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. ✶
When we're not watching Olympic ice dancing, we're staring into the void:
Are you coming to our Get-Together tonight at Risque Cafe from 8-10pm? Hope so! Transmission staffers Lisa White and Michelle Meywes will be making their DJ debuts from 8-9pm. And there's cheap beer! RSVP and get details.
Watch a video of The Hood Internet performing on Acid Marshmallow (well, the video is on the website "Acid Marshmallow", I don't know what keeps those guys going. Maybe Skittles?). The set if from their performance at Schubas' Tomorrow Never Knows Festival in January.
Hear a new track "Becoming You," off the forthcoming new album from Canasta The Fakeout, the Tease and the Breather (due out 5/8 with a special set of shows at Schubas). Just launch the popup player at the Canasta website. And keep an eye on the site, as they'll be streaming one new track each week this spring!
The first time I heard Tinariwen was on a hot July night in 2005 at the Old Town School of Folk Music's annual Folk & Roots festival. I approached Welles Park from the west, and as I got closer the sounds of what I now know as desert blues reached my ears for the first time and enveloped my senses. The air was full with the vibrations of electric guitar, drums, and deep vocals pierced occasionally by the trill of women ululating. Western psychedelic '60s rock of the Jimi Hendrix variety mixed with West African rhythms to create a trance-like mood, the park was filled to capacity with revelers, and outside the gates people stood on sidewalks and CTA bus benches, swaying to the music. The sun had just begun to set, and the quality of the light hitting Western Avenue at dusk added to the feeling that I had just stepped into another dimension. On stage men and women in blue robes and dark turbans, some with their faces obscured by swaths of fabric, played guitars and drums and sang in a language I didn't understand. The open air of the summer concert captured all who came within earshot, and I was completely mesmerized. Determined to get as close to the source as possible, I paid the modest $5 entrance fee at the gate and slowly weaved my way to the front of the captivated crowd.
We here at Transmission are big supporters of getting the members of Scotland Yard Gospel Choir back on their feet and back on the stage since their horrible van accident last September which claimed most of their gear and left them with significant medical debt.
The next event benefiting the band is a BBQ--scratch that--MAN B QUE (seriously, the sizzling sounds on their website are giving me the giggles) taking place tomorrow night at Darkroom where there will be--you guessed it--FREE BBQ! And, of course, music: live performances from The Whiskey Drifters, Mikey Peterson, and The Trust Weepin' Willows, plus DJ sets by Bald E. (Metro/Smartbar), DJ MR (Lincoln Hall/Schubas), and SYGC member DJ Elia.
It's just $15 to get in, but get there early because things get started at 8pm. Darkroom is located at 2210 W Chicago Ave. 21 & up.
The Smashing Pumpkins' new album, Teargarden by Kaleidyscope, is a huge undertaking. They're releasing 44 songs, one at a time, for free online via SmashingPumpkins.com. An EP will be available for purchase after every 4 songs (11 EPs total), and a box set will be available after the entire project is completed. We were originally promised one song per month starting on October 31st of last year. We're now nearing the end of February, and so far, only two songs have been released: "A Song for a Son" and "Widow Wake My Mind". At this rate, the project will be finished in just over 7 years (equal to the span of time between Gish and Adore). Let's hope Billy speeds up the process.
Now Insound and Amazon have the deets on the first EP on the roster, Songs for a Sailor. The EP comes in a silk-screened wooden box, and will include a hand-carved leopard stone obelisk. The four songs (available online) will be in CD format, with previously unheard instrumental intros for each song. The box will also have a bonus 7", containing a previously unheard b-side. Songs for a Sailor is set to be released on April 20th, but is available for pre-order on both sites for a whopping $29.99. This means, if you plan to purchase all 11 EPs, it'll set you back $329.89. And you thought that Mellon Collie price tag was hefty.
