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Joey Vannucchi Is The Poster Child for Soft Indie Rock: From Indian Lakes Charms Minneapolis on 5.16.17

May 19, 2017  /  Morgan Winston

Wearing an ill-fitting white t-shirt, cuffed jeans and a simple gold ring, Joey Vannucchi is the poster child for soft indie rock. The soothing lead singer of From Indian Lakes charmed the crowd last Tuesday at 7th St Entry, offering a lulled but impactful set.

From Indian Lakes is known for sweet acoustic melodies and intricate rhythms. However, when listening to their studio recordings, I found it difficult to understand how their sound would translate to a live setting. I entered the venue with skepticism, but my expectations were soon blown out of the water.

Queen of Jeans opened the night with a wonderful set. They played off of each other with ease and became more comfortable with the help of an accepting Minnesota crowd. This newer band from Philadelphia has released one self-titled EP in 2016. Their female-fronted sound is eclectic and complex, switching off between the lead singer’s higher voice and standard indie rock guitar. I highly suggest checking out their music.

Vannucchi and the band soon took the stage under a neon ‘FIL’ sign. The mood in the venue instantly changed. Although they were opening for Balance and Composure, many of the people in the crowd seemed to be there for From Indian Lakes. Vannucchi committed fully to every song, quickly tossing off his hat during the first few songs. Their highly layered live sound built powerfully on their studio recordings.

As the set developed, the energy increased but refused overwhelm the music. They took their time with each song and made sure to connect with the audience. Dreamy vocals paired with amazing percussive work had the audience nodding along with every song.

I felt like I was in a world created by Vannucchi. His lyrics are captivating and the softer instrumentation allows for a close focus on the specific mood of each song. I haven’t seen someone feel their own music in a very long time. He often got lost in the song and I was right there with him.

The set ended with “Happy Machines”, the song whose lyrics give the title to their album Everything Feels Better Now. This song was a perfect end to the night, with grittier guitar fitting seamlessly with the more delicate piano. This performance showcased From Indian Lakes’ maturity and experience with their own music. Their live show is one of the most captivating I have ever seen.

From Indian Lakes and Queen of Jeans Photo Gallery 

Check out all of From Indian Lakes' upcoming tour dates here. 

categories / Photos, Reviews, Gigs
tags / From Indian Lakes, Photo Set, Photos, Concert Photography, Review, Live shows, Morgan Winston, Queen of Jeans

Julia Jacklin Hooks Lincoln Hall Crowd With Haunting Vocals and Warm Tones

May 14, 2017  /  Rachel Zyzda

Julia Jacklin had the Lincoln Hall crowd wrapped around her finger by the end of her 8-song set this past Saturday night. Kicking off at 8:30PM, Jacklin immediately snagged the audience’s attention during the initial song, “Hay Plain.” The song starts off slow and creeping, adding vulnerability to Jacklin’s haunting vocals, but eventually builds up towards the later half of the song. The crowd began to sway along as the set moved right along into “Leadlight,” one of the singles from Jacklin’s 2016 debut album Don’t Let The Kids Win.  “Thank you for coming early. That’s really kind of you,” Jacklin humbly told the crowd before diving into the next song, “Motherland,” another one that begins more stripped back, eventually adding additional layers.

As the set reaches the halfway mark, Jacklin’s band leaves the stage for her to perform “LA Dream” solo, her candid lyrics, rich voice, and her guitar playing mesmerizing the audience. Jacklin introduced her band at this time, mentioning she’s played in Chicago once before, but there were “400 times more people” there than the last time. The mood remained mellow and slow for the next song, “Eastwick,” but the pace immediately picked up with the entirety of the band in full swing for Jacklin’s latest single, “Coming Of Age.”


Jacklin thanked Andy Shauf before playing her debut single, “Pool Party,” one of her singles that she’s also directed the music video for (the other being “Leadlight”).  The beautiful performance closed out with the title track from Jacklin’s album. Live, Julia Jacklin executes her warm and full tone flawlessly. If you missed the stunning show last night, keep an eye on her upcoming tour dates here. You can also listen to Don't Let The Kids Win in full below. 

