Filtering by Category: Gigs

LIVE: Mutts and Campdogzz at The Hideout 12.16

December 19, 2017 / Jackie Mlinarcik

Mutts blew through the roof on Saturday night at cozy, quaint, middle of nowhere road stop – The Hideout. Opening up with fan favorite and especially relevant, “Everyone is Everyone,” the guys were not just charged up, but feeding off of a bustling crowd. Mike Maimone navigated through the night ranging old to new, in celebration of their new EP Stick Together. With songs like “I’ll Be Around,” Maimone emphatically shared the importance of being there for people when they need it most - a particularly special message for a room filled with friends and locals galore. The group stopped for breath and slowed down the pace with their spin of Gillian Welch’s “Look At Miss Ohio.” A beautifully moving and mesmerizing piece bolstered by Maimone’s conviction on the keys.

This team of three make it impossible to stand by idly watching. When Maimone lifts himself from his seat, the music doesn’t stop at just your ears. At several points throughout the night, all bets were off when Maimone took the songs to new heights and placed his foot atop the keys. The Mutts haven’t a need for restraint or courtesy, their austerity is punched through every lyric and supporting note.

Maimone continues to lead the way with a mindful attack on the keys that you can see quite literally in his positioning behind them. He likes to make it a game of tug of war, sometimes pulled softly then carried to a consistent build, and by the end of each song your heart feels the last tug to victory. Just as the trio was ready to close out the night and have a beer with the crowd, the packed house stomped for one more song, and the band obliged. Needless to say, the night was intimate, loud, and unfailing for the hometown scene.

The guys pick it up again, and are heavily booked for the beginning of the new year. You can follow them here. While you await their next hometown show, check out photos of their set, as well as a few of fellow Chicagoans an ANCHR favorites; Campdogzz.

While you wait for the next Mutts show, listen to their latest EP in full below!

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categories / Photos, Gigs, Reviews
tags / Mutts, Campdogzz, Photography, Concert Photography, Photo Gallery, Live Review

LIVE: The National and This is the Kit Wrap Up Tour With an Operatic Show at Chicago's Civic Opera House

December 18, 2017 / Rachel Zyzda

The National and This is the Kit ended their tour at Chicago’s Civic Opera House with an operatic and dynamic show.

This is the Kit, the brainchild of Kate Stables, warmed up a full house at the Civic Opera House on Wednesday night. Their 30 minute set started with the lead track off This is the Kit’s 2017 album Moonshine Freeze, “Bullet Proof,” with Stables’ flawlessly smooth vocals ringing out into the magnificent theater. For the remainder of the set, the Sad Saxes joined the rest of the band to deliver an extra layer of dynamics to the harmonious group, and Aaron Dessner of The National even joined the lineup. Dessner had not only produced This is the Kit’s prior album Bashed Out, but lent his musical skills to their latest record. Live, the title track “Moonshine Freeze” took on a bold arrangement with a call and response effect between Stables and Rozi Plain of the group. Concluding their gentle performance that acted as the perfect way to ease the crowd into The National’s set, Stables thanked not only the crowd, but the entire crew of the tour, mentioning that the last night of tour was bittersweet.

Before The National hit the stage, Marty Lennartz of 93 XRT introduced the band as the perfect outfit to play at such a grand venue like the Lyric Opera House. Between their wide ranging sonic soundscapes and lead singer Matt Berninger’s sweeping vocal range that cuts right through you, The National filled the space perfectly and lived up to Lennartz’s introduction. Leading up to the operatic and emotional two hour show, the backdrop showed video of the band leaving their dressing room and making their way to the stage, and throughout the night the backdrop shifted to different videos and colored lights. Opening with “Nobody Else Will Be There,” the first part of the setlist payed homage to the band’s 2017 album Sleep Well Beast, which came out in September. Although the tour was in support of the latest record and the majority of those 12 tracks were scattered throughout the setlist, songs from The National’s other six studio albums and back catalog were sprinkled in between the newest songs. Among the old favorites that made their way onto the setlist of The National’s second sold out night in Chicago, “Lemonworld,” “Fake Empire,” and “Pink Rabbits” received some of the biggest reactions. The crowd stayed with the band the whole time, hooked on the way that the tone could switch from a haunting piano melody and delicate vocals in a song like “Carin at the Liquor Store” to Berninger’s growling vocals and the amplified “Squalor Victoria.”

Between the magnetic energy of Berninger's stage presence, the one-of-a-kind setlist, and the beauty of the venue, the closing night of The National’s tour proved to be another magical night for live music in Chicago. Check out photos from the special evening below, and keep up with all of The National news here.

While you wait for the next tour from The National, listen to Sleep Well Beast in full below!

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categories / Photos, Reviews, Gigs
tags / This is the Kit, The National, Live Review, Photo Set, Photography

PHOTOS: The Districts at Empty Bottle 12.10.17

December 13, 2017 / Rachel Zyzda

The Districts closed out a two-night, sold out streak with Sun Seeker and Katie Von Schleicher the Empty Bottle on Sunday night, in support of 2017's Popular Manipulations. Check out photos from the show below.

The Districts are hitting the road in 2018 with another ANCHR favorite, Twin Peaks. See all of those tour dates here, and listen to Popular Manipulations in full below!

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categories / Gigs, Photos
tags / The Districts, Sun Seeker, Katie Von Schleicher, Popular Manipulations, Empty Bottle

PHOTOS: BRONCHO at SubT 12.02.17

December 06, 2017 / Rachel Zyzda

BRONCHO returned to Chicago this past Saturday night to play Wicker Park's Subterranean for the second time this year. Check out photos from their set below, and see the rest of their upcoming tour dates here.

