After their wild show last April at Park West, Numero is reviving their Eccentric Soul Revue for another performance on Saturday, Nov. 7 at Lincoln Hall (2424 N. Lincoln Ave.)
The Eccentric Soul Revue is a chance for the long-forgotten soul and funk artists who have been unearthed, polished, and reissued by Numero to shine onstage. Expect a rousing evening of late '60s and '70s awesomeness: Renaldo Domino returns, as does The Notations and Syl Johnson. Added to this round of the revue is Sharon Clark and Chicago native Linda Balentine, who was only 16 when she began recording soul and funk tracks in 1969. Pastor TL Barrett and his choir will open the show with a track from Numero's upcoming collection, Good God! Born Again Funk.
The show is 18 and up, and tickets are $30. The show kicks off at 9 p.m. Find out more at the Lincoln Hall website.
Who doesn't like Led Zeppelin? My own memories of friends belting out "D'yer Mak'er" on a high school camping trip will never be forgotten. Led Zeppelin Tribute Band--Heartbreaker--is coming to The Center for Performing Arts at Governors State University on Saturday, November 14th and you could go for free! They are holding a contest for the best rocker photos, videos, songs or whatever you've got for your own hair band tribute. The best part is, even if you don't win, all entrants receive $10 off the regularly priced $35 tickets. To enter email your material to tickets@govst.edu or become a fan of their Facebook page and post to the wall. Deadline for entries is November 11.
Maybe you and a friend will be belting out "D'yer Mak'er" yourselves in front of the ultimate tribute band.
Tickets can be purchased by going to centertickets.net or calling 708.235.2222. Governors State University is located at One University Parkway in University Park, IL 60466.
Get ready for a big local hullaballoo when the Empty Bottle (1035 N. Western) hosts the Hollows record release show on Monday, Nov. 9.
You've gotta check out Hollows. Pumping out 11 songs in only 30 minutes, the band's self-titled debut is pure '60s girl-group pop. Add bite to the bounce, and you've got yourself a catchy lil' ray of garage-infused sunshine. The album's release is by local vinyl label Addenda Records, a cohort of the equally awesome Plustapes.
Opening the show is Bird Talk and DJ Emilie Fabulette. Headlining is the always fabulous Miss Alex White and her latest band, White Mystery, a dirty guitar-and-drums garage rock duo accompanied by White's brother, Francis.
All this boffo entertainment, and what's more, it's free. What, is it your birthday? The show kicks off at 9:30 p.m. Be there.
Listening to Leonard Cohen's music is like listening to your own conscience; seeing him live makes you realize that your conscience is a 74 year-old man in a dark suit and fedora. For over three hours last night, Leonard Cohen kept the rapt attention of an adoring audience as he performed songs that have been so deeply etched into the memories of his fans that its hard to think of a time we didn't know them. He frequently began songs in a kneeling position, as if the weight of his own voice were too much to bear, then rose to a standing position with his body curved into a question mark, for who asks deeper questions than the troubadour from Quebec?
Mr. Cohen received numerous standing ovations, recited the lyrics to 1,000 Kisses Deep as a poem, and received applause from the audience upon hearing key lyrics throughout the evening, such as: you told me again you preferred handsome men but in my case you'd make an exception; and I was born like this I had no choice, I was born with the gift of a golden voice. After what seemed like the last song, he came back for an encore that went four songs long. He sang Closing Time, a sure sign that he was finished, only to come back with I Tried To Leave You, getting a big laugh from the audience.
Between now and November 13th Leonard Cohen will be appearing in North Carolina, Tennessee, Missouri, Nevada and California. Catch him if you can, this is one concert you'll never forget. For more information visit Leonard Cohen.
When I hear the phrase "actor-turned-musician", I normally think of boringvanityprojects set to stroke one's ego, with fewexceptions. Luckily, Ryan Gosling's new project Dead Man's Bones falls into the 'exception' category. The band stopped through Chicago last week for two sold-out shows at Schubas in support their ghoulish new self-titled album. The album can be a bit hokey at times but live the same songs basically sound like Arcade Fire gone trick-or-treating (see: "In the Room Where You Sleep" album version vs. live version). Think ghosts and goblins plus theatrical songwriting plus a children's choir - kitschy elements but it works in a pleasantly surprising way.
Full disclosure - about 75% of the reason I went to see this show was that according to the press release, Pitchfork has compared Hawksley Workman's voice to Freddie Mercury. The other 25% is that he's Canadian, and I have a fascination with cultural exports from our neighbor to the north.
I prepared myself by visiting Hawksley Workman's website, and was immediately confronted with his image, which seemed so, um, un-Canadian. I was expecting something a little more self-deprecating than a man lazily draped over a love seat wearing double-decker headgear. Its a look that's more Justin Timberlake bringing sexy back than Neil Young dancing under the harvest moon, but first impressions can be misleading. Then I watched a few of the videos, and a strange thing happened - the experience of listening to the music while being confronted with his video presence was completely different from listening to the music while I surfed other websites. I became very curious as to how it would affect me live.
Above: Claire Chase of the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE)
Fans of contemporary classical music take note: tomorrow night (Tuesday, October 27), International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) founder and music director Claire Chase will perform selections from her debut CD, Aliento (New Focus Recordings), at Fred Anderson's legendary jazz club the Velvet Lounge (67 E. Cermak Road). Chase will be playing compositions from her CD over the course of two sets, as well as other contemporary compositions, for your head-expanding pleasure. The ICE, who you may remember from their ass-kicking performance of Iannis Xenakis compositions at the MCA in June, will be hosting several more Chicago events before year's end. Keep watching their web site for details.
As ever, Anderson's Velvet Lounge features a wide-range of jazz, focusing especially on performer/members of the AACM, of which Anderson is a co-founder. An AACM house band can be heard on the first two Sunday nights of each month, and should be considered highly recommended for a taste of one of Chicago's finest contributions to modern music, jazz or otherwise.
One of the premiere Game Boy-wielding 8bit electronic musicians in the world is Josh Davis, aka Bit Shifter, and subVariant and Front 312 are excited to have him perform at Ai Lounge on Halloween. Having played over 100 live shows armed with only two Nintendo Game Boys and two home-brew aftermarket music programs, he has a dedicated following and has been known to ignite dance floors with his high energy live performances.
"Dan (Auerbach--vocalist/guitarist for The Black Keys) was leaving on tour to support his solo record, and I wasn't going to have anything to do for a while," Patrick Carney (drummer for The Black Keys) says about Drummer's inception. A band of drummers, with only one playing drums. Carney first got in touch with friend Jamie Stillman (drummer in Teeth of the Hydra and Harriet the Spy) and they brought on Jon Finley (former drummer for Party of Helicopters) as lead singer/guitarist, Stephen Clements (drummer for Houseguest) on keyboards/vocals, and Greg Boyd (drummer for Ghostman & Sandman) held the helm on drums. Carney himself picked up the bass, and Stillman, guitar.
Saturday you have your choice of two great, low-key shows to attend, each at a different Uncommon Ground location. Both are free, start at 10 p.m., and are all-ages. Choose wisely.
At Uncommon Ground on Clark (3800 N. Clark St.) catch Colorado-based singer and guitarist Lindsay Weidmann as she blends her just-oddball-enough humor and warm folk vocals into a tasty morsel.
*photo courtesy of Lindsay Weidmann
Meanwhile, at the Uncommon Ground on Devon (1401 West Devon Ave.), hometown acoustic-rock flava Essex Chanel is performing a special strings-only show, featuring guitar, banjo, violin, and cello.
Shame on me for not being familiar with The Dodos--especially when they're filling Bottom Lounge on a Monday night. I had certainly heard of them... I was told I would like them when they played Pitchfork Music Festival two years ago, and I remember a friend telling me she was a big fan around that same time. Even yesterday as I was searching for an email, I came across one from almost exactly a year ago from another friend inviting me to one of their shows (but I was already seeing Jamie Lidell that night).
Through all of this, I still managed to never hear or see The Dodos--that is until I recently happened upon their new album Time To Die streaming on their webpage. Their sound reminds me a lot of when indie rock really started to seep into the mainstream, the days when Death Cab was still indie and everybody was really into The Shins (Hey, remember The Shins?). There's innocence and hopefulness there with a driving beat and attention to melody.
Gezelligheid means "intensely cozy" in Dutch and Andrew Bird will be taking that to heart with several concerts in Chicago and Minneapolis this winter. The performances will be "solo, mostly instrumental shows in acoustically lovely churches, and should be wonderfully uplifting and comforting concerts as we head into the cold and dark winter." No doubt a perfect way to see and hear the violin virtuoso. The Chicago shows will take place December 15, 16 &17 at Fourth Presbyterian Church. Tickets officially go on sale November 7th, but pre-sale for the AB Fan Community starts today.
Also, catch Bird's debut on Austin City Limits this Saturday with current tour-mate St. Vincent.
Will Hoge, a Tennessee native, is no stranger to hard work behind the guitar and a demanding tour schedule. But it seems that he's really been tested over the past few years. On the mend, even now, months after a serious traffic accident in Nashville left him broken and nearly blinded, he rolls back into Chicago for a Friday night show at the Double Door this week, and we couldn't be luckier. Bearing his still hot new album, The Wreckage, Hoge also serves up his enticing heartland rock-infused Americana to the stage. With a backing band that includes harmonica, pedal steel and mandolin, this will be no whispered folk show, but instead a loud, throw up your hand and testify roots rock show. Songs on the album like "Long Gone" and "Where Do We Go From Down" are soulful testaments to hard roads of recovery (you can stream the whole album at the band's My Space page). While "Hard to Love" and "Highway Wings" smack of an almost Springsteen-esque vein-straining urgency and desperation. These are songs to drink longneck bottles of beer to. Lucky for you Double Door has those, too.
Halloween weekend is fast approaching, and the folks over at The Congress are making sure you kick off the festivities on Friday with a huge dance party. With a bill offering up the likes of Chromeo, Crystal Castles, and Boys Noize, it's shaping up to be just that. And the folks putting on this massive party are awesome enough to offer a Gapers Block reader a pair of tickets! Just be the first to email us at contests@gapersblock.com with the subject line "BOO" and you and a friend will be on your way for free. Update! We have a winner! Congrats to Matthew!
Headlining the show are the funk infused electro beats of Chromeo. The Brooklyn duo offer up synth heavy beats that are bit campy in delivery and lyrics, but infectiously danceable and fun. Also on the bill is Crystal Castles, the electro punk duo that are known for insanely loud show and fierce attitude from singer Alice Glass. And Boys Noize whipped Perry's Stage into a frenzy at Lollapalooza this year, so with these three acts on the bill bring your best pair of dancing shoes and make sure to wear some Speedstick. It's about to get very sweaty Halloween weekend at The Congress.
Chromeo, Crystal Castles, and Boys Noize play The Congress Theater, Friday October 30th. The show is 17+ and doors open at 7pm. Tickets are $35.
Most of us probably can't point to Uganda on a world map without some serious searching, much less name a Ugandan musician, but if you were lucky enough to be at the Old Town School of Folk Music on Wednesday night you can add Kinobe & Soul Beat Africa to your world music repertoire.
The band was in Chicago as part of World Music Wednesdays, a program that grew out two previous series: La Pena, which showcased Latin music, and Afrofolk, which focused on music with African origins. Matthew Mulcahy, Community Projects Director at the Old Town School of Folk Music, fused the two programs into its current iteration, which draws both established and new groups to the stage.
Alex Perkolup is a musician who currently plays bass and guitar in the critically acclaimed progressive rock band, Cheer-Accident. Originally formed in 1981, Cheer-Accident has maintained an impressively fresh and interesting sound, oscillating between noise and pop, refusing to be categorized. The music is moody, complex, and highly composed, but never muddy. Perkolup has been one of the three mainstays in their ever-evolving lineup for six years. He has also played in Bobby Conn, Lovely Little Girls, and The Flying Luttenbachers, among others.
Do you have formal music training?
I started lessons at eight and went on until I was about nineteen. I had one guitar teacher for nine years of that time who was a big influence on me. I started playing because of Eddie Van Halen. I came out of the metal school of musicianship. I was really into difficult playing and my guitar teacher recognized that. He introduced me to King Crimson, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Gentle Giant and some progressive rock bands, so he was very instrumental in my influence.
Jolie Holland can quite justifiably described as a songbird -- that is, if a songbird plays the guitar, ukulele, and box fiddle; is an incredible whistler; and sings neo-Americana songs about William Burroughs and the Civil War in a syrupy, vowel-loopy, almost-boozy voice.
Yes? Moving on.
Holland will be playing at Schubas (3159 N. Southport) on Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 9 p.m. Opening the show is Matt Bauer, a big scary-looking dude who plays surprisingly delicate and lovely alt-folk songs on the banjo.
Congratulations to Psalm One (aka Cristalle Bowen) for winning Chicago Public Library's Sound Off Music Contest in which local musicians were asked to compose an original song about the city of Chicago. Her entry, "My Bucket Song" was inspired by how much she missed Chicago after leaving to pursue musical endeavors in San Francisco last year. She returned in June and "was elated to be back." "Being in Chicago inspires me, and it makes me proud to be chosen to represent the city in my own special way," Bowen says.
The free concert will take place on Thursday, October 22 beginning at 5:30pm in Pritzker Park (344 S. State St., across from Harold Washington Library) where Psalm One will perform the winning entry, as well as some of her other original material. People's Choice Winner Shawn Pennington will open the concert with his submission "Doors Closing". Judges Jessica Hopper, Chris Force, Matthew Genthe and Rhymefest will also be in attendance.
We have an update on local band The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir who were in a van roll-over accident last month. While most of the members came out fairly unscathed, Mary Ralph and Mark Yoshizumi still remain in the hospital.
The group's van was totaled in the accident and so was the majority of their gear, and now they're asking for your help. The group is holding a benefit concert at Subterranean on Halloween to help out with medical bills and purchasing new instruments. So far Canasta & the Avondale Ramblers are scheduled to perform along with members of TSYGC. Admission is $10, but the group also has a Paypal account set up for additional donations. Show starts at 9pm.
Riot Fest is bringing us a huge line-up of rowdy punk music this weekend, and it all kicked off Wednesday night at the Metro with Butthole Surfers. The Buttholes are back with their original 80's line-up, and played to a packed crowd ready to rock out.
I'm a bit too young to have caught this band at their peak, but Wednesday night's performance didn't feel like a bunch of aging punks desperately clinging onto the past. The music felt as fresh as ever, and the band drew me in with their psychedelic aural pandemonium. They played songs to span their catalog, and left out "Pepper", as promised. Just as I was noticing that the crowd was a bit older than what I'm used to, the band commented that they were surprised how young the crowd was. I guess that's to be expected for a band that formed in 1981.
The Butthole Surfers are known for pushing the envelope in their live performances with their crazy stage antics, and in that regard Wednesday night was pretty tame. They played in front of a screen flashing images sometimes lewd, violent, or disquieting, but visually stunning. However, anything scandalous was left on the screen. The only moment even remotely controversial occurred when Gibby Haynes used his saxophone to simulate pleasuring a woman projected behind him. I will admit I had to avert my eyes more than a few times during the more violent scenes. I guess I'm just not hardcore enough for Riot Fest.
Riot Fest is continuing throughout the weekend at multiple venues. Read our full Riot Fest preview here, and be sure to check back to Transmission for more updates and photos from the festival.
I'm not really a fan of country music (at all) but i can get down with some folk twang, especially when it hangs on to a rock root. On first listen, Drug Rug reminded me of The White Stripes, specifically "Well It's True That We Love One Another" from Elephant because of its 50's low-fi radio sound and charming vocals. As much as their songs fall into a folk and country vein, their style doesn't stick boldly in one genre. Their latest LP, Paint The Fence Invisible is more structured than their psychedelic-heavy debut, but the vibe remains and spells out fun on dazey doo-wop numbers like "Don't Be Frightened By The Devil" and the 60's girl-punk-y "Hannah, Please."
On Friday, our friends over at HEAVEmedia have a rock solid line-up of a show at The Empty Bottle, and they've been nice enough to give us a pair of tickets to giveaway to a lucky Transmission reader! Just be the first to email us at contests@gapersblock.comwith the subject line "Hay!" and you'll be on your way. Update! We have a winner! Congrats to Tara!
Headlining the show is local post-punk outfit Haymarket Riot. The band clearly draws influence from Shellac and Fugazi to At The Drive-In, creating a heavy and forceful yet catchy sound. This is the last hometown show listed for the band before they head over to tour Europe at the end of the month, so stop by the Bottle and wish the boys well as they head overseas.
Also playing is Portland-based band System and Station, who have a bit more of a pop-punk edge, but still incredibly noisy and fun. According to their press release, they've torched computer monitors while on tour and saw a man dressed as a nun defile someone in New York. Clearly these guys know how to have a good time.
HEAVEmedia presents Haymarket Riot, System and Station, We Make Thunder, and Black Attic Friday October 9th at The Empty Bottle. The show is 21+, tickets are $5 in advance and $8 at the door. The show starts at 9:30pm.
New Years Eve is already shaping up nicely for the Windy City with The Black Keys @ the Riv and Local H @ Double Door, and now Empty Bottle has announced that Girl Talk will be playing @ Congress Theater to ring in 2010. We were there last time Girl Talk (aka Gregg Gillis) performed at Congress, and one thing is for sure--you're in for one hell of a party.
In Chicago's contemporary club culture, it is easy to forget that house and industrial could once be heard at the same club on the same night. Bands such as Nitzer Ebb and Front 242 took as much of their influence from punk and new wave as they did from
Chicago house. One year ago, promoters Mr. Automatic and Adam Black decided to create Front 312, a night dedicated to this time in Chicago's club history.
For its one year anniversary on October 9th, 2009 , Front 312 will take a turn toward techno and house, with DJ Gant Man headlining. KHA and Mikul Wing of Members Only AV will be play separate solo sets as well, throwing down anything from classic italo tracks to extended versions of 80's new wave dance classics.
From releasing his earliest 12″s on Dance Mania, to rocking clubs and raves worldwide alongside legends such as Paul Johnson, Gant has been pushing his signature Chicago sound for almost two decades. Mixing up rapid-fire juke beats while referencing all the house and disco classics that first paved the way. His recent work includes a remix for Fool's Gold of Kid Sister's "Damn Girl", production on "Switchboard", and his new solo single debut on Fool's Gold, "Juke Dat Girl." For Front 312, however, he will be bringing out the classics.
KHA and Mikul Wing have made a name for themselves as Members Only AV over the last year, playing with anyone from Le Castle Vania to The Rapture. For Front 312, however, they will be playing two rare solo sets of all new wave and italo disco.
Mr. Automatic will be playing classic Razormaid tracks, 80's new wave, classic industrial, acid house, and new electro tracks prior to the headliners. Expect anything from Meat Beat Manifesto to The Presets and Frankie Knuckles. DJ Adam Black will open the night with punk rock, new wave, and alternative rock.
Doors open at 9pm. Admission is Free before 11pm with RSVP to Front312@gmail.com and $5 without RSVP or after 11.
Drink specials include $2 PBR, $3 Goose Island IPA and $4 well drinks, and plenty of other reasonably priced options are available at the bar.
Liars Club is located at 1665 W. Fullerton in Chicago. at the intersection of Fullerton and Ashland.
The most rockin' soul band you've never heard of, Keith And The Complications play tomorrow night at Underground Lounge. This six member ensemble has been playing shows all over Chicago for years and work hard just to get you to shake what you know you've got. Come on out tomorrow to support some amazing independent local music . K and the C's play in support of their new EP, Tie One On and open for glam metal band Felon Love. Garage rockers Yarn start the night. Come dance away the colder weather with some great new tunes.
Music starts at 9. Underground Lounge is located at 952 W. Newport. (773) 327-2739. The show is $8.
Touring with a full backing band for the first time since 2005, Moby came through Chicago Wednesday night to take the sold-out audience at The Vic on a trip through his musical history, from early electro raver cuts to his latest shimmering pop gems. If you're only familiar with the mass amount of hits from his 1999 release Play, then you are sadly missing out on the impressive range and talent that Moby possesses and displayed during his night in Chicago.
Grab your Chuck Taylors and safety pins, kids -- Riot Fest 2009 is coming to Chicago October 7th. The festival that brought us reunions by the Blue Meanies and Naked Raygun, among many, many others, is back at it again with more reunited punk heroes and local talent. Besides the five days of punk music spanning generations going down at venues around the city, they've also got a bowling tournament and film screenings planned for the week. This year marks Riot Fest's fifth year in Chicago, and each year they've only been expanding and bringing in more and more exceptional acts.
Just a reminder that tomorrow night Moby will be coming into town with a full band (a somewhat rare treat) to play at The Vic. Ever since his rise to popularity with the release of his album Play, which sold over 10 million copies worldwide, Moby has been a key figure in helping to bring dance and electronic music into the mainstream.
With his latest album, Wait For Me, we see one of the most personal pieces of work he's released to date. And he recorded the entire thing in his own apartment by himself in New York, giving a new meaning to having music feel like home. The video for the first single, "Shot in the Back of the Head" was done by director David Lynch, and you can take a peek at it over on Moby's website.
Moby plays The Vic tomorrow night, Wednesday September 30th at 7:30pm. Tickets are $34 and can be purchased online.
Influential Chicago group Tortoise has announced that they will be playing an in-store performance this Sunday at Reckless Records in Wicker Park in support of their new album Beacons of Ancestorship. The album is their first in five years and this will be only their third in-store appearance. They play at 5pm sharp, but since it's FREE, we recommend arriving early as they are sure to draw a big crowd to the small shop. 1532 N. Milwaukee.
In other Tortoise news, they are opening for Wilco at their two UIC Pavilion shows on October 18th and 19th. Tickets are $39.50. Show starts at 7:30pm.
Last night the Brooklyn powerhouse known as Grizzly Bear played the first of their two nights of shows at the Metro, captivating a full house of fans with their always lush and mesmerizing music. The band have swiftly been winning over audiences with their hushed yet forceful sound ever since their debut release Yellow House, including a large following in Chicago after playing twice at the Pitchfork Music Festival.
The Metro stage was adorned with mason jars hanging off of beams that looked like telephone wires, as the band sauntered onto the stage and launched into "Southern Point," a song that I believe Thom Yorke might have wished he wrote for Radiohead. It's a multifaceted and layered track, with a heavy bass beat keeping every part tethered to one another. As the song built speed and crashed at a high point, the mason jars above the band flashed brightly, illuminating them in a soft glow, which complimented the always beautiful lighting set-up at the Metro perfectly. The band was off to a strong start, both visually and musically, already more focused and solid than their performance this summer at Pitchfork Festival.
They played the first few notes of "Cheerleader" the first single of their latest album Veckatimest, as the crowd roared in approval. Live, "Cheerleader" has a more murky and muddled sound, the music almost sounding like a stomp as it plods along. This contrasts perfectly with the clear ringing vocals of Ed Droste, making "Cheerleader" an infectious song that glides smoothly along. Droste's vocals throughout are soft and languid, especially on tracks that showcase his simple sound such as "Knife," which I've deemed personally as the sonic equivalent of a warm bath. It relaxes you, is soothing and calming, and all I want to do is close my eyes and just get lost in the moment. Corny as it sounds, it makes sense when you see Grizzly Bear live. Other memorable moments of the set was the haunting "Colorado," which had a beautiful breakdown towards the end, a strong delivery of "I Live With You," which held tension and built before exploding in sound, and a choice ending for the set of "On A Neck On A Spit."
After first being mesmerized by the band a few years ago at Pitchfork Festival, and then let down by a lackluster performance this past July at the festival, it was reassuring to hear the band so dynamic, forceful, and gorgeous as they were last night. Seeing the multiple instrumentation and the careful craftsmanship of their music live truly shows why Grizzly Bear is one of the most innovated, original, and refreshing bands around today.
Grizzly Bear will play their tonight, Monday September 28th, at the Metro. There are still a few tickets left for the show this evening, but if you plan on going grab a ticket now at the Metro site, because I'm sure the show will sell out. Tickets are $25, it is 18 and over, and doors open at 8pm with the show starting at 9pm.
Growing up very much a part of the metal and hardcore scene, New Orleans, LA has served as one of the most integral and inspiring sources of music for me. Bands like Down, Acid Bath, Soilent Green and Eyehategod — to name only a few — were and are oceans beyond most other bands in this genre. I have a hard time even pairing them together in any way that makes sense. They created their own genre and community. Where one band ends several hybrids have already begun; each adding their own unique piece to the instantly-identifiable whole. While this is representative of artists in New Orleans in general, it's all too apparent in the musical community. They play the music of New Orleans and its inhabitants. They tell the story, good and bad. The beauty that emanates from the city also moves through the music. The devastation, anger and horrible truths that Katrina brought with it will forever be heard in the songs. So will the will to overcome it all. If there is a band that embodies NOLA and this sentiment more than any other, it is Down.
Fun.'s debut album Aim and Ignite was released a mere four weeks ago, but every person in the sold-out crowd at Schubas last night knew every word to every song, often shouting them over the band. Considering Aim and Ignite hasn't left my stereo in the past four weeks either, I was none too surprised at this reaction. If you're unfamiliar, fun. is the new project of former singer of The Format, Nate Ruess, Andrew Dost of Anathallo, and Jack Antonoff of Steel Train. Fun. retains the theatricality of Nate Ruess' songwriting style that I loved in The Format, only slightly more mature and with a more layered sound. I'm not as familiar with Anathallo and Steel Train as with The Format, but having never seen The Format live, I was excited to catch Ruess in action. He sure didn't disappoint.
For the last 20-(cough) years, Ian Svenonius has been an underground mainstay. His music, from early-'90s Dischord-era punk (Nation of Ulysses, Cupid Car Club) to mod garage-gospel (The Make-Up) and even modder psychedelica (Scene Creamers/Weird War), always features the elements of conspiracy rhetoric and ants-in-the-pants dancing.
Svenonius' latest project, Chain and the Gang, is no different, though it sounds far more subdued (no James Brown screaming here, folks) -- more "Folsum Prison Blues" than "N-Sub Ulysses." The band's first album, Down With Liberty... Up With Chains!, is mainly a Svenonius gig, but collaborators include the who's-who roster from K Records, including Calvin Johnson and other members of Dub Narcotic Sound System, Sarah Pedal, Brett Lyman, Karl Blau, Lizet and Veronica Ortuño, and about half of Old Time Relijun.
