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PHOTOS: Remi Wolf with Grace Ives at Metro
Last Friday night, Remi Wolf played a sold out show at The Metro, in celebration of her 2021 debut album Juno. If you missed out on the show, check out our photo recap of the evening, also featuring Grace Ives.
See where you can catch the tour next here, and take a listen to Juno below.
Live Recap: The Wombats with Clubhouse at Park West
This past Thursday night, The Wombats returned to Chicago on their US tour and proved that while everything may be going wrong in the world, we can still be so happy.
Despite the evening being frigid and snowy, as is typical February-in-Chicago weather, and Covid surges still going strong, fans relentlessly flocked to Park West to attend The Wombats’ tour in honor of their fifth studio album Fix Yourself, Not The World. The night began with a set from Columbus’ Clubhouse, who warmed up the crowd with their fun-spirited tunes and friendly demeanor. The band performed songs from their 2021 album Are We Going Too Slow? as well as a rendition of MGMT’s hit “Electric Feel.”
The friendly tone from Clubhouse’s set lingered after they left the stage, as the audience chatted to fellow fans about their favorite track from Fix Yourself, Not the World and recollected on past experiences at Wombats’ shows. I personally ended the night we a few new concert buddies, and couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to be standing next to. By the time Matthew “Murph” Murphy, Tord Øverland Knudsen, Dan Haggis took the stage, it no longer felt like standing in a room full of virtual strangers because the mutual admiration for The Wombats’ music created such a connected atmosphere.
The music kicked off with the single “Flip Me Upside Down” from the new album, and from the second the song began, the problems of the outside world faded away for roughly 90 minutes as The Wombats produced a euphoric escape. The three members of The Wombats met and began making music in Liverpool, and while life has since taken them to different home locations across the globe, they managed to record the new record remotely thanks to the help of Zoom. Despite the distance they’ve faced in recent years, the bond between the trio remained as strong as ever during their live performance as they played with a sense of camaraderie that can only come from their many years of making music together.
The remainder of the set list incorporated a lot of the new material like “Wildfire,” “Method To The Madness,” and “If You Ever Leave, I’m Coming With You”—the latter of which Murph joked that his wife had told him in a “creepy yet endearing” way back when they were dating—however, fans were not deprived of the chance to revisit some of their older favorites from the band’s earlier days. The Wombats sprinkled in bits of each of their past albums, going all the way back to 2007’s A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation. Throughout all these years, I’ve always admired Murph’s pensive and witty lyrics that are surrounded by intricate melodies and production, but hearing these songs in a live context only elevates that magic. Familiar crowd favorites of the evening included “Techno Fan,” “Kill The Director,” “Let’s Dance To Joy Division” and “Turn” but there truly wasn’t a moment when the audience wasn’t echoing the words back to the band and dancing along. A flip was switched from the second the opening note rang out, and the lighthearted energy remained intact even after The Wombats left the stage.
If The Wombats are coming to a city near you, don’t deprive yourself of a similar experience, and be sure to snag your tickets here. Check out photos of the evening and tune into the new album below.
PHOTOS: Liz Cooper and Pearl Charles at Lincoln Hall
On Sunday night, Liz Cooper and Pearl Charles rocked the stage at Lincoln Hall, sharing lots of new music to attentive fans. Check out photos of the evening below, and keep up with upcoming Liz Cooper tour dates here.
Live Recap: Wolf Alice at The Vic
This past Monday night, Wolf Alice packed the Vic Theatre for a sold out gig in honor of the group’s third album Blue Weekend, which came out in June 2021. Though it’d been more than three years since the British quartet took the stage in Chicago, the rambunctious and eager fans greeted bandmates Ellie Rowsell, Joff Oddie, Joel Amey, and Theo Ellis with warm cheers. The reunion between Wolf Alice and all of their devoted fans felt like the kinship between old pals who can go years without seeing each other, yet they don’t miss a beat once they’re finally back together.
