PHOTOS: courtship. and Night Riots 6.22.18
This past Friday night, Night Riots headlined a packed Subterranean, performing crowd favorites from their first album, as well as a couple of new releases they put out this year. Silent Rival and Courtship opened the night--if you missed out, check out our photos from the show below.
PHOTOS: The New Respects and The Aces 6.21.18
Last week, The New Respects and The Aces kicked off Millennium Park's free summer concert series at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. Check out our photo gallery from the show below, and see what other free concerts are coming up at Millennium Park this summer here.
Can't get enough of The Aces and The New Respects? Check out our interviews with each band by clicking their names.
PHOTOS: Bodega and Engine Summer at Empty Bottle 6.19.18
Brooklyn band Bodega came through Chicago on Tuesday night to promote their upcoming debut album, Endless Scroll, out July 6th. Chicago's own Daysee and Engine Summer opened up the show; Check out photos of the gig below.
See the rest of Bodega's upcoming tour dates here, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
PHOTOS: Snail Mail with Bonny Doon and Miranda Winters at SubT 6.16.18
Snail Mail returned to Chicago this past weekend to headline a sold out Subterranean, accompanied by Bonny Doon and Miranda Winters of Melkbelly. Check out our photo gallery of the stacked line up below!
Check out the rest of Snail Mail's upcoming tour dates here, and listen to the debut album Lush in full below!
PHOTOS: Rock The Garden 2018
This past weekend, we caught a stacked line up at Rock The Garden. If you missed out, check out photos of Father John Misty, Kamasi Washington, P.O.S, Nikki Lane, Chastity Brown, Low Cut Connie, and U.S Girls below!
PHOTOS: Julia Steiner, Buck Meek, and Sam Evian at Schubas 6.14.18
Schubas Tavern hosted a trifecta of singer songwriters on Thursday night. First up, Julia Steiner of Ratboys mixed in some brand new songs with some Ratboys favorites, her bandmate Dave Sagan accompanying her on most songs. Next up, Big Thief's Buck Meek and his band warmed up the stage playing songs from his solo debut, self-titled album before returning to the stage again to accompany Sam Evian. By the time Evian hit the stage, the room had completely packed in, and the musicians all exuded a magnetic chemistry as they played through songs on Evian's new album You, Forever.
Check out photos of all three of the sets below.
See all of Sam Evian's upcoming tour dates here, and listen to You, Forever in full below.
PREVIEW: Out of Context Productions Provides Summer Indie Jams at GMan Tavern
Photo by Evan Olea
One of the many beauties of Chicago’s local music scene is that there really is something for everyone. From pulsating EDM to blaring metal, to even chilled out acoustic, the city and its surrounding areas offer a variety of sounds able to satisfy almost any musical craving. Behind many of these shows is Out of Context Productions; and their next event is perfect for those looking to dance, cry, and nod along all night long.
Coming to Gman Tavern in Chicago will be Slow Caves, Laverne, and Uma Bloo - three groups that all offer their own unique spin on the indie rock genre. Here’s a bit of what can be expected from each of the artists on Wednesday, June 20th.
Kicking off the night will be Chicago singer-songwriter Uma Boo. Her songs offer meditations on vulnerability and the strength within femininity. Uma Bloo has been crooning to audiences’ hearts on many of Chicago’s iconic stages recently (Tonic Room, Subterranean and Burlington Bar just to name a few) and is sure to open the night with an emotionally stirring performance.
Fans of The Kinks, The Pretenders, and Bruce Springsteen will enjoy the sounds of Laverne. The band brings an upbeat and dancey style of guitar-pop that is sure to bring a great time. Their newest release “Live at the Whistler” gives a slight glimpse into what this band is like live, and it’s immediately apparent that these guys are all about having a good time.
Closing out the night is Colorado band Slow Caves. A band that is anything but slow, and is quick to establish that their sound is full of catchy pop hooks. The band offers a relaxed yet fun and vibey sound, reminiscent of 90’s jangle, 80’s synth, and surf rock. And since this band has opened for bigger acts such as Cold War Kids, St. Lucia, and Cake, it’s pretty easy to see why this fun band is rounding out an indie-filled jam fest.
