Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Cool graphics, easy-to-follow directions and John Madden’s colorful commentary all make this franchise the best football game on the market. The attention to detail–from the players to the stadiums–is amazing. Speaking of which, Soldier Field has never looked so good.
When we last spoke with Aaron Carter, he said he coveted his famous brother’s height. He’s almost there. The younger brother of Backstreet Boy Nick Carter stands at 6-foot-1. The 15-year-old Aaron will be in Chicago on Tuesday for an autograph session at Marshall Field’s State Street store followed by an all-ages concert at the House of Blues.
Cheap Trick has been rocking for over a quarter-century, more or less with the original lineup. None of the band members–guitarist Rick Nielsen, singer-rhythm guitarist Robin Zander, bassist Tom Petersson and drummer Bun E. Carlos–has changed much over the years: two are hot; two, well, are not. And, Zander’s vocals have only gotten stronger. The ubiquitous Nielsen–a co-owner of the Wicker Park eatery Piece–took time to chat about boy bands, living in Rockford and Billy Corgan.
Aaron Carter is 14 years old, looks like a carbon copy of his big brother Nick of the Backstreet Boys and works the crowd with the savvy and finesse of a Vegas showman. That’s a dangerous combination when you’ve got an arena full of young girls who are hopped up on sugar and adrenaline. But guess what? This kid delivers. Give him a couple more years to pick better songs that cater to his rock ‘n’ roll sensibilities and there’s the potential for a career beyond the kid-pop phase.
Lil’ Bow Wow is 13, loves basketball and has gone on tour with ‘N Sync. And when he made an appearance at Evergreen Plaza in southwest suburban Evergreen Park recently for a CD signing, more than 10,000 fans showed up. Not bad for a kid still in grammar school.