Going back to the earlier days of Wolf Alice, they’ve always exhibited an expansive and exploratory sound—particularly with vocalist and lyricist Ellie Rowsell’s dynamic range. For example, the hushed and melancholy tones of the title track on Wolf Alice’s 2013 "Blush” EP starkly contrast to the rowdy riffs and wailing vocals used in songs like “Fluffy” from their 2015 debut record My Love Is Cool. In their newest material, the band has honed in on that skillset and built upon their existing sound with nuanced maturity that elevated their already excellent live presence to another level.
The setlist on Monday night called back to the aforementioned debut album—including the wildly popular “Moaning Lisa Smile”— as well as 2017’s Visions Of A Life between the new songs. The perfectly crafted selection of songs allowed for fans to experience gentle and refined moments that juxtaposed moments of furious spontaneity. Wolf Alice has stated that Blue Weekend as a project is largely the product of Rowsell’s realization of the role of music in our lives, of the importance of the songs she writes. Seeing the crowd’s reaction at Wolf Alice’s live show demonstrated that importance of their music and Rowsell’s lyrics in a tangible and raw way.
If you missed out on the spectacle of Wolf Alice’s Chicago show, relive some of the magic with the photo gallery below, including the support artist Bria.
See where you can catch Wolf Alice perform next here, and pick up a copy of Blue Weekend here.
Live Recap: Michigander with Hollyy and Stay Outside
Last week, Michigander returned to Chicago to headline a sold out show at Lincoln Hall, in support of the new EP Everything Will Be Ok Eventually. I had the chance to see Michigander perform a set to a large crowd at Lollapalooza earlier this summer, but hearing the new music in one of my favorite venues felt so much more special.
The evening began with support from Chicago’s own Hollyy and Stay Outside from our neighbors in Indiana. Stay Outside had the crowd buzzing about their infectious energy and anthemic indie rock after the set, and Hollyy won the room over with their soulful crooning and layered arrangements.
When it came time for Jason Singer and his bandmates in Michigander to grace the stage, the room radiated with a familiar sense of welcoming a friend home. Despite being from Michigan, Chicago holds a lot of love for the band, and Singer even acknowledged how good the city has always been to them as he chatted between songs, recalling their first ever house show here.
The performance at Lincoln Hall followed a long string of tour dates for the band, who has been hard at work out on the road since concerts got the green light to pick back up. During the entire show, the band exuded an electrifying sense of energy and ease performing with one another, showcasing a tight-knit sound that’s only continued to evolve as they play more music together. Whether it was the band jamming out an extended arrangement on certain songs like “Circles” or them joking around with a School of Rock bit, the members of Michigander made it clear they were enjoying every second of their set.
The audience reciprocated the band’s mood by dancing and singing along, and I even overheard other fans chatting and bonding about their past experiences at Michigander shows between the different sets that evening. One particular group of dedicated fans (self-proclaimed “oldest fans”) had been following the tour around the Midwest, and they received a special shout out from Singer onstage.
While 2020 (and a large part of 2021) brought on many lows and dark times, it almost feels like Michigander summoned the light at the end of the tunnel with Everything Will Be Ok Eventually. Towards the end of their set, Singer acknowledged that title as a sort of mantra to get him through the hard times of the pandemic, and as I experienced the uplifting feeling in the room during the show, it truly felt like everything was more than ok in that moment.
Check out ANCHR’s photo gallery of the evening below, and see where you can catch Michigander on the road next here.
Pitchfork Festival 2021: Friday Recap and Photos
Pitchfork Festival has come to be one of those weekends that I look forward to all year. It’s a place I can reunite with friends from all over the city, and see live music from artists I’ve come to know and love over the years, as well as discover new favorite artists. Needless to say, the anticipation for Pitchfork Festival 2021 was at an all-time high after the pandemic-caused gap year and the push to September this year, but the wait was well worth it. Music-goers at Union Park over the weekend were graced with a weekend of clear skies and warm (but manageable) temperatures while they soaked in the sounds of more than forty different acts. Read up on the highlights of Friday below, and keep an eye out for further festival coverage coming soon.
Dehd
ANCHR started off our Pitchfork Fest experience this year by catching a homecoming show from trio Dehd, which also acted as the band’s first official performance since their 2020 album Flower of Devotion was released. Throughout the evening, I heard many festival attendees state that Dehd was their favorite set of the day, and for good reason.
