Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni. ✶ Thank you for your readership and contributions. ✶
Ah, Grand Rapids: native hometown of former President Gerald Ford and the nation's Furniture Capital (of office furniture manufacturing). Mustard Plug proudly claims Grand Rapids as their base of operations, where they've held court over the local ska scene since 1991. That's a whole lotta years of skankin' to offbeats, folks.
The boys are obviously good at the game by now, so do yourself a favor and head to the Beat Kitchen on Friday, May 1 to check them out as they headline with The Pinstripes and Scissors. The show kicks off at 9:30 p.m. and will set you back $12. You can find online tickets here.
I like my rock music a bit rough around the edges. Give me gritty guitars, give me a foot stomping beat, and add in some smooth vocals and I'm over the moon. So it's no surprise I thoroughly enjoyed Ha Ha Tonka the first time I saw the band and checked out their debut album Buckle in the Bible Belt on Bloodshot Records. The quartet from Missouri make rock music with an alt country twang, and their lyrics possess a slice of Americana storytelling at it's finest. I was fortunate enough sit down with lead singer Brian Roberts and talk about recording, touring, and being on an independent label. And get ready as the boys headed back up to Chicago this weekend to bring along their earnest and soulful brand of rock 'n' roll.
Even though last night's sold out Flight of the Conchords show was at the distant Arie Crown Theater at McCormick Place, the trek was worth it. The New Zeland comedy duo Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement began the 2 hour show with electronic dance jam "Too Many Dicks on the Dancefloor" about, well, too many dicks on the dance floor--complete with robot heads and disco-"balls."
Chicago was in for a treat as they pretty much threw the setlist aside and played some fan favorites (although Bret had to remind the audience that they were "not a jukebox") including "Hiphopopotamus," "Foux du Fafa" and the one that never made it into the tv show, "Jenny." The regular set ended with "We're Both In Love With a Sexy Lady" which transitioned right into "Sugalumps" when they left their instruments and danced (well, more thrusted their 'sugalumps') to the front of the stage and into the crowd. HIGH-larious. And that is the one word I would use to describe the whole evening, including opener (and landlord) Eugene Mirman with his bit about Delta Airlines.
Of course there was a lot of banter with the audience--including a fan-made collage brought on stage--and some talking about talking, and playing songs. They tried out a couple of new songs that weren't as impressive as their earlier material (I may be biased since I hadn't already heard these tunes a hundred times before), including a Western tune that reminded me a little of Tenacious D's "Tribute" to the "greatest song in the world," just more clever.
If you didn't have the opportunity to see the Conchords last night, they play again tonight at the Aire Crown. Tonight's show is also sold out, but check craigslist or even take your chances and go down to the venue for someone looking to unload extras. I highly recommend it.
Chicagoist has some more great pics of last night you can see here.
When he first slunk on the scene earlier in the decade, Superpitcher (a.k.a. Aksel Schaufler) delivered a heads-up to electronic-music fans when his 2001 breakthrough track "Heroin" first popped up via the Cologne-based Kompakt label. Riding on minor-key washes and a dark, foregrounded bassline, the tune demonstrated Superpitcher's wont for augmenting Kompakt's minimalist tech-house thump with shades of "micro-goth" moodiness and dejected romanticism.
His highly-touted 2004 debut LP Here Comes Love saw him moving toward a slight more melodic, song-oriented approach -- with Schaufler delivering whispered vocals throughout and sometimes draping the shadowy grooves with a Roxy Music-styled melodic lushness. But more recently, he's mostly been working with Kompakt labelmate Michael Mayer under the Supermayer moniker. The duo have cranked out a plethora of remixes, and released the dazzlingly eclectic and upbeat Save The World album in 2007. If anything, both artists have proven that the standard Kompakt formula isn't immune to radical and unexpected overhauls.
As it happens, the Lumpen-organized Version>09 is winding down for the closing night of its eighth annual arts and media activities this Saturday with the Chicago Art Parade and this year's episode of the Journey To The End Of The Night street-game event. As it happens, all of this coincides the latest cross-country tour from the Olympia-based K Records stable rolling into town, so it looks as if the two parties decided to merge paths for an evening of music at the Co-Prosperity Sphere.
