This Week in Shows: Local Natives Yeah!!!!

I cant think of a better way to get excited about Friday's show than this great video by the boys of Silver Lake for their single, "World News". The band will be at Schuba's Tavern on Friday for a double header with openers, Suckers setting the tone for both sold out performances. It's the perfect match of East Coast/West Coast upcoming buzz bands, I will be shooting STAL ( Scene Through A Lens) sessions of both bands throughout the day for Indie Rock Reviews. The week begins at sister venue, Lincoln Hall where Freelance Whales return to Chicago for what seems their monthly visit opening for the Shout Out Louds. The former Three Penny Space, will be hosting an evening of film Tuesday with the double feature of Wes Anderson classics, Bottle Rocket and The Royal Tenenbaums. Saturday is a toss up evening as one could return to LH for Plants and Animals or over to the Empty Bottle for Greg Laswell

Freelance Whales/Shout Out Louds

Local Natives/Suckers

Greg Laswell

Plants and Animals

This Week in Shows: A Preview of Austin

Inspired from image by Sebastian Kim

With one week until I head down to the warm weather Austin has to offer; I can't help not getting excited for a nice preview of some of the bands making their trek to SXSW.

Wednesday, March 10: Turbo Fruits and Surfer Blood will be playing Schuba's Tavern

Thursday, March 11: We Were Promised Jetpacks and The Lonely Forest make their first visit to Lincoln Hall

Friday, March 12: (Above painted) Vivian Girls head over to the Subterranean.

Saturday, March 13: Ben Sollee and Daniel Martin Moore will play Schuba's Tavern

Aside from final planning and packing this should be a fun yet busy week.

An Intimate Evening with Acrylics, Schuba's Tavern, Chicago,3.3.10

Tonight's show seems to be a well kept secret, the room is pretty spacious aside from the scattered local hipsters eager to check out the highly blogged about Acrylics. The Brooklyn, NY duo who are expanding to a full band;released their EP, All of the Fire with, Terrible Records in the Fall of 2009 are making their maiden voyage through the States in support. The noise and chatter of the audience cease as the initial notes of music commence, immediately a variety of harmonious tones blare from the stage ultimately deafening down to a pair of simple pleasant strums from the contrasting guitars. Molly Shea and Jason Klauber (joined on stage by Travis Rosenburg) , a hypnotizing pair of voices singing 70s influenced melodramatic pop music with a cinematic grandiose aesthetic. As the first song concludes, Jason expresses gratitude and introduces the band and their origin, noting how great it is to be in Chicago.

Cross breeding a variety of sounds and influences, its difficult to peg a specific classification of the trio's sound. A languid, gentle delivery of personal recounting swapped by the pair and complimented by contrasting guitar play (electric vs. acoustic) and a synth-pop accenting an upbeat, joyous chorus. After a brief miscue, the three quickly restart, "All of the Fire" an air of nervousness present but not affecting the band's pleasurable chemistry and personal enjoyment to share their tales and music. Aside from the minor mishaps from the venue's sound, an ingenious beauty exudes from the stage. After much of the trio's set, Molly finally speaks introducing the band's notable track "Molly's Vertigo." The song's lyrics paint an image of the past, surrounded by a bittersweet misery well beyond the years of the band. There is an introverted quality present, as the two expose each other's optimistic hope through their soul's aspirations and the dreamy melodies on their guitars. Thanking the audience once again, Jason introduces the set's final song, "counting sheep" an unreleased love song searching for a warm embrace for the night's end. A wonderfully warm lullaby to close the evening's performance. I am now more eager to see the band on my upcoming trip to SXSW, who will be playing 7 shows (including the first performance of the week's festivities).

Acrylics

Terrible Records

Tomorrow Never Knows 2010 Day 1: Adam Green, Linoln Hall, 1.13.10

Arriving for the tail end of opener's The Dead Trees' set, whom from the audience's response were pleasing enough for requests for more music. It was quickly noted they would be returning to stage as Adam Green's band for the evening. Tonight's crowd is decent, but seeming to gradually trickle in for the opening evening of this year's Tomorrow Never Knows as Schuba's Tavern get a helping hand from their newest venue, Lincoln Hall. There is chatter all around and beverages are ordered and the room begins to fill up as The Dead Trees return to stage gearing up for the next performance. They begin quietly strumming the first chords and Adam creeps out from stage right, shirtless and donning a pilot's flight jacket with a beer bottle in hand. In a truly shagadelic fashion he begins jumping and dancing about stage, as he begins his lonely hearted crooning lyrics with a blank stare and drunken grin.

