Radio Free Chicago

The Dear Hunter Rocks DeKalb's House Cafe on 7/23

Who has two thumbs and finally has a reliable computer again?! This girl, that's who. You know what that means? It means that I am finally going to tell you all about The Dear Hunter's show in DeKalb on July 23rd! This show was an amazing experience for me. It was part of TDH's first headlining tour and I'm so beyond thrilled that I was able to be there to hear some of the most beautiful music I've ever listened to performed live.

While The Dear Hunter was obviously my reasoning for being at The House Cafe that particular night, they were not the only band that wowed me. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to catch The Felix Culpa or much of O'Brother but I do know that both bands are more than worth checking into. However, it was a Seattle based group by the name of Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground that completely blew my mind. These guys played some of the most amazing music I have had the pleasure of hearing in a long time. Their use of unconventional instruments, such as the tuba, violin, and something that might have been some kind of electric harmonica, made this beautiful ambient music so much more enjoyable than I could have ever expected. It definitely also helped that lead singer, Kirk Huffman, provides vocals that are not only easy on the ears, but also very controlled and unique.

After Kay Kay had left the stage, it took a minute or two for my mind to pull itself back together. However, I did not have much time to waste as The Dear Hunter was only minutes away from opening their set. When they were finally all set up, they began the set with "Never Forgive, Never Forget" from the recently released Black EP. While I expected them to open with a song from Black; however, I did not expect this one. Not that I'm complaing, that is. It was a pleasant surprise is all.

From Black, TDH went immediately to the Red EP with "We've Got A Score To Settle"; one of my favorite songs on the entire Color Spectrum. This song was performed so beautifully that it literally took my breath away. It was as though I was listening to it straight off of the album. Casey's flawless vocals never disappoint and this performance was no exception.

After performing The Orange EP's "Echo", they switched up the order a little bit and went right into another one of my personal favorites, "Mr. Malum" from the Violet EP. Hearing this song live for the first time was almost overwhelming. This track is definitely in my Top 5 favorite songs on the entire Color Spectrum, and let me tell you, that's a pretty difficult list for me to make.

After playing a couple more songs from various color EPs, the band segwayed into some music from the Acts. While I expected that they would play some music from previous albums, I did not expect to hear "She Said She Had A Story" from Act III: Life and Death. As soon as the drum beat began, I knew exactly what song it was. The track was performed just as beautifully as I could have expected and I was absolutely thrilled to hear it live.

As the set continued, I noticed that there was a lot more banter between the band and the audience then there was at the last TDH show I attended. At one point, Casey legitimately pointed out the select douchebags that were in attendance. It was great to be able to see a side of Casey that I, personally, was not used to seeing.

After about 10 or so minutes of listening to drunk people yell things at the stage and Casey completely tear down everything that anyone said, the set continued with another song from my Top 5 list, "Filth and Squalor". From the Black EP, this track is amazing in every way possible. The lyrics are, in my opinion, some of the best TDH has to offer and the music itself is indescribable.

It was then that the set came to an end. The band closed with "Red Hands", a track off of their first full length album, Act II: The Meaning of and All Things Regarding Ms. Leading. At first, I was surprised that they chose this song to close with. However, I quickly realized that this is the perfect way to end a TDH set. Not only did everyone in the audience know every word to this song, but toward the end of the performance, every person in that room was screaming "Oh my God what have I done? Now, my Darling, put your clothes back on". And as rapey as that last sentece sounded, I can assure you, it was a beautiful thing to witness.

It was at this point when all of the band members, with the exception of Casey, left the stage. It wasn't long before someone yelled out the lyrics to "Oracles on the Delphi Express". Although it was not what he had originally intended to play, Casey ended up performing this song. Oracles was the first TDH song I had ever heard, so it holds a special place in my heart. After the most amazing set I could have possibly asked for, Casey finally closed it out with "Black Sandy Beaches". Even though this was not the song I was hoping to hear, (one of these days I WILL hear "What It Means To Be Alone"), it was still a perfect way to end a beautiful performance.