Headlining for the occasion is Chain And The Gang, which effectively makes for the latest musical incarnation of Ian Svenonius -- previously the frontman for Nation of Ulysses, The Make-Up, Weird War, and author of the 2006 subcultural polemicist screed The Psychic Soviet. Also on the bill in a supporting role are the Hive Dwellers. Both bands, reputedly, are more or less the same groups of musicians; an ensemble of various members of bands from the K Records network -- except that as C&G they back Mr. Svenonius and as the Hive Dwellers they accompany K Records founder and former Beat Happening/Dub Narcotic Sound System impresario Calvin Johnson. And if that billing wasn't confusing and incestuous enough, Calvin Johnson is slated to get the evening's show rolling with a set of solo material.
While Peter Bjorn and John may have ruled the stage last week at Metro, Chairlift did a good job opening the evening. The crowd enjoyed their shoegaze atmosphere and captivating voice of Caroline Polachek. They played as a three piece (which made it obvious there was a lot of backing track) with Patrick Wimberly sometimes on bass, sometimes on drums. There was little activity on stage, except for Polachek who appeared most moved by the music with what little she could express from behind the keyboard and without leaving the mic. They played their most energetic and most known song "Bruises" towards the middle of the set and kept the crowd engaged as the room filled up for the evening's headliner.
The first (and only) time I saw Mastodon was at the Pitchfork Music Fest in 2007. I knew who they were and I'd heard a couple of songs, but I was completely unprepared for the amount of rock that they unleashed. It was one of the highlights of my weekend, way better than Yoko Ono's light show that night. They're heavy metal the way it should be; loud and fast.
If you haven't heard of them yet, you should pick up their newest album, Crack the Skye (you can listen to it here, too). If you have heard of them, then you're probably one of the people that can't get in to their sold-out show this Thursday night (4/30) at the Metro. Lucky for you, we can help. Thanks to the tour's sponsors, ShockHound.com, we have two pairs of tickets to give away. E-mail us at contests@gapersblock.comwith the subject line "Mastodon" to enter. We'll pick two lucky winners on Tuesday morning! It's as simple as that. I assure you, you want to see this show. If you can't make it to the show in Chicago, perhaps you can find another date on their schedule that suits you. Good luck! Update! We have our winners! Congrats to Casey and Ryan!
I Fight Dragons combine your favorite sounds and images from those Nintendo days gone by with a vibrant and infectious sense of indie pop. Their debut ep, Cool is Just a Number, is available for free on their website (when you sign-up for their newsletter), and is filled with this creative mixture. The band just released a new video for the song "Money" which was directed by Boram Encargado Kim, and just watching it makes my thumbs throb!
This week's list of unofficial top sellers comes from Lance Barresi, owner of Permanent Records, 1914 W. Chicago Ave. Per the usual, Chicago artists are bolded.
I was first turned on to the French Kicks about a year ago by a friend when we saw them at Double Door. I guess this makes me a relative newcomer, because I didn't know that the band has 10 years of history behind them. Last night I saw them again at Schubas and the show was just delightful. I love the flowing undertone of their music that can create the sensation of flying or floating. It has the same airy feeling that I like about the Fleet Foxes, even though they fall into a folk genre, while the French Kicks are more post-punk pop. Most of last nights songs were from their latest full-length album, appropriately titled Swimming for ambiance, but even their more upbeat older songs still have the same softness underneath.
The experience reminded me a bit of an acoustic Snow Patrol show I saw at Schubas a few years ago which took place in the afternoon to a limited invite only audience. There was a cozy community feeling, like being wrapped up in a warm blanket, knowing you were part of something special. The cool thing is that the French Kicks can do that to the room, even when it is packed with a sold out crowd.
The encore closed with "Abandon," one of the more powerful tracks from Swimming, which made for a pleasant, pleasing ending. There were also a couple standout songs toward the end of their set that I had never heard, but really enjoyed, and I don't know if they were older songs or new material. I guess I need to do a little more research listening to them, but that is exactly the feeling I want when I leave a show: excitement for more.
Superdrag returns to Chicago this weekend (Saturday April 25th) to perform at The Metro with longtime Chicago veteran Nicholas Tremulis Orchestra and Van Ghosts. This show is in support of their new album Industry Giants, and follows on the heels of the recording of their Daytrotter session. In sound, this is very much the Superdrag you may remember from the late nineties, but lyrically frontman John Davis is taking the band in new direction. John had a life changing experience in 2001 that eventually sparked the bands four year hiatus and his new found faith is tastefully splattered though out this album. Don't get me wrong, Superdrag is not a Christian band, but there is a positive spirituality that sets a clear and refreshing tone.
