Incubus at Charter One Pavilion
It's been two years since the California band, Incubus, charmed Chicagoan's with a stellar performance on the scenic Charter One stage. For anybody who attended in 2009, the set was amazing - complete with a great light set, killer vocals, instrumental perfection, and an ensued misty rain that only enhanced the experience further. Fast forward to 2011 and Incubus is back with a new album, If Not Now, When? , and they are ready to grace the stage yet again for another incredible show. The set will include classic Incubus songs, as well as new material for hungry Chicago fans. Opening for Incubus is Tom Morello, former vocalist of Rage Against the Machine, making this show one worth catching. Everything kicks off at 7:30PM on Sunday, August 21st, 2011.
Tickets are still on sale for both general admission and the seating area, so grab yours before it's too late and I'll see you there!
Check Incubus out at www.enjoyincubus.com
Natalie Merchant at the Chicago Theatre
There is something to be said in this era of huge concert productions, for a musician to fill a venue, show up with a band, and play. No huge frills, pyrotechnics, or costume changes, just two sets of solid material.
Natalie Merchant came back to Chicago after taking a seven year break, and took the stage as if that hiatus never even happened. Returning to the music scene with the amazing "Leave Your Sleep" 2 cd album, she still gave the same vibe she's so adept at, and that's making you feel like you're in the middle of an after dinner jam session in her living room. There was dancing, fun stories, joking with the crowd (even swiping a cell phone and taking her own pictures!) and all of those things that have you leaving the show with a smile on your face.
We even got a 
PowerPoint poetry lesson! Slides and Merchant's obvious knowledge and love of poetry prompted her to ask us, "Who says poetry isn't fun?".
Well, I still don't think it is. But it would be if Natalie Merchant became an English professor!
The music however, was the reason we were all there, and as usual, didn't disappoint. Backed by a folk/orchestral band of rotating musicians, Merchant stuck mostly to the "Leave Your Sleep" material, but we did get the favorites intertwined within the two sets. Some of the concertgoers were a little put off by so much focus being on "Leave Your Sleep", and I too would have liked to hear a bit more from "Ophelia" and "Motherland" but the journey the new music takes you on with it's ranging tempos and conceptual lyrics was better than listening to the songs we've known for years.
We did get songs like "Carnival" but reworked to have a fun Flamenco vibe to dress it up and make it shiny and new again. And "Eat For Two" was so haunting and beautiful in the way it was stripped down.
Merchant's voice is as great as it always has been, taking the tempo and genre changes of each song and bringing us right into the journey. Pitch perfect, haunting, and emotional it's no wonder that her music and fan base has remained solid even after a seven year absence.
You definitely came away from this show with a smile and bounce in your step, not even realizing an entire night just went by. Great show, and an amazing performance.
Getting Wild With Rooney At the House of Blues
Sh-Sh-Shakin’ it at the House of Blues in Chicago this past week were fans grooving to the sounds of Rooney with guests Tally Hall and Crash Kings. This indie rock performance swept the fans off their feet for those who were there. The weather may have been a factor in the lack of crowd, but that didn’t stop any of the bands from doing what they love and they put on a good show. Don’t let these bands fool you with their short list of record releases because what they throw at you is musically talented.
Q101 Presents: Taking Back Sunday & Anberlin
The bands fun., Anberlin and Taking Back Sunday stormed The House of Blues for this Q101 show with high energy and charged the crowd with positive vibes. Every once in awhile there is that band that you feel iffy about and can’t decide whether or not you want to like them. At this concert I had this fork in the road and made my decision.
Pitchfork Festival; Highlights of Sunday July 19th
I retrieved the rum from its hiding place feeling like a teenager sneaking booze into a friends house. The lack of searching at the gate further revealed itself in copious cloudsmokes of reefer, which created an almost constant scent in the crowds. Oh, and the following are some additional details on selected artists and occurrences from Pitchfork on Sunday July 19th.
