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Concert Mon May 30 2011
Photos/Review: HoZac Records Blackout @ Velvet Perineum 5/28/11
Put on by The Empty Bottle but in a substantially larger space, HoZac Records Blackout showcase this year successfully featured bands specializing in garage rock with some hints of punk and psychedelic genres from time to time. If you've never been to a Blackout, it was a real experience mainly because of the energy level. There's a youthful rambunctious nature of both the bands and the crowd and it makes the bands much more enjoyable to see when they are so energetic.
Some highlights of the festival this year include the jumping of Nones and and Radar Eyes and the daring climbing of the guitarist from The People's Temple who reached to the very top of the amp stack. The festival was successful in featuring bands that are both well known and established (some reformed after a period of time) and others that are just getting started with their first album.
Some of the best moments were in the mad unpredictability of Justin Champlin from Nobunny but many fans were just as psyched to see Nervous Eaters perform once again. Either way, the unifying theme was how excited the musicians all seemed to be while playing for their exuberant fans. It was great to see so many talented local Chicago bands too but the highlight of the fest overall for this reviewer was definitely Philly's Reading Rainbow who are now playing as a three piece and sounded tight amidst all the fun they seemed to be having on stage. Their album, Prism Eyes is filled with garage rock goodies that came off as accomplished and easy for the band to pull off on stage. Don't miss them when they come back to Chicago next time (hopefully sooner than later!)
For more photos, click here to see the complete photoset on flickr.
