Hey, is it just me or is Tommie Sunshine one of those guys that everyone has heard of, yet no one really knows why they know him or where they know him from? This weekend this mysterious (or should I say infamous?) figure billed as "Brooklyn's legendary indie-rock remixer" is returning to Chicago once more for a Saturday night engagement at Crobar.
He's touring in support of a new mix Ultra Recrods release, Tommie Sunshine - Ultra.Rock Remixed which features coked-up versions of indie rock favorites from the likes of The Gossip, VHS or Beta, Peaches, Gang of Four and more. If you've always heard the name, but never heard his work, here's a little sampling of Tommie's mixing magic:
While this was the last show that Lampo would be putting on at the 6Odum, it was my first time due to the fact that I had no idea of its existence until a few weeks ago. Apparently, this was the 100th show they put on with the first starting back 10 years ago.
I recently discovered the frantic sound of Canada’s four pieceFrog Eyesand was just as excited about their live show as their most recent psychedelic tinged album Tears of the Valedictorian. They did a fantastic job of bringing this postmodern energy out live with lead singer Carey Mercer being the main event (though the others did well to hold that jarring rhythm and those riffs all together in a tight package). Moving all about and singing with vocals reminiscent of an anguish wrought version of Bruce Springsteen, he sounded as if his entire trachea was being wrought with a kind of tension mere bystanders could not imagine. Yet, between the songs, he seemed almost jovial smiling and being appreciative as well as indulging in long rambles about things like going on a hunger strike until everyone buys his albums. It was the kind of thing you didn’t quite know how to take just as it was difficult to predict what might come next. Playing to a packed house, they really won the appreciation of the audience as they cheered for an encore following their main set.
This was my second time seeing Mice Parade brainchild of NYC’s Adam Pierce, who leads an ensemble full of the most gorgeous layers and tectures between the instrumentation and the vocals. The balance between the feminine and the masculine vocal wise is always well kept and with so many instruments going on (seven musicians on stage!) it is an incredibly enriched and pleasing auditory experience. It’s also worth mentioning that your typical instruments: keyboard, bass, and guitar are really supplemented well by the melodic sounds of the vibrophone. (Schubas new sound system also helped fill the room with music!)
///Stereogum postedPaste Magazine's top 40 music venues, which included both old and new venues alike. The unranked list was determined based on suggestions from Paste's readers combined with the "history, setting, sound, character, comfort, atmosphere, vibrancy, uniqueness and their roles in helping launch careers." Chicago made the list once with Schubas. No Metro, Empty Bottle, or Beat Kitchen. What's the best Chicago venue?
///Playback St. Louis picked their Top 25 Overlooked Album of the Past Decade. While The Dismemberment Plan and Flaming Lips are really no surprise a #25 spot for Project 86'sDrawing Black Lines is both surprising and right on. I would have overlooked them while making a similar list. Many of the other artists have 'influential' on their side, while Project 86 had one solid album is a deteriorating genre.
We have so many words in the English language…sometimes a few to describe one thing but there are still nonetheless times when the purity of sound takes over for words and when any adjectives you can think of can’t measure up to what’s inside. Such is the case for me when I sit down to write about Tom Brosseau, whose sweeping tenorous voice made me stop taking photos in awe and wonder even though physically he’s a beautiful example of a human. And I wasn’t alone…the crowded room which nearly has a few talking in back was so hushed I swear you could hear a girl back by the bar smooth out her hair.
It’s a seasonally warm spring evening in Chicago. It’s one of those fleeting clement
days that’ll inevitably revert back to a cold spell in a matter of hours. There
is a certain buzz in the air as one of the most hyped bands of the year,
Swedish trio Peter Bjorn and John, prepare to play two back-to-back sold out
shows at the Empty Bottle. PB&J (as the cool kids call them) are the hottest
ticket in town for the night, but it’s the more under the radar late show
opening act, Fujiya & Miyagi, that deserves to have the hype and attention reflected
onto them.
