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. ✶
One of the most unstable bands in terms of members as well as sound Swans takes the place as being the most uncategorizable bands still making music today. Michael Gira the band's founder and only continuous member has a cult like following of fans who thrive in the band's course and abrasive sound as well as dark themed songs that takes you beyond the edge of comfort.
Gira has written some of the scariest lyrics that when combined with a blunt force of the extreme sound has the potential to leave you happily blacked out in a puddle of your own drool. The band was thought to have dissolved in to obscurity but according to their Myspace page "Swans Are Not Dead" and My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky, the band's twelfth album was just released September 27th.
You can see this legendary band when Swans plays at Bottom Lounge October 5th. The adorably unique harpist and singer Baby Dee opens for a night of conflicting sounds that will be the end of the world if it is missed. Tickets are $25 and the music starts at 8. Bottom Lounge is located at 1375 W. Lake St (312) 666-6775.
There was a time in 2007, just after Field Music's second proper album Tones of Town was released, that there was uncertainty about the rock band's future. It seemed that Field Music as a band didn't interest its sibling creators as much as Field Music as a brand. In the hiatus, David and Peter Brewis went off on their own roads with Field Music-sponsored side projects School of Language and the Week that Was. The results were in the same neighborhood as when an established band member makes a solo record. It's clear where they're rooted; it's just a little different, like someone's enjoying the freedom to do what someone else in the band must loathe.
But as with all artists looking for a change of scenery, eventually the Brewis brothers returned to Field Music as a band. That return led to their second self-titled album, nicknamed Measure. It picks up where they left off, but shows progress in tighter arrangements and richer harmonies. Where Tones of Town was practically twee, Measure has edge to its pop. It's still easy to hear XTC in their music, especially in the superb "Effortlessly", but now it's a later era (think Oranges & Lemons) that comes to mind most. Although, it's easy to hear a lot of influences across the 70-minute 20-song album that never wanes in quality or amusement.
Field Music headlines the Beat Kitchen this Sunday, October 3. It's the last show of their US tour. Local bands Death Ships and Canasta open at 8PM. Admission's $12 and the show's 17+. The Beat Kitchen is at the corner of Belmont & Hoyne.
So, here's a thing: for the next few days (Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 30 through Oct. 2), Chicago welcomes the underground art/electronics/music festival GLI.TC/H to the table. Billing itself as "a noise and new-media event/conference/symposium/festival/gathering in CHICAGO," GLI.TC/H derives its power not just from music/visual technology, but the strange allure of technology in the almost orgiastic death-spasm of error. This ain't your pappy's blue screen of death. Don't believe me? Check out their site. Wear protective eyewear.
Events happen throughout the city each day, but I would like to direct you specifically to some Transmission-worthy events on Friday night at Transistor (5045 N. Clark St.) starting at 8pm.
Celebrate what would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday* at the Music Box Theatre, this Sunday, Oct. 3. Not only will the theater be screening Nowhere Boy, a film about the rock'n'roll icon's teenage years and the founding of The Beatles, but the remaining members of Lennon's original band, The Quarrymen, will be on hand for a Q&A and performance after the show. WXRT's resident Beatlemaniac Terry Hemmert will host.
John Lennon formed The Quarrymen with Colin Hanton, Rod Davis and Len Garry in 1956. Over the next four years, the band's lineup changed, with Paul McCartney and George Harrison joining Lennon. The band eventually changed its name to The Beatles, added Ringo Starr and the rest is history. Hanton, Davis and Garry -- now all 70 themselves -- have reformed the band and perform the songs they played back in the '50s, including songs from those early days of the band.
The event starts at 7pm. Tickets are available online or at the Music Box ticket office.
*True Beatles fans would know that Lennon's actual birthday is Oct. 9. The Quarrymen will be performing on the 9th in New York, so this is close enough.
A few months ago if I was to say "Blue Water, White Death" it may have brought images of sharks in the deep waters of Australia as in the 1971 documentary. However, Shearwater's lead singer Jonathan Meiburg and Xiu Xiu's frontman Jamie Stewart are about to redefine how we look at that phrase. On October 12th Chicago's Graveface Records will be releasing the new album from this surprisingly well-matched duo. What you get when you combine these two musicians is the pleasant and near-angelic delivery of Meiburg mixed with harsh experimentation of Stewart. You can hear this blend in the eight-track albums first single "Song for the Greater Jihad".
The Acorn began as a one-man project, but soon its sound expanded to a point beyond where just one man could contain it. Their first album was inspired by bandleader Rolf Klausener's mother - a Honduran immigrant to Quebec. It has a breezy indie-folk sound. Its followup is the rockier No Ghost for which Klausener drops Yo La Tengo, Talk Talk and Crazy Horse as influences. Judging from that progress and the excellent execution, it appears that the Acorn are well on their way up the ladder.
The Acorn headline Schubas on September 30 with Toronto's folk autoharpist Basia Bulat, whose music you might know from a Subaru commercial. Thursday's show starts at 9PM, is 21+ and $12. Schubas is at the corner of Belmont & Southport.
Brisk air, light jacket season, a time to grow a full beard if I could: it seems like Bonnie 'Prince' Billy and the Cairo Gang are coming to town just in time with their slow reflection songs--very American, very sad sometimes--to suit the drop in temperature. The songs can also be called poems, or stories, or vignettes, or I don't know. Sometimes I think of John Steinbeck while I'm listening to this music.
With all the albums and singles and collaborations and monikers in which Will Oldham has been involved, it might be too much for someone new to decide how to approach him, but there are repeating pastoral images running in his music and lyrics, like themes, as if you might be able to enter this narrative in progress at any time because it's not quite linear. If that makes sense. I think it does.
Like tomorrow night would be a good time to check out Bonnie 'Prince' Billy who will perform with the Cairo Gang from their collaborative album, The Wonder Show of the World. If it sounds like a carnival, it isn't, but still, I wonder what Will Oldham and Emmett Kelly have planned. They will play at Lincoln Hall, 2424 N. Lincoln Ave. An early show begins at 7pm and a later one at 10pm. Tickets are $20.
Let's pretend Skeletal Lamping never happened. Last time of Montreal was in town, band leader Kevin Barnes gave a phoned-in, lackluster performance behind the release of the schizophrenic album. It appeared that the self proclaimed indie star had given up, no longer having fun on stage and recording an entire album of sexed up, completely self indulgent, pieces of songs. But their Saturday night show at the very same venue and the recent release of False Priest was a complete turnaround. "I was hoping tonight would feel just like this," he said in the middle of the show. So were we. Kevin Barnes is back.
