Filtering by Category: Gigs

LIVE: Against Me! With Bleached and The Dirty Nil

October 04, 2017 / Abraham Piña

Last Saturday, Concord Music Hall ended its night with a sea of crowd surfers floating to the thrash punk rifts of Against Me!

Earlier that night, the Canadian trio, The Dirty Nil, was the first of a three band act to perform at the Concord Music Hall. These guys aren’t your average opener. With their raw and ravishing vocals blended with their punk rock rifts, The Dirty Nil managed to pump the crowd up with songs off their new album Higher Power.

Next up, Bleached played more than just a solid set this night. The band delivered their new, deep-cut punk single “Can You Deal?" The crowd couldn’t help but jump around and sing along to it. From songs on their recent album Welcome The Worms to their single “Carter," the surf rock group expelled a high dose of stellar tunes into the muggy air of the sold out concert venue.

Finally, with the crowd screaming for more noise and sound, Against Me! walked on to the stage. A big portion of the crowd was made of mid to late twenty years olds. So when the band played “I Was a Teenage Anarchist” early off in their set, it certainly launched everyone back to being 17 and those accompanying feelings of rebellion. The band managed to cover a massive variety of their songs and exceeded the expectation of the audience. One of the biggest closing songs the band performed that night was “Thrash Unreal. In unison, the crowd yelled out the lyrics and then the chorus hit. From the sea of fans, the crowd surfers emerge and glide across the floor. The floor literally shook to its foundation to close out an unreal performance.

See all of Against Me!'s upcoming tour dates here, and listen to their latest album in full below!

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categories / Gigs, Music, Reviews
tags / Against Me!, Bleached, The Dirty Nil, Concord Music Hall, Concert Photography, Live music

LIVE: Broken Social Scene with Frightened Rabbit and The Belle Game

October 04, 2017 / Christian Heinzel

Openers The Belle Game and Frightened Rabbit set the tone for a magical performance from Broken Social Scene at the Aragon Ballroom on September 29th.

With a band like Broken Social Scene you never really know what you're going to get from their show. There are constant surprises throughout their show, due to an always changing line up of artists on their touring roster. Accompanied by a wide array of instruments such as a horn section and even a Mohan Veena, Broken Social Scene possesses a powerful and unique sound during their live show.

On Friday night, the supergroup opened with their song “KC Accidental” off their 2003 album You Forgot It in People. What followed was a flowing and diverse set. Ariel Engle and the girls from The Belle Game filled in for female vocals on songs such as “7/4 (Shoreline)." Following that, they played a couple songs off their 2017 album Hug of Thunder, such as “Halfway Home” and “Protest song." Before their song “Texico Bitches," frontman Kevin Drew talked about how Chicago was very influential in their career and that he had wrote this song while here. He then hopped off the stage and performed the song along the barrier next to the crowd.

They continued playing songs off many of their albums and eventually the set seemed to be coming to a close. However, they were not done with surprises! After doing a cover of The Archies “Sugar Sugar” with original Archies band member Andy Kim, they also played “Sister OK” off Kim’s 2015 record It’s Decided. Closing out their set was a couple more hits like “Anthems For a Seventeen Year Old Girl” and “Meet Me in the Basement."

Broken Social Scene really prove that they are still a powerhouse of putting out great music and performing it live after so many years. With changes to their set lists and line up of band members they are sure to put on a great show no matter where they are. For more information about their upcoming shows click here.

While you wait for the next tour, listen to Broken Social Scene's latest album Hug of Thunder in full below!

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categories / Gigs, Photos
tags / Broken Social Scene, Frightened Rabbit, The Belle Game, Photo Gallery, Photography, Live Review

PHOTOS: Hundred Waters with Lafawndah

October 03, 2017 / Cat Florea

If you missed out on the stunning show from Lafawndah and Hundred Waters, check out our photo gallery of the show here.

See the rest of Hundred Waters' tour date here, and listen to their new album Communicating in full below.

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categories / Gigs, Photos
tags / Hundred Waters, Lafawndah, The Empty Bottle, Photography, Photo Gallery

PHOTOS: Chicano Batman, Khruangbin, and The Shacks at Thalia Hall

October 03, 2017 / Rachel Zyzda

The Shacks, Khruangbin, and Chicano Batman put on a mesmerizing show at a very sold out Thalia Hall. Check out the full photo gallery of the show below!

See the rest of Chicano Batman's upcoming tour dates here, and listen to their album Freedom is Free in full below!

