I went down the block to Reckless Records Saturday afternoon to check out the instore featuring Future Islands . Albeit a weird setting for a vocalist as theatrical as Samuel Herring, their sound was impressive nonetheless. But while Future Islands were exactly what I was expecting (and also hoping for), I left wanting to hear much more from their opener, Baltimore's Lower Dens , a new act fronted by the slightly androgynous and husky-voiced Jana Hunter . Currently touring with Future Islands, Lower Dens' debut, Twin-Hand Movement arrives next [...]
Jonathan Toubin's New York Night Train Soul Clap & Dance-Off takes place at midnight at Beauty Bar tonight. He'll spin some obscure soul 45's for you to dance to and possibly win some money. I'm sitting on the judge's panel, so come out and impress me...or just have some drinks and listen to good music. On Facebook here
I get asked the same question a lot: "What Chicago acts are you really into?" Luckily, it's not a game I get tired of, and rarely will two people get the same answer. That's the nature of music for me, I let the mood of the moment guide my taste. HoZac Records is one of the most exciting entities in Chicago music right now. While they've been around since 2006, I feel like they only really hit the radar of the local public with their 2009 success story, The Smith Westerns . Their roster [...]
photo by Glitter Guts If you didn't already know, my current favorite local electronic outfit, the Only Children , recently revealed their inclusion in this year's Lollapalooza line-up and it's a slot that couldn't go to a more deserving Chicago act. Each time I see these guys live they impress me more and more. Their personalities, coupled with their music, radiate an energy that has the ability to convince the most anti-social of wallflowers to get on the dancefloor and lighten hell up. I've never once seen these [...]
Bryan and I have had our ears on NYC synth funk outfit Francis and the Lights for some time. Francis and the Lights is the pet project of one Francis Farewell Starlite who cites writing guide, The Elements of Style , amongst his major musical influences. Starlite is gifted with words, but nestled in the literary sway also lies a healthy appreciation for soul and funk, from Motown to Prince. Starlite's slinky staccato gracefully flirts with his unique backing band comprised six members, including two live drummers playing over sequenced synth and guitar. [...]
I will be the first to admit I was not in the best of moods to attend this show, don't get me wrong, I wanted to be. Beach House has been on permanent rotation in the jukebox of my mind since I first heard Devotion a couple of years back. And their newest album Teen Dream , is another jewel in the glittering crown, maybe their best to date. So while anticipation was high, I was suffering from serious show fatigue. Too many mediocre performances, too many drunk, suburban crowds texting or bumping into me with their [...]
I had planned to not write about Light Asylum because I knew that putting their music into words would only make me pissed that they're an act I wouldn't soon get to experience live. Playing mostly a gallery circuit in spaces like P.S. 1, Light Asylum won't in the near (or probably far) future land in Chicago. Then our friends at Mishka NYC unveiled their ambitious SXSW party and much to my excitement, Light Asylum landed on their bill, which means I'll get my chance to see the act live in just a [...]
If you've ever partied in Madison, Wisconsin (and yes, Wisconsin definitely knows how to party) then you've probably been out to a night that Erin Keeffe (aka OCD Automatic ) provided the beats for. Bad for Madison, but good for Chicago, Keeffe has relocated to our fine city (becoming my nearby neighbor in the process) and has been gracing our nightlife scene with his blend of house and disco. Keeffe got his start in Madison with fellow disco fanatic, Aaron Davis ( VDRK ). Though Davis now lives in Brooklyn, the duo have [...]
WU LYF is everyone. Consider this post part three ( I , II ) of an ongoing series where I play internet hide & seek with Manchester band WU LYF . Over the weekend I received a mysterious private dump of a couple more WU LYF demo tracks via SoundCloud. The sender appears to be UK-based, but as to whether this was the band themselves reaching out, remains to be confirmed. The two tracks, which you can listen to below, revealed yet another pre-WU LYF band name, Vagina Wolf . [...]
Switch needs no introduction, but nonetheless, I'll give you the basis. UK-based producer Switch is a member of the Mad Decent family, one half of Major Lazer alongside Diplo , co-label owner of Counterfeet with Sinden and sole owner of his own imprint, Dubsided . His style starts at fidget house but spans the spectrum, landing in and around anything that's good and glitchy. Switch plays Smart Bar this Saturday, January 16 with support from Santiago and Sexual Chocolate and we're [...]
