Filtering by Category: Gigs
PHOTOS: The New Respects and The Aces 6.21.18
Last week, The New Respects and The Aces kicked off Millennium Park's free summer concert series at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion. Check out our photo gallery from the show below, and see what other free concerts are coming up at Millennium Park this summer here.
Can't get enough of The Aces and The New Respects? Check out our interviews with each band by clicking their names.
PHOTOS: Bodega and Engine Summer at Empty Bottle 6.19.18
Brooklyn band Bodega came through Chicago on Tuesday night to promote their upcoming debut album, Endless Scroll, out July 6th. Chicago's own Daysee and Engine Summer opened up the show; Check out photos of the gig below.
See the rest of Bodega's upcoming tour dates here, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
PHOTOS: Snail Mail with Bonny Doon and Miranda Winters at SubT 6.16.18
Snail Mail returned to Chicago this past weekend to headline a sold out Subterranean, accompanied by Bonny Doon and Miranda Winters of Melkbelly. Check out our photo gallery of the stacked line up below!
Check out the rest of Snail Mail's upcoming tour dates here, and listen to the debut album Lush in full below!
PHOTOS: Rock The Garden 2018
This past weekend, we caught a stacked line up at Rock The Garden. If you missed out, check out photos of Father John Misty, Kamasi Washington, P.O.S, Nikki Lane, Chastity Brown, Low Cut Connie, and U.S Girls below!
PHOTOS: Julia Steiner, Buck Meek, and Sam Evian at Schubas 6.14.18
Schubas Tavern hosted a trifecta of singer songwriters on Thursday night. First up, Julia Steiner of Ratboys mixed in some brand new songs with some Ratboys favorites, her bandmate Dave Sagan accompanying her on most songs. Next up, Big Thief's Buck Meek and his band warmed up the stage playing songs from his solo debut, self-titled album before returning to the stage again to accompany Sam Evian. By the time Evian hit the stage, the room had completely packed in, and the musicians all exuded a magnetic chemistry as they played through songs on Evian's new album You, Forever.
Check out photos of all three of the sets below.
See all of Sam Evian's upcoming tour dates here, and listen to You, Forever in full below.
PREVIEW: Out of Context Productions Provides Summer Indie Jams at GMan Tavern
Photo by Evan Olea
One of the many beauties of Chicago’s local music scene is that there really is something for everyone. From pulsating EDM to blaring metal, to even chilled out acoustic, the city and its surrounding areas offer a variety of sounds able to satisfy almost any musical craving. Behind many of these shows is Out of Context Productions; and their next event is perfect for those looking to dance, cry, and nod along all night long.
Coming to Gman Tavern in Chicago will be Slow Caves, Laverne, and Uma Bloo - three groups that all offer their own unique spin on the indie rock genre. Here’s a bit of what can be expected from each of the artists on Wednesday, June 20th.
Kicking off the night will be Chicago singer-songwriter Uma Boo. Her songs offer meditations on vulnerability and the strength within femininity. Uma Bloo has been crooning to audiences’ hearts on many of Chicago’s iconic stages recently (Tonic Room, Subterranean and Burlington Bar just to name a few) and is sure to open the night with an emotionally stirring performance.
Fans of The Kinks, The Pretenders, and Bruce Springsteen will enjoy the sounds of Laverne. The band brings an upbeat and dancey style of guitar-pop that is sure to bring a great time. Their newest release “Live at the Whistler” gives a slight glimpse into what this band is like live, and it’s immediately apparent that these guys are all about having a good time.
Closing out the night is Colorado band Slow Caves. A band that is anything but slow, and is quick to establish that their sound is full of catchy pop hooks. The band offers a relaxed yet fun and vibey sound, reminiscent of 90’s jangle, 80’s synth, and surf rock. And since this band has opened for bigger acts such as Cold War Kids, St. Lucia, and Cake, it’s pretty easy to see why this fun band is rounding out an indie-filled jam fest.
Interested in checking out what these groups are about? Out of Context has put together a playlist featuring songs from all three acts! Here is just a bit of what may be heard at Gman Tavern:
PHOTOS: Middle Kids and Duncan Fellows at Lincoln Hall 6.9.18
Our favorite Aussies in Middle Kids returned to Lincoln Hall this past Saturday, June 9th, along with Duncan Fellows. Check out our photos of the show below, and see the rest of Middle Kids' upcoming tour dates here.