Catch Chain and the Gang at the Beat Kitchen on Monday, Sept. 28. I'm not sure just who will be in the touring band, but suffice to say it'll be a good ol' down-with-the-Man time. Playing with them is locals D. Rider and The Love of Everything. The show kicks off at 9 p.m., and it'll set you back $10. That is, unless you are the winner of a pair of tickets to the show, courtesy of Gapers Block. Just send an e-mail to contests@gapersblock.com with "Chain and the Gang" in the subject line and your first and last name in the body of the e-mail.Update: We have a winner! Congrats to Eric!
Tomorrow is the type of night when live music fans are simultaneously enthralled and frustrated about living in a town like Chicago. There are a plethora of shows, but only so much time. As much fun as multi-show evenings can be, there's also location, cost and time to factor into a busy night. It'd be a breeze to see alt-country rockers Son Volt at the Vic and then walk over to Schubas for a 10PM show with the trendy electronic trio Chairlift and British experimental musicians Micachu & the Shapes. That'd be two shows within a half-mile for $35. Or you could see the early Empty Bottle show with Swedish electronic rockers Miike Snow and Jack Peñate at 7:30 before walking (or riding your bike or taking a cab) about a mile to the Chopin for the Soft Pack (né Muslims) and Smith Westerns at 10PM. That package comes out to $22. And if you had some ESP to know when sets really begin, I'm sure you could work in Scottish pop band Bell X1 and New Hampshire indie rockers Wild Light at Double Door. But those scenarios don't even include all of the other shows happening on Friday. So let's do a quick rundown of some of Friday's highlights:
In addition to the Miike Snow and Soft Pack shows, Empty Bottle has a Texan double bill I last saw in 2002 with And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead and Secret Machines. The show's at Logan Square Auditorium at 8PM for $15.
This past Sunday was a dreary and rainy night in Chicago, but in my mind I was laying in the sun somewhere in a tropical climate far away. No, I wasn't hallucinating nor had I finally lost my mind. I was being swept away by the sweet sounds of Fool's Gold.
Tom Schraeder has been hard at work the last year (and still is) on material for his new album, The Death of St. Thomas. Having heard bits and pieces here and there myself, you'll be surprised at some of the turns he takes on what was originally slated to be three different sounding albums. Perhaps you'll also get a peek at some of his new material tonight as Schraeder brings his special brand of Americana to Beat Kitchen.
Also playing tonight is another of Chicago's own, Scott Lucas with his new band Scott Lucas & The Married Men. If you come expecting to hear another version of Local H, you're in for another surprise since this time around, Lucas has opted for softer and slower with less anger, more sadness and a touch of folk.
Tom Schraeder has even made this special video invitation to tonight's "Cassette Release Party" set to "Patbaby (An Ode To)," one of the tracks from his forthcoming album:
Extra Golden rolls into Chicago this weekend on the tails of the Chicago World Music Festival and boy are we in for a treat. They're playing not one but two shows at the Hideout so you get a doubleshot of one of the most entertaining half Kenyan/half American rock bands out there (well, to be honest, it's likely one of the few Kenya/U.S. musical matchups you're likely to hear at the Hideout, but it's a real good time, nonetheless). A member of the Thrill Jockey label, Extra Golden brings a booty-shaking, finger snapping, hand clapping beat straight from the streets of Nairobi to your eardrums (via D.C.). Currently promoting their latest album Thank You Very Quickly, you might remember Extra Golden from their jubilant song release last fall when Obama clinched the Presidency. Beautiful harmonies, happy guitars, and a truly rump-shaking rhythms are a staple of their new release and a real motivation to see this band live. Their latest effort once again features East African guitars, polyrhythmic drums and songs sung both in English and Luo, but also has a special vibe and more of a polished tone than previous albums. A believer that "tight quarters = tight grooves", the album was recorded mostly in the third floor hallway/laundry room of guitarist Ian Eagleson's parents' house. Given that success, I don't see how a show at the intimate space at the Hideout could be anything but a prime locale for this band.
And hey if you want to follow Alex Minoff (the "second best guitarist in Extra Golden") or Thrill Jockey on Twitter. You can do that, too.
Extra Golden plays this weekend, September 26th and 27th at 9pm at the Hideout located at 1354 W. Wabansia, Chicago. (773) 227-4433. Tickets are $12. Endless Boogie opens.
Act now and go for $0! We have two pairs of tickets (one for each night) to give away courtesy of the Hideout! Just be the first to email us at contests@gapersblock.comwith the subject line "Extra Extra!" and you and a friend can get your dance on for free! First who emails gets to pick their night! Update! We have our winners! Congrats to Eric and Chris!
[MP3]: Extra Golden - Anyango from Thank You Very Quickly
I first saw Scout Niblett perform on June 22, 2008. Whatever else I did that day is long gone, but the performance I saw that night will always stick with me. It was a Sunday night and the show was at Schubas. I was there mostly to see Dax Riggs, but Niblett was opening. She began with "Hot to Death" from her album Kidnapped by Neptune, and she got my attention fast. Intense is not a strong enough word for what happened in that room, on that night. I was only slightly familiar with her before she started that first song. By the end of it I was enamored. I knew I was in for a binge. I bought (yes, bought) all her albums that night.
For those unfamiliar with Niblett, allow me a moment to proselytize: She is from Staffordshire, England, but currently lives in Portland, OR. Her music is very minimal, and consists primarily of vocals accompanied by guitar, drums and the occasional piano. Often, only one of these instruments can be heard at a time. She plays them all.
Niblett's singing is unconventional but fervent. She's cited grunge music and astrology as being major influences. She's worked with Chicago's own Steve Albini on multiple albums; her most recent, This Fool Can Die Now, features a hefty four duets with Bonnie "Prince" Billy. On April 14, 2009 she released the 7" single, It's Time My Beloved through Chicago-based indie label, Drag City. Her current tour comes to a close this Friday, Sep 25 at Subterranean: 2011 W North Ave. 9:30pm. 17 & over. Tickets are $12.
But why pay when you could go for free? That would be ridiculous, not to mention wasteful. We're giving away a pair of tickets. Be the first to email us at contests@gapersblock.com with your full name and "Niblett" in the subject line, and they're all yours. UPDATE We have a winner! Congrats to Dan B.
[This guest review comes to us from reader Sarah Avampato, who also took the pictures.]
In front of a crowd of around 250 people, scattered at tables and chairs across the wide open floor of the Art Institute's new modern wing, Andrew Bird showed yet again why he is a force to be reckoned with in today's music scene. His short set drew mainly from Noble Beast, with a few nice surprises: an unanticipated side trip off into b-side territory ("The Water Jet Cilice"), a reworking of some old songs ("Sweetmatter"), and a new song that he's been working on. The crisp, clean lines of the modern wing were well suited to a night of Bird's music, who commented at one point that the environment made him want to play more legato music, broad strokes, instead of "pointy" things. The space really seemed to give Bird's music the chance to grow and take shape, unconfined, to be whatever it wanted to be, the way his music should really be heard.
Bird opened his set with "The Water Jet Cilice", a song which has popped up a few different times on EPs (Soldier On, Fingerlings 3). The song's long been a favorite of mine, and when I heard the opening strains, the churning violin and startling whistle, from way off in the middle of nowhere, aka where the restroom was, well, let's say I walked just a little bit faster to get back to my seat. After the song, he talked to the audience for a bit, mentioning that he was asked to tell an anecdote about the Art Institute. He shared a story about going to the museum when he was around six, with his mother and some other neighborhood children. In looking at the paintings, he recalled standing in front of one - a Rembrandt - and really having the urge to touch it. So, of course, he did, and promptly got yelled at by the security guard. Somehow, I don't think this was the type of anecdote that the organizers were hoping he would share - I imagine they were hoping for something a little more cerebral - but it suited the audience just fine.
Bands might be losing their buzz swifter than a Kanye interruption, but a potential audience member has to weigh the pros and cons of letting the buzz waves determine their lifestyle. The question is: should you go see Passion Pit for free? On the one hand, every trixie and their mother who's gotten a taste of the band on XRT will be in attendance wearing ironic Cubs T-shirts and pink baseball caps. Hipsters have an irrational fear that Clayton Hauck or the Cobrasnake will pop out at any moment and photograph them as one of these cougars hits on them, or a brah knocks them back with a mighty chest bump. Back to reality though folks. Yes, you might see some people who aren't in a quarter-life crisis, and maybe there will be a lot of them (tickets are being provided solely through XRT VIP points). If you can get your mangy mop-topped brain around the horrors of corporate sponsorship (yes, it's brought to you by Bud Light) and just want a chance to see a pretty decent band play some pretty decent songs in a not-too-big venue, check XRT's giveaway page for details on how to get a ticket - the show will be at Logan Square Auditorium on September 30th at 8PM, and will be 21+.
Folks, I'm gonna lay all my cards on the table; no headline-burying for you lovely souls today. Gerritt is playing in Chicago this Friday (at Metal Shaker, 3394 N. Milwaukee, 9 p.m./$5/21+). For those with chaos-hungry ears, who can (and will) take the time to differentiate between the thousand ways to to make the great din new and exciting, no more need be said, and you've already trampled the messenger on your way to line up at Metal Shaker for tickets. If you're unsure but interested, here's the brief version.
One of my favorite albums as of late has been Bad Veins' self titled debut--from start to finish. The album reminds me a lot of The Killers' debut Hot Fuss--over-the-top, danceable indie-rock with the same longing in the vocals. Bad Veins have a lusher, more orchestral sound though, and aren't afraid of their softer side. You'll find yourself singing along, yelling the full-of-feeling choruses --I often get them stuck in my head and catch myself singing 'I would be lyin if i said i never hated you!' around my house.
While their name might not be in your musical lexicon quite yet, drummer Sebastien Schultz and keyboardist/guitarist/singer Benjamin Davis have gotten quite a bit of attention lately with their single "Gold and Warm" popping up on indie radio stations, as one of MTV's Bands You Should Know, and songs appearing in Gossip Girl and The City.
After a stint in the electronic trio Dead Disco, Victoria Hesketh a.k.a. Little Boots used social networking websites for exactly what they're meant. She released recordings of a slew of covers and, with the Dead Disco name still bright in some minds, grabbed the attention of people who could help further her career as a solo electronic music artist. With Greg Kurstin (Geggy Tah, The Bird and the Bee) and Joe Goddard (Hot Chip) assisting with writing and producing, she released some singles in 2008 that caught the attention of even more people and had her debut album, Hands, ready for a much-anticipated 2009 release.
Where Dead Disco was slightly abrasive, Little Boots isn't. Rough guitar riffs have been replaced by grooving synths reminiscent of female-fronted British electronic pop between Rachel Stevens and Goldfrapp. Hesketh's voice carries from ultra sweet to downright desperate (in a good way). In addition to synths, the relatively new tenori-on plays a significant role on Hands. Floorburners like "Stuck on Repeat" and "Remedy" showcase a talent whose music should blow up in clubs. Downtempo songs like "No Brakes" call to attention a performer who has no trouble dialing it down a few notches.
Little Boots performs at the Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, on Thursday evening. Boston's Yes Giantess and Chicago's Kid Color open. The show begins at 9:30 and admission is $15.
With the work week starting on a Tuesday, it's easy to let the week get away from you, so you'd better start making plans now because you'll be kicking yourself if you miss something like a great show at The Hideout.
Local pop group Grammar has been playing around town somewhat under the radar lately, but tomorrow they play their first headlining gig. Their self-titled EP is purely pop with catchy hooks and feel good melodies, but lead singer and songwriter Brent Pulse (formerly of Bumpus) also shows that pop has a charming side. Tunes like "Won't Let Go" are pillowy soft and sincere, and you'll still be singing along. The group often brings interesting off-color instruments into the mix--everything from xylophone, to accordion, to melodica--in creating these pristine melodies. If you come by simply because you're curious, you're likely to find yourself dancing in the front row by the end of the show.
Polvo, one of the most intricate guitar bands of the 90's math rock scene comes to the Bottom Lounge tomorrow night. The band has the talent of making dissonance sound as if it belongs and almost pretty, yet still gives you that satisfying feeling of two trains coming at you at the same time. If you missed their sold out show last summer at Subterranean or couldn't stand the crowds to catch them at Wicker Park Fest 08, This Saturday is a good chance. Polvo is supporting their first album since regrouping entitled In Prisim which comes out this Tuesday. Local rock band Haymarket Riot opens just in time for Labor Day, along with fellow Chicagoians, The Poison Arrows for what should be a very loud night. The Bottom Lounge is located at 1375 W. Lake St. (312) 666-6775. 9 PM The show is $15 and it is 21+
It's not Monday, but a Chicago-based indie band will be taking the Pritzker Pavilion stage at Noon today. You've still got about an hour to get down there, so treat yourself to a lunch outside the office today and relax on the lawn while listening to the tunes of the 1900s.
I'm sure all you fine readers are polishing your dancing shoes and laying out your outfits for tomorrow night. Because I know you'll all be attending the 6th annual Gapers Block Party that we told you about last week!
I'll just quickly remind you of the awesome line-up: Nikki Lynette, The Hood Internet, Blane Fonda, and Panda Riot. And the fact that IDM Photography will be there with a photo booth is just the cherry on top of my musical Friday night sundae.
So how could things get any better you ask? How about this amazing poster by Dan Grzeca?
The poster itself says so much about Chicago, and who can resist the adorable charm of an angsty parking meter monster?
So we'll see everyone tomorrow night at the Metro. Remember, come before 9:30pm, and it won't cost you a thing to get in. Free event people, bring all your friends. Don't fret if you're running late, anything later than 9:30pm and it will just cost you $6. And while you are there you can pick up one of these really cool posters to class up your apartment. We'll see everyone tomorrow night, and I'll save a dance just for you.
Riot Fest is the little punk festival that could, a celebration of music only in it's fourth year, but rapidly expanding and gaining a strong presences each year in Chicago. This year the line-up includes an impressive roster, from legendaries like Naked Raygun and Screeching Weasel to hometown heroes Alkaline Trio, and everything in between. And it was with great pride to find out that our "little" festival was spreading out West. So it's with heavy hearts to report that Riot Fest West has been postponed, and even heavier hearts to share the reason why.
The mid-November festival in Los Angeles will be pushed back until Spring 2010 due to health issues challenging the founder, Riot Mike. Very sad news, but we know Riot Fest will still be kicking Chicago's ass later next month, and have no doubt that come Spring 2010 L.A. will get a taste of it as well. Riot Mike's personal statement is after the jump.
Our annual Gapers Block Party is finally here! And this year it's bigger and better than ever -- we're taking over the Metro!
Friday, Sept. 4, head to 3730 N. Clark St. for our killer lineup featuring Nikki Lynette, The Hood Internet, Blane Fonda (featuring ex-members of The Sapiens) and Panda Riot. We have some other fun stuff planned, including a photo booth by IDM Photography, a found imagery slideshows by Big Happy Funhouse and Square America, giveaways and more!
Doors open at 8pm, and best of all, the show is FREE if you get in before 9:30pm! Tickets are just $6 after 9:30pm or in advance through Metro website or ticket office. Look forward to seeing you there!
After the jump, videos of each of the musical acts...
Emily Wells played a beautiful set at Millennium Park on Monday as part of the city's Edible Audible Picnic series, but if you couldn't get out of the office for lunch that day, you have another opportunity to see her tomorrow night at Schubas.
Wells is a multi-instrumentalist (and by multi I mean everything from violin to toy piano to sampler) whose music I can only seem to describe with that one word: beautiful. You might think merging two genres as different as classical and hip-hop would be bizarre, but she somehow makes it just that--beautiful--but with edge. She is talented enough to have turned her nose up at a lucrative major label deal at the age of 17, opting instead to hold on to the creative control that we as listeners are lucky that she did.
On Monday she ruled the equipment switching from instrument to instrument, accompanied only by her drummer, Sam Halterman. Songs started off slow, with her building up the backing tracks that they would explode into as they formed. Her symphonies were sometimes dark and always dramatic, her quivery voice making them all the more haunting, but at the end of the show she switched gears into lighter, more upbeat songs like "Passenger" and "Take It Easy San Francisco."
One interesting thing I read about Wells was that on her last full length album, The Symphonies: Dreams Memories & Parties, she didn't simply play one single violin track over and over to create depth; she actually recorded up to 21 separate tracks to craft her very own symphony. Right now she is touring on the heels of her new EP Dirty, which if you're wise you'll pick up at the show, and if we're lucky, maybe her next album will have "Passenger" on it.
Emily Wells plays at Schubas Saturday, August 22. Tickets are $8 ($10 door). Show starts at 10pm. Horse's Ha and Leroy Bach open. 21 & up. 3159 N. Southport.
Chicago-based Califone have released tour dates and a film trailer in support of their upcoming album, All My Friends Are Funeral Singers, due out October 6. The album is a companion-piece of sorts to frontman Tim Rutill's first feature film of the same name. The majority of the tour, which kicks off October 10 and 11 at the MCA, will find them playing a live soundtrack film performance. View the complete list of dates here.
Greg Corner and Jonathan Radtke of Kill Hannah, Matt Skiba and Derek Grant of Alkaline Trio, and Scott Lucas of Local H will all be performing together tonight at Debonair Social Club, according to an announcement made by the band on Q101 last night. No word yet on whether the band will be recording together, however they have yet to pick a band name and will only be playing covers tonight, according to Greg Corner. Check out Greg Corner's Twitter for more information, and Ryan Manno's Twitter for pics from their Q101 visit.
Debonair is located at 1575 N. Milwaukee Ave. The show is free before 11 pm and 21+. According to the flyer, the night will be hosted by someone named Sinnister from VH1's Daisy of Love and some guy will be doing magic tricks. Hmm.
Fate led me to Harvey Danger's last Chicago show at Schubas on Saturday night. Having loved Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone? in junior high, they had completely fallen off my radar for the past ten years (yes, I realize I'm losing so much nerd cred right now). Then, one day a couple months ago I'd had my iTunes on shuffle mode and "Flagpole Sitta" started playing. What ever happened to this band? I'd immediately googled them to find out that they were about to call it quits, but not before one last small tour of club shows. The list of dates included Chicago, and lo and behold, tickets had gone on sale that very morning. It was destiny.
So what has Harvey Danger been up to these past several years? For starters, they released two additional albums - King James Version in 2000 and Little By Little... in 2005. The band was on a two year hiatus between the two albums, reuniting in 2004, albeit with a new drummer. Their last album, Little By Little..., was self-released and available as a free download through the band's website and BitTorrent, and was later re-released on Kill Rock Stars. Last May, the band announced they'd be breaking up via an announcement on their website, stating, "The decision is totally mutual and utterly amicable." They started their farewell mini-tour right here in Chicago with two sold-out shows at Schubas. And now we're all caught up.
After the hullaballoo that was last week's Lollapalooza, be thankful that this week's hullaballoo is as fun and crazy, but less wiltingly warm. Mucca Pazza, Chicago's own premiere 30-odd-piece marching band, is playing tonight at the Jackhammer (6406 N. Clark St.), the gay bar that knows no musical boundaries. Mucca Pazza have made a name for themselves for their frenetic shows -- think the best marching band music with a punk energy and cute, smartypants cheerleaders -- and its led them to appearances across these United States of America, on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and hell, on Chic-A-Go-Go. Local rock heroes Detholz! opens the show, and they're fantastically fun as well.
What I'm saying is: It's going to be bananas and you should go. It kicks off tonight at 9 p.m., tickets at the door will set you back $10. For more, and for other shows hosted by The Flesh Hungry Dog Show, check here.
The Breeders are a nostalgic treat for anyone who grew up in the '90s. Anytime I hear the opening riff to "Cannonball" I'm brought back to my high school days watching videos on MTV's "120 Minutes". But they certainly haven't been the easiest band to keep tabs on in recent years. Between the sometimes long gaps in albums, the drugs and the record label issues it is hard to know when the next time we will get to see them will be.
Thankfully, the alternative superstars just kicked off a summer tour, leaving 4AD and self-releasing their newest album Fate to Fatal. This follows last year's Mountain Battles. The twins rockThe Metro this Thursday for the post Lollapalooza show week with with indie soul band Whispertown 2000 opening. Doors open at 8. Show starts at 9.
Lucky for you, we have a couple of pairs of tickets to give away, courtesy of the Metro. Be the first two to email us at contests@gapersblock.com with the subject line "Cannonball" and you and a friend will be headed to the show on Thursday night. [Update: We have our winners! Congrats to Oscar and Sarah!]
All Photos by William Hasty and his trusty iPhone. Thanks Will!
"This isn't going to be one of my typical shows," announced Dan Deacon as he set up shop in a warehouse loft nestled between the hum of factories in Bridgeport. "It's been a long day, and I know it's hot and dirty, but let's try and relax," Deacon proclaimed over a room full of sweltering Hipsters who came to see him and a laundry list of bands play a last minute after show Saturday night.
Lollapalooza weekend in Chicago isn't just about sweating with the masses in Grant Park. Since the festival retired the touring shtick and rooted down in Chicago, after parties, pre-parties, and general music festivities have been popping up during Lolla weekend. This year the number of events have been staggering and overwhelming, but if you're looking for a guaranteed good time, put your faith in the hands of one of the most respectable venues in Chicago. The Metro is playing host to a sold out weekend of shows, giving audiences the lucky chance to see acts that usually are reserved for a the confines of a larger venue. Last night the Arctic Monkeys stirred up a packed crowd into a rabid frenzy with their brand of infectious post-punk infused rock 'n' roll.
The latest album from the dark indie collective Crooks and Children builds an almost nostalgic sense of fear and desperation. As you listen through the free 9 song album, Night is a Good Child you can hear the tension in the instrumentation and in the vocal delivery. Through the use of more untraditional instruments, like trumpets, accordions, and uniquely played synths, the band creates an unsettling atmosphere. It takes a few spins to crack through that uneasiness and really enjoy the energy and passion below it. Night is a Good Child has seven different covers all created by local artists, and the copy I received had all seven nicely printed inside. The band is very much aware of how connected music and art can be and should be.
Asher Roth for one reason or another pulled out of his post-Lolla gig at Cubby Bear tomorrow night, and has been replaced by a group you never thought you'd see perform in a Wrigleyville bar: none other than the Swedish trio Peter Bjorn & John. Since the change happened so last minute, no tickets are required and the show is FREE. This is one aftershow we might actually consider hitting up now.
It takes some brass to go with the original name used by both the Grateful Dead and Velvet Underground. But if ever a band were to do that, the Warlocks are probably them. Often drawing comparisons to mid-era Velvets and the Jesus & Mary Chain, the Warlocks headed by Bobby Hecksher (Beck, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Magic Pacer) have been charging forth through this decade.
Despite numerous personnel changes over the last few years, the albums have all remained more or less within the same spectrum without sounding like clones. Early in their career they made a case to be categorized as a lo-fi Spiritualized, but they've moved on to exploring droning (in a good way) shoegaze and neo-psychedelia with the last couple records. Now they might be lumped in better with My Bloody Valentine or even Ride. They still have spaced-out jams, but they're using distortion more effectively. For years they've been lauded for their performances and, hopefully, that holds true the next two days.
The Arctic Monkeys have come a long way from their humble days of Myspace darlings back in 2005. With the rise of their brash and infectious hit "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor," the band found themselves touring around the world, including a plethora of festival dates. The band should feel right at home this weekend when they head into town to play Lollapalooza.
They're also one of the many acts this weekend playing small intimate shows while in town. The band is headlining a show Friday night at the Metro before heading to Grant Park Saturday. Obviously the show is sold out, but Gapers Block has a pair for one lucky winner. Just be the first to email us at contests@gapersblock.comwith the subject line "Monkeys!" and you'll be on your way to the show Friday night at the Metro. Update! We have a winner! Congrats to Gordon!
The band is getting ready to release their third album, Humbug, and have been listening to a lot of '60s psychedelic rock and working with Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), and these factors show in their new dark and lush sound. Check out the first single "Crying Lighting" below.
Lollapalooza means that everyone and their mother is in town, and probably want to make the most of their time here beyond an hour in Grant Park. They boys of Dark Wave Disco host a cavalcade of stars at the Congress on Friday night, with Italian remixers du jour Crookers headlining and a mysterious Major Lazer (Soundsystem) just underneath them (be prepared for an absent Diplo, Switch or both)? Rounding out the bill is buzz-peaking Kanye protege Kid Cudi, Philly rap diva Amanda Blank, Italians Bloody Beetroots and Chicagoan Willy Joy. Tickets run $25 a pop, which if you do the math, breaks down to a mere $3.57 per act (oh this economy!). When you have this many people, your afterparty has to start a little early, so doors open at 8pm.
But that's not all! We have a pair of tickets to give away to the first person who emails us at contests@gapersblock.com with the subject line "Major Fun!". Update! We have a winner! Congrats to Brian.
Well, here's some exciting news to start the day. This morning, Lollapalooza posted the above image on their website. You must decipher the images to find out who will be playing. So far, the only real info on the site is that tickets go on sale August 6th at 10 AM. No word yet on ticket price or where to buy. Click here to see the official announcement.
Here we go with the second installment of our set-to-set matchup of Lollapalooza's bands. Today's battles rage on as Friday and Saturday's music starts to heat up. Keep reading for our picks on what to hear when.
True story: Four years ago, for an article I was writing for a magazine writing class in college, I had the idea of pairing the experience of two Chicago-based bands/artists -- one up-and-coming, the other more established -- and comparing/contrasting their experiences. I followed around the Mannequin Men for the up-and-coming band, and struggled to figure out who to interview for the more established act. After a few rejections from artists who were "too busy" for an interview, I received a nice e-mail from local singer-songwriter Michael McDermott, who told me he'd be happy if I followed him around for a few weeks and asked him some questions.
We've been trying to play catchup since Pitchfork, so I apologize for the lateness of this little gem, but our intrepid Pitchfork Music Festival photographer, George Aye, caught tons of snaps of some of the best part of the summer fest experience: the people.
Get two of the most explosive front people in rock today on a stage and you naturally expect an incredible show. Jack White's newest project The Dead Weather did not fail in delivering all of what these combined bands have to offer.
