Filtering by Category: Music
Live Recap: Sigur Rós at The Auditorium Theatre
A band you can’t easily sing to but you can most definitely heal to.
Sigur Rós cleansed the minds of the Auditorium Theatre attendees with 2 full extraordinary sets. Saturday evenings never sounded so soothing, especially after a 6 year absence (at least from Chicago).
The first set utilized a leisurely pace to bring us back into the warm and familiar embrace of Jonsi’s falsettos, with the first 3 tracks from () Untitled, the band’s third album. When “Svenfln-g-englar” kicked off next, you could see some head swaying and soft energy trickling through the crowd. From the classic light bulb filled set flickering through a heavy fog, the specific guitar moaning sound from the singer’s cello bow, to the guitar filtered yelling moment.. we were grounded and we were ready.
Throughout the set, the band alternated their playing positions. One song would be performed with each of the members isolated in their space but weaved together by the long twisted strings hanging from above. The next would gather all 4 of them to Kjartan Sveinsson’s side of the stage, who rejoined the band after nearly a decade. These latter performances brought a different and more intimate experience, feeling as close as I’d ever get to a living room show with Sigur Rós.
After 10 songs and a short intermission, the band returned with a slightly changed set. The long strings were now untwisted and Glosoli brought the energtic vibes back up.
If during the first set we were reminded of a lot of () Untitled songs, the second one was more heavy on Takk classics, performing about a third of the album. Lights were dancing in blue and green hues in a very “northern lights” way and the mountains were peaking through the big screens behind the band. It was as if we travelled across the ocean and lived in their little Icelandic world.
One of the highlights was when Jonsi held a 30 second long silence in the middle of a song and the crowd started filling the gap: “I love you”, “thank you” or “spaghetti” cheered the air. Jonsi continued the song with no reaction but when the second big moment of silence happened… everybody kept completely quiet. EVERYBODY. As a reward, when the song picked back up and the rest of the band joined in, Jonsi started acknowledging the crowd for the first time. He rocked his guitar and advanced towards the crowd, moving to all sides of the stage, yelling and making eye contact. All of a sudden, we were all up on our feet, dancing and cheering. Yes, you read that right. There was dancing at a Sigur Rós show. And jumping too.
The band has been recording their first proper album since 2013, and blessed our little ears with 2 new songs, sprinkled throughout both sets. Everything came to a close with “Popplagio”, the last track on ()Untitled, bringing it back full circle. The evening had us hearing almost the entirety of that album.
If you missed out on the event, check out photos of the evening below, and see where you can catch the tour next here.
Live Recap: Dehd's Sold Out Hometown Show with Pixel Grip and 81355
There’s nothing better than a hometown show, and Dehd confirmed that with their sold out extravaganza at Metro this past Saturday night.
Even before the first act of the night 81355 (pronounced “Bless”), the venue was already packed and getting more full by the minute. Unlike most shows I go to, the band members of 81355 didn’t just come onstage when it was their time— they received a dazzling introduction from the host and MC of the evening, Alex Grelle. Grelle got the crowd going with a captivating performance of “Take My Breath Away” while the projection screen reflected the logo of Top Gun Maverick. It was an unexpected opening to the night, but it certainly grabbed mine and everyone else in the venue’s attention. When it came time for 81355 to hit the stage, the group from Indianapolis continued to captivate the room with their genre-bending performance. The collaborative collective featured a full band and a mix of rapping and singing from members Sirius Blvck, Oreo Jones, and Sedcairn Archives.
Next up, Chicago-based trio Pixel Grip geared up to take the stage— but not without a warm welcome from Grelle again. This time Grelle entertained the venue with a wet t-shirt contest, drenching himself with a pitcher of water. Again, not something you see every day at a concert, but everyone loved it. The crowd also enthusiastically enjoyed the set from Pixel Grip, which featured a swirl of bass-heavy synths, pop vocals and atmospheric electronic melodies— all complemented by moody lighting and thick fog. During their set, vocalist Rita Lukea received a tattoo onstage that read “Dehd Forver” from Emily Kempf, which was yet another unforgettable moment of the gig.