He greets the crowd in a warm friendly manner, peering out above the audience's heads exhibiting his inebriation. His stage persona continues to create new and innovative ways to dance along with his music, almost forgetting at times he was not alone on stage. Triumphantly announcing his renewed desire to return to touring jesting about some ridiculous reasoning behind his previous decision to reject touring, and a brief break he said he would rather not speak of. Adam casually jokes about world perspectives and his aspirations to still be performing a decade from now,wondering if the audience would still attend. Adam flails and jiggles about, belting out songs in his baritone lined octave while exasperation is exuded between verses through heavy breathing and slouching over. "Cant be witty, gotta be honest"was something Adam mentioned during one of his many comic reliefs throughout his set prior to his Jessica Simpson inspired melody and resonated as there is a certain honesty seen in his performance.

The music is stripped down, and Adam seemed to display himself on stage as opposed to some flashy light show. He bares his soul (or his chest..in this matter)singing softly of Jessica's fraudulent attempts to pursue a music career. Pouring water overhead, Adam partners up with his jacket shaking it about, gloatingly inventing alternate methods of shaking his body. Bringing his set to an end, he beseeches from the crowd the possibility of one crowd surf, who generously abide. A fitting action for a chorus he belches, " Baby's gonna be alright"; finally waving and walking off stage his jacket in hand.

As the New Year Continues to Reveal...

We are only in the second week of 2010 and the anticipation of what excitement continues to be revealed for the year is shaping up to be a wonderful encore to the wonders of 2009. This week on Wednesday, Tomorrow Never Knows 2010 commences showcasing some the year's up & coming artists who have had many bloggers rattling away with eagerness. Many of the heavy hitter's shows are sold out but check with Schuba's Tavern as tickets are still available for others and many prize giveaways throughout the week. If that wasn't enough tour info continues to make waves as Pavement,Beach House, Passion Pit and Spoon all announce stops in the Windy City. At Npr's First Listen, Spoon's Tranference can be heard, M.I.A will release her third album this Summer and Dirty Projectors give away a free single.

Check out the venues' lineup below and join the week's festivities if you're in town and mark yoour calendars for the what's still to come this year.


Wednesday, January 13
Lincoln Hall: The Dead Trees, Adam Green, The Cribs

Thursday, January 14
Lincoln Hall: Gemini Club,Maps & Atlases, Solid Gold, Voxtrot
Schuba's Tavern: Lasers Fast & Shit, Bear in Heaven, Freelance Whales, Surfer Blood

Friday, January 15
Lincoln Hall: Shapers, Icy Demons, Atlas Sound
Schuba's Tavern: Only Children, Truman Peyote,The Hood Internet, Neon Indian

Saturday, January 16
Lincoln Hall: Julie Doiron, The Rural Alberta Advantage, Bowerbirds
Schuba's Tavern: Peter Wolf Crier, Sharon Van Etten, Owen Pallett

Sunday, January 17
Schuba's Tavern: Netherfriends, Pomegranates, Skybox, Clues



Looking ahead, Pavement is said to be headlining this year's Pitchfork Music Festival, both Passion Pit and Beach House on April 2. The evening prior Spoon will be performing at Aragon.

Chicago Hosts An Amazing Week of Exciting Music

This evening kicks off what will be probably one of the final full weeks of bands either established or are emerging bright stars on the horizon of what's to come in the next year.

Monday:

To begin the week's festivities I recommend everyone to make their way to Schuba's Tavern for what I can expect to be and energetic and creatively enthralling performance from recent CMJ favorites, Fanfarlo and Freelance Whales.

Tuesday:

Now that everyone's blood is pumping, this evening's pick takes listeners to the Schuba's new venue taking residence in the old Three Penny Theater, Lincoln Hall. Featured on the evening's line up are another CMJer, Surfer Blood, who are opening for the established Art Brut exciting everyone about their newest release.

Wednesday-Friday

Beginning a three night stand, Schuba's will host, The Walkmen (not to mention, their openers White Rabbits). They will be appearing at both of the fore mentioned venues. The evening at Schuba's is sold out celebrating the venue's 20h anniversary; but I do believe tickets are still available for the Lincoln Hall nights. Thursday is definitely the most difficult in my opinion of options of which show would be preferable. The Walkmen will most definitely be finding a level of comfortability, this being their second evening in Chicago. The Swedish trio Peter, Bjorn & John will be nearyby at The Metro . On the West side, at the Empty Bottle the much buzzed about bands Girls and Real Estate are playing what should be an impressively intoxicating show. Friday does not make choices any easier, unless at this point everyone has had the opportunity to see the Walkmen. The Dirty Projectors will be appearing at the Bottom Lounge, while back at the Empty Bottle Girls return for a second evening this time with local up-and-comers The Smith Westerns.