///Doc Martens recently aired an ad which featured the late Joey Ramone and Kurt Cobain as well as other deceased musicians without the permission of the appropriate estates. The ad has since been taken off the air after Courtney Love and Micky Leigh expressed their distaste. [Thanks, Buzzgrinder]
///Omar Rodriguez-Lopez guitarist of the Mars Volta will be releasing an album chock full of experimental guitar histrionics. You’ll find it from GSL on May 29th with the title Se Dice Bisonte, No Bufalo. [Thanks, Pfork]
///Casiotone for the Painfully Alone will be heading on a trek that starts in California and works its way across the south and up the east coast. A few midwest stops will be made as well. [Thanks, Pfork]
One of the first, if not the first time I saw Black Rebel Motorcycle Club was when they opened up for Spiritualized at The Vic about 5 years ago. At the time, I couldn't have been a bigger fan of their debut record, but I remember being really disappointed with their live performance that night. The songs just didn't have the same punch as on the record and the band members themselves seemed really stiff and unenergetic (too many drugs with Jason Pierce on the bus, perhaps?).
Pitchfork Music Festival has sent out their latest and final batch of new lineup addition, via their Backline podcast series. The seven additional acts include one of last year's most blogged about bands Voxtrot;the purveyors of heavy metal & odd time signatures Mastodon; psych folk duo Brightblack Morning Light; Swedish electronica act The Field; Chicago's own and Flosstradamus co-horts The Cool Kids; everyone's favorite party starters Junior Boys; and super-fresh rapper from Alberta, Canada (eh?) Cadence Weapon. You can check out the rest of the lineup and download the "backline" after the jump!
An interesting pair of shows are coming to a particular South Union Arts near you. Members of A Tundra, Locks, Mucca Pazza, and Town & Country will be "performing a live score to a couple Charlie Chaplin short films." This event takes place on both Friday and Saturday night at 8 PM. No addmission price is specified on the websites, but I suspect it will be a suggested free will donation of $10. As a refresher...
Charlie Chaplin was an English comedy actor, becoming one of the most famous performers in the early to mid Hollywood cinema era, and also a notable director and musician. He is considered to be one of the finest mimes and clowns caught on film and has greatly influenced performers in this field.
Fresh off the RFC Newswire, here's a couple of teaser clips from Ryan Adams' forthcoming Easy Tiger album that's due out on Lost Highway at the end of June. (if you want to hear the 30sec that's missing from "Two," you can hear it streaming on his MySpace)
Atlanta band Snowden released their debut album, Anti-Anti, last year after self-releasing a self titled EP in 2003. Their music wavers between straight up pop music and heavier handed shoegaze sensibilities.
In support of their latest album, Baby 81, Black Rebel Motorcycle are back in town tonight for a headlining gig at The Vic. After taking a slight acoustic folk detour on their previous album, Baby 81 has been heralded as the band's "return to rock" or, in less favorable terms, a "return to form." RFC caught up with guitarist and vocalist Peter Hayes just before the band headed out to start their current North America tour to discuss the new material and how its holding up so far live.
Ah, the street festivals will be here soon and there are quite a few lineups this year worthy of the blocked streets and the overflow of traffic and people they create. The recently released Wicker Park Fest is teeming with great acts, including the always entertaining Man Man, Chicago darlings Skybox, other highlights include Centro-matic, Mannequin Men, Catfish Haven, Oh My God, Maritime, Pit Er Pat, & Russian Circles. WPF goes down on July 28 & 29th, keeping you well nourished between Pitchfork and Lollapalooza. Check out Wicker Park Fest's shiny new Myspace page for more info!
What else is happening? More great street fests after the jump!
Hey, is it just me or is Tommie Sunshine one of those guys that everyone has heard of, yet no one really knows why they know him or where they know him from? This weekend this mysterious (or should I say infamous?) figure billed as "Brooklyn's legendary indie-rock remixer" is returning to Chicago once more for a Saturday night engagement at Crobar. 
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