Tei Shi Enchants a Sold Out Metro

It’s 7:30 on a snowy, Monday night in Chicago (the first snow there’s been in months), yet the house is still packed as Tei Shi saunters onto a dimly lit stage at The Metro. Starting off her diverse and captivating performance with her latest single “How Far,” Tei Shi instantly won over the sold out crowd with her angelic vocals. In the opening song particularly, the heavy bass of the song created a beautiful juxtaposition with her soft falsettos. For the second song of the evening, the 2014 single “See Me,” the stage brightened up, illuminating the singer and her band. After wrapping up this slower, hypnotizing tune, Tei Shi told the crowd “I’m super excited to be supporting MØ, this is our first night with her.”

Tei Shi starts off the third song of the night on the microphone situated stage right, adding some dynamics to her performance. Based on the lyrics of this new song, which alternate between “breathe, I breathe, I breathe” and “creep, I creep, I creep,” along with other verbs that fall into that rhyming pocket, this new one is most likely called “Creep,” which is also track three on Tei Shi’s upcoming album. After playing another recent single, “Keep Running,” which was released this year, Tei Shi mentions the new album. “This is all brand new music that we just started playing. It’s all going to be on the new album. We’re gonna do another one,” she says, introducing another bass-heavy tune with a catchy dance beat. Based on the lyrics, this new one appears to be track 9 from the album Crawl Space, called “Justify.” This track, along with all of the new ones, had such a cool vibe, and the band executed each song perfectly, especially Tei Shi with her incredible vocal performance.

After playing another new song, presumably “Crawl,” which is track 12 on the new record, Tei Shi transitioned back into an older song, 2013’s “Nevermind the End,” a building, layered track full of ethereal vocals. The set winded down with Tei Shi saying, “We’ve got two more songs for you guys,” and expressing her gratitude to the crowd before playing one more new song. The new song features a fierce chorus and lyrics that say “you don’t know me, but you say you do,” which could be track 7 on Crawl Space, “Say You Do.” The stellar set ended just before 8:15 with one of the singer’s best known tracks, “Bassically,” the crowd cheering with recognition as the opening notes rang out. Tei Shi’s amazing performance closed out with her giving 1000% during this last song….she absolutely sang her heart out during this song’s powerful and piercing chorus. As she and her band left the stage to massive applause, it’s clear that Tei Shi has warmed up the crowd on this cold, Chicago evening.

If you’re out at SXSW this week, Tei Shi will also be there, and you don’t want to miss her incredible live show. She also just announced some new tour dates in May (below), but you can keep up with all of her tour dates here.

You can also preorder Crawl Space here, which is going to be an amazing album, based on the live preview of some of the tracks. In the meantime, get ready for the album by watching the video for "Keep Running." 

Goosebumps, Tears, and Laughter: An Evening With YEBBA and Rag'n'Bone Man

The crowd at The Bowery Ballroom on Thursday evening was blessed by not one, but two performances from soulful and powerful singer-songwriters.

The evening kicked off at 8:30 with the Harlem-based YEBBA, who slayed her short, but sweet mix of covers and original songs. "You probably don't know me, so I'm gonna sing some songs you do know," YEBBA said before transitioning into a stunning performance of "Killing Me Softly." The set moved on with an amazing rendition of "American Boy," featuring an accidental mic drop (or throw), which YEBBA smoothly recovered from. While the cover songs still let YEBBA's incredible vocal ability and raw talent shine through, the real magic happened when she sang her original songs. Emotions coursed through the entire crowd as YEBBA sang her first original song of the evening, which she introduced as a song about losing her mom only 5 months ago. By the end of YEBBA's emotive execution, some of the audience members were in tears.  Speaking of being brought to tears, even Ed Sheeran has said that YEBBA's next song, "My Mind," has brought tears to his eyes. Please stop reading this article and take a second to watch YEBBA perform "My Mind" at a Sofar Sounds gig:

Now that we've all been emotionally infiltrated by this song, we can get back to talking about YEBBA's last song of the evening, another original called "Light a Candle." She dedicated this one to anyone who has ever someone close to them, and the feels were real. Incredible doesn't even begin to describe the vibes in the room after YEBBA left the stage. 

YEBBA at The Bowery Ballroom 3/9/17

About 30 minutes later, the two-time BRITS Award winner Rory Graham, AKA Rag'n'Bone Man, graced the Bowery Ballroom stage to play his first ever show in America, backed by his extremely talented band. Like YEBBA, Rory also started his set with a cover. Starting out solo on a guitar, he gave a breathtaking, goosebump-inducing performance of "St. James Infirmary" by Louis Armstrong.  The nearly 90 minute, 18 song set rolled right along with the title track from the 2014 8-track EP Wolves. From then on, the audience remained hooked by the dynamic and diverse set. 