Make sure you also listen to Middle Kids' debut album in full below!
Can't get enough Middle Kids? Revisit our interview with them here.
Bonnaroo 2018 Sunday Highlights
The final day of Bonnaroo began with a rainstorm, breaking the streak of sunny days that the festival had seen so far. Fortunately, the rain stopped in time for most of the acts scheduled in Centeroo, only leaving behind some puddles and mud piles around the festival grounds. The mud didn't stop the party, and music only got off to a delayed start at some of the stages, eventually catching back up to the original schedule. Check out our final day highlights of Roo 2018 below.
Sir Sly Opened With a New Song
Sir Sly was on one of the stages effected by the rain delay, but they got things moving quickly, only starting about ten minutes late, rewarding the patiently awaiting tent by opening with an unreleased new song called "Welcome The Pressure." "This has been the year of our dreams," frontman Landon Jacobs told the crowd, mentioning that this was their very first Bonnaroo and that they'd had so many great opportunities this year. Sir Sly has had a recent much-deserved streak of success following the release of their sophomore album Don't You Worry, Honey; the album showcases a raw vulnerability in Jacobs' lyrics, which reveal the hardships of a divorce and losing his mom to brain cancer, and the growth that the trio has shown in their sound and production. During their live show, all of that mixed with Jacobs zealous stage presence makes for an unforgettable show. At their Roo set, Jacobs moved around the stage to jam with his bandmates Jason Suwito and Hayden Coplen, and even climbed up the stage truss at one point. The band let their enthusiastic audience let them know how appreciative they are of their support, with Jacobs saying, "This reconfirmed the choice I made years ago to finish this album instead of sticking it out with someone who didn't support my dreams," referring to his decision to pursue music instead of staying in his marriage. It was clear that the crowd at Bonnaroo were very happy he made that choice, too.
Fans Danced in the Mud to Jungle
London soul collective Jungle hit the Which Stage in the evening with the sun shining, almost making us all forget that it had stormed earlier that day...if it hadn’t been for the giant mud pits around that stage. Fans made the most of it though, sliding around barefoot in the mud to move along to the cool, groovy tunes provided by Jungle. Jungle's mix of chilled out and funk vibes paired perfectly with the mood on the last day of Roo, allowing for fans to relax a bit after three long days of music and festivities. The group also played several new songs, like "Happy Man," "Cherry," and "House in LA," which all follow up their 2014 debut album.
Dua Lipa Hosted a Dance Party
British singer songwriter Dua Lipa has quickly become one of the biggest names in international pop music over the last year, with collaborations with the likes of Calvin Harris and Sean Paul. Naturally, she drew a massive crowd at the What Stage for her evening set, with flocks of fans eager to get in any last chance to dance this weekend. As expected, Dua brought the dance party, providing all of the bangers and by bringing along her crew of backing dancers and singers. Opening with "Blow Your Mind (Mwah)," the set kept moving with hit after hit, like "Be The One" and "Hotter Than Hell," which had the crowd singing along to the catchy choruses.
The Killers Opened With "Mr. Brightside"
Some ardent fans had been waiting all day for a chance to get in the main pit for The Killers' headlining slot. By 10:20 PM, the long wait was over when the band hit the decked out stage, with frontman Brandon Flowers looking sharp as usual in a flashy red suit. The energy of the huge crowd immediately peaked when the opening chords of "Mr. Brightside" rang out into the field, fans losing their minds, jumping and dancing around for the entire song. It's rare that a band starts their set with their biggest hit, but the bold move got the crowd immediately amped up and ready for the remainder of the set that featured a dynamic mix of The Killers' discography. About two songs in, Flowers brought up the quote from Evel Knievel that people come to see the attempt, not the perfect landing, and that they'd be giving it their all to put on a rock'n'roll show. As promised, The Killers gave it their all for the final set of the entire weekend, ending the weekend on a high note.
That's a wrap for Bonnaroo 2018! Keep an eye out for our upcoming festival coverage this summer.
Bonnaroo 2018 Saturday Highlights
Saturday at Bonnaroo featured tons of incredible shows from artists of every genre. In fact, the schedule was so jam-packed that it left a lot of fans wishing they could be two places at once due to conflicting shows. Here are some highlights you may have missed from the third day of Roo if you were busy hopping from show to show.
