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Filtering by Tag: Metro
Filtering by Author: Rachel Zyzda
PHOTOS: Fall Out Boy with Games We Play at Metro
Last week Fall Out Boy returned to the Metro stage for a legendary hometown show, in honor of announcing their new album So Much (for) Stardust.
Check out photos of the evening also featuring Games We Play below, and make sure to snag tickets to Fall Out Boy when they’re back playing Wrigley Field on June 21st.
Live Recap: Pond and Cryogeyser at Metro
On Tuesday night, Metro hosted a packed house for Pond, with support from Cryogeyser, in honor of Pond’s latest studio album 9.
Cryogeyser kicked off the evening with their dreamy blend of shoegaze and lo-fi rock, which played out in front of colorful screen projections. The LA-based trio composed of Shawn Marom, Zach Capittifenton, and Samson Klitsner have been supporting Pond for their entire North American tour, and their musical style was very well-received by Pond’s fanbase at the Chicago show. Cryogeyser released their most recent EP called “timetetheredtogether” in 2021, and their setlist included songs like “Foreigner” and “Sonic Peace” from the EP.
Finally, it came time for Pond to return to the stage in Chicago for the first time post-pandemic—with their last show here being in 2018. Lead vocalist and guitarist Nick Allbrook wasted no time getting reacquainted with their Chicago fans, as he left his spot on stage to jump over the barricade into the crowd during the performance of “America's Cup,” the first song of their set. During the commotion of Allbrook joining the audience, a fan in the front row ended up with a bloody nose, but she remained in good spirits about it and stayed in her spot so as not to miss a minute of the show. Allbrook rejoined his bandmates back on stage for “Rambo,” another newer track off their 2021 album 9, but he continued to roam about the stage and found himself back amongst the audience for the third song “Human Touch” (fitting that he’d want to be in the crowd for that one).
Following the commencement that featured a lot of Pond’s newest songs, they revisited some earlier material, like “Sweep Me Off My Feet,” which happens to be one of my personal favorites from their 2017 record The Weather. Throughout the show, the band kept it dynamic with their colorful lighting that illustrated each song, for example a warm golden lighting illuminated the band when they performed their song “Daisy.”
As the show progressed, Pond brought their music to life in a multitude of different ways— from Allbrook jumping into the crowd to vocal effects and the flute that Allbrook played during “Burnt Out Star,” there was never a dull moment. Before the band performed another one of my favorites, “Paint Me Silver,” Allbrook told the room “here’s one for your hips” and everyone joined in dancing along. The fun came to a close with a two-song encore featuring “Medicine Hat” and “Don't Look at the Sun or You'll Go Blind.”
Check out photos of the show below, and see where you can catch Pond next here.
Live Recap: The Strokes Return to the Metro Stage in Support of Kina Collins
This past Friday night, The Strokes returned to the Metro stage to perform there for the first time since 2001. The special event was in support of Kina Collins, a Democratic candidate running for Congress in IL-07, and it marked only the third ever political fundraiser concert that The Strokes have put on (one of those being for Bernie Sanders in 2020).
The event sold out extremely fast, but some fans from all over the country managed to snag highly coveted tickets to be able to hear some of their favorite songs in such an intimate setting. As the lucky ticket-holders queued up to make their way into Metro, Collins walked to line for an impromptu meet and greet with the concert attendees. For the fans that missed Collins walking through the line, they got a chance to hear her speak ahead of the musical performance. Collins was born and raised in the Austin neighborhood on the West Side of Chicago, and she made it clear in her speech that she is passionate about making our city and this country a safer and more sustainable place for everyone. Collins backs universal health care, gun violence prevention and the Green New Deal, among many other issues. You can read more about Collins platform here.