Thumbnail photo by Nick McKinley

categories / Gigs, Reviews
tags / Julia Jacklin, Live Show, Review, Australian Bands, Lincoln Hall, Andy Shauf

Catfish And The Bottlemen's Triumphant Return to The Rave on 5.9.17

May 11, 2017  /  Rachel Zyzda

This past Tuesday evening, Catfish And The Bottlemen rocked the stage at The Rave, returning for their third visit to the Milwaukee concert hall. The set kicked off with "Homesick" from their debut album The Balcony, the crowd instantly echoing the lyrics back to the four piece group, and the energy only accelerated from there. The band released their sophomore album The Ride just about a year ago, but the majority of their 14 song set was composed of songs from their debut album. 

Lead singer Van McCann kept the classic songs fresh by alternating the lyrics in "Business" from how they read in the studio version, and the band all worked together to amplify the live version of every song, feeding off one another's and the crowd's energy. During the mid-set performance of their single "Twice" from The Ride, McCann and lead guitarist Johnny Bond (aka Bondy) played their guitars back-to back. The pace only slowed down towards the later half of the set, when Bondy, bassist Benji Blakeway, and drummer Bob Hall left the stage to leave McCann to perform their acoustic track "Hourglass" solo. The audience added a choir-like effect, singing the words back to McCann as he performed the stripped back song. 

The energy skyrocketed for the last few songs of the evening, which included the single "7" and the iconic track "Cocoon."  Just after McCann expressed his gratitude for the audience and their support act, The Worn Flints, the crowd began a chant for "Rango," a track from The Balcony. Unfortunately for the diehard "Rango" fans, the band did not oblige and moved straight into the final song of the set, "Tyrants." Drawn out and dynamic, the live version of "Tyrants" goes above and beyond the studio version, making Catfish And The Bottlemen one of the best live bands around. If you get the chance to see them perform, do not miss out!

All photos by Rachel Zyzda

The Set List

1. Homesick

2. Kathleen

3. Soundcheck

4. Pacifier 

5. Anything

6. Business

7. Oxygen

8. Twice

9. Fallout

10. Outside

11. Hourglass

12. 7

13. Cocoon

14. Tyrants

Check out the official video for "Twice" below, and stay in the know on all updates from the band here. 

categories / Photos, Reviews, Gigs
tags / Catfish and the Bottlemen, Milwaukee, The Rave, Photos, Concert Photography, Photo Set, Live music, Live Review

Trophy Dad Kicks Off Tour With an Incredible Hometown Gig

May 11, 2017  /  Morgan Winston

Trophy Dad brought warm, indie jams to the High Noon Saloon last night in Madison, WI. Known to many in the Madison area, Trophy Dad drew a large and rambunctious crowd of friends and fans, despite finals week.

The audience was warmed up after three openers. “Theme From Trophy Dad” opened the set, flawlessly transitioned into fan-favorite “Louis Sachar”.  Abby Sherman and Jordan Zamansky share the main vocals, with each of their voices bringing something different to the table.  When they sing together it is a wondrous combination of deep consistency from Jordan and lilting, higher notes from Abby.

After debuting an unnamed new song, the concert’s energy peaked during “Trichotillomania”, my personal favorite from this band. It emphasizes catchy guitar lines and amazing lyrical work from Abby. Abby was the star of the show, both interjecting playful remarks about Jordan’s new nickname, “Buzz-lord Jarvis”, and professing her love of Guns N’ Roses.

Trophy Dad closed their planned setlist with “Addison”, a single off of their Dogman EP. The band was coaxed into playing an encore, despite some hesitation. The concert concluded with an electrifying rendition of “You Never Responded and I Made Up Wild Stories in My Head That Turned Out to Be True”, a song off of their album Shirtless Algebra Fridays. Guitarist Henry Stoehr provided an amazing amount of drive for the song, ending the concert on an exceptional note.

This show acted as Trophy Dad’s tour kickoff.  They will be in Chicago tonight at Beat Kitchen; go check out their exceptional live show. Grab tickets here.

