Gapers Block has ceased publication.

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. 

TODAY

Friday, March 29

Gapers Block
Search

Gapers Block on Facebook Gapers Block on Flickr Gapers Block on Twitter The Gapers Block Tumblr


Transmission
« Strand of Oaks Headlines Lincoln Hall for TNK Jan. 17th Join Us for Stars Align with Brad Sawicki and Bryan Kveton »

Tomorrow Never Knows Thu Jan 15 2015

Generationals Dazzled Lincoln Hall for the First Night of TNK

Generationals4.jpg

Chicago loves Lincoln Hall and Schubas. The sparkling clean sister venues bring us all our favorite bands in a small intimate atmosphere with a stellar sound system -- of course we love them. And clearly Lincoln Hall and Schubas love us back. Sure, when the lake thaws and the Ferris wheel starts mobilizing again, Lollapalooza and Pitchfork and North Coast and Riot Fest all open their gates and declare their love for the city, but what about those months of negative degrees? When the streets get dark at 4:30 and our heating bills somehow quadruple while our pipes still freeze? Lincoln Hall and Schubas have our backs. In the midst of the bleakness of winter they give us Tomorrow Never Knows -- the five day multi-venue festival hosted by the sister venues every January.

The first night of TNK kicked off yesterday with Operators at Schubas, The Both at Athenaeum and Generationals at Lincoln Hall. Although they were up against some stiff competition and they had just played Thalia Hall back in October, the Generationals still managed to pull in a sold out crowd at Lincoln Hall Wednesday night -- and nobody left disappointed.

First up was Young Buffalo, a fivesome out of Oxford Mississippi (the theme of the night was southern bands -- the groups hailed from Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana). The band brought their brand of jangling feel good indie rock to the stage for a quick thirty minute set, drawing from their two EPs Young Buffalo and Young Von Prettylips.

ElEl1.jpg

ElEl took the stage immediately after (points for promptness) and filled the stage to the point of overflowing with instruments - three keyboards, a saxophone, a trumpet, a guitar, a bass, drums, a wood block, a cowbell, a tambourine, a triangle, and a guiro all made appearances during their set. The seven piece band hailing from Nashville brought on a sound so rich and encompassing it felt like it must have been spilling out of the walls - it sounded like indie pop hit with a hint of world music. Not only did they provide great tunes, but lead singer Ben Elkins was giving the crowd some Dad dance moves that were so uncool they were actually cool (there was a lot of hopping and finger pointing going down.)

Anybody who might have been nervous about the shows they were missing out on at this point (which I doubt anyone was given the two stellar openers) was instantly reassured as to the rightness of their decision when they realized that Thursday's Athenaeum headliner Kishi Bashi was up on the balcony enjoying the show as well -- 100% validation that we were all in the right spot.

Generationals5.jpg

Finally the Generationals took the stage. Ted Joyner and Grant Widmer, the frontmen of the group who hail from New Orleans, are great musicians sure, but they also know how to put on one impressive light show. Rainbow beams of light hit the audience and Lincoln Hall's disco ball in time to the music as the duo brought their special brand of light-hearted danceable electronic indie with "Black Lemon" "Ten Twenty Ten" "Reviver" and "Would You Want Me." Unfortunately the band didn't have their woodwind section backing them up so they didn't do "When They Fight They Fight," but the crowd was delighted none the less. I think we were all just appreciative that these groups were willing to leave their warm Southern cities to come up to Chicago in January.

 
GB store
GB store

Feature Thu Dec 31 2015

Our Final Transmission Days

By The Gapers Block Transmission Staff

Transmission staffers share their most cherished memories and moments while writing for Gapers Block.

Read this feature »

Blogroll

  Chicago Music Media

Alarm Magazine
BackStage
Big Rock Candy Mountain
Boxx Magazine
Brooklyn Vegan Chicago
Can You See The Sunset From The Southside
Chicago Reader Music
Chicagoist Arts & Events
ChicagoMusic.org
Chicago Music Guide
Chicago Singles Club
CHIRP
Country Music Chicago
Cream Team
Dark Jive
Daytrotter
The Deli Chicago
Jim DeRogatis
Do312
Fake Shore Drive
Gowhere Hip Hop
Gridface
The Hood Internet
Innerview
Jaded in Chicago
Largehearted Boy
Little White Earbuds
Live Fix Blog
Live Music Blog
Loud Loop Press
Oh My Rockness
Pop 'stache
Pitchfork
Pop Matters
Resident Advisor
Songs:Illinois
Sound Opinions
Sun-Times Music Blog
Theft Liable to Prosecution
Tribune Music
UR Chicago
Victim Of Time
WFMU's Beware of the Blog
Windy City Rock

  Venues:

Abbey Pub
Andy's Jazz Club
Aragon Ballroom
Auditorium Theatre
Beat Kitchen
B.L.U.E.S
Bottom Lounge
Buddy Guy's Legends
The Burlington
California Clipper
Concord Music Hall
Congress Theater
Constellation
Cubby Bear
Double Door
Elbo Room
Empty Bottle
FitzGerald's
Green Mill
The Hideout
Honky Tonk BBQ
House of Blues
Kingston Mines
Lincoln Hall
Logan Square Auditorium
Martyrs'
Mayne Stage
Metro
The Mutiny
Old Town School of Folk Music
Park West
The Promontory
Red Line Tap
Reggie's Rock Club & Music Joint
The Riviera
Rosa's
Schubas
Thalia Hall
The Shrine
Smartbar
Subterranean
Symphony Center
Tonic Room
Township
Uncommon Ground
The Vic
The Whistler

  Labels, Promoters
  & Shops:

Alligator Records
Atavistic
Beverly Records
Bloodshot Records
Dave's Records
Delmark Records
Drag City
Dusty Groove
Flameshovel Records
Groove Distribution
He Who Corrupts
Hozac
Jam Productions
Jazz Record Mart
Kranky Records
Laurie's Planet of Sound
Minty Fresh
Numero Group
mP Shows
Permanent Records
Reckless Records
Smog Veil Records
Southport & Northport Records
Thick Records
Thrill Jockey Records Touch & Go/Quarterstick Records
Victory Records

GB store

Events

Featured Series














 

Transmission on Flickr

Join the Transmission Flickr Pool.


About Transmission

Transmission is the music section of Gapers Block. It aims to highlight Chicago music in its many varied forms, as well as cover touring acts performing in the city. More...
Please see our submission guidelines.

Editor: Sarah Brooks, sarah@gapersblock.com
Transmission staff inbox: transmission@gapersblock.com

Archives

 

Transmission Flickr Pool
 Subscribe in a reader.

GB store

GB Store

GB Buttons $1.50

GB T-Shirt $12

I ✶ Chi T-Shirts $15