The night only continued to get more spectacular when Grelle made the final introduction of the evening— this time donning an angel costume to reprise the role of “Angela the Angel” from Dehd’s “Loner” music video. Grelle welcomed Dehd’s members Emily Kempf, Jason Balla, and Eric McGrady to the stage to close out the show, and the trio launched into their single “Loner” alongside Grelle— essentially recreating the music video IRL. The set continued on with lots of fan favorites like “Lucky” and “Haha” from Dehd’s earlier catalog, mixed in with some fresh material from their brand new album Blue Skies. My favorite song off the new record is the single “Bad Love,” which I got to hear live for the first time at the show. The track possesses a feel-good, triumphant vibe that would be perfect for the soundtrack of a coming-of-age film. It was certainly the perfect fit for a sold out gig at Metro at the start of Summer.
Dehd wrapped up the evening with an encore performance that featured Pixel Grip and 81355 rejoining them onstage to perform “Desire.”
The entire evening provided a great mix of music with a diverse line up that once again showcased what an incredible music scene we have here in Chicago. Check out photos from the evening below, and see where you catch Dehd next here.
Live Recap: Bastille's Give Me The Future Tour Brings a Futuristic Rave to The Sylvee
“But if you close your eyes, does it almost feel like nothing changed at all?” We all know and love those lyrics from Bastille’s infectiously catchy massive hit song “Pompeii” right? As I was walking into The Sylvee in Madison, Wisconsin on a warm and sunny Wednesday evening, I couldn’t help but relate the current scene to those lyrics— While we’re in year three of dealing with a global pandemic and a lot has in fact changed in recent years, attending a Bastille show with fellow fans felt like a necessary safehaven in the midst of all this external chaos. It felt so eerily normal to be experiencing the spectacle that is Bastille’s Give Me The Future tour that it was easy to forget that so much has changed since they last toured North America for their album Doom Days.
The evening kicked off with a support set from Josh Fudge, who mentioned it was his and his band’s first time in Wisconsin. The audience welcomed the indie-pop singer songwriter from Oklahoma City with open arms and enthusiasm as he performed a few songs from his 2021 album Fun Times. Fudge mentioned that the rest of his set would be packed with new and unreleased music from his forthcoming record called Technicolor. Despite the unfamiliarity of the new music, the audience eagerly soaked up the feel-good tunes as they got warmed up for the main event.
Before we knew it, the stage had been set for Bastille’s immersive and intricate production; high risers loomed on the dark stage and a massive screen provided a backdrop to it all. As fog pumped out into the room, shadows of the band members appeared onstage as an introduction video about the band’s fictional concept “Future Inc.” featuring a Siri-esque narrator began playing on the big screen. From there, lead singer Dan Smith sang out the opening lines to “Stay Awake?” in front of a silhouetted spotlight and everyone dove straight into a futuristic rave full of dancing and escapism, aptly fitting in with the latest album’s title Give Me The Future. In the next song “Distorted Light Beam”, Smith proclaims “when I'm dreaming tonight, I can do anything” and those lyrics set everyone up for a euphoric experience.
Just as the audience never stopped dancing and jumping around during the 90-minute set, Smith rarely stayed in one section of the stage for more than a few seconds— he would occasionally drape himself across the chaise lounge positioned on one of the risers for slower moments, but otherwise he remained on the go, hopping across the stage and dancing to accentuate certain lyrics (for example, during “Those Nights,” Smith physically tugged at his own t-shirt as he sang “Pulling at my t-shirt, your hands everywhere.”) In addition to Smith’s dance moves, captivating visuals accompanied each song on the screen to make the live experience that much more immersive.
