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Live Recap: The Kooks and The Academic at The Vic Theatre 5.30.18

June 01, 2018 / Rachel Zyzda

This past Wednesday, The Kooks returned to Chicago for a sold out show at The Vic Theatre, returning for the first time since 2015 when they played the same stage. The show had originally been slated for October 2017, but the band pushed the gig back to May in order to work on completing their fifth studio album Let’s Go Sunshine, which will be this August.

Following a short but sweet set from The Academic that warmed up the crowd, The Kooks made their highly anticipated return to the Vic's stage, opening their set with "Eddie's Gun" from their 2006 debut album Inside In/Inside Out. The band made the wait for their comeback worth it by not only playing fan favorites like "Ooh La" and "Bad Habit" from their expansive discography, but by sprinkling in brand new songs throughout the set in order to showcase what they had been hidden away working on the past few years. Frontman Luke Pritchard expressed the band's gratitude for their fans, calling out all the different The Kooks t-shirts from the past years in the audience. When he wasn't expressing gratitude to the crowd, Pritchard often chatted between songs, providing backstories about the lyrics. During the songs, Pritchard pranced around the stage, making sure that he connected with the entire room by working his way across the whole stage.

While the set remained high energy, the mood remained dynamic with the band occasionally switching up the pace by having Pritchard perform a song at the keyboard, or by having guitarist Hugh Harris perform a song on his own. After the first part of the set, Pritchard returned on his own to sing "Seaside" as the opener of a 3-song encore, asking the crowd if they were up for a sing along before beginning. Judging by the echoes of the lyrics coming from all parts of the venue, the crowd was definitely into singing along, as they had been most of the evening. The set wrapped up on a high note with "Always Where I Need to Be" and "Naïve," the group leaving the stage to thundering applause.

Check out our photo gallery of the evening below, and see which cities The Kooks will be hitting next on this tour here.

Preorder Let's Go Sunshine here and keep up with The Kooks on Facebook + Twitter + Instagram

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categories / Photos, Reviews, Gigs
tags / The Kooks, The Academic, The Vic, Jam Productions, Photo Gallery, Live Recap, Live Review

Live Recap: Cut Worms and King Tuff at Lincoln Hall 5.25.18

May 28, 2018 / Rachel Zyzda

Cut Worms and King Tuff kicked off Memorial Day weekend with an incredible show at Lincoln Hall.

The dynamic show began right at 9PM, with singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sasami performing solo on a dimly lit stage. As she sang through her stripped back, personal narratives, Sasami told hilarious anecdotes between songs, warming the early crowd up for the rest of the show. Sasami would return later in the night to play in King Tuff's band, but first the Brooklyn based project of Max Clarke, Cut Worms, took the stage for a homecoming of sorts, as Clarke had previously lived in Chicago for several years. After a successful debut EP, Clarke released his debut full length album Hollow Ground earlier this month, and his 45 minute set consisted of the majority of the album. Clarke and his band members had the crowd eagerly soaking up the twang soaked mix of alt-country and indie rock tunes, which pull in just a pinch of psychedelic and folk rock influences. Clarke's refreshing spin on timeless roots had the audience dancing along to his more upbeat songs like "Don't Want To Say Good-bye," but he also kept the set versatile by slowing things down to perform a song sans band towards the end of the show.

Eventually everyone had trickled into the concert hall, the stage had been set, and King Tuff and his band graced the stage for the final act of the night. The setlist started with the hypnotizing title and opening track of King Tuff's latest album, The Other, which just came out in April. With the crowd hooked after that slightly slower tempo track, the energy ramped right back up with trippier "Raindrop Blue," laden with shredding guitar riffs. King Tuff and his band added an edge of flare to their show with flashy outfits, but they kept the focus on their musicianship by not adding in any intricate stage production. The carefully plotted setlist weaved in some older favorites between songs from the new record, like "Unusual World" from the 2012 self-titled record and "Freak Me When I'm Dead" from 2008's Was Dead record. King Tuff kept the setlist completely refreshed by even throwing in a brand new track. "They're all new, but this one is even newer," King Tuff said before playing "Portrait of God." No matter what era of King Tuff discography any of the songs came from though, each tune had the crowd grooving and moving along, which nods to the versatile and universal quality of these albums and songs.

If you missed out on the show, check out our photo gallery of the evening below.

Check out the rest of King Tuff's upcoming tour dates here, and listen to The Other in full below.

