Filtering by Category: Gigs
PHOTOS: Maisie Peters with Jonah Kagen at Lincoln Hall
We kicked off the month of March with a beautiful show from singer-songwriter Maisie Peters and Jonah Kagen at Lincoln Hall. If you missed out on tickets to the sold out show, check out our photo recap below, and see where you can catch Maisie Peters next here.
PHOTOS: K.Flay at Park West
PHOTOS: The Weather Station with Helena Deland at Lincoln Hall
Last Friday night, we kicked off the weekend with a beautiful show from The Weather Station and Helena Deland at Lincoln Hall. Check out the full photo recap of the show below, and see where you can catch The Weather Station next here.
PHOTOS: Faye Webster at Metro
Last Tuesday night, indie folk singer Faye Webster brought her whimsical tunes to the Metro, in celebration of her latest album I Know I’m Funny Haha. If you missed out on the show, check out the photo recap of the evening below, and see where you can catch Faye Webster live next here.
Live Recap: Magdalena Bay and Cecile Believe at Lincoln Hall
This past Thursday night, LA pop duo Magdalena Bay headlined their first ever Chicago show to a sold out crowd at Lincoln Hall, in honor of their debut album Mercurial World.
Cecile Believe warmed up the packed house with her electropop tunes that perfectly complemented the musical styling of Magdalena Bay. Cecile performed her set with a backing DJ and minimal other gear, but she awed the crowd with a magnetic performance and interpretive dance moves that accentuated her songs. Many of the audience members enthusiastically soaked up her songs, particularly the fan favorite “Bitch Bites Dogs.” If you’re a fan of Caroline Polachek and FKA Twigs, you should definitely check out Cecile Believe.
Eager energy pent up throughout the venue during Cecile’s set, and the release of that euphoric energy was palpable when Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin of Magdalena Bay hit the stage to perform their set. The show began with a Y2K-era style graphic appearing on the background screen and a robotic narration to introduce the band, which essentially felt like the band’s website for Mercurial World had been brought to life.
The set began with the introductory track from the album ironically entitled “The End,” which features Tenenbaum’s philosophical musings. From there, the duo quickly launched into the record’s title track and played out the setlist in the precise order of the album’s tracklist. Magdalena Bay’s mesmerizing stage presence and immersive stage props gave their show an air of a blast from the past— Tenenbaum’s microphone headset gave me flashbacks to those Britney Spears used in the 90’s and early aughts. That tinge of nostalgia added to the sense of escapism that Magdalena Bay was providing to their fans, who were all dancing and screaming along to the lyrics.
When the time came for the last song of the record called “The Beginning” (again—ironic), the robotic narrator returned to instruct the audience to cheer for an encore. Tenenbaum and Lewin obliged and returned to perform some of their earlier material, like the singles “Killshot'“ and “Good Intentions.” The show ended with the entire room jumping up and down on Tenenbaum’s command.
If you missed out on the show, check out our photo recap below, and see where you can catch Magdalena Bay next here.
PHOTOS: Indigo De Souza and Lucy Dacus at Thalia Hall
This past Tuesday night, fans gathered at Thalia Hall for a sold out show from Indigo De Souza and Lucy Dacus. Despite having herniated discs in her back, Lucy still managed to put on an incredible performance—all from a couch that was placed on the stage before her set. The stage set up gave out cozy vibes that almost made it feel like we were watching the show from our own living rooms.
If you missed out on the gig, check out our photo recap below, and see where you can catch Lucy next here.
PHOTOS: Current Joys with Dark Tea at Thalia Hall
This past Saturday night, fans packed the house at Thalia Hall for a night of feel-good and fun tunes from Dark Tea and Current Joys. If you missed out on tickets to the sold out show, check out our photo recap and see where you can catch Current Joys on tour next here.
Live Recap: CHAI with Su Lee at Lincoln Hall
This past Friday night, Chicagoans braved the cold and snowy conditions to overflow the room at Lincoln Hall for CHAI and Su Lee. The sold out show acted as the inaugural date for CHAI’s current North American tour.
South Korea’s Su Lee kicked off the evening with a set that combined comedy with her quirky bedroom pop music. As it turns out, the Lincoln Hall show was actually Lee’s first live performance, but she easily endeared herself to the audience with her funny between-song banter and relatable song topics. Her stage set up was minimal with just a microphone, a keyboard and her laptop but her presence captivated the audience and her songs—including the vial “I'll Just Dance”— had the crowd dancing along. Lee’s set included a cover of “Cocoa Butter Kisses” by Chicago’s own Chance the Rapper and the iconic “Take On Me” by a-ha. The crowd ended up loving Su Lee so much that they chanted for an encore.
After a brief stage changeover, the time came for CHAI to hit the stage, marking their return to Chicago for the first time in over two years. Every time I’ve seen CHAI perform in the past, they always deliver an incredible element of theatrics and production, but this was the first time I’d seen them perform as headliners—which only elevated their levels of theatrics. The band members Mana, Kana, Yuuki and Yuna entered the stage decked out in matching silver capes and performed a choreographed opening dance number before launching into their single “No More Cake.” The choreography and coordination continued throughout the show as the four members of CHAI used dance movements to accentuate their music. As the group performed a mix of songs from their 2021 album Wink and earlier releases, they rotated to different instruments and places on the stage, showcasing the multiple hats that every member of CHAI wears.
Just before CHAI left the stage for an encore, they welcomed special guest Ric Wilson to sing their collaboration track “Maybe Chocolate Chips,” giving the Chicago audience a unique performance the rest of the tour won’t experience. As with any past CHAI show I’ve attended, I left the show feeling the pure jubilation that the band conjures with their bubbly spirits and effervescent tunes.
If you missed out on tickets to the show, check out the photo recap of the evening below, and see where you can catch CHAI on tour next here.