Between certain tracks, the lights would dim and audio interludes that were used on the album (such as “Promises” featuring Riz Ahmed) would play as a transition. Along with these interludes, Smith occasionally chatted between songs. He sarcastically stated “the album surprisingly is fucking depressing” about Give Me The Future, as the depressing undertones in the majority of their songs have been a constant throughout their entire discography. Take “survivin’”— the track features a simple, breezy and melodic chorus, which Smith asked the crowd to sing along with before they played it, but it details the feeling of auto-pilot survival mode that so many of us were on during the pandemic.
After performing a couple newer songs from the latest album as well as a stripped-down acoustic version of “4AM” from their third album, the main section of the setlist ended with a pinnacle of high energy. While playing the Marshmello collaboration “Happier,” Smith left his post onstage and wandered throughout the GA section of the floor, stopping at random points to dance and sing with members of the audience. The dancing didn’t stop there, though— when performing the mashup cover “Of The Night” (a cross between “Rhythm is a Dancer” and “The Rhythm of the Night”), Smith asked everyone in the crowd to kneel down before the chorus and then join him in jumping up and down. Next up, vocalist BIM got her moment to shine— actually, she’d been a star the whole set, adding depth to the band’s vocals— but she really showcased her vocals during the performance “Future Holds,” even leaving Smith kneeling down and mock-worshipping her by the end of the song.
Finally, the moment that the majority of the crowd had been waiting for: the band began playing the melody to “Pompeii.” The song’s introduction featured a brand-new arrangement for this tour, adding some spice back into the familiar favorite. The refreshed arrangement started with reverb-drenched synths and auto-tune vocals, which gave me nods of Bon Iver or Imogen Heap influences, as Smith slowly asked the familiar question “But if you close your eyes, does it almost feel like nothing changed at all. If you close your eyes, does it almost feel like you’ve been here before?” Aside from the new material, revamped production and revitalized arrangements that Bastille had on this tour, in that moment, hearing this song felt like such a familiar comfort—like returning home after a long trip away.
While it felt like the night couldn’t get any more special, the band left the stage to echoes of “Eh Ohs” before quickly returning for a two-song encore. The encore featured the unreleased and harmony-packed “Hope For The Future” as well as the single “Shut Off The Lights” which had everyone dancing until the very last moment.
If you get a chance to catch Bastille on this tour, do not miss it. Their show mixes the warm embrace of nostalgia with lots of cuts from their debut Bad Blood along with the unknown and suspenseful elements of the future. Check out the photo gallery of the show below, and see where you can catch Bastille next here.
PHOTOS: Kurt Vile with Natural Information Society at Thalia Hall
Live Recap: Just Like Heaven Music Festival
Last weekend, ANCHR hit the Just Like Heaven music fest in Los Angeles. Tune in below to hear all about our experience there!
First of all, on the bill was a great and diverse mix of music, from DJ Them Jeans playing the crowd in until Interpol ended the night, the music never took a break! Back to back to back, stage to stage, the music remained uninterrupted over the course of the day.
The fest itself was laid out over Brookside at the Hollywood Bowl; the terrain is smooth and mostly level, with lots grass and easy to get around. Parking was ample and for VIPs it was provided. The main stage, The Orion, had its own dedicated VIP and Clubhouse viewing sections but the stage was high enough if you wanted to be in the GA melee the view was still good, even if it was crowded. The secondary stage, Stardust, was lower but still located with a great sightline no matter where you were, VIP, Clubhouse or GA. The stages were far enough apart that the lights could be seen but the music from the other was just a soft din between sets.
In addition, both stages boasted some of the best video screens and sound I’ve experienced at a festival; like ever. Not a moment or word spoken on either stage was lost to the din of the crowd and the video screens were crisp, clear and tracked the stage action perfectly.