 

Hailey & Sean's Epic Adventure, pt. 1: Alkaline Trio

Since the release of Damnesia, Alkaline Trio's eighth studio release, I anxiously awaited the 15^th anniversary tour to hit Chicago. When the day of the show finally arrived, my friend Sean (front man of local favorites Egon's Unicat) and I hit the road not entirely sure of what we were in for..

The ride up was about as exciting as any other trip involving those particular stretches of I-80 and I-55, traffic wasn't too terrible until we hit Lake shore Drive. By this point it was at least seven o'clock and at the point where rush hour shouldn't have been a concern, and yet the closer we got to the Metro the worse the traffic became. Sean thought ahead and checked to make sure there wasn't a Cubs game going on, so we had no idea why traffic was so bad on a Monday night. That is, until we saw posters of his face hung in the windows of the shops lining the streets. The face of the man causing hysteria to sweep northern Chicago.. At this point we knew we could blame none other than Paul McCartney. That's right ladies and gents, Paul McCartney was in town. Shit.

After having to park a considerable distance away from the venue and attempting to jog there in skinny jeans, resulting in near death from the humidity, we made it inside just in time to catch our hometown heroes' spectacular performance. (A sincere apology to The Smoking Popes, we really tried to make it for you guys). After fighting my way through the crowd and being literally lifted over the guard rail by security and placed into the photo pit, I had just enough time to get my camera set before a deafening roar of applause erupted from the crowd as the evening's main act took the stage.

Better Late Than Never!: RFC Reviews Van's Warped Tour 2011

For the past six or so years, the Vans Warped Tour has been one of the most highly anticipated events of my entire summer.  It is one of few events where fans of metal, ska, pop, and even hip-hop can all come together and form a group with a passion for music that is not readily seen in many other places.  Although each person attends Warped Tour to see different bands, we are all united there for the same reason; to spend an entire day outside in the blistering heat listening to some of the worlds most talented musicians play their hearts out.

Warped Tour 2011 was one of the best I have ever attended.  After enjoying a hearty breakfast of biscuits and groovy at the Cracker Barrel that I am ashamed to be employed by, my partner, Hailey Williams, and I made our way to The First Midwest Bank Amphitheater in Tinley Park, Illinois.  It took us a while to figure out exactly where we were supposed to go, but once we figured it out it was all uphill from there.  I honestly have no idea how I want to write this article.  So this should be interesting for all of us!

 

Once Hailey and I got our schedules set for the day, we parted ways.  We didn’t meet up again until about 3pm when DRUGS was about to take over the Teggart Stage.  This was the first performance of
the day that I actually made it a point to stop and listen to and, as usual, I was not disappointed.  I always find myself amazed by this band’s uncanny ability to completely control an entire crowd of fans.  They have such a natural stage presence that it’s easy to see how passionate they are about what they’re doing. The band opened with one of my personal favorites, “The Only Thing You Talk About”.  From the very beginning of their set until the very end, every person in the crowd belted out every last word.  I was able to speak briefly with guitarist Matt Good regarding the tour as well as which of the Power Rangers was his favorite.

 

RFC: How do you feel the set’s have been going thus far?

Matt Good: Super good.  Way better than I even thought.  I had, not high expectations, but, you know. 

RFC:  How has the tour in general been?

Matt Good:  It’s a dream come true, you know?  To get a second chance and actually have it turn out good?  That’s really rare.  I think that we all feel extremely appreciative and humble and just really gracious.  Every day is a blessing.  I wake up and I think “Wow, I’m here, I’m doing this again”.  It’s weird, in a way.  I remember doing all of this like, five years ago and having the same feelings where you‘re like “Woah! Look at this huge crowd we‘re playing!”.  To come back and have it happen all over again with the new band it’s almost like, “How is this real?!”  It’s amazing.

RFC:  How many years have you been on Warped Tour?

