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Live Recap: Big Thief with Kara-Lis Coverdale at The Riviera

April 28, 2022  /  Alice Guan

This past Monday night, Big Thief kicked off the week with a concert at The Riviera Theatre in honor of their new record Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You.

Canadian composer Kara-Lis Coverdale kicked off Monday evening with her classical yet electric sounds. Surrounded by the headliner’s instruments, she kept her set up simple with only her electronic music boards. With neon pink lighting filling throughout the entire venue, Coverdale’s set was meant to hypnotize you. She played forty five minutes of her spellbinding chimes, before the lights went back to normal, and the stage was set for Big Thief.

Charging the venue with warm yellow lighting, members of Big Thief stepped onto the stage one by one, with lead singer Adrianne Lenker stepping up last. About six songs in, Lenker, sitting off to the right side of the stage in a chair, acoustic guitar leaning on her lap, made a slightly shaky confession that, as a result of sleeping on the move during a packed touring schedule, her back was injured. For that reason, she decided to play a more restrained, acoustic show and try out some new songs. The show was still on track but showed signs of falling apart. There were some false starts to songs, the bass was barely audible on some songs, and the band showed signs of very justifiable fatigue.

Later, Lenker launched into a new, folksy song, a John Prine-esque waltz with humorous lyrics about fine dining demons and “multi-grain” tastes. She started audibly playing with vocal deliveries, and the band, heeding her cue, loosened up. Every time she finished the song’s refrain, the crowd erupted into cheers. Within one song, Big Thief appeared to regain their confidence and take advantage of this slightly different type of show. 

The show ended up being a welcome mix of loose and stripped down renditions of songs off their new album, lesser played favorites from previous projects, and trial versions of new songs. By the time the band reemerged for a two song encore of their most back to back rip-roaring bluegrass songs, they more than proved that they could turn a slight setback into an unexpected but incredible night.

Check out photos of the evening below, and see where you can catch the tour next here.

All photos by Alice Guan, words by Nat Scholl and Alice Guan

categories / Photos, Gigs, Music, Reviews
tags / Big Thief, Kara-Lis Coverdale, The Riviera Theatre, Live Recap, Live Music, Photo recap, Photo Set

Live Recap: Snail Mail with Joy Again at The Riviera

April 18, 2022  /  Rachel Zyzda

This past Thursday night, Lindsey Jordan, AKA Snail Mail, made a highly anticipated return to Chicago in honor of the sophomore album Valentine.

The night kicked off with a set from Philadelphia’s Joy Again, who got the crowd warmed up with their mix of indie pop and surf rock sound. A highlight of their set was when they performed their single “Looking Out for You,” which has been popularized on Tik Tok and garnered millions of streams. If you haven’t checked out Joy Again yet, I’d recommend if you like The Frights, Vundabar, and Surf Curse.

Next up, it was time for Snail Mail to hit the stage here for the first time since their Pitchfork Festival performance and Pitchfork after show in 2019. It’s always a special moment to take in the energy and excitement of fans being reunited with their favorite artists for the first time post-Covid, and the reunion between Jordan and the eager fans in the front row surged the venue with contagious joy. As Jordan and her bandmates took their places on a stage decked out with flowers and Cupid statues to coordinate with the second album’s title, a huge grin lit up her face while she began to sing the album’s title track “Valentine.” The show continued on with a few new songs from the 2021 album, marking the live debut in Chicago for “Ben Franklin” and “Glory” before Jordan and her band began to weave in fan favorites from her 2019 debut Lush as well. During some songs, the crowd was singing along so loudly that I could hear their singing over Jordan’s own vocals.

The setlist also contained some deeper cuts, like “Thinning” from the 2016 “Habits” EP, but no matter what they were playing, Jordan exuded a sense of comfort being back on stage and she radiated happiness to be playing music with her bandmates. During the performance of “Light Blue,” the bandmates left the stage and Jordan performed the track solo on acoustic guitar, bringing a gentle sense of calm to the room. The show was jam-packed with a lot of music, so Jordan didn’t spend too much time bantering between sets, but she did take a moment to soak in the aesthetics of The Riviera Theatre. “This is a beautiful venue. Even soundchecking in here was a great honor,” she said. The energy continued to amp back up as the band performed a cover of The Smashing Pumpkins “Tonight, Tonight,” which felt especially fitting for this show since we were in The Pumpkins’ hometown.

If you missed out on the concert, check out our photo recap of the evening below, and see where you can catch Snail Mail next here.

categories / Photos, Reviews, Gigs, Music
tags / Snail Mail, Joy Again, Valentine, Photo recap, Photo Gallery, Live Review, Live Recap, The Riviera Theatre, Matador Records

Live Recap: Wolf Alice with Charlie Hickey at The Club at Stage AE

April 02, 2022  /  Sarah Wilson

How do you spend a great Friday night? The Wolf Alice show with opener Charlie Hickey, that’s how. 

