PHOTOS: Margo Price at Thalia Hall 4.13.18
On Friday the 13th, Margo Price hit the stage at Thalia Hall for the second night in a row, performing to a sold out concert hall. Price hit the stage with a full band, performing songs from her discography as well as covers of classics like "Proud Mary" by Creedence Clearwater Revival and Tom Petty's "Mary Jane's Last Dance." If you missed out on the stellar show, check out photos from the evening below.
Listen to Margo Price's newest album All American Made in full below
ANCHR Magazine Showcase: Blue Dream, Engine Summer, and Faux Furrs 4/20 at Sleeping Village
Following our January showcase that celebrated our one year anniversary, we're hosting another show this month at the city's newest venue, Sleeping Village. The lineup features our pals in Blue Dream, Engine Summer and Faux Furrs. You can grab tickets to the show here, and get to know each band a little better below!
Poster By Catalina Florea
Blue Dream
The four-piece Chicago band consisting of Justin Sanetra, Anthony Cook, Jimmy Russell, and Danny Awisha recently released their debut album Volume Won; a captivating album with magnetic riffs and grooving bass lines that demand your attention. Blue Dream's electrifying stage presence amplifies their music to the next level, making them one of the city's best live acts. Don't miss your chance to see Blue Dream on 4/20; catch them headlining the show next Friday!
For Fans Of: Post Animal, Thee Oh Sees, Ty Segall
Start With: "UFO," "Freedom Eyes," "Who Stole The Flowers"
For more on Blue Dream-check out our interview with them here!
Engine Summer
This trio from Elmhurst, IL consisting of Jeremy Marsan, Ben Kostecki, and Ryan Ohm blends together post-punk and garage rock influences to form irresistibly catchy tunes that thread together one cohesive narrative on their debut album Trophy Kids. Catch them bringing the story to life on the Sleeping Village stage next weekend.
For Fans Of: Omni, NE-HI, Deeper
Start With: "Rather Choke," "Trophy Kids," "Jezebel"
Faux Furrs
Ryan Deffet, Adam Karstens, Michael Oliva, and Ryan Shuck, AKA Faux Furrs, bring all the good vibes with their lighthearted and upbeat melodies, which pair perfectly with the Spring weather that's finally starting to hit the city this week. Get your dancing shoes ready and be prepared to bop around to their fun-spirited songs from their 2017 album Taxonomy. As the band describes their sound, it's like "Garage Psych, in space"...make sure you come to the show to hear just how accurate that is.
For Fans Of: Frankie and the Witch Fingers, Summer Salt, Vundabar
Start With: "Fools Gold or the Lion," "Moon Farm," "Robot Love"
RSVP to the event on Facebook here!
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PHOTOS: Dream Version, Ratboys, and Vundabar at Beat Kitchen 4.7.18
Beat Kitchen hosted a triple threat of a lineup this past Saturday with Chicago bands Dream Version and Ratboys getting the crowd amped for Vundabar. Check out photos from the show below.
Listen to Vundabar's latest album Smell Smoke in full below, and see the rest of their tour dates here.
Live Recap: Albert Hammond Jr and The Marías at Bottom Lounge
This past Friday night, The Marías and Albert Hammond Jr gave the sold out crowd at Bottom Lounge an unforgettable start to their weekend. Fresh off an intense SXSW schedule, The Marías joined Albert Hammond Jr on a stretch of tour dates supporting his latest album, Francis Trouble. While the weather for this April show may have been a little chillier than usual for this time of year, the Chicago audience still gave the LA natives a warm welcome, attentively listening and encouraging the band with claps and cheers between tracks from their velvety debut EP Superclean Vol. I. Throughout the set, the band's lead singer, named--you guessed it--Maria, seemed completely at ease on the unfamiliar stage, her silky and dreamy vocals hypnotizing the room. By the time the band worked through their whole EP and even a cover of "Lovergirl" by Teena Maria, the audience had become so invested that they demanded an encore from The Marías. Unfortunately the band was unable to oblige as their stage time had come to an end, but hopefully they'll return soon for a headlining show!
Next up, the legendary Albert Hammond Jr hit the stage with a burst of energy, which was immediately matched by the loyal and enthusiastic fans; the entire crowd loudly showed support by screaming along and dancing to the opening song "Caught By My Shadow." Between songs, Hammond called out the audience's noise levels with a nod of appreciation, telling the Bottom Lounge audience they had to be the loudest crowd yet on this tour. The electric dynamic between Hammond and the audience members remained in full swing the entire night; Hammond threw his all into his performance and the crowd would act as a boomerang, throwing the positive energy right back. Throughout the 90 minute set, Hammond and his band played songs from his discography, focusing on the brand new album Francis Trouble, released March 9th on Red Bull Records. While some fans may have been more familiar with every single song, singing along to the entire set, Hammond puts on the type of show that keeps an audience captivated for the entire show, no matter how familiar everyone is with the music. For fans old and new, Hammond created a safe space with his performance, where everyone could escape their troubles for the night and just focus on the pure entertainment and feel good vibes provided by Albert Hammond Jr.