Before Pandora, Hype Machine, and even Last.fm, the best way to discover new independent music was through a site called Epitonic. Founded in 1999, Epitonic was one the first sites to offer free (and legal) mp3s from independent bands and labels from around the world. Music fans would spend hours digging through the site's recommendations and discovering bands they would have completely missed without the site. Epitonic lasted until 2004, but has remained dormant since. However, one of the original founders and co-owner of the site, Chicagoan Justin Sinkovich (The Poison Arrows, File-13 Records), is being the site back is a big way, and the support has been overwhelming. He has started a Kickstarter page for fans to help and show their support, and is planning a launch event to be held when the new site is ready. We recently had the opportunity to ask Justin a few questions about Epitonic, why it is coming back, and what we can expect.
If you missed out on tickets to one of Andrew Bird's Gezelligheid concerts at the Fourth Presbyterian Church this December, you have one last chance: join his fan club and get access to the presale for the just-added third night, Dec. 15.
London's Klaxons last steamrolled through Chicago in 2007 when they played 4 shows during a whirlwind year. Their debut album Myths of the Near Future pushed the electronic side of the angular rock music sound that was ubiquitous in British bands in the prior years and won that year's Mercury Music Prize. On its strength, they toured the world and reached dizzying heights. Then, in an age when bands need to constantly be in the public's eye, they retreated to work on the next album.
In the years since, the followup's progress ran into roadblocks like creative differences with producers and a label calling it "too experimental." Re-recordings delayed it and left everyone nodding about an inevitable sophomore slump. However, with Ross Robinson on the boards, everything started to fall into place and the album, Surfing the Void, was released over the summer. Despite worries about Robinson's history with nu metal bands like Korn and Slipknot (and At the Drive-In, naturally), Surfing the Void continues where Myths of the Near Future left off. It's still steeped in guitars and synths, highly danceable and very British. Transmission's giving away a pair of tickets to see Klaxons on Thursday at Lincoln Hall. Write to contests@gapersblock.com with "Surfing the Void" in the subject line for a chance to win. [Update! We have a winner! Congrats to Amy. Thanks for reading, everyone who wrote in.]
Klaxons play Lincoln Hall on Thursday, September 30. Los Angeles' Baby Monster opens. The show starts at 9PM, is 18+ and admission's $15. Lincoln Hall's at 2424 N. Lincoln.
Throughout his esteemed career, Van Dyke Parks has been known more as a collaborator and accompanist than a star. A handful of solo records, most notably the lauded Song Cycle, have reached a cult-like status, but the bulk of his work has been behind the scenes as an orchestral arranger and producer. This tour with Clare and the Reasons is his first ever, and Sunday's stop at Schubas was his only performance in Chicago since 1964.
With that in mind, it wasn't terribly surprising to see the 67-year old pianist a bit off as the main attraction. He (along with Clare's Reasons) began the set with tracks from the Uncle Remus and Br'er Rabbit-inspired Jump album. Before continuing, he rambled about the demise of popular culture and not wanting his photograph taken. (When was the last time you went to a show where nobody took a picture?) From there he wove through folk (tipping his cap to Phil Ochs after a tirade on oil spills for "Black Gold"), bluegrass (with a brief story about the fiddler John Hartford), romantic piano composition (along with a history lesson about Louis Moreau Gottschalk), chamber music and pop. The biggest applauses of the evening were reserved for the Song Cycle tunes ("The Attic" and "The All Golden") and three that'll forever link him with Brian Wilson ("Heroes & Villains" and the first two tracks from their 1995 collaboration Orange Crate Art).
The knock against Van Dyke Parks is that his music is too complex only for the sake of being so, but on Sunday the simple setup (he on piano, the Reasons on strings) kept songs from becoming too heavy. Even with tweaked arrangements throughout the night, nothing was so far from its original version that it was unrecognizable. As a display in songcraft, it was masterful.
Clare and the Reasons opened with a full musical cabinet - bass, cello, clarinet, French horn, guitar, kazoos, keyboard, recorder, trombone, violin and washboard. (And I may have missed something.) They ran through a 40-minute set covering both of their albums evenly and included covers of Genesis' "That's All" (with that earworm hook played on trombone) and Harry Nilsson's "He Needs Me." For only seven people onstage, they sounded much bigger; as if a symphony were crammed in a back corner.
Women drew acclaim last year with DIY lo-fi style on their self titled debut album, most notably for the song "Black Rice". They've since been busy in Canada recording their new album, Public Strain, which comes out in the US tomorrow, but you can get a preview of the new material (and hopefully even some midnight copies) tonight at Schubas.
Recorded in Alberta, Public Strain continues on the same lackadaisical, psychedelic trip into a 60's Factory party. The first single, "Eyesore", is a balanced example of the tone of the album, but I would like to see the slightly more haunting "Heat Distraction" be the next release. Midway through the album, "Penal Colony" brings a dreamy, melancholy touch that could soundtrack the flashback sequence in a Valley of the Dolls remake, but it's quickly followed by transfixing drones on "Bells," and then dragging drums and other worldly distorted guitar on the ominous "China Steps." Public Strain explores a lot of different shades, all without veering away from the common undertone.
Tickets are $10 ($12 door). Fellow Canuks dd/mm/yyyy and local act Netherfriends open the night. Show starts at 8pm. 18 & up. Schubas is located at 3159 N. Southport.
JBTV has 40 free passes to give away for a special taping of The Brokedowns playing in studio this Saturday, October 2nd at 3:30pm. If you want to go, contact Toby @ toby@redscare.net and he'll set you up with tickets. JBTV is located at 318 W Grand Ave. in Chicago.
Wee rapper M.I.A. settles into the swing of The Vic Theatre this week for a double shot of hip-hop, looped beats, gunshot samples and many many many colors of DayGlo just in time to brighten up Chicago's dreary launch into fall. You already know a lot about M.I.A. — her deeply political lyrics (often met with violent images), her about-to-pop performance at last year's Grammys when she was nine months pregnant, her kinetic performances filled with video projections and lots of swagger. But she'll have something new and fresh (and dare I say a little innocent) during her current tour.
