Filtering by Tag: Chicago

Live Recap: Mitski and Julia Jacklin at Auditorium Theatre

March 28, 2024 / Rachel Zyzda

This past Sunday night, Mitski and Julia Jacklin closed out a sold-out, four-night run at the historic Auditorium Theatre in Chicago.

Australian singer-songwriter Julia Jacklin took the stage at 8PM sharp to perform for the packed house. The past times I’ve seen Julia, she usually had a full band, but this run was just her and her guitar as she opened her set with “Comfort” from her 2019 album Crushing. Jacklin took a pause to address the crowd, telling us she’d had a wonderful time these past few nights in Chicago, adding “I haven’t seen anything except downtown, and it’s been really cold, but I’ve had a good time because I get to open for one of the greatest rock legends of our lives, Mitski”— which was followed by lots of cheers. As Jacklin continued her performance, I admired her commanding stage presence and ability to keep the audience completely hooked. Towards to end of the show, the singer told the theatre “I’m gonna sing a song A capella. It’s very rare that I get to sing in halls like this, so I have to take advantage” before she sang “Too In Love To Die” from her 2022 album Pre Pleasure. During that entire song, the audience remained utterly silent, soaking up Jacklin’s beautiful vocals in absolute awe. To close out her short, but sweet set, Jacklin performed a fan favorite “Pressure to Party.”

Next up, the stage was set for Mitski and her band to close it all out. The audience greeted the artist with earsplitting applause and cheers and she sauntered her way over to a dim corner of the stage. After a quick greeting, Mitski disappeared behind a giant red curtain in the center of the stage, with only her silhouette in view while she sang “Everyone”—until the curtain dropped at the end of the song.

It was fitting that this particular tour stopped at the Auditorium Theatre instead of a GA-style concert venue because Mitski’s performance was more like an orchestral broadway musical than concert. From her intricate choreography that was mapped out to every single beat to her dramatic expressions and the extraordinary lighting production, this show was a true spectacle from start to finish. Everything flowed seamlessly in the production of the performance, and Mitski let the music take care of the transitions, barely taking time to speak in between the songs on the setlist, which heavily featured songs from her 2023 album The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We. A favorite moment of mine was during the performance of the very popular “My Love Mine All Mine,” Mitski stood center-stage on a platform, while strings of shimmery, butterfly-like objects dropped down from the ceiling around her— picture a mobile you’d hang above a baby’s crib… but way taller.

The entire performance was magical from start to finish, and if Mitski ever had a broadway show, I’d be there in an instant. This show proved she’s a theatrical triple threat with acting, singing and dancing chops.

See photos of the final night in Chicago below, and see where you can catch the tour next here.

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categories / Reviews, Photos, Music, Gigs
tags / Julia Jacklin, Mitski, Auditorium Theatre, Chicago, Live Show, Live Review, Photo Set, Photo Gallery

Live Recap: The Future Past Tour with Duran Duran, Bastille, and Nile Rodgers & Chic

September 07, 2023 / Rachel Zyzda

I can think of few better ways to kick off Labor Day weekend than with a show from Duran Duran, Bastille, and Nile Rodgers & Chic at Northerly Island in Chicago. And lucky for me, I was one of the several thousand fans who packed the Huntington Bank Pavilion on Friday, September 1st to attend the Future Past Tour.

The performances kicked off just before sunset with the legendary musician and producer Nile Rodgers, along with his band Chic. If you’re even a casual fan of disco or funk music, chances are you’re familiar with Chic’s hit “Le Freak,” and the band kicked off their performance with the popular track. If I’m being honest, I went into the show thinking that was the only Chic song I knew, but I ended up being pleasantly surprised when I recognized other Chic songs like “Everybody Dance” and “I Want Your Love.” Rodgers may be best known as the co-founder of Chic, but he’s also worked with countless top tier artists as a producer, so I was again pleasantly surprised to be familiar with all of the other songs performed in his set. In addition to some of Chic’s discography, Rodgers and his bandmates delivered incredible renditions of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance,” and Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” that had everyone standing and dancing—which is a rare sighting during the first act of a show.