The Smoking Popes were once one of the most well known bands in Chicago's music scene during the 90's. Although popular, they were under appreciated in the wakes of bands like Urge Overkill, Wilco and The Smashing Pumpkins. The band was unique bringing lounge music to punk giving them a softer pop sound with a bit of a classic bend. The band formed in 1991, broke up in 1999 and reunited in 2005 selling out the Metro in record time. They released eight albums all together and toured with bands from the likes of ELO to Jawbreaker. Ben Weasel of Screeching Weasel was a fan and helped launch their first release. They just released It's Been a Long Day earlier this month on Asian Man Records.
I was first exposed to the exquisite voice of Annie Clark, otherwise known as St. Vincent, back in 2007 when she opened for Arcade Fire at the Chicago Theatre. She only had to speak the words, "Jesus saves, I spend," and I was hooked. I didn't know a thing about her at the time, so discovering that she was a member of Polyphonic Spree and had toured with Sufjan Stevens, two acts I adore, was only icing on the cake. Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to catch her live since then (though I hear she gave a breathtaking performance in Millennium Park last summer). Seeing as though Actor was one of my favorite albums of 2009, I jumped at the chance to finally see her again this past Thursday at Metro.
The show was sold out and the place was packed. Annie's bombastic, haunting tunes were entrancing and, in combination with her intense blue and green lighting, she had no problem filling up the room. However, the major downside of the packed house came when she broke into some of her more downtempo songs. The crowd became disinterested, and there were times when I couldn't even hear her over their chatter. This most likely could have been prevented if I hadn't chosen to stand near the bar, which is never a good idea.
The guys in Skybox have been busy. The very same day they played as part of Schubas' Tomorrow Never Knows fest last month, they filmed this music video for "In A Dream," the lead single off their new album Morning After Cuts (which was released two days later).
Step inside the mind of our hero in this Japanese-style monster fight. Let's just say things get weird.
About two years ago, when Chicago resident Patrick Ehlers was watching Trekkies, a 1997 documentary about die-hard Star Trek fans, he learned about Star Trek-themed novelty bands such as The No Kill I and Warp 11. At the time, Ehlers was getting into the show Lost, and he was soon inspired to form his own Lost-themed band.
Born in March 2008, Sonic Weapon Fence is the only Lost-themed band that Ehlers and his bandmates know of in the Chicago area, joining other Lost-inspired bands such as the New-York-based Previously on Lost and LA-based The Oceanic 6. Sonic Weapon Fence was recently profiled in the Sun-Times, and referenced in The Guardian and The A.V. Club. With the final season of Lost on air, the band is currently promoting its debut self-titled album, which was released in November and is available on iTunes.
Spoon is coming to Chicago on April Fools Day (and that's no joke) on the heels of the release of their newest album Transference. The album was self produced by the band and has so far turned out to be a love-it or hate-it album since it's such a departure from the pop-centric quality of their last full length, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga.
Have something you'd like to ask the band about the album? Blurt Magazine is requesting questions from fans an upcoming feature on the Austin group. To get in on the action, just submit your question to letters@blurt-online.com.
They've also got a new video out for the first single off the new record (and frankly the most radio-friendly cut) "Written In Reverse" you can view here.
When we're not dreaming about fresh fruit (mmm, mangoes) we're burning out our retinas reading things online, like this:
Get your DIY fix as well as make a kicky cigar box guitar. Also on the Reader's site, the latest Sharp Darts podcast by Miles Raymer opines on this funky instrument.
Hot Biscuits features a new downloadable mix by DJ Kid Color: Palette One.
Oh My Rockness really digs blip-electro-pop-gadget-(something something) MNDR. They play the Bottle at the end of the month.
Tankboy over at Chicagoist is really keen on NYC's Menya, and there's a pretty sweet download available, if you do too.
Fake Shore Drive has video of Chicago rapper Mikkey Halsted, who was featured recently in an NPR piece on food deserts on Chicago's South Side.
A Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week, a KEXP Song of the Day and a full-length album on Barsuk don't exactly hinder a band's popularity. Neither does an ethereal electronic/pop/trip-hop sound like what Phantogram delivers. Debut LP Eyelid Movies can come off as a hybrid of Chairlift, Massive Attack and School of Seven Bells without being overbearing or polluted. The atmosphere is similar to that of the xx, in that it's not difficult to soak in the background if necessary.
However, on a stage the duo commands undivided attention. At Schubas on Wednesday, multi-instrumentalists Josh Carter and Sarah Barthel initially played it cool with a sleek detached vibe. Soon enough they thrashed at their gear, headbanging and flailing in controlled chaos for the near-capacity crowd. It didn't hurt that the music was ratcheted up with their self-described street beats at the forefront. But perhaps the most striking element of their performance was the shared vocal duties. It seems some bands keep the male/female dynamic simply as a gimmick. With Phantogram it sounds genuine. Even though Carter writes a majority of the usually dark lyrics, Barthel pulls hers off with aplomb like a haunting sweetness through crowd favorites like "Mouthful of Diamonds" and "When I'm Small."
At the end of their 40-minute set with a 2-song planned encore, it was clear that Phantogram on record and on a stage are two different beasts. And neither should be passed up. (Luckily, Phantogram will be back soon as openers for the Antlers at Lincoln Hall on April 22.)
Chicago at SXSW: Showcases and an Updated Band List
It seems my claim that Chicago would be underrepresented at SXSW this year was a bit premature. We've since received word about several showcases by Chicago labels, venues and promoters, and acts have come out of the woodwork to let us know they're heading down to Austin to play off-festival gigs. To top it off, just this Tuesday SXSW posted its showcase grid, finally providing an easy way to track down local acts -- and revealing quite a few more Chicagoans in official showcases.
After the Mos Def / MF Doom double bill at the Congress this past Saturday, allegations began to surface that an impostor performed as MF Doom. Local hip-hop blog Fake Shore Drive is heading the charge, claiming that the "DOOMpostor" and his DJ were performing to a recording of album tracks, and holding fast to the assumption that the performer was in no way Daniel Dumile.
The rumor mill's blame has fallen on the promoters and yesterday, representatives for React, Cold Grums, Silver Wrapper and the Congress responded both to Fake Shore Drive and the Vocalo Blog. They maintain that they have no knowledge of whether the performer was MF Doom or an impostor, and the performer's behavior - while suspicious - gave them no clues. However, they are threatening legal action for a breach of contract if it becomes clear that MF Doom sent a stand-in.
Several videos of the performance have surfaced, so judge for yourself:
Nearly three years to the day since his last Chicago appearance (which itself was his first Chicago performance in 25 years), industrial shaman/percussionist Z'EV will return to Wicker Park's Enemy space (1550 N. Milwaukee) to again tingle the ears and brain stem with his rumpled metals and steely gaze.
If you missed him the last time, Z'EV enthralled a packed house at Enemy with a variety of interlocking strategies: a gong played to reverberate into a suspended bass drum, creating sympathetic drones; assorted shakers and rattlers which were massed to create huge insectoid swarms; and, most evocatively, a bent and textured sheet of metal (drawn over with runic symbols and pathways) resonated to life via a rubber ball on a stick. Z'EV hovered over his devices like a medicine man deep in trance, and his attacks were aimed consciously into the corner of the room, bouncing back into the audience with strange trails and secondary beats. With no electronic processing or even amplification, Z'EV created an immersive environment, riveting the audience and casting stunned silence even during the moments between movements.
If you need a sample, here's a 3-minute collage of the performance on Youtube. The sound is captured remarkably well given the medium, but nothing will prepare you for the full in-person experience.
