L.A. doesn’t deserve CSS. Maybe the concertgoers were having a case of the Mondays, but it took them until the encore to show gratitude to the Brazilian tastemakers. Granted, the set was abbreviated, topping out at under an hour, but it was so sparkly and frenetic, the lack of enthusiasm in the venue was downright insulting. (more…)
Photo By: Sarah Cass
Singer Wesley Miles was jovial in his proclamation that this was Ra Ra Riot’s third visit to Chicago this year. Then again, how could he not be? The band has seemingly blown up overnight with the release of their new critically acclaimed album, The Rhumb Line.
Reggie and the Full Effect rolled into town at Chicago’s House of Blues for part of what is being called his “Final Tour.” Whether this is fact or merely a ploy to get the kids to come out to the shows is definitely on the minds of dedicated Reggie fans. If the latter proves to be true, Chicago fans get a F-, as ticket sales were quite poor.
Photo Credit Nicole M. Faust
One of the most enjoyable elements on Ezra Furman & the Harpoons’ first album, 2007’s Banging Down the Doors (Minty Fresh), is Ezra’s sense of command and almost cocky delivery in each and every tune. The mind evokes a charismatic, unforgiving front man ready to take on anything thrown at him. (more…)
The Adventures in Modern Music Festival, presented by uber hip UK magazine Wire, is a name far better suited to a PBS special than a five day event showcasing experimental and rising stars from home and across the pond. This annual event ran from Wed 9/10 -15 at Chicago’s excellent Empty Bottle, and the whole event was understated, modest, and all about the music, with zero commercial interference. (more…)
Portland’s newest art punk band, Jaguar Love, got much love from a sold out crowd at the Vic Theatre last Friday in Chicago. Undoubtedly, the majority of the audience was comprised of dedicated fanatics of The Faint ready to get their dance on, however, Jaguar Love delivered the goods with grooves that provided a good warm-up.
By the time San Francisco-by-way-of-Florida metal duo Black Cobra took to the stage late Thursday night, roughly a dozen air drummers and air guitarists clamored for space in the front two rows where on cue, they unselfconsciously began to play along with the band with the fervor as appropriate for a tent revival as a rock’n’roll show. While I couldn’t bring myself to share in the miming, I could appreciate the sentiment. Live, drummer Rafael Martinez (who also plays bass guitar for Acid King) guitarist Jason Landrian’s expertly played mixture of doom and punk comes to life, a different beast than the muddier version that rears its head on the group’s recordings such as Feather and Stone (At A Loss).
Even though drummer Maya Miller claimed that the show was The Pack A.D.’s first in Chicago, you would never be able to tell. The British Columbia duo played with such ferociousness and intensity that they seemed like seasoned veterans use to the daily touring grind. On Thursday July 17, The Pack A.D. played for a paltry, but interested PBR swigging crowd at the appropriately named The Hideout. Becky Black’s fiery guitar playing set the mood for the night while Maya Miller’s powerful drum machine backbeat held the songs together. (more…)
Maybe it was the venue’s muddy acoustics, the sound gear problems that stalled the show for a couple of minutes, or perhaps it was the fact that only one-half of the act was actually present, but something was definitely off with electro-crunk outfit Yo Majesty’s Chicago performance last Wednesday evening. The duo headlined a show with UK dance rock band Does it Offend You, Yeah? (whose set this writer missed, sadly, thanks to some transportation problems.) (more…)
As soon as I entered Austin’s Encore Records, I should have surrendered my credit card at the door. Whose great idea was it to leave me unattended in a record store for six hours? The Austin, Texas independent music retailer (and DVD rental location) has one of the country’s best selections of metal and hardcore, as well as an impressive selection of music from local artists. Of course “local” in these parts means Roky Erickson and Scratch Acid, but that’s a story for another time. (more…)
