All photos by Patrick Bobilin

Henry Joseph performs at the Whistler. Listen to their newest album and purchase songs here.

Singer and guitarist John Lennox of Panoramic & True serves up energetic indie pop rock. Their new album "Wonderlust" is available on vinyl here.

The Darkness – She’s Just A Girl, Eddie (Hot Cakes): It shouldn’t be surprising that The Darkness would pick up right where they left off after reuniting, as they had their shtick down from day one. This reflects their pop side, a melodic riff rocker, with a bit of a Queen vibe.

Guided By Voices – Game Of Pricks (Alien Lanes): One of GBV’s miniature gems from the album that consolidated their audience. This is a great pop construction, that kind of reminds me a little bit of Soft Boys’ “Queen of Eyes”.

Todd Rundgren – All The Children Sing (Hermit Of Mink Hollow): The opening track on Todd’s splendid 1978 pure pop outing. At this point, Todd was using more keyboards, drum machines and synths, but the music never sounds mechanical or sterile. And his production emphasizes the high end, which gives this song a brightness that fits its positive message.

KISS – Do You Love Me (Destroyer): One of three ultra-awesome songs on my fave KISS album (along with “Detroit Rock City” and “Shout It Out Loud”). The lyrics are, as often with these guys, directed at a groupie, but at least they want love right? The song is centered around such a basic riff and rhythm, adds a great singalong chorus, and perhaps their best middle eight.

The Monkees – Can You Dig It (Head): A little Eastern psychedelia off the soundtrack to The Monkees’ sole feature film. Mickey Dolenz’s vocal style is so appropriate for this mysterious tune.

Wall Of Voodoo – Crack The Bell (Dark Continent): There really needs to be some sort of Wall Of Voodoo revival, so people can appreciate that this band was more than “Mexican Radio” (although that song was not some outlier and reflected their sound well). On their first IRS release, songs like this one weren’t quite as polished, but combine synths and horror movie keyboard textures with jittery rhythms, twangy guitars and Stan Ridgway’s distinctive vocals and lyrics. What’s not to like?

Split Enz – Parrot Fashion Love (Dizrhythmia): A bit of a ‘50s rock and roll pastiche from the Enz’ third album. At this point, Tim Finn really dominated, as Phil Judd had left the band and brother Neil was only 17 and not writing songs yet. This is not a bad thing, as Tim’s theatrical take on rock norms is quite enjoyable, which definitely comes through on this track.

The Hollies – After The Fox (30th Anniversary Collection): The Hollies did this odd little tune for the movie of the same name starring Peter Sellers. While the chorus has the classic Hollies harmonies, the verses are in an odd time signature and have Sellers, in character, offering response to the Hollies’ vocals.

The Cavedogs – Tarzan and His Arrowheads (Soul Martini): This Boston power pop band was kind of like a less retro and quirkier variation of The Smithereens, if Marshall Crenshaw fronted them. The band had two good songwriters, a healthy supply of riffs and wrote power pop tunes that were deceptively hooky. This is a highlight from their debut album.

Parliament – Wizard Of Finance (Funkentelechy Vs. The Placebo Syndrome): From what is, in my opinion, George Clinton’s masterpiece, this track is a respite from the intricate, lengthy funk jams that comprise most of the album. This is more of a mid-tempo Sly Stone-ish soul-funk stroll. True to the rest of the album, the bass and Bernie Worrell’s keys provide some unusual and cool embellishments.

Friday May 17

Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, Sons of Bill
Abbey Pub 9pm, 21+

The O'My's, Midwest Hype, Train Company, Mos Scocious
Beat Kitchen 9pm, 21+

Red, We As Human, Southbend Fearing
Bottom Lounge 7pm, 12- 21+

ShowYouSuck, The Whoevers, Que Billah, Shayna Love, Kidd Tha Chicagoan, FM Supreme, Jay 2 "The Kidd Classic", Duke, Cadillac Duke, Nino Punchlines
Double Door 8pm, 21+

The Hoyle Brothers
Empty Bottle 5:30pm, 21+

Unnatural Axe, Tyvek, Eat skull, Make Overs, Buck Biloxi & The Fu*cks, Winter Bear
Empty Bottle 8pm, 21+