The set progressed with a trio of new songs, taken from the debut full-length Human, including "Ego," "Your Way or the Rope," and "The Fire." Before each song, Rory gives a brief introduction, making the crowd laugh as he talks about always having to wait for his girlfriend before "Your Way or The Rope." While his stage banter may be funny, Rory acknowledges the depressing nature of most of his music, saying, "I didn't come to cheer you up" before playing "Lay My Body Down," a dark, building tune that was originally released on the Wolves EP and made it onto the full length.  

Rory introduces the next song, "Perfume" as one he wrote with Ralph Pelleymounter from the band To Kill a King, and one that he hasn't played in three years. Hearing this song alone made the evening incredibly special, but the set rolled on with gem after gem, including a completely stripped back version of the next single, "Skin," featuring only Rory and his keyboard player. After such an intense, raw performance, that showcased Rory's immense vocal talent, he lightened the mood by mentioning he got high and wrote the next song "Grace." Rory continued to get personal with his song introductions, telling the crowd about his grandmother's strong matriarchal presence before playing "Life In Her Yet," and divulging about his close friend's battle with demons and addiction before playing "Odetta."  

As the night steered past the halfway point in the set, the mood lifted back up with "As You Are," which Rory also had to point out was one of his two-three happy songs that he has.  The band premiered the track "Fade To Nothing" from Human, which featured a killer drum outro, before moving onto the older tune "Guilty."  The crowd energy reached an all time high when the bass line to Rory's breakout single "Human" kicked in, the entire crowd singing along. The first part of the set concluded with another solo performance from Rory, this time singing one of his older songs "Die Easy." As Rory winded down the evening with this bluesy, powerful performance, a hush fell over the entire crowd until the last note rang out. As he walked off stage, the immediate and urgent chants for an encore followed.

The band reappeared, and appropriately, the two-song encore kicked off with "Bitter End," another new track from Human. The magical night closed out with the anthemic "Hell Yeah" from the Wolves EP, which features Vince Staples. After Rory and his band humbly and graciously thanked the audience, they left the stage for good this time to explosive cheers and applause, and it was clear that the first Rag'n'Bone Man gig in America was a glorious success. 

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If you're heading down to SXSW, make sure you catch one of the following Rag'n'Bone Man showcases:

Stay up to date with all of Rag'n'Bone Man's live performances here, and listen to Human now.

Daytrotter Downs Day 2 Highlights

Day 2 at Daytrotter Downs was even bigger and badder than Day 1, with music kicking off at 10AM at a local record store.  Once again, a mutual love and respect for music existed between the crowd and the bands. I also discovered new music and enjoyed every set that I managed to catch (you can check our Instagram for all of them), but here are the top highlights from Day 2....

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The Sires Guitarist Kept Losing His Hat Opening up Day 2

If you look really closely in the photo below, you can see the hat of one of Sires' guitarists on the stage. The entire band was so into the music and grooving along so hard that the hat just wouldn't stay on.  As with the opening slot of most festivals, the 2PM crowd for Sires was scarce, but they still gave their all and you could tell they love what they do when they get on stage.  The band is from Iowa, so if you're local make sure to check them out if you haven't already!

In Tall Buildings Played Songs From The Upcoming Album

Frontman Erik Hall and his bandmates played a beautiful set in the afternoon yesterday, which featured some new songs.  In our interview (coming soon) Erik revealed that was only the second time playing the new songs; the first being during Tomorrow Never Knows in Chicago in January. The new songs sounded incredible, so keep your eyes and ears out for new In Tall Buildings music this year. 

Bobby Hussy Lit His Guitar On Fire

In our Daytrotter Downs spotlight, I mentioned that I'd heard all about Bobby Hussy's love for pyrotechnics and his stage presence, but I didn't know how well lighting his guitar on fire would go over in the setting of Daytrotter Downs. However, at 5PM, Bobby Hussy of The Hussy lit his guitar on fire on the floor of the Redstone Room.  It just doesn't get more badass and more Rock'n'Roll than that. Check out the video on our Instagram, and make sure you go see The Hussy if you ever get the chance. 

