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Filtering by Tag: Yoko and the Oh Nos

LIVE: Yoko and the Oh No's, Ron Gallo, and Diane Coffee at TNK Fest 2018

Diane Coffee’s live performances have a magical and magnetic quality to them that are nuanced to the point of almost transcending description. Their performances are immersive in the sense that the richness of it all makes it impossible for audiences to think about or focus on anything else aside from what is taking place onstage. By all means, that is a skill and a power. Such a beguiling spell was cast over the audience at Lincoln Hall last Friday, who gathered at the beloved local venue to see the band perform during the Tomorrow Never Knows Festival- an annual concert series that takes place at Lincoln Hall and its sister venue, Schubas.


Chicago's own Yoko and the Oh No’s warmed up the crowd at 9PM sharp with their lively rock tunes, unfortunately playing their last ever show to the already packed house. The announcement of the final show had been made only the day prior, and friends and fans of the group had flocked to see the final performance. The four piece, fronted by the exuberant Max Goldstein, brought every last ounce of energy they could to the Lincoln Park venue that evening. Goldstein and his bandmates remained in sync the whole time, delivering a stellar show that had the audience hooked and hoping for an eventual reunion of the band in the future. 

Nashvilles' Ron Gallo kept the high spirits going when he took the stage shortly after; kicking off his set with a trumpet, he monotonously read an introduction to his band and thanked the festival while a single spotlight shone down on him. Consisting of humor and good old fashioned rock and roll, Gallo's set had the crowd entertained from start to finish. The set contained some crowd favorites from his debut album Heavy Meta, like "Put The Kids to Bed" and "Young Lady, You're Scaring Me," but it also included brand new tunes from Gallo's Really Nice Guys EP, which had just dropped that morning. The audience reciprocated the energy that Gallo and his bandmates poured out onstage; moshing and dancing along to the music. Towards the end of the rowdy and fun-spirited set, Gallo even hopped off stage to join the crowd. If given the chance to see Ron Gallo, do not miss out on his engaging and energetic performance. 


After the impressive opening sets, Diane Coffee earnestly launched into “Mayflower” - a brassy, energy-charged track with lyrics that serve as a delightfully tongue-in-cheek commentary on consumerism. The savvy selection of “Mayflower” as an opener allowed its palpable energy to serve as blueprints for the remainder of the set; blueprints through which Diane Coffee crafted an incredibly memorable and engaging performance.

Diane Coffee finds their identity in their exploratory nature, both in sound and performance. Therefore, the band is able to perform a sonically diverse setlist with a clear sense of cohesion numerous styles, tones, and influences - thus giving their music a universal appeal and multi-elemental appeal. A physical testimony to this was the fact that the audience at Lincoln Hall was noticeably diverse in age. Diane Coffee’s work contains just enough classic elements to make it timeless, and the perfect amount of innovation to make it fresh and new all at once. Elements of grit, lightness, realism, fun, and innovation have a continuous presence that entirely harnessed the attention of the crowd. These creative juxtapositions are something that does not necessarily make sense, but Diane Coffee is able to seamlessly merge these elements in a manner that results in an engaging listening experience and a dynamic live set. For the entire time Diane Coffee was onstage at Lincoln Hall, nothing existed outside of the venue doors. They possess the ability to make the audience feel as if the rest of the world is melting away, and that’s a definitive nod to their talents as musicians and as a live entity.


One cannot discuss Diane Coffee without mention of enigmatic frontman Shaun Fleming. Dauntless and charismatic, Fleming embodies all it means to be an artist and an entertainer in every sense of both words. With a habit of performing in outfits just as exciting as the music he creates, Fleming excels in mastering all aspects of live performance: he engages the crowd in a manner that surpasses the traditional “How are you guys doing out there?”, performs his work with evident skill and care, and has an ability to turn each venue he performs in into something of a warm community. His performance at Lincoln Hall was certainly no exception to this magic. If Diane Coffee has proven one thing through their performance this weekend, it is that they are a group of artists who knows how to consistently deliver. That in itself is a noted key to success, and Diane Coffee has taken that key and swiftly unlocked the door.

Relive the magic of the evening by checking out our photo gallery of all three bands, shot by Rachel Zyzda. 

Keep up with all the Ron Gallo and Diane Coffee updates by following them on Social Media! 

Ron Gallo: Facebook // Twitter // Instagram

Diane Coffee: Facebook // Twitter // Instagram


Yoko and The Oh No's and Ron Gallo review written by Rachel Zyzda

 

PHOTOS: Yoko and the Oh No's and GGOOLLDD at Empty Bottle 12.16

Milwaukee's GGOOLLDD headlined Empty Bottle on Saturday night in celebration of their Teeth EP, which came out earlier in December. Their set had everyone dancing along, and lead singer Margaret Butler wasn't afraid to jump off the stage to join them. Check out photos from their vivacious show below, featuring some shots of Chicago's Yoko and the Oh No's

GGOOLLDD will be hitting the road again early next year. See their tour dates here, and while you await their return, listen to the Teeth EP in full below!