So pretty much no matter where you were, you could see and hear at least one of the stages. And if you weren’t listening you could have been eating—anything. From vegan fare to burgers, everything you could think of were represented in the food tents that flanked most of one side of the set-up. Tables, with sunshades and without, were ample or you could just pick a spot in the grass in the shade. Separate drinks tents were there for the boozy or the bland and the number of locations made it so the lines were never ridiculously long.
Merch tents with festival branded and band branded merch moved like clockwork with at least a couple dozen attendants working the tables. My friend tried to pick up several different T-shirts but sadly they had sold out pretty quick.
Overall, JLH is held in a well laid out, well apportioned space built for the vast crowds to make it feel like it wasn’t vastly crowded.
The Music
The biggest downside to the fest overall was that the stages were run on a tight, efficient schedule that made catching all the acts you wanted to a little tough if they were on opposing stages. For once a delay to start would have been appreciated. If you were at Orion, you would have to cut short one to make it to the next at Stardust in time. Sometimes lag time between acts is actually a good thing, but there was none at JLH. Down to the rotating stage for Orion that meant sometimes as few as five minutes between sets!
Gates opened and as the crowds made their way in there was music from DJs Them Jeans on Orion and Cosmic Kids on Stardust. As the lawns filled up, the first bands of the day took to Orion, where I spent the bulk of my time.
First up were The Cribs, with a short and sweet setlist that included a nod to the 15 year anniversary of “Men’s Needs.” They were a fun and energetic start to the day on the big stage.
Followed up by The Raveonettes, who’s set was a bit more subdued but sounded fantastic. Unfortunately because of the time sets and distances staying at Orion meant missing Geographer and Islands who were loaded up on the Stardust stage— too far away and the band times too close together to make it.
But back at Orion something was brewing and that was The Teaches of Peaches played in full by Peaches in honor of its 22 anniversary. And Peaches outdid even herself on this one! The dancers, the old lady stage persona she was dressed as, and the term is being used loosely, were fabulous. She made multiple costume changes include her black “Thank God for Abortion” one-piece. The crowd loved her and for good reason!
After her set I ducked over to the Stardust stage to catch !!!. Fun, high energy and a great time was had, then it was time to run back to Orion because The Hives were coming up next and well…The Hives tore the place down. So much loud, fun with Howlin' Pelle keeping photogs and security on their toes as he jumped off the stage and made for the barricade or turned and ran down the aisle to the center of GA without missing a beat or a lyric. The crowd was having fun, but so were The Hives.
And just when you think you can’t top something, Franz Ferdinand proved that they, in fact, were up to following someone as impressive as The Hives. They were amazing, including the refreshed line up with new drummer Audrey Tait stepping smoothly into the big shoes behind the kit. Honestly, having seen Franz play multiple times, this show was right on point. They looked, sounded, and felt so alive and fun— the entire crowd was dancing along.
Bloc Party was next on the Orion and probably suffered slightly coming after two of the (IMO) best bands of the day. They sounded good but frankly almost everything after the spin-along energy of Franz and the Hives feels slower, less frantic. I made my way back over to the Stardust to catch Chromeo, who was fun and dancey with a crowd chanting for them as they took the stage.
After Chromeo, it was time to grab some food and take a few minutes out of the sun before heading back to the big stage to catch the end of The Shins who sounded great and the crowd really seemed to love.
Then Modest Mouse took the stage to play a great set including their newest as well as, of course, the crowd favorite “Float On.” Even though the sets from both The Shins and Modest Mouse were not terribly dynamic after some of the acts, the music was solid and entertaining. I was questioning my logic of skipping M.I.A. for Modest Mouse in the end though.
Finally, headliners Interpol took to the stage bathed in a dark array of moody lighting in front of a crowd that had been waiting faithfully for the band. Their sound was great even though they seemed a somewhat dark end to an otherwise bright and amazing day. 14 songs and two encores later, they brought JLH to its inevitable close.
Overall, Just Like Heaven was a well planned and well coordinated festival with ample amenities and a great mix of music.
If you missed the festival, check out the photo gallery below featuring Chromeo, Franz Ferdinand, Peaches, The Hives and more!
