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PHOTOS: The Shelters at Beat Kitchen on 4.12.17

April 17, 2017  /  Jennifer Machuca

Words and Photos by Jennifer Machuca

On Wednesday, April 12th, the faintly lit stage of Beat Kitchen glimmers and the venue is awash with chattering anticipation for the evening's show. Forming in 2015, Los Angeles rockers The Shelters deliver a confident mix of alternative indie rock with bluesy punk undertones, and have already caught the notice of the legendary Tom Petty, who has served as producer for them.

Opening with “Birdwatching”, the four piece instantly had the crowd on their feet. Mesmerized, the crowd swayed to the hypnotic riff of “Liar” as the set continued. Other fan favorites, including “Rebel Heart,” had the crowd singing back the lyrics, and the dancing continued throughout all of “Down.”

The Shelters are reminiscent of acts like The Black Keys because of their modern combinations of blues and rock. In the live setting, they intricately perform songs with the same rowdiness and volatile energy that rivals bands like Cage The Elephant. Despite their short existence, The Shelters are an exciting up and coming rock n’ roll band providing a refreshing take on classic rock elements that give a taste of the past with their own modern twists.  Catch them back in Chicago at Grant Park on Saturday, August 5th performing for Lollapalooza.

Photo Gallery of The Shelters and Modern Vices

Stream The Shelters' debut, self-titled album here to get ready for their epic return:

categories / Gigs, Photos
tags / The Shelters, Beat Kitchen, Photos, Concert Photography, Jennifer Machuca, Live Music

PHOTOS: ORB // King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard at Metro 4/8/17

April 11, 2017  /  Rachel Zyzda

categories / Photos, Gigs
tags / King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, King Gizz, ORB, Australian Bands, Psychedelic Rock, Live Music, Concert Photography, Photo Set, Photos

PHOTOS: Twin Peaks at Turner Ballroom

April 05, 2017  /  Jennifer Machuca

Photo Set from Twin Peaks in Milwaukee at Turner Ballroom 4.1.2017. 

You can now pre-order Twin Peaks' live LP Urbs in Horto here, or stream it below. 

categories / Gigs, Photos
tags / Twin Peaks, Chicago bands, Milwaukee, Photo Set, Concert Photography

Bastille Bring Their Massive Wild, Wild World Tour to "Shrek's Paradise" (AKA Aragon Ballroom)

April 04, 2017  /  Rachel Zyzda

Word and Photos by Rachel Zyzda

At most gigs, the show actually begins when the first note of the opening song rings out into the venue….but not at Bastille’s Wild, Wild World Tour. On Monday, April 3rd, the show started from the moment fans entered the majestic Aragon Ballroom with a full scale, interactive production that kicked off while fans patiently awaited support act Mondo Cozmo, and kept rolling even in between acts. In addition to audiovisual bits of lead singer Dan Smith’s project with Ralph Pelleymounter (of To Kill a King) called Annie Oakley Hanging, the show included short film clips featuring the news anchor from the band’s “Fake It” music video (rumor has it he’s called Billy) and the band decked out in WWCOMMS jumpsuits, performing various activities.

Directly following a clip of “Billy” eating a banana, the five members of Bastille burst onto the stage around 8:45PM with their brassy and bass-boosting single “Send Them Off!,” Smith donning his uniform black t-shirt with the logo for WWCOMMS; a mysterious, omniscient entity constructed alongside the campaign for Bastille’s sophomore album Wild World. The 90 minute set that followed contained a fair mix of new songs from that album, as well as the songs we all know and love from Bastille’s debut album Bad Blood. The third song of the set, “Warmth,” contains the new album's name in its chorus. After the band delivered a powerful and polished performance of the album’s namesake track, Smith took some time to talk about the theme of Wild World and how it comments on the crazy events of the world, introducing “Snakes” as a song about him getting drunk with his mates to take his mind off of the negative events.

