PHOTOS: Beach Slang at Cobra Lounge 11.25
Beach Slang took over Cobra Lounge this weekend to deliver an incredible performance. Check out our gallery of the show below!
LIVE: Jungle and NoMBe Bring The Moves and Grooves to Metro Chicago
Los Angeles based singer, songwriter and producer NoMBe warmed up the Metro stage for Jungle this past Monday night. He hit the stage with a surge of energy and never decelerated until he left the stage, only getting increasingly amped up as his set went on. From singing directly to fans in the front row to hopping down from the stage to dance with the crowd, NoMBe stayed connected with his audience while he performed singles like "Jump Right In" and "Can't Catch Me."
By the time Jungle hit the stage, the crowd had been loosened up and their spirits were left high after NoMBe's infectiously positive attitude. London's Jungle made their highly anticipated and long awaited return to The States when they walked onstage that night, kicking off their North American tour right here in Chicago. The last time the soulful supergroup had performed in town had been in 2015 at Concord Music Hall, but they were quickly embraced by the sold out crowd at Metro on Monday. Their roughly hour long set included old favorites like "Drops," "Busy Earning," and "Time," but it also included a few fresh tunes that had never been played in America before. Fans at this Red Bull Sound Select got an exclusive teaser of what's to come when Jungle finally releases a follow up to their 2014 self-titled debut. While the new material definitely had a new spin on it, every song that Jungle played on Monday had the crowd moving along to their jams. The band members also remained in constant motion, feeding off one another and the audience. If you missed out on the show, relive some of the magic with our gallery below, and see the rest of Jungle's upcoming tour dates here.
LIVE: Hockey Dad Kicks off Rowdy Night with The Frights at Lincoln Hall
Australian duo of Zach Stephenson and Billy Fleming (AKA Hockey Dad) packed a punch with their opening set at Lincoln Hall on Saturday night. Supporting Vundabar and The Frights, the pair exuded as much energy of a band twice their size, bringing the talent and banter to reel in the crowd. The crowd didn't let Hockey Dad's infectious levels of energy go unreciprocated; by the middle of the set people were stage diving and crowd surfing, despite the set being so early. Their 30 minute set included songs from their debut album, Boronia, as well as their new single "Homely Feeling." They closed out their show with the catchy single "So Tired," which had a large portion of the crowd singing along. The crowd surfing and sing alongs continued over into Vundabar and The Frights' sets that followed.
Although Saturday's performance was a rarity, since Hockey Dad seldom make it over to the states, they were so well received that they'd be welcomed back at any time. See the rest of Hockey Dad's North American tour here, and check out photos of their set below!
PHOTOS: Alex Lahey at SubT 11.24.17
Alex Lahey rocked The Subterannean this past Friday night. Check out photos from the show below, and see the rest of her upcoming tour dates here.
Can't get enough Alex Lahey? Listen to her debut album below, and check out our interview with her here!
LIVE: Maybird with The Aces and Joywave at Lincoln Hall 11.21.17
The Brooklyn-via-Rochester quartet Maybird kicked off a stacked lineup at Lincoln Hall last Tuesday, warming up the stage for The Aces and fellow Rochesterians in Joywave. Their short, but sweet set brought retro-tinged, warm tones reminiscent of 1960's and 1970's psych rock. While they jammed during songs from their latest EP, called Unraveling, the band members exuded an easygoing chemistry between one another. Although Maybird has been around for a few years, they mentioned this was their first performance in Chicago...but based on the crowd's engaged response throughout the set, they should be back soon. Check out photos of the entire show from Emily Nava below.
PHOTOS: Fiona Grey and Frenship at Schubas 11.19.17
Frenship finished up their latest tour at Schubas Tavern on Sunday night, with the help of Fiona Grey. Check out photos from both of their performances below!
LIVE: Overcoats and Moonrise Nation Brought Harmonies, Friendship, and Female Empowerment to Lincoln Hall
Overcoats and Moonrise Nation played to a packed Lincoln Hall last Friday night, providing a sense of friendship, unity, and empowerment of women.
After Moonrise Nation's stunning and harmony heavy opening set, a sense of anticipation built up as a large “O” light glowed at the back of Lincoln Hall’s small stage, welcoming the duo of Hana Elion and JJ Mitchell back to the Lincoln Park venue. The pair had performed on the same stage back in January, opening for Caroline Smith as part of the annual Tomorrow Never Knows festival. Since that performance, Overcoats released their debut album and toured the country--returning to Chicago to headline Schubas and play Millennium Park. Each time, the show has evolved, and Elion and Mitchell seem to impossibly improve upon their already stunning and synchronized show, which has always been full of grace, poise, and so much talent.
The set on Friday started with the pair of best friends and their drummer (who is gaining recognition for his solo project Soft Glas) making their way onstage to a dramatic, yet ambient entrance music, which segued into "Smaller Than My Mother" from their album Young. The first half of the set included many of the popular tracks from their album, like "Hold Me Close" and "The Fog," but each song was only expanded upon and made unique in the live sense. Overcoats brilliantly mixed electronic and organic tones on their album by working with two producers (more on that here), and they manage to transfer that mix into their show. Between "The Fog" and "23," Mitchell addressed the crowd saying, "The future is intersectional feminism"; a statement greeted with cheers from the crowd. The theme of supporting women, especially women supporting other women, held up throughout the evening, with the pair introducing another song as being about "women lifting each other up." At their Schubas show earlier this year, they had mentioned a quote about empowering friends, saying just because someone else's flame is burning bright, that doesn't take away from your own flame, and that metaphor still seemed relevant at their most recent Lincoln Hall show and in everything that the pair do. After all, the band's official merch even included a sweatshirt that reads "Women Rule."