Once the sun had set, Bastilletook the stage next. The British quartet of Dan Smith, Kyle Simmons, Will Farquarson and Chris "Woody" Wood were joined by touring band members Charlie Barnes and Bim Amoako to help bring their songs to life. The band kept the high energy that Nile Rodgers had set up going, opening their set with the upbeat track (if you ignore the lyrics) “Good Grief” and the guitar-driven, rambunctious “WHAT YOU GONNA DO???” The rest of their setlist spanned their entire discography, from their debut album to their most recent album, as well as standalone singles like the hit collaboration they did with Marshmello, “Happier.” During the performance of “Things We Lost in the Fire” from their first record, Smith stationed himself a floor tom drum to pack another punch of percussion in the song’s chorus. The drums came into play during a couple of their other songs like the band’s mash up of the 90’s hits “Rhythm is a Dancer” and “Rhythm of the Night,” but when Smith wasn’t drumming he was usually dancing his way across the stage. While playing “Shut Off the Lights” from Give Me the Future, Smith shimmied alongside Bim Amoako, who delivered powerhouse backing vocals throughout the show. The set wrapped up with Bastille’s epic sing-along hit “Pompeii” that had everyone up and out of their seats yet again.

From there, the energy and anticipation only continued to climb while the stage was set for the main act, Duran Duran. When it was showtime, the screen onstage cast a futuristic, sci-fi-esque video, in homage to the future part of the tour name and the band’s most recent album. Finally, the shadows of band members Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, Roger Taylor appeared in the center of the stage, their silhouettes illuminated by colored lights in the background. The crowd went wild as the band launched into “The Night Boat” from their 1981 self-titled album— as I looked around I saw nothing but pure bliss from the fans in the front section of seats.

This concert was my first time seeing Duran Duran perform, and I was immediately struck by how poised and coordinated all of the band members were, and the elevated level of camaraderie between not only the core band members, but the additional musicians performing onstage with them. Le Bon’s vocals also sounded impeccable throughout the performance and he showcased a natural showmanship with his between-song banter. Le Bon took some time to comment on the beautiful weather and bright moon before they played their hit “Hungry Like The Wolf” as the third song of the set.

Le Bon gave similar quips to set up the forthcoming songs often throughout the night, like asking the crowd “which do you prefer? Yes or no-no” before “Notorious” and asking if there were any birthdays in the house before “Anniversary,” adding “We got everyone in this place celebrating an anniversary tonight!” In addition to Le Bon’s commentary, the lights and visual projections on the stage’s screen also complemented each song performed. During “Is There Something I Should Know?” images of the band on different magazine covers in the 80’s flashed on the screen, and they started their song “Girls on Film” with flashing lights and sound effects that felt like a real-life paparazzi attack.

While a lot of Le Bon’s commentary between songs had a cheekiness about it, he also made a very heartfelt dedication before performing “Ordinary World.” “'[This song] is about bringing people together, and saying yeah, I know how how you feel. There are two dedications to this song tonight…one to the people of Maui, hold them in your hearts and help them if you can. I also would like to dedicate this song to the people of Ukraine. In their struggle, we wish them happiness and peace in their own country, in their own ordinary world,” he added.

After lots of dancing and a journey through Duran Duran’s long discography, we’d sadly reached the end of the main part of the set. Duran Duran made sure to end the night with an incredible encore that started with their song “Save a Prayer.” The band asked everyone to turn on their cell phone lights for that song, Le Bon saying, “Let’s turn this part of Chicago into the galaxy itself!” The night wrapped up with an explosive performance of their hit “Rio,” featuring a saxophone solo from Simon Willescroft. Overall, the Future Past tour packed a lot of nostalgia and a great time for all.

View photos of the evening below, and see where you can catch Duran Duran on tour next here.

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categories / Photos, Reviews, Music, Gigs
tags / Duran Duran, Future Past Tour, Bastille, Nile Rodgers, Chic, Huntington Bank Pavilion, Northerly Island, Chicago, Live Review, Live Recap, Photo Set

Live Recap: Kurt Vile with Finom at Millennium Park

July 28, 2023 / Rachel Zyzda

Following a fun, music-packed weekend at Pitchfork Music Festival, I kept the good times rolling with a show from Kurt Vile and Finom at Millennium Park.