Next up, the band sticks to traditions with one of their most popular tracks, “Flaws,” in which Smith always goes into the crowd to dance and sing with audience members. Of course, in addition to this maneuver during “Flaws,” a Bastille gig is never complete without Smith’s endearingly awkward dance moves and his mention of their “horribly depressing songs.”  During this set, “Oblivion” and “Four Walls (The Ballad of Perry Smith)” stood out as highlights, despite their very depressing nature. During “Oblivion” the entire Aragon Ballroom lit up with cell phone lights, the audience swaying their lights along with the slow-tempo tearjerker. During “Four Walls,” bassist-turned-guitarist Will Farquarson delivered an incredible minute-long guitar solo. The guitar solo put a fresh spin and new arrangement on the studio version of the track, which is based on Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood.

The show also featured plenty of dancing and crowd participation during the more upbeat songs of the night. Although, as Smith would say, most of the songs are still incredibly depressing-- they just do a good job at masking the depressing content with happy-sounding music. For example, newer song “Lethargy” is ironically upbeat and great to dance to, much like their debut single from Wild World, “Good Grief.” Despite being a song about losing someone and the grieving process that accompanies the loss, it’s hard to resist busting out your spirit fingers during the song’s catchy chorus. As far as crowd participation, “The Draw,” a track from the extended version of Bad Blood (called All This Bad Blood), had everyone moving their hands along to the beat during its chorus, in the shape of triangles. The biggest form of crowd participation, hands down, occurs during Bastille’s mashup cover song “Of The Night,” taken from their mixtape Other People’s Heartache. During the mix of Corona’s “Rhythm of the Night” and Snap!’s “Rhythm is a Dancer,” Smith asks that everyone stoops down right before the explosive chorus, and then jumps up and down with him on his command. A highlight at any of their shows, but especially in a venue the size of The Aragon, it’s such a spectacle to see a crowd of thousands jumping in unity.

In addition to the new arrangements of old favorites and the extensive video production that accompanied each song performed, which is exclusive to this Wild, Wild World Tour, the band also kept things fresh on this tour by conducting a daily Twitter poll for fans to vote on a coveted slot on the setlist.  The song that won for Chicago was “The Anchor” (our personal favorite…no idea why), which closes out the 19-track version of Wild World.  Another incredible addition to this tour was the ASL signer that the band had stationed in the sound booth, for audience members who are hard of hearing. The only other time I’ve seen this wonderful service provided at a gig was actually during Bastille’s Lollapalooza performance last year.

Lastly, Bastille’s three-song encore really packed a punch, closing out the magical evening in a massive way. Kicking off with Smith and Farquarson in one of the Aragon’s balcony alcoves, the pair performed the Tarantino-esque track "Two Evils" while Smith balanced on the balcony ledge. After that adrenaline-boosting performance, the energy escalated with the crowd favorite “Icarus.” As the evening drew to a close, the energy remained at an all time high as Bastille invited Mondo Cozmo to join them onstage during their hit “Pompeii.” Rearranged from the studio version, the live version of “Pompeii” just hits you right in the heartstrings. When the song came to an end, lingering chants of eh-ohs mingled with cheers and claps that echoed throughout the Aragon Ballroom (or “Shrek’s Paradise,” as Smith calls it) as the band exited the stage.

What the band delivered in production quality, they brought equally, if not more, in sound quality and musicianship. Bastille is one of those bands that somehow always manages to sound even better live, and last night was no exception. The Wild, Wild World Tour will continue throughout North America through mid-May. Do not miss this captivating, interactive, and unforgettable show if you get the chance to see it! You can check out all of the tour dates here. 