Really Quick Contest! We have a pair of tickets to give away courtesy of Superdrag for the first person to email us at: contests (at) gapersblock (dot) com with the subject line "Super!". (FYI: This show is 18 and over.) Update! We have a winner! Congrats to Ryan.
Recently, I was able to ask John a few questions about the direction of band and the new album.
Chicago sure does love a neighborhood summer street festival. Sure, Pitchfork and Lollapalooza are great, but nothing beats paying around 10 bucks to bask in the sun while eating a BBQ turkey leg and checking out some great music.
The Taste of Randolph Street just threw down the gauntlet with their first announcement of acts playing the festival this year. The three headliners this year are Dr. Dog, Tinted Windows, and The Hold Steady. And in my opinion, these three acts alone already blow last years bill out of the water.
Dr. Dog recently played a sold out show at The Double Door, and has opened for the likes of Wilco, The Black Keys, and The Strokes. If you've been living under a rock and haven't heard about Tinted Windows (a much buzzed about act here at GapersBlock), it's the supergroup that was born out of the equation of 1 part old school Smashing Pumpkins, 1 part Fountains of Wayne, a dash of former pop sensation Hanson, and the bizarre addition of the drummer from Cheap Trick. And to finish off the Taste of Randolph will be the Springsteen loving indie rockers The Hold Steady, who brought down the house/field last year at Pitchfork Music Festival.
And all this for a suggested donation of $10. Nice.
The Taste of Randolph is June 19, 20, and 21st. The Festival is held on Randolph Street between Peoria and Racine. Keep checking the website for more band announcements.
Damon Locks knows a thing or two about communication. In fact, as a visual artist, freelance writer, and former publicist for local music promotion company Biz3, you could say that information sharing is in his blood. That's why his new Web site, The Population, makes perfect sense: the site allows Locks to unleash all the interesting tidbits that are rattling around in his noggin, and in turn it gives readers a public forum and, ideally, a community.
What's better than a day full of Chicago's own power pop rockers OK Go? There's certainly no shortage of opportunities to see them today. This afternoon, they're handing out burritos to the homeless along with volunteers from Inspiration Corporation. If you'd like to help out, head over to OKGo.net for more information (you'll have to be able to meet up at noon and bring your own burritos). The band will even take you out to lunch before you hit the streets.
Not able to make it out at noon? No worries! OK Go will be doing an in-store performance at the Michigan Avenue Apple Store at 4 pm. I'm a big fan of in-store performances at Apple because they have platform seating so you'll have a good sight-line no matter how far back you are. Unfortunately, I'll still be stuck at the office at 4 pm. If you're caught in the same situation, do not fret! The band will be performing again tonight at the Double Door, as part of the venue's 15 Year Anniversary series. If you're an OK Go fan, you pretty much have no excuse to not see them today.
The Double Door is located at 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave. Tonight's show is 21+ and starts at 9 pm. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased here. U.S. Royalty opens.
You wanna talk geek cred? MC Chris has it in spades: For years, he served as a writer and voice talent for Cartoon Network, working on The Brak Show, Sea Lab 2021, and notably, on Aqua Teen Hunger Force as MC Pee Pants, the most famous giant spider rapper to wear a shower cap.
Oh yeah, and he raps. In 2001, Chris captured geek hearts far and wide with underground hits including "The Tussin" and "Fett's Vette" (with the excellent hook "My backpack's got jets/ I'm Boba the Fett/ I bounty hunt for Jabba the Hut/ To finance my 'Vette." Many albums later, MC Chris is back on track with his latest CDs, 2008's MC Chris is Dead and 2009's Part Six Part One.
Want to spend an evening rhapsodizing about action figures? Of course you do. Check out the MC Chris show on Friday, April 24 at the Beat Kitchen. He'll be performing with Jacksonville, FL, punkers Whole Wheat Bread. The show kicks off at 7 p.m. and will set you back $14 at the door.
Really Quick Contest! The first one to email us at contests (at) gapersblock (dot) com with the subject "Pee Pants" gets a pair of tickets to the show on Friday night! Update! We have a winner! Congrats to Eric!
