
Photos by Ed Luna Though I was very much anticipating this show, it turned out I really had no idea what I was in store for. It's been a while since I've seen a set of only piano music, but Rachel Grimes (of Rachel's ) effortlessly filled the Wexner Center 's performance space with composed, emotional, divine music. Between donewaiting, Benco and events that I accidentally end up attending, I find myself seeing more live music than ever these days. Though more often than not they are bands I enjoy hearing in my [...]

Last Thursday night, we stopped in to Le Poisson Rouge to check out Glenn Kotche and Darin Gray's project On Fillmore , in one of their rare live appearances. After talking with the band last week , we couldn't have been more excited to see what was in store for us. Going into the show, we didn't know what to expect, but when we left we had been rewarded a show that was so dynamic, it almost defied description. Fun, experimental, technical, diverse, immersive; all of these words could be used to describe the awesomeness [...]
Click here to view the embedded video. The Wexner Center has had an interesting Spring and Summer series, boasting current indie giants Mumford and Sons, The xx and Midlake. While any show there is usually well visited, some seem to fall under the radar more than others. I hope this will not be the case on Saturday night as the performance space will host a double bill with On Fillmore and Rachel Grimes. On Fillmore is the project of Glenn Kotche (Wilco's drummer) and Darin Gray [...]

As previously mentioned , Glenn Kotche and Darin Gray will be bringing their two-man act On Fillmore to Le Poisson Rouge tonight as part of a small East Coast tour. As they drove out for the shows, Glenn and Darin were kind enough to give us a call from the road and bring us up to date on what to expect from the band, as well as some insights on where they're going with their distinctive sound. With Darin backing him up from the driver's seat, this is our conversation with Glenn. Enjoy! [...]

Glenn Kotche performing with Wilco, from the HAD Archive While we know Glenn Kotche most intimately from his performances and work with Wilco, it certainly should not go unnoticed that he also has a diverse body of other work. In addition to his wonderful solo records, one of Kotche's most notable projects is his collaboration with bassist Darin Gray, On Fillmore . The pair have been releasing records for almost eight [...]

Wilco's Solid Sound Festival finalized its lineup and schedule for the event slated for Aug. 13-15 at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Mass. Though the fest will take place outside of Boston, the band is making sure the weekend is filled with some Chicago love. Among those included on the bill are Mavis Staples , whose upcoming album You Are Not Alone was produced by Jeff Tweedy, Wilco side projects The Autumn Defense , Pronto and The Nels Cline Singers , Deep [...]

One of the brightest spots in Chicago's summer concert series are the Downtown Sound shows at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park . The Monday night concert series has featured a variety of acts including up-and-coming indie groups such as St. Vincent and the Dirty Projectors in 2009. Yesterday, we posted news that She & Him are confirmed to play a Monday, June 7 , date. Well, Chicago Sun-Times' Jim DeRogatis posted the entire lineup to his blog yesterday afternoon. Highlights, aside from She & Him, include a reunited Hum, Caribou, Kid Sister and the [...]
In last week's paper, Ryan Wasoba profiled On Fillmore, the instrumental music project featuring Darin Gray and Glenn Kotche. The band's latest album, Extended Vacation, came out recently. Here's ... Continue reading "MP3: On Fillmore, "Master Moon"" >
Dilatazioni esotico/strumentali, spesso ipnotiche, sempre ricercate nella loro evoluzione. "Extended Vacation" (Dead Oceans) scatta di lato rispetto ad altri dischi riferibili a dimensioni in bilico fra ambient e post. Non avanti, perchè nel concreto la sperimentazione non osa mai troppo, ma da una parte, perchè tenta un percorso personale laddove troppi si incagliano nelle [...]
1. Atlas Sound- "Doctor" 7''Out Nowdeerhuntertheband.blogspot. comMP3: Atlas Sound- "Doctor" (Five Discs Cover)2. Julianna Barwick- FlorineDec. 1juliannabarwick.comStream3. Fredrik- TrilogiJanuary 2010The Kora RecsMP3: Fredrick- "Locked In the Basement"4. On Fillmore- Extended VacationOut NowDead OceansMP3: On Fillmore- "Master Moon"
There's something to be said for the power of their dreamy mood, but for all the searching On Fillmore does here, when they return to the light, it turns out the dark didn't hide as many treasures as they'd hoped. If there's one thing Glenn Kotche's intricate work as drummer for Wilco proves, it's that the man likes his noise. Disparate sounds, space, silence, atmosphere -- Kotche knows well how to deal in these eccentricities and deliver them with subtlety. In his work with Darin Gray as On Fillmore, that subtle touch with noisy expansion is on display, and [...]

Yeasayer - Ambling Alp Odd Blood ( Secretly Canadian - 2010) www.yeasayer.net Tickley Feather - Don't Call, Marylin Hors d'Oeuvres ( Paw Tracks - 2009) www.myspace.com/tickleyfeather Phantogram - When I'm Small Eyelid Movies ( Barsuk - 2009) www.myspace.com/phantogram On Fillmore - Master Moon [...]

Not totally knowing what to expect here, I was surprised and quite pleased to find that "Master Moon" is something that skirts that line between ambient pop and some sort of organic lullaby. A basic but airy groove is established, with stops, starts and different sonic accents keeping it interesting for six-plus minutes. A bit experimental to be sure, but a nice diversion from, let's say, soul-crushing mid-terms. On Fillmore's new release, Extended Vacation , drops November 3rd. Until then, check out the leading track on download and streaming audio below. Happy listening! [...]

Every Friday we bring you our weekly batch of uploads. Download all the songs that went up the week of 10/12-10/16 right here, right now. You can download the following mp3s individually OR play them all in a row. Click on the artists at the right under Related Downloads to learn more about each band and see similar music suggestions. [RICH MEDIA, CLICK TO VIEW ON SITE] Play All [RICH MEDIA, CLICK TO VIEW ON SITE] [...]

As you may have realized by now, we've moved Free Music Fridays from a weekly to a biweekly occurrence. What does this mean to you? It means more time and more free MP3s each time around: all free and legal for you to download and enjoy... just click the band name for the band's site and the song name for the MP3. In addition, we're continuing with our visual art education/appreciation theme for these posts. The above work, Woman with a Lute by Johannes Vermeer [...]
Audio from Metallica's performance at Minneapolis' Target Center, responses to Bob Dylan's new Christmas album & "This is Not For You."

On Fillmore: Darin Gray and Glenn Kotche It's turned into an official day of love on Dead Oceans, the nifty Bloomington-based indie label with great taste in a variety of music, from pop to, well, not always pop. Check out some of the newest from Dead Oceans below. Ape-like [mp3] and Funeral Singers [mp3] - Califone , from their spanking new album, All My Friends Are Funeral Singers [...]

Listen to "Master Moon" from On Fillmore's forthcoming LP, Extended Vacation , out November 3rd. listen: Master Moon http://www.onfillmore.com/ http://www.myspace.com/onfillm ore http://deadoceans.com

It's tough to sit here and scowl at what Wilco has become. There was a time when the additions of Nels Cline and Glenn Kotche made the band's fans giddy and fans of the guitarist and drummer dream of the new avant directions the once alt-country breadwinner was headed. Unfortunately Tweedy got all soft, cleaned up his sinuses, stopped smoking pot, and decided to entertain his kids. Thankfully the wise acres of Wilco stumble out of their moneymaking garb for loose-fitting casual wear, which is precisely what Kotche does in his duo On Fillmore , [...]