Collins was thanked with overwhelming cheers when she said she “worked really hard to get this concert here for y’all” and told everyone about her experiencing meeting Julian Casablancas in New York. The anticipation and energy in the room sky rocketed when Collins said that Casablancas and his bandmates, Nick Valensi, Albert Hammond Jr., Nikolai Fraiture, and Fabrizio Moretti, would be on the stage momentarily. For unknown reasons, The Strokes actually hit the stage about 40 minutes later, but the energy and excitement (along with the heat) only continued to build, and it made it that much more sweet when the band finally began, launching into their song “Bad Decisions” from their 2020 album The New Abnormal.
The 14-song setlist contained a great mix of some of The Strokes newest material from the aforementioned record, as well as many of their hits throughout the years— like “Someday” from their debut Is This It and “You Only Live Once” from First Impressions of Earth. No matter what song they were performing, everyone in the room was eagerly singing along and dancing. The last time I’d seen The Strokes, they headlined at Lollapalooza, so it was nice to experience them going back to their roots and play in such a scaled back setting.
As their show neared the end, Casablancas made sure to endorse Kina Collins once more. He scanned the room for her and said, “Where’s Kina? Wherever you are, I love you, good luck.” He added, “She’s the best and I think she will represent this great city in Washington pretty greatly.” Casablancas also mentioned that Chance the Rapper and Common, fellow Chicagoans and musicians, support Collins— and joked that The Belushi brothers even back her.
The evening wrapped up with a 3-song encore, featuring “Eternal Summer,” “What Ever Happened?” and the grand finale of “Last Nite”—which had an extended introduction that featured Casablancas doing some auto-tune vocal improv before smoothly transitioning into the song’s iconic guitar riff.
Check out photos from the entire evening below, and make sure you vote in the Illinois primary election on June 28th. You can get more information about voting and polling locations here.
Live Recap: Dehd's Sold Out Hometown Show with Pixel Grip and 81355
There’s nothing better than a hometown show, and Dehd confirmed that with their sold out extravaganza at Metro this past Saturday night.
Even before the first act of the night 81355 (pronounced “Bless”), the venue was already packed and getting more full by the minute. Unlike most shows I go to, the band members of 81355 didn’t just come onstage when it was their time— they received a dazzling introduction from the host and MC of the evening, Alex Grelle. Grelle got the crowd going with a captivating performance of “Take My Breath Away” while the projection screen reflected the logo of Top Gun Maverick. It was an unexpected opening to the night, but it certainly grabbed mine and everyone else in the venue’s attention. When it came time for 81355 to hit the stage, the group from Indianapolis continued to captivate the room with their genre-bending performance. The collaborative collective featured a full band and a mix of rapping and singing from members Sirius Blvck, Oreo Jones, and Sedcairn Archives.
Next up, Chicago-based trio Pixel Grip geared up to take the stage— but not without a warm welcome from Grelle again. This time Grelle entertained the venue with a wet t-shirt contest, drenching himself with a pitcher of water. Again, not something you see every day at a concert, but everyone loved it. The crowd also enthusiastically enjoyed the set from Pixel Grip, which featured a swirl of bass-heavy synths, pop vocals and atmospheric electronic melodies— all complemented by moody lighting and thick fog. During their set, vocalist Rita Lukea received a tattoo onstage that read “Dehd Forver” from Emily Kempf, which was yet another unforgettable moment of the gig.
The night only continued to get more spectacular when Grelle made the final introduction of the evening— this time donning an angel costume to reprise the role of “Angela the Angel” from Dehd’s “Loner” music video. Grelle welcomed Dehd’s members Emily Kempf, Jason Balla, and Eric McGrady to the stage to close out the show, and the trio launched into their single “Loner” alongside Grelle— essentially recreating the music video IRL. The set continued on with lots of fan favorites like “Lucky” and “Haha” from Dehd’s earlier catalog, mixed in with some fresh material from their brand new album Blue Skies. My favorite song off the new record is the single “Bad Love,” which I got to hear live for the first time at the show. The track possesses a feel-good, triumphant vibe that would be perfect for the soundtrack of a coming-of-age film. It was certainly the perfect fit for a sold out gig at Metro at the start of Summer.
Dehd wrapped up the evening with an encore performance that featured Pixel Grip and 81355 rejoining them onstage to perform “Desire.”