In tow this week is M.I.A.'s protege Rye Rye — a rapper (raptrix?) off of M.I.A.'s N.E.E.T label (her album Go! Pop! Bang! is due out in early 2011). She's got the spunk and sass (and trash mouth) that M.I.A. brings to the table but she's quite the new kid on the scene at 19 years old, hailing from Baltimore. Rye Rye reminds me of girls I used to watch at talent shows in high school in Virginia who had the whitest sneakers and the flyest dance moves. She's still at the point where you can see her goof and smile through her videos in a totally charming way (even though she's rapping some maybe NSFW stuff).
We've got a pair of tickets for a lucky reader to check out the show on 9/29. Just email us at contests@gapersblock.com with the subject "Swagga" and you and a friend can hit up the show. [Update! We have a winner! Congrats to David.]
M.I.A. performs two nights at the Vic this week, 9/29 and 9/30 along with Rye Rye opening. Tickets are $34. The Vic is located at 3145 N. Sheffield Ave. Music starts at 8pm. 18+.
[This review and photos come to us from Taleen Kalenderian.]
It was May of 2007 the first time I saw Atlanta-based noise rockers Deerhunter. The band was opening for Chicago's own The Ponys for their headlining slot at The Echo in Los Angeles. Cryptograms had been released that January, but I was really into The Ponys' droning garage jams then and couldn't wait to see them for the first time. Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox towered over the stage wearing a flora print mini-dress that night, singing with mic-in-mouth gripped by his teeth. He jolted around the stage along to Cryptograms' more angular tracks, putting everyone in a daze that thoroughly upstaged The Ponys' following set.
Saturday's free Deerhunter show was less about noise-making and more about fanservice and clever publicity, but that didn't make it any less entrancing. Hundreds of fans showed up early to the Chicago River underpass at 560 W. Grand, a location disclosed only a few days beforehand as part of Levi's + Urban Outfitters Secret Generator Series. Deerhunter previewed most of their new songs for the first time in advance of their third full-length album, Halycon Digest (out tomorrow).
Most attendees at Friday's concert (part of the Chicago World Music Festival) at the Chicago Cultural Center, a Hidustani classical performance between iconic musicians Aashish Khan (son of the world-famous Ali Akbar Khan), his younger brother Alam Khan, and tabla accompanist Swapan Chaudhuri, seemed to be seasoned veterans. Scanning the room, it was easy to see listeners transitioning with the musicians to the various sections of the ragas, applauding at natural ends to solos, and the occasional nod of recognition as titles of rags were announced. It was a crowd that understood the caliber of musicianship and emotion it was getting, absorbing every nuance, every call-and-response. It was not, by all accounts, the type of audience that was "waiting for the part when the drums kick in." We were here to exist in the presence of a historical continuum of master musicians reaching back to Mian Tansen (b. 1493), one in which the previous two generations pushed forward not just musical skill, but compositional innovation for the entire art. The emcee described Baba Allauddin Khan (Aashish and Alam's grandfather) as "The Mozart of Indian Classical Music," only stopping himself to note that, "That might not actually be expansive enough."
Portland Oregon band Tu Fawning was once an interesting small project consisting of Joe Haege of 31Knots and vocalist/musician Corrina Repp. With bigger ideas in mind, the group doubled in size to pursue a more complex sound. The comparisons range from Portishead and Tom Waits to Liars and Cab Calloway it is hard to imagine what they might have been thinking with their first full length release, Hearts On Hold due out October 5th on Polyvinyl Records, but they made a record with beautiful dark elements that grabs on and strives you to keep listening. The eerie, creep filled exploration is lyrically poetic, rhythmically driving and will send shivers down your spine when they play live.
All members of Tu Fawning are skilled in many of the same musical mediums, so there might be some Menomena-esque instrument swapping when the band opens for them at the Metro Saturday night. Suckers also plays for an unbelievable night of great music.
The Metro is located at 3750 N. Clark St. Tickets are $16 and the music starts at 9pm. (773) 549-4140.
What a better way to spend a Friday night than with some old friends. Walter Meego may spend their days in LA now, but the pop group is originally from Chicago, and tomorrow they return home to the Empty Bottle for their "FIRST SHOW WITH THE NEW ALBUM. SO EXCITED ABOUT IT. EXCLAMATION POINT!"
It's been a couple of years since we heard much of anything from the band, but this summer they completed work on their second album, Wondervalley. No word yet on when it will be released, but judging by the rough demos on their blog, it's sure to be filled with the same dizzying dream pop as their '08 debut Voyager that keeps dancefloors busy. The group is also boasting a new 5 person lineup.
It sounds like the Walter Meego crew is on the cusp of some exciting times; a great time to see them at an intimate venue like the Bottle. Show starts at $10pm. Local electroacoustic group The Single Helix opens. Tickets are $8. 1035 N. Western. 21 & up.
1. I like Shonen Knife as a band name a lot. They are a trio of women from Osaka, Japan who walked on stage by 11pm, waving at the crowd, then for like an hour, they directed genuine fun rock toward us, which the positivity was necessary for me personally, having traveled toward Schubas under a light drizzle and white-purple lightning flashes in the sky, which gave me anxiety. Plus I was alone last night.
2. Naoko Yamano, lead guitarist and vocals, is the only original member of the band left. I'm estimating that she might be in her 50s right now since the band started in the early 80s. My mother is nearly 50, but I would never be able to imagine my mother onstage with the smiles and energy of Yamano, who was playing this glitter blue electric guitar, rocking her long black hair up and down like I would do in my bedroom to get dizzy and drop down. It was great, too, because Yamano and Ritsuko Taneda, the glitter pink bass player, would synchronize their hair rocking to conclude some of the songs.
I have before me an awesome and difficult task. How do I convince you to spend fifteen of your hard-earned Recession-era dollars and brave downtown traffic for an early-evening performance on a Friday by a pair of Indian classical musicians who aren't Ravi Shankar? How do I convince you, adventurous listener who might be tempted to check out some shows at the Chicago World Music Festival this weekend but aren't sure which ones, to make attendance of this particular performance more crucial than Pavement at Pritzker, Rolling Stones at the Aragon, and Funkadelic at the Taste combined? I don't know, but I hope it works out, because it really is that big.
Whenever you go to a really amazing show, there's nothing better than re-living it, whether it be through photos, critic reviews, or just saying "remember when" with your friends who were there. Fans who rang in 2010 with Girl Talk (or anyone who's ever seen Girl Talk perform) are in for a special treat since JP Coakley made a short film documenting the show, including a unique look at Gregg Gillis and friends prepping for it. Check out the film below; Parts two and three are after the jump.