That whistling band from Sweden. That's how most would probably describe the band Peter Bjorn and John, that exploded on the US music scene two summers ago with the catchy song "Young Folks." The rest of Writers Block followed along this trend with more whistling and more pop songs, but also some darker experimental tracks, hinting of what was to come from this group. Last year the group put together a mostly instrumental album (with some spoken word) called Seaside Rock that varied in genre from caribbean jam to, well, seaside rock. Their latest album, Living Thing, is the trio at it's finest thus far--serious, percussion heavy, minimalist indie rock (with a couple paul simon-esque tracks thrown in for good measure...).
While the trio has been busy together, they also have solo projects on the burner as well. Peter Moren released a solo album last year (on Chicago's own Touch and Go label) venturing more into the singer-songwriter arena, while Bjorn Yttling has been busy producing other artists such as fellow Sweed breakout Lykke Li.
Opening for Peter Bjorn and John at Metro this Thursday, April 23, is the charming Chairlift, whose debut album, Does You Inspire You was released just this week. Their song "Bruises" is yet another song you probably heard in an iPod commercial. Both bands were among the lineup announced this week playing Lollapalooza, but if you want to catch either of them in a smaller venue than Grant Park this year (at least in the city of Chicago), this will likely be your last chance to do so. Tickets are still available for tomorrow night's show, but act fast, because getting all the way to the venue just to find out that it sold out that day, well, it really sucks. The show starts at 9pm. Tickets are $20. 3730 N. Clark St. 18 & up.
The word amicability can be defined as having a disposition characterized by warmth and friendliness (wordreference.com), and on their latest album, aptly titled Amicability, A Light Sleeper oozes warmth in every notes. A few years back a band called The Knife released an album called "Silent Shout", and that phrase has always left a certain image in my mind. It's an image of wanting to scream, but not having an outlet, not fully releasing it. Amicability is very much a gentle and refined scream, or perhaps it is that welling up just before the scream. The eight tracks build and wind through layer of jazz, ambience, and chopped up vocals while the listener drifts along. Moments are built and then drained as this trio melts all snow and allows the spring to full capture the spotlight. It's that creeping warmth, that mounting scream, that release from a tortuous winter and a bursts of truly inventive musical exploration.
This is the first musical release from the new nonprofit group Another New Calligraphy. This is a project that helps musicians and writers establish and maintain an effective visual and tactile presence in an ever-increasingly virtual world, all while building an artistic community with a powerful, unifying identity. Their hope is that by making albums or manuscript visually recognizable, they can help art stand out in the American media overload. Operating outside the realm of traditional record labels and publishing houses allows them to work under a new model based on the simple acts of creating and sharing. It is an ambitious mission, but they have chosen an exceptional album to launch the project.
The Streeters, finally coming back out from their recording binge and much needed winter hibernation, are playing Quenchers this Wednesday April 22nd. I interviewed Chris Stelloh and Dan Stone of back in December a few days before they played at Subterranean, opening for Rulet. They invited me by their apartment with apologies for the lack of whiskey, and offered up some stove brewed coffee instead. It was a cold and miserable night, almost as nasty as this hail and snow on the forecast these next two days.
I had no idea really what to expect from an interview with The Streeters. Stelloh I've known for a good while from the neighborhood. Most folks would probably pick him out of the crowd, though maybe without knowing where they'd seen him before. That's how it is sometimes when you run into the bartenders who work at Estelle's. Dan on the other hand I hadn't met. Getting the two of them in one room though... I should have brought along an interpreter.
Stelloh is one for rapid-fire conversation. Talking to him is like to leave the listener a bit breathless to compensate. The gamut of topics he's likely to touch upon will also leave a person reeling a bit. Add Dan into the mix though and suddenly it was another language being spoken in front of me. The layers of reference left me with the feeling I'd just barely missed the punchline of some hilarious joke. Bits of "Venture Brothers," Mitch Hedberg and Trading Places seeped in between what must have been just old shared hijinks.
Our conversation started with Dan providing a soundtrack on a particularly beat-up acoustic guitar. Stelloh requested that he play some zombie songs.
Dan: "I was under the assumption that everything was a zombie song."
Stelloh [to me]: "Everything has to be played on an acoustic guitar. So you can still play after the zombie apocalypse."
Dan: "I hate acoustic guitars. Except this one."
I'm sure not every sound engineer gets that as a request, but Saturday night it seemed apropos, as Chicago native Kurt Elling took the stage at the Green Mill, a space not known for having good sight lines when the place is at capacity. Well, not if you're shorter than six feet and change.