Sunday

After taking a breather Saturday night, I suggest you make the best of the weekend and down to the South Loop, to Reggies Music Joint to check out Miles Benjamin Anthony, who is supporting his excellent sophomore release, Summer of Fear. He is currently touring with These Unites States, who are making a pretty big splash themselves in the music scene; with their heavy hitting American balladeering.

If for some reason your week is already booked up, and for whatever reason you can't make it out *cough wuss cough* check out the links below, everyone of the above mentioned artists deserves a full listen.

Fanfarlo

Freelance Whales

Surfer Blood

The Walkmen

White Rabbits

Peter, Bjorn & John

Girls

Real Estate

The Smith Westerns

Dirty Projectors

Miles Benjamin Anthony

These United States

[Live Review] Ra Ra Riot, Chicago, Schuba's Tavern, 9.16.09

Arriving in time to cover both bands sets and making my inaugural trek to Schubas Tavern, passing through the bar with the venue’s open doors in front of me. “You’re not on the list’, dead in my tracks I was halted to hear a nicely balanced set from the openers, Princeton from the wrong side of the doors. By some lucky grace, the Gods of Schubas were kind enough to allow me entrance for the evening’s headliners Ra Ra Riot. It’s a sold out crowd and is obvious as the small room continues to get packed like canned sardines. The lights go out and the band emerges on stage. Wes very grateful thanks everyone for coming out and introduces the band, Ra Ra Riot. Mathieu’s bass begins to thump hard, as he dances around stage leading us in. The string section, Ali and Becca chime in with a bow; it seems as though everyone is getting in sync as they play through this melodic bass-thumping tune. The strings continue, drums lead into “Each Year” there is so much energy coming off the stage, as Wes dances about with his mic stand. Everyone seemingly jovial, tapping a foot or bouncing back and forth. RRR is rhythmically demonstrating why their live performances are so buzzed about. It’s a like musical ADD, as the drums continue to crash down, strings passionately play on, and a continuous motion occurs on stage. In between verses, Wes moves over to the keyboard to contribute to the instrumental fun, singing with high energy and emotion in every line.

Wes makes small commentary about the crowds respectability, thanking everyone; Becca and Ali patiently wait for the drum count with such focused and concentrated expressions. Strings lead us into “Oh La” Wes is up and down all over the place, as the tempo rises with the percussion. The stage is exploding with enthusiasm. The lovely ladies of the string section lead us out with a symphonic melody. A very gracious guest, Wes thanks the crowd once more, innocently admitting he has forgotten what song is next as he stalls before beginning, “Suspended in Gaffa”. Much like the lyrics dictate, the bands performance feels similar to a light-hearted jaunt as you can almost imagine them to begin levitating above the stage. There is a persisting sense of amazement as band members alternate spots breathlessly without skipping a beat in a flawless performance. In a narration of older times, describing his nostalgic ties to Schubas, Wes shares a tale of the onset of the band’s career and videos that can be found on Youtube. “If you want to see me more awkward than I am right now, you should look them up”. (Drum roll, cymbal crash)
Heavy banging drums begin, and Wes has returned to his keyboard to serenade the crowd with, “Can You Tell”. Guitars are kissing; drums continue to crash and strings play in sync. Everyone on stage evenly creates his or her own presence; the other upstages no one. Responding to requests for Discovery songs, (the lead singer’s side-project with the keyboardist from Vampire Weekend) playing the obscure favorite “ A Manner to Act” from their self-titled EP. Mathieu stomps around with demonstrative bass play as the strings recommence with “Ohs” all around lead into “Ghost Under Rocks”. The band comes to a muted silence as Ali’s sweet and sultry voice delivers the final verse, until the high rising tempo returns and crashes down onto the drums. We are promptly lead into “Too Too Too Fast” Ali has moved over to the keyboard, her play in contrast to that of Wes’s sounds to have derived from a classical training. Arriving at the final two songs of the evening’s set, the band’s energy and intensity are raised above the peak levels of tempo expectation. Wes plays around the orchestrated claps of the crowd as the band extends their conclusion instrumentally. After a brief moment of applause, the band returns for an encore, beginning what sounded like new material. It was a full-bodied slower tempo track laced with sweet lyrics. Ali slow dances, as the song is gently unraveled to a guitar lead out. The intensity and high tempo return in full-force for the band’s big finale leaving the crowd excited and inspired.

Ra Ra Riot

RRR-Myspace