Go to Ronny's - 2101 N. California Ave - this Saturday, September 25th for a very special record release show for The Brokedowns new record Species Bender and Bust! new 10" Suck Kuts.
The Brokedowns are Johnny, Kris, Moose, and Grozzy from Elgin who have been playing and touring together since 1998. They recently signed with Red Scare (Sundowner, The Menzingers, and The Falcon) and put out their fourth full length last week. You can stream Species Bender free here on Punknews.org.
I've got a curse with Matt and Kim. Despite trying to see the band multiple times, something has always happened last minute, preventing me from witnessing the saccharine sweet pop duo live. I've always been a fan of their stripped down bouncy brand of pop, theirvideos, and they're two of the nicest people I've ever sat down and interviewed. So Sunday night was a big night for me, as I was finally able to break my Matt and Kim curse (barely).
In the age of Twitter, Foursquare, and music blogs, the concept of a "secret show" has pretty much gone out the window. Nevertheless, tag the "secret" label onto any event and it is automatically enveloped in an aura of exclusivity and mystery, even if it is anything but. Still, a free show featuring experimental rock band Deerhunter is pretty darn cool, secret or not.
The show is being presented by Urban Outfitters and Levi's, and will take place Saturday evening in a yet-to-be-revealed location. What we do know is that the concert will be run on generator power, so we can expect an out-of-the-way, unconventional venue. Hints will be provided via the Urban Outfitters blog, with the exact location to be revealed at least 48 hours before the event. Clues will also be available via Urban Outfitters' Facebook, or by texting SECRET to UOUOUO.
UPDATE! The location for Saturday's show has been revealed! This unconventional show will go down at 4 pm at the underpass at 560 W Grand Ave at the Chicago River under the Kennedy overpass. Told you it'd be an unusual location. Make sure to head out early, as the show is first-come, first-served. The concert is free.
I'm usually not one to pass up free drinks, but if you add a free show with The Roots into the mix, you can't keep me away. Such was the case as the annual Hennessy Artistry event ran through town this past Saturday. The Hennessy Artistry series is my personal most anticipated event each year, mostly due to their ability to book over-the-top surprise guests. This year they went all out, bringing the iconic Erykah Badu on stage, performing with The Roots as the house band. Add in Q-Tip and one of my hometown favorites, Kid Sister, and we've got one unspeakably awesome line-up.
In what we're hoping is the beginning of an annual tradition, Andrew Bird has announced dates for another set of "Gezelligheid" concerts this winter at Chicago's Fourth Presbyterian Church. A dutch word loosely translating to "cozy," Gezelligheid describes the intimacy of these performances as Bird takes the stage solo and setlists are simply a suggestion. Last year there was a lot of conversation, explanation and rare showcasing of the original incarnations of now well-known songs, as well as melodies in the works.
Washington DC and Boston have also been added to this year's Gezelligheid schedule. Tickets for Chicago dates, December 16 & 17, go on sale this Saturday and are $35-$40. For additional information on other cities, visit Andrew Bird's website.
Need a little wackadoo be-bop noise to add some color to your work week? This Thursday, Sept. 23, check out New York City's Capillary Action, a quintet who bring a oft-changing blend jazz, pop, funk, world beat, and various other odds and ends to striking effect. They open a night of otherwise local awesomeness at the Hideout, including Volcano! and Black Bear Combo. There's going to be a whole lot of whoa going on.
The show starts at 9 p.m. and tickets are a measly $8. Get yours online or at the door.
Could OK Go's music videos get anymoreimpressive? The answer is yes. For "White Knuckles," the latest single off their newest album, Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky, the native Chicago band teams up with some "friends" in the form of incredibly well trained canines for another single-take endeavor.
Watch it, share it with your friends, and then watch it again and see all those things you didn't notice the first time around.
The general description of Shonen Knife ( 少年ナイフ) is that they are an all-girl Japanese rock band that formed in the early 80s and were influenced by 60s girl groups and punk bands like the Ramones. The attention they had received led to a double-album tribute featuring bands like Sonic Youth, L7, Babes in Toyland, which led them to receive more attention. I haven't been around to keep up with their long music career, but they seem to have made a lot of impressions and once toured with Nirvana. Apparently there is only one original member of the band left, but the music is still the familiar high energy almost garage pop rock that fans like.
Among their most popular songs are titles like, "Top of the World," "Twist Barbie," "Bear Up Bison," "Flying Jelly Attack," "Riding on the Rocket." I hope they play all of these on Tuesday, Sept. 21, when they return to Chicago to promote their new album, Free Time (P-Vine) at Schubas, 3159 N. Southport, at 9pm. It is the kind of show that promises to feed you positive energy so that you are refreshed with bright, child-like visions of the world, a little bit more fun and naive, and you might go back home as a better, more endearing person. Tickets are $14. 21+.
Spending the night with a bunch of drunk people having an electro dance-off while a shirtless dashing man acts as your ringleader isn't a bad way to spend a Saturday night. Last weekend the Nylon Magazine music tour rolled into town at Double Door, bringing along with them a bill of synth happy bands with headliner Kele (of Bloc Party fame).
Fans wanting to hear the Charlatans UK this weekend can send their hopes for a speedy recovery to the band's drummer, but it's not going to make them pull into Chicago in time. The group's long-awaited gig at the Double Door has been postponed. The venue has posted a message to showgoing hopefulls that they should hold on to their tickets as they will be honored at a yet-to-be-scheduled future date.
From the band:
Charlatans Drummer Still In Hospital Following Collapse On Stage -
Chicago Gig Postponed
Jon Brookes, the drummer with The Charlatans, is still in hospital in Philadelphia following his collapse on stage on Wednesday night. Brookes has been undergoing tests and is in a comfortable condition but will remain in hospital overnight.
Fans are advised to check the band's website for news on further gigs.
Late September is traditionally quite an exciting time for Chicago experimental music lovers, as it is when one of the most revered publications for the genre, UK-based magazine The Wire, brings its Adventures in Modern Music festival to the Empty Bottle. When it was first announced that Chicago would host its own version of Barcelona's Sónar festival this September, many were left wondering if it would conflict with Adventures in Modern Music, and if so, what that would mean for one of the city's most unique celebrations of far out sounds. Of course everyone involved found the perfect solution by simply joining forces to make it all one big party. Ironically, Sleep was one of the first gigs of the festival, but it would be in short supply the rest of the weekend for any die-hard fan unable to imagine missing a beat.
