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Live Recap: Mia Joy and Squirrel Flower at Sleeping Village (Shows are back!)

June 29, 2021 / Rachel Zyzda

This past Saturday afternoon, I made my way to Sleeping Village for the first time in more than a year and half to catch not one, but two recent ANCHR Artist of the Week alumni: Mia Joy and Squirrel Flower.

The show was the earlier of two hosted by the venue that day, in honor of Squirrel Flower’s sophomore record entitled Planet (i), released only the day prior. Although the performance was originally set to take place on Sleeping Village’s patio, thunderstorms and even threats of tornadoes pushed the gig inside, where eager music fans took their seats in the venue’s main room, many of who were experiencing a highly-anticipated return to live music. When Mia Joy took the stage, she relished in that same sense of excitement, joking that it was incredible to see an audience in person, rather than looking at a screen with a bunch of different colored hearts popping up (if you’ve watched an Instagram Live stream during the pandemic, you know that sight all too well).

Like Squirrel Flower, Mia Joy also released a record this year, so her set primarily featured songs from the debut album entitled Spirit Tamer. Backed by a live lineup of other Chicago musicians, Mia Joy performed tracks like “Ha Ha,” “Heaven Forbid,” and “Saturn”— the latter of which received a special arrangement thanks to the live band input. Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist V.V. Lightbody even contributed her flute-playing to the set, providing yet another special touch to the evening.

Ella Williams (aka Squirrel Flower) and her band took the stage next, delivering the first ever live performance of Planet (i) to an appreciative audience. Several of the songs on the record reference storms and tornadoes in particular— the irony of which was not lost on Williams as she bantered about the awful Chicago weather that day either being a curse or a celebration of the album’s recurring nod to disaster. As Williams played through the album front-to-back, vocalist Jess Shoman of the band Tenci joined the band onstage to lend some harmonies to “Deluge In The South.” When it came time for Williams to sing “Pass,” she made it about halfway through the song when she abruptly stopped to let the crowd know that Shoman was also supposed to sing on that, so we were lucky enough to hear a couple of takes of the track. Eventually, the set began to wind down and Williams delivered a solo performance of “To Be Forgotten” and “Desert Wildflowers” before her band rejoined her on the stage.

Check out photos from the performance below, and be sure to keep up with Mia Joy and Squirrel Flower for their latest tour and music news.

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categories / Gigs, Photos, Reviews
tags / Mia Joy, Squirrel Flower, Sleeping Village, Polyvinyl Records, Fire Talk, Live Recap

Live Recap: Glass Animals Brings Intimate Club Tour to Lincoln Hall

March 06, 2020 / Rachel Zyzda

At most sold out concerts, the crowd usually contains a mix of die-hard fans who know the full discography front to back, casual fans who mostly know the hits, and of course, the people who have been dragged along by their friends. However, as the audience filed into Lincoln Hall and packed the intimate concert hall, truly everyone seemed grateful to be among the lucky few ticket holders for a special evening with Glass Animals (which had sold out in seconds).

When the lights dimmed and the band made their way onstage, and lead vocalist Dave Bayley sang the first line of “Tokyo Drifting,” every single person around me started dancing and screaming the words back to the stage, confirming the fact that only true fans managed to get their hands on these limited tickets.

With their melodic mix of indie electronic, alternative and psychedelic genres, Glass Animals has honed in on a unique sound that’s seen them continue to grow and evolve. Despite the fact that throughout their ten plus years as a band, they’ve made their way up to sell out rooms like Aragon Ballroom in Chicago and toured with massive lighting rigs and production props, Glass Animals was able to strip away their shiny production and deliver a show that was just as captivating. While the stage may have been scaled down, Bayley’s stage presence and energy was anything but— he spun around in circles, danced with his bandmates, and never shied away from getting close to the crowd. In fact, after performing a handful of songs, Bayley decided to forego his place onstage to stand on the main bar in the venue while he performed the band’s single “Gooey” from their 2014 debut album. During that performance, there wasn’t a single person who didn’t have their eyes glued to the lead singer.