Live Recap: Sunflower Bean and Jackie Hayes at Bottom Lounge
Brooklyn-based Sunflower Bean took to the stage of Bottom Lounge on a rainy Friday night in Chicago to present new tracks from their newly released third full-length Headful of Sugar. Playing in Chicago for the first time since 2019’s Taste of Chicago set (where they opened for none other than Courtney Barnett) the trio led off with the dreamy title track followed by album cut “In Flight” before wading into some of the back catalogue with “Twentytwo” from their second full length, 2018’s Twentytwo in Blue. Leading into this track, vocalist, bassist and front-women Julia Cumming dryly remarked, “Here’s a song called Twentytwo. It’s a Taylor Swift cover.”
The rest of the night was dominated mostly by cuts from their new record. These songs were accompanied by a palpable excitement crackling on stage as you saw a band work in unison to really sink into the skin of the new material. Bearing witness to that sense of discovery is always a treat, as is an act that projects the confidence to play mostly new material across the evening.
Cumming, guitarist Nick Kivlen and drummer Olive Faber took command of the stage quickly featuring a high dexterity of stage mobility with Cumming often stepping onto the barricade to engage with excited fans as well as regularly entangling with Kivlen, guitar to bass regularly meeting face-to-face. As the night went on, the audience became increasingly more buoyant as dreamy sways gave way to enthusiastic, individual dances. By the end of the set (which included “Easier Said” from their debut LP Human Ceremony) the Bottom Lounge was buzzing figuratively and literally with energy, as the distortion feedback loop from Nick Kivlen’s guitar lingered in the room after both the main set and the encore, with fans excitedly trying to talk over it about what they had just witnessed.
Sunflower Bean was supported by local alt-rocker Jackie Hayes who played songs off their latest EP, “There’s Always Going to be Something” released in 2021. The audience was left pulsating after Hayes’ highly-mobile stage-craft saw her careening and jumping about the stage, bouncing between and around both guitarist Savanna Dickhut and drummer Tony Mest, both staples of Chicago’s DIY scene.
Check out photos of the evening below, and see where you can catch the rest of the tour here.
PHOTOS: Julianna Barwick with Malibu at Lincoln Hall
Last Thursday night, Julianna Barwick put on a beautiful show at Lincoln Hall. See the full photo gallery of the evening, also featuring Malibu below, and see where you can catch Julianna Barwick next here.
Live Recap: mxmtoon with Chloe Moriondo at House of Blues
This past weekend, mxmtoon ended the week with a bang stopping by Chicago's very own House of Blues along with Chloe Moriondo.
Chloe and her bandmates started off the night filling the venue with pink and blue lights that covered every inch of the House of Blues. The highlights of her set were closer to the end of her time on stage as she performed one of her most popular songs" I Want To Be With You" and even a new surprise song titled “Hellhounds," which gave us a more electric and synthy song compared to her more " ghost pop" sound. They loved interacting with fans from the stage, whether it be conversations about things about her beloved dog Sammy or shout outs to listeners throwing up "little hand hearts" as they referred to them.
The main event mxmtoon was up next. The crowd roared as Maia followed her bandmates on stage and greeted everyone in attendance. She started off playing her most streamed song “Falling for U” which gained popularity in the summer of 2019 after blowing up on Tik Tok. She continued her set with a diverse collection of songs from her entire discography, including the upcoming album called Rising, which has an announced release date of May 20th. mxmtoon discussed important topics such as coming out to her family and de-stigmatizing medicine in between her songs with an audience full of support and understanding— so much support that she was given a pride flag and wore it around her shoulders for a number of songs and the crowd cheered as she did.
Overall, it was a wonderful night for the pop genre with these talented artists jam-packing the House of Blues. Next time they come around Chicago they will for sure need a bigger stage! Check out the photo recap of the evening below, and see where you can catch mxmtoon next here.