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categories / Photos, Gigs, Reviews
tags / King Tuff, Cut Worms, Sasami, Photo Gallery, Live Recap, Lincoln Hall

Live Recap: House of Vans Chicago Girls Skate Jam with The Kills

May 22, 2018 / Abraham Piña

Kickflips, grinds, chords and riffs! Chicago’s House of Vans played host to another Get on Board girls skate jam event Saturday evening. Some of Chicago’s finest skate boarders and up-and-comers tore the floor with ollies, kickflips and 180º’s. The event also featured a street market and the futuristic, interstellar and pizza-tastic artwork by Robin Eisenberg.

Later in the night, the venue transformed itself into a slew of rock riffs, power chords, and hair thrashing by the British - American indie rock band The Kills. The crowd was quickly pumped into a fever of singing and screaming at the top of the set with the hit “URA Fever." The show was always at full momentum with Alison Mosshart snake-charming the crowd with spellcasting lyrics and riveting dances moves. The air-fan on stage blew through her hair making it dance to the electric rock tunes.

Alongside Mosshart was Jamie Hince power sliding on the guitar, just making the strumming patterns look easy. Hince also accompanied the songs with cool smooth lyrics and stylish swings. The duo performed an exceptional setlist with hits from across their albums like “Black Balloon," “Baby Says," and “Doing it to Death." As the evening continued, Mosshart gave the crowd a heartfelt smile as she started singing the new tune “List of Demands." As the duo worked through their setlist, the crowd eagerly soaked up their electrifying stage presence.

The girls of skate and rock slayed the house with tricks and guitar licks leaving us all to look forward to the next one to shred again!

Photo Credit: Daniel Boczarski

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categories / Gigs, Photos, Reviews
tags / House of Vans, The Kills, Photo Gallery, Live Review

Live Recap: HINDS Returns to Lincoln Hall With New Material and the Same Old Spirit

May 20, 2018 / Rachel Zyzda

“This is the first time we sold out Chicago,” Hinds tells the packed house at Lincoln Hall on Tuesday night. On the Madrid quartet’s current tour, sold out shows are no rare occurrence; they’ve had a recent streak of shows that have been overflowing with eager fans. Although this last show might have been Hinds’ first official sold out show here, they’ve also had no shortage of rowdy moments in the city in the last year. Last May, they played a free show at The Empty Bottle, which had fans lined up around the block to attend, and they played Lincoln Hall earlier this year as part of the annual Tomorrow Never Knows Festival.

Back in January, Hinds had recently announced the release date of their sophomore album I Don’t Run, and dropped their first single “New For You.” While they teased the new material at that show, performing the new single, their show last week was the first time many of the songs in their set had been played in Chicago. During their 75 minute set, the band performed the majority of their second album, opening up with “The Club.” Whether they were playing the new material or old favorites like “Easy” or “Garden,” the audience remained keen to have a great time; dancing, moshing, and even crowd surfing throughout the night. Despite their intense and grueling tour schedule, accompanied with a busy press schedule, the members of Hinds burst onto stage with a surge of energy, boasting infectious smiles, and the positive vibes remained present the whole show. Whether they were dancing together or telling funny anecdotes between songs, the members of Hinds always kept the mood lighthearted.

Towards the end of the show, the momentum of the evening peaked (pun intended) when members of Twin Peaks and Goodbye Honolulu crashed the stage to give Hinds a hand in performing “Davey Crockett” from their EP The Very Best of Hinds So Far. The unruly guest appearance featured Carlotta Cosials getting on Cadien James of Twin Peaks’ shoulders, stage diving from Twin Peaks' Clay Frankel and Jack Dolan, and some champagne popping; making for an unforgettable moment in an already unforgettable show.

During the show, Carlotta had mentioned that Chicago is the closest city in America that they have to their hometown of Madrid, and another wildly successful show here proved that the city feels just as fondly about Hinds.

If you missed out on getting tickets to this show, check out photos from the evening with Bunny and Goodbye Honolulu, and see the rest of Hinds’ tour dates here.

Listen to I Don't Run in full below, and keep up with HINDS on Twitter + Facebook + Instagram

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categories / Reviews, Gigs, Photos
tags / HINDS, Goodbye Honolulu, Bunny, Photo Gallery, Photo Set, Live Recap, Lincoln Hall

Live Recap: Unknown Mortal Orchestra at The Vic 5.3.18

May 07, 2018 / Rachel Zyzda

This past Thursday night, Unknown Mortal Orchestra returned to Chicago for the first time since 2016, touring in support of their latest record Sex & Food, out April 6th via Jagjaguwar Records.