Photo Gallery: Bastille's Wild Wild World Tour // Chicago // Aragon Ballroom 4.3.17

The Setlist

1. Send Them Off!

2. Laura Palmer

3. Warmth

4. Snakes

5. Flaws

6. Oblivion

7. Lethargy

8. Things We Lost in the Fire

9. The Draw

10. The Currents

11. The Anchor

12. Bad Blood

13. Four Walls

14. Blame

15. Of The Night

16. Fake It

17. Weight of Living, Pt. 11

18. Glory

19. Good Grief

20. Two Evils

21. Icarus 

22. Pompeii

Wild World by Bastille

categories / Photos, Reviews, Gigs, Music
tags / Bastille, Live Show, Wild Wild World Tour, Chicago, Aragon Ballroom, Concert Photography, Photo Set

Maggie Rogers Awes Chicago Crowd With a Stunning and Authentic Performance at Lincoln Hall

April 03, 2017  /  Rachel Zyzda

Ethereal. Angelic. Authentic. Those are just a few adjectives that come to mind when I think about Maggie Roger’s voice. The 22 year old Maryland native is currently in the midst of her first major US tour, after acing her debut appearance at SXSW Festival earlier this month.  Last night, she played to a completely packed Lincoln Hall for her first ever performance in Chicago, after selling it out the months ago.

All Photos by Christian Heinzel

All Photos by Christian Heinzel

Maggie’s 50 minute set began with her center stage, easing the crowd in with the soft and wistful “Color Song,” the first track from her debut EP Now That The Light is Fading. The pace immediately picked up with the new, unreleased track “Split Stones,” an uptempo, energetic tune that got both the crowd and Maggie moving. Maggie introduced herself before playing the third song and her second single, “Dog Years,” which showcased her crisp and smooth vocals. Introducing the fourth song, another unreleased track, Maggie says, “I like to tell everyone ahead of time that this next one is a slow jam. So feel free to groove however a slow jam makes you want to move.”

As the set progressed towards the halfway mark, someone yelled “take it off” when Maggie removed her jacket. Not taking any crap, Maggie called attention to the remark saying, “To whoever just catcalled me, I know it’s an all ages show, but fuck you.” Before moving into the new song “Hashtag,” Maggie revealed to the crowd that the song came from her tapping into her emotions about the changes occurring in the world. She prefaced the statement saying that she personally has had a crazy year, with a lot of change. Considering it’s been less than a year since she released her single “Alaska,” it’s quite the accomplishment to have a sold out headlining tour already in the books.

Next up, Maggie threw it back with one of her older songs, “Little Joys,” a slow-building song rich with harmonies, which she wrote at 18. The set immediately transitioned into “Better,” another one from the recent EP Now That The Light is Fading, the crowd singing along to the familiar tune. Sticking on the familiar track, Maggie followed up with a cover of Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon,” keeping it fresh by adding some electric flare to the folk song. The energy kept flowing with the second to last song, “On + Off,” another recent single.

The night wrapped up with Maggie thanking the crowd, saying how much it meant for everyone to be there before playing the last song. Although both Maggie and her band sounded incredible and polished during the entire set, her delicate and powerful vocals really shone through during her breakout single “Alaska.” The goosebump-inducing tune had everyone in the building dancing and singing along, as Maggie managed to make this song sound even more amazing live than on the record. Maggie thanked the band and left the stage to a room full of nothing but good vibes.

Chicago, Maggie Rogers will be back in a few months for Lollapalooza. Judging by the cheers from the crowd when Maggie mentioned this last night, most of the Lincoln Hall crowd will be heading out to see her again in August. Everyone else, check out all of Maggie Roger’s upcoming dates and do not miss a chance to catch her magnetic performance. For now, check out the full photo gallery from her Chicago premiere and listen to Now That The Light Is Fading.

Photos by Christian Heinzel

categories / Photos, Gigs
tags / Maggie Rogers, Alaska, Live Review, Concert Photography, Photo Set, Chicago, Lincoln Hall

PHOTOS: Jain at SubT 4.1.17

April 03, 2017  /  Rachel Zyzda

Check out photos from the French singer Jain's captivating and energetic performance at the SubT on April 1st.