First up singer/songwriter Charlie Hickey. A fantastic voice and great vibe this is another example of why you don’t want to skip the opener.  Fresh off his appearances in SXSW this year, Hickey has booked a few dates on the Wolf Alice tour. He’s got a debut album called Nervous At Night due out in May too, which you can pre-order here.

Headliners Wolf Alice were up next. Why this band was playing the Club stage last night and not the big room is beyond me! This band is so hard to categorize with their complex mix of sound and energy.  Slipping from manic to mystic and back again, the band carries their show. The set list was heavy on tracks from the new album Blue Weekend, but the crowd responded just as well to the new work as the tried and true. The evening closed with “The Last Man on Earth” as one of two encores. 

Overall, it was fantastic night of music from the heartfelt songs of Charlie Hickey to Wolf Alice with their kinetic sound– The only thing left to say is: get this band a bigger stage…immediately! 

Check out the photo gallery of the night below, and see where you can catch Wolf Alice next here.

categories / Reviews, Music, Photos, Gigs
tags / Wolf Alice, Charlie Hickey, Stage AE, Live Review, Live Recap, Photo recap, Photo Set, Blue Weekend

PHOTOS: The Band CAMINO with Flor and Hastings at The Riviera Theatre

March 29, 2022  /  Rachel LeBeau

This past Friday night, The Band CAMINO took the stage at The Riviera Theatre in celebration of their self-titled debut album. If you missed out on the show, check out the photo gallery featuring flor and Hastings, and see where you can catch upcoming tour dates here.

categories / Gigs, Music, Photos
tags / The Band CAMINO, flor, Hastings, Riviera Theatre, Photo recap, Photo Set, Concert Photography

Live Recap: Girl in Red with Holly Humberstone at Metro

March 27, 2022  /  Rachel Zyzda

ANCHR kicked off the weekend by catching Girl in Red’s second sold out show at Metro with Holly Humberstone.

Walking into the Metro on Friday night, the air was palpable with excitement as devoted fans packed into the venue to see the indie pop songwriter and musician Marie Ulven Ringheim, better known by the moniker Girl in Red. Ringheim hails from Norway, but is currently in the midst of a sold out North American tour because she has no shortage of fans on this side of the world. I’ve been to many concerts where fans are eager to see their favorite performer, but the excited energy of this crowd was something even more intense than an average show, and it left me with an extra pep in my step throughout the evening.

The show kicked off right at 7PM with British singer-songwriter Holly Humberstone, who took the stage for a solo performance. Although Humberstone didn’t have a backing band with her, she managed to breathe depth into her songs by setting up beat loops along with playing the keyboard and guitar throughout the set. Her songs like “Scarlett” and “London is Lonely” showed off her warm and silky vocal tones, and I could hear similarities in Humberstone’s sound to Wet, Vérité, and even a little bit of Ellie Goulding’s more mellower tracks. Other than her unreleased song in the set, called “Sleep Tight,” fans in the front of the crowd joined Humberstone in singing along. Make sure to give Humberstone a follow to see what she’s up to next.

Between sets, the high energy continued to radiate amongst the audience, as everyone sang along to Doja Cat songs until Girl in Red took the stage. Ringheim and her bandmates burst onto the stage and began “You Stupid Bitch,” as flashing strobes accompanied the song’s explosive chorus while fans loudly echoed the lyrics. At the moment, the wild ride was only just beginning— while Ringheim’s style of music can be described as bedroom pop, her stage presence is anything but sleepy. A Girl in Red show combines hooky pop music with rock n’ roll stage antics, and Ringheim remained in motion, constantly bolting around the Metro stage as she performed songs from 2021’s if i could make it go quiet amongst her earlier material. Between songs, Ringheim either riled the audience up by telling them they had to go harder than the first night’s crowd, or she filled them in on behind the scenes bits about the music. After playing “i'll die anyway.,” she mentioned she had actually finished the song in Chicago years ago while on tour with Conan Gray.

I thought the show had been pretty much full speed since the kick off, but after crowd surfing at the end of “Serotonin,” Ringheim told the audience that the “slow part” of the show was officially over and jumped into her popular single “bad idea!” The momentum continued to climb further for the rest of the show. Just before the final song of the evening, a fan in the front row threw a bouquet of flowers to Ringheim, with a note that told her she’d changed the fan’s life. Ringheim joked she thought it said “changed my vibe” at first, which was fitting because the show had filled the venue with nothing but positive vibes. The night closed out with the massively popular “i wanna be your girlfriend,” which ended with Ringheim stage diving into her sea of adoring audience members.