All photos by Morgan Winston

Listen to Trophy Dad's new EP Dogman below, and keep up with all their latest news here. 

categories / Reviews, Gigs, Photos
tags / Trophy Dad, Madison Bands, Tour, High Noon Saloon, Morgan Winston, Photos, Portraits, Concert Photography

Black Lips Rocked Their Tour Kick Off in Carrboro, NC

May 08, 2017  /  Lindsay Teske

On May 2nd, The Black Lips took the stage to kick off their tour at Cat’s Cradle in the same manner in which a speeding locomotive charges down the tracks....with an insatiable amount of gusto and power. Electricity permeated the venue as the band played to a crowd of moshing fans, adding zest to what was otherwise an ordinary Tuesday evening in Carrboro, North Carolina. The Black Lips matched the degree energetic nature found in their songs in stage presence, erupting with vitality from the first note played to the last.

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Played early in the setlist was “Drive By Buddy,” a track that exudes groove from start to finish. With a slight sonic emulation of The Monkees, it succeeds in capsulating audience attention through its addictively rhythmic guitar riffs and sing-along inducing chorus (which instantaneously ensued). “Family Tree,” a track that is jam packed with dynamic variance and sonic juxtaposition followed shortly thereafter. The track kicks off with a swell of sound, complimented by a saxophone part that provides the song with an added level of distinctiveness. The song’s verses serve as a foil to its chorus, undertaking a cavernous tone before building into an exuberant and ebullient blast of sound.

The crowd at Cat’s Cradle broke into sheer pandemonium as soon as the signature resonant bass line of “O Katrina,” a notoriously upbeat track from the 2007 album Good Bad Not Evil was played. Not one stationary body was in sight as the song’s identifying crunchy, distorted guitar riffs and thunderous drum fills were played.

At the end of the night, the crowd left Cat’s Cradle sweaty, bruised, covered in a stranger’s beer, or any combination thereof. A band that does not perform with such an insatiable amount of sustained intensity simply cannot invoke that degree of reaction among audiences. However, The Black Lips did.

Live, the band is the equivalent of a blazing meteor: they’re bright, riddled with an infectious energetic power, and are so alluring and unique that they cannot be ignored. The amount of vigor they put into their live performances is so wonderfully contagious that inciting an all-encompassing electric reaction among crowd members is seemingly inevitable. That skill is not only the hallmark of a great musician, but a great artist.

Chicago, The Black Lips will be in town this weekend for not one, but two nights at The Empty Bottle. Night one is sold out, but grab your tickets to night two here. The rest of The Black Lips' tour dates can also be found here. 

You can also listen to the new album Satan's Graffiti or God's Art? below:

categories / Reviews, Gigs
tags / Black Lips, Cat's Cradle, Lindsay Teske, Live Music, Review

PHOTOS: The xx at Aragon Ballroom on 5.1.17

May 03, 2017  /  Rachel Zyzda

British trio The xx captivated their Chicago audience on Monday evening at The Aragon Ballroom, marking their triumphant return after playing a sold out show at the same venue back in 2013. Celebrating their third album I See You, this show was a part of the aptly named “I See You” Tour, which kicked off in April.

The dynamic and mesmerizing performance from The xx started with new track "Say Something Loving," the eager crowd cheering with recognition as the introductory sample of the Alessi Brothers used in the song rang out into the ballroom. The set list that followed featured an ample mix of tracks from their debut and sophomore album, like crowd favorites "Islands" and "Angels." The band kept the older content fresh by introducing new arrangements and mixes of the familiar tunes, especially with the upbeat version of "Shelter" they performed towards the end of the set. 

Throughout the set, a mutual love and appreciation radiated from the crowd to the stage. Other set highlights included the addition of "Loud Places" from Jamie xx's solo album into the set, a solo and stripped back performance of "Performance" by Romy Croft, and Oliver Sim's dedication to single people before "Dangerous."  

The electrifying evening wrapped up with a very humble and heartfelt thanks from each member of The xx, with Romy mentioning the energy of each and every fan in the venue. 