Keep up with BRONCHO on social media:

Facebook // Twitter // Instagram

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categories / Photos, Gigs
tags / BRONCHO, Subt, Chicago, Photo Gallery, Live Music

LIVE: Molly Parden and David Ramirez at Schubas 12.02.17

December 05, 2017 / Jackie Mlinarcik

Molly Parden felt right at home opening up for David Ramirez at Schubas Tavern Saturday night. The two complimented each other in the most unique way. Molly's presence warms you up with soft ballads, silky measures, and heartbreakingly raw lyrics. Then, David jumps on to stretch that out, do a little yelling, and turn up the volume to make you feel emotions aplenty during their one night at arguably Chicago's most charming venue.

Molly's guitar makes way as an extension of herself carrying light chords with heavy hitting lyrics to reach every person from wall to wall, talking soul search to heartbreak. The ease on stage lent to this beautiful conversation between her, her severing sound, and the crowd in front of her. Her reflective nature makes you sink into every love lost, love gained, and love you hope to have someday away. She was joined by David's keyboardist, Matthew Wright, for the back half of her set. The pair were nothing short to an explosion of intimacy and pristine melodic banter. They shared a sort of ping pong match between Molly's daring words and Matthew's striking heartbeat through the keys.

Molly also carried a subdued humor that set an affable tone for her show while noting her break from a contemporary Christian music upbringing, finding her space in the Nashville scene, and her ongoing new discovery of 90's music. Following that up, she surprised the crowd with her impassioned take on Gin Blossom's classic, "Found Out About You." Her music spins around very pointed moments in time, spaces and traces in a lifetime. She shared her lust for Kentucky in Kentucky, her influential Georgia roots, and just how much Chicago means to her.

Molly Parden is a powerhouse wrapped up in a soft package; Wearing white Chuck Taylors, playing an acoustic guitar, she helps hearts navigate waves of longing and loss. Her latest transparent single, "Sail On The Water", follows her fervent 2016 With Me In The Summer album release, and she admittedly adheres to a slow moving writing process. It's hard to wait, but at least that means she nurtures these seeds with such care and grace that it is worth the passing time.

Molly will be riding along with David through December. You can follow the rest of their tour here.

For more on Molly Parden, check out our interview with her here!

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categories / Gigs, Photos, Reviews
tags / Molly Parden, Schubas, Live Music, Photo Gallery, Live Review

PHOTOS: Dizzy, SHAED, and Foreign Air at Beat Kitchen 11.30

December 04, 2017 / Rachel Zyzda

The lineup at Beat Kitchen this past Thursday had the crowd dancing from start to finish. Toronto's Dizzy kicked off the night, performing their buzzy debut single "Stars and Moons," along with their latest single "Swim" and other unreleased tracks. Next, SHAED really amped up the energy and had the crowd singing almost every word along with lead singer Chelsea Lee. Lee brings powerhouse vocals with a soulful edge to the indie pop music produced by her bandmates, twin brothers Max and Spencer Ernst. SHAED's co-headliners Foreign Air closed out the night, keeping the dancing and singing streak going. The duo of Jacob Michael and Jesse Clasen performed their most popular tracks "Free Animal" and "In The Shadows," but they also incorporated their new single "Lying" into the set. See photos from the trifecta of a lineup below!

Check out the remainder of Foreign Air and SHAED's co-headlining tour with Dizzy here, and listen to Foreign Air's brand new single "Chakra Daemon" below!

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categories / Photos, Gigs
tags / SHAED, Dizzy, Foreign Air, Beat Kitchen, Photography, Photo Gallery, Concert Photography, Live Review

PHOTOS: Beach Slang at Cobra Lounge 11.25

December 01, 2017 / Abraham Piña

Beach Slang took over Cobra Lounge this weekend to deliver an incredible performance. Check out our gallery of the show below!

Beach Slang wrap up their tour this weekend--see the remaining dates here and keep up with them on social media:

Facebook // Instagram // Twitter

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categories / Gigs, Photos
tags / Beach Slang, Photography, Photo Set

LIVE: Jungle and NoMBe Bring The Moves and Grooves to Metro Chicago

November 30, 2017 / Rachel Zyzda

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.

Keep Up With Jungle on Social Media:

Facebook // Instagram

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categories / Photos, Reviews, Gigs
tags / Jungle, NoMBe, Red Bull Sound Select, Metro, Photo Gallery, Live Review

LIVE: Hockey Dad Kicks off Rowdy Night with The Frights at Lincoln Hall

November 29, 2017 / Rachel Zyzda

Australian duo of Zach Stephenson and Billy Fleming (AKA Hockey Dad) packed a punch with their opening set at Lincoln Hall on Saturday night. Supporting Vundabar and The Frights, the pair exuded as much energy of a band twice their size, bringing the talent and banter to reel in the crowd. The crowd didn't let Hockey Dad's infectious levels of energy go unreciprocated; by the middle of the set people were stage diving and crowd surfing, despite the set being so early. Their 30 minute set included songs from their debut album, Boronia, as well as their new single "Homely Feeling." They closed out their show with the catchy single "So Tired," which had a large portion of the crowd singing along. The crowd surfing and sing alongs continued over into Vundabar and The Frights' sets that followed.

Although Saturday's performance was a rarity, since Hockey Dad seldom make it over to the states, they were so well received that they'd be welcomed back at any time. See the rest of Hockey Dad's North American tour here, and check out photos of their set below!