A foursome combining The Kills' front woman Alison Mosshart, Queen of the Stone Age's keyboardist Dean Fertita, Raconteurs' Jack Lawrence and of course Jack White. The electrifying combination only intensifies on stage. Of course it appeared everyone was there to see White, but the real attraction is the gritty lustful vocals of Mosshart. Even when she is not singing, you cannot keep your eyes off her black magic movement.
One cannot discount White's talents, which elegantly shifted from drums, lead guitar and vocals. But it is obviously apparent he has been waiting for a project where he experiment with percussion sounds.
This show is a must see if you are able to go tonight or in any other city as they continue their Horehound tour. The abrasive dynamic of this group is magnetizing and a great sound for the summer.
In honor of Lollapalooza and his performance there the next day, hometown violin virtuoso Andrew Bird will play a warm reception at Schubas on August 6th. The show will celebrate Schubas' 20th anniversary and is also a benefit for one of our favorite charities, Rock for Kids who provides free year-round music education to underserved children and teens. 100% of the proceeds will go to Rock for Kids.
Chicago label Bloodshot Records have been cranking out quality music for 15 years now, and to celebrate they're taking over the Hideout and throwing a Beer-B-Q for their birthday!
Sponsored by WXRT and Rolling Rock, the party will highlight some of the artists from Bloodshot's catalog over the the year. The line-up includes: Alejandro Escovedo, The Waco Brothers with Rico Bell, Bobby Bare Jr., Deadstring Brothers, The Blacks, Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, Scott H. Biram, Moonshine Willy. Also, proceeds will benefit the wonderful organizations Rock for Kids and 826 Chicago.
Save the date (September 12th) and head out to enjoy a day of alt-country rock goodness and wish Bloodshot Records a happy birthday and many more.
The Bloodshot Beer-B-Q is September 12th at the Hideout. It's all ages (there is a provided kids area) and the price is a $10 donation. Doors open at noon.
Violently romantic or romantically violent? Which of these phrases best describes the music of The Veils depends largely on the song; but not entirely. The lines blur. I can feel the gears shifting frequently on every listen. Whatever the destination, the vehicle driving towards it all is longing; an undiluted, lucid longing. Where it shines on the albums, it blinds live. Like many who left The Empty Bottle after Thursday night's midnight rendezvous with The Veils, I'm still trying to blink away the remnants of something like staring into the sun.
A reason to be glad Chicago is on Illinois' border with Indiana, rather than the one with Kentucky: Insane Clown Posse's 10th annual Gathering of the Juggalos is in Cave In Rock, Illinois, August 6-9.
Actually, maybe it's not so bad. After all, what other festival could possibly pull together Ice Cube and Vanilla Ice and GWAR?
The Octopus Project are self-described "collectors of sounds" and their new EP, Golden Beds, is a collection of five songs, each experimenting in different genres. With a couple of tracks coming from their debut album and a subscription-only 7" from last year, Golden Beds begins with the shoegaze tune, "Wet Gold" and immediately switches into rockin guitar and drums on "Moon Boil." The EP conludes with "Half a Nice Day," a lo-fi twee instrumental with cutsey keyboards, but the most compelling song is "Rorol," a streamy avant-garde play with a Siren's call. They utilize the fascinating theremin (an electronic instrument played by without contact from the player, just moving the hands near its two antennas) to create the eerie sound. You can stream the entire EP at Peek-A-Boo Records' website.
Everyone's favorite redheaded button making rock 'n' roll power duo, White Mystery, are keeping it busy this summer. The brother/sister duo of Francis and Alex White just teamed up with HoZac Record's Hookup Klub, where subscribers get ten 7" singles of 500 limited edition pressings from various artists. Sadly you snooze and you loose, because the Hookup Klub is already sold out. But there is hope. Fifty copies will be available at live White Mystery shows, so you've got to hustle if you want to purchase your own little vinyl slice of noisy blues soaked garage rock.
Do not panic though, because you can pick up a copy tomorrow (Friday July 24th) at Permanent Records, where the band will be playing and celebrating the release of their 7". The show starts at 6pm, and is free.
6pm too early for your rock 'n' roll blood? Then check out White Mystery later that night at the Q4 Art show, located at 2716 W. North Ave. The cost is $5 before 11pm, $7 after, 21+, and includes a laundry list of bands, live art, a puppet show, a trumpet, and face painting. Because you know it's a good night when you get to pogo up and down to garage rock while being painted up like a lion.
Jamie Lidell is one wild and crazy guy. Having seen him in concert more than a few times, I can say one thing; you never know what's going to happen. Hailing from Berlin, Lidell is a soul crooner, funk aficionado and beatboxing expert. He is known for his lively stage shows which almost always include a break that turns into an electronic one man show with him looping his voice, layering tracks and singing over them. It's actually quite impressive. He had a couple of hits off his album Multiply, including the title track and the groovy bass line behind "A Little Bit More" which was featured in a Target commercial. His newest album, Jim, was released last year on Warp Records.
Lidell is coming to Chicago on Saturday, July 25th to play Congress Theater with special guest Tortured Soul and we are giving away a pair two pairs of tickets! Just be the first two to email us at contests (at) gapersblock (dot) com with the subject "Dammit, Jim!" and you and a friend get in for free! [Update! We have our winners! Congrats to Joel and Alec!]
Congress Theater is located at 2135 N. Milwaukee Ave. This is a 17 & up show. Doors open at 9pm. Tickets are $20.
Every time you think your favorite hometown artist is skipping Chicago on tour, they end up announcing something even better (or at least you're even more thrilled when you get the news). Wilco has announced that they will return to Chicago to play at UIC Pavilion on Sunday, Ocbober 18th. Worried you won't be able to get tickets? You're in luck--they are holding two presales beginning today; one beginning at 10am on Front Gate, the second at noon through Ticketmaster. Send an e-mail to chicago@wilcoworld.net to receive the password for presale #2.
UPDATE: A second show has been added for Monday, October 19.
In other news, Jeff Tweedy graces the cover of SPIN Magazine next month, and promises you're gonna dig the story.
A weekend full of interviews with some of the nicest bands around was capped off with Paul and Perrin, two of the musicians in the band Beirut. The guys and I camped out backstage under a tree, chatting about the wonderful staff and actual musicians who work at Pitchfork Festival, their encounter with a drunk Pete Shelley of the Buzzcocks, and how part of Beirut was formed in a Haggen-Dazs. Special thanks to WBEZ for reading my mind and taking a shot of the guys a day before during their set, somehow knowing I would get so engrossed in our conversation that I'd forget to snap a picture.
Thanks for tuning in as I sat down with some of the artists this past weekend, and I hope everyone had a wonderful Pitchfork Music Festival 2009.
Early Sunday afternoon we sat down in the shade with the all girl rock trio Vivian Girls. The band spoke about the craziness of playing in front of a massive festival crowd, how Pitchfork is centered around the city, their story of opening for Sonic Youth, and the relaxed the atmosphere at the festival all weekend.
Check back later for our last installment of Conversations at Pitchfork.
Speaking to The Thermals was a lovely start to Sunday at Pitchfork Festival. The Portland trio chatted about what bands they were excited to see, their favorite festival memory of dancing on-stage with the Flaming Lips, their recent move to a new label, and how things are going with Kathy's band All Girl Summer Fun Band.
Thanks to Kirstie for taking some lovely shots of The Thermals, and keep checking back for a few more interviews with bands at Pitchfork Festival.
Hans-Peter Lindstrom is a dedicated guy. He flew all the way from Norway to play Pitchfork Festival. He arrived five hours before his set in Chicago, and told me he was jumping back on a flight Sunday morning to return home. Lindstrom was kind enough to sit down and chat with Gapers Block during his whirlwind weekend of travel, praising the selection of bands that Pitchfork books for the festival, his enjoyment of working alone as a solo artist, and how he selects the music he remixes.
And before Lindstrom could leave, Justin from WBEZ convinced the Norwegian DJ to pony up for an installment of their delightful segment the Wikipedia Files. Of course Justin had to steal our thunder and demand I take a glamor shot of him and his new best friend Hans-Peter. Clearly these two hit it off, and have forged a lifelong friendship. I can only hope this picture will end up framed on the WBEZ office wall.
Keep checking back for more interviews with artists from the festival this past weekend.
What you see above is the true face of festival fatigue. The Antlers sat down with us to chat 10 minutes after performing on Saturday. The guys joined us to have a post show beer and a smoke break, and shared what bands they were looking forward to seeing at the festival, the open mind that festival goers have when checking out new bands this weekend, their preferred location for recording, and how recording Hospice was a therapeutic labor of love.
Keep checking back for more interviews with bands from the festival this weekend.
We'll have a more verbose review of the weekend's Pitchfork Music Festival a little later in the day, but as you ease into your workday, here's a brief recap in pictures. Keep going after the jump, and there's plenty more to see at Flickr from Saturday and Sunday performances. (All photos by our intrepid weekend photographer George Aye.)
The Black Lips closed out Saturday night with a searing set of rough and raw blues fueled garage rock. In person the band is sarcastic and entertaining, much like the stage antics their known for during a live show. The fine folks over at ReadyMade Magazine let me and the band crash their swanky display, as the guys expressed their dislike of festivals (love to play, hate to attend), memories of being chased out of India with their record label Vice, their sinister plan to take over and shut down the festival with their radical ways, and even give the festival itself a Pitchfork style rating.
Keep checking back for more conversations with artists all week at Pitchfork.
Call it twee, call it shoegazer, or call it whatever you like, but make no mistake about the fact that The Pains of Being Pure at Heart make bright and cheery pop music. Their sunny music matches the bands sweet and friendly disposition perfectly, as I caught up with the band backstage after the brief downpour of rain Saturday afternoon. The band spoke about still being in the honeymoon stage of success, dished the dirt on a pop-punk Warp Tour past, and Peggy disclosed her rebellious ways of sneaking backstage at the first Pitchfork Festival.
Keep checking back for more conversations with artists all weekend at Pitchfork.
Next up I spoke to Cymbals Eat Guitars, one of my picks from our feature of bands to check out this year at the festival. Earlier the band kicked off Saturday with their brand of fuzzed out '90s style indie rock. Their laid-back music was the perfect soundtrack to a breezy early Saturday afternoon. The guys discussed the extremes of playing both venues and festivals, their favorite memories from early Lollapalooza festivals (including Neil's memory of Cyprus Hill and an inflatable bong), the surreal moments of their success this past year, and their guilty admittance of loving dance rock. And to fully explain their photo, the guys really needed a bathroom break. I was more than happy to oblige their need to express this frustration. Even indie rockers have to cave and use the port-a-potty.
Keep checking back for more conversations with artists all weekend at Pitchfork.
This weekend Gapers Block is sitting down with some of the artists at Pitchfork to talk about the festival itself, their favorite festival memories, and much more. Keep checking back all weekend for more conversations at Pitchfork Festival.
Before you take a listen, I have to disclose I'm a writer, not a sound engineer, so I apologize for the rough around the edges audio. You'll hear background noise, the occasional siren, and even the cheering crowd of DOOM during one interview. What else would you expect though from a live music festival? Have no fear if you're not a fan of audio, though. I'll be transcribing and posting the transcripts of each conversation throughout the week. Until then, turn up your speakers, and check out what some of the bands play Pitchfork Festival had to say.
I started off my Saturday chatting with the happiest indie pop duo in the world, Matt and Kim. I can say without a doubt, they are two of the sweetest people around, and a ridiculously dedicated band, constantly touring and even sometimes playing multiple shows a day. They shared with us a favorite a festival story of Matt jumping into the most contaminated lake in Norway, expressed their love of top 40 hip-hop, and clued us in on the perks of no longer having to rough it on the road.
Keep checking back for more conversations with artists all weekend at Pitchfork.
Friday night, the throwback day of Pitchfork Music Festival is always filled with bands that I am familiar with, but not intimately. I go in never knowing quite what to expect, but always come away a new fan of a classic indie group. Last night that band was Built to Spill. They were the highlight of the night, closing out the evening. Doug Martsch and crew and the crowd were equally rocking the park. I don't know if it was because it was a crowd-chosen setlist, or as my friend said, they're just really good.
The Jesus Lizard was over the top as expected, and I literally mean lead singer David Yow went over the top of many fan's heads surfing into the crowd--right at the beginning of their set--and again several more times. There was aggressive rock, screaming vocals and general mayhem.
I arrived a little late and only heard a portion of Tortoise's set, but the local group sounded as tight as ever playing all older favorites as part of "Write the Night" but nothing from their new album, Beacons of Ancestorship. Yo La Tengo hit a groove and played the calming soundtrack for getting acclimated with the park and settling in.
In anticipation of witnessing The Entrance Band's blend of psych-rock and blues firsthand, I've listened to their most recent release, 2006's Prayer of Death, more times this week than I can count on both hands. I've repeatedly listened to the title track more than could possibly be considered healthy. As they stand on the brink of releasing their Ecstatic Peace! debut, I was no less than stunned while watching them topple The Hideout tonight. They were an absolute storm in an intimate room; equal parts earthquake and tornado.
Pitchfork Fest is sold out and tickets on Craigslist are going for heinous amounts of money. Still left without a ticket? Do not fear! Pitchfork fun is not just limited to Union Park. Clubs all over the city will be hosting after-parties featuring talent as diverse as the range of artists at Pitchfork (including a handful of bands who will be playing at the festival itself). Think of it as Pitchfork on a budget. And for those at the festival who aren't too dog-tired from dancing in the sun all day, here's your chance to keep the party going.
The sound of sound checks are in the air at Union Park, Ice Cream Man is in Chicago, and a flock of hipsters are descending upon the green line. It can only mean that it's that special time of the year known as Pitchfork Festival.
Gapers Block will be out in full force this weekend, reporting on our favorite sets, shooting some wonderful pictures to share, and holding down the fort at the Gapers Block table at the CHIRP Record Fair (stop by and say hello).
I'll be showcasing some special content this year, as I sit down with various bands at the festival to chat about the matter at hand; music festivals. We'll get the bands take on Pitchfork, their favorite festival memories, and much more. So keep checking back all weekend for freshly ripped and exclusive conversations each day with some of your favorite Pitchfork Festival bands.
We kick things off today with a short conversation with David Yow, the singer for seminal rock band The Jesus Lizard.
Pitchfork Festival has been completely sold out since Wednesday, but we just got word that the festival is releasing some more single day tickets right now.
Due to popular demand (and wanting to offer fans a chance to get a ticket if they missed out without paying the insane offers in Craigslist), they are releasing 300 single day tickets.
So if you waited until the last minute, go get them, because I'm sure they'll be gone in no time, leaving everyone else to pay an inflated price from a third party.
You can purchase the tickets over at the festival's site.
UPDATE: The newly released tickets sold out in about 2 minutes.
It was sometime around 2002, when singer-songwriter-guitarist Guy Blakeslee moved from his hometown of Baltimore to Chicago. It is here in Chicago that he began his solo journey under the name Entrance. The 18 months that followed saw Blakeslee performing regularly at The Hideout. These performances earned him record-label attention and eventually the release of Entrance's debut album, The Kingdom of Heaven Must be Taken by Storm. Entrance went on to release the blues-folk heavy Wandering Stranger in 2004 and the psychedelia infused Prayer of Death in 2006.
Ending up in CA somewhere along the way, and recently signing with Thurston Moore's Ecstatic Peace!, the somewhat-newly-named The Entrance Band are readying a new release, and are currently out spreading their live show like wildfire. Tonight, Blakeslee and The Entrance Band return to where the spark was started: The Hideout. Tickets are $10; show starts at 9pm.
For years it's been common knowledge that there's something in Austin's water to account for its numerous rock bands that've broken big across the country. (I can't think of a town with a smaller population that claims more popular musicians as its own.) But it's not just the rock bands that are good there. Far from it. On Friday night one of its best live bands, Grupo Fantasma, visit Chicago for their biggest gig here yet.
The Latin/funk/psychedelic 11-piece pulls its influences from early Santana (think Abraxas), Joe Bataan and the Fania All-Stars. Early in their career, especially on 2004's Movimiento Popular, the group's sound was dominated by salsa and cumbia. Over the years they've slid a generous dose of psychedelic rock into the mix. In fact, "Bacalao con Pan" from 2008's Sonidos Gold begins with straight-up psychedelic guitar. But that doesn't mean they've forgotten their roots. The ultra-catchy "Mentiras" from their live album showcases a heavy rhythm section and smooth horns that are solidly entrenched in Latin music. Also on that album is a nod to one of the genre's pioneers with a cover of Ray Barretto's classic "Cocinando."
With slots backing Prince and Spoon (separate gigs, of course) and two appearances on "Austin City Limits" under their belt, Grupo Fantasma won't remain a secret outside of the Latin music community for long. Their reputation as an exciting live band has been growing for most of this decade and they're only getting better at it as they tour relentlessly.
Grupo Fantasma plays at the Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, on Friday the 17th. Numero Group's Rob Sevier opens at 10PM with a DJ set. The show is 21+ and tickets are $15. (Wear your dancing shoes.)
With the weather in the mid-80's over the next few days, what better way to enjoy the weekend than with some live music in the park? This weekend (July 10th - 13th), over 50 performers from across Illinois will gather in Millennium Park for the 4th annual Great Performers of Illinois Festival. The festival celebrates art unique to Illinois, and provides a something-for-everyone array of musical talent throughout the weekend. Let's just hope the thunderstorms on Sunday will pass quickly.
The record release show concept may have lost a little luster over the last few years of release dates not meaning anything to the typical consumer, but that's not to say they can't still be exciting and meaningful. If future behavior is best indicated by past behavior, Chicago's Mannequin Men have it in them to make Friday's Lose Your Illusion, Too release show at Metro a spectacle. The 4-piece derives its sound from early punk and Midwestern garage rock. Comparisons to Richard Hell and the Stooges are rampant throughout their music. And like any good punk band, they are a force to be reckoned with while on a stage. (Regular touring with Black Lips, another band whose true potential is realized in front of a crowd, has undoubtedly contributed to their live reputation.) They're brash, abrasive and a hell of a lot of fun to watch.
Also on the bill are their Puerto Rican equals - Davila 666. (¡Wepa!) With a self-titled record on In the Red last year, this septet established themselves as gritty punks who take far more influence from their American counterparts than their rock en Español brethren. Like Friday's headliners, Davila 666's also taken inspiration from tour companions in King Khan & the Shrines by incorporating costumes and props into their sets. (They'll also be playing a free show at the Empty Bottle in September.)
Chicago's Stranger Waves and Huntsville, Alabama's Thomas Function also play. The first 150 people at Metro get wristbands for a balcony after-party. Until noon Thursday, tickets are $5 on eTix. After then they're $10/$12 at the door. The show is 18+ and begins at 9PM.
The Human Quena Orchestra. Photo by Elliott Thomas.
When you think 'Free Monday Night Show,' chances are a lineup like this isn't the first one that comes to your mind. The Empty Bottle (1035 N. Western) has created a rock-solid lineup of bands, incorporating doom, drone, industrial, and metal(ic) crunch and thud, and put them together on a free Monday (July 13), or as I like to call it, I-get-to-drink-eight-dollars-extra-worth-of-beer-night.
SF duo The Human Quena Orchestra, touring in support of their second album, The Politics of the Irredeemable (Crucial Blast), are joined by two local acts, one seasoned and one newly minted, and a NYC solo project making her debut in Chicago.
They came together last winter and all of them claim it's been like a marriage with three other people, without the sex. Since, Chicago's California Wives have devoted all their creative effort to their music.
Their sound can be described as 80s new wave, unlike most music coming out of the Midwest. Some have compared them to Franz Ferdinand and New Order. Currently they continue to produce their new EP and play shows around Chicago. This Friday they will be playing at Miska's with Sissy Mena. Also Style 4 Food and Max and Chloe will be selling racks of vintage clothing.
Love in October, who recorded and produced their own new self-titled EP, could be described as rock and power-pop. There is a young innocence in their sound, not surprising since two members are brothers originally from Sweden. Love in October has that Swedish pop feel, with a definite American 90's alternative influence--a hint of Weezer in the guitar on "Permutations" and Blink 182 in the quick paced vocals on "Like Nothing Ever Happened." The album has a reflective, melodic ending on "27-08-08" with a distant voice singing in Swedish (reminding me a bit of Foo Fighters on "Doll").
Join them tomorrow at the Record Release Show for Love in October at Martyrs (3855 N. Lincoln Ave.). The Right Now and Jenny Gillespie will also play. Show starts at 10pm. Tickets are $8. 21 & up. (For your chance to win guest passes to the show, email your name and email address to management@loveinoctober.com by noon TODAY.)
Download a free mp3 of "Like Nothing Ever Happened" at their website.
Wilco's Jeff Tweedy must really love the Emanuel Congregation in Edgewater (the Tweedy family's synagogue). He played two shows at the Vic to benefit the synagogue last February, and this August he'll be playing yet another benefit show, this time in the synagogue itself (though you don't have to be a member to attend). It's a perfect opportunity to enjoy a relaxing evening of music for those not interested in that little music festival going on the same weekend. Peter Grosz, who is a Second City alum and is currently a writer for "The Colbert Report", will be opening the show.
The charity event is taking place August 8th at the Emanuel Congregation, 5959 N Sheridan. If you've got a bit of extra dough, a $200 VIP ticket will get you front section seating, a meet and greet with Tweedy and Grosz, an on-site parking spot and a drink ticket. Mid-section seating is available at $75 per ticket and third-section seating for $54 per ticket, with off-site parking available for $10. Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased here. Doors are at 7 pm, show at 8.
You've seen the great debates: South Side vs. North Side, the Trib vs the Times, now NBC's Golden Local is asking you which music festival is better: Lollapalooza or Pitchfork? Cast your vote and check back in 13 days when the voting ends to see what your fellow locals think!
The rain broke, the heat rose with the sun, and there was a free show Monday night at the Pritzker Pavilion at Millennium Park. Oh, I was there. The lawn was not quite a Decemberists-level crush of blanket sitters, but the crowd was lively and comfortably dressed in the sundress and bicycle cuff style. Beer was purchased (or brown-bagged), wine was shared, and cheese was added to crackers. The excitement peaked as the sun slid behind the Michigan Avenue wall and a collective sigh rose as Dirty Projectors hit the stage.
Swinging through through hits like "Stillness is the Move" and "Cannibal Resource" and from their latest album, Bitte Orca, the harmonies between Angel Deradoorian and Amber Coffman were magical in the haze of the slow burn of the evening. From where I was sitting, in that soft light, I couldn't make out the band well, but I could clearly see two members of Broken Social Scene (in town to do some recording at Soma with Sea and Cake's John McEntire) Brendan Canning and Kevin Drew sitting, socializing and enjoying the music. You know, there is something very BSS-like in the harmonies and loops that Dirty Projectors utilize. I can see how that's up in their wheelhouse.
DP closed with a seemingly truncated version of "Knotty Pine" (Byrne-less, sadly), but the Park was keeping a tight schedule. [Note: Later Monday night, after heading off toward Detroit, the band got into a car accident. It seems like the initial reports of serious injuries were false, but they're scrapping two shows in Canada and heading to NYC to regroup.]
Starting right on time were the evening's headliners The Sea and Cake, all business and down to it. Unfortunately clocked in as the "older" band by some of the less-familiar in the crowd, Sam Prekop and Archer Prewitt led the fellas through the set beautifully and really gained some new fans Monday night. The sound was something else — I repeatedly remarked that the bass was stronger than any other Sea and Cake show I'd heard — in a good way. I felt like even though I was hearing this outdoor performance of great songs like Car Alarm's title track and their older self-titled album tune and audience fave "Jacking the Ball" I was experiencing them for the first time in high fidelity. Likely this is a testament to the fine design of the speakers at the Pritzker. To you, I say, Bravo. I wasn't alone in feeling the love that night — the crowd begat several pockets of bouncy dance circles (one of which spilled over into a post-show drum circle, but that's ok).
Tonight at Schubas, a refreshing indie pop band hailing from Boston stops by on their way to play the Sled Island Festival in Calgary. The Main Drag's music bounces along with driving beats, shimmering guitars, and choruses full of group harmonization, their music blending to create a dreamy, laidback, and fuzzed out sound. The band was recently named "Best Unsigned Artist" by Salon.com, and have already had their music featured in Rock Band 2 and in a Target commercial. They're traveling up to the massive Sled Island Festival, where over 170 bands are expected to perform including Andrew W.K., Liars, Holy Fuck, and Japandroids.
Their latest release, Yours As Fast As Mine, is a mélange of their influences, reminding me at times of the layered and heavy sounds of Broken Social Scene, punctuated with bursts of driving energy and the tight rhythmic composure of bands like Minus the Bear or the Foals.
The Main Drag play at Schubas tonight, Monday June 22nd, at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $6 at the door, and local act King Sparrow will be opening. If you haven't had a chance to check out King Sparrow's debut EP Derailer, do so now. It's a heavy mix of dirty guitars, driving drums, and brash vocals, an impressive debut from the Chicago outfit.
It's been nearly 30 years since California punk band X released their debut album, 1980's Los Angeles but you wouldn't know it from the youthful vigor they played with. Starting off a three-night run at The Double Door, X pleased fans by allowing them to vote on their favorite songs and creating a setlist spanning their entire career and back catalog that was sure to make many devotees in attendance very happy.
Perhaps the only clue that X has been playing music for nearly three decades was how tight they were between the four members. It was great to see John Doe and Exene Cervenka trade off on vocals, Cervenka dancing with the mic in her hand, sometimes while she was singing without missing a beat. Cervenka's voice still retains the ability to soar and be as hearty as those songs demand.
Walking the line adeptly between genres of punk and country, the songs were played slightly faster live and with more of the country overtones emphasized. Between the live chemistry between Cervenka and Doe and the smiling presence of guitarist and original founding member Billy Zoom, the band appeared nothing short of charming in the midst of the energy of their songs.
Though their set was very focused on their music playing, X did encourage the audience to keep voting, which should come to fans no surprise considering their politics. John Doe also voiced appreciation for the crowd and for the city they have played in many times over the years. It was also great to see a good turnout with a crowded room of fans, many of whom when asked insisted that they were planning on attending all three nights. Highlights of their set included: "Los Angeles" "Johny Hit and Run Pauline," "Breathless," and "Sugarlight." Throughout their 90 minute long set, including a four song encore that emphasized More Fun in the New World one couldn't help but notice how well X's songs had held up throughout the years.
