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Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
National
Bobby Reed | For the Sun-Times

‘Melomaniac’ presses ‘record’ on music fan who taped Chicago rock concerts for decades

Aadam Jacobs, subject of the documentary “Melomaniac,” began recording Chicago concerts in 1984. (Katlin Schneider/Chuck Cotterman)

Music collector and archivist Aadam Jacobs holds a unique position in Chicago rock history.

By his own estimation, Jacobs has recorded more than 30,000 individual sets of live music, dating back to 1984. His ballpark guess is that he has more than 10,000 tapes, with an average of three bands on each one. Because he recorded everything from brief, in-store appearances to all-day festivals, Jacobs believes the total could be closer to 40,000 sets of music.

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