Following the outlandish performance of “Gooey,” Bayley traveled through the crowd to get back onstage and perform other favorites like “Youth” and “Pork Soda,” with a few new tunes sprinkled in the mix. One of the new songs, “Your Love (Déjà Vu),” was released as a single on February 19th. When all was said and done, this intimate show from Glass Animals gave fans a special opportunity to revisit some familiar songs that mean so much to them, while also allowing them to catch a glimpse of what the band has in store for their new music.

See where you can catch Glass animals next here (during the encore, Bayley promised they’d return to Chicago soon), and be sure to follow them on Facebook // Twitter // Instagram for all the latest updates.

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categories / Gigs, Photos, Reviews
tags / Glass Animals, Live Recap, Lincoln Hall, Photo Gallery

Live Recap: Temples Closes Out January With Sold Out Lincoln Hall Show

February 03, 2020 / Tina Mead

True diva energy defies gender and genre. Art d'Ecco took the stage with all the glitter and glam and kick ass attitude of a rocker diva and then some. From the moment d’Ecco started playing "Never Tell," his music pulled at every part of me, demanding nodding heads, swiveling hips, and pumping fists. The band moved, expressing emphatic notes with their whole bodies. Disco. Post punk. Classic rock. Pop. Glam. They all had their moments and the band never waned in their enthusiasm. "Nobody's Home" kicked the energy up a notch and made the bliss center of my brain sizzle. It may have been their first trip to Chicago, but I certainly hope it won't be their last.

British mops of hair swirled around them as Temples shred and drove through their music. They brought a polished pop sensibility to ethereal psych rock. "You're Either On Something," elicited happy hoots and waving arms. Followed by a smooth cerebral psych jam, "Holy Horses." It was eminently clear, this is the kind of music that takes you for a ride, and if you happen to be high, it would glisten. Thanks to legalization, I'm pretty sure there were more than a few enjoying the way the combo of THC and music makes your body vibrate. James Bagshaw said, "These people look like they've been waiting all week to dance," and gave them what they wanted with "Hot Motion." The sold out crowd was so happy and thick they were spilling out through the doors. They were a beautiful happy mass of music lovers, and soaked up every last second of ecstasy.

Check out photos of the evening and listen to Hot Motion in full below.

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categories / Gigs, Photos, Reviews
tags / Temples, Photo Gallery, Photo Set, Live Recap, Art d'Ecco

Live Recap: Diane Coffee with The Curls at The Hideout

January 27, 2020 / Tina Mead

The happy dance vibes bounced around The Hideout as The Curls took the stage. I dodged through nodding heads and moving bodies to get to the front. The Curls got the party started with old favorites as well as new jams. With changes in band members even the familiar tunes had a different feel to them. This band seems to be constantly evolving. I have seen them play with as many as 10 people on stage, so paired down to a more traditional four felt like a fresh perspective on the music. "Lemon Lime" stood out as an exceptionally stellar dance number, faster and tighter than I remembered. They brought all the energy we expect from a Curls show. Giving the audience both a release and energy they would need to carry them through to the much anticipated headliner.

There is a particular tension that comes with waiting for a band that draws a devoted fan base. The air was thick as people pressed forward. An eager round of hoots and screams greeted Diane Coffee as they came on stage. They wasted no time, songs blazed by leaving me breathless. No one could resist this kind of world-shaking experience. The band wailed as Diane Coffee gave all us all their energy. They constantly reached out to the audience and gave their band exuberant praise, falling to their knees, shredding back to back. Anything and everything to make the most of every moment and ounce of energy. The band rose to their challenge, enjoying the show and performing to a level few outwardly show. They could be seen as goofing, but the serious guitar riffs didn't leave room for error. A special shout out to amazeballs guitarist Kyle Paul for being such a joy to watch and also to his proud dad, who was celebrating his birthday. Gotta love a family shout-out!

Even when the music slowed down and Diane Coffee became slightly more stoic, they were still animated. Singing with gestures and expressions that would surely reach the nosebleed seats at the Lyric, let alone the back of the Hideout. There was not a bad seat at the show, although I was immensely happy to be front and center as the band’s energy washed over me. I felt dazed by the experience. I go to shows chasing that high.

Photos of The Curls and Diane Coffee