Live Recap: Mia Joy and Squirrel Flower at Sleeping Village (Shows are back!)

June 29, 2021 / Rachel Zyzda

This past Saturday afternoon, I made my way to Sleeping Village for the first time in more than a year and half to catch not one, but two recent ANCHR Artist of the Week alumni: Mia Joy and Squirrel Flower.

The show was the earlier of two hosted by the venue that day, in honor of Squirrel Flower’s sophomore record entitled Planet (i), released only the day prior. Although the performance was originally set to take place on Sleeping Village’s patio, thunderstorms and even threats of tornadoes pushed the gig inside, where eager music fans took their seats in the venue’s main room, many of who were experiencing a highly-anticipated return to live music. When Mia Joy took the stage, she relished in that same sense of excitement, joking that it was incredible to see an audience in person, rather than looking at a screen with a bunch of different colored hearts popping up (if you’ve watched an Instagram Live stream during the pandemic, you know that sight all too well).

Like Squirrel Flower, Mia Joy also released a record this year, so her set primarily featured songs from the debut album entitled Spirit Tamer. Backed by a live lineup of other Chicago musicians, Mia Joy performed tracks like “Ha Ha,” “Heaven Forbid,” and “Saturn”— the latter of which received a special arrangement thanks to the live band input. Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist V.V. Lightbody even contributed her flute-playing to the set, providing yet another special touch to the evening.

Ella Williams (aka Squirrel Flower) and her band took the stage next, delivering the first ever live performance of Planet (i) to an appreciative audience. Several of the songs on the record reference storms and tornadoes in particular— the irony of which was not lost on Williams as she bantered about the awful Chicago weather that day either being a curse or a celebration of the album’s recurring nod to disaster. As Williams played through the album front-to-back, vocalist Jess Shoman of the band Tenci joined the band onstage to lend some harmonies to “Deluge In The South.” When it came time for Williams to sing “Pass,” she made it about halfway through the song when she abruptly stopped to let the crowd know that Shoman was also supposed to sing on that, so we were lucky enough to hear a couple of takes of the track. Eventually, the set began to wind down and Williams delivered a solo performance of “To Be Forgotten” and “Desert Wildflowers” before her band rejoined her on the stage.

Check out photos from the performance below, and be sure to keep up with Mia Joy and Squirrel Flower for their latest tour and music news.

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categories / Gigs, Photos, Reviews
tags / Mia Joy, Squirrel Flower, Sleeping Village, Polyvinyl Records, Fire Talk, Live Recap

Live Recap: Deeper's Sold Out Tour Send Off Show with Divino Niño, The Hecks, and Mia Joy

January 16, 2019 / Rachel Zyzda

Last Friday night, Deeper topped off a stacked bill for their winter tour kick off show at Sleeping Village, which included Mia Joy, The Hecks, and Divino Niño. Just as the music was about to kick off, friends and fans of all of the bands flocked to the Avondale venue to catch the show, creating a line out the door that signified tonight’s show would be a good one.

As everyone in the venue’s packed bar eventually filed into the music room, Mia Joy had just taken the stage with her full band, who assisted her in bringing her atmospheric indie pop tracks to life. Mia Joy’s delicate and dreamy vocals enticed the full audience, providing a comforting oasis from the chaotic scene of the crowded bar we had all just passed through. This opening set was the perfect way to reset after a long week and get ready for a full night of music.

Next up The Hecks were set to take the stage, and before they even began, the show had officially reached capacity, giving Deeper a sold out send-off show. When The Hecks started playing, it felt as if we had all been transported back to the 80’s with their throwback sound that swirls together post-punk and new wave genres and nods to influences from the likes of Talking Heads and Sonic Youth. With their bright and punchy guitar melodies, The Hecks got the energy picked up and had people dancing along to every song. During their set, the band also played some new material, which still had their signature tone of nostalgia mixed with a refreshing and unique energy.

Next up, Divino Niño delivered a sweet set packed with their Latin-tinged dreamy, indie rock tunes. The entire band exuded a relaxed and breezy vibe that enchanted the room as they played through a bunch of new material. Lead vocalist and guitarist Camilo Medina informed the audience that these new songs will be included on the band’s new album coming out this summer, and that one of the new songs would be the first single released in just a couple of weeks. The best thing about Divino Niño’s 45 minute set was that each of their songs had its own distinct and diverse stamp on it, but still flowed seamlessly with the rest of the setlist.

Closing out the night, Deeper finally made their return, playing their first headline set in Chicago since their sold out, album release show at The Empty Bottle. The set began with the lights still dimmed as the band played songs like “Should Be” and “Pink Showers” from their self-titled debut album, which was released last May via Fire Talk Records. Like The Hecks, Deeper’s post punk sound has a sense of nostalgia about it, but they put a rejuvenating spin on it to make it their own. The band members poured their energy into their playing, and the crowd reciprocated the same level of energy as they danced along throughout the set. Deeper also continued the night’s trend of playing new music and tested out some new tunes, which were well received by everyone.

If you weren’t able to make it to the show Friday, you can catch Deeper on the rest of their tour dates with the Districts, at Lincoln Hall on Valentine’s Day, or at SXSW!

Photos of Mia Joy, The Hecks, Divino Niño and Deeper