The Millennium Park free summer concert series is always a great time to take in the sights of the city and soak in some excellent music. The Chicago based duo Finom (FKA Ohmme), featuring Sima Cunningham and Macie Stewart, took the stage first. This was my first time seeing them since the name change, but they sounded as great as ever. Stewart and Cunningham were joined onstage by fellow Chicago musicians V.V. Lightbody and Spencer Tweedy. Cunningham told the crowd that they were working on some new music and previewed it for the crowd that night. In addition to the unreleased material, we also got to hear some Finom familiar favorites like “Icon” and “Water,” which features stunning, harmonized vocalizations that showcase the musical compatibility between Stewart and Cunningham.

Kurt Vile and his bandmates hit the stage after a quick changeover, with the first half of the setlist heavily featuring songs from the 2022 album (watch my moves) like “Palace of OKV in Reverse” and “Hey Like A Child.” After performing a couple of songs, Kurt told the crowd they were beautiful and started singing the throwback “You’re Beautiful” by James Blunt. He also told the crowd he was happy to be there playing the park for a free show, adding “But I feel like I should have done it years before.” The singer introduced another song from his 2022 record “Mount Airy Hill (Way Gone),” saying he was going to take us to his house now.

As we got into the latter part of Kurt Vile’s set, a heartbreaking yet very touching moment happened; a young fan came up to the front with a poster that read “Yesterday Was The Anniversary of My Dad’s Death. You Were His Favorite.” Kurt acknowledged the sign while performing and the audience applauded loudly in support of her. This moment was a great reminder not to take life for granted, and that music can create such a special bond and help with healing from grief. After finishing the set, Kurt even came down from the stage to talk to the girl, and take a photo with her. I hope the concert was a special way for her to honor and celebrate her dad’s memory.

Check out photos from the concert below, and see where you can catch Kurt Vile next here.

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categories / Gigs, Music, Photos, Reviews
tags / Kurt Vile, Finom, Chicago, Jay Pritzker Pavillion, Millennium Park Concert Series

Friday Recap: Pitchfork Music Festival 2023

July 22, 2023 / Rachel Zyzda

Pitchfork Music Festival kicked off Friday, July 21st in Union Park, with the day beginning with Nourished By Time on the Green stage and closing with The Smile on that same stage. Check out some highlights of day one of the festival below, as well as the full photo gallery.

Chicago’s own Sen Morimoto performed in the early afternoon on the Green stage. Although he’s a solo artist and typically records all of his own records, his live band had a slew of talented musicians to help bring his songs to life. In addition to playing the saxophone himself during some songs, Morimoto also had more horns with a trombone player and second saxophonist, backing vocals from Chicago artist Kaina, and more traditional live instruments like drums and guitar. Plenty of fans withstood the harsh beaming sun to see Morimoto’s set, and the crowd was having a great time. Morimoto dedicated his song “Woof” to dogs, and asked the audience to give him their best howl (which everyone happily obliged). Another highlight of the set included a cover of Cher’s song “Believe.”

Next up, I caught another solo act, Grace Ives on the Red stage. This time around, the solo artist put on a complete one-person show—as Ives gave us her all with just a microphone and her programmed synthesizer. Ives’ performance kind of felt like she’d invited us all over for a living room dance party—even though she was up there owning the stage, she had a casual, inviting demeanor that made it feel like we were just a massive group on friends dancing and singing along.

Youth Lagoon, the project of musician Trevor Powers, performed on the Green Stage next. It was nice to see Powers back performing as Youth Lagoon, since he had announced his retirement of the project back in 2016. Just last year, Powers announced a comeback was on the way, and he released Youth Lagoon’s latest album Heaven Is a Junkyard in June 2023. Youth Lagoon’s Pitchfork Fest set heavily featured songs from this new record, like “Rabbit” and “Idaho Alien,” but I was happy to also hear a comfort song of mine from 2011, “Afternoon,” from the album The Year of Hibernation. Youth Lagoon’s dreamy soundscape was the perfect soundtrack for an afternoon at a music fest.