Drag City artists Rangda headlined Friday night's Empty Bottle line-up. An experimental supergroup comprised of Sun City Girls' Sir Richard Bishop, Six Organs of Admittance's Ben Chasny and frequent collaborator with the stars, Chris Corsano, Rangda faced the challenge of waking up a crowd already weary from several days of live music. Their fast-paced freakouts proved more than fit for the job, as the tight three-piece frenetically ripped their way through the first portion of their set.
The latest full-length release from Chicago's Hozac Records is the debut album from Melbourne, Australia's Super Wild Horses. The band plays a fun and primitive brand of post-punk and pop. They are currently on their very first US tour and making their Chicago debut at The Empty Bottle on Sept. 18th. Also performing that night will be local favorites White Mystery who recently appeared over at Daytrotter. Super Wild Horses will also be doing an in store at Permanent Records on Sept. 19th.
Chicago-based site HEAVEmeda.com are celebrating their third birthday this weekend, and they've come a long way from a little blog to a full blown site with web content including audio and video, as well as putting on shows that showcase local talent. It's a lot of hard work by some dedicated people, and to celebrate they're throwing a party with some of their favorite acts. Topping the bill is Mike Kinsella's solo project Owen. You might be familiar with Kinsella's work in American Football, Joan of Arc, and Cap'n Jazz, all regular staples in the Chicago music scene. Owen's 2009 album New Leaves took almost three years to complete, during that time Kinsella became a husband and a father, and New Leaves took on a new sound a direction inspired by the change in Kinsella's life. Opening up before Owen is Brooklyn based Savoir Adore (this will be their first Chicago show so give them a warm welcome) and The Streets on Fire.
To celebrate, our friends over at HEAVEmedia.com are offering a prize to one lucky Owen fan (a birthday gift in reverse) here on Gapers Block. An Owen prize pack, which includes a copy of New Leaves, posters, and a copy of the new Owen 7" and also one ticket to the show. Email us at contests@gapersblock.com with the subject "Owen" and you'll win some sweet swag and plans for Friday night. [Update! We have our winner! Congrats to Matt!]
Tickets are still available for the show, so head out, buy Amy from Heave a drink because she works her butt off, and wish the site a very happy 3rd birthday!
HEAVEmedia.com presents Owen, Savoir Adore, and the Streets on Fire at The Empty Bottle, Friday September 17th. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased here. The show is 21+ and things kick off at 9:30pm.
It has been nearly one year to the dot that Finnish-French duo The Dø graced the stage in Chicago and this visit saw them returning with more vigor than ever. In addition, their ease with playing to a live audience continues to grow along with their dynamic stage presence.
Camilla Ha takes pride in making crowds uncomfortable. This should surprise nobody familiar with Ha's primary background, extensive experience in the Japanese performance art known as Butoh. The form emphasizes grotesque movements and exaggerated gestures that illustrate Andre Breton's motto, "Beauty will be convulsive, or it will not be at all." Most recently known for her one-woman sound/performance project Magic Is Kuntmaster (and before that as a member of My Name Is Rar-Rar, Panicsville, and Foamula), Ha channels a poised unease, a seeming contradiction that punches through the ennui permeating your average loft space performance.
This Saturday, Ha says farewell to Chicago in her own peculiar way, curating a multimedia cavalcade of performance, readings, interactive exhibits, and video art titled "The Cosmic Mind of Black Leather" this Saturday (September 18) at Reversible Eye Gallery (1106 N. California). The doors open at 8 p.m., but the exhibit itself will stick around until the 30th. Admission is free.
When Sónar Chicago first announced that Ben Frost would be on its inaugural line-up, their commitment to innovative electronic music became clear. This wasn't going to be a watered-down sibling to their annual Barcelona event, rather it would present dance music and experimental sounds in equal measure. Frost was an ideal candidate for bridging this gap, as his uncompromising ambient noise explorations were introduced to dubstep fans on Mary-Anne Hobbs' 2008 compilation Evangeline. That appearance, coupled with powerful recent releases like 2007's Theory of Machines and last year's By the Throat, ensured this would be one of the most eagerly anticipated performances of the entire festival.
One look around the Chicago Cultural Center on Saturday night was all it took to see that this anticipation was not idle, as the Claudia Cassidy Theater could not contain everyone that hoped to see Frost deliver his ambient epics live. Fortunately, an adjacent overspill room had been arranged to accommodate everyone not lucky enough to fit into the main venue. Whether you watched his image projected onto a screen or shared the room with the man himself, hearing the hour-long set provided exactly what every great gig should: a sizable leap beyond what can be reproduced at home with a CD.
The back stock room at Binny's may be the last place you'd expect to find Ludacris, but nevertheless that's where I found myself chatting with this famed rapper and actor this past Saturday afternoon. Luda had stopped by the liquor store to promote Conjure, his new brand of cognac, before his show at Park West that night. Sadly, samples of the cognac were not offered.
Justin Townes Earle is part of music history (as his dad is the illustrious Steve Earle) but that relationship does not define him. He's also a totally amazing part of alt-country present. Originally from Nashville, JTE spent a few years in Chicago (where he was signed to Bloodshot Records) playing the circuit of small venues and putting in his time. Now he lives in New York City (New York City?) where his latest album, Harlem River Blues, gains a cinematic quality of the cowboy lost in the concrete jungle. Songs like "Learning to Cry," "Harlem River Blues" and "Slippin' and Slidin'" are tearful and steeped in a kind of work-a-day depression one feels when all around you is grey, and black asphalt, and more grey, but you have to get up anyway. Even the tune "Rogers Park" — with its nod back in time to Earle's years in Chicago, and our bleak months of winter — has a mind to dwell just for a moment in the dark past even though "this town's dead tonight, I got no place to be" speaks not only to a time gone by, but also the desolation of city streets during a snowstorm. But then there's the wink from "One More Night In Brooklyn" where, well, we might as well make the best of it, and be with someone special. And there's the modern twist on the conventional trainman song "Working for the MTA" (which makes me harken back to the Kingston Trio's folk tune "The M.T.A. Song"). Earle hits his stride with boogie woogie in "Move Over Mama" and the sweet song "Wanderin'" which make you want to really cut a rug. But he's really about storytelling, and giving audiences songs they can sing along to whether they're behind the wheel of their Chevy, or waiting for a train far below the streetscape. Everyone has to find a reason to get up and get going in the morning — even when it's dark and grey outside. Believe it or not, this album makes me want to just keep hitting "repeat" it's so true to life. The rollercoaster of the story is just another day in the big city. Cowboy or no, I'm sure you can relate.