Warble Daze 2017 Highlights the Best of Chicago's Scene

Presented by Notion Presents, Warble Daze took over Logan Square Auditorium for a two day celebration of music and art, featuring some of the best up and coming rock bands around. Sourced mostly from buzzy local acts, Warble Daze called attention to the growing and tight knit music community that Chicago has to offer at the moment, but curator Stef Roti also selected other budding bands from Nashville, LA, and New York to diversify the lineup. Another factor that set Warble Daze apart from most other musical events is the addition of vendors stationed around the venue each night. From record labels and shops like Shuga Records and FeelTrip Records to local artists like Spaceburger COMIX and EO Lightshow, the event focused on the many facets of art that our city has to offer. Members from popular local bands like Post Animal, Bunny, and White Mystery also DJ'd between live sets. 

Friday highlights included local bands The Voluptuals, Lucille Furs, and Yoko and The Oh No’s, as well as the out-of-towners Levitation Room. As the crowd still trickled in, The Voluptuals opened up the evening with their glamrock wardrobe that caught the crowd’s eye as much as their ears. Lucille Furs kept that same level of energy up during their set, drawing one of the largest crowds of the evening despite their early time slot. Emulating the warm tones of your favorite 1960’s rock bands, Lucille Furs takes their listeners back in time while also putting their own refreshing spin on their 12 track self-titled debut. Their Warble Daze set also included a few unreleased tracks, despite their album being released less than a month ago. Levitation Room echoed those same retro and psychedelic vibes during their set. The receptive audience welcomed the Los Angeles band with open arms, dancing along and at one point attempting to crowd surf. Although the crowd was a bit sparse for surfing, Levitation Room definitely appreciated the effort. Yoko and The Oh No’s rocked the closing set, delivering nonstop energy and positive vibes despite their headline set starting around midnight. Lead singer Max Goldstein commanded the crowd’s attention, working all sides of the stage and playing harmoniously with his bandmates, which includes event organizer Stef Roti.

The same community spirit picked right back up on Saturday night, despite the pouring rain and thunderstorms going on outside. New band Town Criers opened up the evening, performing their new single "Rip It Up," along with a handful of other unreleased songs from an upcoming EP. Their lively stage presence and grungey garage rock tunes got the early crowd geared up for the bands that would follow. Cafe Racer and Joe Bordenaro, who have both become regulars on lineups at venues across the city, also made Chicago proud with their sets that followed. Touring bands Acid Dad and The Nude Party really stole the show though, winning over the Chicago audience with their boisterous and rowdy performances. Similarly to the local acts of the night, both Acid Dad and The Nude Party performed a mix of newer tracks from upcoming releases, but they also got the crowd grooving to familiar favorites. By the time Modern Vices closed out the weekend, it almost felt as if the auditorium had been transformed into a retro high school dance due to the 1950's style that the band have mirrored so perfectly in their music. Lead singer Alex Rebek's full and rich vocal tone perfectly compliments the old school vibes of Modern Vices, and it's no wonder the group was picked to headline Warble Daze 2017. 

The twelve bands and the audience of Warble Daze reaped mutual benefits by the end of the weekend; with the bands getting a chance to showcase their new work and the crowd getting the opportunity to discover new music. The Chicago music scene has been on a steady incline the last couple of years, and events like Warble Daze help shine a light on the influx of new talent. To relive the magic of the weekend, check out photos of all the performances below!
 

Friday Photos Featuring The Voluptuals, Lucille Furs, No Men, Steelism, Levitation Room, and Yoko and the Oh No's

Saturday Photos Featuring Town Criers, Cafe Racer, Joe Bordenaro, Acid Dad, The Nude Party and Modern Vices

If you missed out on Warble Daze, catch some of the local acts at upcoming shows around the city. Check each band's social medias or our gig calendar for all of the updates. 

Warble Daze Brings Two Days of Our Favorite Rock Bands to Chicago

Presented by Notion Presents, Warble Daze will take over the Logan Square Auditorium on October 13th and 14th. The lineup features some of our favorite local bands like Lucille Furs, Yoko and the Oh No's, Town Criers, Joe Bordenaro, and more! The Nude Party, Acid Dad, and Levitation Room are also on this stacked bill, and there will be more surprises to come. Stay tuned to hear about additional vendors and local artists joining Warble Daze, but for now grab your tickets to hear some of the best music around for only $15 each day. Ticket prices will go up, so get in on the presale to get the most bang for your buck. Tickets can be purchased here, and make sure you follow Warble Daze on Social Media to stay in the loop!

Warble Daze: Facebook. Instagram.

 Poster by Mattie Hamilton

 

Poster by Mattie Hamilton

Make sure you also stay tuned for exclusive intervierws and coverage with some of the bands on the line up!