The Set List

  1. Say Something Loving

  2. Crystalised

  3. Islands

  4. I Dare You

  5. Lips

  6. Sunset

  7. Basic Space

  8. Performance

  9. Infinity

  10. VCR

  11. Dangerous

  12. Fiction

  13. Shelter

  14. Loud Places 

  15. On Hold 

  16. Intro

  17. Angels

 

Photo Gallery

Chicago! The xx will be back in August for Lollapalooza. Check out all of their tour dates here, and listen to I See You below.

categories / Gigs, Photos, Reviews
tags / the xx, I See You, I See You Tour, Aragon Ballroom, Photo Set, Concert Photography, Live music, Chicago

Bastille Bring Their Massive Wild, Wild World Tour to "Shrek's Paradise" (AKA Aragon Ballroom)

April 04, 2017  /  Rachel Zyzda

Word and Photos by Rachel Zyzda

At most gigs, the show actually begins when the first note of the opening song rings out into the venue….but not at Bastille’s Wild, Wild World Tour. On Monday, April 3rd, the show started from the moment fans entered the majestic Aragon Ballroom with a full scale, interactive production that kicked off while fans patiently awaited support act Mondo Cozmo, and kept rolling even in between acts. In addition to audiovisual bits of lead singer Dan Smith’s project with Ralph Pelleymounter (of To Kill a King) called Annie Oakley Hanging, the show included short film clips featuring the news anchor from the band’s “Fake It” music video (rumor has it he’s called Billy) and the band decked out in WWCOMMS jumpsuits, performing various activities.

Directly following a clip of “Billy” eating a banana, the five members of Bastille burst onto the stage around 8:45PM with their brassy and bass-boosting single “Send Them Off!,” Smith donning his uniform black t-shirt with the logo for WWCOMMS; a mysterious, omniscient entity constructed alongside the campaign for Bastille’s sophomore album Wild World. The 90 minute set that followed contained a fair mix of new songs from that album, as well as the songs we all know and love from Bastille’s debut album Bad Blood. The third song of the set, “Warmth,” contains the new album's name in its chorus. After the band delivered a powerful and polished performance of the album’s namesake track, Smith took some time to talk about the theme of Wild World and how it comments on the crazy events of the world, introducing “Snakes” as a song about him getting drunk with his mates to take his mind off of the negative events.

Next up, the band sticks to traditions with one of their most popular tracks, “Flaws,” in which Smith always goes into the crowd to dance and sing with audience members. Of course, in addition to this maneuver during “Flaws,” a Bastille gig is never complete without Smith’s endearingly awkward dance moves and his mention of their “horribly depressing songs.”  During this set, “Oblivion” and “Four Walls (The Ballad of Perry Smith)” stood out as highlights, despite their very depressing nature. During “Oblivion” the entire Aragon Ballroom lit up with cell phone lights, the audience swaying their lights along with the slow-tempo tearjerker. During “Four Walls,” bassist-turned-guitarist Will Farquarson delivered an incredible minute-long guitar solo. The guitar solo put a fresh spin and new arrangement on the studio version of the track, which is based on Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood.

The show also featured plenty of dancing and crowd participation during the more upbeat songs of the night. Although, as Smith would say, most of the songs are still incredibly depressing-- they just do a good job at masking the depressing content with happy-sounding music. For example, newer song “Lethargy” is ironically upbeat and great to dance to, much like their debut single from Wild World, “Good Grief.” Despite being a song about losing someone and the grieving process that accompanies the loss, it’s hard to resist busting out your spirit fingers during the song’s catchy chorus. As far as crowd participation, “The Draw,” a track from the extended version of Bad Blood (called All This Bad Blood), had everyone moving their hands along to the beat during its chorus, in the shape of triangles. The biggest form of crowd participation, hands down, occurs during Bastille’s mashup cover song “Of The Night,” taken from their mixtape Other People’s Heartache. During the mix of Corona’s “Rhythm of the Night” and Snap!’s “Rhythm is a Dancer,” Smith asks that everyone stoops down right before the explosive chorus, and then jumps up and down with him on his command. A highlight at any of their shows, but especially in a venue the size of The Aragon, it’s such a spectacle to see a crowd of thousands jumping in unity.

In addition to the new arrangements of old favorites and the extensive video production that accompanied each song performed, which is exclusive to this Wild, Wild World Tour, the band also kept things fresh on this tour by conducting a daily Twitter poll for fans to vote on a coveted slot on the setlist.  The song that won for Chicago was “The Anchor” (our personal favorite…no idea why), which closes out the 19-track version of Wild World.  Another incredible addition to this tour was the ASL signer that the band had stationed in the sound booth, for audience members who are hard of hearing. The only other time I’ve seen this wonderful service provided at a gig was actually during Bastille’s Lollapalooza performance last year.

