PHOTOS: LANY at House of Blues 10.20.17
LANY took over House of Blues in Chicago to perform two nights in front of a packed house, and we were there to experience the first night. Their setlist included songs from their self-titled debut album, early EPs, and even a cover of Harry Styles' "Sign of the Times." A customized light show and changing visuals combined with frontman Paul Jason Klein's charismatic stage presence further enhanced the show for the crowd. If you missed out on the shows, get a glimpse of the experience by looking through our gallery below.
PHOTOS: Julien Baker, Half Waif, and Petal at Thalia Hall
This past Sunday night, a stacked lineup of incredible artists shared the stage at Thalia Hall. Petal opened the night, returning only a few weeks after her tour with Slow Dancer. Half Waif, the project of Nandi Rose Plunkett (who sometimes plays in Pinegrove) followed, and Julien Baker closed out the night. Baker performed crowd favorites like "Everybody Does" and "Funeral Pyre," but she also gave the crowd a teaser of her upcoming album, out this Friday on Matador Records. The spruced up set also included some of Baker's latest singles, "Appointments" and "Turn Out The Lights," which is also the sophomore album's title track. Relive the evening with our photo gallery below.
Julien Baker finishes up tour this weekend--see the rest of the dates here, and listen to her latest single below! You can also pre-order Turn Out The Lights right here.
PHOTOS: This is the Kit at Constellation
This is the Kit took over Constellation on Friday with a full sound featuring banjos and a horn section. Check out photos from the magical evening below.
This is the Kit will return in December with The National. Grab tickets to those shows here, and while you wait for their return, listen to their latest album in full below!
Can't get enough This is the Kit? Revisit our interview with them here.
PHOTOS: Dagny at House of Blues
Up and coming pop singer songwriter Dagny swept the House of Blues off their feet when she supported LANY for two nights in a row. See photos from her energetic performance below, and stay tuned for an interview and portraits with Dagny, coming soon to ANCHR!
While you wait for the interview, see the rest of Dagny's upcoming tour dates here, and listen to her latest single "Love You Like That" below!
LIVE: Beach Fossils Bring Their Music, a Proposal, Skateboard Tricks, and Stage Crashing to Bottom Lounge
This past Tuesday night, NYC’s Beach Fossils put on a show at Chicago's Bottom Lounge that was just as entertaining between songs as it was during the songs. Although the tour was in support of Beach Fossils’ latest album, Somersault, their eventful set kicked off just before 10PM with a few older tunes, “Generational Synthetic” and “Shallow.” Before playing their third song of the evening, lead singer Dustin Payseur noticed that someone in the crowd had been making airhorn sound effects and called forward the audience member to demonstrate his skills over Payseur’s microphone.
From the second Beach Fossils had taken the stage, a sense of unity and excitement fell over the crowd and remained there throughout the whole set, but a huge highlight of the evening happened early on when a couple got engaged onstage. Beach Fossils staged the proposal by telling the crowd that they had a nightly raffle contest and that the winner tonight got to come onstage with his guest, and then called the name of the fan who would be proposing. Once the couple joined the band onstage, the question was popped and of course she said yes. Beach Fossils invited the newly engaged couple to dance onstage for the next song and Payseur addressed the crowd, saying, “There’s too much hate in this world. We need to come together.” The crowd did just that by cheering and applauding the special moment they had just witnessed.
The good vibes and positive energy just soared upwards from then, with the audience beginning to crowd surf at the intimate venue during “Sugar,” from the latest album Somersault. That crowd surfing momentum carried over into the following song, “Be Nothing,” also from the latest album. The track starts slow and finishes with an epic build up that had the crowd losing their minds. The explosive energy lulled slightly for laid-back “Sleep Apnea,” but the crowd still showed their support by turning on their phone lights and holding up lighters as they swayed together. An audience member chucked their bra onstage at the end of the track, and Payseur decided to put it on himself, over his t-shirt, saying, “I also look great in a dress and fuck you if you think I shouldn’t wear one.”