The entire evening provided a great mix of music with a diverse line up that once again showcased what an incredible music scene we have here in Chicago. Check out photos from the evening below, and see where you catch Dehd next here.
PHOTOS: Squid with Deliluh at Metro
This past Wednesday night, the UK’s Squid returned to Chicago, in honor of their critically-acclaimed debut album Bright Green Field. The show followed Squid’s successful live debut in Chicago at the end of last year, when the band sold out two nights at The Empty Bottle in November. Squid’s expansive and textured tones sounded amazing in a larger space like The Metro, and it was incredible to witness the spin they put on their live arrangements.
If you missed out on the show, check out our photo recap of the evening below, and see where you can catch them next here.
Live Recap: Two Feet at Metro
Last Wednesday night, The Metro kicked off the Thanksgiving weekend with an incredible performance from the musician Bill Dess, better known by his moniker of Two Feet.
Turnout is usually hit or miss with shows around the holidays, but before Two Feet even took the stage, eager fans filled in the Wrigleyville venue for a support set from the electro-pop duo Fiji Blue. The pair got the audience grooving and ready for the night with their songs like “It Takes Two” and “I Should’ve Told You.”
The first time I saw Two Feet perform, he had been the support act for Jain at Subterranean back in 2017. Since then he has played in Chicago at Lollapalooza and venues like Lincoln Hall, but his headlining performance at Metro showcased an elevation in his production and stage persona. As the stage changed over for the main event, tall light bulbs lined the stage, lending to the ambience of the evening.
Since we last saw Two Feet in Chicago, he’s released two albums, including 2020’s Pink and this year’s Max Maco is Dead Right?, the latter of which is a concept album written from the view of the title’s character, so he had plenty of new material to share with the crowd that evening. The set began with some songs from Pink, including “BBY” and “You?” and continued by weaving in the newer material with fan favorites like “I Feel Like I’m Drowning” and “Had Some Drinks.” Throughout the show, the lights that decked the stage shifted colors and added visual depth to the mix of bluesy and electronic sounds of Two Feet. For example, during “Pink,” all the lights shone pink in honor of the song name, blending the tangible element of the performance with the atmospheric tones.
The evening closed with the abrasive hit “Go Fuck Yourself,” which had the entire audience swaying to the beat and soaking in the last few moments of the show.
Two Feet recently released the single “Until I Come Home” in collaboration with grandson, and the new single leads up to the next full-length album from Two Feet, which is expected in 2022. If you missed out on this show, see where you can catch Two Feet next here, and keep and eye out for that new music by following along on Instagram and Twitter.
Photo recap of Two Feet and Fiji Blue at Metro
LIVE: Wolf Alice Returns to Chicago to Play Their Biggest Show Yet at Metro
This past Friday night, The Metro hosted an unforgettable show with Wolf Alice and The Big Pink
After fellow Londoners in The Big Pink warmed up the already jam-packed Wrigleyville venue, the crowd buzzed with anticipation for Wolf Alice to take the stage. Returning for the first time since July, when they played a special, one-off show at Schubas Tavern, the four piece had yet to play Chicago since the September 2017 release date of their sophomore album, Visions of a Life. For many of the fans at The Metro, this would be their first time seeing Wolf Alice in years, as their special Schubas show sold out in minutes, allowing just under 200 lucky fans to get tickets.
This time, more than 1,000 enthusiastic fans enthusiastically soaked up Wolf Alice’s remarkable live show. Very few bands are able to create something as special as Wolf Alice does, without any fancy bells and whistles or special effects; their live shows are driven by each band member leaving everything they have on the stage each and every night. Throughout the band’s entire discography, lead singer and guitarist Ellie Rowsell has demonstrated an incredible, emotive ability with her vocal range and technique, singing in a delicate falsetto in one song (or even one moment of a song), before transitioning right into a hearty growl in another. Live, Rowsell not only keeps up with her vocal ability in the studio version, she amplifies the power behind each and every lyric. Just like Rowsell throws her emotions and entire energy into her singing onstage, she and her bandmates all do the same with their instrument playing. Throughout the show, bassist Theo Ellis and guitarist Joff Oddie remained in motion the entire time, flinging around their guitars, holding their instruments up, and stepping out onto the edge of the stage to add even more passion into their already energetic playing.