The 90 minute set started off heavy with songs from Unknown Mortal Orchestra's early catalog, easing the crowd into their new material. The night kicked off with"Ffunny Ffrends," a track from the band's debut, self-titled record, which was followed by "Swim and Sleep (Like a Shark)" from their second album. As the setlist weaved through the band's diverse discography, frontman Ruban Nielson and the rest of the band maintained an incredibly tight sound throughout the entire show. While the performance remained incredibly sharp, the band also had a relaxed and infectious energy about them, often extending out their tracks with instrumental breaks that added depth to the live experience of their records.

Early on in the evening, during "From The Sun," Nielson actually jumped into the crowd with his guitar and played his way through the entire room, even making it up to the balcony. From that moment on, the crowd's eyes clung to the stage, the audience eager to soak up the showmanship and musicianship that Unknown Mortal Orchestra has expertly honed in on over their years together. While the band exuded an incredible stage presence, an intricate lighting show backed them, adding another facet to their live production. Between the production quality, the setlist selection, and the chemistry of the band members, Unknown Mortal Orchestra put on the perfect show.

If you get the chance, do not miss Unknown Mortal Orchestra on this tour--see the remaining dates here.

Photos of Unknown Mortal Orchestra at The Vic, May 3rd, 2018

Lastly, listen to Sex & Food in full below, and keep up with UMO on Instagram and Facebook.

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categories / Gigs, Photos, Reviews
tags / Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Live Review, Photo Gallery, The Vic, Jam Productions

Albin Lee Meldau and Jessie Ware at The Vic 4.30.18

May 02, 2018 / Rachel Zyzda

Swedish singer Albin Lee Meldau hit the stage at The Vic Theatre on Monday night for his first ever performance in Chicago. Meldau's soulful vocals perfectly complemented headliner Jessie Ware's blend of R&B, pop, and alternative music, quickly winning over the Chicago audience. Meldau's short but sweet set highlighted his diverse catalog and his raw, powerful voice that instantly grabs your attention.

Check out photos from the show below, and see where you can catch Albin Lee Meldau in a city near you here.

You can also pre-order Albin Lee Meldau's debut album About You here (out June 1st), and keep up with him on social media below!

Facebook // Twitter // Instagram

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categories / Gigs, Photos, Reviews
tags / Albin Lee Meldau, Jessie Ware, The Vic, Photography, Photo Set, Concert Photography

Live Recap: Post Animal Plays a Rowdy Record Release Show to a Packed Lincoln Hall

April 30, 2018 / Rachel Zyzda

At almost every concert you go to, there’s a sort of unspoken bond amongst audience members; a mutual love of music and an interest in the particular band performing that can take strangers, put them into a cramped room, and turn them into friends by the end of the night. At Post Animal’s album release show on Friday night, the room buzzed with an electrifying sense of camaraderie from the second the doors to Lincoln Hall opened. For many in the audience, they had already formed friendships with one another, due to the supportive nature of the Chicago music scene, and the show that would follow would only bring that community even closer.

Like most Chicago bands that have begun to garner attention nationally, and even internationally, during the last couple of years, Post Animal got their start playing DIY shows in basements and gritty locations around the city before eventually working their way up to headlining slots at the likes of The Hideout, The Empty Bottle, and The Subterranean. Headlining a sold out show at Lincoln Hall sits towards the top of many bands’ bucket lists in the city, so when Post Animal made their way up to checking this feat off their list, they made sure to put together a special show for the 500 lucky audience members that scored tickets to the gig.

First, they had some of the freshest local (and soon-to-be local) talent warm up the stage for them, with Rookie kicking off the night. Although they’re a new project and just released a debut single last week, Chicago music scene veterans Joe Bordenaro and Max Loebman act as the group’s leaders, working together on new music and revamping music from their past projects. Their experience of playing music for years in other projects gives them a commanding stage presence and sense of chemistry as bandmates that you rarely see in a new band. By the time Rookie’s set had finished, most of the room had already filled in, and anyone who had started the night unaware of Rookie had quickly been converted to a new fan after witnessing their live show.