Nation of Language put on one of my favorite sets of the day over on the Red stage. The Brooklyn-based trio, featuring Ian Richard Devaney (lead vocals, guitar, synths), Aidan Noell (vocals and synths), and Alex MacKay (bass), already had a large fanbase at the fest, but they quickly won over newcomers in the crowd when they performed their song “I’ve Thought About Chicago” (who doesn’t love a hometown shout out?) The trio had the audience dancing along to their refreshing take on New Wave influences and synth-pop driven melodies, despite the sun that continued to blaze through the afternoon. Noell acknowledged the crowd’s dedication, saying “Thanks for sweating for us.” Nation of Language’s Pitchfork Fest set also featured some new, unreleased material from their upcoming album Strange Disciple.

Ian Richard Devaney of Nation of Language

The project of musician and songwriter Michael Alden Hadreas, better known as Perfume Genius, kept the dancing and high energy going during his performance. Hadreas was joined by a full band, but he really stole the show with his commanding stage presence and impeccable style. Donning full arm’s length red gloves, Hadreas glided around the stage performing songs like “Slip Away” and “Otherside.” Perfume Genius’s evening set wrapped up with the epic fan favorite “Queen.” Hadreas asks the question “Don’t you know you queen?” in the song and the crowd royally adored the performance.

Michael Alden Hadreas AKA Perfume Genius

Next, I went over to the Blue stage for the first time on Friday to catch another beloved Chicago act, Ric Wilson. Living up to his Instagram handle “Disco Ric,” Wilson brought all the great disco vibes to his Pitchfork performance. Not only did his music elicit pure happiness, but Wilson also made sure his set felt like a safe place for all when he asked everyone to put their fist up and repeat an inclusive chant after him, including “no racist, no sexist, no homophobic, and no transphobic!” Wilson shined with his vocal performance and charismatic dance moves, and he also had an incredible live band to help bring his music to life. Every time I’ve seen Ric Wilson, his shows have been an instant serotonin boost, and this time was no different.

Alvvays closed out the Red Stage on Friday, bringing their cheerful and dreamy music to an adoring crowd. As the band opened their set with the song “Pharmacist” from their 2022 album Blue Rev, I noticed so many fans in the front smiling and singing along—one fan even held up a signed copy of Alvvays’ album Antisocialites. Alvvays’ setlist contained many songs from their latest album, but they also mixed in plenty of their older material, including the fan favorite “Archie, Marry Me”—which had everyone belting the anthemic chorus along. Alvvays’ Pitchfork Fest performance made the best soundtrack to the Friday sunset.

You can see more photos of all of these performances below, also including interviews with Alvvays, Perfume Genius and The Smile’s Jonny Greenwood done at the Door Dash Backstage DashPass experience. Stay tuned for coverage of days 2 and 3!

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categories / Gigs, Festival, Photos, Reviews
tags / Pitchfork Music Festival, Pitchfork, Music Festival, Sen Morimoto, Grace Ives, Youth Lagoon, Perfume Genius, Alvvays, The Smile, Nation of Language, Ric Wilson, KAINA, Chicago, Concert Photography, Photo Set, Live Review, Live Recap

PHOTOS: Fall Out Boy with Games We Play at Metro

January 31, 2023 / Rachel Zyzda

Last week Fall Out Boy returned to the Metro stage for a legendary hometown show, in honor of announcing their new album So Much (for) Stardust.

Check out photos of the evening also featuring Games We Play below, and make sure to snag tickets to Fall Out Boy when they’re back playing Wrigley Field on June 21st.

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categories / Gigs, Music, Reviews, Photos
tags / Fall Out Boy, Metro, Metro 40th anniversary, So Much (for) Stardust, Games We Play, Wrigleyville, Gigs, Photo recap, Photo Set, Live Show, Q101, Concert Photography, Fall Out Boy Chicago, Chicago

Live Recap: Turnstile with JPEGMafia and Snail Mail at Aragon Ballroom

October 25, 2022 / Rachel Zyzda

Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom hosted a sold out show from Turnstile, JPEGMafia and Snail Mail on Sunday, October 23rd to finish up the weekend.