The concert on Friday acted not just as a return for Wolf Alice to play new songs, but it happened to be the band’s biggest headlining concert in Chicago yet, Ellis told the crowd. Despite the size of the crowd, everyone remained hooked on the show the whole time as the band played through songs old and new. Wolf Alice kept the audience on their toes as they weaved in songs from 2015’s My Love Is Cool with 2017’s Visions of a Life, following up new songs like “Don’t Delete The Kisses” and “Planet Hunter” with “Bros” and “Lisbon” from the debut record. When the set started winding down, Wolf Alice treated the crowd to a surprise, when they brought out a fan to accompany them during their hit “Moaning Lisa Smile.” Prior to the show, the band had tweeted asking for fans to send them videos of them playing the track on guitar, and guitarist Elaine Simmons from St. Louis made the cut. Simmons took over the guitar playing for Rowsell, allowing Rowsell to have the freedom to roam around on stage rather than remaining stationary by her microphone stand.
After an explosive performance of the fast-paced song “Fluffy,” the band left the stage, only to be summoned back for an encore. Juxtaposing the gritty performance of “Fluffy,” the encore started with the goosebump-inducing and stripped back track “Blush” from the band’s earliest EP. Rowsell commanded the sold out crowd’s attention with just her voice and guitar at the start of the song, and even as the song built up, the audience remained hypnotized. The spell broke and everyone went wild for the final song of the night; “Giant Peach." Rowsell ended the magical evening on a high note, stagediving and crowdsurfing at then end of the song.
This show may have been Wolf Alice's biggest Chicago show yet, but as the sea of devoted fans filed out of the theatre with huge smiles plastered on their faces, it was clear that the band will be warmly welcomed back, only to play bigger and bigger venues.
Photos of The Big Pink and Wolf Alice at Metro 3/30/18
Wolf Alice remains on tour throughout the Summer--do not miss them in a city near you. See all of their tour dates here, and listen to Visions of a Life in full below:
LIVE: Jungle and NoMBe Bring The Moves and Grooves to Metro Chicago
Los Angeles based singer, songwriter and producer NoMBe warmed up the Metro stage for Jungle this past Monday night. He hit the stage with a surge of energy and never decelerated until he left the stage, only getting increasingly amped up as his set went on. From singing directly to fans in the front row to hopping down from the stage to dance with the crowd, NoMBe stayed connected with his audience while he performed singles like "Jump Right In" and "Can't Catch Me."
By the time Jungle hit the stage, the crowd had been loosened up and their spirits were left high after NoMBe's infectiously positive attitude. London's Jungle made their highly anticipated and long awaited return to The States when they walked onstage that night, kicking off their North American tour right here in Chicago. The last time the soulful supergroup had performed in town had been in 2015 at Concord Music Hall, but they were quickly embraced by the sold out crowd at Metro on Monday. Their roughly hour long set included old favorites like "Drops," "Busy Earning," and "Time," but it also included a few fresh tunes that had never been played in America before. Fans at this Red Bull Sound Select got an exclusive teaser of what's to come when Jungle finally releases a follow up to their 2014 self-titled debut. While the new material definitely had a new spin on it, every song that Jungle played on Monday had the crowd moving along to their jams. The band members also remained in constant motion, feeding off one another and the audience. If you missed out on the show, relive some of the magic with our gallery below, and see the rest of Jungle's upcoming tour dates here.
LIVE: White Reaper, Post Animal, and Peach Pit Put on One of the World's Best Gigs at The Metro
White Reaper, Post Animal, and Peach Pit brought a night of camaraderie and crowd surfing to a legendary Chicago space, The Metro.