As we previewed last week, the second annual Record Store Day rolled through Chicago's independent merchants of music, and a whole gaggle of Transmission staffers headed out into the beautiful spring weather to score some deals, and celebrate the day.
This weekend is the ultimate music nerd dream. Record Store Day is tomorrow, and all weekend long is the CHIRP Record Fair. CHIRP (Chicago Independent Radio Project) is a non-profit organization working to secure a broadcast license for a new community radio station in Chicago. CHIRP have been busy lately, working on building their new station space and getting ready to head to Washington later this month to meet with members of Congress, FCC officials, and other leaders to discuss the issues surrounding Low Power FM. We'll have more on CHIRP and their approaching trek to Washington next week, but this weekend it's all about the music!
And not only records will be sold. They'll be literary goods, posters, and other various handmade goods. And live music throughout the day including Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, and DJ sets by members of Tortoise and Mucca Pazza. To top it off, you can meet many of the amazing and talented individuals behind some of the top Chicago independent labels. Shake their hand, ask them what their favorite album is, and thank them for working their butts off to bring good music into the world.
Oh, and on Sunday Gapers Block will be there ALL DAY! Come buy an awesome poster to hang in your barren apartment, get some free buttons and stickers, and if you come early while I'm there, I'll even give you a free hug. Or a high five. Us music writers may not be the richest people, but we sure are loving individuals.
The 7th annual CHIRP Record Fair is April 18th and 19th from 10 am to 5 pm. The cost is $7 or $5 with the CHIRP Record Fair ad from their website, or a receipt from any record store that is dated 4/18/09 (another excuse to go celebrate Record Store Day). The CHIRP Record Fair is located at the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Union at 1340 W. Washington. It's close to Union Park for all you Pitchfork Festival fans who need a reference point.
There is also a Saturday pre-admission from 8-10 am for the serious audiophiles that want the first picks of the day.The pre-admission is $25, but once again, you get first pick two hours before the fair opens.
No stranger to the pioneering fringe of experimental music, Kieran Hebden was a key member of the forefronting U.K post-rock trio Fridge back in the early 1990s before he delved into electronic music under the name of Four Tet just over a decade ago.
In the past few years have, Hebden's stayed unusually active and prolific. He not only brought Fridge out of hibernation for a reunion album and series of concerts, but also releasing collaborative albums with avant-jazz drummer Steve Reid, putting in a guest appearance on Vashti Bunyan's 2006 LP Lookaftering, as well as continuing work under both his own name and under his Adem alias. Somewhere amidst it all he found time to check in under his Four Tet guise with last years last year's Ringer EP. While it largely leaned toward bleeps-and-beeps mesmerism, the EP still hinted as Hebden's usual modus -- folktronic tapestries of electronic and organic instrumentation laced with samples, beats and loops that as equally evoke the rich sweep of pastoral expanses as the recesses of inner space or the dancefloor.
Conceptualized by a group of like-minded friends in 2007, the very first Record Store Day didn't take place until last year, when Metallica (they are, if nothing, big fans of all music purchased in stores, not online, afterall) kicked off the inaugural day at Rasputin Music in San Franscisco. Now, each year, we can mark our calendars on the third Saturday of April with a sharpie and proclaim "Huzzah for the shopkeep!"
This week's list of top sellers comes from Melissa Geils of Laurie's Planet of Sound, at 4639 N. Lincoln Ave., in Lincoln Square. Melissa titled her list "Laurie's Planet of Sound Top Sellers: '(Fairly) Under the Radar' Edition!" As always, Chicago artists are bolded.
Vee Dee, Public Mental Health System DLP (Criminal IQ) Death, For the Whole World to See (Drag City) Obits, Blame You (Sub Pop) Lover!, Gathered in the Graveyard LP (Red Lounge) Wavves, Wavvves (Fat Possum) Mastodon, Crack the Skye (Reprise) Coathangers, Scramble (Suicide Squeeze)
Various Artists, Local Customs: Downriver Revival (Numero Group) Nobunny, Love Visions (1-2-3-4-Go!) Woods, Songs of Shame LP (Woodsist) The Mayfair Set, Already Warm 7" (Captured Tracks) Nothing People, Late Night LP (S-S) The Strange Boys, And Girls Club (In the Red) Timmy's Organism, Squeeze the Giant 2x7" (Sacred Bones) Yearling, No More White Horses 12" (Bronx Cheer)
Please note: I previously linked to the wrong Yearling band. It is fixed now.