Snail Mail, the project of singer-songwriter and musician Lindsey Jordan, kicked off the evening bright and early around 6 P.M. At the beginning of their set, Jordan and her bandmates experienced some technical difficulties, but the show must go on—and Jordan proceeded to still give a stellar performance through the challenges. Snail Mail’s performance may have been short and sweet, but Jordan still squeezed in some friendly banter in between songs, including telling the audience about a fever dream she had in which she’s playing a big room and having guitar pedal issues (essentially the exact scenario that was happening in real life). The setlist ranged from featuring songs from the early EP days to tracks like “Heat Wave” and “Pristine” from the 2018 album Lush, as well as newer songs like “Ben Franklin” and the title track from 2021’s Valentine.

Towards the end of Snail Mail’s set, the crowd had grown larger and was beginning to fill in even the outskirts of the room. The larger crowd only amplified the energy for the second act of the night, rapper JPEGMafia. Fans throughout the venue welcomed him to the stage by chanting “Peggy!” and I even spotted a “Peggy for president” sign in the front row. JPEGMafia reciprocated the audience’s tone by bursting onto the stage with flashing, electrifying lighting and launching into his set with the song “Jesus Forgive Me, I Am a Thot.” The energy remained high as he worked through his setlist, typically sharing anecdotes about each song before performing them. Before performing his song “BALD!”, JPEGMafia told the crowd that he looked around the room and saw a bunch of beautiful heads of hair. Another highlight was his cover of the iconic Carly Rae Jepsen song “Call Me Maybe,” which JPEGMafia performed A capella. The audience was also treated to some sneak peeks of unreleased material that JPEGMafia called “previews” to his new music.

Speaking of previews, during JPEGMafia’s set, we got a taste of the rowdy moshing that would take place during the entirety of headliner Turnstile’s set. Turnstile performed on the Aragon stage after playing at the legendary Lollapalooza festival this summer, and the Chicago crowd welcomed them back by chanting “TLC!” ahead of their set starting. The band marked the beginning of their set by playing Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” through the house speakers before diving into their massively popular song “HOLIDAY” from their 2021 album Glow On. From then on, the setlist heavily pulled from that same album, including performances of songs like “BLACKOUT,” “FLY AGAIN,” and “MYSTERY.” I watched the majority of the show from the Aragon balcony, at any given point during the show, the crowd on the main floor remained a spectacle as the sea of people continued to jump around nonstop, despite the rising temperatures in the venue. Vocalist Brendan Yates matched their energy, jumping around the stage and stripping his shirt off after the first couple of songs. By the end of the night, the audience and band had worked up so much momentum that the floor of the venue was literally slick with sweat.

Overall, the evening showcased a dynamic and diverse line up, highlighting indie rock, rap, and hardcore punk music all in one show. See where you can catch the tour next here, and check out the photo recap of the Chicago show below.

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categories / Reviews, Photos, Gigs
tags / Turnstile, Snail Mail, JPEGMAFIA, Live Recap, Live Review, Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, Photo Set

PHOTO RECAP: Riot Fest 2022- Saturday

September 24, 2022 / Rachel Zyzda

ANCHR spent the last weekend at Riot Fest checking out a mix of old favorites and new discoveries. Check out the Saturday photo gallery recap, featuring Bridge City Sinners, Bully, Cumgirl8, Gwar, Madball, Mannequin Pussy, No Trigger, Surfbort, Thick, War on Women, Yungblud, and Yellowcard.

Stay tuned for more coverage of the rest of the weekend.

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categories / Festival, Gigs, Music, Photos
tags / Bridge City Sinners, Bully, Cumgirl8, Gwar, Madball, Mannequin Pussy, No Trigger, Surfbort, Thick, War on Women, Yungblud, Yellowcard, Riot Fest, Live Music, Chicago, Fesitval, Music Festival, Photo Set, Photo Gallery, Photo recap

PHOTO RECAP: Riot Fest 2022- Friday

September 23, 2022 / Rachel Zyzda

ANCHR spent the last weekend at Riot Fest checking out a mix of old favorites and new discoveries. Check out the Friday photo gallery recap, featuring Algiers, Alkaline Trio, Bob Vylan, Cloud Nothings, Destroy Boys, Foxy Shazam, Marky Ramone's Blitzkrieg, and Wargasm. Stay tuned for more coverage of the rest of the weekend.