Wild Jesus & The Devil's Lettuce, Black Bear Combo
Hideout 10pm, 21+

The Dan Band w/ Neil Diamond Phillips
House of Blues Chicago

of Montreal, Wild Moccasins
Lincoln Hall 8pm

The Energy Commission, The Ivorys, Aktar Aktar, Noise FM
Metro 8:30pm, 18+

Will from Brazil
The Old Town School of Folk Music 8:30pm

Mia & The Bear
Reggies Music Joint 5:30pm 21+

Aniba Hotep & The Sol Collective
Reggies Music Joint 9pm, 21+

Somo, Nick Luebke, Dennis, Kid Slim, Corey Pieper
Reggies Rock Club 7pm

Subtropical
Rodan 10pm, 21+

Anders Parker & Kendall Meade, Honey and Buffalo
Schubas 7pm, 21+

Futurebirds, Diarrhea Planet
Schubas 10pm, 21+

Osunlade, Luke Solomon, Julius the Mad Thinker
SmartBar 10pm, 21+

Jane Monheit
SPACE 7:30pm

Mike Mentz, Tim Stop
Subterranean 8:30pm

Butch Clancy, DJ Solo, Zebo, eRok
The Mid 10pm, 21+

Atmosphere Strut w/ DJ Kid Color
The Whistler 21+

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
The Vic

Saturday May 18

Jim Bartholomew
Abbey Pub 10pm, 21+

Laura Stevenson, Field Mouse, Warren Franklin & The Founding Fathers
Beat Kitchen 9pm

Newsted, Wilson
Bottom Lounge 9pm

Newsted
Bottom Lounge 8pm

Soul Summit Free Dance Party: DJs Sloppy White, Dave Mata, & Duke Grip, Danny Holloway, Laurent Réus
Double Door 9pm, 21+

Chrome, Wizard Steve, Cop City/Chill Pillars, FNU Ronnies, Verma
Empty Bottle 8pm, 21+

Outer Minds, Sybris
Hideout 9pm, 21+

Super Happy Fun Club, Ryan Powers & the Secret Weapons, Bury Me In Lights
Lincoln Hall 9pm, 18+

Flying Lotus, Thundercat, Teebs
Metro 10pm, 18+

Anaïs Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer
The Old Town School of Folk Music 8pm

Ovadya, Metropolly, American Musk Ox, Newburys, Sam Vicari
Reggies Music Joint 7pm 21+

Superchrist, Bones, Sons of Famine, Ofyacus
Reggies Rock Club 8pm

Hot Butter
Rodan 10:30pm, 21+

Jeffery Foucault & Cold Satellite, The Pines
Schubas: 9pm, 21+

Justin Long, Carlos Souffront, Samone
SmartBar 10pm, 21+

Billy Branch & Sons of the Blues
SPACE 8pm

The Twilight and the Sound, A-Gang
Subterranean 9pm, 21+

Sidney Samson, Nathan Scott
The Mid 10pm, 21+

Interstellar w/ DJ Marty Mars
The Whistler 21+

Foals
The Vic

Sunday May 19

Sierra Ridge, Free Radical, The Giving Moon, A Minute's Worth, Jansen Hogan
Beat Kitchen 6pm

Turbonegro, Mount Carmel
Double Door 8pm, 21+

Dwight Twilley, Pezband, Games, The Sueves
Empty Bottle 8pm, 21+

Amir Gwirtzman
Mayne Stage 8pm, 18+

Turbonegro, Mount Carmel
Metro 8pm, 21+

Rafi Malkiel Quintet
The Old Town School of Folk Music 7pm

Delmark Records 60th Anniversary Celebration
The Old Town School of Folk Music 6:30pm

