Stage Buzz
Jason Shannon preview
Double Door, Chicago June 12 – 13, 2009 The singer/songwriter game is rife with hurdles, not the least of which are inattentive audiences. Contrary to Billy Joel’s “Piano Man,” rarely is anyone in the mood for a melody and leave it to pitchers of watered-down lager to keep ’em feelin’ all right.
Passion Pit preview
Empty Bottle, Chicago Sunday, June 14, 2009 You can’t win these days, so don’t even try. Passion Pit’s Michael Angelakos’ career came about accidentally. Dumped by a girlfriend, he turned around and recorded an EP’s worth of songs for her. Deciding they were worth more than this witless dame, he packaged them as Chunk Of […]
The Plastiscines preview
Bottom Lounge, Chicago Monday, June 15th, 2009 The Plastiscines, a Paris-based quartet of female musicians barely out of high school, showed a surprising command of American-style garage rock on their 2008 debut, LP 1., this despite the fact much of the disc was sung in French.
St. Vincent preview
Metro, Chicago Sunday, June 7, 2009 The first time IE came across St. Vincent (Annie Clark), she was by herself opening for John Vanderslice. Armed with a guitar and laptop, she came across as if she could have been the twee-est possible member of the old Grand Royal Records, Luscious Jackson’s introverted-bordering-on-autistic stepsister.
Apostle Of Hustle preview
Empty Bottle, Chicago Sunday, June 7, 2009 Broken Social Scene’s Andrew Whiteman’s surname creates no expectations and thereby gives him total freedom to work in ethnic textures. Despite the damage he could do, however, the Whiteman wisely sticks to what he knows on the new Eats Darkness (Arts & Crafts). Though highly skilled, his tastes […]
The Greencards preview
Abbey Pub, Chicago Thursday, May 7, 2009 The Greencards is a gender-mixed multinational acoustic power trio consisting of singer/bassist Carol Young, violinist/violist Eamon McLoughlin, and multi-instrumentalist Kym Warner. It has taken a shared obsession with bluegrass and American roots music, wrapped it up in a core of fiddle, cello, mandolin, bouzouki, and bass, and created […]
Manchester Orchestra preview
Subterranean, Chicago Friday, May 8, 2009 Just babies when their first album arrived, Manchester Orchestra’s Mean Everything To Nothing presents the band a chance to show us just exactly who they are.
Superdrag reunited!
Superdrag Metro, Chicago Saturday, April 25, 2009 2009 seems to be the year of getting the band back together – coughing up reunions the world would mostly go on living without. But the reconvening of Superdrag has created excitement and stirred up some ‘90s nostalgia for fans of a certain age who are still in […]
Cameron McGill preview
Cameron McGill & What Army Schubas, Chicago Wednesday, April 29, 2009 We used to tease a former intern over her attention to Cameron McGill. At the time, the city was loaded with pretty-boy singer/songwriters, and she had simply found the latest. Now we’re at the back of the line.
Peter, Bjorn & John preview
Peter, Bjorn & John Metro, Chicago Thursday, April 23, 2009 If you didn’t get the chance to whistle with Peter, Bjorn & John’s ubiquitous “Young Folks” in 2007, don’t worry: The silly Swedes give you an opening on this year’s Living Thing (Star Time).
John Wesley Harding preview
John Wesley Harding Schubas, Chicago Friday, April 10, 2009 What’s John Wesley Harding doing by returning to his stage name? After a fairly successful foray into literature under his birth name, Wesley Stace, he thinks he can just waltz back into music like we wouldn’t notice? Well, we do. Stace.
International Pop Overthrow preview
International Pop Overthrow 09 April 16 – 26, 2009 International Pop Overthrow, the globe-trotting celebration of power pop music, returns for its ninth year in Chicago. Named after a song by Material Issue, the festival kicks off with an eight-band showcase April 16th at Abbey Pub, which seems to be a favorite venue of organizer […]
White Lies preview
White Lies Double Door, Chicago Friday, April 3, 2009 The British press is nearly unanimous when it comes to recent charttoppers White Lies: shamelessly derivative, lyrically unsteady, and almost certain to be as big, if not bigger than The Killers.
Gaslight Anthem preview
Gaslight Anthem, Good Old War Bottom Lounge, Chicago Friday, April 3, 2009 New Brunswick, New Jersey’s The Gaslight Anthem might be the most current retro band making the rounds these days. To listen to the band is to witness the group’s undeniable yearning for a simpler time, apparent in both their sound as well as […]
Spindrift preview
Spindrift Cobra Lounge, Chicago Friday, April 3, 2009 We haven’t seen The Legend Of God’s Gun, the 2008 movie Spindrift starred in and wrote the soundtrack for, but if it’s anything like The West, which serves as a “companion” to said soundtrack, it must be like watching Once Upon A Time In The West with […]
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