Pavement's Stephen Malkmus (photos by Katie Hovland)
Pavement was never a sentimental band. Sarcastic, dry, and annoyed, but never sentimental. As the saying goes though "time heals all wounds," and maybe that was the case Monday night, as the band took the stage in front of a very nostalgic audience. The crowd was smaller than I expected, the seated area sparse in places and the lawn spread out. I'm guessing the curious Pavement fans got their fix at Pitchfork Festival. The kids that grew up listening to Pavement in the late 90s/early 00s, discovering them long after the breakup, paid respect at the festival as they headed out after catching some of Sleigh Bells, probably quipping "oh, so that's Pavement, this reunion is big, I guess I should stick around for a song or two." There was none of this sentiment Monday night, as the crowd sung along to a good portion of the 28 song set, the median age looked to be mostly people that were 20-somethings during the height of Pavement's fame. The familiar feeling of the crowd seemed to rub off on the band, who seemed fully relaxed, throwing jokes and jabs back and forth, and overall happy to be there.
Seattle's Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band is made up of four members who made their debut last year with a self-titled release (Dead Oceans). This year, they have followed it up with Where the Messengers Meet: twelve songs layered with assertive guitars and enthusiastic percussion that build up and up but shifts directions often enough to create a zig-zag narrative of anthems for the winter.
This sophomore album moves us song by song without falling into an exhausting repetition of rock out rock songs. While there is still repetition, which leads into a predictability at the rise of each song, the songs are still engaging because the lyrics tightly correspond to the music, like the hook of A fire only burns in your eyes at night in the opening track, "At Night," which hammers us into listening further or something.
Sometimes Benjamin Verdoes (guitar, vocals) harmonizes with a choir while his wife, Traci Eggleston-Verdoes, plays multiple instruments, and everyone likes to note that their adopted brother, Marshall Verdoes, is quite young, like fifteen, and owns the drums. Jared Price, a friend, plays bass. The snatches of images in the songs they write stir up a night time meditation that is reminiscent, to me, of qualities in a band like Land of Talk with a hint of similarity to groups that hide in the forest, like Fleet Foxes.
The live energy of MSHVB sounds promising. Tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 16, the band will perform at the Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Ave., at 9:30pm. Tickets are only $5. 21+
It still feels a little early to start talking about Schubas' (and now Lincoln Hall's) annual Tomorrow Never Knows festival, since it feels like just yesterday we were sweating our way through summer festivals, but beginning Friday at noon you can get your hands on some limited edition early bird tickets for the winter fest taking place January 12-16, 2011. The special price is $50 for a five day pass. You can do the math, that's $10 a day for entry into shows at both venues, plus they've partnered up with Metro for TNK's Friday and Saturday nights! That's a lot of music for just a little dough, and if this year is anything like last year, they'll even provide transport from venue to venue so you don't have to miss a minute.
Snow and scarves might seem really far away, but do your future-self a favor and make advance plans to brighten up some dreary nights in January. Look out for the full line-up to be announced soon.
Although summer is slowly slipping away, festival season in Chicago carries on. The first annual Sónar Chicago kicked off on Thursday at Millennium Park's Pritzker Pavilion, starting the weekend early for electronic music lovers, curious downtown office workers and passing tourists. Whatever brought you to the first day of Sónar, you arrived at a rock gig, a dubstep club night and a live electro breakdown all rolled up into one.
The evening started at 5 pm with the soft sounds of Spain's Bradien. A three-piece combo incorporating guitar, synthesizers, melodica, trumpet and a single snare drum, Bradien's dub exotica provided a gentle ease into an action-packed weekend. Hailing from Sónar's native city of Barcelona, the band were put into the position of sonic ambassadors, underlining the fact that Sónar was as much a cultural exchange program as it was a music festival.
I don't know about you, but the onset of fall often puts me in the mood for classical music (I blame Vivaldi's Four Seasons). It's appropriate, then, that 'tis the season for the Williamsport Area Community Symphony and Chorale (WACSAC), who have just announced their 2010 Fall series, The Mountain. WACSAC was founded by punk rocker-turned-classical composer Matthew Pakulski, who played in the Boston-based noisecore outfit Fat Day. Interestingly, it was while he was still playing in the band that he started his chamber music group.
Catch WACSAC at their opening concert, "Silver and Gold," on Friday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m., at the Rumble Arts Center (3413 W. North Ave). There's a suggestion donation price of $10. Find out more about the concert and about the chamber group on their website.
Local group The Maybenauts put a punchy, spunky spin on glam rock and power pop. The face of the band isn't namesake bassist Ellie Maybe or lead singer Leilani Frey, but the audacious, tenacious guitar playing panda, Vee Sonnets. He wreaks all kinds of havoc during their live shows, just as he creates confusion for the group in their new video for the song "Not Aware" (directed by Jesse Irwin). The single itself, off their recently released EP, Big Bang, is a playful blend of 90's alt-girl rock and sex appeal that will have you shouting out the chorus with the same brazenness as we did with Shirley Manson.
Catch the group tomorrow night as part of a free show at Double Door. Show starts at 8:30pm and The Maybenauts play first. 1572 N. Milwaukee. They also play the Cubby Bear on September 25th as they open for Spacehog. Listen to Q101 or visit their website for free tickets. 9:30pm. 1059 W. Addison. Both shows are 21 & up.
Straight up from Sao Paolo, Brazil, Garotas Suecas, which actually translates to "Swedish Girls" — something of a misnomer, is a funky group of funksters. They're going to be rocking in Portuguese, but it so doesn't matter when the language of dance is universal. Just listening to their sample of online tunes has my head nodding and my mouth smiling. Their debut album Escaldante Banda was just released in the U.S. and fans of Brazillians Os Mutantes will be pleased to hear that Garotas Suecas are doing just fine in the newest generation of South American funk and fuzz bands. There's a supremely laid back tropical vibe to their tunes, and a real opportunity to celebrate the end of the summer over on Belmont Avenue Tuesday night. Check them out, but leave your troubles at the door — no frowns allowed.
Email us at contests@gapersblock.com with the subject "Funky!" and you and a friend will get to boogie for free Tuesday night. [Update! Hold your typing! We have a winner! Congrats to Tony!]