Matt Good:  This is my 5^th Warped Tour. 

RFC:  Are there any other bands on the tour that you make it a point to stop and watch?

Matt Good:  Uhm, no, not specifically.  There’s a lot of bands that I’m friends with that are on the tour and if I notice that they’re playing I’ll definitely go watch them.  Most of the bands on the tour are bands I’ve toured with.  The first day we were here I watched We Came As Romans and I sang with them on their last song.  I like to watch Asking Alexandria and Black Veil Brides because they’re all really good friends of mine.

RFC:  What is the most interesting thing to happen on tour thus far?

Matt Good:  Well, last night, I don’t remember this happening cause everything was fine, and we went out to the bar, and it was fun.  Then we got back to the bus and I don’t remember anything that happened on the bus.  Apparently, I threw my phone at the ceiling of the bus and it hit me in the face and I have a bump on my forehead now.

RFC:  Who was your favorite Power Ranger?

Matt Good:  Tommy, the White Ranger.  You know why?  He makes no sense.  He can beat everyone up at once so why even have the other guys there?

Giving Doo-Wop a New Spin: The Love Shots Take Over West Dundee

On June 11^th, the lovely Clearwater Theater of West Dundee became home to Elgin-based trio The Love Shots as they celebrated the release of their first full-length album Crooner. Blending styles from groups like Joy Division and the Smoking Popes, The Love Shots have coined their own unique sound that they refer to as “death-wop.” With vocals by Danny Craig that range from smooth and soothing to hard-hitting and intense, paired with upbeat instrumentation by help of bassist Rob Nelson and drummer John Perrin, this group must be seen live to truly appreciate their immense amount of talent.

As the lights went up and began to illuminate the otherwise dark stage, vocalist Danny Craig was met with an eruption of applause and cheers from family, friends, and fans as he belted out the opening verse of smart-ass anthem “I Know What I Want.”

Wasting no time, the boys went straight into second song of the evening “Excuses, Excuses,” which was played a little differently than usual. On this particular evening, mid-song they segwayed into “You're the One That I Want,” made popular by 1970's film Grease. After the brief switch over, they flawlessly went straight back into their original to finish it off.

The set continued with comical tracks “Kill” and “10 Speed Boyfriend.”

Written in the late 1920's but made popular in 1956 by sisters Patience and Prudence, sweet and easy-going “Tonight You Belong to Me” was revamped and given some flair when preformed by these boys. As the set went on, heart-melting vocals speak the cold, honest truth in “Stay,” complete with cutesy little backing “doo-wop wops.”

 

The Dear Hunter @ The Bottom Lounge on 5/14/2011

Normally, I don’t go to shows just to see one specific band.  I like to know at least two of the bands performing on any given night just because then I feel like it was really worth the trip.  However, The Dear Hunter is one of few bands that I would go see no matter who they are playing with.  Hell, they could be playing a show with Insane Clown Posse for all I care, and I’d probably still attend.  Alright, maybe not, but yes, yes I would.  That being said, I hope The Dear Hunter never lowers themselves to playing anywhere near ICP let alone the same show.  This is all irrelevant aside, TDH performed at The Bottom Lounge in Chicago on Saturday May 14^th and it was far better than just about anything else I have ever been a part of.

After spending about 20 minutes driving around the venue trying to find a parking spot, my BFF and photographer, Hailey Williams, and I finally arrived at The Bottom Lounge; however, not before asking a man with a strikingly wonderful mustache where we could leave my car for the evening.  We were a little late, so we only caught about the last 3-4 songs of The Trophy Fire’s set.  However, I must say that what I heard was pretty impressive.  The band had really solid vocals and the crowd really seemed to enjoy what they were hearing.

Balance and Composure took the stage next.  It was immediately clear that a decent amount of the crowd had attended specifically to see this band.  Almost everywhere I turned I saw at least one person singing their heart out.  All in all I would definitely recommend checking these guys out at some point.  These guys really did impress me and that’s hard to do when I’m internally bouncing off the walls waiting for The Dear Hunter to perform.