"I'm a sucker for a sexy falsetto" isn't a phrase you'll hear me utter often. But I've been converted to a fan of men singing like they've just been punched in the balls thanks to the stellar track "All the Kings Men" from UK rockers Wild Beasts, who roll into town later this week.
All high male vocal jokes aside, Wild Beasts latest album Two Dancers (released on the always quality label Domino Records) really showcases lead singer Hayden Thorpe's sultry and sexually frustrated falsetto. Thorpe's yelping and growling matches perfectly when mixed over the layers of dense yet crisp instrumentation. The lyrics are a bit indulgent, sometimes tongue in cheek, and sometimes deadly serious, creating a broad range of subject matter all cued up to a head bopping soundtrack. Influential sounds of glam and new wave are evident, and I can hear bits of The Smiths littered all over the record. Check out their slightly spooky video for "All the Kings Men" below, and let me know if you hear the similarities I hear. Then go check them out live when they headline Schubas this Thursday and Friday.
Wild Beasts are playing at Schubas this Thursday and Friday, the 18th and 19th. The Thursday show is 18+ and the Friday show is 21+ and tickets cost $13 in advance or $15 at the door. The Thursday show starts at 9pm, and the Friday show starts at 10pm. Opening both nights is Still Life Still. You can buy tickets to both shows over at Schubas.
Record label Jade Tree recently announced that Cap'n Jazz's surprise performance with Joan of Arc last month wasn't your last chance to catch them live. The seminal Chicago-based emo band will be headlining a show on July 17th at the Bottom Lounge.
Jade Tree also confirmed rumors that they would be pressing Cap'n Jazz's anthology Analphabetapolothology to a double LP, due June 15th. The release will come with a ton of extras, including new photos and liner notes by Tim Kinsella.
Tickets for the show are available on Ticketweb for $15 and will probably be snatched up before you can say kitty kitty cat.
It happens earlier and earlier every year, and while it's hard to think about with a foot of snow still on the ground, there is already speculation about who you will be braving the blazing heat and sun to see headline Lollapalooza in August.
Lady Gaga, Green Day and Soundgarden topped the list (via Chicagoist, The Daily Swarm), with The Trib's Greg Kot later reporting Arcade Fire, the Strokes, Yeasayer, the xx, Dirty Projectors, Cut Copy and Hot Chip are also slated to be a part of the festivities.
Although I would love to see Gaga live, I was a lot more pumped (and a little relieved) to hear about the second batch of artists. What about you? What do you think of the rumored leaks so far? Who else would you like to see take the stage at Lolla this year?
Eric from CYSTSFTS also makes a departure from his normal punk album reviews to take a second and listen to the latest from electronica-influenced L.A. band Letting Up Despite Great Faults.
Fake Shore Drive cuts through the rumor mill on the supposed "leaked" track from the upcoming Lupe Fiasco album.
Trash Menagerie posted a sweet mixtape from L.A. DJs Nguzunguzu titled "Moments In Love".
We're planning some sweet SXSW Chicago music coverage for March, but in the meantime, get your stream on.
Cream Team takes a big step out front and tags the latest from The Irrepressibles as a potential Top Album of 2010.
WFMU's Beware of the Blog has a great post on Smersh. A New Jersey basement duo with a penchant for releasing tracks on cassette and never playing them again.
What does a skinny blond girl from Toronto have to do with African-American singer and Civil Rights activist Odetta? Chicago Innerview has the scoop on Basia Bulat. (She plays Schubas on Feb. 23rd.)
Only five days after they went on sale, three-day passes for the 2010 Pitchfork Music Festival have sold out. As mentioned before, two-day passes are not on sale this year, so anyone wanting to go is just gonna have to settle for singles. Buy em at the official site. Protip: Buy one Saturday ticket, and have your significant other buy the Sunday ticket. Then get an extra long trenchcoat and walk around the festival as the world's tallest music fan! (Gaper's Block does not actually endorse this plan - Ed.)