Sarah Potenza Gave A Shout Out to Humboldt Park

During her early evening set, Sarah Potenza wooed the crowd with her powerful, soulful vocals. She also provided the laughs with some of her stories, one of which included a part about the 10 years she lived in Chicago in a Humboldt Park apartment. After her set, she also did an impromptu interview with me, so stay tuned for that. She'll be in Chicago with Gaelynn Lea tomorrow, so check them out if you can!

All Eyes Were on Gaelynn Lea

For the first time during the entire festival, I didn't have much personal space to stand during Gaelynn Lea's performance. Because everyone was watching her set. She delivered an absolutely stunning and mesmerizing hour-long set to a packed house with her haunting vocals and incredible violin playing. Gaelynn also promoted taking risks and doing what you love during her set. Before playing a new song of hers, Gaelynn mentioned she was nervous to play it, but she was doing it anyway because "it's good to do things that make you nervous."  Seriously, if you're reading this and you're based in Chicago, go see her at Schubas tomorrow night.

Adam Torres Captivated The Crowd with his Cutting Vocals

Without a doubt, Adam Torres was towards the top of my list to see during this festival, but his set exceeded my expectations. He put the entire crowd in a trance with his unique and haunting vocals, often backed by the beautiful violin playing of his bandmate Elizabeth Warren (he also made the "no not the senator" joke that most of you are probably thinking right now). He also gave the backstory to most of his songs before he played, which I always find fascinating when watching songs come to life. 

Post Animal Just Being Post Animal

Hands down, the Post Animal set topped my list of favorite performances this weekend.  As usual, they gave their performance their all and had the crowd reciprocating their massive energy levels. I mean, just check out the hair flip from Dalton in the photo below....

The house was completely packed and everyone in the front was moving the whole time. A few people even crowd surfed, making their set the rowdiest of the evening.  The guys will be out at SXSW later this month, and they're also touring nationally throughout the Spring, so go see them when they roll through your town.  

Daytrotter Downs Day 1 Highlights

Yesterday evening, Daytrotter kicked off their two-day 47-band festival in downtown Davenport. As we mentioned in our Daytrotter Downs Spotlight, there's not a bad band on the line up. While every set I caught yesterday was incredible, one of the highlights on Day 1 was just this mutual energy and respect displayed between each band and the audience. Everyone at the festival just seemed to be genuine fans of music, and as a fellow music fan, that community and mutual bond is just something really special to witness. Here are some of the additional highlights to Day 1....

Michigander Promotes Doing What You Love

Fronted by Jason Singer, the Kalamazoo based band Michigander had the task of opening up the two day festival to a scarce crowd.  Although the crowd was small, they were receptive and instantly hooked by Singer's raw and emotive vocals and the chemistry between the band members.  The three piece not only delivered a beautiful set, but Singer reminded us all of a very important message.  "Do what you love...life is short," Singer said before playing the band's last song on the set.  He had prefaced the statement by encouraging everyone to take a chance on something that they love, even if they're scared that no one will like it or they won't make any money doing it.  In a community of up and coming musicians and music fans, that message is so important. It's the best when a musician can deliver motivation and great music, and that's exactly what Michigander did during their opening slot. 

P.S...Make sure you check out Michigander at SXSW if you're going. 

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Seasaw Worked Through Technical Difficulties, While Smelling Good

Meg and Eve of Seasaw won over their crowd instantly with their beautiful harmonies, their bedazzled drum kit, and their coordinated, bold outfits. What really set their performance apart was their ability to keep playing through some technical difficulties with Meg's keyboard and their quirky stage presence and sense of humor.  Towards the end of their set, Eve mentioned that the pair are sponsored by Schmidt's Deodorant, which is equally hilarious and awesome.  The duo are currently on tour, so make sure you check them out if you're looking for a night of good tunes and laughs. I also got the chance to chat with them after their set, so stay tuned for an interview. 

The Golden Jaybird filled in for Kississippi 

While I was bummed to find out that Kississippi couldn't make it to Davenport safely for their 9PM slot, due to vehicle issues, the replacement on the line up did not disappoint.  The Golden Jaybird swooped in to save the day, delivering a completely magnetic performance, which was just incredible considering they'd only been asked to play an hour before their set.  Composed of two local bands, The Golden Fleece and Condor & Jaybird, the hybrid group pulled off a last minute performance with a massive stage presence and response from the crowd.  Their psychedelic-laced jams got the crowd moving the most that they'd been all night, which continued on through the remaining sets.  Condor & Jaybird will be touring the Midwest this month, and after such a great set last night, they're definitely on my radar. 