Lastly, Bastille’s three-song encore really packed a punch, closing out the magical evening in a massive way. Kicking off with Smith and Farquarson in one of the Aragon’s balcony alcoves, the pair performed the Tarantino-esque track "Two Evils" while Smith balanced on the balcony ledge. After that adrenaline-boosting performance, the energy escalated with the crowd favorite “Icarus.” As the evening drew to a close, the energy remained at an all time high as Bastille invited Mondo Cozmo to join them onstage during their hit “Pompeii.” Rearranged from the studio version, the live version of “Pompeii” just hits you right in the heartstrings. When the song came to an end, lingering chants of eh-ohs mingled with cheers and claps that echoed throughout the Aragon Ballroom (or “Shrek’s Paradise,” as Smith calls it) as the band exited the stage.

What the band delivered in production quality, they brought equally, if not more, in sound quality and musicianship. Bastille is one of those bands that somehow always manages to sound even better live, and last night was no exception. The Wild, Wild World Tour will continue throughout North America through mid-May. Do not miss this captivating, interactive, and unforgettable show if you get the chance to see it! You can check out all of the tour dates here. 

Photo Gallery: Bastille's Wild Wild World Tour // Chicago // Aragon Ballroom 4.3.17

The Setlist

1. Send Them Off!

2. Laura Palmer

3. Warmth

4. Snakes

5. Flaws

6. Oblivion

7. Lethargy

8. Things We Lost in the Fire

9. The Draw

10. The Currents

11. The Anchor

12. Bad Blood

13. Four Walls

14. Blame

15. Of The Night

16. Fake It

17. Weight of Living, Pt. 11

18. Glory

19. Good Grief

20. Two Evils

21. Icarus 

22. Pompeii

Wild World by Bastille

categories / Photos, Reviews, Gigs, Music
tags / Bastille, Live Show, Wild Wild World Tour, Chicago, Aragon Ballroom, Concert Photography, Photo Set

Two Feet Delivers a Dynamic Debut Performance in Chicago

April 02, 2017  /  Rachel Zyzda

Wicker Park’s Subterranean is packed with a sold out, Saturday night crowd as Bill Dess (Aka Two Feet) takes the stage with his bandmate Huff.  After kicking off his short and sweet support set around 9PM with a new song called “Love is a Bitch,” Dess introduces himself to the crowd and reveals he’s out on his first tour ever. Although he hasn’t been playing shows for very long and he only released his debut EP in July 2016, Dess delivered a very polished set, showcasing his skills as both a songwriter and producer. The second song, “Quick Musical Doodles” perfectly combines Dess’s bluesy guitar riffs with full-bodied bass.

Dess also proves to be a natural with stage banter, mentioning that his brother works in Chicago and that his dad is in the audience before playing the next song. The following two songs, “Too Long” and “Twisted” are both unreleased tracks, and will be featured on Two Feet’s upcoming EP. Dess and Huff display incredible musicianship as they flawlessly performed these new tracks live, only further proving their adaptability when they played a cover of “Ain't No Sunshine” with a refreshing take on it. Before playing the Bill Withers cover, Dess mentioned that they just arranged the cover a couple of days prior in a hotel room on tour.

The set closed out with the viral track “Go Fuck Yourself,” which has gotten a nod from Martin Garrix and racked up nearly 20 million plays on Spotify. This year has already been a whirlwind for Two Feet, playing SXSW and being added to the Bonnaroo lineup, but we’re sure to be seeing much more from Two Feet after this tour and his upcoming EP. Stay tuned for an interview with Bill for even more on the EP and what we can expect from Two Feet in 2017, but for now listen to the debut EP First Steps:

Keep up with all upcoming Two Feet tour dates here.

categories / Reviews
tags / Two Feet, NYC, New Music, Live Music, Live Review, Concert Photography

PHOTOS: Foxygen at The Vic 3.31.17

April 02, 2017  /  Christian Heinzel

It’s a Friday night and the screen outside the Vic Theater flashes the cover of Foxygen’s latest single, “America." This tour follows the release of the band's acclaimed fourth album, Hang, released January 20th. Gabriella Cohen, the Australian singer, opened the performance, playing dreamy songs that got the crowd moving and ready for the energy that Foxygen was about to bring. The lights go down and an instrumental remix of Dr. Dre’s “The Next Episode” and what sounded like an Ennio Morricone song plays as the band and Johnathon Rado walks out.