Hangovers are the annoying, productivity-inhibiting result of a night spent drinking quite a bit, and yet we still put up with them because it's fun to loosen up, be social, and dance. Sure, it's easy to pop some aspirin, rehydrate and muddle through the morning, but wouldn't it be cool if music could relieve your hangover?
That's the concept behind Exception AM, a free digital compilation from subVariant that aims to present a collection of electronic music to help you feel better in the morning after a night of drinking. To celebrate the release on June 20, the release party will be held at Ai lounge in River North as the first in a series of concept parties called "Artificial Intelligence." Liz Revision will mix the mostly-ambient and downtempo tracks from the compilation together at the beginning of the night and will then hand over the decks to local DJs Silentcorp, Andrew Kevins, Dirtybird, and Droopy to finish out the night with techno and house. The party will be free all night from 10pm-3am.
I have walked in and out of Schubas on many nights over the changing seasons and years. On each of these uniquely beautiful nights I walked out feeling like I had experienced something special. I've seen some great shows at some great clubs, but I do not have this particular association with any others. Last night I walked in to see AA Bondy and Holly Miranda. It was again a uniquely beautiful night; and I walked out knowing I had experienced something special.
It must be an artist's nightmare to fade out of their career after once being successful. Yet it happens all the time. A band achieves great highs, branches out from the sound that propelled them to be stars and doesn't catch that limelight again. Years later on indefinite hiatus, hardly anyone even notices. Brutal. Catherine Wheel deserved a better fate.
After the demise of the band he fronted for a decade, Rob Dickinson made the move to a solo career and released Fresh Wine For the Horses. The first half showcases a musician appealing to the masses. Its alternative radio-friendly songs seem to exist to expel the notion of his former band as musical chameleons. (Let's remember that CW practically alienated many fans with their third album sounding more like the Smashing Pumpkins and Bush than Ride and Lush.) "My Name is Love" is anthem-like and numerous other moments shine across the front side. However, this record's nothing if not back-loaded. It's where longtime fans can hear the strides that Dickinson's made as a songwriter during his break from Catherine Wheel. There are echoes of his many influences - whether the shoegazing that broke CW, what could've plastered them all over "Headbanger's Ball", or even the ethereal mid-era Talk Talk sophistication. (And, oh wow, does "Towering & Flowering" ever sound like Elbow!) His latest release is an acoustic cover of "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want."
Rob Dickinson plays Schubas, Belmont & Southport, on Sunday evening. Local H's Scott Lucas opens. The show is 21+, starts at 8PM and admission is $14.
The official Lollapalooza schedule has been posted! Check out Lollapalooza.com to start making your Lolla plans (click here to go directly to the schedule). The site is overloaded at the moment, but while I wait for it to load I'm crossing my fingers that Depeche Mode and the Beastie Boys won't be playing head-to-head. Lollapalooza takes place August 7th - 9th in Grant Park. Tickets can be purchased here.
On a Monday night in the bloom of summer, you'd expect a fairly young crowd out for the Nylon (magazine) Summer Music Tour, AKA "look at our new label peeps". While the back of the crowd had a decent mix of folk (and of course, Thax), the front pit was a decently-sized mob of college kids or recent grads who certainly didn't look like they were facing a morning commute.
Jaguar Love drew the short straw and played first. Unfortunately, this meant that people who didn't want to stand in the Bottom Lounge for five straight hours were still finishing up their dinners or perhaps going for pleasant evening strolls. Sorry, Jaguar Love.
Following them were the impossibly French Plasticines, whose syrupy accents made their fairly standard Donnas-esque rock a little sweeter. They played their cover of "These Boots are Made For Walkin", and demanded (eventually through an "interpreter", in case the crowd wasn't understanding their English) that everyone had to "go like thees: *clapclapclapclap*" After some trips into the audience from lead singer Katty Besnard, everyone eventually obliged.
Of special note here is that during the break, no one less than Bob Marley was used for fill music. Sure, why not?
Living Things (not to be confused with Peter, Bjorn and John's new album of the same name) are a band with a message, political and social, told through straight ahead rock and roll. Their latest, sophomore album, Habeus Corpus, is fueled by rage from the Bush era, in fact, these guys used to burn posters of the former President on stage. But, don't think we're dealing with a heavy-metal Rage Against the Machine copy-cat here, these guys have drawn more comparisons to the likes of The Ramones and Johnny Rotten punk.
Three brothers from St. Louis comprise the band--lead Lilian Berlin, drummer Bosh and bassist Eve, with Cory Becker on guitar. You might recognize the catchy chorus form the first single from their debut album, "Bom Bom Bom," which was featured in an Apple commercial. The singles released so far from Habeus Corpus, "Let It Rain" and "Oxygen," are more melodic and poppy, but the group shines on grittier tracks like "Brass Knuckles" and "Cost of Living" which are more representative of the album as a whole.
Living Things are slated to play Lollapalooza in August, but you can see them at Bottom Lounge (1375 W. Lake St.) on Monday, June 15 as part of the Nylon Summer Music Tour. They will open for Patrick Wolf, along with Plasticines and Jaguar Love. The show starts at 7pm. Tickets are $ 15. 18 and up.
Most festivals in Chicago are put on by large-scale production companies such as C3 or Jam productions. These are huge corporations that have the manpower and money to put on massive, successful, wonderful events, yet sometimes balk at the DIY ethics that are a staple in the modern music industry. This weekend the tables will start to turn though, as the Chicago Noise Machine host the massive I AM Fest at the Congress Theater.
Unless an artist is playing a residency, you usually don't get to enjoy an incredibly talented act multiple nights in a row. Usually a band will come through town, put on a wonderful show, and leave you wanting more. But if you're a greedy music fan like me, you may have lucked into seeing St. Vincent twice this week, as she rolled into town Sunday to perform at the Metro before heading over Monday night to play the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park.
As if Stubhy Pandav hadn't found enough success as the lead of Lucky Boys Confusion and Shock Stars, he's created another band by the name of The Insecurities who debuted to a sold out crowd at Elbo Room last June. What started as "an outlet for my songs that I loved but, for one reason or another, never made the cut in previous projects," Pandav says, can now boast that they will be opening for 311 and Ziggy Marley as the winners of an online Q101 contest.
With a familiar Stubhy power-sound, The Insecurities are piano-infused rock taking influences from Ryan Adams, The Counting Crows and Bright Eyes. They have an EP out now called Ban The Kiss Hello: A Social Commentary, and are currently writing songs a full-length album due out in August.
The annual Q101 Block Party will be held at Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island on Sunday, June 14. The show starts at 7pm and tickets are $37.
Gogol Bordello can't be classified merely as standard live music. They are closer to a music festival all on their own. The gypsy punks bring their own party with an entourage that encourages the energy behind their lyrics. Not surprisingly, the crowd echoes back with its own energy of moshers, pogoers, dancers, and those who just want to have a shared experience over the music.
Likewise, Eugene Hütz isn't merely a singer but one of the most expressive and personality driven leaders of a group of musicians whose work could dissolve into a chaotic mess if they weren't following his every frantic move. Luckily, the other musicians on stage are also talented musicians all on their own and back up the songs well with supplemental vocals, drums, violin, accordion and more.
The avant-garde art/music space Lampo (219 W. Chicago Avenue, 2nd Floor) always attempts to bring new and unique experiences to the ears and minds of Chicagoans eager for something different, but Saturday's performance (9:00 p.m., $12 door) should prove to be especially engaging and unusual, especially for devotees of not just art and music, but the strange fringes of overloaded technology.
The event, loosely known as MAGIC MATRIX MIXER MOUNTAIN, is a collective ensemble of experimental musicians, software developers, visual artists, and circuit-bending mad scientists. The process sounds complicated, so I'm going to let the Lampo info sheet explain it:
During the performance and installation at Lampo, five of the artists will build the MAGIC MATRIX MIXER MOUNTAIN on-site while two are connected remotely via the Internet. All of the artists (foothills) will feedback and feedforward to expose the graceful musicality of faulty technologies. Decoding and rebugging digital media, the MAGIC MATRIX MIXER MOUNTAIN will exist for one night only but will be accompanied by an operator's instruction manual, to be written, arranged and printed live in realtime along with the performance of the audio, video and datastreams.
For a sense of what the group's about, you can visit their blog, which includes a ton of images, short films, and things that twitch and bleep and follow you around the room with a stinky eyeball. The tone and texture of the piece, as well as the love of re-purposing dead/dying media reminds me of the project 8-bit Construction Set, not to mention dorkbot Chicago (with which this group shares members Jon Cates and Jake Elliott) or even the long-running trio I <3 Presets, whose ranks MMMM shares member Jon Satrom (also of Magic Missile) with this group and who are similarly devoted to technological obsolescences in their death-throes, turning error warnings into haikus and bluescreens into percussive solos.
Above: The International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE)
It's worth repeating, in case you're thinking that you read that wrong: this Thursday, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) will present five short pieces by legendary composer Iannis Xenakis, as performed by the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), an up-and-coming group dedicated to performing modern and classic works of the avant-garde and, in their words, "advancing the music of our time." Xenakis' structurally difficult works require virtuosos who not only possess outstanding chops, but excellent instincts and problem-solving abilities, as the pieces often demand something beyond perfection from its performers, requiring them to make sounds not easily coaxed from their instruments, and to play them perfectly each time. As a result, the ground-breaking Greek composer's works are seldom performed, and even more rarely by an ensemble so dedicated to making them EXACTLY RIGHT, making this event a rare and essential musical event.
ICE will perform five of Xenakis' pieces (roughly a 75 minute performance, with intermission) in the MCA's auditorium. Tickets are $25, and the performance starts at 7:30 p.m.
I'll be honest, most of the time I find solo singer/songwriters kind of boring. But, then I heard Kevin Devine. Devine is an artist that can cross many different genres and put his stamp on each one. His new LP, Brother's Blood, is in a word, outstanding. He excels with energetic indie-rock jams like "I Could Be With Anyone" and several tracks -- including "All Of Everything, Erased" and "It's Only Your Life" -- that sound like they could have been on the Garden State soundtrack. He also has a talent for creating powerful swelling songs like "Carnival" and title track, "Brother's Blood."
In listening to the album, I found myself associating him with artists from Ben Gibbard to Ryan Adams to Albert Hammond Jr. to Sam Beam to Jeff Tweedy, but even those comparisons don't capture his wide range. There is "Fever Moon" -- a sexy Latin croon that you wouldn't expect, but it works. Then there is the deceivingly cheery ukulele tune "Murphy's Song" about a pup with a Marley & Me ending. The album hits its peak at the middle with epic desperation in the nearly eight-minute "Brother's Blood" followed by the steamy "Fever Moon."
Devine has worked and toured largely under the radar and was almost lost after his dismissal from Capital Records during their merger with Virgin, but he came out unscathed, and frankly, better off than he went in. This fifth album, released on the Favorite Gentleman label, is a self proclaimed "sprawling, confident mission statement about conscience, culture, and personality."
A few weeks back, we mentioned an upcoming two-day festival of black metal, drone, ambient, and harsh noise called Matchitehew Assembly. It's still happening Friday and Saturday, June 5 and 6, same time, same place, same everything, except that one more act's been added, and it's a doozy. A collaboration between West Coast noise/experimental artist John Wiese and Midwest drone industrialist Hive Mind has been added to the Friday lineup, bringing each day's lineup to eleven acts.
Wiese is known to harsh noise fans for his limitless array of recordings, both under his own name, and with such collaborative projects as Sissy Spacek, Heavy Seals, LHD, and Waves. His work with Sunn o))) also more than cements his reputation in the world of experimental metal. His most recent album is titled Circle Snare, and is available on the No Fun Productions label.
Greh Holger, aka Hive Mind, has mined an obsessively bleak shaft of darkness for many years, with such classic albums as Tunnel Birth, Death Tone, and Cast Through Shallow Earth to his credit. He also runs the Chondritic Sound label, where you can still find an example of this duo's collaborative possibilities in the form of a 10" record entitled "...Trick Satanism."
The festival is taking place at the Co-Prosperity Sphere, with tickets priced at $25 for one day, or a two-day pass for $40. More info on the festival, including up-to-the-minute updates and directions to the venue can be found at the Matchitehew Assembly web site.
When I grow up, I want to be Karen O, the electrifying front woman for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. During their sold out show at the Aragon last night, O never lost the giant grin she wore while parading around stage and leading the band through some of their best songs and showcasing new work off their latest album, It's Blitz. You want to know what it's like to love your day job? Go see the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
At first it sounded like too much of a gratuitous pairing, if not something akin to a shotgun wedding -- the merging of two of the leading names on the international electronica scene. But the proof is in the results, and with the release of their album this past month, the collaborative trio Moderat (that being two parts Modeselektor to one part Apparat) proved that the venture makes total sense.
On prior releases, the duo Modeselektor have established themselves as deft craftsmen and versatile collaborators -- switching styles at the drop of a hat while working with everyone from Thom Yorke to glitchcore nutter Otto Von Schirach. Likewise for the moody and pop-minded Apparat (aka Sascha Ring), who showcased his own creative flexibility when he partnered with Ellen Allien for the brilliant 2006 album Orchestra Of Bubbles.
It's been five years since the last time we heard from The Prodigy, but they're making one hell of a comeback. Invaders Must Die, the new album which the band self-released, jumped to #1 on the UK charts and has gotten worldwide recognition. And for good reason - this raucous, soul-blasting album proves the band is back with a vengeance. Lucky for us, they're hitting up the Congress Theater tonight, which will undoubtedly be a sweaty fun dance party. I had the chance to chat a bit with Maxim, The Prodigy's MC/vocalist, on the phone last week (albeit with a few technical difficulties) about the upcoming show and his thoughts on the album.
"It's kind of like a new thing for us, getting back together as a band and getting back into the studio. This is kind of like a family united. It's triumphant. You can hear the togetherness of the band on the album." explains Maxim.
The track I find myself playing constantly, "Run with the Wolves", features none other than Foo Fighter Dave Grohl. "He's a good friend of ours, so it happened quite naturally. It wasn't a case of our manager contacting his manager - Dave contacted us and said he likes creating beats. He had just finished a tour, so we went to the studio and laid down some beats. It happened quite quickly and we came together on a natural level."
What can we expect from tonight's show? According to Maxim, "full-on energy."
The Prodigy play tonight at the Congress Theater, along with Canadian DJ/producer Tiga. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased here. The show is 17+ and starts at 7 pm.
Back in the '90s, perhaps no one figure played more of a single-handed role in reshaping the German electronic music scene than Cologne-based producer and musician Wolfgang Voigt. Issuing recordings via a plethora of pseudonyms and short-run labels, Voigt was at the center of a network that stepped up to challenge the supremacy of rave-centric Berlin techno; all of which would eventually lead to his co-founding the broadly influential Kompakt label. But in the years since, Voigt's legacy has mostly rested on the work he did throughout the late 1990s under the alias Gas.
Over the course of numerous albums and EPs, Voigt developed an enigmatic and impressionistic take on dance music. The average Gas track struck the ear like a soft-focus pastorale -- all awash in layered, sweeping timbres that sounded like an orchestral string section sawing away at Mahler's Sixth in slo-mo, with the muted throb of a persistent beat thumping through the atmospheric haze. Musically, it was more the stuff of dreamscapes than dancefloors; but a decade after the fact it seems that Voigt's now in a position to trade on his work's lasting appeal. This past year's seen the Nah und Fern 4-disc boxset reissue of the Gas discography, as well as a book of Voigt's artwork with an accompanying CD via the Raster-Noton label.
If you're a fan of stripped down garage rock, loud drums, and/or redheads, meet your perfect match. White Mystery is the two-piece brother/sister duo of Alex and Francis White. Alex is best known as the guitar rockin' front women of Miss Alex White and the Red Orchestra, but with her latest venture with brother Francis, she strips it down to a guitar and heavy-handed drum garage rock sound. The twosome put on an energetic show, and had one of the most killer tambourine and guitar rock outs I've ever seen recently when they appeared in ChicaGoGo (as evident in the photo above).
Also playing is noteworthy act, Stranger Waves, who were recently picked as the "Best Rock or Pop Act" by The Reader. The trio of 18-year-old rockers supposedly puts on one of the best and most rowdy local shows around, creating a racket of noise with two guitars and driving drums. I'm looking forward to finally checking them out live myself. The music will be gritty, loud, and it will make you bounce all around Hideout's floor.
White Mystery and Stranger Waves play The Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia, tomorrow night (May 23rd) at 9pm. Tickets are $8, and the show is 21+
"They killed our DJ's and stole our airwaves... this means WAR!"
Vertigo Kidd is musical disguise of Chicago Public Radio reporter Michael Rhee. This past week he, along with Austin Bale, Erik Rasmussen and others, released the debut ep, Pirate Radio and in turn waged a personal war on mainstream radio. This release is filled many of the elements of traditional pop, but since it was done independently will not be granted the attention it deserves. Blending electronics with a more traditional sense of rock, the ep crosses genres (and oceans, "Hawaii") effortlessly in just four songs. The album and beautiful cover by Becca Heuer can be purchased digitally here, or you can attend Vertigo Kidd's release party tomorrow night (May 22nd) at Silvie's Lounge, (1902 W Irving Park Rd). Also performing tomorrow night will be Blue Eyed Jesus and John Drake band, and it all begins at 9:00pm.
DJ Z-Trip, who brought us his Obama Mix: Party for Change (which we had on repeat through the election) and Victory Lap: The Obama Mix Pt. 2, is coming to Chicago with Q-Tip as part of Bacardi's B-LIVE Tour. The Chicago stop on the tour takes place at House of Blues on June 12, 2009, but The FADER magazine is presenting a "warmup" next Wednesday, May 27th at Evil Olive. The event, dubbed SOUNDCHECK, will have complimentary beverages from 9-midnight with music by DJ Ghetto Division. Evil Olive is located at 1551 W. Division. 21 & up. RSVP for SOUNDCHECK here.
Rumor has it that Repo, the newest release from the Brooklyn-based experimental music trio Black Dice, has a few of the band's longterm devotees crying "sell out!" It's difficult to see what any sort of fuss might be about, especially considering that Repo doesn't signify any big change in artistic direction. As with their other four albums, the group's sticking with their usual technique of tweaking and twisting samples and loops into lopsided rhythms. But Repo finds them forgoing some of their prior austerity and greatly expanding their sonic vocabulary in terms of source material. And this time out the tracks are denser and more richly-layered constructions, with the guys running loops and sounds around a deeper acoustic space, bouncing them about like tennis balls in a clothes dryer.
The end result is an album that contains a newfound sense of playfulness and some genuinely hilarious moments. Case in point, the woozy percolating bloopiness of "Lazy TV," and the delirious psychedelic cartoon stomp of "Glazin" as it uncoils around the wobbly sounds of a Hawaiian slide guitar and (what sounds like) loops pinched from "Crimson and Clover" and "Doo Wah Diddy Diddy." If anything, it all reveals a group that's finally reached a certain comfort level with what they're doing. Enough so, that they can loosen up and have a little fun with their chosen mode of noise-making.
Canadian bred indie rocker/tongue-in-cheek zinger of all things too indie, Dan Bejar, aka, Destroyer is performing a solo show at the Empty Bottle on Sunday night. Bejar, who, for far too long, has been lumped into the New Pornorgraphers clique, has been cranking out albums under the name "Destroyer" since the mid '90s. Last year's Trouble in Dreams was album eight for Bejar, who has been speeding along and alone in his roadster built of irreverent quips and lyrics on a road headed somewhere (just not too specific of a destination, please) with his forays as a contributor alongside the NPs and others serving, more or less, as roadside curios. The audience should expect Dan, an acoustic guitar and a set list showcasing his vast catalog of Destroyer, New Pornos and Swan Lake songs. Fingers crossed, he busts out the same new material that has numerous message boards all-a-tizzy!
Destroyer plays at the Empty Bottle, Sunday, May 17th at 9:30pm. Tickets are $12.
I've preached my love of local band Raise High the Roof Beam before here at GapersBlock. Their charming brand of music shimmers both live and recorded, and their shows are a swirling mix of funhouse whistles and balloons wrapped around earnest lyrics delivered affectionately by lead singer Thomas Fricilone. Raise High the Roof Beam are not dastardly in the nature of their music, striving to create layered, quirky, and bold anthems instead of playing it safe and blending into a mundane world of indie pop rock.
The band just released their latest EP, The Majestic Beast of The Flatlands, and are getting ready to leave our fair city and head out on the road for a bit. To celebrate a tour and some new tunes, they are having a show/party tonight at Volcan Gallery. You know the type of venue and show. BYOB, donation at the door, an intimate show with a bunch of strangers while discovering some great new local music. Sounds like a great plan for a rainy Friday night. Sure beats staying inside watching movies on Lifetime.
The show is tonight, Friday May 15th, at Volcan Gallery, 1917 W Irving Park. It's all ages, and the music starts at 8:30pm, a suggested donation of $7 at the door (which will get you music from four bands) and the event is BYOB. I say bring a bottle of wine, no one will bat an eye if you sip straight from the bottle.
King Khan at the Pitchfork Music Festival, July 2008. (photo by George Aye)
If a friend showed up at your house wearing gold lamé underwear, a cape, and toting a cooler of dry ice, you just might back away slowly and bolt the door. When it happens at a rock show, you know you're in for something special, and you press as close to the front as you can. That's what was in store for the crowds at the Pitchfork Music festival last summer when King Khan & the Shrines took the stage.
Somewhere between Neo-Soul and performance art, this lovechild of James Brown and Sun Ra truly is a rock n' roll showman. King Khan struts, he preens, he screams, he sings! He also seems to enjoy making the rounds in Chicago, as he's been back a few times in the past year, always stopping in at the Bottom Lounge (where he'll perform Friday night). The large music space accommodates King Khan and the Shrines' flamboyant, exuberant performance style (complete with elaborate costumes and a disco cheerleader), while keeping a show feeling intimate. The group's sound is somewhere between a balls out soul scream (think Brown's "I Feel Good") and a sweaty, summer rooftop dance party. I doubt there will be anyone who will walk away from Friday's show saying that King Khan didn't bring it. Pick up a copy of their album What Is?! for a good listen, or check the tracks below for a taste.
The Kills brought their brand of sultry, gritty, and exuberant rock 'n' roll this past weekend to a sold out crowd at the Metro. Sharing the bill with them on their tour is the UK gothic glam punk outfit The Horrors.
Photos by Steve Gasikowski
[More, including more photos by Steve Gasikowski after the jump.]
Pick up your average, non-comprehensive "names for babies" book, and it's unlikely you'll come upon one of the more sinister-sounding names available to you -- "Matchitehew." It's an Algonquin name meaning "He has an evil heart." Hell of a way to bring a new child into the world, eh?
The name does, it seems, evoke just the right tone as the name of an upcoming two-day festival in Chicago. Matchitehew Assembly, taking place on June 5 and 6 at the Co-Prosperity Sphere, wears its evil heart on its sleeve by offering 21 bands and performers, joined by a shared love of funereal doom. Projects from the genres of black metal, drone, power electronics, and harsh noise will blanket the city just as heat and sunlight begin to attempt their timid return.
Tickets are $25 per day, $40 for both day, all ages. All info, including times and directions, can be found at the festival's website.
Come hell or health problems, Mike Watt doggedly adheres to his age-old ethos of "jamming econo" and working the "thud" end of things.
Arguably the punk movement's most technically adept and hardest-rocking bassist, Watt first came to prominence in the 1980s with his work in the Minutemen and fIREHOSE. And in the intervening years he's managed to stay indefatigably busy and prolific. Recently, he served as the bass player for the resurrected line-up of the Stooges, and he's also continued to record and tour with a dizzying number of bands and projects.
One such current project is the ensemble Unknown Instructors, whose fourth album, Funland, drops via the Chicago-based Smog Veil label this month. The group marks an all-star reunion of alumni from the SST stable of yore. In addition to Watt, Unknown Instructors also includes former Minutemen drummer George Hurley, guitarist Joe Biaza from Saccharine Trust and Universal Congress Of, with Joe Carducci -- former SST maestro and author of the aesthetic tome Rock and the Pop Narcotic -- handling the product boards. Vocal duties go to Watt and Toledo-born poet Dan McGuire, with contributions from Pere Ubu frontman David Thomas and former Black Flag sleeve artist (and current art-world big cheese) Raymond Pettibon.
The cavernous Bottom Lounge is a daunting place to fill on a Thursday night, but a small crew manned the upstairs bar, a decent gang resided in the main bar, and a downright impressive (if not quite capacity) swell of folks filled the back room for a three-bill musical spectacle. Starting things off were Anticon's Serengeti & Polyphonic, the latter playing mild-mannered beats under the incomprehensible rhymes of the former. Everyone has off nights, and some tastes are more acquired than others, but the audience was about as fully involved in their own conversations and drinks as they could be without facing completely away from the stage. Several points found lyrics giving way to a stuttered f-bomb in lieu of a rhyme, and when they did come, it was with treats like "a stolen chandelier/barfing from the womb".
After a quick recuperation, Maps and Atlases took the stage. The three string-players were lined across wearing Hoodie, vest, flannel - a front line hipster triumverate. But there was no posing here. Singer Dave Davison has the bent yelp and polite plead of a Van Morrison and a Cat Stevens in his singing, and plays a mean guitar to boot. Erin Elders joins him for some fancy fretwork - if you've never seen finger-tapping outside of metal videos or your drunk friend at a party, rest assured it can be a powerful weapon when used in pop melodies. Shiraz Dada kept the pace on bass, and Chris Hainey broke out just the right amounts of cowbell, xylophone, and wood block to create a refreshingly new but sugar-y sweet simple pop that would probably make Vampire Weekend punch the windows out of their parent's Bentleys. After rousing versions of "Every Place Is A House" and "Ted Zancha" the band was in full control of the audience, and after a few more songs, left to a big burst of applause.