Word came in late last night from the Metro that the much-anticipated Kings of Convenience U.S. tour has been postponed a few months. Posts on the band's MySpace page is that Erik Glambek Bøe is sick.
On 2/9, Erlend wrote:
Eirik fell ill yesterday, and today the doctor says its a flu-virus. I dont know more than this at the moment , but check this space for more info today and tomorrow. The scheduled appearance at Jimmy Fallon show on thursday will in any case most likely fall out. :-( Erlend
So instead of rolling into Chicago next weekend, they're going to wait until June 10th to play the Metro. All tickets purchased for the February 20th show will be honored, so not to fear. If you cannot make the rescheduled date, refunds are available at your point of purchase. Speedy recovery, Erik!
Photo: Kings of Convenience Erlend Oye and Erik Glambek Bøe. (courtesy of the band's MySpace page)
Observation: Over and over again, Sam Cooke would attribute his success to the art of observation. He wrote of what he saw and heard. He listened to it and spoke to it. Effortlessly and instinctively, he turned it into music. He sang the songs that brought relief to the civil rights movement. He sang the songs that formed a bridge. He sang the songs that healed. His furious will and feral tenor brought people to their knees, and lifted them to their feet. Then, at the height of his success, he was shot and killed. It was 1964. He was only 32.
About a year ago, I flew down to Florida to visit my mom, who was dating a man my boyfriend's age. We were looking for something to do, and her boyfriend suggested we go to a club in Ybor City to see his friend's band play. Well, he got his dates mixed up, and as it turned out, we were accidentally in store for a treat. That treat was Leslie and the Ly's-- a colorful, overstated, and wildly entertaining dance act employing such accessories as sassy attitudes, lame', and, of course, bedazzled sweaters. Leslie emphatically danced around the stage, singing about Dairy Queen and stretchy pants, glaring at the audience through her giant plastic glasses. Her sidekicks, playing keytars and wearing dark sunglasses, managed to never crack a smile, which totally worked for them.
Over the years, Leslie has become wildly popular in niche markets-- particularly with budding hipsters and gay guys-- and I haven't been able to get that performance out of my head. It's hard not to have a good time at a Leslie and the Ly's show. Even my mom came up with some new moves.
Check her out this Friday at The Subterranean with Christopher the Conquered and Locks. The show starts at 10pm and admission is $12.
Local DJ Collective the Chicago Workgroup have been doing their fair share to bring Chicago both a new sound and a couple of fairly old ones. At once a blog, a collective and a residency every second Wednesday at Smartbar, the seven DJ deep Workgroup has been making strides to showcase forward-thinking house and disco. All Systems Go! - their monthly night at Smartbar - has been booking ever more prominent artists in both genres, and tonight's bill is topped by none other than DFA's Holy Ghost! with CWG DJs Scotty Brandon, Samone Roberts, Kid Color and Weaponry providing the support and Mister Joshua, Ross Kelly and OneFiftyOne sharing hosting duties.
Despite strong line ups for All Systems go in the next couple months with Trus'me on March 10th and Aeroplane on April 14th, the Chicago Workgroup hope to achieve much loftier goals. Before an eventful Friday evening out, I met with Samone Roberts, Scotty Brandon, Noah Casser (Weapony) and Josh Ferguson (Mister Joshua) to discuss the Workgroup's beginnings, future plans, the benefits of being a collective and a little bit on how technology has helped in unexpected ways.
UPDATE: Smartbar has just released a statement confirming that the ridiculous snow storms on the east coast have canceled Holy Ghost!'s flights out of New York. Pre-sale tickets can be redeemed for the rescheduled performance in the Spring or refunded at the Metro Store. Though Holy Ghost! will not be performing tonight, All Systems Go! is soldiering on with no cover all night.