NE-HI Rocked a Receptive Crowd

Chicago rockers NE-HI just released an album last week, and as they mentioned in their interview with us (coming soon), their week has been non-stop since the release.  Despite the long days and nights that they've had since the release of Offers, the guys didn't hold anything back during their 45 minute set last night.  The crowd, which included some of the band's family, was feeding the energy right back. Like Michigander, they'll also be at SXSW so make sure you catch one of their sets if you're heading out to Austin!

Joan Of Arc Awed the Audience

While talking to other attendees and even some of the bands, it quickly became apparent that Chicago's Joan of Arc was one of the most anticipated acts of the night, and it was easy to understand why as they completely captivated a full house during their 11 PM set.  The energy and chemistry between the four band members was so evident during their entire show. They exuded this subtle confidence as performers, which no doubt stems from their years of making music together.  They just delivered such a completely packaged performance it was just amazing to witness how enchanted to crowd became during it.  

Mountain Swallower Completely Underestimated Themselves

Hours before their midnight set that closed out Day 1, I sat down with Mountain Swallower to find out about their background as musicians and what they have planned for this year as a band. During our conversation, they came across as really good friends just having a good time making music together, with a goal of taking it one step at a time and just becoming better musicians.  While they really seemed to share a mutual love for making music, they definitely came across as humble and even critical of their own music. However, as soon as they took the stage, the crowd's energy surged to an all-time high. People were moshing, stage-diving, crowd surfing, and just having a great time throughout the hour long set (check out ANCHR's Instagram for a video of the action).  With each song, the Quad-Cities band just kept feeding the energy back, and they displayed raw talent and such incredible musicianship.  Needless to say, they definitely underestimated themselves in our interview. If you're in the Quad-cities area, you need to see this band perform.  There couldn't have been a better ending to Daytrotter Downs Day 1...

Stay tuned for our interview with Mountain Swallower

Stay tuned for more live updates on our social media accounts today, and check back tomorrow for Day 2 highlights.

Big Thief Deliver a Powerful Set at TNK Fest Night One

The Brooklyn-based band headline a sold out Schubas as part of Chicago's annual Tomorrow Never Knows Festival

“Best song of 2017!” exclaims at audience member, after the Brooklyn based band Big Thief finish their popular track “Paul.”  It’s a Wednesday evening at a completely packed Schubas Tavern, and the first night of Chicago’s annual 5-day festival Tomorrow Never Knows.  “We’ve got a long way to go….I hope we can make it,” lead singer Adrianne Lenker responds. 

Forty minutes prior to this exchange, give or take a few minutes, the usually four-piece Big Thief made their way on stage sans guitarist Buck Meek, opening with a new track “Cut My Hair.”  It’s nearly midnight by the time the band starts, headlining a stellar line up of Campdogzz, Hoops, and Sam Evian, but from the minute Adrianne sang out the first line of her narrative-style lyrics, the crowd was mesmerized.  After playing new tracks called “Those Girls” and “Shark Smile,” Big Thief played some crowd favorites, “Vegas” and “Real Love” from their debut album Masterpiece.  The title track of the debut album immediately followed, the crowd singing along with Adrianne’s cutting, yet delicate vocals. 

Big Thief at TNK Festival 2017

The streak of older tunes ended and more new tunes followed, each still possessing Adrianne’s signature story-telling structure and emotive delivery.  Before playing the tune “Parallels” from the first album, Adrianne addressed the heavy presence of new songs on the set list, saying “We’re doing a lot of new songs, and we’re gonna do a few more…but not at this moment.”  Cut to the band playing “Paul,” and the exchange that happened between an enthusiastic fan and Adrianne.

Despite the fact that they were missing a band member, the remaining three bandmates all displayed incredible musicianship, with a no frills stage set up (they even had handwritten set lists) that allowed for the crowd to focus solely on the music.  Adrianne chatted briefly a few times between songs, connecting with the audience, but the rest of the time it was like Adrianne, James, and Max were in their own world with a magnetic energy coursing between each of them on stage.  The band managed to further lure in their audience by being so well connected and in-tune with each other.  

The hour-long set winded down with a couple more older tracks, including “Velvet Ring” and the single “Humans.”  Adrianne chatted to the still-mesmerized crowd before their final song, thanking everyone for coming out and mentioning they already have a new record finished.  “We’re just getting ready to make some copies of it.  It’s gonna come out in the spring, and a lot of these songs will be on there,” she continued.  The set wrapped up around 12:50AM, with a new track shown on the set list as “Terminal.” 

Keep up with all the latest on Big Thief and their upcoming album by heading to their website and signing up for the mailing list.  To hold you over until you can hear the new stuff, grab a copy of Masterpiece here.