Vancouver’s Peach Pit kicked off the festivities, warming up the Wrigleyville venue as the crowd still slowly trickled into the all ages show. The four piece provided the perfect teaser for the sets that would follow; the early arrivers moshing around to songs like “Tommy’s Party” and “Techo Show” from their debut album, titled Being So Normal. By the end of their 30 minute set, the crowd was buzzing in anticipation for their fellow Chicagoans in Post Animal.
Only a few short days prior to this show, one of Post Animal’s guitarists and vocalists Javi Reyes suffered a stroke onstage during their set supporting White Reaper in New York. While he had to remain in the ICU for a few days following the stroke, Reyes is bouncing back and on the road to full recovery, and he encouraged his bandmates to push through and continue the rest of tour without him. At The Metro on Tuesday night, the remaining four began their 45 minute set with drummer Wes Toledo addressing the crowd about Reyes’ situation, initiating a “Javi!” chant while he held up a cardboard cutout of his bandmate's head that a friend had made for the show. Although there’s absolutely no replacing the flavor that Reyes adds to each of Post Animal’s performances, the group managed to rally together to reconstruct a very solid performance that absolutely shredded, despite the unfortunate circumstances. The hometown show highlights included the performance of the building and layered track “You Were Not There” from their The Garden Series EP, the psychedelic riffs of "When I Get Home" from the same EP, and their latest single “Special Moment,” which features a killer guitar solo and came along with a trippy and thrilling music video. Their set on Tuesday also included a rare performance of “Lorelei,” which features guitarist Matt Williams taking the lead on vocals and will be included on their upcoming album. While the absence of Reyes stood out to the many friends and fans in attendance, his bandmates gave the show their all and the crowd reciprocated that energy right back, not only moshing, but also kicking off the steady stream of crowd surfing that would continue throughout White Reaper’s set.
Following a thirty minute changeover, the self-proclaimed "World's Best American Band" stormed the stage with an unwavering enthusiasm that would only support their bold claim. By the time the opening chords of "Wolf Trap Motel" from White Reaper's sophomore album, called White Reaper Does It Again, rang out into the venue, the crowd had completely filled in. The Louisville rockers immediately played off of and amplified the infectious positive energy that Post Animal and Peach Pit had generated, with crowd surfers popping up during the early part of the setlist. As the audience thrashed around and lifted one another up to cruise over the crowd, the five piece worked the entire stage and poured every ounce of gusto that they had into the show. Bassist Sam Wilkerson often gained some serious air jumping in place on his side of the stage, while Ryan Hater would hang out at the edge of the stage to hype up the crowd whenever he wasn't fervently playing the keyboard, and lead singer and guitarist Tony Esposito would drop to his knees to ground his guitar playing.
The hour long set contained a fair bit of White Reaper's aforementioned sophomore album, but crowd favorites definitely included "The Stack" and "Judy French" from the group's 2017 album The World's Best American Band, which has propelled the Kentucky based band into the limelight of the rock scene this year. Before the band's explosive performance of the latter ("Judy French"), Esposito proposed that the crowd start an all female circle pit during the tune. While the ladies of the pit bopped around, confetti shot out into the crowd to create a rare confetti circle pit. As the set wound down during the last bit of the 9'o clock hour, so much crowd surfing and moshing had occurred, but the band only kept it up themselves. Esposito and Wilkerson challenged each other to their nightly shot and [crowd]surf race, in which they surf over to the venue's bar, take a shot and then race back to the stage. During the race, Colin Croom and Cadien Lake James of Chicago's own Twin Peaks joined the remainder of the band onstage to lend a hand to the background music that amped up the anticipation induced by the race. Clay Frankel of Twin Peaks could also be spotted down in the pit, hyping up the audience. By the time the houselights came up after White Reaper's encore of "Half Bad" and "Another Day," the Metro had endured one of its rowdiest shows in recent days, featuring some classic Chicago camaraderie.
Check out our gallery of all three bands below to relive the unforgettable experience!
Can't get enough Post Animal and White Reaper? Check out our interview with each band by clicking on their names!