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categories / Festival, Gigs, Photos
tags / Algiers, Alkaline Trio, Bob Vylan, Cloud Nothings, Destroy Boys, Foxy Shazam, Marky Ramone's Blitzkrieg, Wargasm, Riot Fest, Music Festival, Live Show, Chicago, Chicago Festival, Photo Set, Photo Gallery

Acts To Get There Early For: Pitchfork Festival 2022

July 01, 2022 / Rachel Zyzda

Pitchfork Festival returns to its usual slot at Union Park this July, after taking place in September last year. The annual music fest will feature some of our favorite acts as headliners, like The National, Mitski, and The Roots—among other performers like Japanese Breakfast, Toro y Moi, Parquet Courts and Lucy Dacus. As always though, the P4k line up is packed with tons of hidden gems that will put on incredible sets. Tune in below to hear some of the acts of the festival that ANCHR will be showing up early to Union Park to catch.

Friday

Ethel Cain

Singer songwriter Ethel Cain writes about some harrowing and dark themes, but she has mastered the craft of depicting sadness in her music through such a refined and beautiful lens. Cain delivers these stories with reverberated, ethereal vocals and captivating melodies that make it hard not to become instantly enchanted by the songs “A House in Nebraska,” “Hard Times,” and “Crush”—just to name a few.

Cain grew up in a Southern Baptist family in Florida and sang in the choir, but ultimately left the churn as a teen when she came out to her family as gay. On her twentieth birthday, Cain came out publicly as a transgender woman. Cain nods to her religious upbringing with the title of her debut record Preacher’s Daughter, which was just released in May of 2022. The debut album follows up the EPs Golden Age and Inbred, which Cain released in 2019 and 2021 respectively.

If you’re looking for a festival set that will get you feeling all your feelings, while also sounding absolutely stunning, do not miss Ethel Cain at Pitchfork on Friday.

Start With: “American Teenager,” “Gibson Girl” and “Crush”

For Fans Of: Hatchie, MUNA, Zola Jesus

Where to catch her: 1:45-2:25 pm, Red Stage

SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE

Here at ANCHR, we love a good experimental rock band, so naturally, we’re fans of SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE. The Philadelphia-based band has had a history of rotating members, but currently the group is composed of Zack Schwartz, Rivka Ravede, and Corey Wichlin— who all wear multiple hats for the band, contributing everything from vocals, keys, guitar, bass and drums. The shuffling around of band duties likely contributes to the diverse and expansive genre-sphere that the group has created.

The band’s name comes from a 1973 Spanish film with the same title, which is fitting because their sound has a cinematic quality to it. The band describes their song “THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN'T DO” from their 4th album ENTERTAINMENT, DEATH as being one showcases the growth they’ve undergone from their inception to current day. "This song draws on some of the sonic aesthetic of SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE's old records and aligns those sounds with the electronic instrumentation we've been exploring," Wichlin says.

SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE will certainly keep us on our toes during their performance, which makes them a perfect way to kick off the festival on Friday afternoon.

Start With: “There’s Nothing You Can’t Do,” “fell asleep with a vision"" and “Natural Devotion”

For Fans Of: Squid, Dry Cleaning, black midi

Where to catch them: 2:30-3:15 pm, Green Stage

Saturday

Jeff Parker & the New Breed

At ANCHR, we also love a versatile artist, and with Jeff Parker, there’s not much he hasn’t dabbled in. Parker was born in Bridgeport, CT and has been making music since 1991, pushing boundaries with his guitar playing and composing via an array of collaborations. Parker is a member of the band Tortoise, and has also worked with the likes of Andrew Bird, Yo La Tengo, and George Lewis—just to name a few.