Fortunately for me, I didn’t have to wait too terribly long before The Dear Hunter began setting up.  As soon as they began bringing equipment onto the stage I was taken over by anticipation.  I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect, but I knew it was going to blow my mind.  SPOILER ALERT: I was correct in this assumption. 

TDH opened their set with “In Cauda Venemum”, the second track on their 3^rd full length album, Act III: Life and Death.  Upon playing just the first few notes my jaw instantly dropped.  Everything about the song was flawless from beginning to end.  So much so that if this had been the only song TDH performed that night, I probably would have left just as satisfied as I did.

02 In Cauda Venemum

I wasn’t really positive what to expect in terms of the set list, but I was not at all disappointed.  The set continued mostly with songs from Acts II and III including, “The Procession”, “The Church and the Dime”, and “The Thief”. Each and every song was performed so remarkably well that I actually had goose bumps throughout most of the set.

One song I was particularly excited to hear was “Mustard Gas”.  This song became one of my favorites very quickly when I first started listening to TDH and hearing it live just made me love it that much more.  Lead singer, Casey Crescenzo, holds back absolutely nothing when he performs and his voice is just as incredible live as it is on any of their albums. 

The Dear Hunter closed their far too short set with what is possibly my new favorite song, “This Body”.  This song was just released a couple of weeks ago and is the 4^th track on the up and coming Black EP due to release in June.  “This Body” is, in my opinion, quite probably one of the best songs TDH has ever recorded and one that I was very much hoping to hear that night.  This song was absolutely the perfect way to end the set.  It was performed with such natural ease it was almost as though it was being played directly off of the album.

Needless to say, The Dear Hunter did not disappoint.  After hearing how completely amazing they are live, I pretty much never want to hear anything else ever again.  That’s a lie, obviously, but it was fantastic.  The only songs I would not have minded hearing were “What it Means to Be Alone” and
“Where the Road Parts”.  However, I’m really not complaining because they could have played just about anything and I would have been okay with it.

The Dear Hunter will be back in Chicago sometime in July and their newest album, “The Color Spectrum”, drops on June 14^th.  There will be a standard version for those of you who don’t feel like sifting through 36 songs to figure out which ones you like and for us hardcore fans, there will be a deluxe edition.  I have no doubt in my mind that this album is going to completely blow listeners away.

Now that I have rambled on about how great I think The Dear Hunter is for probably way too long, I should probably talk about how Dredg is pretty sweet too.  Though to be honest, after TDH I wasn’t really paying much attention to anything else.  Also, it seems as though the notes I did take during Dredg’s set are not even kind of helpful!  I seem to have made it a point to note that the super babe standing in front of me started playing the air drums at one point and that bros seem to really enjoy Dredg.  All that aside, they actually performed really well. The lead singer’s voice was very different, and I that’s something that always grabs my attention.  Their songs were catchy and they were a lot of fun to watch.

In the immortal words of my favorite gay, Collin VanBuren, “They dun gewd”.  Thank you Collin, your help has been greatly appreciated.  All that aside, if you are ever given the chance to see The Dear Hunter live I highly recommend it.  Trust me on this one, this is a band you will not regret seeing.

Wanna Go On A Date? I Mean Cruise?

Jukebox the Ghost played The Pike Room/The Eagle Theatre/The Crofoot on Wednesday February 16th and knocked everybody's socks off. Jukebox the Ghost has a way of charming the pants off of everybody in the room, except for maybe the couple who was getting it on against me and my fellow Ghost-goers, they probably already had their pants off, good God.

The best song of the night (including the sets of Gold Motel, Now, Now, and You, Me, and Everyone We Know - don't get me wrong, they were all very good) was Half Crazy, but I'm biased because Tommy Siegel is just about the cutest guitarist I ever did lay mine eyes upon.