POND Crowd Surfed During Their Second Song
POND took the stage bright and early on Saturday afternoon, breaking in the This Tent with their psych rock jams and laid back attitudes. The band let the crowd know that their Bonnaroo performance was the very last show of their recent US tour before they return home to Australia, and they definitely went out with a bang. Frontman Nick Allbrook began the set on the right foot, immediately jumping into the audience to crowd surf during the second song. From there on, the energy remained high, with Allbrook sauntering around the entire stage, jumping down at certain points to go up to the fans at the barricade. The crowd’s energy remained right up there with the band’s, with everyone dancing and singing along despite the extreme heat.
POND Frontman Nick Allbrook
Chance The Rapper Crashed Knox Fortune's Set
Chicago Producer and singer songwriter Knox Fortune has garnered buzz for his work with rapper Joey Purp, but more notably for singing the hook on Chance The Rapper’s song “All Night.” Naturally, when rumors surfaced on Friday that Chance The Rapper had been spotted around the Bonnaroo campgrounds, some clever fans began to speculate whether or not Chance might join Knox Fortune’s set to bring their collaboration to life. Sure enough, towards the end of Knox’s afternoon set at the That Tent, some lucky fans were able to witness a rare special performance of the track when Chance came onstage to perform his verses. Chance hasn’t made any other pop up appearances onstage this weekend, so this may have been the only chance to catch him (pun intended).
Knox Fortune at The That Tent
Rag'N'Bone Man Apologized For His Dancing
British singer songwriter Rory Graham, aka Rag’N’Bone Man, combines his raw, bluesy vocals with soulful pop melodies to craft addictively catchy songs that made for a great sing along during his set. The success of his single “Human” from his debut album also of the same name attracted hoards of fans to the This Tent for his evening set. During his set, Graham displayed his humble nature, often thanking the crowd for turning up and making self-deprecating jokes. He told the crowd that playing festivals in the states can be quite daunting since he always thinks no one “knows who the fuck I am,” and he seemed genuinely touched at how many people turned up to watch him. All of the fans who showed up were treated to stripped down introductions and intricate arrangements of Graham’s songs, as well as some laughs when he chatted between tunes. “I apologize for my dancing,” Graham said, recalling a time someone wrote a review of his show saying he was good, but his dancing is awful. We’re all for his dancing here though since Bonnaroo is about radiating positivity.
Rag'n'Bone Man at the This Tent
A Blow Up Doll Crowd Surfed During Post Animal
Our pals in Post Animal made their Bonnaroo debut last night to an overflowing and hyped up crowd at the Who Stage. Although their set time clashed with some other major shows, including Bon Iver’s first set, fans still flocked to see their second ever festival performance, following last month’s debut at Shaky Knees in Atlanta. Throughout the past couple of years, the group has beefed up their live show, honing in on their song transitions and arrangements to make for a special experience of their songs that you can only get at their live shows. Their efforts to put on a smooth and engaging show didn’t go unnoticed by their enthusiastic crowd, who immediately opened up a mosh pit and crowd surfed throughout the 45 minute set. One audience member brought a blow up doll with them, which surfed above the crowd and even ended up on stage at one point. Post Animal has never been known to put on a tame show, but last night was definitely one of the wildest. You can catch their next major festival performance later in the summer, when they take the Lollapalooza stage for the first time.
Justin Vernon Brought The Eaux Claires Spirit to the Second Bon Iver Set
When Bon Iver’s first set of Saturday night consisted mostly of songs from the album 22, A Million, fans began to speculate that the later set would include some of the classics from the earlier days. However, Justin Vernon took a completely different approach by turning the set into a collaborative performance piece. The collaborative vision closely tied into the mission of Vernon’s hometown festival in Eau Claires, Wisconsin, which frequently features surprise sets and crossover between bands and artists during their shows. Not only did the Bon Iver show last night have special guest appearances, but dancers also accompanied the music for certain songs. Coupled with the intricate lighting design, the dancers tied together the show’s production level. As for the musical guests, Vernon first invited Francis and the Lights early on in the set, before welcoming him back to perform their hit “Friends”…with both Vernon and Francis joining in on the dancing. Other guests included Moses Sumney and Sylvan Esso, with the latter coming out on stage to perform “Flume” with the band, as well as their own song “Coffee.” Vernon even invited Parkland survivor Aalayah Eastmond out to speak about gun control, adding some activism into the set. Overall, the show was completely unique to most Bon Iver shows you’d catch, which made for the perfect ending to Bonnaroo’s third day.