Cocktail Preachers, Johnny Roger
Reggies Music Joint 8pm, 21+

Taking Off, Saving haven, Four Rifts, Bloody Mary
Reggies Rock Club 5pm

ReDe's Third Law of Motion
Rodan 10pm, 21+

Ms Mr, Magic Man
Schubas 8pm, 13- 18+

Michael Serafini, Garrett David
SmartBar 10pm, 21+

The SteelDrivers
SPACE 7pm

A Guy Named Guy, Waste Basket
Subterranean 8pm

Playing Favorites: Pillowhammer plays Pink Floyd
The Whistler 21+

Monday May 20

Extraordinary Popular, Delusions
Beat Kitchen 8pm, 21+

Jamaican Queens, Netherfriends, Charlatan Free
Empty Bottle 9pm, 21+

Robbie Fulks
Hideout 7pm 21+

Odd Folk, Spitzer Space Telescope, Coyote Armada
Reggies Music Joint 8pm, 21+

Push Beats
Rodan 10pm, 21+

Ms Mr, Magic Man
Schubas 8pm, 13- 18+

Glad Cloud Ambient Music Series
The Whistler 21+

Tuesday May 21

The Henhouse Prowlers
Abbey Pub 10pm, 21+

Timbuck2
Beauty Bar 9pm, 21+

Silver Abuse, Daemon Familiar, Go Time, I Lost Control
Double Door 8pm, 21+

Chandeliers, Bad Guys
Hideout 9pm, 21+

Lissie, Vance Joy
Lincoln Hall 8pm

Mr. Blotto
Reggies Music Joint 7:30pm, 21+

Johnny Fonseca
Rodan 10pm, 21+

Secret Chiefs
Schubas 9pm, 21+

Ernie Halter, Julian Bell
SPACE 7:30pm

Fargo, Midnight Snack, Autumn Island, The Capitol
Subterranean 8pm

Relax Attack Jazz Series
The Whistler 21+

Wednesday May 22

Secret Chiefs
Beat Kitchen 8:30pm

Scorpion Child, The Velcro Lewis Group, Broke N Ugly, Dead Feathers
Double Door 9pm 21+

Flashlights, Dead Native, Cougar Island
Empty Bottle 9pm 21+

Jim Baker, NRG Ensemble plays Sun Ra, DJ Sets Corbett vs. Dempsey
Hideout 9:30pm, 21+

Kastle, XXXY, Equator Club, Aztek
Lincoln Hall 9pm, 18+

Mary Chapin Carpenter & Shawn Colvin
The Old Town School of Folk Music 7pm

Shane Merrill
Reggies Music Joint 7pm, 21+

Joe S.
Rodan 10pm, 21+

John Curley, Marc Buxton
SmartBar 10pm, 21+

El Ten Eleven, Michna & NUDE POP
SPACE 7:30pm

James Davis Birthday Bash: Quartet & Quintet
The Whistler 8pm, 21+

Thursday May 23

Jennifer Fletcher
Abbey Pub 10pm, 21+

Backseat Charlie, Blue Dream, Jacob's Cabin, Moonrise Nation
Beat Kitchen 8:30pm

Julian Bell, Wes Hollywood, 61 Inch, Living In Pretend (acoustic)
Double Door 8pm 21+

Brett Newski & the Corruption, Elephant Gun, Broken Anchor
Empty Bottle 9pm, 21+

Taught Abroad, Software Giant, K. Serra
Hideout 9pm, 21+

Laura Marling
Lincoln Hall 8pm 18+

Pokey LaFarge, Al Scorch
Lincoln Hall 9pm, 13- 21+

Antiserum, Clicks & Whistles, Ant TC1
Metro 9pm,

Pyro Fighter, Sunsquabi
Reggies Music Joint 7:30pm, 21+

Parallels and Lies, Savior Self, Monika Santucci, Lady Raven
Reggies Rock Club 5pm

Backbeat
Rodan 10pm, 21+

Terriers, The Oarsman, Boil
Schubas 8pm, 18+

Laura Marling
Schubas 8pm, 21+

Saturday Looks Good To Me, Like Pioneers, Mister Suit
Schubas 9pm, 21+

Antiserum, Clicks & Whistles, Ant TC1
SmartBar 9pm, 21+

Mala
SmartBar 10pm, 21+

Joe Louis Walker
SPACE 7:30pm

Brownie Mountain, Rhone
Subterranean 8pm

Crimson Glow
The Whistler 8pm, 21+

His previous two records had many highlights, but the new album, Dormarion (Merge) is solid from end to end, characterized throughout by his high-pitched tenor that's wan but never wimpy. Check-out the power pop rock of the first two tracks, the atmospheric college radio rock of "Wires," the acoustic ballad "Symphony" and "Ghosts and Creatures," the first single.  Although Lerner initially intended to record the entire album himself, it was recorded with Spoon drummer Jim Eno at his Public Hi-Fi studio in Austin, Texas (located on Dormarion Lane).