Veering away from a traditional band lineup, Dehd delivers an unwavering and boisterous blend of surf rock with post-punk with just three members; Eric McGrady keeps a steady beat on a standing drum set as guitarist Jason Balla and bassist Emily Kempf share a dual vocal duty. The band’s song “Lucky”—which they opened their Pitchfork set with— really showcases the dynamic of Balla and Kempf’s vocal partnership as they belt out the sing-along worthy “sha la la la las” of the song’s chorus together. Dehd’s records have such a fun and freeing attribute to them, but seeing them performed live only amplifies that mood. The set on Friday also included a new tune, so be sure to keep an ear out from new material from Dehd.
Black Midi
If you want a truly unique live music experience, you can always count on the experimental vibes of England’s Black Midi to shake things up. Fronted by vocalist Geordie Greep, the band mixes everything from frantic bass lines, thrashing guitar riffs, avant-garde keyboard melodies and saxophone to create a sound that’s entirely their own.
The band added to their musical performance by carrying out a bright green sofa to the stage, which remained in place throughout their set. Potted plants and rolling wardrobe rack accompanied the couch onstage, lending a theatrical element to their show. The extra effort that Black Midi went through to make their set an experience didn’t go unnoticed or unappreciated by the audience, who returned the energy with a raucous mosh pit.
Kelly Lee Owens
At every music festival, there’s got to be at least one artist you’re discovering for the first time, and Kelly Lee Owens was that act for me on Friday. With a silky swirl of atmospheric, hypnotic electronic melodies and ethereal vocals, Owens’ music provided an entrancing oasis after the chaos of Black Midi’s performance.
Hailing from Wales, and currently based in London, Owens used to write poetry as a child, which now translates into a fluid, poetic nature in her stage presence. While performing tracks from her two full-length records, including 2020’s Inner Song, Owens commanded the entire crowd solely on her own and minimal equipment, accompanying her sound with striking dance moves.
Animal Collective
Animal Collective continued with the quirky and experimental vibes, bringing the Pitchfork Festival goers another opportunity to mirror the high amount of energy bouncing off the stage.
Animal Collective has played Pitchfork Festival in the past, but their expansive catalog of music dating back to the early aughts allows them to curate a unique setlist for their listeners. The creative energy of Avery Tare keeps Animal Collective fans on their toes, especially in a live setting. While the group finished up their late evening set on Friday, Tare threw down some wild and jarring howls at the end of their song “The Purple Bottle,” leaving the stage on a literal high note.
Phoebe Bridgers
The crowd’s energy peaked on Friday night when singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers and her bandmates appeared on the Green stage, all donning the headliner’s signature Skeleton onesies.
Bridgers has attracted the attention of many music fans with her vulnerable and witty storytelling abilities that are present across her discography. Phoebe’s become an expert at mixing in humor and honesty with some of her most personal moments, making her lyrics both oddly specific and relatable. Take the lyrics in her hit “Motion Sickness” from her debut album— most fans can relate to the annoyance sparked by an ex-partner that Bridgers describes in the song, but the line “And why do you sing with an English accent?" signifies a very specific call-out of a certain someone(if you know, you know). Bridgers opened the set at Pitchfork with this song, and the crowd singing along almost drowned out her own vocals (pun intended).
From that catapulting start, the remainder of the set leaned heavily towards songs from the 2020 album Punisher, allowing fans to hear most of the songs live for the first time since the record’s release. Bridgers also sprinkled in a performance of the boygenius tune “Me & My Dog” and a cover of Bo Burnham’s “That Funny Feeling” from the acclaimed Inside comedy special. From the laughter to all of the feels, Phoebe Bridgers’ set started the festival off on a great note.
See more photos of the first day below, including Dehd, Hop Along, Black Midi, The Fiery Furnaces, Animal Collective, Kelly Lee Owens, Big Thief, Yaeji, and Phoebe Bridgers.
7 Pitchfork Fest 2021 Acts To Get There Early For
After a Summer of no music festivals in 2020, we’re thrilled that we’re getting to experience Pitchfork Festival in 2021. While the fest usually takes place in July, we might actually get a break from the usual sweltering humidity with its move to September this year. Pitchfork is giving us some incredible headliners for 2021—including Phoebe Bridgers, St. Vincent and Erykah Badu— but make sure you don’t snooze on the rest of the line up. To help you out, we’ve compiled our recommendations of must-see acts who are worth getting to Union Park early for next weekend. Grab your tickets here if you haven’t yet, and keep reading on for ANCHR’s top picks below.