To say there is a band making music in Chicago with solid alt-country undertones is not really saying much. For a city that has embraced bands like Wilco and more recently Van Ghost, an alt-country band may not come across as all that original or urgent. However, the debut album from Tacoma Narrows presents a new take on this now commonplace genre. The band has managed to add strong and swirling psychedelic textures to their traditional sound. It makes sense that this band would have more of a blended sound when look at the various bands Kik Pratt, Donny Mahlmeister, Jack McLarnan and Ryan Juravic have played in the last ten years. Bands like Azita, A Tundra, and Collections of Colonies of Bees, have turned this group into something refreshingly unique while allowing them to remain rooted in a more classic sound.
The bands self-titled debut album was released physically last month and is available on the bands website. You can also stream the album right now on their website. The digital distribution is being handled by the local label Staticstation, and should be available on itunes and emusic this month.
Tacoma Narrows will be featured on WXRT's Local Anesthetic on Sunday, Februray 14 at 7:30 PM. You can also catch Tacoma Narrows at The Whister with Chaperone for free on March 8th.
I had been steering away from singer songwriter and folk music lately, opting to listen to more rock and electronic since that is just what has been speaking to me, but good music is good music and Gia Margaret is just that.
Her song "Distorted Boots of Spanish Leather" immediately tugged on my heartstrings, the distorted effects making her longing vocals even more sorrowful, yet still endearing. This classically trained 22 year old is an eager songwriter with a hankering to share everything she creates, which has led to her giving out raw bedroom piano sessions (including songs like "Onofrio", a bright melody that will make you forget you're not sitting in a French cafe smoking a cigarette).
Margaret is also among the few local musicians making the trip to SXSW, appearing at Paradise on March 17th. If you want catch her before she takes off for Austin though, make your way to Schubas tonight where she'll be playing as part of the 2010 New York Songwriters Circle's Chicago Showcase. Tickets are $10 and the show gets started at 8pm. Other NY Songwriters performing include: Dave Cavalier, Shelley Miller, Josh Kim, Nick Deustch, plus a surprise guest band. 3159 N. Southport. 18+
If you were at Lollapalooza in 2006, you might have had the joy of checking out Nashville garage punk outfit Be Your Own Pet. With proud papa Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth filming from the side of the stage (Be Your Own Pet were signed to Moore's label Ecstatic Peace), the Nashville teens pogo'd around in all their awkward adolescent glory. Lead singer Jemina Pearl whipped her peroxide hair around, stopping midway through their set to puke and declare it tasted like Watermelon, before immediately launching back into their brash brand of garage punk. The band was incredibly charming, puke and all, so it was a shame when they decided to part ways.
Thankfully Pearl and BYOP drummer John Eatherly decided to keep making music together, moved to Brooklyn (where all indie rocking 20-somethings seem to end up), and wrote a bunch of songs that pay homage to 50s girl group music infused with a nice dose of punk. What came out of it all is Pearl's solo album, Break It Up, which is equal parts syrupy sweet and punk noise. The album also includes an impressive roster of guest artists, including Thurston Moore, Iggy Pop, and Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio fame. The music may have gotten a bit more pop, but Pearl is still a vivacious force live, and you can check her out this weekend when she rolls into town.
Opening for Pearl is local act White Mystery. I've raved about them before, and they recently played the Gapers Block show at the Metro, so you know they've got our stamp of approval. Make sure to head out early to see their set, then grab one of them (they aren't hard to find, given their bright red curly hair) and buy their debut cd that came out last month.
Jemina Pearl plays the Beat Kitchen tomorrow, Saturday February 6th, located at 2100 W. Belmont. Doors open at 9, and the show starts at 9:30pm with opening act Swiss Dots. The show is 17+ and tickets are $10. You can purchase tickets here.
Speaking of, dude, I sure do wish the Hood Internet would DJ a party at my house or appear in my video blog (if I had one, which I don't. But I do have a house. You see where I'm going with this?) (via).
When Chicago writer Claire Zulkey performs at the Grammys, this is how it'll go.
