R.O.A.R. only playfully meows — Iggy Pop

It was a surreal sight Saturday at the New World Music Theatre. By 4:30 p.m. – three hours after the Revelations of Alternative Rhythms (R.O.A.R.) Festival started – there were only 150 people inside the Tinley Park enormodome. This is a venue that seats 30,000 fans. On the plus side, there were no lines for the restrooms or concessions. But the event felt more like a backyard barbecue than a big-time rock show.

Speaking with Trace Adkins

Trace Adkins isn’t your average country music star. The 6-foot-6 baritone has hosted a cooking special. Granted, it was a cowboy cook-off, but still … He also was a guest voice on “King of the Hill” and acted in the sitcom “Yes, Dear.” And, oh yes, he released two albums in the last year — “Trace Adkins, Greatest Hits Collection, Volume 1” (Capitol) and “Comin’ On Strong” (Capitol) — and headed into the studio this week to record another.