There’s a effortlessly breezy tone to Parker’s style, which incorporates everything from jazz to folk to rock to pop. The bio on Parker’s website says his works “explore and exploit the contrary relationships between tradition and technology, improvisation and composition, and the familiar and the abstract” and that truly comes across as you listen through his catalog of music.

Parker also has local ties to Chicago as a founding member of the groups Isotope 217˚ and Chicago Underground. If you’re looking for a festival set that will be equal parts fascinating and soothing, make sure you catch Jeff Parker & the New Breed. We think it will be the perfect way to kick off the second day of the festival.

Start With: “Suffolk,” “Cliche” and “Soul Love”

For Fans Of: Anderson .Paak, Tortoise, Ben LaMar Gay

Where to catch them 1:00-1:40pm, Green Stage

Chubby and the Gang

While Charlie, aka "Chubby,” Manning-Walker of Chubby and the Gang has been involved with different bands in the British scene since 2004, he only formed this variation of an ensemble in 2019. The West London-based group consists of Ethan Stahl, Tom "Razor" Hardwick, Maegan Brooks Mills and Joe McMahon alongside Manning-Walker. The lineup is composed of different members of hardcore punk bands Arms Race, Vile Spirit and Gutter Knife.

Similarly to the bands they came from, Chubby and the Gang’s songs have a classic punk feel to them, full of bright drumbeats and cheeky lyrics—but they also mix in other genres and influences. In the short few years since the group formed, Chubby and the Gang has already released two full-length albums, including their sophomore release The Mutt’s Nuts, which was produced by Jonah Falco of Fucked Up and put out via Partisan Records. Most recently, Chubby and the Gang added an EP to their discography, entitled Labour of Love, and aptly released on Valentine’s Day this year.

I have yet to see the band perform, but I just know they’re going to be great at getting the crowd amped up and ready to take on the second day of Pitchfork Festival.

Start With: “Coming Up Tough,” I Hate The Radio” and “All Along The Uxbridge Road”

For Fans Of: Turnstile, PUP, Fontaines D.C.

Where to catch them: 2:30-3:15pm:, Green Stage

Sunday

L’Rain

ANCHR’s Sunday picks are all about the vibes and escapism. L’Rain is a Brooklyn-based singer and musician who composes experimental and mesmerizing songs— imagine losing yourself in a soundbath in the rain, and that’s kind of what L’Rain’s “Heavy (But Not In Wait)” feels like to me.

L’Rain is the moniker for Taja Cheek, who grew up around family with a music business background— her dad worked in music marketing and promotion and her grandfather owned a jazz club. Cheek’s moniker is also a tribute to her mother, Lorraine C. Porter, who unfortunately passed away before Cheek released her debut album.

L’Rain’s music has such a glossy fluidity to it, and that’s probably in part due to the ballet and dance that Cheek studied while growing up. In addition to dance, Cheek learned to play a multitude of different instruments— including bass, piano and cello. As if that’s not all, Cheek even studied music and American Studies while attending Yale, no big deal.

To date, L’Rain has put out two albums; 2017’s self-titled debut and 2021’s Fatigue. Be sure to attend her set on Sunday and drift away to a mix of L’Rain’s unique musical stylings.

Start With: “Find It,” “Two Face” and “Heavy (But Not In Wait)”

For Fans Of: Circuit des Yeux, Cassandra Jenkins, Animal Collective

Where to catch them 1:45-2:25pm, Red Stage

KAINA

Like I said, the Sunday acts are all about the escapism vibes, and Chicago’s own KAINA has the silky smooth vocals and dreamy tunes to help you drift into your personal oasis at Pitchfork.

KAINA is a first-generation Latina and was born and raised in Chicago, and she does an incredible job of composing her songs so that they fuse together Latin-inspired sounds with Chicago soul and blues. You can hear her influences shine through, yet her sound is something completely unique.

In addition to the Chicago influences that we’ll hear in KAINA’s set, there’s a strong chance we’ll see some other hometown artists joining her onstage at the fest— she’s collaborated with Sen Morimoto, Saba, and Nnamdi just to name a few. I’m also looking forward to hearing songs from KAINA’s sophomore album It Was a Home, which was released this year as a follow up to 2019’s debut Next to The Sun.