As the first part of the set began to wind down, the band left the stage briefly before returning for an eventful three song encore. During the encore, Beach Fossils invited an audience member onstage with his skateboard, where he actually did a kickflip on the small stage. Beach Fossils then invited people to come dance on stage for their second to last song, “Daydream,” which further promoted the sense of unity they had instilled. The night ended with Payseur singing “Jesus Christ Saved My Life” in a British accent, and the crowd erupted with applause and cheers at the end of the encore.
Beach Fossils has frequently spoken up on social media about accepting everyone and calling out abusers, and their show that promoted spreading love and coming together continues to spread that same message in real life. Their tour continues for the rest of this week, and you can check out all the dates here.
Photos of Beach Fossils 10.17.17
While you wait for Beach Fossils to tour again, listen to Somersault in full below!
Warble Daze 2017 Highlights the Best of Chicago's Scene
Presented by Notion Presents, Warble Daze took over Logan Square Auditorium for a two day celebration of music and art, featuring some of the best up and coming rock bands around. Sourced mostly from buzzy local acts, Warble Daze called attention to the growing and tight knit music community that Chicago has to offer at the moment, but curator Stef Roti also selected other budding bands from Nashville, LA, and New York to diversify the lineup. Another factor that set Warble Daze apart from most other musical events is the addition of vendors stationed around the venue each night. From record labels and shops like Shuga Records and FeelTrip Records to local artists like Spaceburger COMIX and EO Lightshow, the event focused on the many facets of art that our city has to offer. Members from popular local bands like Post Animal, Bunny, and White Mystery also DJ'd between live sets.
Friday highlights included local bands The Voluptuals, Lucille Furs, and Yoko and The Oh No’s, as well as the out-of-towners Levitation Room. As the crowd still trickled in, The Voluptuals opened up the evening with their glamrock wardrobe that caught the crowd’s eye as much as their ears. Lucille Furs kept that same level of energy up during their set, drawing one of the largest crowds of the evening despite their early time slot. Emulating the warm tones of your favorite 1960’s rock bands, Lucille Furs takes their listeners back in time while also putting their own refreshing spin on their 12 track self-titled debut. Their Warble Daze set also included a few unreleased tracks, despite their album being released less than a month ago. Levitation Room echoed those same retro and psychedelic vibes during their set. The receptive audience welcomed the Los Angeles band with open arms, dancing along and at one point attempting to crowd surf. Although the crowd was a bit sparse for surfing, Levitation Room definitely appreciated the effort. Yoko and The Oh No’s rocked the closing set, delivering nonstop energy and positive vibes despite their headline set starting around midnight. Lead singer Max Goldstein commanded the crowd’s attention, working all sides of the stage and playing harmoniously with his bandmates, which includes event organizer Stef Roti.
The same community spirit picked right back up on Saturday night, despite the pouring rain and thunderstorms going on outside. New band Town Criers opened up the evening, performing their new single "Rip It Up," along with a handful of other unreleased songs from an upcoming EP. Their lively stage presence and grungey garage rock tunes got the early crowd geared up for the bands that would follow. Cafe Racer and Joe Bordenaro, who have both become regulars on lineups at venues across the city, also made Chicago proud with their sets that followed. Touring bands Acid Dad and The Nude Party really stole the show though, winning over the Chicago audience with their boisterous and rowdy performances. Similarly to the local acts of the night, both Acid Dad and The Nude Party performed a mix of newer tracks from upcoming releases, but they also got the crowd grooving to familiar favorites. By the time Modern Vices closed out the weekend, it almost felt as if the auditorium had been transformed into a retro high school dance due to the 1950's style that the band have mirrored so perfectly in their music. Lead singer Alex Rebek's full and rich vocal tone perfectly compliments the old school vibes of Modern Vices, and it's no wonder the group was picked to headline Warble Daze 2017.
The twelve bands and the audience of Warble Daze reaped mutual benefits by the end of the weekend; with the bands getting a chance to showcase their new work and the crowd getting the opportunity to discover new music. The Chicago music scene has been on a steady incline the last couple of years, and events like Warble Daze help shine a light on the influx of new talent. To relive the magic of the weekend, check out photos of all the performances below!