The foursome of Deerhoof, now a year and change into their current line-up, took the stage softly and carried a big stick. Vamping through a short opener, the band then hit the jangly first notes of "Chandelier Spotlight" with Satomi greeting everyone appropriately for the windowless venue - "welcome to the underworld..." A strange group of bros in the front kept shouting in unison for "wolf head" (?) during the song breaks. Satomi coolly asked are you from "wis-con-sin? Wis-con-sin! Wis-con-sin!" to much approval from the gents and the audience in general. Having saved the day, she returned to her far corner of the stage. Although almost obscured from view, she kept her presence known with her usual fantastic vocals and the occasional flying kick.
Always an eclectic performer who loves to bring his music right into the crowd, Dan Deacon didn't disappoint last night at his show at the Metro. See more photos after the jump.
A few months ago, I had the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of the Dex Romweber Duo's new album, Ruins of Berlin. The album was put out by Chicago's own Bloodshot Records, and it's a great record. Listening to it as often as I have been lately, honestly, I can't imagine a better, more energetic show that I'd like to see. Thankfully, Dex will be in Chicago tomorrow night.
Dex and his sister, Sara will be rocking out the Double Door Wednesday night, May 6th. They won't be alone, either. Also on the bill are the Blackbelts and the always entertaining (and fellow Bloodshot recording artists) Detroit Cobras. If you want in, we've got you covered. We have not one, not two, but three pairs of tickets, and we'd really like to give them to you. Here's what you have to do: Just email us at contests@gapersblock.comwith the subject line "Dex Duo" and you and a friend get to go for free! (21+) The first three get 'em, so email away! The show starts at 9pm, at the Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Update: We have our winners! Congrats to Matthew, Erin, and Kurt!
Over the years, the Hideout has not only played a vital role in fostering the local music scene, but it's also often linked up with various organizations that strive to improve the social and cultural quality of life in the city of Chicago. This weekend, they bring these two traditions together yet again as they host a three-way benefit event, and a superb lineup of Chicago acts have signed on to take part.
Kicking off at 4 PM and continuing throughout the evening, the benefit features a rich and diverse billing of Chicago artists. The roster includes a double dose of homegrown avant-folk from Spires That In The Sunset Rise and Pillars & Tongues, some Puerto Rican styled bomba y plenta from the percussion & dance ensemble Afri Caribe, as well as a set of spaced-out latin psychedelic pop from local favorites Allá. The band Roommate will also be putting in an appearance, and headlining for the evening is Baby Alright -- the funk/soul covers project whose lineup includes Dan Bitney of Tortoise and poet/former D-Settlement frontman Marvin Tate. This being a Saturday night, the Hideout's Dance Party follows, with DJ Céline.
See the full schedule for the event below, after the jump.
Ah, Grand Rapids: native hometown of former President Gerald Ford and the nation's Furniture Capital (of office furniture manufacturing). Mustard Plug proudly claims Grand Rapids as their base of operations, where they've held court over the local ska scene since 1991. That's a whole lotta years of skankin' to offbeats, folks.
The boys are obviously good at the game by now, so do yourself a favor and head to the Beat Kitchen on Friday, May 1 to check them out as they headline with The Pinstripes and Scissors. The show kicks off at 9:30 p.m. and will set you back $12. You can find online tickets here.
As it happens, the Lumpen-organized Version>09 is winding down for the closing night of its eighth annual arts and media activities this Saturday with the Chicago Art Parade and this year's episode of the Journey To The End Of The Night street-game event. As it happens, all of this coincides the latest cross-country tour from the Olympia-based K Records stable rolling into town, so it looks as if the two parties decided to merge paths for an evening of music at the Co-Prosperity Sphere.
Headlining for the occasion is Chain And The Gang, which effectively makes for the latest musical incarnation of Ian Svenonius -- previously the frontman for Nation of Ulysses, The Make-Up, Weird War, and author of the 2006 subcultural polemicist screed The Psychic Soviet. Also on the bill in a supporting role are the Hive Dwellers. Both bands, reputedly, are more or less the same groups of musicians; an ensemble of various members of bands from the K Records network -- except that as C&G they back Mr. Svenonius and as the Hive Dwellers they accompany K Records founder and former Beat Happening/Dub Narcotic Sound System impresario Calvin Johnson. And if that billing wasn't confusing and incestuous enough, Calvin Johnson is slated to get the evening's show rolling with a set of solo material.
The first (and only) time I saw Mastodon was at the Pitchfork Music Fest in 2007. I knew who they were and I'd heard a couple of songs, but I was completely unprepared for the amount of rock that they unleashed. It was one of the highlights of my weekend, way better than Yoko Ono's light show that night. They're heavy metal the way it should be; loud and fast.
If you haven't heard of them yet, you should pick up their newest album, Crack the Skye (you can listen to it here, too). If you have heard of them, then you're probably one of the people that can't get in to their sold-out show this Thursday night (4/30) at the Metro. Lucky for you, we can help. Thanks to the tour's sponsors, ShockHound.com, we have two pairs of tickets to give away. E-mail us at contests@gapersblock.comwith the subject line "Mastodon" to enter. We'll pick two lucky winners on Tuesday morning! It's as simple as that. I assure you, you want to see this show. If you can't make it to the show in Chicago, perhaps you can find another date on their schedule that suits you. Good luck! Update! We have our winners! Congrats to Casey and Ryan!
Superdrag returns to Chicago this weekend (Saturday April 25th) to perform at The Metro with longtime Chicago veteran Nicholas Tremulis Orchestra and Van Ghosts. This show is in support of their new album Industry Giants, and follows on the heels of the recording of their Daytrotter session. In sound, this is very much the Superdrag you may remember from the late nineties, but lyrically frontman John Davis is taking the band in new direction. John had a life changing experience in 2001 that eventually sparked the bands four year hiatus and his new found faith is tastefully splattered though out this album. Don't get me wrong, Superdrag is not a Christian band, but there is a positive spirituality that sets a clear and refreshing tone.
Really Quick Contest! We have a pair of tickets to give away courtesy of Superdrag for the first person to email us at: contests (at) gapersblock (dot) com with the subject line "Super!". (FYI: This show is 18 and over.) Update! We have a winner! Congrats to Ryan.
Recently, I was able to ask John a few questions about the direction of band and the new album.
What's better than a day full of Chicago's own power pop rockers OK Go? There's certainly no shortage of opportunities to see them today. This afternoon, they're handing out burritos to the homeless along with volunteers from Inspiration Corporation. If you'd like to help out, head over to OKGo.net for more information (you'll have to be able to meet up at noon and bring your own burritos). The band will even take you out to lunch before you hit the streets.
Not able to make it out at noon? No worries! OK Go will be doing an in-store performance at the Michigan Avenue Apple Store at 4 pm. I'm a big fan of in-store performances at Apple because they have platform seating so you'll have a good sight-line no matter how far back you are. Unfortunately, I'll still be stuck at the office at 4 pm. If you're caught in the same situation, do not fret! The band will be performing again tonight at the Double Door, as part of the venue's 15 Year Anniversary series. If you're an OK Go fan, you pretty much have no excuse to not see them today.
The Double Door is located at 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave. Tonight's show is 21+ and starts at 9 pm. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased here. U.S. Royalty opens.
You wanna talk geek cred? MC Chris has it in spades: For years, he served as a writer and voice talent for Cartoon Network, working on The Brak Show, Sea Lab 2021, and notably, on Aqua Teen Hunger Force as MC Pee Pants, the most famous giant spider rapper to wear a shower cap.
Oh yeah, and he raps. In 2001, Chris captured geek hearts far and wide with underground hits including "The Tussin" and "Fett's Vette" (with the excellent hook "My backpack's got jets/ I'm Boba the Fett/ I bounty hunt for Jabba the Hut/ To finance my 'Vette." Many albums later, MC Chris is back on track with his latest CDs, 2008's MC Chris is Dead and 2009's Part Six Part One.
Want to spend an evening rhapsodizing about action figures? Of course you do. Check out the MC Chris show on Friday, April 24 at the Beat Kitchen. He'll be performing with Jacksonville, FL, punkers Whole Wheat Bread. The show kicks off at 7 p.m. and will set you back $14 at the door.
Really Quick Contest! The first one to email us at contests (at) gapersblock (dot) com with the subject "Pee Pants" gets a pair of tickets to the show on Friday night! Update! We have a winner! Congrats to Eric!
That whistling band from Sweden. That's how most would probably describe the band Peter Bjorn and John, that exploded on the US music scene two summers ago with the catchy song "Young Folks." The rest of Writers Block followed along this trend with more whistling and more pop songs, but also some darker experimental tracks, hinting of what was to come from this group. Last year the group put together a mostly instrumental album (with some spoken word) called Seaside Rock that varied in genre from caribbean jam to, well, seaside rock. Their latest album, Living Thing, is the trio at it's finest thus far--serious, percussion heavy, minimalist indie rock (with a couple paul simon-esque tracks thrown in for good measure...).
While the trio has been busy together, they also have solo projects on the burner as well. Peter Moren released a solo album last year (on Chicago's own Touch and Go label) venturing more into the singer-songwriter arena, while Bjorn Yttling has been busy producing other artists such as fellow Sweed breakout Lykke Li.
Opening for Peter Bjorn and John at Metro this Thursday, April 23, is the charming Chairlift, whose debut album, Does You Inspire You was released just this week. Their song "Bruises" is yet another song you probably heard in an iPod commercial. Both bands were among the lineup announced this week playing Lollapalooza, but if you want to catch either of them in a smaller venue than Grant Park this year (at least in the city of Chicago), this will likely be your last chance to do so. Tickets are still available for tomorrow night's show, but act fast, because getting all the way to the venue just to find out that it sold out that day, well, it really sucks. The show starts at 9pm. Tickets are $20. 3730 N. Clark St. 18 & up.
The word amicability can be defined as having a disposition characterized by warmth and friendliness (wordreference.com), and on their latest album, aptly titled Amicability, A Light Sleeper oozes warmth in every notes. A few years back a band called The Knife released an album called "Silent Shout", and that phrase has always left a certain image in my mind. It's an image of wanting to scream, but not having an outlet, not fully releasing it. Amicability is very much a gentle and refined scream, or perhaps it is that welling up just before the scream. The eight tracks build and wind through layer of jazz, ambience, and chopped up vocals while the listener drifts along. Moments are built and then drained as this trio melts all snow and allows the spring to full capture the spotlight. It's that creeping warmth, that mounting scream, that release from a tortuous winter and a bursts of truly inventive musical exploration.
This is the first musical release from the new nonprofit group Another New Calligraphy. This is a project that helps musicians and writers establish and maintain an effective visual and tactile presence in an ever-increasingly virtual world, all while building an artistic community with a powerful, unifying identity. Their hope is that by making albums or manuscript visually recognizable, they can help art stand out in the American media overload. Operating outside the realm of traditional record labels and publishing houses allows them to work under a new model based on the simple acts of creating and sharing. It is an ambitious mission, but they have chosen an exceptional album to launch the project.
The Streeters, finally coming back out from their recording binge and much needed winter hibernation, are playing Quenchers this Wednesday April 22nd. I interviewed Chris Stelloh and Dan Stone of back in December a few days before they played at Subterranean, opening for Rulet. They invited me by their apartment with apologies for the lack of whiskey, and offered up some stove brewed coffee instead. It was a cold and miserable night, almost as nasty as this hail and snow on the forecast these next two days.
I had no idea really what to expect from an interview with The Streeters. Stelloh I've known for a good while from the neighborhood. Most folks would probably pick him out of the crowd, though maybe without knowing where they'd seen him before. That's how it is sometimes when you run into the bartenders who work at Estelle's. Dan on the other hand I hadn't met. Getting the two of them in one room though... I should have brought along an interpreter.
Stelloh is one for rapid-fire conversation. Talking to him is like to leave the listener a bit breathless to compensate. The gamut of topics he's likely to touch upon will also leave a person reeling a bit. Add Dan into the mix though and suddenly it was another language being spoken in front of me. The layers of reference left me with the feeling I'd just barely missed the punchline of some hilarious joke. Bits of "Venture Brothers," Mitch Hedberg and Trading Places seeped in between what must have been just old shared hijinks.
Our conversation started with Dan providing a soundtrack on a particularly beat-up acoustic guitar. Stelloh requested that he play some zombie songs.
Dan: "I was under the assumption that everything was a zombie song."
Stelloh [to me]: "Everything has to be played on an acoustic guitar. So you can still play after the zombie apocalypse."
Dan: "I hate acoustic guitars. Except this one."
No stranger to the pioneering fringe of experimental music, Kieran Hebden was a key member of the forefronting U.K post-rock trio Fridge back in the early 1990s before he delved into electronic music under the name of Four Tet just over a decade ago.
In the past few years have, Hebden's stayed unusually active and prolific. He not only brought Fridge out of hibernation for a reunion album and series of concerts, but also releasing collaborative albums with avant-jazz drummer Steve Reid, putting in a guest appearance on Vashti Bunyan's 2006 LP Lookaftering, as well as continuing work under both his own name and under his Adem alias. Somewhere amidst it all he found time to check in under his Four Tet guise with last years last year's Ringer EP. While it largely leaned toward bleeps-and-beeps mesmerism, the EP still hinted as Hebden's usual modus -- folktronic tapestries of electronic and organic instrumentation laced with samples, beats and loops that as equally evoke the rich sweep of pastoral expanses as the recesses of inner space or the dancefloor.
Pontiak are the trio of brothers Van, Jennings, and Lain Carney, who -- after having scattered across the map to pursue various musical careers -- came together in Baltimore a few years ago to form their own band. From there the brothers relocated to a house in the less populated Blue Ridge environs of Virginia, set up their own rehearsal and recording space, and got to work.
For the most part, the brothers' third album Maker is as weighty and daunting as its title implies. The story has it that guitarist Van blew out two amps (Mogwai style) during the album's recording sessions, which wouldn't be surprising given the sound of the thing. At first listen, much of Maker wafts along on heavy boulder-rolling buzzriffs and sludgey rhythms -- much of it amounting to a tub of stoned kozmic blues so thick you could stand a rowboat oar in it.
Kori Gardner of Mates of State (photo by Jeff Trost for Transmission).
It's always a bit of a heart-swell to watch Mates of State perform together. Whether it's at festival stages, touring with This American Life at the Chicago Theatre, or on the indie stage at the Metro, they're always cutting sweet smiles at each other throughout the set. Kori Gardner (keyboard/vocals) and Jason Hammel (drums/vocals) are the masterfully in-tune married duo that are Mates of State. I've seen them several times live, and each time you just can't help come out of their set happy. A Metro all-ages show that ended on the early side of last Saturday night, the crowd that came out to see SUNBEARS!, Black Kids, and the Mates were certainly in the mood for dancing and good times and definitely left giddy.
Jason Hammel of Mates of State (photo by Jeff Trost for Transmission).
Jeremy Barnes of Hawk and a Handsaw (photo by Kirstie Shanley)
10:00 p.m. on a Thursday is a little late for a school night, but Jeremy Barnes of A Hawk And A Hacksaw was not having it from the Hideout audience. "You know, we were in Ann Arbor last night, and I hate to say it, but they were a little more active than you. I'd like to see some more movement," he requested politely. While the spots in the audience did give him a few pockets of shimmies and twirls, most of the evening was marked by a rapt (or at least least sleepily respectful) audience.
With a bevy of instruments laid out in the center of the room, the mildly unexpected Hats took the audience through some jazz improvisations — wild trumpet outbursts, saxophone wails, and a xylophonist armed with four mallets of fury. The band had breakdowns showing off each of the members that went off wildly before returning lock-step to each other — the highlight being the xylophonist's literal deconstruction of his instrument, pulling the bars out for a clattering crescendo.
Branded is a new series of events brought to you by Time Out Chicago and the people behind Revolution No. 9 New Years Eve with Justice. They aim to fuse the worlds of art, fashion, rock, hip hop, and electronic culture, and are kicking off the series with a show this Saturday night at the Congress Theater with a big line-up of some of the electronic world's finest. Graphic artist Dan Stiles will be creating limited edition posters, t-shirts, and skate decks for the show.
Headlining the concert is Grammy-nominated Toronto electro DJ Deadmau5 (aka Joel Zimmerman). Expect an insane light show and a giant costume mouse head. Aside from taking the electronic world by storm, he's recently released a new iPhone application that allows users to remix their favorite Deadmau5 songs directly from their phone. Also on the bill are international acts Crookers, Late of the Pier and The Whip. Local artists Zebo, Willy Joy, Loyal Divide, and Noise Floor Crew will be sharing the bill.
Branded takes place Sunday night at the Congress Theater, 2135 N. Milwaukee Ave. Tickets are $21 and available to purchase online here, or at Gramaphone Records, 2843 N. Clark St, Silver Room, 1442 N. Milwaukee Ave, or the Congress box office. The show is 17+ and lasts from 8 pm to 3am. Ticket purchase includes a one-year subscription to Time Out Chicago.
Really Quick Contest! We're giving away 2 pairs of tickets to the show, courtesy of the good folks with Loyal Divide. Just be the first 2 to email us at contests (at) gapersblock (dot) com with the subject "Branded!" and you'll be the winners! [Update!] We have our winners! Congrats to Michelle and Matthew!
Dancing, chant-along choruses, girls shaking maracas, audience invasions by the performers -- and maybe even some dancing, singing, and maracas-shaking from atop the bar. All of that, plus a surreal puppet show to wrap things up. So it goes on an average night with Mr. Quintron and Miss Pussycat.
After nearly a decade of releasing records and building a small cult audience, the New Orleans-based Quintron rubbed shoulders with a broader audience in 2005 when his Swamp Tech LP was picked up for distro by Kid606's Tigerbeat6 label. Largely operating as a one-man band, Quintron's sound -- - roughly two parts psychobilly to one part juke-joint organ music -- has remained fairly consistent throughout the years. But 2008's Too Thirsty 4 Love LP found him expanding on his usual style and bringing some new moves to the floor.
When you enter a club that has a warning posted "there will be excessive strobe lights used in tonights show," you can pretty much bet you're going to have a good time. Such was the case Friday night, when electro-pop heavyweights The Faint and Ladytron kicked off their two nights of co-headlining shows at the Metro.
[More, including more photos by Kirstie Shanley after the jump.]
Every time I see pop duo The Ting Tings (Katie White and Jules De Martino), all I can think is that Katie is basically what every little girl wanted to be when they "grew up" after watching Jem and the Holograms. She bounces all over the stage with her fluffy blonde hair, Technicolor outfits (clothes which she designs herself) and sugary voice chanting cheerleader-style or serenading a sweet little melody.
Remember Chicago post-rock band Volta Do Mar? Like many bands, they were put out to pasture or sent to the farm to run free for the rest of eternity (whichever scenario you'd like to believe). Yet thankfully out of the ashes rose a new band. Oso brings to the table the creative and talented sounds that were captured in Volta Do Mar, yet add in a rich Eastern European gypsy flair to the mix. With exceptional musicianship and impressive delivery, they offer up music that is fresh and eclectic in its sound, creating a mix of genres and styles that meld perfectly.
The band will be making the trek back to Chicago to play tomorrow night at Ronny's up in Logan Square at 9pm. It's the last show before Oso heads over to Europe to tour, so make sure to stop by and send them off with a proper farewell. The show is 21+ and is only $6. Make sure you spend your Friday night getting schooled in the art of world infused rock music courtesy of Oso.
MySpace Secret Shows have been bringing big names to small venues since 2006 (think Lily Allen, The Decemberists, Neko Case, Depeche Mode, etc.) They brought us Moby at Smartbar back in 2008 and City and Colour to the Beat Kitchen earlier this year. Attendees to each concert also receive a limited edition poster. Who doesn't love getting stuff for free?
Tonight they'll be bringing Ontario's MSTRKRFT to Co-Prosperity Sphere down in Bridgeport. I caught this electro duo back in October at Double Door, complete with a seizure-inducing light show and a packed house of sweaty dancing kids. My kind of night. The show is going down at 8 pm tonight, but get there early as it will probably fill up fast. It's free and all ages, so what are you waiting for?
Co-Prosperity Sphere is located at 3219 S. Morgan St (Orange Line to Halsted or Red Line to Sox/35th). Bird Peterson opens.
Minneapolis-based Cloud Cult is the type of band that makes you want to be a better person. Eschewing offers from major labels, singer Craig Minowa created Earthology Records, built with recycled materials and run on geothermal energy. They use 100% post-consumer recycled or reused materials for all of their merchandise. The band accepts donations of old CD jewel cases, which they then clean and use to package their new albums, and the scraps created from manufacturing the CDs themselves are recycled into milk cartons. They even plant ten trees for every 1,000 albums sold. How cool is that?
It's hard not to fall in love with these guys at first listen. Their latest album, Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes), is a celebration of life and love, without being preachy about their ideals. The songs envelop you with a big indie collective-type sound you'll find with artists like The Arcade Fire or Polyphonic Spree, only with about half the amount of people actually playing instruments. They've got two visual artists in the band, who create paintings during each show which are then auctioned off at the end of the night. I don't think they could get any more charming.
Max Tundra clearly does not like to waste ideas. Listening to his music is to hear an olio of popular music history in a compact time frame. Pop songs are buried underneath layer upon layer of electronic beats, leftfield samples, thick guitar hooks, lounge-inspired piano... you get the idea. This is the musicification of "everything but the kitchen sink." (And I'm not sure what the kitchen sink would be in this case.)
Armed with an Amiga 500, some sequencing software, and a range of live instruments, Max Tundra has thrived in this decade as a consummate musical hunter/gatherer. Some Best Friend You Turned Out to Be and the critically-lauded Mastered By Guy at the Exchange showcase his talent for schizophrenic electronic composition. But it's his latest album Parallax Error Beheads You that shines brightest with time. As an immediately bewildering aural experience, it is admittedly not a record for every time, every place or every ear. But when the atmosphere's right (and it often is), the listener is roped into the music similar to how Since I Left You makes a person listen keenly, even during the hundredth time it's on. Though, every play doesn't need to be heard with undivided attention to be enjoyable. When it's all boiled down, it's still just pop music.
On stage, Max Tundra is a one-man show surrounded by gear. And even though he's reconstructing the precision found on his albums, he still finds the space to drop in surprises here and there. On this tour, he's been covering the KLF's "What Time is Love?" and another classic, but from a very different genre. He opens for Junior Boys at Metro on Thursday at 9PM. The show is 18+ and tickets are $15. (Junior Boys aren't too bad either, by the way.)
The month of April is going to be a busy one for the folks at the soul-slinging Chicago-based Numero Group.
Firstly: this Saturday evening at the Park West Theater, the label presents its first-ever live event, The Eccentric Soul Revue. The evening's billing features sets by top-flight R'n'B veterans Syl Johnson, The Notations, and Nate Evans; as well as reunion performances by Renaldo Domino, The Kaldirons, and the Final Solution. Chicago's own deep groove merchants The Uptown Sound will also be on hand to provide backup throughout. It's an all-ages show, tickets are $22, and it gets underway at 7:30 PM Saturday.
The label's also putting the finishing on the next edition in their Eccentric Soul series of archival anthologies for a scheduled release date in late May. Entitled Smart's Palace, the volume will chronicle the story of the Smart family, who were prime movers and organizers on the R'n'B scene in Witchita, Kansas in the 1960s and early '70s. This atop their deluxe audio & DVD package Local Customs: Downriver Revival, which officially releases this week.
Bob Mould is modern rock legend among few others. Leading Hüsker Dü in the '80s, Sugar in the '90s as well as putting out nine solo albums since 1989, few can compete with Mould's prolific catalog of work. Last night's show at The Old Town School of Folk Music was a musical tour in his extensive career and life.
I was sitting next to one of Bob's friends from D.C. Who kept getting text messages from Mould backstage saying 7:30 sharp! Mould had to get up early the next day for another show so I expected the set to be short and rushed. (The show didn't actually start until 7:50pm.) Keeping these expectations, the set started out fast and one song blended into another as Mould played but barely addressed the crowd.
Mould was accompanied by a prepubescent bass and guitar player, who was adorable in his own right, but failed to match the energy Bob brought to the house. Mould's voice soured and growled in Songs like "Hoover Damn" and "See a Little Light" while the tween bopped along singing backup and matching hooks. There were some joyous moments in his accompaniment when the duo allowed distortion into the set and for a second seemed to have a great dynamic and the ability to play off each other, but they always seemed to lose their chemistry. The show would have held up better if Mould had played alone.
The Empty Bottle booked the Mountain Goats and John Vanderslice to perform at Epiphany on April 1 -- and promptly sold the show out, leaving a whole lot of sad fans out in the cold. If you were one of them, here's some news to cheer you up: The show has been moved to the much bigger Portage Theater, 4050 N. Milwaukee Ave., which means more tickets are now available, still at the low $16 ticket price.
Even better, we've got two pairs of tickets to give away! All you have to do is email contests@gapersblock.com with your full name and the subject line "Cubs in Five" by Sunday at 9pm. We'll choose two lucky winners at random from the submissions. Good luck!
UPDATE: We've got our winners! Congatulations to Matthew and Casey!
If you're not able to make it out to Margot & the Nuclear So and So's headlining gig at the Metro next Wednesday, you are in luck! Tonight, Richard Edwards and select other members of the band will be doing an intimate acoustic performance at Inconvenience Art Space. Whispertown 2000, who you may remember opening for such acts as Rilo Kiley, Bright Eyes, and The Elected, will also be performing. (A little bit of trivia: The Morgan sung about in Rilo Kiley's "The Absence of God" and "Papillon" is none other than Morgan Nagler, lead singer of Whispertown 2000 and best friend of Jenny Lewis.) Jake Bellows of Neva Dinova will be opening the night.
Catch all three acts tonight for free at Inconvenience Art Space, 3036 N. Lincoln Ave. The show is all ages and free, though donations to the touring band are welcome. Make haste! It all starts at 7 pm tonight.
Photo taken from the Margot & the Nuclear So and So's MySpace.
Blue Note Records. To the general public, that name means jazz. Along with Impulse Records ("The House that Trane Built") and some others, their catalog and distinctive style in the jazz heyday from the 40s to 60s has persevered to the present day.
This year, they celebrate their 70th anniversary as a label with a tour and retrospective. Friday night, at Symphony Center, the Blue Note 7, a collection of artists, ran through a number of representative pieces that have been recorded in Blue Note's history.