Pontiak are the trio of brothers Van, Jennings, and Lain Carney, who -- after having scattered across the map to pursue various musical careers -- came together in Baltimore a few years ago to form their own band. From there the brothers relocated to a house in the less populated Blue Ridge environs of Virginia, set up their own rehearsal and recording space, and got to work.
For the most part, the brothers' third album Maker is as weighty and daunting as its title implies. The story has it that guitarist Van blew out two amps (Mogwai style) during the album's recording sessions, which wouldn't be surprising given the sound of the thing. At first listen, much of Maker wafts along on heavy boulder-rolling buzzriffs and sludgey rhythms -- much of it amounting to a tub of stoned kozmic blues so thick you could stand a rowboat oar in it.
Think of it as our very own version of 'Chicago Idol.' On May 5th students from Columbia College Chicago, DePaul University and Roosevelt University will compete in the Biggest Mouth: Campus Clash talent contest to determine "who has the biggest mouth in Chicago." The event will take place at Metro and feature spoken word, hip-hop, R&B and rock bands. Each school will have five finalists facing off for the grand prize.
Judging the competition will be professionals from Bandit Management, Biz 3, and a talent buyer from the Metro. This is an exciting opportunity for students not only showcase their craft, but to perform on the Metro stage and be seen by influential leaders in Chicago's music industry. The winner of the competition will receive $3,000, a Shure Microphones prize package, a $100 Epic Burger gift certificate and an opening slot at a future Metro show.
Here at Transmission, we will be your source for all things "Campus Clash." Finalists will be announced soon, and in the weeks leading up to the event, we will be spotlighting the contestants from each of the three schools--so you can size up the competition for yourself.
The Metro is located at 3730 N. Clark St. The show will start at 6:30pm and tickets are free. 18 & up.
Kori Gardner of Mates of State (photo by Jeff Trost for Transmission).
It's always a bit of a heart-swell to watch Mates of State perform together. Whether it's at festival stages, touring with This American Life at the Chicago Theatre, or on the indie stage at the Metro, they're always cutting sweet smiles at each other throughout the set. Kori Gardner (keyboard/vocals) and Jason Hammel (drums/vocals) are the masterfully in-tune married duo that are Mates of State. I've seen them several times live, and each time you just can't help come out of their set happy. A Metro all-ages show that ended on the early side of last Saturday night, the crowd that came out to see SUNBEARS!, Black Kids, and the Mates were certainly in the mood for dancing and good times and definitely left giddy.
Jason Hammel of Mates of State (photo by Jeff Trost for Transmission).
Jeremy Barnes of Hawk and a Handsaw (photo by Kirstie Shanley)
10:00 p.m. on a Thursday is a little late for a school night, but Jeremy Barnes of A Hawk And A Hacksaw was not having it from the Hideout audience. "You know, we were in Ann Arbor last night, and I hate to say it, but they were a little more active than you. I'd like to see some more movement," he requested politely. While the spots in the audience did give him a few pockets of shimmies and twirls, most of the evening was marked by a rapt (or at least least sleepily respectful) audience.
With a bevy of instruments laid out in the center of the room, the mildly unexpected Hats took the audience through some jazz improvisations — wild trumpet outbursts, saxophone wails, and a xylophonist armed with four mallets of fury. The band had breakdowns showing off each of the members that went off wildly before returning lock-step to each other — the highlight being the xylophonist's literal deconstruction of his instrument, pulling the bars out for a clattering crescendo.
Branded is a new series of events brought to you by Time Out Chicago and the people behind Revolution No. 9 New Years Eve with Justice. They aim to fuse the worlds of art, fashion, rock, hip hop, and electronic culture, and are kicking off the series with a show this Saturday night at the Congress Theater with a big line-up of some of the electronic world's finest. Graphic artist Dan Stiles will be creating limited edition posters, t-shirts, and skate decks for the show.
Headlining the concert is Grammy-nominated Toronto electro DJ Deadmau5 (aka Joel Zimmerman). Expect an insane light show and a giant costume mouse head. Aside from taking the electronic world by storm, he's recently released a new iPhone application that allows users to remix their favorite Deadmau5 songs directly from their phone. Also on the bill are international acts Crookers, Late of the Pier and The Whip. Local artists Zebo, Willy Joy, Loyal Divide, and Noise Floor Crew will be sharing the bill.