Next up, Slow Pulp mesmerized the packed house with their dreamy mix of psychedelic, pop, and punk tones for the next 45 minutes. Hailing from Madison, Slow Pulp will soon be making a permanent move down to Chicago, and the audience response on Friday confirmed that they will be welcomed with open arms once they make the move later this year. The crowd gave the band their undivided attention as they played through songs from their self-produced and released EP2, which is actually the band’s first release since the addition of lead singer Emily Massey. The audience sang along with Massey throughout the show, especially during “Preoccupied,” which has stacked up close to 200,000 streams on Spotify.

Eventually the time came for Post Animal to hit the stage, and the current of energy that had been surging through the venue was further intensified when the opening riffs of “Gelatin Mode” rang out into the room. Although they’ve been playing the song live for months, the band had only recently released the track as a single with an accompanying, must-watch music video, and it acted as the perfect kickstart to the rowdy evening that would follow. Of course, no Post Animal show would be complete without a little (or a lot of) crowd surfing and moshing, and “Gelatin Mode” set the tone for a wild night when the crowd immediately started thrashing around to the fast-paced song.

Another new single from When I Think Of You In A Castle, “Tire Eyes,” followed, only slightly slowing down the pace. The exuberance of the crowd remained intact however, never wavering as the setlist weaved between songs featuring in-your-face guitar solos, like “Special Moment” and “Victory Lap: Danger Zone,” and more mellow, winding psychedelic-tinged tracks like “Castle.” The band did a great job of strategically plotting the placement of each song in the setlist, allowing for the audience fully appreciate the diverse texture and sonic diversity of not only their newest material, but some old favorites from their first two EPs. To assist with the flow of the set, the band even worked out more elaborate and refreshed transitions between songs, adding another layer to the new songs that fans can’t experience from just listening to the record.

After playing through the majority of When I Think Of You In A Castle and staples like “Alabaster” and “You Were Not There” from their earlier catalog, Post Animal closed the first part of their set with their viral track “When I Get Home,” which has always proved to be a crowd favorite with its grooving bass line and sweeping melody. At this point in the night, the room was overflowing with positive vibes, and the crowd had already been potentially the rowdiest that the Lincoln Park concert hall has ever hosted, but things only got crazier during the encore.

Cadien Lake James from Twin Peaks first took the stage with a bottle of champagne in hand to get the audience hyped for Post Animal’s return, further demonstrating the supportive nature of the city’s music scene. After the warm introduction, the band eased the audience into the final part of their set by kicking things off with “Goggles” from their 2015 EP Post Animal Perform The Most Curious Water Activities, but when they transitioned into “Dirtpicker,” it was no holds barred for the remainder of the show. The song anchors out their new album, but it has been the hype song of their live show for a while now, always riling up the crowd with its infectiously catchy riffs. The amiable spirits of the crowd peaked during this last song as everyone exerted their final ounces of energy, working to lift each other up to crowd surf or have one last go at moshing.

By the time Post Animal walked offstage on Friday night, it was clear to everyone in the crowd that they had just witnessed a very special moment (pun intended) and while this show marked a landmark achievement for the band, it’s truly only the beginning for them. You can catch Post Animal on a headlining national tour throughout the summer, with select shows featuring Slow Pulp or fellow Chicagoans Paul Cherry and Town Criers. The summer tour includes appearances at legendary festivals like Shaky Knees, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza (Chicago, catch them at Lolla on Friday, August 3rd). See the rest of their tour dates here, and snag a copy of When I Think Of You In A Castle here.

More photos of Rookie, Slow Pulp, and Post Animal at Lincoln Hall on April 27th, 2018

Can't get enough Post Animal? Check out our interview with them here

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categories / Gigs, Photos, Reviews
tags / Post Animal, When I Think Of You In A Castle, Polyvinyl, Slow Pulp, Rookie

Live Recap: Albert Hammond Jr and The Marías at Bottom Lounge

April 10, 2018 / Rachel Zyzda

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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categories / Photos, Gigs, Reviews
tags / Reviews, Live Review, Photo Gallery, Photo Set, Concert Photography, The Bottom Lounge, Albert Hammond Jr, The Marias

PHOTOS: of Montreal at Thalia Hall 4.5.18

April 09, 2018 / Rachel Zyzda

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:

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categories / Photos, Gigs, Reviews
tags / of Montreal, Photos, Thalia Hall, Photo Set

LIVE: James Bay Returns to Chicago's Metro With a Revamped Show

April 05, 2018 / Rachel Zyzda

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.