Radio Free Chicago

New Releases Tuesday - 10/31

It's here...finally! The long-awaited debut full-length from the S-O-V is on store shelves today, though at this point it almost seems a bit anticlimactic...

Xiu Xiu, Congs for Brum, Dirty Projectors, Renee-Louise Carafice@Logan Square Auditorium 10/27/06

I’m a sucker for a deep throaty vibrato. Jamie Stewart is both a delicate and turbulent singer whose emotionalism borders on a thin lined edge you can almost see. Touring in support of their most recent album The Air Force, Xiu Xiu played many newer songs such as “Bishop, CA,” “Buzz Saw,” and “Boy Soprano.” Like on album, you can almost sense a despair of one crying out and that boundary between singing and crying out is a little difficult to decipher in the darkness sometimes.

Live Pics: Islands @ Metro 10/27/06

RFC Senior Chief Indie Rock Photoblog Correspondent Nicole Chavas was at last Friday's Islands show at Metro and she reports:

...While the bizarre, crazy antics of the Unicorns seem to have gone by the wayside in favor of a more mature stage show, Islands still put on a good time for all.

RFC Interview: Flosstradamus

If you check out local concert and club listings on a fairly regular basis, chances are you've probably seen the name Flosstradamus listed a million times in the last year or so. Currently one of the hottest DJ acts locally, the Flossin' duo of J2K and Autobot have also been getting nationwide attention in such high profile rags as Fader and URB Magazine. This week, the boys are heading to New York to rock the music industry masses at this year's CMJ festival, which should undoubtedly bring them even more national (or even international?) acclaim. RFC caught up with Josh "J2K" Young last week via email to find out what keeps these party peoples going and when we can expect to see their hot mixes finally available on store shelves.

iPod Salvation

Among the numerous great bands and DJs to check out tonight, our ol' pal DJ LA*Jesus will be spinning at Metro, warming up the stage for early show headliners, Islands. He recently sent us some of his latest remixes, including a mash-up of Four Tet with his good friends, The Flaming Lips. Check out the audio goodness after the jump to embark on a holy path to iPod salvation.

Also, speaking of remixes and DJs...Sonotheque is another great place to be tonight, with local boys Flosstradamus spinning with prominent MP3 Blogger/Remixer, Nick "Catchdubs" Barat.

RFC Interview: Hot IQs

Eli Mishkin and Elaine Acosta first met each other while working at a college radio station in Boulder. One day while sitting around Elaine's apartment talking about the local music scene, they sort of half-jokingly decided that they should start their own band. One thing lead to another and the joke turned into a real band known as the Hot IQs. With their sound inspired by such bands as Archers of Loaf, The Pixies, The Kinks, and Beat Happening, they've become a strong national touring act supporting the likes of Tegan and Sara, Built to Spill, and Hot Hot Heat. This Sunday, they return to Chicago to play the SubT with headliners White Whale. RFC recently caught up with the band via email to find out more...

5 More Years of Lolla Chicago

They still haven't brought back Radiohead, but at least the Park District has now agreed to keep Lollapalooza on board for the next 5 years. The major hold up seemed to be the noise complaints from people living around Grant Park, but apparently all parties were able to reach some sort of compromise. The Sun-Times article also says that Lolla's producers are going to "work with the Park District and the Police Department to make sure we can alleviate [noise] as much as possible." However, I wonder if they ever thought of just giving comp tickets to appease some of the bitchy neighbors? Or maybe now that they've locked in the event for the next 5 years, they could issue a bunch of Lolla lifetime passes. Or course, over 90% of the complaints probably did came from old people who listen to the lite rock station on the radio so they "don't have to hear any of that hard rock or rap," but who knows? Maybe they'd dig it if they actually heard the music normally instead of just hearing the muffled bass and vocals from afar. Or at the very least, maybe their kids and/or grandkids would dig it.

Free Concert Alert: Raekwon The Chef

The Scion marketing team is back in action tonight to present another free show for all you single hip urban dwellers looking for a sweet ride to cruise to Costco in. This time they're presenting Wu-Tang alumnus Raekwon the Chef up at the Kinetic Playground. As usual, the only catch to the free ticket is that you have to RSVP here by 5p to get your name on the list.

Live Review: Airiel and Office w/Slings & Arrows @ Metro 10/21/06

Live Review: Fancie at a house in Logan Square 10/19/06

I wanted to first talk a little bit about the nature of community in music.  Music is everywhere we are and yet sometimes it’s explored and enjoyed in terms of isolation.  Sometimes even a crowded club can be the loneliest place on Earth. The reason for this is that when music isn’t truly shared as part of something of a community, it ultimately fails in a sense. Some songs just don’t feel as great when you’re alone and sometimes the best feeling is hearing your favorite melody amongst friends all happy about the experience. Everyone around you hears it together. Of course, the problem is that bands don’t often get the opportunity to play houses because you have to find someone willing to give up his or her space and most often it will be smaller than a club so you might be playing to fewer people. Practicality aside, I still enjoyed hearing music in a different kind of space.

Viva Voce w/ the Silversun Pickups @ Empty Bottle, 10/20/06

I arrived at the Empty Bottle just as The Kingdom was wrapping up their set. From the Bottle’s side room, it sounded interesting enough, and considering how many people asked me throughout the night, “hey, did you catch the Kingdom?” they must have been pretty good.

New Releases Tuesday - 10/24

"Second album by critically acclaimed Minneapolis rust belt hip hop outfit...lays out an urgent asphalt confessional of Big Apple torment, ghostly hallucinations & white lightening relief over rickety chain gang rhythms, obscured arabesque guitars & wailing noir saxophone skronk..."

Live Review: Califone w/Peter and the Wolf @ Empty Bottle 10/21/06

Nicole reviews Saturday night's Califone show with Peter and the Wolf at The Bottle...click here for her review, and click here for the complete photoset.

Live Review: José González @ Lakeshore Theater 10/15/06

 

José González is a Swedish Argentinean folk singer. His only full length album, 2005’s Veneer is stripped down and bare aside from his vocals and acoustic guitar. It sounds like it could be composed in the forests of Sweden by someone whose main diet for weeks had consisted of lingonberries.

Coming Soon...

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