Besides the power of friendship that radiated from the stage, and the flawless execution of their songs from the album, Overcoats also brought humor and a few surprises to their show. Their cover of Hozier's "Cherry Wine" has gone viral on Spotify, and the pair performed it at the show, but not before taking requests for other covers. The cover mashup started with "Umbrella," and a fan even handed Mitchell their umbrella for added effects. In an effort to highlight their elaborate and custom merch, which included coats thrifted by Mitchell and Elion, the pair recited a skit about staying warm in Chicago, encouraging everyone to grab a coat or crew neck from them after the show.
The pair also displayed such gratitude to everyone involved in their show, thanking the venue staff as well as their own crew, and shouting out the new album from their drummer, advising the audience to follow him on Instagram. Their set not only included the performance of "I Don't Believe in Us," which was only released two weeks prior, but a brand new, stripped down song during their encore. After the slowed down and rare performance, they ended the night with the energy ramped up to the max, performing "Leave The Light On" (complete with coordinated dance moves).
From the dance moves to the between-song jokes and the constant presence of friendship, each Overcoats show is just full of an infectious energy that clings to the crowd as they leave the venue. In a time where bad news fills our newsfeeds daily, artists like Overcoats help provide a shield and a light with their art and their performances...almost like they're giving us a coat (wink, wink) of armor.
If you missed out on the stellar show from Overcoats, relive some of the magic with our gallery by Emily Nava.
Overcoats will be back with Tennis in January. Grab tickets here, and listen to Young in full below!
PHOTOS: Julia Jacklin and Faye Webster at Schubas Tavern 11.17.17
Julia Jacklin and Faye Webster had the crowd at Schubas wrapped around their fingers on Friday night. Check out our gallery from the show below!
Check out the rest of Julia Jacklin's upcoming tour dates here, and listen to her latest album in full below.
Can't get enough Julia Jacklin? Check out our interview with her right here
LIVE: Red Bull Sound Select's 30 Days in Chicago Celebrates the Halfway Mark with Parquet Courts and Built to Spill
Red Bull Sound Select celebrated the halfway mark of their 30 Days in Chicago this past Wednesday night with co-headlining sets by Parquet Courts and Built To Spill. Goodwill Smith and Meatwave opened the night.
As Chicago concert goers filed into the legendary dive in Ukrainian Village to see Built to Spill and Parquet Courts, the first 50 attendees were handed a token to receive a free copy of The Empty Bottle Chicago: 21+ Years of Music / Friendly / Dancing, just one of the perks of these Red Bull sponsored shows happening across the city this month. Upon entering, everyone also had the option to pick up some Red Bull Sound Select swag, including ear plugs.
The stage was set following Goodwills Smith's set, the clock struck 9PM, and Chicago’s own Meat Wave took the humble stage. Immediately the trio cranked up the volume to 100 percent, projecting out their energy with maximum noise, making those who took the earplugs grateful for their decision. At the beginning of Meat Wave's set, the venue hadn’t reached full capacity, but from the get-go, the crowd vibed with the fast-paced punk music, nodding their head in time and getting engulfed in the music. The three piece also vibed off of one another onstage, reciprocating the energy radiating through the crowd. The setlist included a fair mix of Meat Wave’s 2017 album The Incessant, like the title track and “Run You Out,” as well as the 2015 album Delusion Moon. By the end of the exuberant set, the crowd had completely packed into the intimate venue to watch the remaining two sets.
Built to Spill hit the stage next, immediately captivating the crowd with their intricately layered indie rock tunes that span multiple decades. Frontman Doug Martsch and his bandmates remained in sync with one another throughout their entire show, displaying such noticeable chemistry from their years of experience making music. During their hour long set, fans' eyes remained glued to the stage, watching as Martsch would manipulate and bend the tone and mood of their songs through the dials and pedals he had set up next to him on stage. This factor of Built to Spill's live show made us feel like we got a glimpse of the art in the making, like seeing a sculptor work in front of you or getting a look at the inside of a clock to see all the moving parts working together. Live, Built to Spill only builds upon their own songs, creating cinematic and sweeping jams that hypnotize the entire room. The fact that the group were a last minute addition to the original line up for Day 15 made the show so much more special.
Next up, Parquet Courts took the stage to close out the special evening, performing a mix of songs from their handful of albums, but the set started strong with tracks taken from 2016's Human Performance. Crowd favorites stood out as the aforementioned album's title track and "Dust," which both topped the setlist, instantly reeling in the audience. Besides playing a solid and diverse set list, the four piece from New York also mixed humor into their headlining set, quipping at each other or telling funny anecdotes between songs. Early on in the night, A. Savage pointed out the negative side effects of Red Bull, thanking them for sponsoring the show, but encouraging the audience not to drink it. The group also recalled that their first ever show in Chicago had been at The Empty Bottle about five years prior, which added a bit of nostalgia into the evening. Every show booked in celebration of Empty Bottle's 25th anniversary has had a special piece of history embedded into it, and this show was no exception.
As Parquet Courts set began to wind down, Red Bull also provided the crowd with complimentary pizza slices, supplying the concert goers with a perfect midnight snack. To experience the eclectic mix of music that Red Bull Sound Select has to offer for the remainder of the month, head here. You can also check out Empty Bottle's upcoming performances here.
Gallery of Meat Wave, Built to Spill, and Parquet Courts, 11.15.17
