Radio Free Chicago

I Spy Hyperliterate Orchestral Prog-Rock

So, how many people got stuck in the rain trying to bike home from this thing?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/thedecembrists/

Built to Spill w/The Boggs @ The Vic 7/18/07

Doug Martsch and Built To Spill rolled into town this week for yet another Chicago appearance...although this time around they mixed things up a bit by playing at The Vic instead of their usual spot, Metro.

Get on the list: Balún @ Schubas 7/20/07

Puerto Rican electronic dream-poppers and RFC favorites Balún are back in town again this week for a couple of gigs around town and RFC wants to put you on the list. Just drop us an email to radiofreechicago(at)gmail.com with "Free Baluns" in the subject line for your chance to get on the list with a +1 for their Schubas appearance with headliners Boat on Friday night. As an added bonus, we'll also throw in a free copy of their latest release on Chicago's very own Brilliante Records. One winner will be drawn at random by end of day Thursday. Good luck! 

Watch: Balún - "Be Careful When You Walk"

Loyola to take back control of WLUW

Wow, I was going to write the same thing about how this story seemed to have completely slipped through the cracks amidst the Pitchfork hysteria last Friday, but Chicagoist beat me to it late yesterday:

After we saw an anonymous tip on our sidebar saying that WLUW (88.7 FM) would no longer exist in its current form, we were filled with a sense of dread. How? Why? More importantly, was this really true? We called Shawn Campbell, Program Director, to see what was up. She confirmed that the gist of the tip was true, but told us that the information had been leaked to Feder before WLUW and WBEZ had a chance to talk to their staff (no one from management had done this). They definitely wanted to do so before making a public comment, and Shawn remarked on the situation, "We wanted to wait until after Pitchfork so everyone's weekend wouldn't be ruined."

Numerous things here both in the news itself and the tone of this particular article that will probably inspire yet another RFC Commentary later, but for now I'd just like to say let's not freak out here...at least not yet. We definitely need to keep an eye on Loyola to make sure they don't completely blow up the current format, but keep in mind that before the whole WBEZ management debacle started the station was run by the Loyola communications department with the help of both students and community members. It worked just fine before, so I don't see why it couldn't go back to that operational model and still maintain the current programming that everyone loves. We shall see though...

RFC Interview: Frankel

While the rest of the country catches up to the likes of Great Northern, The Silversun Pickups, and Sea Wolf, audiences here have been enjoying the next wave of great new bands to come out of Los Angeles–- acts like The Switch, Radars to the Sky, The Deadly Syndrome, and
Frankel.

We recently spoke with Frankel’s lead man Michael Orendy, who has been playing out several dates in town in support of his new album, Lullabies For The Passerby

Download: Frankel - "Thermostat"

Commentary: Yoko Ono @ Pitchfork Music Festival 7/14/07

Unless you're reading this from outside of Chicago or have recently decided to become a recluse with no contact from the outside world, you probably already know that Yoko Ono came to Chicago's Union Park to play as Saturday night's headliner for the Pitchfork Music Fest. She was greeted with everything from respect to jeers, with the die hard fans in the front row surrounded by those who would actually throw things at the performer. She played most of the night solo except for the couple of songs she was joined by Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore, who added a beautifully jarring sense of discordant pedal effects to Yoko's shrill vocals. I wasn't sure how the audience at Pitchfork would react to a musician who is just as much icon as she is artist and Saturday proved to be a harrowing experience for both her and her fans.

Some More Words on Pitchfork fest

I will start this off by saying that $50 for 2.5 days of music is really a steal. Water was still a buck (even though guys outside the gates were trying to tell newbies that it would be $3 inside), there was still 3 stages, and still more music then you could shake a stick at. New for this year was the even larger crowds, so I was consistently farther away from stages this year then last.

Pitchfork 2007 Wrap-Up

I realize I've been a bit down on this year's Pitchfork festival since they announced the line-up, my main argument being that the majority of the bands tour through Chicago all the time; festivals are best when they bring out some surprises. But since it's been awhile since I've made it to a show, I was actually pretty excited for the festival to satiate my need of live music. Plus, the weather was great.

Get on the List: The Comas w/ Great Northern @ SubT 7/18/07

Pockets clean from drinking too many beers at Pitchfork this weekend? No problem, we've got you covered for a full night of free music on Wednesday. Of course, early that night is the highly anticipated FREE show with The Decemberists backed up by the Grant Park Orchestra at Pritzker Pavilion. Then, win tickets from us and hop on the Blue Line to Wicker Park to see The Comas and our old friends, Great Northern, for free at SubT. Just drop an email to radiofreechicago(at)gmail.com with "Comas Are Great" in the subject line by 5p on Tuesday and we'll draw a winner at random. Good luck!
 

I Spy P4k Pics

Already tons of pics flooding into flickr from this weekend's festival:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/pitchforkmusicfestival/

Sacre Bleu! Daft Punk Screening + Mr. Oizo=French-tastic Night At Metro

Though not related whatsoever, I guess you could add this to your list of potential Pitchfork post parties tonight...

The one and only Mr. Oizo was scheduled to make his Chicago debut tonight at downtown club Reserve, but as an added bonus this week it was announced that the show would be moved to Metro where they just happened to also be screening the new Daft Punk film, Electrorama, tonight. So, to celebrate all of this great French house electro disco symmetry, RFC has put together this fine mix of "Computer Rawk" to crank up at your pre-party tonight featuring new tracks from Von Suddenfed, Modeselektor (f/Thom Yorke!), Bjorn Torske and of course, Mr. Oizo. Full tracklisting and complete details of tonight's event follows after the jump.

Download: "Computer Rawk" Mix

Live Pics: Os Mutantes @ Metro 7/11/07

A year after their performance at Pitchfork, Os Mutantes once again graced Chicago with their tropicalia style and flair.

Thursday Morning Quarterback

Nicole has finished up her pigskin Pitchfork picks for Saturday and Sunday with a nice hourly analysis of which bands she'll be checking out on the competing stages. Also, Time Out Chicago has an on-line feature this week with local Bloggers (including RFC) giving their advice on what to see and what to skip this weekend in Union Park. Happy planning!

Last chance to save Internet Radio

The latest deadline for royalty payments for Internet radio broadcasters is July 15th and an effort to delay that date until Congress could pass a bill was unsuccessful in the Court of Appeals, so Webcasters are now pleading for listeners to make one last verbal assault on Congress today:

Starting in the morning, http://www.SaveNetRadio.org will direct
webcasters, artists, labels, and listeners to contact all members of
Congress to urge support for immediate action to bring the Internet Radio
Equality Act (H.R. 2060 and S. 1353) to the floor for a vote.

In what could be the last viable hope to save Internet radio, organizers
are stressing that this will require the most aggressive communication to
supporters possible. Webcasters and listeners need to begin calling
immediately, starting first with their Senators, and then their
Representative.

Pitchfork Festival After-Party Bonanza

It’s that time of year again, the madness known as Pitchfork Music Fest 2007, a weekend filled of hipster-friendly bands and people debating their ambivalence for the website. Bands ranging from legends Yoko Ono and Sonic Youth to someone named Craig Taborn will do their best to impress. If spending an entire weekend in Union Park sweating your balls off and wearing unironic t-shirts wasn’t enough, the party continues way into the night long after the noise ordinance kicks into effect. Of course the official after Pitchfork party is a private affair and only open to industry insiders (I went last year for the open bar and free t-shirts), but there are other events deemed unofficial and might be worth checking out.