Branded takes place Sunday night at the Congress Theater, 2135 N. Milwaukee Ave. Tickets are $21 and available to purchase online here, or at Gramaphone Records, 2843 N. Clark St, Silver Room, 1442 N. Milwaukee Ave, or the Congress box office. The show is 17+ and lasts from 8 pm to 3am. Ticket purchase includes a one-year subscription to Time Out Chicago.
Really Quick Contest! We're giving away 2 pairs of tickets to the show, courtesy of the good folks with Loyal Divide. Just be the first 2 to email us at contests (at) gapersblock (dot) com with the subject "Branded!" and you'll be the winners! [Update!] We have our winners! Congrats to Michelle and Matthew!
Let Jack Black teach you the ways of rock n roll next week when Sound Opinions hosts a special screening of School of Rock at the Music Box. For those rockers and/or rollers unfamiliar with the classic storyline, Jack Black plays a less-than-motivated rock musician who finds inspiration teaching a class of fifth-graders how to rock when he stumbles into a substitute teaching gig. As even more evidence that Black loves reaching out to kids, last week he appeared on the children's tv program Yo Gabba Gabba (joining an already stellar guest list).
School of Rock is showing Wednesday, April 15th at 7:30pm. The Music Box is located at 3733 N. Southport. Tickets are $9 ($6 for kids 17 and under) and are available at Chicago Public Radio's website.
At Bottom Lounge on Monday, Glasvegas had a golden opportunity to take advantage of a palate cleansing opening band. Unfortunately, they didn't quite pull it off. Singer James Allan was off his game much of the night - missing cues, staggering around the stage, disinterested more often than not, etc. The rest of the band tried their hardest to be dynamic with a crowd that desperately wanted to like them. But they didn't really have many cards to play aside from turning their backs or taking a few steps toward the middle, rocking out, then backstepping to their positions on the side mics. And drummer Caroline McKay looked far too focused to be having a good time until the very end. (But then she had this huge smile and seemed elated to receive cheers.) Their stage presence appeared to rely on Allan, who was more interested in thanking the crowd for thanking him for being a rock star than actually being a rock star.
On the first day of April in Chicago, it's a chilly afternoon and Ann Scott is sitting next to the fireplace at Uncommon Ground in Wrigleyville with her iPod in her lap. The Irish musician, one of the most talented singer-songwriters to emerge from Dublin's indie-rock scene, is just settling into the city she will call home for the next month.
Dancing, chant-along choruses, girls shaking maracas, audience invasions by the performers -- and maybe even some dancing, singing, and maracas-shaking from atop the bar. All of that, plus a surreal puppet show to wrap things up. So it goes on an average night with Mr. Quintron and Miss Pussycat.
After nearly a decade of releasing records and building a small cult audience, the New Orleans-based Quintron rubbed shoulders with a broader audience in 2005 when his Swamp Tech LP was picked up for distro by Kid606's Tigerbeat6 label. Largely operating as a one-man band, Quintron's sound -- - roughly two parts psychobilly to one part juke-joint organ music -- has remained fairly consistent throughout the years. But 2008's Too Thirsty 4 Love LP found him expanding on his usual style and bringing some new moves to the floor.
If you're looking for something to get you pumped this morning on your commute, Rhymefest has just released a new mix titled El Che: The Manual. The mix sets out to prove that hip hop is timeless by reworking old beats into modern form relevant for 2009, and is available for free download here. Head over to 'Fest's MySpace or Twitter to let him know what you think.
When you enter a club that has a warning posted "there will be excessive strobe lights used in tonights show," you can pretty much bet you're going to have a good time. Such was the case Friday night, when electro-pop heavyweights The Faint and Ladytron kicked off their two nights of co-headlining shows at the Metro.
[More, including more photos by Kirstie Shanley after the jump.]
One of Chicago's favorite music venues is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary. The beautiful building Schubas Tavern resides in was originally built in 1903 by the Schlitz Brewery. Chris and Michael Schuba bought the building in 1988 and began the laborious process of refurbishing it--ornate exterior and all. 20 years later, things are going pretty well. The venue regularly hosts popular musical acts and there are plans in motion for the opening of a new Schubas-owned venue.