Jukebox the Ghost - Half Crazy

There are few bands that can make an album that is termed "over-produced" by some well respected indie music gurus, and then lay it down live just as perfectly and with just as much fullness as the album. Not to mention drummer Jesse Kristin has some mad percussion juggling skillz.

And if you aren't convinced yet of the awesomeness of these Ghosts, just take one longing look into the doe-eyed keyboardist Ben Thornewill, and you'll follow these boys across the Gulf of Mexico, which you can apparently do legally now by booking a room on the Rombello Cruise. They're setting sail on September 29th of this year alongside Slightly Stoopid, Michael Franti and Spearhead, G. Love & Special Sauce, and the big ticket name on the bill: to be announced. Does a Carribbean cruise with some of your favorite bands right now sound great in the wake of cold ass horrible weather across the midwest or what? I know where I'll be come September 29th, and it won't be Michigan!

I miss you EIC Amber, let's go on a date this Monday night.

On the Road with Josh LaMore Part 2: Actually on the Road

For those of you following me on Twitter, you have probably already realized how much fun I had going on tour with Josh LaMore. Myself along with two of my closest friends, Hailey Williams and Christina Guerrero, enjoyed probably one of the best weekends any of us have experienced in a long time. For those of you not following me on Twitter, I’m going to tell you all about it right now!

Tour got started on Friday, March 11^th at Lock 16 Center in LaSalle, IL. Although the turnout for this show was particularly disappointing, every band performed as if it were for a room full of people. Honestly, there is not much else to say concerning this show other than Sean from Egon’s Unicat successfully turned a grill into a musical instrument and it was awesome. Everyone sounded amazing, unfortunately, despite our almost constant promotion, there was very low attendance at the first show on Friday night. 

However, things on Friday quickly turned around when everyone arrived at 9^th Street Pub. Even though Josh refused to utilize the set list that Hailey and I wrote for him (including things like "Champagne Supernova," the "Darkwing Duck" theme song, and the theme from "Titanic"), I assume he still performed remarkably well. Unfortunately, I’ll never know for sure because I had been drinking.

The following morning we all groggily packed up our belongings and loaded ourselves into Christina’s car to begin our journey to Greenfield, Indiana. This drive was hilarious, to say the least. Indiana has a lot of billboards, most of which either have to do with loving God or cows. All that aside, the Indiana show was one of the best local shows I’ve been to in a long time. I was completely blown away by this crowd. Despite having little to no prior knowledge as to who Josh LaMore was, they all gave him their full attention and even sang along when asked to do so. Well done, Indiana! Seriously though, the energy that radiated from this group of people was amazing. It was completely obvious that they were all there for the music and not just something to do.

That being said, I feel the need to mention that some of the other bands who performed on this particular night were fantastic. I was particularly impressed with The Day After, Breaking New Lines, and Forevermore. Each member of each of these bands displayed an obvious passion for what they were doing, and that’s something that I can really appreciate. It was clear that every person in attendance loved what they were hearing. I found Forevermore to be particularly intriguing because it was obvious to me that they were one of the local favorites. Lead singer, Jordan Furr, displayed amazing stage presence and the crowd was willing to do just about anything he said.

All that aside, our night in Indiana was a great one. We met a lot of really cool people, had a few laughs, and hung out with a cat named Lysander. Oh, and I got a bowl of Reeses’ Puffs out of this deal because our new friend Chris is the best host in the whole world. Also, his tiny mother snores like a lumberjack, but she is a fine lady and I love her. I just remembered that I have Reeses’ Puffs downstairs. BRB.

The next morning we, once again, groggily packed up our things (except for Hailey’s hair straightener apparently) and began the trip to our next destination, Josh’s home town of Manteno, IL. This show was all acoustic and therefore significantly quieter than the previous night’s show. I assume this is mostly because we were in the basement of a church, but that’s just an educated guess really. Hailey and I should not be allowed in a church for ANY reason aside, Sunday night on the tour went extremely well. Josh was able to perform for some of his closest friends and family which I know meant the absolute world to him.

