Monday, January 25, 2010

Port O'Brien Makes it Out to Daytrotter


Cold and dreary with a high possibility of snow flurries is the perfect day to find that our Rock Island friends at Daytrotter have chosen Port O'Brien for the session of the day. Preparing to kick off their second tour supporting the third release, Threadbare; a more somber approach is apparent throughout the album making for an excellent soundtrack for a less noteworthy day. Anyway regardless of how your day is turning out, head over to Daytrotter for a stellar set of songs.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Hope For Haiti Now



Hollywood is holding their event tonight blanketing the tv channels with a hope to raise funds for those in Haiti dealing with the catastrophe from the recent earthquakes. Live performances will be available to be purchased on Itunes and you can always head over to the website and donate there. The possibilities are endless, in terms of options to contribute to the efforts in aiding the victims of this horrible tragedy. Stay tuned to future news to learn how Drawing From Music is contributing towards the cause. Until then follow the links below to keep up to date on the support or to give what you can.




Thursday, January 14, 2010

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.

Monday, January 11, 2010

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.

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Rookie of the Year: Local Natives




With their long awaited debut album, Gorilla Manor officially releasing in the US on February 16; 2009 has been a helluva year for the quintet, Local Natives out of Silverlake, CA. First making waves with their insanely busy lineup at SXSW 09 and creating an ear popping buzz familiar to that of Vampire Weekend, who's previous year in DIY-101 made them the most talked about band in 2008. Much like the latter, Local Natives' music is ten times better than one could write or describe. Drawing a likeness to a range of bands from Fleet Foxes, Yeasayer and Rogue Wave; but not at all limited to those and at the same time so much more exuding excitement and an energetic explosion of originality when performing. Spending the majority of the year on tour, the band has made it's rounds nationwide and are slowly creeping through the UK and the rest of Europe.
At this point a nice selection of tracks from Gorilla Manor have been revealed either at live shows or online via Daytrotter or Myspace. I know the guys have been willing and excited to cross the Atlantic or tour barns within the Midwest to share their catalog of genre blending high-energy symphonies. Themes and subject matter varies throughout the selection of songs heard thus far, but many focus on the person, one molds themselves into as an adult and the nostalgia and childlike tendencies brought to surface as this new persona takes face. At times swapping out vocalist duties, it seems as though there is a true collaborative effort by these guys to share their tales on life. I definitely have a biased opinion, but feel its well justified when I say Local Natives have put forth the necessary effort to create a presence while exhibiting the staying power with an original direction in music. I have had the opportunity to see the band at the Bowery Ballroom and locally at Lincoln Hall, and am already anticipating seeing them more in 2010. Frenchkiss Records is releasing Gorilla Manor, February 16 in the US.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

2009 Top 10 Music Videos

Little by little it seems to me as though artists are making a strong effort to rejuvenate the extinct medium of music videos. I still feel a tinge of disappointment when MTV is mentioned, since their focus shifted to over dramatic reality stupidity. I found myself this year being pleasantly surprised and at times honestly mesmerized by much of the creativity exhibited in many of the videos that visualized the featured track. The following ten videos I feel really took the medium to the next level while at the same time retaining a certain level of nostalgia that made music videos so exciting growing up.


10. Swim Until You Can't See Land-Frightened Rabbit






9. Lust For Life-Girls





8. Ready, Able-Grizzly Bear



7. To Kingdom Come-Passion Pit




6. Stars-Warpaint




5. Heads Will Roll-Yeah Yeah Yeahs



4. Stillness In the Move-Dirty Projectors



3. Two-The Antlers




2. Grapevine Fires-Death Cab for Cutie



1. Kisses Over Babylon-Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

Friday, December 25, 2009

Have Yourself A Merry Xmas


It is grey and rainy today, not what is usually expected in Chicago at this time of the year. I hope everyone out there has had a wonderful holiday season. I thought Bright Eyes' (Conor Oberst) version of this Christmas classic truly sums up the cozy yet cold feelings that accompany this season. There is a certain nostalgic sadness for me each year as the realization continues to set in, that there are different experiences and expectations with Christmas and being an adult.