Every time I see pop duo The Ting Tings (Katie White and Jules De Martino), all I can think is that Katie is basically what every little girl wanted to be when they "grew up" after watching Jem and the Holograms. She bounces all over the stage with her fluffy blonde hair, Technicolor outfits (clothes which she designs herself) and sugary voice chanting cheerleader-style or serenading a sweet little melody.
Remember Chicago post-rock band Volta Do Mar? Like many bands, they were put out to pasture or sent to the farm to run free for the rest of eternity (whichever scenario you'd like to believe). Yet thankfully out of the ashes rose a new band. Oso brings to the table the creative and talented sounds that were captured in Volta Do Mar, yet add in a rich Eastern European gypsy flair to the mix. With exceptional musicianship and impressive delivery, they offer up music that is fresh and eclectic in its sound, creating a mix of genres and styles that meld perfectly.
The band will be making the trek back to Chicago to play tomorrow night at Ronny's up in Logan Square at 9pm. It's the last show before Oso heads over to Europe to tour, so make sure to stop by and send them off with a proper farewell. The show is 21+ and is only $6. Make sure you spend your Friday night getting schooled in the art of world infused rock music courtesy of Oso.
MySpace Secret Shows have been bringing big names to small venues since 2006 (think Lily Allen, The Decemberists, Neko Case, Depeche Mode, etc.) They brought us Moby at Smartbar back in 2008 and City and Colour to the Beat Kitchen earlier this year. Attendees to each concert also receive a limited edition poster. Who doesn't love getting stuff for free?
Tonight they'll be bringing Ontario's MSTRKRFT to Co-Prosperity Sphere down in Bridgeport. I caught this electro duo back in October at Double Door, complete with a seizure-inducing light show and a packed house of sweaty dancing kids. My kind of night. The show is going down at 8 pm tonight, but get there early as it will probably fill up fast. It's free and all ages, so what are you waiting for?
Co-Prosperity Sphere is located at 3219 S. Morgan St (Orange Line to Halsted or Red Line to Sox/35th). Bird Peterson opens.
Chris Sloan has a daily schedule that would make your head spin, and yet also sounds about for par with most new label heads. He's working by day, attending school by night, and finding an extra half of a day in there somewhere to build up his fledgling label, Rainbow Body Records. For their first release, they've put out the debut EP from locals Golden Birthday, Infinite Leagues. The album is a solid collection of hazy, '80s-leaning pop that you can almost picture John Hughes asking the record store clerk the name of in some alternate universe. Gapers Block: Transmission sat down with Mr. Sloan and a cheap bottle of white wine to discuss monks, the recession, and how to get off on the right foot with your first record label.
Minneapolis-based Cloud Cult is the type of band that makes you want to be a better person. Eschewing offers from major labels, singer Craig Minowa created Earthology Records, built with recycled materials and run on geothermal energy. They use 100% post-consumer recycled or reused materials for all of their merchandise. The band accepts donations of old CD jewel cases, which they then clean and use to package their new albums, and the scraps created from manufacturing the CDs themselves are recycled into milk cartons. They even plant ten trees for every 1,000 albums sold. How cool is that?
It's hard not to fall in love with these guys at first listen. Their latest album, Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes), is a celebration of life and love, without being preachy about their ideals. The songs envelop you with a big indie collective-type sound you'll find with artists like The Arcade Fire or Polyphonic Spree, only with about half the amount of people actually playing instruments. They've got two visual artists in the band, who create paintings during each show which are then auctioned off at the end of the night. I don't think they could get any more charming.
Free jazz can be a little hard to get into if you didn't get your degree in music composition, but you probably don't realize that it influences a lot of the indie and rock music you listen to. You also may not have known that The Hideout hosts an improvised music night once a week. The Immediate Sound series, a part of Umbrella Music, (read about their annual festival here) takes place there every Wednesday.
Norwegian bassist Ingebrigt Haaker Flaten lived in Chicago for two years from '06 to '08 and in that time formed friendships and bands with some of the city's most renowned improvised jazz musicians. He has returned from his home in Oslo to play five shows in as many days, beginning tonight at The Hideout with trombonist Jeb Bishop, trumpeter Jacob Wick and Frank Rosaly on drums. Peter Margasak over at The Reader has written a nice piece about Haaker Flaten where you can read more about his collaborations and recent album releases.
Info on Haaker Flaten's other gigs this weekend after the jump.