Tickets are $12 and the music starts at 9pm on 9/14, with Chicago's equally funky I Kong Kult, at Schubas, located at 3159 N. Southport Ave. (at Belmont). 773-525-2508. 21+.
When more than 50% of a crowd is wearing earplugs, and building walls vibrate even before you enter an venue, you know you're in for an impressive show. Such was the case when Sleep took the stage at Logan Square Auditorium last Thursday as part of the Adventures in Modern Music and Sonar Festival.
Sleep made some of the most prolific stoner metal albums, the 1992 Holy Mountain being one of the defining examples of genre, as a trio in the early 90s. The band parted ways, mainly after problems with their label regarding their album Dopesmoker, which is one continuous song that last over an hour. The band members worked on similar endeavors (High on Fire and Om) before deciding to reunite for various dates starting last year with the ATP festival in England.
For anyone that loves a dark and murky tone, music that you can smoke out and nod your head along to in time, then Sleep is your band. Traces of 70s Black Sabbath style metal shine through at times, when guitarist Matt Pike isn't building up a massive wall of sound with a few chords for 10 minutes straight before exploding in abrasive visceral noise. If dragging a heavy object through thick wet mud had a sound, it would be this band.
There was no witty banter between songs, just three men playing some of the loudest music I've ever heard, so loud I could feel the vibrations in my teeth. Pike, shirtless with long strings of hair hanging down in front of his face, would teeter on the edge of the stage, as metal fists and devil horns raised high towards him from the audience. The crowd was mostly outfitted in black, a large amount of men sporting longer locks banged their heads in time. Pike and bassist Al Cisneros were completely entrancing as they slowly cultivated a build and vibrating crescendo of sound, especially on standout tracks like "Dragonaut." The music was heavy and abrasive, but the crowd polite and enthusiastic, the mostly male crowd even moving a bit to allow me a to move forward for a better view, showing that metal guys are some of the nicest dudes around. The show was dark and angry, yet still the artistry of each musician, whether building a dissonant tone or providing a driving back beat, was evident from the start. From the crowd to the ringing in my ear (despite wearing industrial strength earplugs) that lasted a few hours after, it was exactly what I expected (and hoped) this show would be.
Check back for more reviews of acts this past weekend at Adventures in Modern Music and Sonar Festival here in Gapers Block.
So it would appear as if Laura Granlund (guitar, vocals, keys) and Curt Swank (drums, nice name) of Chicago's Chew Heart have been in hiding for more than six years while they recorded music together, a collaboration which started after Swank had given Granlund a 4-track recorder for her birthday and they discovered their mutual appreciation for 60's pop, 80's new wave, 90's indie rock.
Their debut album, Messy Snarls (Loose Tooth Records), introduces us to their "treetop pop" in six songs, asking us to give them just 15 minutes of fame. With the help of Brian Zieske at the Gallery of Carpet, Messy Snarls was recorded live to analog tape with minimal overdubs and zero computer manipulation, which is supposed to sound nostalgic, according to reviews elsewhere.
When we're not wrapped up in down comforters, we're internetting like crazy!
Getting your craft on at Renegade this weekend? Mucca Pazza and Environmental Encroachment will be rocking for your pleasure, plus loads of DJs from Reckless Records! Plus, records for sale! Bring cash!
The New York Times looks at jazz's influences on Chicago's hip-hop scene. Short answer: there are many.
St. Louis is wooing Jeff Tweedy pretty hard. It proclaimed August 29th, 2010 "Jeff Tweedy Day". That's some fancy calligraphy, but back off, Missouri!
Listen to Mavis Staples' latest and greatest album, You Are Not Alone, produced and partly written by Tweedy over at NPR. And more importantly, get out to your favorite local record store and pick up a copy when it comes out on 9/14! See her performance on the Tonight Show.
The Reader discusses the beautiful sounds of The Dø (and makes everyone scramble to figure out how to post that darn slashed o). They play Schubas Monday night, 9/13.
DVD from Metal Haven's final celebration is available to all headbangers who want to reminisce a bit.
The last day of North Coast was heavy on the hip-hop, with a nice dose of dance and some curve balls of soul and folk pop thrown in the mix. Our feet were a bit tired but our spirits high as we started the last day of the last big summer festival in Chicago. George caught some of local outfit Maps & Atlases as he entered the fest, as seen above. I meanwhile caught duo Phantogram, who churned out dreamy electronic infused pop, like a darker less drone version of Beach House, very ethereal and stylized, a great warm-up to the day.
The latest in the long line of bands with geographic names that aren't from anywhere near that location is Miami Horror. The Melbourne-based quartet rides an electropop sound not unlike fellow Melburnians Cut Copy and Midnight Juggernauts. Frontman Benjamin Plant made a name for himself as a DJ and producer before putting together Miami Horror's debut EP Bravado in 2008. The new full-length Illumination branches out to some creepy and psychedelic electronic music, but mostly takes its inspiration from synthpop. Currently, the band's on their first tour of the US and initial reports from the west coast last weekend sound pretty promising with members apart from Plant coming to the forefront to showcase their talents.
Miami Horror headlines Double Door on Thursday. Chicago's Kid Color and Midnight Conspiracy open with DJ sets. Codebreaker opens with a live set. The show starts at 8:30, admission's $10 and it's for a 21+ crowd. Double Door's located at 1572 N Milwaukee.
Another beautiful Chicago day kicked off North Coast on Saturday as our photographer George headed out early into the field and caught the beautiful shot of rocker Grace Potter above, and also was able to grab Daedalus, who filled in for Benga when he had some problems at Customs, for a quick portrait session backstage.
Fairy wings, furry boots, whippets, and enough glow sticks to light a small country took over Union Park this past weekend for North Coast Festival, dubbed "Summer's Last Stand," three days of electronic, hip-hop, and jam acts all in one place. Upon walking up to festival grounds Friday night, you knew a good portion of the weekend would be spent dancing, the heavy thumping beats from every stage flooding onto Ashland and Lake. Being the first year of the festival, there were some glitches (huge lines at an understaffed will call, confusion with security on what passes accessed what area, a lot of gate crashers, no water refill stations), but none that weren't a good lesson for organizers to learn from for future years. Overall security was friendly (as was the crowd, sober or not), and the festival got a break with amazing weather all weekend, cutting down on what could have otherwise been a lot of dehydrated sweaty fans. Click through and continue reading about my weekend at North Coast, and some thoughts from Gapers Block Tailgate Editor Brian Lauvray as well.