After this final show, everyone gathered at Josh’s house for one last night surrounded by great people. It was this night that we really were able to get to know some of our new friends and, let me tell you, they are some seriously awesome people. I honestly do not think that we met one person on this tour who we just really didn’t like. That’s probably a lie. I’m sure there were at least a couple. But that’s not even kind of the point.

Early on Monday morning, it was time to head back home. Sadly, we packed up the car for the last time and made our triumphant return to our usual mundane existences. Although none of us were ready, tour was over in what seemed like a minute. There would be no more long hours in the car, getting ready in the venue’s bathrooms right before the show, or listening to Josh sing Nelly Furtado. Even though this particular tour was not a long one, it was definitely an experience that none of us will ever forget.

RFC Thinks You Should Know... Matt Jones

I usually like to get my adjectives in order before I begin discussing an artist, and, while shuffling through the thesaurus in my head, the best I could manage to describe Matt Jones was "lithe." True, it's a term heaped more often on strippers than indie folksters, but it seems oddly fitting to describe Jones' nimble, carefully orchestrated tunes. An Ann Arbor/Ypsi folk stalwart with an impending Daytrotter session, Matt Jones sings sly, beautiful songs in a sharp, controlled voice that at times is reminiscent of the Weakerthans, of Jeff Buckley, but with a slightly more theatrical bent.

To call the man and his music folk would be to do him a bit of a disservice: His album "The Black Path" (recorded with another AA music notable, Drunken Barn Dance's Jim Roll) is a stumbling, beautiful waltz through Americana as its only real genre. From opening rag/vaudeville of "Threadlines" to the evocative dustbowl instrumental "Antietam" (only lacking the Ken Burns narration to be convincingly antique) Jones is very much a graduate of School of Indie Anachronism.

Matt Jones - Jugulars, Bones And Blisters

Still, there's a a diversity to the approach that is refreshing: the dusty cowboy anthem "Jugulars, Bones and Blisters" is broken up by an unexpected synthesizer solo. "Waltzing With Lady Dawn" has a challenging, odd melody throwing touches of dissonance into it, held together by Jones' dancing voice.

A Fond Farewell To Drmanhattan. You Will Be Missed.

I’m sure that everyone has realized by now that I have very strong feelings of affection toward Chicago’s Drmanhattan.  So when I was told that the band was breaking up this past October, my heart  broke a little bit.  However, then I heard that they were going to be playing one final show in Chicago, I pretty much immediately knew that I had to be there.

Drmanhattan’s final show at Chicago’s Beat Kitchen on December 23^rd was probably the best I have ever seen them perform.  The guys opened the show with the first track off they’re album Jam Dreams, “Electraumatized”.  The entire crowd immediately went insane.  Throughout the entire show there was not one person standing still and that’s exactly how a Drmanhattan show should be, in my opinion. 

As the show continued, the guys played songs from both of their full length albums, and even some songs that were not on either album.  Regardless of what they played, the crowd got crazy.  My night was made when they started playing songs from their self titled first album.  I had been waiting all night to hear my favorite song, “Gunpowder: A Ballet”, and when I finally heard it live for the first time in almost three years, my mind was blown.  It sounded just as amazing live as it does on the album and I was beyond thrilled to have heard it this one last time.

 

Dr Manhattan- Gunpowder A Ballet(1)

D.R.U.G.S Rocks it Out at The Clearwater Theater on 12/11

On Saturday December 11^th, my partner in crime/photographer, Hailey Williams, and I braved the frozen tundra specifically to see D.R.U.G.S on their first tour.  Let me just tell you, that it was  completely worth it.  And to be perfectly honest, the tundra wasn’t really that frozen, it was just supposed to be.  All hellish snow conditions aside, D.R.U.G.S brought everything they had to the Clearwater Theater that night and rocked it out in a way that only a band with a true passion for music could.