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categories / Gigs, Photos
tags / Chicano Batman, Khruangbin, The Shacks, Thalia Hall, Photo Gallery, Photography

LIVE: Glass Animals and Amber Mark at Aragon Ballroom

October 02, 2017 / Rachel Zyzda

Glass Animals brought dance moves, pineapples, and an energetic performance to Chicago's Aragon Ballroom

New York's singer songwriter Amber Mark warmed up the sold out crowd with her lively pop and R&B fused tunes. Performing a 30 minute set composed mainly of songs off her debut EP, called 3:33AM, Mark showed off her powerful vocals while exuding a carefree and fun attitude.

Glass Animals took the fully decked out stage next, stocked with a pineapple disco ball, palm trees, and a prop TV. Hitting the stage in a blaze of energy, the British indie rockers commanded the crowd's attention and had them all echoing back the words of songs from their sophomore album How To Be A Human Being. The exuberant and dynamic set included the entirety of the band's second album, as well as a few of their most popular tracks, like "Black Mambo" and "Gooey," from their debut album ZABA. During the latter, Glass Animals' frontman Dave Bayley jumped off the stage to bring his signature dance moves directly to the crowd. Between each song, the devoted audience erupted in nearly deafening applause and cheers, and Bayley never stopped expressing the band's gratitude. The memorable performance wrapped up just before 10PM, the crowd filing out of the ballroom with infectious smiles on their faces.

If you missed out on the show, check out our gallery of Amber Mark and Glass Animals below!

Check out the rest of Glass Animals' tour dates here, and listen to their How To Be A Human Being album in full below!

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categories / Gigs, Photos, Reviews
tags / Glass Animals, Live Show, Photo Gallery, Photography, Amber Mark, Aragon Ballroom

PHOTOS: Cayetana Rock The Subterranean

September 29, 2017 / Abraham Piña

Philadelphia rockers Cayetana took over the Subterranean earlier this week with the help of Hemming, Strange Relations, and What Gives. Check out our photo gallery featuring all of the bands below!

Check out all of Cayetana's tour dates here, and listen to their album New Kind of Normal in full below!

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categories / Photos, Gigs
tags / Cayetana, Live Music, Concert Photography, Photo Gallery

LIVE: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard and Mild High Club at Lincoln Hall

September 28, 2017 / Rachel Zyzda

Mild High Club and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard made a perfect pairing for a double header of sold out shows at Chicago’s Lincoln Hall. The two groups created an IRL experience of "Sketches of Brunswick East" for the first time.

Mild High Club took the stage shortly after 8PM on Monday for a hometown show that featured collaborations and additional layers that brought their recorded music to life. Kicking off the collaborations, vocalist Quinn Tsan joined the group to sing alongside lead singer and frontman Alex Brettin. Shortly after Tsan left the stage to a swooping round of applause, the band added in a saxophonist for a few songs, followed by a brief guest appearance of Adam LP from new Chicago outfit wavy id. While both Sunday and Monday night’s set included popular songs like “Windowpane” and “Tessellation,” Brettin and his bandmates switched up the order of their set each nice to make their show even more dynamic. The combination of guest appearances, a refreshed setlist, and a trippy light show made for an all encompassing and captivating performance from Mild High Club.

Australian psych rockers King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard hit the stage next with a blaze of guitar jams and pacing rhythms that never slowed down, thanks in large part to their two drummers. The seven piece group completely filled out the humble stage at the 500 capacity venue, and the crowd completely packed in to be as close as possible to stage. From the second the super group opened up with “Some Context” from their first album of 2017, Murder of the Universe, the audience and King Gizzard reciprocated one another’s energy levels. While frontman Stu MacKenzie would flip the top half of his body upside down, flail his guitar around, or flash his tongue to the crowd, the audience would thrash around in the mosh pit, which amplified in intensity as the 90 minute set progressed. The set spanned the course of several of King Gizzard’s albums, but the crowd got the rowdiest during “Rattlesnake” from Flying Microtonal Banana and “Gamma Knife” from Nonagon Infinity. At some points, a few audience members attempted to crowd surf (before being stopped by venue security). Nonetheless, the spirit of the crowd clung to the brim, never dipping as the ambitious Aussies kept up their signature pulsating pace. Just as King Gizzard’s set approached the finish line, they invited Alex and Mat of Mild High Club to join them on the stage to perform some of their collaborative album Sketches of Brunswick East, which made the stage even tighter than it already had been. The two groups performed the jazz-tinged “Countdown” and “Rolling Stoned” together before they all left the stage to a grateful and awestruck audience.

Photo Gallery of Mild High Club and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

Find out more information about King Gizzard's US tour, including dates and tickets here, and listen to their collaborative album with Mild High Club, Sketches of Brunswick East, in full below!