To see Jain in a city near you, check out her tour dates here. 

categories / Photos, Gigs
tags / Jain, SubT, Chicago, Concert Photography, Live Show, Photo Set

PHOTOS: Foxygen at The Vic 3.31.17

April 02, 2017  /  Christian Heinzel

It’s a Friday night and the screen outside the Vic Theater flashes the cover of Foxygen’s latest single, “America." This tour follows the release of the band's acclaimed fourth album, Hang, released January 20th. Gabriella Cohen, the Australian singer, opened the performance, playing dreamy songs that got the crowd moving and ready for the energy that Foxygen was about to bring. The lights go down and an instrumental remix of Dr. Dre’s “The Next Episode” and what sounded like an Ennio Morricone song plays as the band and Johnathon Rado walks out.

As the band began the introduction to “We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic,” lead singer Sam France sashayed onto the theater’s stage. France encountered a minor problem with his microphone coming unplugged, but he finished the song with great power, making the crowd roar with delight. They move on, playing hits such as “San Francisco” and “Shuggie” with Jackie Cohen on the female backup vocals. After getting the hits out of the way, they performed Hang in entirety. The first couple songs off the album such as “Follow the Leader” and “Avalon” got the crowd dancing. For “America” the lights flashed red, white, and blue as Sam France sported a blue suit coat. Once they reached “Rise Up,” the album’s final track, Sam France and Jackie Cohen walked off stage while the rest of the band carried out the powerful ending of the album.

The band returned for their encore with “On Blue Mountain” off their 2nd album, which included Sam France playing the trumpet. They closed with their “How Can You Really” from their 2014 album …And Star Power, a groovy, Todd Rundgren-esque dance number which ended with Sam France jumping into the crowd. The show was a delight to all in attendance, marking Foxygen’s triumphant return to Chicago.

Foxygen will be touring throughout the summer-- check out all their tour dates here, and catch them in a city near you.  Listen to their album Hang here:

categories / Photos, Gigs, Reviews
tags / Foxygen, Live Review, Photos, Concert Photography, Photo Set, Christian Heinzel

WayHome Festival Line Up Additions

March 30, 2017  /  Rachel Zyzda

In case you missed the initial line up announcement, WayHome came back today with a few line up additions, including Cage The Elephant and Foster The People. The full line up includes some of favorites, like Frank Ocean, The Shins, Honne, Rag'N'Bone Man, Blossoms, and many more incredible artists from a mix of genres. Check out the full line up below, and grab your festival passes here. 3 Day Passes start at $229.99, and 1 day passes start at $89.99.

categories / Gigs, Festival
tags / WayHome, Music Festival, Lineups, Rag'n'Bone Man, Blossoms, Honne, The Shins, Frank Ocean, Cage the Elephant, Foster the People

PHOTOS: Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness at HOB Chicago 3.24.17

March 29, 2017  /  Rachel Zyzda

The final installment of photos from the Zombies in America Tour is here! Check out Emily Nava's brilliant shots from headliner Andrew McMahon In The Wilderness's set. Also be sure to check out Emily Nava's photo galleries of Andrew's tourmates Night Riots and Atlas Genius if you haven't already!

Check out all of Andrew McMahon's upcoming tour dates here. (Psst! Chicago, he'll be back for Lollapalooza). You can also listen to the latest album Zombies on Broadway here:

categories / Photos, Gigs
tags / Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Photo Set, Concert Photography, Concerts, Chicago

PHOTOS: Night Riots at HOB Chicago 3.24.17

March 27, 2017  /  Rachel Zyzda

Last Friday, ANCHR photographer Emily Nava headed out to the House of Blues to catch the Zombies in America Tour, featuring one of our favorites, Night Riots. Check out her photos from their incredible live show now!

Photos by Emily Nava

Catch Night Riots in a city near you by checking out their tour dates here, and stream their latest album Love Gloom below!

categories / Gigs, Photos
tags / Night Riots, Zombies in America, House of Blues, Chicago, Concert Photography, Photos, Photo Set