Dehd
Photo By Alexa Viscius
We’ve got to start this list off with some hometown heroes; Dehd. Composed of Jason Balla on guitar and vocals, Emily Kempf on bass and vocals, and Eric McGrady on drums, the Chicago trio crafts tunes that are a boisterous blend of post-punk and surf rock. By utilizing both Kempf and Balla’s vocals, Dehd lends a playful and dynamic nature to their music. That dynamic spans across three albums, including 2020’s Flower of Devotion. Dehd’s extensive catalog of songs are sure to have you grooving along to their Pitchfork set.
If you don’t want to take our word on it, The FADER, Pitchfork, Paste, NPR Music, UPROXX, and Vice were all among publications to showcase Flower of Devotion on their best of 2020 lists. Dehd recently announced the 2020 album will be getting a reboot in September, when they’ll be releasing an album full of remixes to the original songs, including Pitchfork Fest alum Lala Lala’s remix of “Desire.”
For Fans Of: Mac DeMarco, Omni, Priests
Start With: “Flood” and “Loner”
Where to catch them: Friday 9/10, at the Green Stage from 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM.
Pitchfork Aftershow on Saturday, 9/11, at The Empty Bottle
Divino Niño
Photo by Alexa Viscius
The list continues on with another Chicago classic. Divino Niño is a five piece rock band based in Chicago composed of Camilo Medina, Javier Forero, Guillermo Rodriguez-Torres, Pierce Codina, and Justin Vitorri. Forero and Medina formed the band in Chicago when they moved here for college, after initially having met in Bogota, Columbia as children and reconnecting later in life in Miami.
Blending together dreamy psych and funk vibes with bilingual lyrics, there are fewer bands better suited for an outdoor music festival than Divino Niño. Their 2019 album Foam flows from bop to bop, so be sure to bring your dancing shoes to their set.
For Fans Of: Post Animal, The Marías, Mild High Club
Start With: “Foam” and “Coca Cola”
Where to catch them: Saturday, 9/11 at the Green Stage from 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM
Pitchfork Aftershow on Friday, 9/10, at The Empty Bottle
Dogleg
Photo courtesy of Dogleg
If you’re looking to start your Pitchfork weekend off on the right foot, look no further than Detroit, Michigan’s Dogleg. Originating as a solo bedroom project from guitarist and songwriter Alex Stoitsiadis as a way to concretize his mantra of “Play fast,” Dogleg has since expanded to include Chase Macinski on bass, Parker Grissom on guitar, and Jacob Hanlon on drums. Since the initial inception and release of the debut self-titled EP in 2016, Dogleg released a handful of follow up singles leading up to their critically acclaimed 2020 debut album Melee.
The band’s intense punk riffs blend with a touch of nostalgia-drenched emo to create a fast-paced ferocity that will get the Pitchfork crowd amped and ready for the rest of the weekend.
For Fans Of: PUP, The Frights, Jeff Rosenstock
Start With: “Kawasaki Backflip” and “Fox”
Where to catch them: Friday 9/10, at the Red Stage from 1:45 PM – 2:25 PM
Pitchfork Aftershow on Saturday, 9/11 at Subterranean
Horsegirl
Photo by Sun Picture Music
Another Chicago act you can’t miss if you want to support local? Horesegirl. Composed of Penelope Lowenstein (she/her), Nora Cheng (she/her), and Gigi Reece (they/them), Horsegirl formed about two years ago after the group had performed together as a Sonic Youth cover band. Lowenstein and Cheng had originally met when their similar taste in music bonded them as attendees of a local music program. Lowenstein and Cheng often create a dual vocal effect, joined by Reece’s backbone of drum beats, to create music that makes a statement.
While they only have three singles released so far, I’m excited to see them live for the first time at Pitchfork and discover what else their set has in store.
