Now go get your shine box!
Shoeshine Boys Productions celebrates its 11th anniversary with a party at Double Door, but before it gets a big head we also have preview Femi Kuti, and El Ten Eleven.
Founded by Paul Farahvar in 2000, Shoeshine delivers a state-of-its-union with performances by Jeffrey David, Peter Terry & The Chicago City Profits, Geoff Dolce, and Train Company. Hardcore “American Idol” watchers might recognize David, while anyone who tends toward mainstream rock but tires of the same five songs on the radio will cotton to the others. Terry pines to woo Elisabeth Shue, Dolce doesn’t leave the house without a fuzz pedal, and Train Company lend smoky, jazzy flavor without the smoke. (Saturday@Double Door.)
As the son of legendary Afrobeat creator Fela Kuti, Femi Kuti continues his father’s legacy of funky, politically charged, and jazz-inflected grooves. Though he spent his early career distancing himself slightly from his father’s overwhelming legacy, Africa For Africa brings him back to Decca Studio — an early Afrobeat HQ, and home to Femi’s earliest albums. Despite a life immersed in Nigerian (and pan-African) struggles, his political passions hit just as hard as the funk rock, even when recycling songs he’s already recorded. His shows can also last for hours, so wear comfortable shoes and don’t expect to sit down much. (Saturday@Metro with DJ Warp.)
— Steve Forstneger/Rosalind Cummings-Yeates
The duo of Kristian Dunn and Tim Fogarty continue to spin dreamy, propulsive post-rock instrumentals, but studiously avoid the pastoral bliss and explosive crescendos favored by Explosions In The Sky or Mogwai. But for It’s Still Like A Secret, El Ten Eleven blend the crunchy, guitar-driven ethos championed by Billy Mahonie and Couch, with the sizzling, expansive electronic textures permeating M83 soundscapes into a dazzling array of thrilling head-rushes (“Triangle Face,” “Anxiety Is Cheap,” “83”) and sleepy-eyed meditations (“Marriage Is The New Going Steady,” “Settling With Power,” “Falling”). The sunlit melodies, backed by Fogarty’s layered, multi-hued rhythmic punches, provide a steady stream of ear-popping, sonic fireworks. (Friday@Bottom Lounge with Lynx and Yourself & The Air.)
— Patrick Conlan
Category: Featured, Stage Buzz, Weekly