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categories / Gigs, Photos, Reviews
tags / King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, King Gizz, Mild High Club, Lincoln Hall, Photo Gallery, Photography, Live shows

Audiotree Music Festival 2017 Recap and Gallery: King Gizzard, Twin Peaks, Lizzo, and more!

September 25, 2017 / Rachel Zyzda

Chicago-based music tastemakers Audiotree may be best known for some of their studio sessions with your favorite bands, but this past Friday and Saturday, they took over downtown Kalamazoo to bring some of those musicians to one stage for their annual festival. Although Audiotree, a big part of the crowd, and a few of the acts on the lineup all hailed from Chicago, the festival did a great job of curating local fare by bringing in Michigan based food trucks and beer from local breweries. The curators also succeeded in booking a diverse lineup that featured everything from psych rock to rap music. While there was never a dull moment over the course of those two days, here are the moments that stole the show.

Noname Drew in the Friday Evening Crowd

Chicago's on the rise spoken word artist/vocalist/rapper Noname has already had an unstoppable year, playing major festivals like Osheaga and Lollapalooza. Her sunset performance at Audiotree Music Festival on Friday evening completely hooked the small, but mighty festival crowd with her compelling cadence. Her 45 minute set included some of her most popular tracks like "Diddy Bop" and "Reality Check," as well as some shoutouts to fellow Chicagoans like Saba and Kanye West. One of the most memorable moments in her set happened only a few songs in when she told the crowd they could move up, and there was a notable shift of everyone rushing forward to soak in the magnetic performance. Noname will be performing Concord Music Hall in November as part of Red Bull's 30 Days in Chicago, so make sure you catch her there if you missed her summer festival performances!

Noname performing during her sunset slot at ATMF

Lizzo Activated and Instilled Confidence in the Crowd

Hip Hop singer Lizzo brought a vivacious and energetic performance to the Audiotree Festival stage, but her nonstop show also featured a powerful message. While she encouraged the crowd to dance and sing along to her songs like "Phone" and "Water Me," she also encouraged everyone to take a stand in the world. Mentioning some of the current problems of the world, Lizzo said the only way to get through the horrible happenings is to come together and activate. She also instilled the confidence in her audience that they can all do whatever they put their mind to, no matter what anybody says. She put on an inspiring show just a couple weeks back at Loufest, but every time she hits a stage, Lizzo spreads positivity and love. You can also catch her in Chicago this November with Red Bull Sound Select's 30 Day festival.

Lizzo and her ladies getting Friday night at ATMF going

Campdogzz Warmed Up the Crowd During the Day's Peak Heatwave

Chicago's own Campdogzz warmed up the stage on the second day of Audiotree Music Festival. Although the seasons technically shifted into Fall a few days ago, the temperature during Campdogzz's set was reminiscent of the dog days of Summer, reaching mid 90s...with humidity. Although the temperature during their 30 minute set was nearly unbearable, lead singer Jessica Price's unique voice and the chemistry displayed between the band members still got the crowd engaged. The group flawlessly performed new songs off of an upcoming album, which all held onto their signature sound, but showcased their development and expansion as musicians since their last album.

Jessica Price of Campdogzz on Saturday afternoon

Liz Cooper's Set Brought on a Wind Tunnel

The Nashville based nomad Liz Cooper and her band (aka The Stampede) kept it cool while they played through their laid back, country-tinged rock tunes. Throughout the set, the band's easygoing nature shone through, especially when Liz made the most of the fan onstage, which gave her a natural windswept look as she sang her songs with her signature earnest and raspy vocals. Throughout the set, you could tell Liz and her bandmates were enjoying themselves, which translated to the crowd getting lost in the moment too.

Liz Cooper and her windswept look on Saturday

Active Bird Community Made Their Michigan Debut

NYC's Active Bird Community has been playing together since they were in middle school, for more than ten years, but when they hit the stage on day two of ATMF, they mentioned that the festival was their first time playing in Michigan. Although they'd never played nearby before, the music hungry crowd eagerly absorbed songs from the band's earlier days and their 2017 album called Stick Around.

Active Bird Community's frontman Tom D'Agustino during their Saturday set

Charly Bliss Played New Songs While Jetlagged

The Brooklyn based four piece fronted by Eva Hendricks also performed in the peak of Saturday's heat wave, but they still got the crowd into their show and moving in the sun. Decked out in a baby pink dress, Hendricks completely rocked the stage with her bandmates, even though they'd just gotten back from a tour around The U.K. Hendricks told the crowd they'd be performing a few new ones, and they went over incredibly well despite the jet lag.