After waiting through two mediocre opening bands, the crowd waited in anticipation for D.R.U.G.S to take the stage.  After taking their sweet time to set up, the house lights finally dimmed.  Through the midst of the flashing light show the band had set up on stage, members of D.R.U.G.S began to take their positions on stage one by one.  Although the roar of screaming fans rose with each member who made his appearance on stage, the crowd went completely insane when lead singer, Craig Owens, finally showed his face.

The set began immediately with a song that I honestly never thought I was going to be able to hear live.  I’m not positive what D.R.U.G.S is calling it, but when it was leaked as an unreleased Chiodos song, it was entitled “Thermacare”.  I was literally just telling a friend of mine maybe two weeks ago about how bad it sucks that I would never be able to hear this song live.  Proven wrong!  The band honestly could not have chosen a better opener for the set.  The song was performed amazingly well, as I expected, and proved to be an extremely pleasant surprise.

Chiodos - Thermacare

Show Review: Doomtree at Bottom Lounge Dec. 3 2010

Even the first snow of the year couldn't stop anyone from coming out to The Bottom Lounge on Friday for the Doomtree show. Friday was the first time Chicago has seen the Doomtree collective perform as a whole, and no one in that audience left disappointed. It was clear that there were fans who knew only of P.O.S. or of Dessa, but the five other emcees and producers easily made you fall in love with the entire Doomtree collective. 

Paper Tiger and Lazerbeak started the night off with a DJ set. Paper Tiger spun songs from his new album, Made Like Us. Lazerbeak then took center stage with an electric guitar and announced, " We are going to do some songs that aren't rap songs. Then we are going to do a shit ton of rap songs." P.O.S. then came out, to and DJ and add smooth beats with Paper Tiger. while Lazerbeak played a few songs from his new album, Legend Recognize Legend. Lazerbeak's roots are with his former indie band, The Plastic Constellations. He joked about not being able to rock out the "guitar face," so he took a moment and really hammed it up with the crowd. He also introduced Chicago to the "No Dance". "Imagine you walk out of the club and you are surrounded by haters up in your grill. What are you gonna do?" he said as he demonstrated the dance. "You just put your palm right up in their faces. What else are they gonna do?" 

Paper Tiger - Palace

Andrew Jackson Jihad @ Bucket O' Blood Books and Records, 11/17/10

First, check that diaphoretic haze creeping over the windows behind Andrew Jackson Jihad singer/songwriter Sean Bonnette in the photo at right. No, that's not a misty fall night in Chicago — the stars hung clear as diamonds outside, and that's condensation fueled by pure body heat, folks. Which is to say that this AJJ acoustic performance at Chicago's new one-stop shop for metalheads and sci-fi geeks, Bucket O' Blood, turned out to resemble an in-store performance less than a sweaty house show, replete with a plastic tub full of PBR in the back.

Although I'd never listened to Andrew Jackson Jihad before last Wednesday, RFC editor-in-chief Amber strong-armed talked me into showing up to check this one out. I have to admit, I got into Sean Bonnette's nervy, Ted Leo-meets-Elvis Costello punk yelp, and the show turned out to be a blast, even if the ambiance veered a bit toward emo-bro at a couple of points (I described the show via text to Amber as "dudes grabbing each others [sic] rattails while shouting verbose lyrics about the sympathetic nervous system").

Andrew Jackson Jihad - People II: The Reckoning

Matt Arbogast of The Gunshy opened up the show with a few gravelly blue-collar anthems and a great self-directed throwaway line about how "this fucker sounds just like Tom Waits," the latter of which got some raucous, knowing laughter from the kids packed into the tiny storefront. Still, the night belonged to Sean Bonnette, as evidenced by the blast of shouting voices that joined him every time he smashed out a staccato note on his guitar and sang a linchpin line semi-a cappella.