Hollywood and recording industry star power gathered on Monday to record an updated version of "We Are The World" with the aim to send the single's profits to Haiti Earthquake victims. Chicago angle: Jennifer Hudson, Vince Vaughn (?!?) and Kanye contributed to the track.
Speaking of Kanye West, Gil-Scot Heron's latest efforts apparently has "Flashing Lights" samples. Not sure if this is the best thing or most disappointing thing ever. But it is a good hook. (via)
CreamTeam offers insight into Minneapolis-based house music providers The Moon Goons whose digital track rarity is a legend.
If you like The National, you might like the latest from Clogs according to Stereogum.
Oh My Rockness previews the Kurt Vile show at the Empty Bottle, 2/13.
Bloodshot Records' Nan and Rob were interviewed for Philadelphia radio station WXPN's show "Start Making Cents".
Greg Kot takes a look back at Soul Train, hosted by Southsider Don Cornelius. A documentary airs on VH-1 February, 6th. Anyone else have lots of memories of the Soul Train opening as the cue that Saturday morning cartoons had ended? Check out some sweet video clips.
Familiarize Yourself blog has a recap of a sweet night with a lot of lady (bands) at Lincoln Hall last week including sets by Scotia Widows, The Maybenauts, Leslie Hunt and The Wanton Looks.
True to their word, our numeric-rating-centric neighbors have announced the first acts for this year's Pitchfork Music Festival. To no one's surprise (thanks to Greg Kot) Stephen Malkmus will be coming back with some band who's not the Jicks. Modest Mouse will be floating through their own Friday night performance (which so far has not been designated as a single-album performance, so keep your eyes peeled). Saturday night brings none other than LCD Soundsystem and Raekwon (who hopefully won't face any mixing board problems - James and the chef would be the last ones I'd want to sonically offend). On the other end, who knows what kind of production notes are given for Lightning Bolt on Sunday - suffice to say there won't be any napping going on at that point. But fear not! The charming St. Vincent, old-timey-but-not-that-old Cass McCombs, and rising duo of Sleigh Bells will be around to soothe you at some point Sunday as well (maybe directly after - Laughing With a Mouth of Blood could reach a whole new level with Brian Chippendale's drums tearing a cameo through it).
Tickets go on sale today at noon, and can be purchased here. The price has gone up a bit this year, but Friday's festival will be starting at 4 pm (much earlier than past years). And hey, unless you scored yourself some Golden Tickets, it's a heck of a lot cheaper than Lollapalooza. Single-day tickets are $40, and a full three-day pass will cost you $90. Weekend passes will not be available this year.
[Stephanie Griffin also contributed to this post.]
Local husband and wife duo Tim Kelley and Christa Meyer better known as Puerto Muerto have been making intoxicatingly dark cabaret inspired music for almost ten years. Their debut album Your Bloated Corpse Has Washed Ashore is considered a cult classic. They also toured in 2005 preforming live with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre for which they made a supplemental soundtrack to the film. They are an interesting band that are a secret gem to those who have been lucky enough to find them.
The latest from the pair is their sixth full length release entitled Drumming For Pistols which is due out February 9th on Fire Records. This album very much like their past work is filled with themes of deep loss and regrettable sadness woven all the way through. Even though this band has beautiful arrangements in their music, their medium for expression is equal parts storytelling. Very much in the spirit of two of their influences Nick Cave and Nina Simone, every song has a different character, a new way of feeling lonely and a new twist in it.
If you've ever been to a Monotonix show, you know that things can get, well, a little crazy, sometimes leaving you wondering how no one was injured during their performance. Well, last week lead vocalist Ami Shalev broke his leg after coming down hard out of a jump at a show in West Palm Beach Florida (P.S. there's video). Apparently their reputation precedes them, because this is what the Israeli garage rockers had to say about their visit to JFK Memorial Hospital (P.S. there's pictures):
"the doctor showed up asking for autographs and started having the nurses take his pictures with Ami and the band. other nurses kept coming in and out of the room with monotonix show videos playing on their ipods.the highlight of the evening was the doctor showing us youtubes of his 12 year old son playing drums while Ami is getting pain killer shots to his butt from the nurse."