If you missed the sold out spectacle, check out the photo recap below, and see where you can catch Girl in Red next here.

categories / Music, Gigs, Photos, Reviews
tags / Holly Humberstone, Metro Chicago, Live Recap, Girl In Red, Photo recap, Photo Set, Live Review, Live Show

PHOTOS: Animal Collective at the Vic Theatre

March 25, 2022  /  Rachel LeBeau

categories / Photos, Gigs, Music
tags / Animal Collective, The Vic, Live Show, Photo Set, Photography, Photo Gallery, Time Skiffs

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.

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

PHOTOS: Cannons with Madi Sipes and the Painted Blue at Lincoln Hall

March 23, 2022  /  Rachel LeBeau

This past Saturday night, the indie pop trio Cannons returned to Chicago to perform to a sold out Lincoln Hall. The LA-based band had last been here performing at Lollapalooza, where they drew a large crowd to their early afternoon set. If you missed out on tickets, check out the photo recap of their dazzling show below, and see where you can catch them next here.

categories / Music, Photos, Gigs
tags / Cannons, Lincoln Hall, Photo Set, Photo recap, Live Music

PHOTOS: Clairo with Arlo Parks at The Riviera

March 22, 2022  /  Rachel LeBeau

Last week, Clairo and Arlo Parks took the stage for not one, but two incredible shows at Chicago’s Riviera Theatre. Check out a photo recap of the stunning performances below, and see where you can catch the tour next here.

categories / Music, Photos, Gigs
tags / Clairo, Arlo Parks, The Riviera Theatre, Photo Gallery, Photo Set, Live Show

Live Recap: Glass Animals at Credit Union 1 Arena

March 22, 2022  /  Rachel Zyzda

When I think of Glass Animals, my mind immediately drifts to sunny summer days at the beach, neon lights, and bright colors. Essentially, they embody happiness and tropical vacations in a band. While this past Friday night in Chicago was chilly and rainy, the second I stepped into the Credit Union 1 arena that Glass Animals was performing at, it felt like I had entered a bubble of paradise that protected me from the gloomy outside world.

As I made my way into the main room of the arena, I spotted excited fans donning neon-colored clothes and sparkly outfits that reflected the vibes of Glass Animals’ upbeat tunes. Some crowd members had posters and balloons as well, but the best fan accessory had to be the blow up pineapple-shaped floatie that paid homage to the band’s unofficial mascot of the pineapple (which even got a shout out from singer Dave Bayley after they played “Pork Soda”).

After taking in the crowd, I soaked up the incredible set design that had been assembled onstage—at the very back of the stage, a screen that resembled a desktop computer counted down the moments until Glass Animals’ set would begin. A giant basketball hoop and palm trees stood tall on the sides of the stage, and the front of the stage was designed to look like a swimming pool, including a diving board. The theme of the stage captured the essence of summer fun and the nostalgia of being a kid.

The last time I saw Glass Animals perform had been at Lincoln Hall in March of 2020, just before the live music industry shut down, so it was incredible to see them return in such a massive way. From the size of the crowd and the intricacy of the stage design, this time around was so different. Despite the bigger crowd and bigger set up, the one thing that didn’t change between these scales of show was the amount of passion and showmanship that Bayley and his bandmates brought to the stage. Glass Animals is a band that just has that element of authentic charisma when they hit the stage, no matter what type of stage it is, you know that you’re going to witness a stellar performance. When the show began with the euphoric title track of 2020’s Dreamland, I felt an instant rush of serotonin that didn’t falter for the rest of the show.

This show was my first time hearing many of the songs from Dreamland performed live since the album came out in the summer of 2020, but the band also sprinkled in familiar favorites like “Life Itself” and “Youth” from 2016’s How To Be A Human Being and “Gooey” from 2014’s ZABA. During the set, Bayley remained fluid across the entirety of the stage, dancing and moving along as he sang their songs, but there was a moment after “Gooey” where the crowd got extra loud with their applause and cheers and Bayley paused to soak in that moment with gratitude. The high energy picked right back up and came to a peak when confetti showered the audience at the end of “Pork Soda” just before the members of Glass Animals left the stage. While the fans hollered for an encore, the computer screen backdrop held a prompt that asked if we wanted Glass Animals to continue. The resounding answer based on the intensity of the cheers was yes, so the group returned to the stage to perform “Tokyo Drifting” and their massive hit “Heat Waves,” which has been all over the radio, Tik Tok, and garnered over one billion streams on Spotify. Since it came out, “Heat Waves” has remained in my rotation because it’s one of those songs that can instantly boost my mood, and it was a wonderful experience getting to soak in the anthem with an arena full of fellow fans.

See where you can catch Glass Animals on tour next here, and relive the magic of their show with the photo recap, also featuring Sad Night Dynamite, below.

categories / Reviews, Gigs, Photos, Music
tags / Glass Animals, Sad Night Dynamite, Live Recap, Live Review, Photo Recap, Heat Waves, Dreamland