Photo Gallery: Sleaford Mods at Thalia Hall • Chicago

Brassneck | May 13, 2022

Sleaford Mods
Thalia Hall
Chicago, IL
May 11, 2022

Recap and photos by Curt Baran

Sleaford Mods are pissed! Not surprising, given the current state of things. And while they’ve never shied away from spleen-venting in the past, their 2021 release Spare Ribs has undoubtedly upped the anger quotient. The English duo operates in a minimalist fashion while still reaching maximum effect. They’ve finally hit the boards and touched down at Thalia Hall this past Wednesday in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood to bring the message straight to the people. Vocalist Jason Williamson spits rapid-fire vitriol over Andrew Fearn’s (who spent the entirety of the evening bopping about in near darkness at the back of the stage) scuzzy laptop beats and loops. The combination of Williamson’s proletarian poetry couched on top of the working man’s soundtrack resulted in a resounding impact on the topics of poverty, corruption, and countless other social ills. And if you didn’t feel like being lectured, the beats made it impossibly easy to dance. Fellow Londoner’s Sorry served as the musical Blue Plate special for those who chose to arrive early.