Xiu Xiu and TuNe-YaRdS
Joining Xiu Xiu for his tour was a surprising treat called Tune-yards. Consisting of multi-instrumentalist Merrill Garbus, with some help from a bassist, Tune-yards exhibited some of the most impressive live looping and song creation that I've ever seen. Garbus' voice alone was an incredible talent. Using several different styles, often in the same song, she conquered the range of throaty yells, fluttering falsettos, powerful belts, even a unique type of yodeling. On top of vocal duties Garbus also operated the looping device, creating rhythms and voice harmonies right before your eyes and triggering them during the songs. She situated herself between a floor tom and a snare, using the rims and mic stands percussively in developing beats. When she wasn't banging the tom and snare she was playing what appeared to be an electric ukulele.
In my excitement I did purchase Tune-yards' CD, but unfortunately the album does not do justice to what I had witnessed. While it works as a nice reminder of their performance, it lacks the entrancing grip that their live demonstration provides. The album, titled Bird-brains, is a pleasant and intimate listen but with a lo-fi quality that dampens the expectations I pulled from the show. The sound in Lincoln Hall was fantastic, and all aspects of the songs shined. While there are a few songs on the CD that I can still enjoy(such as Sunlight and Hatari) and many that are downright relaxing, this act is best in the flesh.
Xiu Xiu took the stage quietly and began with a gentle opener. Employing his trademark near-tremble sing, Jamie Stewart imparted a somber song: “My father was the second man to be inside you...” His vocals are passionate, confession-like utterings, teetering with intensity and often breaking into emotional outbursts. Beside Stewart's voice and guitar was Angela Seo, who would tinker with the many backing electronic devices and controls. In contrast to the simplicity of Tune-yards' setup, Xiu Xiu surrounded themselves with tall cymbal stands and various percussion, along with a large table cluttered with visible wires and knobs. The toys are not superfluous either, this being especially clear when your ears are under assault from the noise avalanches that occur within half of Xiu Xiu's repertoire. Both members have a go at the equipment, operating the many dials and gizmos laid about like surgical utensils.
The music of Xiu Xiu is a difficult thing to describe. Albums will usually run the range of overloaded sound experimentation to delicate acoustic numbers. Lyrics, when discernible, primarily will wield a sort of depressing if not disturbing weight. Some of the audience will laugh at certain lines of dark humor, while others may get turned off or even genuinely concerned with how acutely Jamie Stewart delivers his themes. If they are funny it's because they are so piercingly sharp that if you weren't laughing you'd be crying. One thing I did not anticipate at a Xiu Xiu show was dancing, but this night the set was very beat heavy. Don't let that mislead you into thinking it was upbeat and bright, as it could hardly be considered as such with lyrics like “Dear god I hate myself, dear god I hate myself...”
I highly recommend seeing this show if you get the chance. Xiu Xiu and Tune-yards possess fine performance abilities, and despite having little similarities in sound their coupling provided for quite the enjoyable evening. Remaining dates on this tour can be found on Xiu Xiu's website:
You can also check out Tune-yards' website here:
The Hemmens - Elgin, IL: A Wonderful Place to See a Concert
I recently ventured out to the Hemmens Theater in Elgin, a simple 45-minute drive from downtown Chicago to see one of my favorite rock performers, Rick Springfield, in action and was very pleased with the venue. First of all, the abundance of free and handicapped parking makes for easy entry and an economical night, now that ticket prices for concerts continue to soar.
The venue itself was well equipped with several bars to serve the crowd and drinks are allowed into the theatre. Also, there were lots of bathrooms for the ladies, which for some reason is still a problem in many area theatres at intermission time.
The most important part of any concert venue is of course the sound and sightlines. I was a little further back - about halfway back towards the center of the house but the sound was still absolutely pristine. Although they could use one more aisle down the center to allow guest to move out of their rows to rest area more quickly, the seats themselves were roomy enough to allow you to enjoy the show and dance around a little without bumping elbows with fellow patrons.
Now that I know where the Hemmens is and how to get there quickly, I will definitely add it to my professional watch list for artists I cover in the future and you should too!
For more information on upcoming shows and directions check out the Hemmens.org website and get ready to rock!