Most anyone can tell you something about Miles or Trane, who both recorded for Blue Note at some point in their careers, but the legacy of Blue Note lies in the strong compositional minds who called the label home. Minds like Wayne Shorter and Horace Silver exemplified not only mastery of their instruments, but new ways to bring out new sounds via different arrangements, and still do so to this day.
This was not a night for shining a spotlight on Blue Note's A-listers. This was a night for pieces representative of the efforts of the label to stay crent and advance the jazz form. Grant Green's "Idle Moments" was the lone "slower" selection; the rest of the compositions were faster, more involved, and more bop-oriented. Lee Morgan's "Party Time" rocked and rolled. The uptempo work of vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, drummer and leader Art Blakey, and eccentric pianist and composerThelonious Monk rounded out a pretty good two hour retrospective and sample of the work of the venerable jazz label whom, in times like these, are wondering what they're going to do next.
Last summer, after major delays on their flight from Australia, Cut Copy arrived late for their Sunday night headlining spot at Pitchfork Music Festival. Once they finally got to Union Park, they quickly unpacked their gear and were able to play for 20 minutes before the City's outdoor silence ordinance went into effect. And what a 20 minutes it was. Dancing, fist pumping, and "lights & music"--they packed the amount of energy into that mini-set that you would expect from a full length show. It left me wondering, though, whether the group could match that vivacity for an entire show, minus the dramatic circumstances. The answer was yes. Last September they played the Metro and killed it. Laser lights of every color of the fluorescent rainbow hit the crowd as they played track after track of 80's influenced electropop.
Cut Copy's newest album, In Ghost Colours, received much praise and landed on many of '08's Best Albums lists. Tonight they return to Chicago, this time gracing the stage at The Vic, but alas, this show is sold out (like most of the rest of the dates on their tour). Also playing tonight are the twee-fueled duo Matt & Kim. The Vic Theater is located at 3145 N. Sheffield. The show starts at 7:30pm. 18 & up.
For his first album in five years, Tricky's return to the city of Chicago would be worth the trek out just to see what has fermented in that smoky brain of his in half a decade. But if you've already heard Knowle West Boy and have made up your mind for better or worse, nostalgia for old favorites would probably draw just as many out of their '90s slumber and into a church on Friday the 13th. As it stands, a last-second venue change nearly lost the crowd (Epiphany had some plumbing issues that moved the show to Logan Square just hours before showtime). But the fans followed, not about to let a pipe or two stop them from five or more years of waiting for one of the '90s most inventive minds. While he's
now come and gone, the internet has a few snippets here and there — a video (barely) showing him knocking into his classic cover of Public Enemy's "Black Steel", a note telling of his friendly farewells to the audience.
Our own Kirstie Shanley has some photos of the event for Gapers Block: Transmission.
When asked about his recommendations for dinner music in a recent GQ profile, high-profile Chicago restaurateur Donnie Madia responded, "Tindersticks. Any of their records...can work well in any dining room." Funny how tastes evolve over time. Especially seeing how when Tindersticks first appeared on the indie music scene in the early-mid 1990s, the common opinion was that their tunes were ideal fodder for Serenade Hour In The Lovesick Ward of a methadone clinic. But that was then.
Over the course of six albums, the U.K.-based band earned a cultish fan base before ceasing activity in 2003. After a five-year hiatus from recording and touring, they returned to the spotlight this past April with the release of a new album, The Hungry Saw. Even though the band now sports a revised line-up, core members David Boulter, Nail Fraser, and frontman Stuart A. Staples are still at the helm. And from the sound of the recent album, nothing much has changed with the band's music. There's the easy tempo blue-eyed soul that drives "Yesterday's Tomorrows" home, the lounge-ish Latin shuffle of "E-Type," and -- on the punchier side of things -- bursts of yakkety rockabilly guitar punctuating the otherwise sparse "Mother Dear." In the end, The Hungry Saw features a dozen new achingly delicate arrangements, all of them woven together with strains of piano, vibes, flutes, brass, and subtle string accompaniment.
Two recent topics of posting in Transmission collide this weekend at the Double Door for the after party of the Chicago International Movies and Music Festival. We first mentioned the festival last week in a spotlight feature piece of some of the screenings to check out. We also recently reviewed the stellar new album from Bloodshot Records own Dex Romweber Duo. You're in luck this Saturday as Romweber and a slew of talented acts take the stage to celebrate the inaugural CIMM festival.
One of the bands to make sure you check out on the bill is fellow Carolinians (the homeland of Dex Romweber Duo) The Old Ceremony. Their new album, Walk On Thin Air, has a sultry soulful vibe yet still rocks the house with their jangly piano driven southern tinged rock 'n' roll. The bands played with the likes of CAKE, Chuck Berry, and The Avett Brothers, so combine those sounds and you've got a good idea of what The Old Ceremony sounds like. Which if you weren't paying attention, they sound like a good time. Expect a rollicking good night from start to finish Saturday.
The CIMMF after party is Saturday night at Double Door, located at the intersection of Milwaukee, Damen, and North. The show starts at 9pm, and is $12 or $9 if you show your CIMMF badge (even more the reason to go check out a screening our two).
U2 have been playing a series of surprise concerts around the globe before they embark on their official tour (dates to be announced March 9th) in support of their new album, No Line on the Horizon. They'll be stopping by Chicago next Tuesday, March 10th at an undisclosed venue for a secret show (though I'm fairly certain it won't stay a 'secret' for long). Ms. Shirley Manson is rumored to be hosting the event. A quick Google search tells me the Metro and Vic are both free March 10th, although I'm not sure Bono's ego would fit into venues that tiny. The Riv or Aragon seem like more viable options, and both venues are free that night as well.
Details are still a bit sketchy, though it looks like both 101.9 The Mix and 93 XRT are going to be giving away tickets this week. Good luck U2 fans! I'm sure it will be an unforgettable night to anyone who can finagle a way inside.
Edit: While it's elusively being billed as an "intimate event", some sources are saying this will be a concert while others claim U2 will be DJing only. Either way, U2 fans are flipping their collective wig.
The city of Atlanta, GA has offered up its share of notable indie rock artists in recent years, and 2008 saw the emergence of a new addition to that lineage -- the trio All the Saints. The release of the band's debut Fire on Corridor X via the Killer Pimp label caught the attention of the folks at Touch & Go, who quickly re-issued the album to wider distro back in September. The album would later turn up on several bloggers' lists as one of the most overlooked releases of 2008, and prompted a number of reviewers to reach for such descriptives as "psychedelia" and "Southern shoegaze." While of few of the tunes on ...Corridor X sprawl in a mood of come-down languidity, the trio's penchant for heavy, clangoring riffs and propulsive drum-fills points in the direction of their flatland Alabama roots. And when it comes to melodic hooks, they're a lot closer to Dead Confederate than, say, Deerhunter -- if the former red-dirt denizens ditched the quasi power-ballad fare and had been raised on a steady diet of Hüsker Dü.
The best way to solve a dreary Chicago day is to end the evening with a decent drink and some good music. Well thank the lucky stars that for a measly $5 donation (recession friendly as well) you can get just that when Chicago outfit Raise High the Roof Beam play Quenchers this evening.
We first mentioned Raise High the Roof Beam when they played the last free Monday show over at the Empty Bottle in December. Since then the band has been busy working on music and playing to the masses with their delectable brand of indie pop-rock.
Come drown your rainy weather blues tonight (I'll be there with my umbrella and a beer), and check out a local act worth taking notice. The show starts at 9:00 pm and Quenchers is located at 2401 N. Western (the intersection of Western and Fullerton).
Judging from their activity, it seems These Are Powers are a band who don't sit still for long. Only a few months after the release of their EP Taro Tarot, the trio arrived in Chicago for their latest Windy City summering stint and began trotting out a batch of new material. Much of what they debuted during their summer gigs has now turned up on a new release, All Aboard Future, which dropped via the Dead Oceans label earlier this month.
Chicago's own Company of Thieves have been creating a buzz on the national level the past few months, following their single "Oscar Wilde" being the featured discovery on iTunes and a killer performance on Last Call with Carson Daly last month. Today the band is re-releasing their debut album, Ordinary Riches, with new artwork and bonus tracks on Wind-Up Records. They just released their debut music video for "Oscar Wilde" via iTunes and will also be hosting a live chat today at 2 pm via their MySpace. As one of the most talented group of artists coming out of our fair city right now, I'm expecting Company of Thieves to be the band to watch in 2009.
I had the pleasure of catching them at the Double Door on Thursday night, opening for Thriving Ivory. When CoT took the stage, my friend Doug turned to me and said, "Some artists make music because they like to. She seems like the type who makes music because she has to." Way to hit the nail on the head, Doug. Singer Genevieve Schatz's passion is infectious, and her powerhouse energy is further heightened with the intensity of guitar player Marc Walloch and drummer Mike Ortiz. The band has a very cool bohemian vibe, with the combination of a classic rock sound and the softness of sweet Regina Spektor-ish vocals. Genevieve is completely mesmerizing during soulful tracks such as "Quiet on the Front" and "Pressure", but the real treat of their live show is their danceable songs "In Passing" and "Oscar Wilde".
Catch their television debut on Last Call with Carson Daly below:
I am of the firm opinion that James Earl Jones narrating anything is cool. Saturday night, a sold out Symphony Center shared that sentiment.
The Lincoln Bicentennial Tribute at Symphony Center featured the backing of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, who alone may not be enough to pull people out to a southern Michigan Avenue address in what seems to be an everlasting winter. The program featured music that old Abe himself liked; marches, symphonies, and lighter fare. But the main draw was undoubtedly James Earl Jones himself.
Making his debut at Symphony Center, he, along with Kevin Gudahl and Gerard McBurney, put the "words" into the program's theme of "A Likeness in Words and Music". Jones read poetry by Walt Whitman and Carl Sanberg, while Gudahl and McBurney read some of his letters and articles of the day that attempted to portray Lincoln as a man with a good sense of humor as well as personable to others. Of particular interest were the recollection of Lincoln's first inauguration ball and a letter he wrote his wife while still an Illinois representative.
The second part of the evening, after intermission, was the Orchestra's rendition of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, for which quite a few people stayed around for. But Jones earned the star of the night as he recounted a series of Lincoln quotes, including the Gettysurg Address. And when he boomed out, that James Earl Jones way, the last few lines - " that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth"- that was, without exaggeration - pretty damned awesome.
There will be another engagement on Tuesday, but sources tell me those tickets are long sold out.
EDIT: No, tickets are NOT sold out. Tickets are available in the boxes and in the lower balcony. Get over and buy, forthwith!
I dated this stoner dude in college who was a crappy boyfriend, but he clued me in on a few bands that to this day warm the cockles of my punk-rock heart. One of these bands is the New Bomb Turks, a Columbus, Ohio-based group that released their first full-length, !!Destroy Oh-Boy!! in 1993. At the time, they were loud, fast, snotty, funny, and fun; if their clips are any indication, they still are.
To be honest, I had no idea they were still touring, but lo and behold, the Turks are playing at the Cobra Lounge (235 N. Ashland Ave.) on Saturday, Feb. 21. Opening for them are the Mannequin Men, Distinguished Gentlemen of Leisure, and Teenage Tits. The show kicks off at 9 p.m., and blessed be, it's free.
A shadowy presence stalks the land. He (for it is a he) can be felt in moments of absolute isolation, in the presence of darkness so absolute that one's position in the room, or the world, or one's own mind, cannot be determined. He has made his presence felt in Chicago only two other times, once in 2000 and again in 2003. He brings fear and unease, disturbing sounds and visions, but he also brings liberation from inhibition and new methods for breaking out of old ruts. He is John Duncan.
This Saturday, Duncan returns to Lampo (216 W. Chicago Avenue, 2nd Floor) for a new composition, titled "The Hidden." The piece features "digital audio debris, generated audio noise, field recordings, and shortwave radio static," and follows in the style of his many legendary studio recordings, including the seminal Riot LP (1984, AQM Recordings, reissued 1991 on CD) which uses recordings of military Morse code, computer program transmissions and "atmospheric interferences" to create an aura of dread and illogic, but also gritty, industrial beauty.
Itchin' for a dance party rife with '90s nostalgia? Need more Aaliyah and Busta Bus in your life? Relive the hits at the Whistler tonight with the TTTTotally Dudes dance party, headed by CHIRP's Dr. Drase and DJ Manwich.
The boys will play sets in and around hip-hop and turntablist turns by Serengeti and Meat Number 5. Should be a tasty evening out, folks. Best of all, there's no cover. See you there.
Whistler is located at 2421 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Logan Square. Music starts at 9:30pm.
If I remember correctly, Wilco didn't play the Chicago show on the Neil Young tour because they felt that we'd simply seen enough of the band lately. Let's see if I can dig up that quote....ah yes, here's Wilco publicist Deb Bernadini talking to the Sun-Times, "They just felt it was time for a break." It seems that break isn't over yet, either. Wilco announced their Spring 2009 tour and we've been left out in the cold again. Sure, you can head out to Milwaukee or Athens, OH but there won't be any Chicago on this leg. Their site also has a group of festival dates in the summer announced and it's worth mentioning that August 7-9 (the dates of this year's Lollapalooza) are still open.
Ever been to Metal Shaker? Its existence is news to to me, I'll admit it. The bar (3394 N. Milwaukee) bills itself as "A heavy venue on the northwest side of Chicago," and looking at its lineup for these next two months, which are of course the heaviest of all months, I feel it is no hyperbole, friends. Nearly every day in the month of March seems to have an opportunity to see bands with names like If He Dies, He Dies, Embryonic Devourment, and Arbogast, as well as every Sunday's "Blackened Sabbath" nights, where local musicians spin their favorite death and thrash metal.
This Friday (February 20, 9 p.m.), the Metallic Shaking ones will encourage the ever-shifting barriers between black metal and experimental noise crumble just a bit further with a lineup of bands that work the necessary nexus between riff and wail, distortion and dissolution.
Acting as a record release party of sorts, the night's lineup will include the blessedly infernal Locrian, who will have copies of the their first pro-pressed CD release, Drenched Lands, available (co-released by Wisconsin's Small Doses label and At War With False Noise in the UK). I've written about them before on this site, and with the release of each new album, including their great CD-R on Bloodlust!,Rhetoric of Surfaces, the band hones their barbarous approach to drone-played-as-doom-metal to a jagged edge, capable of inflicting wounds that don't close. Soak 'em up, folks, this is the last Locrian show until summer, at least.
Also on board: The similarly-blackened duo Winters in Osaka, recent Ohio transplant David Russell (also head of the A Soundesign Recording label), and new duo Ratatosk (Jason Soliday of Enemy Space, Magic Missile, Coeurl, etc., and Ben Billington of Druid of Huge) will all lock hands and close the circle.
None of the signs I've seen say anything about cost of admission, but it is a bar (21+, yes), so make sure you have $5 in your pocket. If they don't ask for it at the door, buy yourself one of those newfangled beers the kids are drinking these days.
I'm a huge fan of psychedelic music. Mostly I'm a sucker for anything sweet, harmonic and dreamy. So when I heard Future Clouds and Radar, Robert Harrison's new follow up band to Cotton Mather, described as "somewhere between the 13th Floor Elevators and ELO I knew that I would have a good time listening to their 2008 release Peoria. And as I expected I was swept up in a dream like melodic frenzy that was soulful and comforting. With elements of The Flaming Lips, Guided by Voices and Big Star, this is musical comfort food with a trippy edge.
You can gather the feel of this soothing band when they play at the Empty Bottle this Friday, February 20, opening for twang rockers Deer Tick. Anni Rossi starts the night. (To make things even better you can "Pick your Poison" at the bar where your choice of any special drink is $5.) Music starts at 10pm, tickets are $10.
[video] Future Clouds and Radar's "The Epcot View" from the album Peoria
Some month ago, our GB editors allowed a pair of aspiring contributors to participate in a CD-review session for our Transmission page on a trial basis. The experiment was -- in our opinions -- not entirely successful and barely suitable for print. But in recent weeks, one of the involved parties came knocking on our door again, petitioning to join the Transmission team as a contributor with the claim that he'd "redeemed" himself. Being gracious sorts, we decided to give him another chance; this time putting the prospective reviewer (PR) under the supervision of one of our Transmission staff members (TS). What follows is a transcript of the resulting listening-party session.
PR: ...And so that's why they call it a "whoop tube."
TS: Fascinating. At any rate, we've got to get to the matter at hand. We're supposed to review this new CD by a local artist. It's called The Sons, by the local artist Kaspar Hauser.
Hailed by Tyondai Braxton of Battles and Stereogum, Brooklyn's Extra Life have made a name for themselves with their hypnotic combination of math rock and chamber pop. Extra Life hits up the Empty Bottle tonight in support of their album, Secular Works, released last year through Planaria Recordings. Gapers Block had the chance for a quick chat with lead singer and guitarist Charlie Looker before the show.
Gapers Block: Where did the title Secular Works come from?
Charlie Looker: The title Secular Works is a reference to Medieval and Renaissance music, periods which I am deeply into. Composers from those periods wrote sacred music (masses) and then also would write secular songs in the popular forms of the time. When you buy a CD of Early Music, you will often find records of so-and-so's "secular works". So for Extra Life, the title is somewhat ironic. However I'm very influenced by Early Music, both sacred and secular. I have also become interested in religion, simply as a human phenomenon, an outlet for the human will.
The first time I saw Iron & Wine was at Pitchfork Music Festival. Outside. In the middle of the day. Not exactly the best way to take in the troubadour's soft melodies--the mood kind of gets swallowed by the expansive open air.
Now you have a chance to see Sam Beam in a room more suited to his music during a short tour where they will only be playing small, intimate venues. The tour comes in support of Around the Well, a new 2-CD/3LP collection of rare tracks to be released May 19th. The band stops by Chicago on May 13th at Schubas, and May 12th at the not quite as cozy, but still comfortable Lakeshore Theater. Tickets for both shows go on sale Feburary 20th.
Another added bonus: beginning March 6th, you can vote for which songs will be played at each of the shows on their website.
A couple of years ago, Zach Condon -- multi-instrumentalist and maestro for the indie band Beirut -- took a detour from his usual Balkan-ized musical fare and ventured into different terrain. Approached to do the soundtrack for a film to be set in Mexico, Condon traveled to a remote village in the province of Oaxaca in order to conduct some musical field research. There he worked with a local ensemble -- a 13-piece Jiminez funeral marching band, to be more precise -- and began crafting a new series of songs influenced by the Oaxacan style of banda music.
In the end, the film's backers reputedly opted for a soundtrack of the more generically cinematic variety. But the result of the journey was the new Beirut recording March Of The Zapotec, which is now seeing release in its U.S. vinyl edition via the Chicago-based Obey Your Brain label. The album features six tracks of the new Beirut material born from the Mexican sojourn, as well as five additional tracks (grouped under the title Holland) of Condon's bedroom electronics work under his pre-Beirut alias Realpeople.
Coupleskate today isn't exactly the same as Coupleskate a few years ago. The band has had some personnel turnover and, hence, an evolution in sound and aesthetic. 2006's Trophy EP doesn't seem like the natural predecessor to 2009's Don't Scare the Horses. The former has splashes of a lo-fi Archers of Loaf. The latter has been chiseled into a wrought piece of indie-pop reminiscent of a fuller Blood Red Shoes with hints of Metric (especially in the vocals) and maybe even some Redd Kross. "Laws of Physics" and "The Fringe" kick off the record with stomping beats and spiky guitars that demand a listener's attention. The title track and "Foreign Exchange" drop the musical intensity a notch, but the lyrics remain aggressive and snarky throughout. And there are some very dark moments here, especially in regard to the state of relationships, which makes it totally appropriate that they've decided to put out the album over Valentine's Day weekend.
On Friday the 13th at the Empty Bottle they'll play the new album from beginning to end, accompanied by Tiffany Kowolski and Mahjabeen Karim on strings. And according to them, "We might have a few [Valentine's Day] tricks up our sleeves." Jade Tree alumnus and Don't Scare the Horses producer Ryan Rapsys (Owls, Gauge) also performs as Euphone. Reds and Blue open, as well. The show starts at 10PM and admission is $8.
Despite the awful winters, the corrupt politics, and the rising unemployment rate, Chicago is one of the best cities in the world, especially for live music. With numerous acts constantly stopping in Chicago, it's no surprise that important events happen in our fair city. So it was definitely no surprise when seminal 1980s British rock band The Godfathers announced their return to the U.S. for the first time in 20 years would happen at the Metro in Chicago this Valentine's Day. And that the show would be the first St. Valentine's Day Massacre show (a tradition of theirs) outside of London ever. Gapers Block: Transmission had the chance to chat with lead singer Peter Coyne about the upcoming show, music, and what it's like being in a groundbreaking band like The Godfathers.
Normally, I don't go to open mic nights. They're just not my thing. You know you're going to end up with one of two choices at an open mic night. There will either be a group of talentless people plowing through 80s covers and enticing their drunken guests to sing along or you're going to get some musicians that may actually know what they're doing but they play their own stuff and you, the audience member, don't really know how you fit into that equation.
Of course, this is the part where I tell you about the open mic night that you could go to tonight, instead. Tonight and every Wednesday, the Leadway Bar at 5233 N Damen hosts two guys called The Co-op who, in turn, host an open mic. "Hosting" is, of course, a relative term as the guys get to play a few tunes of their own and halfway through the night, the evening becomes an open mic poetry slam, if you're into that sort of thing. You won't see me on stage for either section, but I can often be found at the bar. On top of your atypical open mic night, you get the drink specials. $2 PBR, $3 shots, $4 bombs, $5 White Russians. I can personally recommend every one of those specials.
The presskit that accompanies Mother of Curses, the debut album by Todd Rittmann's new outfit D. Rider, goes out of its way to emphasize that this is not an art-rock record, but rather a record that rocks. Considering that D. Rider is the latest musical outfit headed by Todd Rittman -- former guitarist for the '90s avant-rockers U.S. Maple, and more recently involved in the bands Singer and Cheer-Accident -- the distinction might be warranted. Because let's face it, if what you're wanting is something linear and un-ironic in the way of a conventional rock "song," then Rittmann's probably the last guy in town who's gonna give it to you.
But D. Rider does indeed rock. Joining Rittmann in the band are Andrea Faught on keyboards and cornet, Mucca Pazza saxophonist Noah Tabakin, and Theo Katsounis (lately of A Tundra) stepping in to take the drummer's seat. And Mother Of Curses finds Rittmann checking much of his affinity for musical abstraction and disjointedness at the door. Over the course of eight tracks, he and his associates doling out a batch of tunes spooled on skulking basslines, some fractured Crazy Horse riffage, and heavy rhythms that lurch and lunge against the moorings. Musically, it's very reminiscent of a certain breed of indie rock animal that used to stalk the expanse of the Midwestern plains back in the early-'90s (specifically that pig-poking subgenus that once made up the bulk of the Touch & Go roster). On the vocals, Rittmann's often in trademark form -- sometimes singing as if he had developed an entire book of style from the fragmented, schizoid narrative that Bowie laid down on "Breaking Glass," at others yammering about who-knows-what like David Yow on an amyl nitrate bender.
House legendFrankie Knuckles will be spinning at Smartbar, 3730 N. Clark, for free this Wednesday, Feb. 11. The show goes on at 10pm; Ralphi Rosario backs him up. Red Bull drinks are on special, since they're sponsoring the gig.
Lykke Li is on fire right now. The Swedish pop star brought her music to the US last year courtesy of Bjorn Yttling (yes, that Bjorn) who produced her album, Youth Novels. The starlet's debut made its way onto a lot of year-end "Best of" lists for '08. I must admit, I didn't really like the album the first time I heard it, but now I'm totally getting into her dreamy hopeful ambiance and sugar-sweet vocals. Sometimes all it takes is a second listen...
After a stint in Europe, she's now on the US leg of her tour and she comes to Chicago tomorrow night. Tickets for the Metro show are still available, but I imagine they won't be for long--I've heard her live show is not to be missed. Wildbirds & Peacedrums open. Tickets are $18 ($20 day of show). Show starts at 8pm. All ages. 3730 N. Clark St. 773-549-0203.
Lykke Li - "Tonight"
(Directed by Christian Haag, and shot in one live take in Stockholm)
A show that falls in the middle of the week is a tough gig in the first place, but add in the wrong size venue and you've got a set up for an unmemorable performance. Such was the bad luck of Lady Sovereign, the cheeky British rapper who exploded on the scene a few years back with a slew of radio friendly pop-rap gems.
The show was originally scheduled a few weeks back at The Empty Bottle, but due to visa issues the date and venue was changed. This was the first red flag upon entering Logan Square Auditorium last Wednesday night, when a crowd that would have seemed pleasantly packed at The Empty Bottle came off as sparse and awkward. My friend put it best when she stated "it feels like we've crawled out our bedroom window to go clubbing on a school night."
Despite their dodgy, censor-baiting name, the Toronto-based punk outfit Fucked Up hit the indie-rock mainstream in a big way in 2008. But there's no small irony in the fact that their success arrived when a major shift in the socio-political tide was taking place. The irony was enough to prompt one critic, in a review of the band's latest LP The Chemistry Of Modern Life, to muse: "In times like these, can a band like Fucked Up continue to be relevant?"
Fair enough. In many ways, Fucked Up adheres to the ethos of classic Reagan-era hardcore punk. In its first-gen, early 1980s prime, hardcore howled -- red-faced and fist-waving -- against the social climate its day; giving the middle-finger salute to reactionary politics, to apathy in the face of injustice, to living in the shadow of potential nuclear annihilation, etc. Since first coming together in 2001, the group has drawn heavily from classic hardcore's spirit of defiance and protest -- from its cathartic bombast, right down to adorning their records (26 seven-inch releases and counting) with graphic references to radical political movements of the past.
It's pretty ballsy to drop the word "supergroup" in one's band bio. Headed by the likes of longtime hip hopsters Gift of Gab, Lateef the Truth Speaker, and producer Headnodic, The Mighty Underdogs feel they've earned supergroup status. If their names alone don't sell it, the sheer weight of alt-hip hop talent that appears on their latest album, Dropping Science Fiction, (including Damian and Julian Marley, Mr. Lif, Lyrics Born, DJ Shadow, Zumbi from Zion I, Tash from the Liks, MF Doom, Casual, and Raashan Ahmad) should definitely lend some credit.