Thrill Jockey's Oval released a new video for his track "Ah!" late last week. Directed by Darko Dragicevic, the video features ballet dancer Isabelle Rune. "Ah!" appears on the Oval's new album, O which was released today, September 7th.
What a week for electronic music lovers in Chicago! The first annual Sónar Chicago starts on Thursday and the related festivities put on by the Empty Bottle and Wire magazine begin on Wednesday. With all this activity, it would be easy, but foolish, to miss a performance related to a German band that innovated psychedelic rock and electronic music equally. The music of legendary krautrockers, NEU!, will be played at Lincoln Hall on Wednesday, September 8, under the name Hallogallo 2010. With Sonic Youth's Steve Shelley filling the late Klaus Dinger's role on drums, founding member Michael Rother and Tall Firs' Aaron Mullan plan to present tracks by NEU!, Harmonia and Rother's solo outings.
Thanks to the good folks at Lincoln Hall, we have a pair of tickets to give to one of our lucky readers. Just email us at contests@gapersblock.com with the subject line NEU! and you and a friend might be rocking for free Wednesday night. [Update! We have our winner! Congrats to Adam!]
When we're not drooling over album tacos, we're wasting even more time online.
Coming to our party tonight at the Metro? It's FREE when you bring this flyer with you before 9pm (just $6 with the flyer after 9pm, and $9 at the door just by yourself). My My My, Camera, Reds and Blue and Hudson Branch play for your dancing pleasure!
The last day of a festival is always a little bittersweet. You're tired, possibly sunburned and/or dehydrated, and part of you wants it to be over. But at the same time you don't want it to end. The hours spent basking in the sun with good music as your soundtrack, nodding to the fellow festival goers you keep running into, consuming the same outdoor festival nosh from the day before. And since North Coast is the last big destination style festival of the summer season, it means we're coming to a close on the last few weeks of summer. So enjoy your last day in Union Park, and check out some of our favorite picks of the day.
LCD Soundsystem will be returning to Chicago Oct. 25 for a show at the Aragon, with Hot Chip opening. Tickets will be $42.93 through TicketMaster once you add up all their fees, and go on sale Saturday, Sept. 11, at 10am.
New Zealand's Crowded House was born from the ashes of Split Enz, the Kiwi new wave giants. With personnel crossover, including Neil Finn who's always pounding out earworming melodies, it's easy to hear similarities between the two. But where Split Enz were frenetic, Crowded House is just a pop band. They're not terribly raw, though they can be rambunctious. The melodies are nearly perfect and the lyrics are often painfully personal. Across six albums (two since reuniting in 2007, including the new Intriguer), Finn and his bandmates have consistently delivered sugary pop with some darkness and humor as balance. As a live band, they've been reunited long enough that they're far from rusty. Even though they do have a new album out, it's expected that they'll be bringing the hits to House of Blues on Sunday.
James Milne, who's worked with the Reduction Agents, Brunettes, Okkervil River and now the New Zealand supergroup BARB, records under the name Lawrence Arabia. His latest Chant Darling showcases strong influences ranging from T. Rex to Booker T.
Lawrence Arabia opens for Crowded House on Sunday at House of Blues, 329 N Dearborn. The show's 17+, starts at 9PM and tickets for $48. But Transmission's giving away a pair of tickets to this show. So email contests@gapersblock.com with "Don't Dream" in the subject line for a chance to win. [Update: A winner's been picked for the tickets. Congrats, Christine!] [Update: The goods keep rolling in. We also have 2 signed CDs of Lawrence Arabia's Chant Darling to give away. So let's go with a simple subject line like "Chant Darling" for those. Note: The ticket winner can't also win a CD. Update: We have our CD winners. Thanks to all who entered!]
The first thing Michael Zerang wants to talk about, following our initial chit-chat and coffee orders, is his new xylophone. "It's the thing that's most obsessing me right now," he says. Zerang rattles off numerous details about the instrument: made in the '30s, blonde with rosewood bars, four octaves — few xylophones made these days are that large. "It's an unforgiving instrument. It doesn't have a 'give' the way a vibraphone or a marimba does. It's like a bagpipe — it's either on or it's off," he laughs. He's practicing it for a performance he'll give today (September 2) at noon, as part of the Michael Zerang Organic Unit, a sextet accompanying a Butoh dance troupe at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion as part of the Chicago Jazz Festival.
Of course, xylophone is not the only tool in Zerang's arsenal. Neither, for that matter, is music his only outlet for his love of rhythm.
Casual followers of Zerang's music know him as a master jazz/free improvisational percussionist, a rock-solid base from which all manner of musical forms can spring. Whether thundering behind the well-oiled jazz compactor that is the Peter Brotzmann Tentet or grounding the transmissions of gentler musical aliens like his trio with Mats Gustafsson and Jaap Blonk, Zerang is an ensemble's lightning rod. Unlike many free improvisers, Zerang possesses a rare gift — fearlessness in the face of silence. He's just as comfortable with negative space as with filling the frame.
Before we dive in for a closer look at the schedule for North Coast Festival on Saturday, we've got some important information about will call if you're heading out to the festival this weekend.
Will call will be located at Bottom Lounge at 1375 W. Lake St. You'll need to go to will call if you are one of the following:
All 3-day ticket holders
Single-day ticket buyers NOT received in the mail
Groupon ticket buyers
Contest winners and complimentary ticket holders
Purchasing a ticket day of the festival
Will call opened Wednesday, and will be open the rest of the weekend at the times below:
Thursday, from 5pm-10pm
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11am-9pm
Go early, maybe stop by and grab a beer and some dinner Thursday, to beat the rush. And if you pick up your ticket before heading into the festival, no need to walk over to the Ashland entrance, because North Coast has opened a second entrance to the festival grounds on Ogden just south of Lake St and closer to the will call.
Now on with our breakdown of the acts to check out Saturday at North Coast!
In a city that is home to Kid Sister, Psalm One, and Nikki Lynette , I can see why someone like Rita J. may be overlooked. Rita dropped her debut album, Artist Workshop, last fall after spending close to two years completing it. It was well worth the wait, and of the female emcees in the city, it was also the closest to true hip hop. Rita enlisted some of the cities finest producers on the album, include K Kruz on the track below, and in many ways made a tribute album to Chicago hip hop.
Rita J. performs at Schubas with Bumpus and DJRC on September 4th.