Pinegrove Got Shady

Pinegrove frontman Evan Stephens Hall took the stage during Pinegrove's late afternoon set donning green sunglasses that matched his t-shirt, due to the blazing hot sun still beaming down on the audience and stage. After a few songs, Hall told the crowd that he wished he didn't have to wear the sunglasses because "eyes are the best way to show you mean it" but he asked the crowd to trust him anyways. Despite the sunglasses barrier, Hall and his bandmates still managed to connect with the crowd, who were all ardently echoing the words back to songs like "Old Friends" and "Cadmium." If you're based in Chicago and missed Pinegrove's set, go see them at Thalia Hall this November, where Hall will be performing sans sunglasses.

Evan Stephens Hall and his sunglasses during Pinegrove's set

Twin Peaks Played Some Sweet Singles

The energy of day two at Audiotree Music Festival peaked (pun intended) when Chicago legends Twin Peak hit the stage with a surge of energy that never lulled. Their hour long set included some of their most popular tracks like "Butterfly," "Walk To The One You Love," and "Making Breakfast," but the band also performed some of their "Sweet '17 Singles" like "Tossing Tears" and "Shake You Lonely" for one of the first few times. Twin Peaks always steals the show when they're part of a lineup, but this refresh to their setlist added another layer to their usually incredible show. Twin Peaks will be taking over Chicago's Thalia Hall for three nights at the end of December, so ring in 2018 with one of their rowdy performances.

Clay Frankel of Twin Peaks leaving it all on the stage

King Gizzard Dedicated a Song to Charles Bradley

During the early afternoon on Saturday, news broke that the soulful legend Charles Bradley had passed away. A few songs into King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard's 90 minute set that night, the seven piece band dedicated a song to Mr. Bradley, with vocalist/guitarist/flutist Stu Mackenzie saying, "This one's for Chuck." Outside of the heartfelt dedication, their headlining set kept up a pulsating pace that never let up and included several live debuts of tracks from the group's first album of 2017, called Murder of the Universe. Their explosive set acted as the perfect wrap up of Audiotree Music Festival 2017. Some lucky Chicagoans got to witness a similar performance at Lincoln Hall last night, and the super group returns again tonight with Mild High Club.

Stu Mackenzie closing out the night with King Gizzard

Check out the full gallery featuring Noname, Lizzo, SuperDuperKyle, Campdogzz, Liz Cooper and the Stampede, Active Bird Community, Charly Bliss, Pinegrove, BadBadNotGood, Twin Peaks, and King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard!

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categories / Festival, Gigs, Photos, Reviews
tags / Audiotree, Audiotree Music Festival, ATMF, Music Festival, Photo Set, Photography, Concert Photography, Photo Gallery, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Twin Peaks, Campdogzz, Liz Cooper and the Stampede, Lizzo, Noname, Active Bird Community, Charly Bliss, BADBADNOTGOOD, Pinegrove

LIVE: Weyes Blood Puts on Stunningly Beautiful Performance at Auditorium Theatre

September 22, 2017 / Rachel Zyzda

"The woman who called herself nameless sure has an incredible voice," WXRT's Marty Lennartz gushes, standing on the stage at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre. The woman he is referring to is Natalie Mering of Weyes Blood, who had introduced her band to the audience halfway through her set, adding in that she'd rename nameless.

About forty minutes prior to this post-introduction from the radio DJ, Mering had glided onto the theatre's dimly lit stage, where the words to her song "Diary" flowed out of her as she remained staked out center stage, full of poise and sans instrument. That same calm and composed demeanor clung to Mering as she picked up her guitar for the second song. Although her music has this mellow undertone, her voice soared through the sparkling venue, with its swooping ceilings and endless rows of lights. "I hope it looks as beautiful out there as it does from here," she said as she transitioned over to the keyboard for her third song of the evening, called "Used To Be." The track builds up, gradually adding layers, like the song that followed, "Seven Words." Weyes Blood's most popular track, "Seven Words" contains gospel elements that immediately envelope its listeners, along with Mering's ethereal vocals.

Weyes Blood's support set for Father John Misty winded down with Mering and her band shifting around on stage again; first with Mering back with her guitar for "Generation Why" and then back on the keys for the final song of her set, which brimmed slightly over thirty minutes. Mering dedicated the latter song to the people all the way in the back in her composed and calculated speaking voice, which complemented her mellow musical style. She and her band shuffled offstage after Mering thanked the crowd for their welcoming reception to her music. Check out photos from her stunning performance below.

It's been an unstoppable year for Weyes Blood; playing festivals like Pitchfork in Chicago, touring with Father John Misty, signing with Sup Pop Records for her next record...and we can't wait to see what's in store next for soothing powerhouse.

See all of Weyes Blood's upcoming tour dates here, and listen to her latest double single below.