In a world where we're often laden with distractions, it's rare to experience a performer as enthralling as Albert Hammond Jr, so if you get the chance to see his live show, don't miss it. See the rest of Hammond's tour dates here.
Photos of The Marías and Albert Hammond Jr at The Bottom Lounge
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PHOTOS: Gordi and S. Carey at Schubas 4.5.18
PHOTOS: of Montreal at Thalia Hall 4.5.18
Last Thursday night, of Montreal took over Thalia Hall for a night filled with theatrics and good vibes. Throughout the 90 minute show, the band kept the audience engaged the entire time with stage props, backup dancers, confetti, and of course, lead singer Kevin Barnes' elaborate and revolving costumes. By the end of the show, the crowd filled the venue with an overwhelming thunder of applause, showing their gratification for the intricate and over-the-top production put into this performance. If you missed out on the show, get a glimpse of all that went on with our photos from the evening.
Do not miss this tour if of Montreal rolls through a town near you! See the rest of the band's tour dates here, and listen to their latest album in full below:
PHOTOS: Buck Meek and Margaret Glaspy at SPACE
Big Thief's Buck Meek warmed up the stage for Margaret Glaspy at Evanston's SPACE venue on Tuesday night. Both artists performed with a bare-bones, minimalist set up, Meek hitting the stage on his own and completely captivating the sold-out crowd with only his voice and guitar. Glaspy also stripped down her usual set, performing only alongside Julian Lage, rather than with a full band. The laid-back lineup allowed for Glaspy to really show off her vocal chops, and the crowd cheered graciously between songs, showing appreciation for the special performance. If you missed out on the show, get a glimpse of the evening by checking out our photo gallery below.
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PHOTOS: Prism Tats, Honduras, and Public Access T.V. at Schubas 4.2.18
Prism Tats, Honduras, and Public Access T.V. helped us start off our week on the right foot with their show on Monday night at Schubas. Stay tuned for an interview with Honduras coming soon, but for now check out photos of all three bands below!
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LIVE: James Bay Returns to Chicago's Metro With a Revamped Show
Following an insane show from Wolf Alice on Friday night, The Metro outdid itself with another sold out, stunning show from James Bay on Saturday night.
Way back in 2015, singer-songwriter James Bay played a sold out show at The Metro in Chicago during the height of success of his debut album, Chaos and the Calm. Now, after nearly three years, Bay returned to the same stage with new material and a new approach towards his older material. Although he'd taken a hiatus after he finished the touring cycle for Chaos and the Calm to finish his new album, when Bay and his band hit the stage on Saturday night, the jam packed venue full of loyal fans proved that their devotion to the singer had never wavered. Not only did the show sell out in a matter of minutes when it was announced earlier this year, but some fans lined up outside the venue as early as 9:30AM Saturday morning to get a coveted front row spot.
The fans' patience all paid off when the set began around 9PM with unreleased song "Wasted On Each Other," which sits second on the track list of Bay's sophomore album Electric Light, out May 18th. Next up, the band brought the new album's second single "Pink Lemonade" to life; backup singers adding another layer to the full band's already rich sound. Following that quick taste of refreshing new material, the set dipped back into older material, the entire audience echoing the chorus of songs "Craving," and "When We Were on Fire" back to the stage.
As the night went on, the room lit up with a sense of recognition whenever Bay dropped in old favorites in between the few new tracks, but the show possessed a vibrant sense of revitalization. Songs like "Let It Go" and "Best Fake Smile" received new life when the band performed both with fleshed out and extended introductions, rearranging the familiar tunes into new molds. When the night began to come to a close, Bay introduced a refreshed version of his hit "Hold Back The River," beginning the track by repeatedly riffing the lyrics "lonely water" over a moody, chilled out introduction. The crowd cheered wildly when Bay and his band transitioned into the full song, their cheers blending into the song's first verse.
The entire band left the stage for a short break following "Hold Back The River", and Bay returned for a stripped back encore performance of his ballad "Need The Sun To Break," giving the magical evening the perfect send off.
If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind performance and to hear James Bay's music revamped like you've never heard it before, do not miss the chance to see him in concert this year! Find more details on his upcoming tour dates below, and check out our photo gallery of his show at The Metro to get you pumped for the next concert.
Chicago, James will be back for Lollapalooza and for another headling show in October. Don't miss your chance to see his show!
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