan Chivari

Country / Blue Grass Critic

When he’s not shooting a concert, sport or special event, Ethan loves engaging in music in any way possible. His main influence is classic and modern country. He’s a writer as well and loves to share those experiences will anyone who’ll listen.

Help Wanted

Jazz / Improve Critic

If you are interested in writing for In The Loop Magazine and have a strong background and focus in Jazz and Improve let us know. We’re looking to expand our reach with the right individual.

Jamie Dull

Indie Artist / Local Music Critic

I’m a Chicago based musician, producer, and drum instructor. I have played drums, guitar, keys, bass, mandolin, percussion, and or provided vocals on over 200 recorded songs and have been playing live shows since 1998. I currently play drums with over five bands and even released a debut solo album that was an “electronic-ish” psychedelic album featuring special guest appearances from other local and national bands.

Fernando Martin

Local Music / Metal Writer

I am passionate about the music industry, all the ins and outs, the finer details to the larger picture at the end. As a religious follower of the heavy metal scene, my mantra is “Give me metal or give me death.” (no pun) My first concert ever was Ozzfest back in the day and can talk about music for hours on end or until someone shuts me up.

Tegh Singh Matharu

Indie Rock Critic

Tegh is a neuroscientist by trade and an avid music lover, keen on exploring the vibrant Chicago music scene. When he is not answering the call of neuroscience, he can be found at the Empty Bottle and at all points in between.

Carolyn Glenn

Hard Rock / Metal Critic

Not one for standing in the spotlight, Carolyn may be quite on the self praise, but boisterous on her reviews and interview. An avid reader and listener, she has been following the hard rock scene for years and has rolled with the changes keeping the rest of us in the loop. He strength is within the darker, heavier side of music. She brings out deep questions for her interviews and focuses on the highlights in their music others don’t even notice.

Help Wanted

Dance / Electronica Critic

If you are interested in writing for In The Loop Magazine and have a strong background and focus in Dance and Electronic let us know. We’re looking to expand our reach with the right individual.

Angela Urban

Country / Classic Rock Critic

Angela is a music fan of music fans. She’s been known to follow her favorites around the States. She’s also a horror enthusiast, shade tree photographer and adventurist. Born and raised in the Chicagoland area (Berrr-wyn), she knows her way around the loop and it’s surrounding clubs like no other. When not watching Svengoolie, you’ll catch her around town at one of Chicago’s many festivals, concerts, events and conventions.

Cesar Glanville

Industrial / Rock Critic

Notoriously shy, Cesar makes his round through Chicago’s underground. His main interest is Industrial music, but guilty pleasures are 80’s and classic rock.

Alex Valentovich

Music Journalist / Photographer

While still being fairly young to the scene, I have close to ten years and 500+ bands under my belt. I listen to almost every genre but I find myself always going back to Hardcore, Punk, or Metal of some sorts. During the day I work a 40 hour a week construction job, but love getting out to photograph a great show when I can. On my down time, I enjoy working on my own site, watching movies, gaming, or just relaxing.

Colette Custin

Music Journalist / Photographer

Colette’s mind may be wired for IT, but her passion is photography. She’s been covering a little bit of everything in Chicago from intimate club shows to arena level rock excesses since joining the In The Loop Magazine team in 2017. Her main format these days is digital, but she is even more passionate about film photography in the dark room. Whatever her medium of choice, you can be sure she’s capturing just the right moment and documenting rock n roll history.

Harrison Kristoff

Vernon Hester

Music Journalist / Photographer

Vernon Hester is a veteran photojournalist in Chicago with over 40 years experience. He is one of the music fans that discovered Prince before he blew up. He’s covered shows at legendary venues like The Uptown before the close up shop and visits the newest clubs like Club 555. No place left untouched in search of great music.

Bobby Talamine

Music Journalist / Photographer

Bobby Talamine is a Chicago music staple that has been working in the industry for decades with his first show being Led Zeppelin. He works as a house photographer for many record labels and studios including Chicago’s JBTV. His music catalog is as vast as his listening taste covering everything from K-Pop to Dark Wave.