Me, I stayed busy fishing unattended Pabst Blue Ribbons out of Ye Old Plastic Tub and stuffing them into my messenger bag (this being the Wednesday before payday and all), but rest assured that I plan to dive into the entire Andrew Jackson Jihad discography as soon as I stop slaving my ears over My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. As I learned at Wednesday's show, AJJ sport a rather awesomely sardonic take on punk culture, slackerdom and the feeling of growing up as an outsider — not to mention a way with a record store full of drunk underage punks.

Andrew Jackson Jihad - Una Mas Cerveza Por Favor

And, in conclusion, I came away with about eight free beers — and it was the best summer vacation ever. Thanks for the tip, Amber!

Show Review: Tim Kasher at Schuba's 11/20/10

Tim Kasher wasted no time when he walked on stage at Schubas Tavern Saturday night. He took the stage, grabbed his guitar and tenderly sang, "When we were young, I was like a child."

"No Fireworks" started the set of mostly new songs from the recent release of, The Game Of Monogamy. The very crowded and sold out show at Schubas brought Tim Kasher fans from all over. There was a kid there from Omaha, who had seen him the previous night, a couple from Wisconsin, as well as Indiana and Michigan. 

Tim Kasher - I'm Afraid I'm Gonna Die Here

Backed by cello, keyboards, trumpets and drums Kasher leapt into "Just Don't Get Caught" with the greatest of ease, over a roar of audience applause. Playing intently with a brief show of mischievous smiles every now and again Kasher went from song to song. It seemed as if he were going to play the entire album in random order. When the cello started out "There Must Be Something I've Lost", the crowd in almost unison started whispering, "I've become obsessed with my high school year book." They quietly sang the entire song along with Kasher. I've said it before in the review of the album for Mezzic: If you can't relate to this track, you are lying to yourself. The crowd's emotional repsonse at Schubas Saturday night proved this.

Show Review: Dawes at Lincoln Hall, 11/10/10

We at RFC are pretty sweet on Dawes. Last night I finally got to see why. We all love a solid rock band of course, and as expected Dawes delivered a set of passionate, relatable rock songs laced with west coast vibe and confidence. What impressed me most though was their showmanship. We've talked a lot about how we love Dawes for their music and for being generally awesome dudes, but sometimes all bets are off once you see the live show. Dawes is a band of performers, a group of artists who give the impression that they're not having a good time unless every single one of us is too. Their energy was captivating and they made good work of their first sold-out show of the tour. Here's hoping for many more. Full photo set from last night here.

Dawes -  My Girl To Me

Editor's Note: Wondering what to expect from the Goldmiths on their sophomore release? It might not be due until next year but occasional RFC guest blogger Mike Roeder handicapped the quartet's next disc on his blog, Play B-Sides.

 

Junip and Sharon Von Etten At Lincoln Hall, 11/6/2010

The floor of Lincoln Hall was packed to standing room only and the upstairs only a few empty tables stood without chairs. A little after 10pm Sharon Van Etten took the stage. Supporting her in this tour are Ben Lord on percussion and Doug Keith on guitar. “Ummm..I never know what to say at times like this.”. She said as she tuned her guitar. “I’m wearing a shirt from Theadless. Do people here like Threadless? It’s a skull exploding into a light-bulb.”. Playing songs from her new album Epic and a few new songs, Van Etten engaged the crowd and introduced almost every song with a dedication. “This song is for Chris and Michelle. Ben sends his love.” She said as she introduced “Save Yourself”. 

The show seemed to take on the intimacy that a show would if it were at a much smaller venue. In between songs the crowd shouted out questions and she entertained them with answers. “I hope I don’t burp during this song.”, explaining that “Don’t Do It” is actually a song about her gas problem. Van Etten’s beautiful folk/rock songs are so captivating that it’s easy to get lost. Dedicating “Love More” to her friend Rebecca who did the art for her albums, Van Etten caressed the harmonium delicately, thus filling Lincoln Hall with a hauntingly beautiful melody. 

 Sharon Von Etten - Love More

 

Junip - Rope & Summit