There’s a lot going wrong in the world right now, but I have no doubt we can all temporarily sway away our problems while watching KAINA.

Start With: “Golden Mirror,” “Could Be a Curse” and “Apple”

For Fans Of: Jamila Woods, Cuco, Wet
Where to catch her: 2:30-3:15pm, Green Stage

See the full Pitchfork Festival schedule here, and get ready by listening to the playlist below.

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categories / Festival, Gigs, Music
tags / Ethel Cain, L'Rain, Jeff Parker, Chubby and the Gang, Spirit of the Beehive, KAINA, Pitchfork Music Festival, Pitchfork, P4K, Music Festival, Preview, Chicago

Live Recap: Alt-J with Portugal. The Man and Windser at Credit Union 1 Arena

March 24, 2022 / Rachel Zyzda

Alt-J played the Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago last Saturday night, in honor of their brand new album called The Dream.

The evening opened up with independent artist Windser from Santa Cruz, California. Windser is the moniker of lead vocalist and songwriter Jordan Topf, but Topf was joined by his live band to perform his songs like “July” and “Memory” to the arena crowd. Windser’s bright guitar riffs blended with his hooky beats and buttery vocals, making him the perfect bridge between fans of Portugal. The Man and Alt-J. If you like Michigander, Del Water Gap, and Yoke Lore, be sure to keep an eye on Windser for more new music in the near future.

Next up, anticipation built up around the room and fans in the front row grew visibly antsy for Portugal. The Man’s set to begin. The moment felt very theatrical and dramatic, as fog machines pumped smoke onto the stage and throughout the room, and a screen provided a bright backdrop to the dim stage. Colorful lighting rigs that framed the stage began to flash in time to their upbeat mix of rock and psychedelic pop, while the screen flicked through varying visual clips to accompany each song. From the second Portugal. The Man hit the stage, they amplified the volume and energy swirling around the room, and the audience enthusiastically sang along to songs like “Live in the Moment” and “What, Me Worry?” Their set closed out with “Feel It Still” and “Purple Yellow Red and Blue”— each of these songs receiving overwhelming cheers as fans recognized the opening riffs.

As the adrenaline from Portugal. The Man’s show still bounced around the arena, the stage began to transform for Alt-J to close out the night. After about a 40 minute change over, the curtain at the front of the stage dropped to reveal approximately ten-foot high risers boxed in by screens. Soon, the three members of Alt-J made their way to their spots on the risers and the dark stage was lit up by projections of large candles reflecting on the box that enveloped the band. Throughout the show, the projections shifted to simulate everything from falling rain, moonlight, a fish tank, the Northern Lights, ocean waves, and blooms of flowers— just to name a few. Pictures don’t do the spectacle justice, but the way the projections perfectly complemented to tone and moods of each song really elevated the magic of Alt-J’s hypnotic performance. The audience remained in awe as Alt-J shuffled through their entire catalog alongside the stunning visualizations— they of course heavily featured newer songs from The Actor like “Bane,” “Losing My Mind,” and “Chicago” (which got an extra hometown cheer), but there was no shortage of familiar tunes like “Tessellate,” “Matilda,” and “Fitzpleasure” from their earlier records. Just as Alt-J started performing “Taro” from their debut album, Gus Unger-Hamilton of the band noticed that one audience member needed assistance getting out of the crowd, and the show stopped while fellow crowd members helped them to safety. The band ended up dedicating the song to them, and the moment was a reminder of how important it is to keep a sense of community and camaraderie at shows.

Before the show ended, Alt-J reinforced that positive message of community by making sure to let everyone know that they stand with the people Ukraine— as an image of the country’s flag projected onto the screen, Unger-Hamilton shouted “fuck Putin!” before they launched into their hit “Left Hand Free.” The wonderful evening closed out with another fan favorite “Breezeblocks.”

You can relive some of the show by checking out the photo gallery below, but there’s nothing better than catching this top-tier production in person, so be sure to see what tour dates are coming next here.

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categories / Reviews, Photos, Music, Gigs
tags / Alt-J, Portugal. The Man, Windser, Chicago, Live Show, Live Recap, Photo Set, The Actor