Special Guests

Lonn M. Friend

Guest Critic

American journalist and author, Lonn Friend, is best known for his work in the late 1980s and ’90s as editor of RIP Magazine. Friend began his career in 1982, as associate editor of Hustler Magazine, the flagship journal of Larry Flint Publications. After rising to senior editor at Hustler, he transitioned to Executive Editor of Chic Magazine and then to RIP in the Spring of 1987. RIP was the first non-pornographic publication produced by LFP. Friend documented his experiences with the heroes of heavy metal in his 2006 memoir, Life on Planet Rock, and released his follow-up, Sweet Demotion: How an Almost Famous Rock Journalist Lost Everything and Found Himself (Almost), in 2011, as well as co-edited Naked Ambition: An R Rated Look at an X Rated Industry. He is currently the host of Energize: The Lonn Friend Podcast.

In addition to hosting his spot on Headbanger’s Ball, Friend helmed the syndicated Westwood One radio program, “Pirate Radio Saturday Night.” He penned weekly columns for the influential industry tip sheets HITS and the Album Network, and co-authored the Rolling Stone cover story on Slash from Guns N’ Roses (with Jeffrey Ressner). He served as music supervisor for Adam Sandler’s motion picture debut, Airheads. Friend consulted on the 2010 documentary Rock Prophecies about rock photographer Robert knight. Friend contributes editorial content for other publications and he’s a frequent contributor to VH1. He’s also been featured in serval television shows.

Friend co-founded Maximum Golf magazine with former Details/Men’s Journal editor Michael Caruso in 1999 where he served as the innovative lifestyle publication’s consulting editor for its year-long run.

He has composed liner notes for many bands including Mötley Crüe, Bon Jovi, Dio, Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper and more. He also written artist bios and conducted electronic press interviews for several bands since the late 80’s.

As resident video archivist and board member for the Guitar Center’s Hollywood Rock Walk, Friend conducted interviews in 2008 and 2009 with many notable inductees.

In recent years, Friend relocated from Los Angeles to Las Vegas and freelanced for several local publications including Las Vegas Life, Las Vegas Weekly, Vegas Golfer and HRH (Hard Rock Hotel). He also contributes to several other magazines and websites nationally.

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Martin Atkins

Guest Critic

Since appearing on the scene in 1980, English-born Martin Atkins has become one of the leading lights of the world of industrial metal. His label, Invisible Records, has been home to some of the most important acts of the genre. Born on August 3, 1959, in Coventry, England, Atkins took up drumming at an early age and soon displayed a notable proficiency. His first break came when he joined John Lydon’s post-Sex Pistols band, Public Image Ltd. Like most of Lydon’s musical partners, Atkins left P.I.L. under a cloud and concentrated on his new venture, the industrial collective Pigface.

Throughout the ’80s and early ’90s, Atkins played with a large number of bands, including Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, and Killing Joke. After leaving the latter in 1992, he formed Murder Inc., inviting members of Killing Joke and Ministry to join him. As usual, Murder Inc. proved to be a short-lived affair, producing just a single album and a handful of live shows before folding. Since then, Atkins has put most of his efforts into maintaining Pigface and Invisible Records, occasionally joining other bands on a temporary basis. His most significant recent project, the Damage Manual, involved contributions from Jah Wobble, Killing Joke’s Geordie, and Chris Connelly. An EP and an eponymous album were released to critical acclaim, but the individual members returned to other things soon afterwards. ~ Jim Harper, Rovi

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Eric McWhorter

Guest Critic

Eric has been on the music scene for over 2 decades, most of which have been in Chicago. He is currently the signer/songwriter/guitarist for the band Modiviccan as well as guitarist for Nine In Nails tribute band, NIN (Now I’m Nothing).  His roots are in alternative and industrial rock, but branches out to just about everything.  McWhorter’s influences range from Ministry to Mozart.  His writing style is from the heart and filled with as much passion as his songs.  He’s a regular in the Chicago club circuit behind the band or his favorite brew.  Check back often for his fan filled reviews.

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Contributing Photographers / Videographers

Colette Custin Bevard – Photographer

Adam Bielawski – Photographer

Peter Serocki – Photographer

Edward Spinelli – Photographer

Phillip “Philamonjaro” Solomonson – Photographer

Jake Barlow – Videographer

Kirstine Walton – Photographer