Tagged: beatkitchen

Cowboy Indian Bear Three reasons to pour some mello yello on the curb and chill at the Beat Kitchen tonight... 1. Visiting from Lawrence, Kansas, are quartet Cowboy Indian Bear . The indie rockers specialize in mellow pop rock in the same vein as Death Cab for Cutie. Songs like "Heart Be," from the band's debut Each Other All the Time , conjures in the same tender feelings accompanied by bouncy guitar and floating harmonies. LISTEN: " Heart Be ." [...]

Photo by John Sturdy Three reasons to shimmy and shake away the winter blahs tonight at Beat Kitchen... 1. If there was ever an opportunity to cheat on old man winter, it would be tonight with Chicago's Summer Girlfriend . The all-female quartet awaken those familiar warm weather feelings with its particular brand of unforgettable jangly, body-moving surf pop. LISTEN: " Shockwaves ." 2. There's something really primitive about Chicago's [...]

The first weekend of 2012 does not disappoint. There's plenty of happenings to take in as you enjoy this RIDIC weather. We're talking Secret Colours , Tiger Bones , The Gorilla Press and more! Dig it... FRIDAY THE CELL PHONES In case you hadn't heard, late last month I named The Cell Phones's Hospital Spaceship [...]

Whoa-ho-ho, there. Looking to rock out once more time before X-mas day? Here's our abridged Holiday version of Weekend Diversions that'll no doubt bring you yuletide cheer. FRIDAY THE BINGERS They look like such nice young men... is what I assume many grandmothers say about Chicago trio The Bingers due to their penchant for dressing up in suits and ties. Despite all appearances the band has no problem getting down and dirty with super fuzzed-up [...]

The 12 days of Christmas are now upon us. And on the second day, our true love has bestowed upon us a four-part series in which the Chicago bands playing Noise for Toys this Friday at Beat Kitchen chase down a drunken Santa Claus. If you love Oscar-worthy awkwardness, you'll love this series. Noise for Toys will feature Archie Powell and the Exports , The Scissors , State and Madison and The Noise FM . Tickets are $10 or $5 when you bring an unused, packaged toy [...]

This Friday, 12/16, the Beat Kitchen will be hosting NOISE FOR TOYS: A Rock N Roll Charity Event. Featuring some of Chicago's favorite local acts, toys will be collected at the show to be donated to the US Marine Corp Reserve "Toys For Tots" charity. If feeling good about yourself isn't enough of a reward, you will receive HALF OFF the price of admission for your donation of a packaged, unwrapped toy. The show will feature Chicago bands, The Scissors , The Noise FM , Archie Powell & The [...]

Holiday House Three oh-look-coat-hooks reasons to warm up with some rock and roll at Beat Kitchen tonight... 1. If there's one way to describe Berwyn's Holiday House , it's brooding . The group's album Weight of Water dives into melancholic, acoustic grunge-rock territory while singer Andrea Donahue's endearing falsetto is backed with chugging guitars and drumbeats that are dense as bricks. LISTEN: " Rebirth ." 2. The ying to [...]

This year saw the release of the self-titled debut ep of Gag Order and they have been playing some great local shows ever since. This is definitely a band you need to hear live before the end of the year. MP3 : Gag Order "Late Night Train Ride" Gag Order is performing at Beat Kitchen on December 8th with The Ultrasounds, Sexy Fights, and Holiday House.

• Gag Order - 04 Late Night Train Ride (Rick's Ass)

When the weather outside is frightful, Chicago's rock venues are so delightful this time of year. All holiday song rewrites aside, this is the perfect weekend to check out our fair city's fine local acts. We're chattering about Sissy Mena and Soft Speaker's record release shows at Subterranean and Beat Kitchen , respectively. Plus Heaving Mass at Empty Bottle and a whole lot more! Increase your blood flow and let's hop to it. FRIDAY [...]

Le Butcherettes Welcome to the weekend, folks. There's plenty on our plate yet again with free shows by Wax Idols and Mannequin Men, plus sexy shows by Le Butcherettes and much, much more. Onward, ho! FRIDAY LE BUTCHERETTES Last time we saw Mexico garage punkers Le Butcherettes in Chicago, the drummer puked all over the photo pit at Lollapalooza [...]