For Fans Of: Porridge Radio, Lala Lala, Snail Mail
Start With: “Ballroom Dance Scene” and “Sea Life Sandwich Boy”
Where to catch them: Saturday, 9/11 at the Green Stage from 1:00 PM – 1:40 PM
Oso Oso
Photo courtesy of Oso Oso
The brainchild of musician and songwriter Jade Lilitri, Oso Oso began in 2014 as a side project from Lilitri’s former band State Lines. Following the initial release, Lilitri has now released three albums under the Oso Oso project, the most recent being 2019’s basking in the glow.
Most of Oso Oso’s catalog is full of lyrics that can rouse reflective pondering from listeners, while simultaneously delivering upbeat melodies you can get lost in. In similar fashion, the third album showcases Lilitri’s introspective musings fused with a pop punk soundtrack. If you’re looking for a set at Pitchfork where you can belt along to some heartfelt lyrics while dancing around, make sure you’re there to hear Oso Oso play “basking in the glow.”
For Fans Of: The Front Bottoms, The Hotelier, Remo Drive
Start With: “gb/ol h/nf” and “Track 1, Side A”
Where to catch them: Sunday, 9/12 at the Blue Stage from 2:45 PM – 3:30 PM
Pitchfork Aftershow on Saturday, 9/11 at Subterranean
Tomberlin
Photo Credit: Ebru Yildiz
While Cassandra Jenkins unfortunately had to cancel her upcoming tour (including her slot at Pitchfork Fest), we now have Tomberlin filling in for her. I first had the pleasure of seeing Tomberlin perform at The Hideout in Chicago alongside Hand Habits back in 2019, where she completely mesmerized the audience and kept us all hooked on her every word. Sarah Beth Tomberlin (better known solely by her last name) is a singer-songwriter currently based out of Los Angeles with roots in Louisville, Kentucky. She followed up her stunning debut record At Weddings with an EP entitled Projections in October 2020, and I’m excited for the chance to hear some of the newer songs performed live.
The combination of Tomberlin’s ethereal vocals and delicate melodies gives me the sensation of wrapping myself in a cocoon of blankets. The sense of comfort and coziness that songs like “Hours” and “You Are Here” evoke makes Tomberlin the perfect soundtrack to transition from Summer into Fall. It will also make for a great laid-back way to start the final day of the festival.
For Fans Of: Hand Habits, Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker
Start With: “Hours” and “Wasted”
Where to catch her: Sunday, 9/12 at the Green Stage from 1:00 PM – 1:40 PM
Special Interest
I haven’t yet had the honor of seeing Special Interest perform live, but I just know they’re going to be one of the best sets at the fest. If you’re looking for a completely unique experience, you can’t miss this group from New Orleans, Louisiana.
It’s difficult to assign a genre to Special Interest, but their song “Street Pulse Beat” swirls together moody synths with a pulsing drum machine and a punk bass line. Throughout their three albums, they tackle reimagining dark electronic and punk music, creating an eccentric vibe that’s entirely their own. Interestingly enough, the group began in 2015 as a duo who only planned to play one show. When they started out, Alli Logout and Maria Elena played guitars and power tools over the beat of a 70’s Univox drum machine— before ultimately being joined by Ruth Mascelli on electronics and Nathan Cassiani on bass. They’ve since garnered a reputation for the intensity of their live shows, so don’t miss out on their festival set or after show.
For Fans Of: Idles, Boy Harsher, Squid
Start With: “Street Pulse Beat” and “Disco II”
Where to catch them: Sunday, 9/12 at the Red Stage from 1:45 PM – 2:25 PM
Pitchfork Aftershow on Saturday, 9/11 at Smart Bar
Keep an eye out for more Pitchfork Fest coverage all next weekend, and take a trip down memory lane below.
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PHOTOS: SWMRS, BEACH GOONS, and DESTROY BOYS at Concord Hall 04.19.19
On Friday, April 19th, SWMRS drew a packed house to Concord Music Hall for their show with Beach Goons and Destroy Boys. Check out photos of all three sets below, shot by Emily Nava.
PHOTOS: This Is The Kit and Aimee Mann 7.30.18
The city's free Summer concert series continued this past Monday night with This is the Kit and Aimee Mann. Check out photos from the show below, and see the rest of the upcoming concerts here.
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