Interested in checking out what these groups are about? Out of Context has put together a playlist featuring songs from all three acts! Here is just a bit of what may be heard at Gman Tavern:
PHOTOS: Middle Kids and Duncan Fellows at Lincoln Hall 6.9.18
Our favorite Aussies in Middle Kids returned to Lincoln Hall this past Saturday, June 9th, along with Duncan Fellows. Check out our photos of the show below, and see the rest of Middle Kids' upcoming tour dates here.
Make sure you also listen to Middle Kids' debut album in full below!
Can't get enough Middle Kids? Revisit our interview with them here.
Bonnaroo 2018 Sunday Highlights
The final day of Bonnaroo began with a rainstorm, breaking the streak of sunny days that the festival had seen so far. Fortunately, the rain stopped in time for most of the acts scheduled in Centeroo, only leaving behind some puddles and mud piles around the festival grounds. The mud didn't stop the party, and music only got off to a delayed start at some of the stages, eventually catching back up to the original schedule. Check out our final day highlights of Roo 2018 below.
Sir Sly Opened With a New Song
Sir Sly was on one of the stages effected by the rain delay, but they got things moving quickly, only starting about ten minutes late, rewarding the patiently awaiting tent by opening with an unreleased new song called "Welcome The Pressure." "This has been the year of our dreams," frontman Landon Jacobs told the crowd, mentioning that this was their very first Bonnaroo and that they'd had so many great opportunities this year. Sir Sly has had a recent much-deserved streak of success following the release of their sophomore album Don't You Worry, Honey; the album showcases a raw vulnerability in Jacobs' lyrics, which reveal the hardships of a divorce and losing his mom to brain cancer, and the growth that the trio has shown in their sound and production. During their live show, all of that mixed with Jacobs zealous stage presence makes for an unforgettable show. At their Roo set, Jacobs moved around the stage to jam with his bandmates Jason Suwito and Hayden Coplen, and even climbed up the stage truss at one point. The band let their enthusiastic audience let them know how appreciative they are of their support, with Jacobs saying, "This reconfirmed the choice I made years ago to finish this album instead of sticking it out with someone who didn't support my dreams," referring to his decision to pursue music instead of staying in his marriage. It was clear that the crowd at Bonnaroo were very happy he made that choice, too.
Fans Danced in the Mud to Jungle
London soul collective Jungle hit the Which Stage in the evening with the sun shining, almost making us all forget that it had stormed earlier that day...if it hadn’t been for the giant mud pits around that stage. Fans made the most of it though, sliding around barefoot in the mud to move along to the cool, groovy tunes provided by Jungle. Jungle's mix of chilled out and funk vibes paired perfectly with the mood on the last day of Roo, allowing for fans to relax a bit after three long days of music and festivities. The group also played several new songs, like "Happy Man," "Cherry," and "House in LA," which all follow up their 2014 debut album.
Dua Lipa Hosted a Dance Party
British singer songwriter Dua Lipa has quickly become one of the biggest names in international pop music over the last year, with collaborations with the likes of Calvin Harris and Sean Paul. Naturally, she drew a massive crowd at the What Stage for her evening set, with flocks of fans eager to get in any last chance to dance this weekend. As expected, Dua brought the dance party, providing all of the bangers and by bringing along her crew of backing dancers and singers. Opening with "Blow Your Mind (Mwah)," the set kept moving with hit after hit, like "Be The One" and "Hotter Than Hell," which had the crowd singing along to the catchy choruses.
The Killers Opened With "Mr. Brightside"
Some ardent fans had been waiting all day for a chance to get in the main pit for The Killers' headlining slot. By 10:20 PM, the long wait was over when the band hit the decked out stage, with frontman Brandon Flowers looking sharp as usual in a flashy red suit. The energy of the huge crowd immediately peaked when the opening chords of "Mr. Brightside" rang out into the field, fans losing their minds, jumping and dancing around for the entire song. It's rare that a band starts their set with their biggest hit, but the bold move got the crowd immediately amped up and ready for the remainder of the set that featured a dynamic mix of The Killers' discography. About two songs in, Flowers brought up the quote from Evel Knievel that people come to see the attempt, not the perfect landing, and that they'd be giving it their all to put on a rock'n'roll show. As promised, The Killers gave it their all for the final set of the entire weekend, ending the weekend on a high note.