Catch the Def Jux boys on tour with Galactic this Friday, Feb. 6 at the Vic.
Andrew already clued you in to Jeff Tweedy's upcoming shows at the Vic to raise money for Emanuel Congregation in Edgewater, Near North Montessori, and Kawasaki disease that are coming up on February 13 and 14. What he didn't know at the time (none of us did, really) was that these won't be the only shows that Tweedy is going to be doing for a good cause.
The Wilco frontman will be hitting the Northeast with shows March 26 in Burlington, VT, March 27 in Northampton, MA, and March 28 in Beacon, NY. Remember, this is a charity show so tickets probably won't be cheap once they go on sale. You can pick them up here. Here's hoping that there are people reading this outside of Chicago that can make use of that info.
Daniel Martin-McCormick and Jacob Long of the Bay-area trio Mi Ami once seasoned their chops as former members of the D.C. art-punk ensemble Black Eyes. Judging from the sound of Mi Ami's debut album Watersports, they've brought some of the Eyes' jagged, agitated energy aboard for their latest musical enterprise. Martin-McCormick squeals and shrieks while wrangling out furrows of scratchy riffage and short peels of feedback. All of that aside, the bulk of the unit's focus falls squarely in the rhythmic department -- with the trio tightly interlocked in navigating the turns of their own breed of knotty, spiraling tribal-funk. And while they douse it all down with generous amounts of reverb, their echo-soaked "drum punk" sounds like it owes less to the spliffed-out spaciousnees of traditional Jamaican roots-rocker dub than it does to, say, the delirium of a fever dream. It seems the band's won over its share of enthusiasts. As one scenester put it on a recnt music-blog post, "I never get to shoot any pictures of this band, because I'm too busy dancing during their sets."
The album art for their latest album, What Year Will You Have the World? looks more like and ad for a children's television program with its bright colors and cartoon images, but it's fitting upon listening to the happiness inside. Peachcake reminds me a lot of the first time I heard Aqueduct back in 2003, with an electronic sound reminiscent of fantasy video games of the 80's. But, their fun, playful music takes on a whole new meaning when you consider what the band has been through in the last few years.
When the band was flying high selling out shows and getting press, they were confronted with a number of obstacles including the death of singer Stefan Pruett's brother (and Peachcake keyboardist) Alex in September 2007. At this point, John O'Keefe (DJ JohnO) and Stefan (aka Space Panda) decided to press on and use their experiences as fuel. Their mission became to spread positivity and hope and make the world a safer, better, happier place through music and art. They bought themselves out of their record contract so they could self-release What Year Will You Have the World?, and then implemented a series of community events, youth outreach programs, and teen hotlines.
Tonight Peachcake bring their lively stage show to Subterranean with A Lull and The Wiitala Brothers opening. The show is all ages and starts at 7pm. Tickets are $10. 2011 North Ave. 773-278-6600.
Forget AutoTune. Forget singing over rap beats (with apologies to Mary J. and Nate Dogg). Forget where modern day pop R&B is going, and we can talk about The Foreign Exchange.
Word is that the comedy duo Flight of the Conchords will be performing at Arie Crown Theater (2301 McCormick Dr. at McCormick Place) on April 28th. New Zealand's "fourth most popular folk parody duo" recently began the second season of their cult hit show on HBO, which airs Sunday nights at 9pm.
Tickets are $38.50 and go on sale Feburary 7th on Ticketmaster. So, all you superfans, um, I mean Mel, you know what to do...
Flight of the Conchords - Business Time
It seems the work of Lindstrøm has struck a deep chord with a number of listeners. After the success of his tune "I Feel Space" back in 2005 and subsequent remix work for the likes or LCD Soundsystem and Franz Ferdinand, anticipation had been running high for the Norwegian electronic producer's full-length debut. The debut in question, Where You Go I Go Too, finally arrived via the Smalltown Supersound label this past August -- meeting with unanimously glowing reviews. By year's end, the album was ranked as one of the best releases of 2008 by such publications as XLR8R, Pitchfork, and Dusted.
When it comes to making electronic music, Hans-Peter Lindstrøm's working process is mostly an organic one. He plays and lays down parts with guitar, keyboards and drums himself; then brings them all together by layering these components into sweepingly panoramic soundscapes. On Where You Go I Go To, tracks sprawl to epic lengths as sonic vistas unfurl and undulate like nebulae over a 4/4 beat. If anything, his sound hails back to the synth-splashed, psychedelic explorations of The Orb and (going further back into the canon) Tangerine Dream than anything from the usual house or techno end of the spectrum. It's an expansive, exploratory breed of electronica that a few critics have dubbed "space disco;" but one could just as easily imagine it accompanying a long helicopter tracking shot from some early '80s Michael Mann flick as, say, providing the soundtrack for the TV edition of Cosmos.
It's 2009. Metallica is being inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, selling millions of albums, and playing to full arenas. The crowds are a hodgepodge that's discovered the band at various points throughout their much storied career. Books could be (have been?) written about what people have or haven't liked about them during their 28 years. But people adore them. And even those who have some issues with them still go to their concerts.
At last night's show, the first of two at Allstate Arena near the end of a tour that began in October, Metallica roared out with the first two songs from their latest album before indulging those who apparently shun the band's recent output. (Definitions of "recent" tend to vary, naturally.) Any mention of "new stuff" by James Hetfield was met with lukewarm applause. Even his clever attempts to draw in longtime fans ("We figured out what goes good with the new stuff - old stuff") were met with some hesitancy. But that dissipated as soon as the band tore through the old stuff that almost everyone can agree is good. "Creeping Death" and "Ride the Lightning" back-to-back early on injected some energy into the crowd and kept the momentum rolling for most of the 120-minute set. However, just to show that Metallica can't even please all of their fans, I saw someone roll their eyes for "Master of Puppets" and a stoic girl in front of me texted "I hate this song" during "Enter Sandman." Other than them and some people commenting "Lots of new songs tonight, huh?", everybody seemed pretty pleased.
For the past two years, MySpace Secret Shows have been bringing large bands to small venues for free intimate concerts. You may remember Moby's secret DJ set at SmartBar last April. They've also brought such acts as The Cure, The Decemberists, Lily Allen, and even Neil Diamond to clubs around the country.
This Thursday night, MySpace Secret Shows return to Chicago with Ontario's City and Colour (the acoustic side project of Alexisonfire's Dallas Green). Joining him on the bill is The Color Fred (the side project of Taking Back Sunday's Fred Mascherino).
The show is Thursday night, January 29th, at the Beat Kitchen, 2100 W Belmont Ave. The show starts at 7 pm and is all ages. It's first come, first served, so plan to arrive early. The first 15 people who bring a printout of their MySpace page with Turbotax in their top friends will get express entry.
Click below for City and Colour's new music video, "The Girl".
On one of the most commercial holidays of the year, you can't beat spending the evening with some good old rock music at a show with the word massacre in it. I can't think of a more romantic sentiments to a sweetheart or a more awesome first date. Add in the factor of being part of music history, and you've got yourself a pretty prolific evening courtesy of the Metro and legendary English rockers The Godfathers.
The Godfathers were a alternative garage rock outfit from London, forming in the mid 1980's as a beacon of hope in a UK market dominated by New Wave and Electro. The band was bursting with gritty rock that possessed swagger and soul, were known for their explosive live shows, and basically helped lay the foundation for much of the Brit Rock music and movement of the 90's.
And the band is choosing our fair city for their first US show in 20 years! Also the first St. Valentine's Day Massacre show (a staple of their career, always done in London) ever on US soil. This guarantees that huge music nerds in the Midwest are rejoicing, while those around the world just let out a collective sigh.
Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 the day of. The show is 18+ and doors open at 8:00 with the band scheduled to go on at 9:00. Grab a pair of tickets and get on your music nerd sweetheart's good side this Valentines Day.
In recent days, the local duo Coltrane Motion leaked a pair of free new tunes via their own website. More specifically, they leaked a pair of cover versions by which band members Michael Bond and Matt Dennewitz offer their own reworkings of the Bruce Springsteen songs "I'm On Fire" and "I'm Going Down."
Those familiar with CoMotion's fuzzed-out electronic psych-pop might find the choice of cover material a little surprising. As the band explains on their website:
"After hearing Bruce's cover of a Suicide song ('Dream Baby Dream'), Michael attempted to invert the formula, drowning two of his favorite Springsteen songs in the droning keyboards and mechanical beats that Messrs. Vega and Rev pioneered. But the result doesn't sound much like Suicide or Springsteen..."
As it so happens, the arrival of these tracks coincides with (1) the release of The Boss' new album, which hits in stores on Tuesday; and (2) Coltrane Motion's performance this Friday evening at Reggie's Music Joint in the south Loop.
You may remember when I complained that Mr. Bird wasn't showing much hometown love, so consider me speechless after two surprise Hideout shows and then a tour date announced for Chicago's Civic Opera House (which sold out in 2 and a half hours). Now a second show has been added at the Opera House for April 9th. Pre-sale tickets go on sale today at 11am. Once those are gone, they will be available online starting January 31st, or at the Civic Opera House Box office on January 30th.
Andrew's latest album, Noble Beast, is now available on Fat Possum Records.
Hailing from Queens, The Beatnuts originally got introduced to the music industry by Afrika Bambaata in the early 90s. The duo, composed of JuJu and Psycho Les, immediately garnered attention as producers. Working with such artists as Common, Fat Joe, and MC Lyte, it was only a matter of time until JuJu and Psycho Les decided to try their hand at rapping. 16 years and several albums later, The Beatnuts have cemented their reputation as hip-hop royalty and don't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Considering the genre has seen super popular acts like Ja Rule, DMX, and Ma$e fade away, it's pretty impressive The Beatnuts have been at it this long.
This Sunday, Scion is sponsoring a free Beatnuts show at Metro. Doors open at 9pm and attendance is not guaranteed, so don't be late. Also, remember to RSVP on the Scion website. 21+
Who's doing what to whom, now? Well, Rick Potts, he of the esteemed Los Angeles Free Music Society (LAFMS) will play playing THIS SATURDAY at Lampo (216 W. Chicago, 2nd Floor) at 9 p.m. $12 at the door.
Potts is a member of the hippest lot on the west coast throughout the '70s (and beyond), the LAFMS, a group that preciently sucked up gargantuan chunks of avant-garde weirdness, modern classical discipline, pop-cultural flippancy for stodginess, and a love for learning to do things in the most unintuitive way, and mashed them all together into a bundle of color and sound whose reverberations are still being felt. The core of some of the craziest Japanese sound of the late '70s and '80s pledged their allegiance to LAFMS, and today, scenes in San Francisco, Portland (who now host longtime LAMFS'ers Smegma), and elsewhere show strong traces of the then-unheard combination of righteous pursuit of new sound with tongue-lolling cartoon-mallet-to-the-head craziness.
Potts, a founding member of LAFMS mainstays Le Forte Four, Dinosaurs With Horns, Airway, and Solid Eye, performs a solo set at Lampo. Pieces will include "Carousel of Progress," a piece that promises "an abstracted audio history of technology, inspired by the Walt Disney / General Electric promotional amusement park ride that displayed with human-like robots how life has improved for us each decade because of the invention of new household appliances," performed on "samplers with carousel sounds, musical saw, the "Mando-Bird" hinged-neck electric mandolin, synthesizer and effects." The second piece, "Kaspar," is named after a cat that arrived at the Potts family's back door the day their beloved dog died, is "a freeform mix of chopped up percussive rhythms and synthesizer sounds with pre-recorded, record manipulated, thrift store LPs providing the vocal track" in which "with a little help, the machines play themselves."
This musicially colorful event, Potts's first performance in Chicago, will go down at 9 p.m., and will cost $12 at the door. A previous appearance by LAFMS alum Joseph Hammer during Lampo's 2007 season was astounding, touching, and quite possibly one of the best shows I've ever seen. I'm equally excited for this one, and I hope you are as well.
Who: Dead Machines, The Haunting, Bruce Lamont, Folk & Violence, Face Worker Where: The Mopery, 2734 N. Milwaukee When: Friday, January 23, 9:00 p.m. How much: $5
What: Back around 2000, right around when John Olson (he of the 800 releases-and-counting American Tapes label, as well as umpteen projects like Spykes, Universal Indians, Weapons, Full Scales, Graveyards, etc.) joined Wolf Eyes, spearheading an atomic fireball of new energy into an already great band, he started another project that at the time met with a bit less fanfare, but which has grown into one of the best noise/improv duos on the planet. Dead Machines, a project between Olson and his wife, Tovah (she also of Wooden Wand and the Vanishing Voice, Tovah D-Day, the Jasons, and others, and proprietor of the Tovinator label), churned out a steady torrent of top-qual basement brain gargling, not only on the hyper-prolific American Tapes, but labels like Hanson, Ecstatic Peace!, Hospital, and Troubleman.
Philadelphia's The Disco Biscuits got their start playing the party scene at UPenn in the mid-90's. Now over a decade later, they've created a loyal, dedicated fan base of die-hards touring the jam band circuit with their mix of electronica, jazz, and rock, dubbed trance-fusion. You may remember them from Lollapalooza 2006 or touring with the likes of Umphrey's McGee. They're known for their long, intense sets, like all jam bands, and they never play a song in the same way twice - performing parts of their songs at different points throughout their set and even playing songs backwards. Their fans call their unique style for converting studio tracks into groovy live performance as "bisco" — a method that makes each live show by this band a unique experience. In taking such risks, their live act can be hit-or-miss, sometimes a bit self-indulgent but other times you'll leave their show with your jaw on the ground, making it a risk worth taking.
The band had taken a break in 2008 from the constant touring that is their norm to record their first studio album in seven years, release date to be determined. It's been over a year since The Disco Biscuits have played in Chicago, but you can catch them continuing to build the bridge between the jam band and dance world this Saturday at the Congress Theater. Joining The Disco Biscuits on Saturday is Philadelphia's underground hip hop DJ/producer RJD2, who is also putting the finishing touches on a new album, and IDM artist Prefuse 73, who you may remember from Wicker Park Fest this past summer.
Catch all three acts this Saturday, January 24th, at the Congress Theater, 2135 N. Milwaukee Ave. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased here. The show starts at 8 p.m. and is 18+. Stick around after the show for DJ sets by Skyler and Derek Specs in the lobby of the Congress.
Free Tickets Contest! The first two readers who email us at contests (at) gapersblock.com with the subject line "Disco" will each win themselves a pair of tickets to the show on Saturday at the Congress Theater! Update! We have our winners! Congrats to Mark and Dave.
Click below to watch TDB's music video for "World is Spinning" from the album The Wind at Four to Fly.
Transmission had a couple friends head to D.C. for the Inauguration festivities and of course they were excited to visit The Black Cat to check out the Hideout's curated Big Shoulders Ball. Tonight's entertainmentincludes the following exciting lineup (lineup times EST):
Judson Claiborne (7:30)
Freakwater (8:00)
David "Honeyboy" Edwards (8:30)
Icy Demons (9:10)
Ken Vandermark (9:35)
Tortoise (10:00)
Andrew Bird (10:30)
Thomas Frank (11:00)
Waco Brothers (11:05)
Ted Leo (11:30)
Eleventh Dream Day (12:00)
Jon Langford w/ Sally Timms (12:30)
Bloodshot Records rollicking punk rock infused country band is warming up Wednesday next week when they play the DogFloydAPalooza festival at the Bottom Lounge.
The evening is a collaboration between Dogfish Head and 3 Floyds breweries to celebrate all of their excellent brews. The festival will be in the Volcano Room at the Bottom Lounge and also rocking that evening will be Big Science, who made many a local year end list with the recent release of their EP The Coast of Nowhere.
If you haven't yet witnessed the greatness known as a Waco Brothers show, Wednesday would be a perfect excuse to drag yourself out in this snow and thaw off with some high energy kick ass tunes while throwing back some quality brews. And nothing warms you up more than a decent amount of alcohol.
DogFloydAPalooza is Wednesday, January 21st. The Bottom Lounge is at 1375 W. Lake Street. Tickets are $10, the show is 21+ and the doors open at 9:00pm.
Hey trusty reader! Are you headed to D.C. for the inauguration? Are you also lucky enough to have a ticket to the Hideout's sold out Big Shoulders Ball (featuring scads of Chicagotalent) at Black Cat on Monday night? If so, and you'd like to do some live blogging (or text messaging, or photography) for Transmission, give me a shout! Email me at transmission {at} gapersblock {dot} com with the subject line "Big Shoulders".
Thought you couldn't go to the Kings of Leon show at the House of Blues next week because it was sold out? Think again. A limited number of tickets will be released for sale this Friday at 5pm on Ticketmaster. Tickets will be $200 for general admission and $250 for VIP. If this sounds like a lot, consider that you could be paying $300 to $500 on Craigslist for the same ticket, and half that profit would be going into somebody's pocket instead of to the kids at the University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital. Proceeds will benefit pediatric cancer treatment and research at Comer.
The Dare 2 Dream concert is presented by The Lisa Klitzky Foundation and takes place next Saturday, January 24th beginning at 6pm. The Whigs and The Jakes will open for Kings of Leon. The House of Blues is located at 329 N. Dearborn. 312-923-2000. All ages.
A certain number of "Golden Circle" tickets have been held for parents from the school and Emanuel members for $250. General admission tickets go on sale this Friday, Jan. 16, at noon via Ticketmaster or at the Vic box office, 3145 N Sheffield. Early reports pegged general admission at $150 a pop, but Ticketmaster lists them as $100.
Here's the humble beginnings. Six years ago, when Department Of Eagles were calling themselves Whitey On The Moon U.K., one wouldn't have guessed that they were likely to evolve into any sort of Big Indie Darling Thing.
When the songwriting duo of Daniel Rossen and Fred Nicolaus first started collaborating, they were a couple of NYU dormmates -- bored college kids farting around with a sampler, making silly beat compositions with fragments of Gil Scott-Heron, bits of classical Indian music, and snippets from old Steve Martin comedy records. By the time they got around to recording a debut LP in 2003, they'd grown more serious about songwriting and musicianship and aimed to make a proper pop album. The result was a wonderful and brilliantly eclectic collection of songs that were likely to provoke dancing, laughter, or -- in a few cases -- that were just flat-out beautiful. By the time the album became something of a creeping indie-world fave (thanks to its belated U.K. reissue), Rossen had drifted off to find greater success as a member of the band Grizzly Bear; for a time leaving the status of DOE in suspended animation.
It's a fact that 'tomorrow never knows'. You can never predict what the future will bring, although you can try. Schubas will attempt to do just that, or at least offer you some candidates for the future of indie music. Tomorrow Never Knows is a festival presented each winter at Schubas and showcases some of the up-and-coming musical acts from all over the country, including Chicago. The Soft Pack, Department of Eagles (see our preview here), Cursive, Hey Champ, and Bishop Allen are just some of the bands appearing. The festival begins this Wednesday, January 14th and continues through Sunday, January 18th. Tickets for each night are $15 and can be purchased at Schubas' website, where you can also purchase a 5-day pass good for entry to every show for $55 (UPDATE: 5-day passes have sold out). Thursday and Friday individual tickets are already sold out, so act fast (or pick up a 5-day pass) if you want to see any these acts in the home-y confines of Schubas before you're stuck seeing them in a larger venue...
Schubas is located at 3159 N. Southport. All shows begin at 9pm and are 18 & up.
And for a glimpse a little further into the future, don't forget to see the Paul Green's School of Rock students present British Invasion on Saturday and Sunday afternoon at 2pm. Tickets can be purchased separately for $10 ($15 at the door), but admission is included if you opt for the 5-day pass.
Barack Obama's Presidential Inauguration in DC is fast approaching, and that also means that The Hideout presented Big Shoulders Ball is coming up as well! The lineup was already stacked, but since the initial announcement, there have been some big additions: Andrew Bird (who will likely be playing material from his much anticipated Noble Beast--out on Inauguration Day) was added shortly after the announcement, and now Ted Leo (on Chicago's Touch and Go label) has joined the party. The Hideout is calling him their "ambassador" to DC since they say The Black Cat his "home club." Author and U of C alum Thomas Frank ("The Wrecking Crew," "What's the Matter with Kansas," The Baffler) has also been added as a special guest, and The Hideout promises that there's still more to come. If you're even thinking about going to the Capital for the inauguration, I'd get my hands on these tickets fast because they're bound to sell out.
The Big Shoulders Ball takes place the night before the inauguration (Monday, January 19) at The Black Cat in Washington DC (1811 14th St. NW WDC 20009). Tickets are $50. You can get them from The Black Cat's website, or pick them up in person at The Hideout, 1354 W. Wabansia, 773-227-4433. (UPDATE: The ball has sold out.)
Lambchop is a band that seems to, somehow, fly under everybody's radar until they're pointed out by somebody from Nashville. It's a shame, too, because the very large group has some extremely talented members and some incredibly wonderful music. Led by Kurt Wagner's often unexplainable lyrics, the band has a knack for finding their way into my musical rotation often. Being that they're from Nashville, your first thought might be to lump them in the country or folk music category, but their sound is ever-expanding and difficult to define. Their latest album, OH (ohio) is a whimsy tale that goes from interested, to unhappy, to excited, and back to interested. That doesn't make much sense, but if you'd like to see them and attempt to give a better description to their sound, may I invite you to see Lambchop at the Old Town School of Folk Music on January 24th at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $20 and still available.
Here's a late announcement to get excited about: Lady Sovereign is scheduled to play The Empty Bottle on Wednesday, January 28th. UPDATE: The show has been rescheduled for Feburary 4th at Logan Square Auditorium. Tickets from the original show will be honored.
The last time we saw the 5 ft 1 English rapper was at Lollapalooza in '06 rocking hits from her debut album Public Warning, and chugging and spitting on whoever--and she hadn't even hit 21 yet. She's been down for a couple years working on her new album, Jigsaw, set for release in April. Always the rebellious girl, she left JayZ and Def Jam and started her own label, Midget Records (under the EMI umbrella) in order to have more control. Now she's come into her own and doing things her way. Seeing Lady Sovereign at a venue as small as the Bottle is an opportunity you might not see again...
For a taste, go to her website to download "I Got You Dancing" for free.
The show starts at 8pm and tickets are $12. 1035 N. Western Ave. 2539 N. Kedzie. 21+ All Ages. Call 773-276-3600 with any questions.
The first time I saw Fujiya & Miyagi in concert, I almost thought they were joking with their funky krautrock shtick, but the gig didn't stop and I actually started digging it. You've probably heard the heavy baseline from their song, Collarbone, in that Miller Light "Beer Heaven" commercial. Their third album, Lightbulbs, was released in September and is a continuation of the same groovy tracks from 2006's Transparent Things. Fujiya & Miyagi make another stop in Chicago on Thursday, February 12 at Bottom Lounge (1375 W. Lake). Brooklyn trio School of Seven Bells will also play. Show starts at 9pm. Tickets are on sale now for $16 ($18 day of show). 18 & up.
New Years Eve celebrations are usually decadent affairs. The Dandy Warhols made sure that the Metro was no exception this year when they rolled into town with their catchy brand of psychedelic pop to set off the start of 2009.
Truly independent music has an urgency that you don't always find in major label or even indie label releases. Perhaps it is the fact that the band has something more substantial invested or that they are more focused on each step of the process, but as you listen to the debut album from the suburban band Kid You'll Move Mountains you can feel that urgency. Formed from the ashes of Lookout! Records Troubled Hubble, KYMM has been playing together locally since 2006. Members Jim Hanke, Corey Wills, and Nina, Andrew and Nate Lanthrum, see 2009 as their opportunity to launch their sound and their new self-released album Loomings into the national eye.
Loomings is a mixture of the indie pop and alt-country with the kick being the alternating vocals by Jim and Nina. When the two trade off lead vocals, as in the lead single "Volts", the results are, well... electric. In other songs like "Inside Voice", the two lay their melodies over an aggressive bed of piano pop. To keep the album local the band enlisted local designer and musician Marky Hladish of The Felix Culpa and Venna and his company MidwestLove Art & Design to work on the cover. The result is an album that is a visually appealing as it is musically, and an album that the band will officially be launching with a release party this Friday, January 2nd at the Metro with three other great up and coming Chicago bands. Joining them that night will be The Sapiens, Picture Books (who are also releasing a new ep that night), and Pool of Frogs. Tickets are $8 and the show starts at 9:00pm.
If you are like me (and a few million other folks) you spent the past day or so traveling back home from numerous Holiday celebrations. And what better way to burn off the 12 glasses of eggnog you drank and get back into the swing of city life then to catch a free show tomorrow night.
The eclectic five-piece create charming and infectious pop music while utilizing an array of instruments from synthesizers to banjos, ukuleles, and mandolins. An explosion of sound dissolves into earnest lyrics, creating some incredibly catchy multi-layered songs. Also the band compares their sound to "The Arcade Fire meets The Muppets," and anything remotely involving Muppets is alright in my book.
The Empty Bottle is at 1035 N. Western Ave. The show is free (hence Free Monday show) and also playing will be The Black Fortys and Soft Speaker.
If you've yet to finalize your plans for New Years Eve and you'd like an evening of electronic music with a less hefty cover charge, you can head over and catch The Abbey's NYE billing of eclectic grooves featuring performances by Future Rock, Daedelus, and Dark Party.
Dark Party is the duo of Elliot Lipp and Leo123, and exists as a side-project for Lipp's when he's not recording and performing solo. While based in New York, Lipp comes through town fairly frequently -- partially because he likes playing in Chicago, and partly because Chicago is presently the home of his Dark Party colleague, West Coast transplant Leonardo Ciccone. Reputedly, the duo's recorded a debut album that'll be coming out on the Mush label some time in 2009. Unlike the sleek, chrome-plated sheen of Lipp's usual style of electronica, Dark Party offers a doper, more bumpin' ride; with Lipp laying down the bleeps and textures as Leon punches out labyrinths of twisting rhythms that owe more than a little to the pop-locking 808 beats of oldskool hip-hop and electro-funk pioneers like Mantronix and Newcleus.