As the band began the introduction to “We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic,” lead singer Sam France sashayed onto the theater’s stage. France encountered a minor problem with his microphone coming unplugged, but he finished the song with great power, making the crowd roar with delight. They move on, playing hits such as “San Francisco” and “Shuggie” with Jackie Cohen on the female backup vocals. After getting the hits out of the way, they performed Hang in entirety. The first couple songs off the album such as “Follow the Leader” and “Avalon” got the crowd dancing. For “America” the lights flashed red, white, and blue as Sam France sported a blue suit coat. Once they reached “Rise Up,” the album’s final track, Sam France and Jackie Cohen walked off stage while the rest of the band carried out the powerful ending of the album.

The band returned for their encore with “On Blue Mountain” off their 2nd album, which included Sam France playing the trumpet. They closed with their “How Can You Really” from their 2014 album …And Star Power, a groovy, Todd Rundgren-esque dance number which ended with Sam France jumping into the crowd. The show was a delight to all in attendance, marking Foxygen’s triumphant return to Chicago.

Foxygen will be touring throughout the summer-- check out all their tour dates here, and catch them in a city near you.  Listen to their album Hang here:

categories / Photos, Gigs, Reviews
tags / Foxygen, Live Review, Photos, Concert Photography, Photo Set, Christian Heinzel

A Thursday Trifecta With Jude Shuma, Molly Burch, and Tim Darcy

March 25, 2017  /  Rachel Zyzda

Kicking off a night of three incredible sets, Chicago’s own Jude Shuma took The Empty Bottle stage around 9:30 on Thursday evening. His 30 minute set kicked off with his most played track “Float,” (which--shameless plug--you can hear on the CW's new show Riverdale).  After playing some older, familiar tunes, like “Subterranean Feelings,” Jude tested out some new songs from his upcoming album, Sugar Mountain. The new songs already sounded incredible live, and they went over well with the crowd.

Molly Burch captivated the crowd next, hooking them in with her 1950’s-style crooning and a refreshingly retro sound. The seven-song set started with the title track of Molly’s debut album Please Be Mine, the crowd slowly swaying along to the hauntingly beautiful chorus. The next song, “Fool,” picked up the pace, with Molly adding a powerful edge to her alluring vocals. As Molly and her band completely enchanted the crowd with more songs from the album, like “Wrong For You” and “Try,” the music translated incredibly well from the album to the live sense. The fact that Molly recorded the album in a live setting in just a couple days kept the album so authentic and added a real vulnerability to the music. That same sense of sincerity and vulnerability came across in Molly’s stage performance, as well.

Ought-frontman Tim Darcy and his extremely talented two-women band took the stage next just after 11PM, playing a set mostly comprised of songs from his debut solo album Saturday Night. Tim got the crowd moving right away with the up-tempo, building tune “Tall Glass of Water,” immediately following with “Still Waking Up.”  About half way through the set, Tim mentioned his album and thanked the audience, pointing out how wonderful Chicago crowds are all of the time. “New York is good 80% of the time,” Tim continued before moving into the instrumental track “First Final Days.”  As the night of good vibes and great jams continued, Tim also mentioned that he and his band had been on tour for 5 weeks with Molly Burch, shouting out her, his band members, and his crew. The set drew to a close with a brand new song that Tim recently wrote while on this tour. Introducing the new song, called “Sledgehammer and The Rose,” Tim says he wrote it about an experience in Toronto, when some guy spit in his face when he was already having a bad day. The set wrapped up with the mellow “What’d You Release,” before the band left and returned for an encore.

If you missed this night filled with genuine talent and incredible musicianship, make sure you stay in the loop with all three artists! Check here for any updates from Jude Shuma on his new record and upcoming shows. Molly Burch returns to Chicago as soon as April 7th, supporting Sallie Ford at Schubas, and you can grab tickets for that show here. Lastly, keep up with Tim Darcy's latest tour dates here, and listen to his album below! 

categories / Gigs, Reviews
tags / Jude Shuma, Tim Darcy, Molly Burch, The Empty Bottle, Chicago, Live Music