Remember when I mentioned that some of the Chicago Disco Massive were launching a new disco-centric party in the new year? I rarely post on specific events, but today they unveiled their first guest as the one and only Mike Simonetti (of Italians Do It Better ) and that's one hell of a kickoff that's left me excited and impressed. The party is titled Trick Disco , the inaugural evening is scheduled for January 15th and it will take place, going forward, the third Friday of every month at Subterranean here in Chicago. [...]
This has been a difficult year for music in Chicago. Electronic music particularly took a hit with Sonotheque closing it's doors and the recent announcement that Lava Lounge would transition from a DJ-centric venue into a cocktail lounge in the new year. Nightlife by and large felt at a standstill and I personally chose to spend the year away from the club lights, checking out touring acts and the annual music festivals. I reviewed many of the shows you'll find mentioned below for Chicagoist and I've included links to the full reviews where applicable. [...]
I will the first to admit that I don't live in the biggest city in the world, but over the last couple of years there has been an increasingly amazing roster of live acts come through our town. So, here's my list of best 15 live acts I had the opportunity to see this year. Click on their respective links to see if they are coming through your neck of the woods. They are not to be missed. LADYHAWKE [...]
Jams Dean is currently on tour with local indie rock act the Netherfriends and Friday his promised mixtape, The Criterion Collection , arrived in my inbox. There was no title to the email nor any message, just a download link. That's just the kind of guy Jams Dean is, a bit mysterious, and often vague, but full of ideas and creativity. This mixtape makes me smile ear to ear, an hour of highly personal, bedroom backpack rap over unexpected samples. By the way, Jams Dean's real name is Blake and The Criterion Collection is [...]
My scanner has been out of commission for the past few weeks, which delayed the posting of this particular Analog Blog. I woke up early today with the mission of bringing it back to health and I'm happy to (finally) share Jams Dean's illustrated take on Girls with you. —Ed. Read more about Girls here and here .
photo by Clayton Hauck The voting is closed for Paper Mag's Nightlife Awards and while I don't want to jinx Chicago's chances of taking home a title, Derek Berry and Dicky C , the promoters behind the Best Party In America nominated weekly, REHAB , have been invited up to NYC later this week for the awards ceremony. CreamTeam is supporting tonight's red carpet themed party, so get out your bow ties and fancy dresses and join me tonight at Debonair Social Club for the [...]
Friday night the Binary crew threw the second of their Two Year Anniversary parties, featuring performances from Little Red Radio , Tigercity , Keenhouse and Neon Indian . The lineup was definitely not to be missed, and knowing that I hustled my ass to the show. I got there just in time to catch the last half of Little Red Radio's set, a native LA group whose electropunk, dual vocal appeal was just enough to get me moving. They did a cool cover/rework of What Is Love For that [...]
Endless Summers, Winter Thrills is a hilariously ironic name for a Chicago-helmed mixtape. The summers here are short and the winters are far from thrilling. Regardless, it's an apt title that embodies the spirit of the mixtape and it's creators, Rehab , Chicago's Monday night nightlife mainstay. As the tracklist for Rehab's first-ever mixtape suggests, it's not an event based around esoteric bookings or big DJ names. Rehab is a party thrown by friends, for friends. It's one night a week where you leave your hangups at the door and not give a shit if you have to [...]
If you could have your dream job, what would it be? If you're like me, then you probably have a list stored in the back of your skull of about 50 dream jobs, some of which are completely absurd and others that aren't out of the realm of possibility. In the latter category I've always thought I'd make a decent talent booker for a music venue. So, I figured until the day I can make a career of booking the lineups that clog my head, where better to share them, then here. Tonight we'll take a journey into [...]
If last year was the year of the Aussies, then 2009 is the year of the Brits. London has returned to the spotlight as a hub of creativity this year and now we can add new rock act, WILD PALMS to the city's roster. If you're a fan of bands like These New Puritans that have that distinctive, very British sound, then WILD PALMS will strike your fancy. Postpunk vocal repetition and jagged shouts pierce clanging guitar on the quartet's exciting debut single, ....Over....Time. WILD PALMS are about to take off [...]
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