If you're looking for something to do other than (or while) drinking yourself into a coma in the dark and lonely days after Christmas, you can see a genuine Chicago master of the tenor saxophone, Von Freeman, square off with Edward Petersen (of Covington, LA) on saxophones at The Green Mill this Friday and Saturday. The 86-year old Freeman is a local institution, having been active in Chicago jazz since the early '50s and playing with luminaries like Charlie Parker, Sun Ra and Rahsaan Roland Kirk. The Mill itself is one of the few pieces of Chicago jazz history that predates Freeman; it's the perfect room for the kind of intense, intimate performances that these shows should prove to be. 9pm Friday, 8pm Saturday; $12 cover; 4802 N. Broadway.
What better way to spend the holidays than to see some great live music and give back to the community? The Greater Chicago Food Depository distributes donated food to almost 500,000 adults and children in need per year. This year, the Metro is teaming up with the Chicago Independent Radio Project (C.H.I.R.P.) for a series of concerts to benefit the food depository. Concert-goers are encouraged to bring canned food items to the show, and on December 22nd a canned food item will get you $3 off the ticket price of the show!
Home for the Holidays kicks off tonight with The Hush Sound, Treaty of Paris, and This is Me Smiling, and runs until December 28th with the Midwest Ska Fest. All shows will be at the Metro, 3730 N. Clark Street. Tickets will be available at the Metro box office.
Please note that the Greater Chicago Food Depository is most in need of canned chicken and tuna, canned corn beef, canned fruit, canned vegetables, dried or canned beans, fruit juice, jelly, macaroni and cheese, pasta, peanut butter, rice, and whole grain cereal.
Come check out what's new in the Chicago music scene while giving back to those in need. Full schedule to follow.
Chances are that if you haven't heard Golden Birthday play live during any of their recent appearances around town, you might've heard their name of late. On the eve of the release of their debut album, they've been getting some heads-up attention (see here and here) in the local press. If any of that's made you the least bit curious, tonight's your opportunity as they play at the AV-aerie performance space in the West Loop this Friday evening.
Golden Birthday's sound is a distinctively moody one -- languid, dreamy, drenched in a reverb haze, a bit tenuous, tinged with filigree and shadow. Anyone who was once familiar with the proto-shoegaze of Felt or a number of artists that graced the 4AD roster back in the mid-'80s will probably experience a pleasant sense of déjà vu, and those with less seasoned ears will no doubt find Golden Birthday's music strikingly unique. Also on the bill for Friday's show are local fauve-folk favorites Bird Names and the blippy, tribal abstractionists of the Mahjongg satellite-project Waterbabies. 2000 W. Fulton. Admission is just $5, and the doors open at 9:30 PM.
Chicago's own Scotland Yard Gospel Choir has been making waves opening for the likes of The Arcade Fire, Spoon, The Violent Femmes, and Of Montreal. This chamber pop collective mixes dark humor with an eclectic mix of instruments and styles, at times sounding like The Ramones hired a backing orchestra, and at other times straight-up Belle & Sebastian-influenced folk. They're currently finishing up a new album, due out in the spring, and will be ending 2008 headlining a show at the Double Door tomorrow night. SYGC's shows are always high-energy, which is almost inevitable for a band of this size in an intimate venue like the Double Door but is mostly due to their strong attention to detail and effort put into their live act. This is surely a show you will not want to miss.
Catch SYGC this Friday, December 19th, at the Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave. The show starts at 9 pm, but arrive early because the first 100 people through the door will receive handmade buttons and mix CDs from the band. Tom Schraeder and His Ego, The Fabulous Putterbaugh Sisters and DJ Screeble Dee will open. As always, the Double Door is 21+. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online here or at the Double Door box office.
Really Quick Contest! One lucky reader can win a pair of tickets to the Scotland Yard Gospel Choir show tomorrow, Friday 12/19 at the Double Door. Just be the first to email us at contests (at) gapersblock (dot) com with the subject "La La La" and you and a friend can have sweet night of free entertainment, courtesy of Bloodshot Records. UPDATE: We have a winner! Congrats to Brandon!
What are you doing on New Year's Eve? If you haven't made up your mind, here are two opportunities to have it made for you.
The Dandy Warhols are going to be performing at the Metro's NYE party, with Robert Been of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club DJing to open. The show is 18 and over, and doors open at 9pm. Tickets are $55 in advance ($65 at the door), or $125 for VIP, which get you special seating, four free drinks and limited edition posters.
The Metro is running a contest to upgrade one lucky ticketholder and three of his or her friends to VIP status. All you have to do to enter is purchase your tickets by Saturday, Dec. 20. Winners will be announced on Monday the 22nd.
But that's not all! The Metro has also given Transmission two pairs of tickets to give away! Enter to win by emailing contests[at]gapersblock.com with "NYE" in the subject line; include your full name in the body of the email. We'll select two winners from the entries on Friday, Dec. 19, so that if you don't win you still have time to enter the Metro's contest. Update! We have our winners! Congrats to Kit and Aubrey!
If you've got plans to go to DC (and a place to stay...) for Obama's Presidential Inauguration, you can celebrate the night before with the folks from The Hideout at The Black Cat where they, with Interchange, present The Big Shoulders Ball: a Chicago concert celebrating change. Hideout co-owner and staunch Obama supporter (as is evident by the ENORMOUS picture of Obama hanging on the front of The Hideout), Tim Tuten, has chartered two buses to take the bands and company on the cross country trip. Why am I getting a feeling of America ala 60s full of VW buses, hippie braids and peace signs... Anyway, the lineup is stacked; Tortoise, Waco Brothers, Ken Vandermark and Icy Demons are among the local artists already slated to play. Tickets go on sale today at 4pm and are $50. You can get them from The Black Cat's website, or pick them up in person at The Hideout (1354 W. Wabansia). (UPDATE: The ball has sold out.) The exact date of the show is Monday, January 19 (just in case you've been living under a rock and hadn't heard when Obama would take over as Commander in Chief). The Black Cat is located at 1811 14th St. NW WDC 20009.
**UPDATE** Andrew Bird has been added to the line-up as well!
Owned and operated by the crew at the Shape Shoppe studio and members of affiliated groups Icy Demons and Chandeliers, the recently-launched Obey Your Brain label aims to showcase the work of the Shoppe's allies, associates, and fellow travelers alike -- of adventurous musical artists from Chicago and from across the country. This Tuesday evening, the folks at OBY take the venture one step further as they kick off a series of monthly events that will be hosted by Sonotheque.
The lineup for the first show of the series features a headlining set from the Mahjongg side-project Waterbabies, and DJs Alex Valentine and Smart Cousin are scheduled to spin. Piling onto the bill at the eleventh hour are DJ HoloGram Trav (of the band Killer Whales) and a set from Warhammer 48K offshoot CAVE. Word has it that Nashvillian underground hip-hop emcee Count Bass D, who recently recorded some new material to be released via Obey Your Brain, might -- repeat: might -- also be in the house. Admission is free and doors open at 9 PM. 1444 W. Chicago Ave.
What with Hyde Park's recent high profile, Jimmy's (aka "The Woodlawn Tap"; don't be fooled, nobody calls it that) has been fêted by everyone from local CBS news to the New York Times. It is, for better or worse, in good times and bad, Hyde Park's neighborhood tavern. And if you can successfully dodge the undergrads on the way in, the back room is pretty excellent Sunday night music destination.
Since time immemorial, they've been hosting a Sunday evening jazz session back there. The cast of characters is ever-rotating, but the basic combo centers around Curtis Black (trumpet) and Doug Mitchell (drums), who have been at this for longer than anyone really knows. Their tastes run to pretty classic stuff: think Sonny Rollins, Monk, '50s and early '60s style Miles Davis, etc. The musicians are different every night, but you're usually in for good guest spots on sax, keys, and guitar, particularly in the second set, when the band stretches out a bit. The acoustics aren't great, but the dark-room-and-stiff-drinks factor is not to be underestimated. The music starts around 9pm (there's usually a blues session earlier in the afternoon) and there's no cover, but it's good form to drop something in the tip jar when it comes your way. Jimmy's is at 1172 E. 55th St., at Woodlawn.
You and Me and the Mountain, the newest EP by Chicago progressive math rockers Maps & Atlases, is the type of album you can listen to again and again and still find a new aspect of each song with every listen. And you will want to hear them again and again, as their endearingly quirky sound quickly becomes addictive. This band is able to create chaos in such a way that sounds natural and beautiful without ever becoming over-indulgent. I've been meaning to catch these guys live for quite some time now, as it would be interesting to see their complex music translated into a live format. I am expecting the vivacity and enthusiasm in their music to translate well on stage during their headlining show at Subterranean this Saturday. If you like smart, complicated music that is still catchy, this is a show not to miss!
Maps & Atlases will be playing tomorrow night, December 13th, at Subterranean, 2011 W North Ave. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased here. The show is all ages and starts at 8 pm.
Check out a video showcasing their unique manipulation of the guitar in the song "Ongoing Horrible" after the jump.
It's never a good sign when a lead singer reveals "we haven't played a show in a long time" to a packed crowd during the second song of a set. But this is the type of obstacles you encounter when attending a corporate and free concert.
The Bravery played to a large throng of fans (and fans of free stuff) at The Metro Wednesday night in honor of Puma turning 60 years old. Now there are always pro's and con's to attending a free sponsored concert. Sometimes the music will lack quality (thankfully not the case Wednesday night), sometimes their will be annoying adverts for the sponsor (Puma kept the in your face advertising still present yet to a minimum, a much appreciated gesture), and then the fact you are seeing a show that people didn't pay for, so much of the audience may not be fans of the band at all. These multiple factors played into a very long and strange night that I spent Wednesday with The Bravery.
Rick Froberg's history has warranted a pretty decent following. However, that's not to say he takes advantage of it by doing anything weak. His various music projects speak for themselves and his design work is almost universally lauded. The man clearly understands how to not take a project too long. None of his bands have ever outstayed their welcome. From Pitchfork to Drive Like Jehu to Hot Snakes, he and John Reis have always been an excellent team to deliver aggressive rock'n'roll music.
Now without his longtime collaborator in Reis, Froberg's new band Obits has been generating buzz since playing their first show in New York earlier this year. Their only release so far is a single ahead of 2009's full-length record. While the sound is more melodic than its predecessors, it's not a huge departure from Hot Snakes' post-garage rock urgency and Froberg's vocals still carry a distinct desperation.
Obits open for Constantines, who absolutely slay live, at the Empty Bottle tomorrow evening. The show begins at 10PM and admission is $12. Light Pollution also plays.
If The Smashing Pumpkins are now irrelevant has-beens, the thousands who bought tickets to their five sold out shows - their first proper Chicago shows in eight years - must have missed the memo. I attended the first night at the Chicago Theater, the add-on night at the Aragon Ballroom and the final show at the Auditorium Theater, and each concert was a completely unique experience. I feel I must preface this review by saying that The Smashing Pumpkins are the band that made me begin to love music for the first time when I was 11 years old, and therefore I frequently romanticize this band. That being said, I was a bit apprehensive about Smashing Pumpkins v. 2.0 and feel that Zeitgeist was over-produced and lacked the personality that made the original band so great. Still, of the three nights I saw them in Chicago, they put on a good 2.5 solid performances.
WelikeJustice at Transmission. (And, for the record, we liked that other Justice too.) They've graced our city a few times and given us some good memories from their thump-driven performances. From Smartbar to Metro to the Riv, they've worked their way up the venue ladder and become better showmen as their popularity has skyrocketed over the years. In a few weeks, the French electro duo will put on their biggest Chicago party yet with a New Year's DJ set at the Congress. It may hark back to a time when their claim to fame was remixing Simian and Britney Spears or it may go in a completely different direction. They probably don't even know until five minutes before they hit the stage.
Their Ed Banger labelmates So Me and local trio Hey Champ will open, as will numerous local DJs. (Oh, and Peanut Butter Wolf too!)
And because we at Transmission appreciate our readers so much, we're giving away a pair of tickets to what'll obviously be one of the most fun ways to bring in 2009. Just be the first to email us at contests (at) gapersblock (dot) com with the subject "Justice!" and you'll be the lucky winner of a pair. For those who don't win, the show runs from 7pm to 3am and tickets are $60. The Congress is located at 2135 N. Milwaukee. UPDATE Hold the phone! We have a winner! Congrats to David.
Looking for something to do Friday night? Craving a bit of New Wave for a change? Then head over to The Hideout for the EP release show for local act Big Science.
Big Science was formed in 2007 out of the ashes of a former band, and just finished their new EP, The Coast of Nowhere. The EP offers up some dreamy New Order/Joy Division-esque tunes, and at this point should probably already have an opening slot for The Killers on their next tour. Not the usual sound that comes out of much of the Chicago musical landscape, The Coast of Nowhere is a very strong, heavy, and infectious release.
The Gunshy will also be playing and then following the show will be a DJ set from Tankboy.
Show starts at 10 p.m. and is $8. As always, The Hideout is 21+
Our friends over at Chicagoist just broke the news that hometown hero Andrew Bird has two shows listed on his site at The Hideout on December 14th and 15th.
I'm assuming it's a last minute surprise, since it's not actually listed on The Hideout's website.
And even more odd, according to Ticketweb, the shows are already sold out. What is going on Andrew Bird? Stop teasing and confusing us!
The shows are 21+ December 14th and 15th at 8 p.m. I'd suggest heading over to Craigslist and try your luck at finding at ticket!
Have any idea what it sounds like when sexy robots make sexy love? I imagined a lot of creaking and clanging, but I think Sebastien Tellier has a much better idea on his latest album, Sexuality. With ample production help from Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo of Daft Punk, the trilingual singer (French, Italian, and English) nails French dance pop, adding his own disarmingly heartfelt lyrics to the robo-beats. And best of all -- dude looks like a thinner and slightly better-dressed Rick Rubin. What a country!
Check Tellier's thick rhythms, romantic songwriting, and bushy beard at his show at Schubas on Tuesday, Dec. 9. Local electro-heads Hey Champ open.
It's by no means the strangest opening act/headliner pairing I've seen, but Daniel Knox isn't the first person I would think of to open for Kristin Hersh, particularly the Kristin Hersh of The Shady Circle, her current show. Now, let's be clear about two things: first, I'm not saying it was a bad pairing; second, I tend to think about stuff like this (to excess) in purely musical terms, even though I realize that the vicissitudes of touring often make strange bedfellows.
It's always nice to travel back to your hometown, and probably even better if your playing in one of the most successful current rock bands to a sold show for a concert that is being taped to air on television. So is the life of Fall Out Boy, the punk pop hometown heroes that returned to their roots and rocked out The Chicago Theatre Tuesday night. The show was brought to town by Fuse television in celebration for the guys' new album Folie à Deux, which is out December 16th, the same day the concert will air on Fuse.
If you're looking for something to do tonight, think about heading over to Bottom Lounge for a concert that's a little different than the usual rock show. He is a member of local indie rock band All Things Lucid and runs Kilo Records. She is a master cellist who has played with Phillip Glass, Kanye West, and even the Foo Fighters in their 2008 Grammy Awards performance. Together, Miles Benjamin and Michelle Morales form the experimental duo The Loneliest Monk. Their cool, ambient music is a nice departure from the standard 4-piece rock or jazz group. It's little bit rock, a little bit classical, a little jazz infused, and all intriguing. They open up for The Loyal Divide (Album Release). Shapes And Sounds and Gaberdine also open. Show begins at 8pm. 1375 W. Lake. 21 & up. Tickets are $6.
*The Loneliest Monk will be handing out "Magic Buttons" at the show that you can bring to the Empty Bottle on December 21st (their first headlining show) for a handmade Loneliest Monk Christmas gift. The buttons were designed by Aaron Albarran, and will reveal their new logo.
Given that this stretch of the Greater Midwest has long been a hive for breakcore activity, it's weird how little of it ever goes off in Chicago. Maybe it's because the breakcore crowd largely adheres to the original rave happening em-oh, and such events are most likely to take place in a warehouse on the outskirts of Pittsburgh or (no, not kidding) a barn in Wisconsin than at a legit/above-ground venue with a liquor license and neighbors who just might be inclined to complain about the noise.
When it comes to breakcore, many would argue that Venetian Snares (aka Winnipeg's Aaron Funk) pretty much rules the roost. Back when Aphex Twin dropped off the radar as Most Innovative And Fanatically Revered Mad Genius of the electronic-music community about five or so years ago, Mr. Snares immediately stepped in to fill the breach. Averaging about 3-4 albums' worth of released material per annum, he's widely hailed in breakcore subculture as the artist who defines (and pushes to re-define) the boundaries of leftfield extremist "electronica." Case in point: In the past few years, he's even made a few side-stepping excursions into composing beatless orchestral and chamber music.
Venetian Snares will be playing at Reggies Rock Club tomorrow evening, Friday the 5th, headlining an evening of nosebleed-inducing splatterbeats and bleeps. Joining him on the roster will be fellow and high-productivist squelch-wrangler Otto Von Schirach, who's currently traveling with VSnares as part of their "Detrimental Disco Wibble" joint tour. Cyrusrex, DJ Naha, Surachai, and Flashbulb are also piling onto the bill. With visual accompaniment by VJ Dizypixl. It ain't a party until someone calls for a medic! Doors open at 8 PM, and it's a 17 & over show. Tickets are $20, $25 the day of. 2109 S. State Street.
New York and Los Angeles have churned out boatloads of hip hop superstars, while Chicago has recently been experiencing a hip hop revolution of sorts. Yet, no one seems to talk about smaller Midwestern cities like Kansas City. Perhaps that's why it may be a surprise to some that heartland America has also produced notable hip hop talent over the years. Minneapolis-based label Rhymesayers (of Atmosphere fame) has taken notice long ago, showcasing talented Midwesterners such as Brother Ali and Mac Lethal. The latter, also known as David McCleary Sheldon, hails from Kansas City and should be on every hip hop fan's iPod.
Look no further than Mac Lethal if you're craving some underground hip hop this Christmas season. His sound ranges from aggressive anger-fueled rhymes where he threatens to "whoop your mother's ass," to slower harmonica-backed melodies that will get the crowd square dancing and clapping their hands in no time. Mac Lethal's bag of tricks definitely has an ample supply of versatility. In fact, it wouldn't be surprising one bit if he moonlighted as a comedian or folk singer in his free time. Just when you think you're beginning to get a feel for Mac Lethal's style, he unloads a fierce Twista-inspired machine gun flow that crashes into your eardrums like a grizzly bear driving a garbage truck. The lyrics are also often impressive, showcasing memorable lines such as "fuck veganism, give me some General Tso's chicken," and "Wilco is great and Ice-T is still clever, but no matter what it's Wu-Tang forever!"
Sunday night, I headed out to the Double Door for a good dose of metal, and I got what I had hoped for. It was a unique night, though, beginning with a cab driven by the one and only Ray St. Ray, the Singing Cab Driver. Knowing that I was going to a concert for an artist whose work I am only marginally familiar with, I was a bit skeptical of the whole night. Of course, that seems to be how I look at every concert these days. Ray's songs got me in the mood, though. Honestly, if you're on your way to see ohGr, it's always best to start your night out with a cab driver who sings a large collection of songs that range in about "Love! Sex! Social Significance! Dreams!" (Or "Other!" as the case may be).
Some things in life you just have to learn for yourself -- usually the hard way. But often times, especially during one's younger and formative years, there's some guardian or elder figure there to offer warnings or advice. For instance, one of my Cajun great-uncles once told me: "The one thing you need to know is how to stay outta trouble. Because the thing about trouble is that it's real easy to get into; and once you're in it, it's a total bitch to get out of." Words like that often go a lot further when you're hearing them from someone who knows what they're talking about.
It seems Sharon Jones, by virtue of her age and experience, knows a good bit about trouble. About being in it, staying out of it, and knowing it when you see it. And to hear her sing, it also sounds like she also knows a good deal about other big things in life; about heartbreak, tenderness, forgiveness, knowing when to put your foot down and not be played for a fool, and -- perhaps more importantly -- about patience for the sake of That Love You Gotta Work On Because One Day It'll (Hopefully) Be Worth It.
I always get a little nervous when going to an 18+ show at the Metro. You simply never know what you're getting yourself into. Such was the case Saturday night when I ventured out to see Nada Surf. I had concers about what I would find what I would find inside, as I honestly had no clue what kind of audience even goes to a Nada Surf concert. All I know about this band is their new album and the fact that I used to sing "Popular" all throughout high school. Would the rest of the audience be my age or would they all be 18 and 19?
A change has come to the band that inspired the phrase "beard rock", and now the Brooklyn foursome are now a trio. Akron/Family's discography has found them collaborating with Michael Gira of Swans and his Angels of Light project, as well as master percussionist (and Chicagoan) Hamid Drake, swaying back and forth between the yelping jammy joy of freak-folk and experimental jams utilizing their musical chops. With the departure of Ryan Vanderhoof, the band is adjusting to new dynamics and enjoying the ride. We sat down with Dana Janssen from the band to discuss the influences for the new record, last-second Chicago venue changes, killer Scrabble moves, and our predictions on how exactly the band will sell out to the man.
Kristin Hersh made her name in the '80s and early '90s as the voice and songwriter, along with stepsister Tanya Donelly, of Throwing Muses. (Donelly left the group in 1991 for The Breeders and later Belly.) Signed to the pathologically eclectic 4AD, the band's songs were (and are) intelligent, angular, unorthodox compositions full of catchy, hard hitting hooks. Among other current projects, she's performing a show called "The Shady Circle", based on the dark end of Southern and Appalachian folk music; the show makes Chicago on Saturday at the Old Town School of Folk Music. (See the entry in Slowdown for more info.) It's a solo performance, with Hersh accompanying herself on guitar. The setting is intimate; previous shows have been in living rooms, including one from 9/25 that was recorded and is available for download.
In an introduction to the show, Hersh says with some humor that "almost all of [the songs] are about murder ... some are about Jesus, but mostly it's about getting drunk and killing your girlfriend." Country-ish rockers with a fascination for the dark side of folk songs are nothing new, (particularly around here) so the bar is set a little high, and in general, it's easy to feel that this sort of thing amounts to musical window dressing. That said, this particular show doesn't make slavish devotion to the historic tunes, from the distorted guitar sounds to the inclusion of the Throwing Muses song "City of the Dead" and a cover of the Latin Playboys' "If". It has a sound all its own, which prevents the feeling that you'd be happier listening to old Ralph Stanley records. Some of the best moments ("To A Man", "I'm Waiting For The One Train") remind one of the brooding blues of "To Bring You My Love"-era PJ Harvey; Hersh's voice and guitar have a lot of the same slow-burn intensity that makes that record work. Moreover, it allows her to seamlessly set down rock material next to classic ballads like "Wayfaring Stranger", mixing their qualities and evocations. All in all, the show has a lot of genuine appreciation for classic material, and is forward thinking enough to show how rock and roll fits in here.
Occidental Brothers Dance Band International is just what their name suggests... a band that will make you want to get up and dance with their West African grooves. Even if you don't know how to dance the meringue, you'll pretend like you do. The different members have backgrounds in jazz, rock and African music, and they all bring something to the table.
This summer they performed at Pitchfork Music Festival and Chicago's Summerdance series. They also opened for Andrew Bird at his Pritzker performance in September. They have a lot more to come including free downloads you can get at the news section of their website. Catch them tonight at Schubas where friend W.W. Loman opens. 3159 N. Southport. 10:30pm. 21 & up. Tickets are $10.
Clouds had been on tour for a good while before being invited to join back up with Boris for a jaunt through the Midwest and on back east. They hit Chicago on Saturday, November 29th, rolling into the Empty Bottle just in time to cure everyone of their excessive exposure to turkey and family. Based out of Boston, for all that they haven't seen that east coast city for a while, Jim Carroll chatted of the cities they've seen and the bands they've seen those cities with.
This past March Clouds hit SXSW promoting the release of their album "We Are Above You" on Hydra Head Records. As always, the four day music fest an onslaught of music from around the worlds, as well as a showcase of fans' willingness to flock to Texas to see their favorite, or soon to be favorite bands. SXSW may swell the population of Austin by about ten times, but according to Jim, the vibe is really the same that weekend as on any given Monday night.
Puma (yes, the shoe company) is turning 60 years old and will be celebrating right here in Chicago with a party at the Metro. The party will have free food and (of course!) birthday cake, along with DJs and drinks.
Retro rockers The Bravery will be headlining the event. They may not be the most original band (think Franz Ferdinand + New Order), but the show will certainly be high energy and entertaining. I've never seen them live before, but I hear they have a pretty intense stage presence. If you're into heavy synths and catchy guitar hooks, you'll most likely enjoy this. Plus, it's free! What have you got to lose?
The party is happening on Wednesday, December 10th at 9 pm at the Metro, 3730 N. Clark Street. The concert is free, but you must pick up a ticket beforehand at the Puma Store, 1051 N. Rush Street. Throw on your best kicks and head over there ASAP as there are a limited number of tickets available. The show is 18+. Email info@puma.com/bday48 for more details.
Don't listen to the rumor mill on this one — there are definitely still tickets left for the Kid Sister show at the Metro Wednesday night. On your way to the visit with the fam come Thursday? You can head out the night before and head off some of those Thanksgiving calories with some seriously fun dancing. Kid Sister's debut album Dream Date doesn't hit the shelves until January, but her single "Get Fresh" is already blowing up the airwaves (web and otherwise). She'll be celebrating the release of the tune tonight in her hometown. What better way is there to do it? None.
Kid Sister takes the stage Wednesday night, November 26 at the Metro with DJ duo Flosstradamus and mashup kings The Hood Internet opening. It's a trio of Chicago talent! The show is all-ages and the music gets going at 7pm. Tickets are $16, but if you're quick, and email us at contests (at) gapersblock (dot) com with the subject line "Get Fresh" you and friend could be on your way to the show for free! Update: We have our winners! Congrats to Eric and Catherine!
The folks at Subterranean are smart. They know if they're going to get a crowd in on Thanksgiving Eve they should probably go after those who will be dining here over the feast filled holiday. They also know that to get people out that night they'd better book a pretty exciting show.
Maybe something involving dancing Pilgrims? Something celebrating various kitchen utensils? Well isn't it lucky we have a band like Skybox right here in town to fit the the bill! This Wednesday they're playing a 17+ show promoted by the video below, dancing pilgrims included.
Our annual Gapers Block Party is finally here! And this year it's bigger and better than ever -- we're taking over the 
What are you doing on New Year's Eve? If you 