Rival Schools | Photo by Jon Boulier The sun is out and the temperature is down, but that is no reason not to go out and enjoy this weekend to the fullest. On tap this weekend are the post-hardcore sounds of Rival Schools at Schubas , the always enjoyable R&B groove of The Velcro Lewis Group at the Empty Bottle , plus a Halloween bash at Beat Kitchen featuring Magic Milk , Gabe Liebowitz from Dastardly and more. Step into the light already. [...]

On again Off Again Three Holy-Windstorm-Batman reasons to forget yesterday's ugliness and wander over to the Beat Kitchen tonight... 1. Chicago quartet On Again Off Again just have that something about them. Having grown up quite a bit from its 2008 EP Cycles , On Again Off Again play quirky indie rock with just a hint of pop lingering in the background. The group's 2010 effort (Re)cycles EP, sees the band move away from the subdued, folkier elements of the previous effort and brings [...]

And now three reasons to pop on over to the Beat Kitchen this evening... 1. Chicago's Unicycle Loves You have a solid garage-pop foundation, but their 2010 LP, Mirror, Mirror , found them dabbling in electronics and '80s new wave. Just recently, however, the group released a new track, " Sun Comes Out (And I Don't Care) ," from their upcoming 2011 release, Failure . The song features a lo-fi organ melodies and a bonafide guitar boogie and is a promising taste of what's to come. [...]

yukon blonde Three oh-no-a-bad-joke-is-imminent reasons to make like a crinkle cut french fry and get crunk at Beat Kitchen tonight... 1. Usually when a band selects "easy listening" as its genre on MySpace, there's a good chance it is kidding. However, Vancouver trio Yukon Blonde is easy listening. No, not in that "Relax to the mellow sounds of The Rain" kind of way. Once you hit play on any track from its recent self-titled album, the group's jangly Candian pop rock bounces into [...]

Pelican Three cheers for the weekend! Lot's of great acts will descend on our many rad venues including Twin Shadow at Lincoln Hall , Pelican at The Empty Bottle and much more. Snap yo fingers and let's get to it. FRIDAY THE LUCK OF EDEN HALL Chicago psych rockers The Luck of Eden Hall have been banging around [...]

Unplugged and Reborn And now three reasons to take cover in the Beat Kitchen this evening... 1. Local trio Unplugged and Reborn have a very indie-dance-rock foundation, but it's their varying takes on body moving music that's intriguing. They cover a lot of ground with driving indie rockers with bouncy grooves ("Summer Air") to forays into '80s electro-pop ("Khandi Kids") to even spacey atmospherics that give way to a funky low end ("Control"). Unplugged and Reborn are quite eclectic, but as long as your body's moving, [...]

An Horse | photo by Vicky Dinka Three you-bring-the-rock-I'll-bring- the-roll reasons to head over to Beat Kitchen tonight... 1. Aussie duo An Horse is special. No, not because they use the article "an" in combination with the noun "horse," but because the band creates beautiful sweeping pop compositions. An Horse don't reinvent the indie pop wheel on its sophomore album Walls , but that doesn't stop them from compiling tracks that overflow with full, lush melodies ("100 Whales") and fierce rock attitude ("Trains and Tracks"). [...]

Hum It's a big weekend, folks. There's Hum's much-anticipated headlining appearance at the inaugural A.V. Fest and plenty of smaller shows by crazy kids such as Soft Speaker , Dozens and Blah Blah Blah . Let's not waste any more time. Allons-y, Alonso ! FRIDAY GANGLIANS In the mood for some crooked surf rock? Then [...]

percolator Three any-day-that-begins-with-The-M elvins'-Houdini-is-a-great-d ay reasons to truck it on over to Beat Kitchen tonight... 1. Chicago quartet Percolator pumps out plenty of quirky indie rock that smoothly transfers from bouncy pop to slow folk rock compositions on its latest album None of These are Words , which is available for free download via its bandcamp page . There are plenty of influences rolling around in the mix, but They Might Be Giants seems to stick out the most. And that always spells fun. [...]

It's Labor Day weekend, y'all! It's time to celebrate our jobs by taking some time off from them to enjoy what little is left of summer. Because of the holiday there are festivals aplenty happening in the city. We've got North Coast Music Festival happening in the West Loop and Ravenswood Remix on the Northside. Plus shows by Save the Clocktower and Dark Fog . Let's get to it! FRIDAY [...]