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Preview Mon Oct 15 2012
Preview & Contest: Heartless Bastards @ Metro
A band that manages to create a unique sound to become all its own, and continues to follow consistently album after album, is a true force to be reckoned with.
Heartless Bastards, who originally hail from Cincinnati, are one of these bands. Their rock 'n' roll sound is very dynamic, incorporating many different elements, from indie, to blues, to country.
They are often times compared to the Black Keys. In fact, Patrick Carney's promotion of Heartless Bastards' demo helped them get signed to Fat Possum Records in 2004.
Lead singer and guitarist Erika Wennerstrom is reminiscent of a female Bob Dylan. Her distinct voice is raspy and full of emotion. She also writes songs for the band, many of which are about love and loss.
The band has been gaining a lot of momentum throughout the past several years. They have garnered more recognition from music critics and more coverage on late night talk shows, including The Late Show with David Letterman. Most recently, they have harnessed a lot of energy from their most recent full-length studio album, Arrow, the band's first release with Partisan Records.
According to the Heartless Bastards' website, it boasts their "latest and greatest line-up" since their humble beginning as a garage band. The original drummer, Dave Colvin, and bassist, Jesse Ebaugh, returned to the roster for the band's third album, Mountain. The most recent addition is a second guitarist, Mark Nathan, who considerably enhances their live sound.
Heartless Bastards will return to Chicago to play a show at the Metro on Monday, Oct. 22 at 9pm with Futurebirds and Dana Falconberry. Tickets are $17 in advance, $19 day-of. But Gapers Block has a pair of tickets to give away. To enter for your chance to win, email contests@gapersblock.com by Friday, Oct. 19 at noon. Please include your full name and phone number in the body, and put "Heartless" as the subject line. We'll select one winner at random from the entries received. [Update: We have our winner! Congrats to Bob!]
Hamilton Cha / October 15, 2012 5:10 PM
Luv me some HB. Gonna check out Arrow right now. Thanks!