To give you an idea of just how outrageous things get at their shows (besides the obvious "you could break a leg"), at ther Hideout Block Party appearance in '08 drummer Haggai Fershtman crowd surfed--along with his drumset, complete with flaming cymbals--while still playing. Needless to say, audience participation is almost a requirement at their shows, so be ready (yours truly still has a drumstick from their last appearance at the Hideout).
Having only canceled one show in Athens the night following the injury, they completed the two final dates on the tour and are now recording here in Chicago. Lucky for us they've already scheduled another tour beginning next month with a stop at Schubas scheduled for April 19. And don't worry that you've missed out on the band's "better" days--something like a little broken leg wouldn't have this group holding back in the slightest.
Monotonix @ Schubas: April 19, 2010. Tickets are $12. 18 & up. 3159 N. Southport.
From the looks of things, 2010 will be a light year for Chicago at SXSW Music Festival down in Austin. Our list of local and regional bands performing in official showcases is pretty short:
Chicago:
The Hood Internet
I Fight Dragons
Joe Pug
Kidz In The Hall
Dick Prall
Psalm One
Waco Brothers
Via Tania
Region:
Cheap Trick (Rockford)
Jookabox (Indianapolis)
Stephen Jerzak (La Crosse, WI)
Diplomats of Solid Sound (Iowa City, IA)
FINALE (Detroit)
Goober and the Peas (Detroit)
The Hounds Below (Detroit)
Note that I had to include Detroit as "regional" this year -- we usually don't cast quite so wide a radius to gather this many bands. On the other hand, there seem to be quite a few more international bands on the roster (which stands at 230 so far).
EDIT: Some folks questioned where we got our info -- our original list was based on the official SXSW band list. Chicago acts in unofficial showcases are beginning to trickle in -- the list is below. If you know of an act performing at SXSW, either officially or unofficially, drop us a line (transmission@gapersblock.com) or leave a comment. Stay tuned for more news and updates!
Unofficial Showcases:
Coco Coma
Hollows
Mickey
Moneypenny
This is Versailles
Tyler Jon Tyler
White Mystery
My Gold Mask
The Loyal Divide
Pretty Good Dance Moves
Willy Joy
UPDATE: Chicago.com/Music is hosting a "Chicago Beats" showcase on March 19, featuring A Lull, Breakers Broken, Yawn, Loyal Divide, The Down Feathers, Danny Chaimson, The Giving Tree Band, Kellen & Me, Remington Pettygrove, Scott Wesley Band and Matt Kelly.
In case you weren't already thinking longingly of summer already, Pitchfork has announced that their always appropriately-named Pitchfork Music Festival will be happening this July 16 - 18 at Union Park. If squiggling a little circle around those dates on your calendar doesn't do it for you, fear not - come this Friday, the first line-up announcements will be made, and tickets will go on sale at the official website. Single-day tickets will run for $40 and three-day passes for $90 - sorry two-day fans, you'll have to commit one way or the other.
In addition to the regular Saturday time slot on NPR for the radio broadcast of A Prairie Home Companion, Thursday's taping will be broadcast live via satellite from the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, MN to movie theaters across the country, including several in the Chicago area. Elvis Costello will appear as a featured guest, as well as the Minnesota performers Jearlyn and Jevetta Steele, New York-based singer/songwriter Heather Masse, and the folk duo Robin and Linda Williams. If you've always wanted to catch Garrison Keillor's long-running show, but the thought of traveling to St. Paul in the winter keeps you close to home, this could be the perfect opportunity.
Show starts at 7pm, tickets are $22. For more information and tickets, visit A Prairie Home Companion.
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