A great band to see live, on this tour the Telkinesis touring line-up will include Erik Walters of The Globes on guitar, Say Hi (To Your Mom)'s Eric Elbogen on bass and Rebecca Cole of Wild Flag and The Minders on keyboards.  If you're looking for reference points, you can hear Shoes and Cheap Trick throughout, as well as some of Elbogen's Say Hi on "Dark To Light," The Mighty Lemon Drops on "Wires," The Knack and/or The Records on "Little Hill" and new wave group The Fixx, believe it or not, on "Ever True."

TIckets are $14.00 and can be purchased here.

Erykah Badu – Fall In Love (Your Funeral)(New Amerikah Part Two: Return Of The Ankh): Badu’s most recent album wasn’t as audacious as its predecessor, but found a midpoint between her classic neo-soul sound and the grittier funk material of New Amerikah Part One. It took me a while to warm to the album since I loved the prior one so much, but the solid grooves and Badu’s voice and personality won me over. This is a very relaxed tune with a bit of percussion punch to keep things from getting stagnant.

Persephone’s Bees – Way To Your Heart (Notes From The Underworld): This Bay Area band played peppy, new wavey tunes. The songs have strong melodies and clever arrangements, making everything sound really fresh. It sounds like they put some thought in the studio on how to embellish this tune without overwhelming the simple ditty at the center of it.

Mannequin Men – Pattern Factory (Fresh Rot): One of my favorite Chicago bands of the past ten years. This is from their second album, and it’s just sleazy, dirty rock and roll. They sound like a cross between the Rolling Stones, Eleventh Dream Day and Television. This song is a bit more on the Stonesy side, but with more serrated guitar playing.

Athletico Spizz 80 – European Heroes (Do A Runner): Caffeinated post-punk band led by the inimitable Spizz. This is one of the first arty punk bands that I ever heard, and while not the best, they were a great introduction, because whatever pretensions Spizz harbored, the spirit, enthusiasm and directness of the whole affair made it easy to get into.

Ted Leo & The Pharmacists – Squeaky Fingers (The Tyranny Of Distance): If I was listing favorites songs off of this album, this wouldn’t immediately come to mind. But this is such a quintessential Ted Leo tune, with high energy, guitars buzzing around an intent melody and a nifty juxtaposition with a delicate guitar figure after the verses.

Linton Kwesi Johnson – Man Free (for Darcus Howe)(Dread Beat ‘n’ Blood): If you like on LKJ song, you’ll like ‘em all. His authoritative voice articulates his poems over solid reggae grooves. The effect is often, as on this song, hypnotic.

The Morells – Sour Snow (The Morells Anthology “Live”): Second week in the row this great Springfield, Missouri roadhouse band comes up on the shuffle. This tune is sung by lead guitarist D. Clinton Thompson, and it’s a nice NRBQ-ish power pop tune written by Springfield music producer Nick Sibley. This was later recorded by The Morells’ off-shoot band, The Skeletons.

Sparks & Faith No More – Something For The Girl With Everything (Plagiarism): Plagiarism started as a Sparks tribute album produced by Ron and Russell Mael, but then it became Sparks redoing some songs and working with other artists on other tracks. This is one of two team ups with Faith No More, which adds some metally guitar to the fast paced pop tune. Here, Mike Patton has a more limited role, unlike the combo version of “This Town Ain’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us” (which skimmed the British Top 40) where he bellows too much for my taste. Faith No More guitarist Dean Menta eventually joined Sparks for a few albums.

Arcwelder – Pint Of Blood (Jacket Made In Canada): Early music from this fantastic Minneapolis trio who mixed melodic American punk (a la Husker Du) with post-punk (a la Mission of Burma) and bit of Sonic Youth-y noise from time to time. This is a brooding number sung by the drummer, who has a Bob Mould quality to his voice that I love. They were good from the start, but the best was yet to come on their next two LPs.

Cheap Trick – I Want You To Want Me (In Color): Cheap Trick had recorded this song for their first album, in the live arrangement we know and love from At Budokan. For whatever reason, it didn’t make the cut. When they took a second whack at it, they took an ultra-poppy approach to the number. While I agree with pretty much everyone (including the band), that the version that became the hit is the best, I like this one too. It really shows what a timeless pop song it is – not just in a rock context – it could have been a hit in the ‘40s.

This time, local pop quartet Panoramic & True, along with their FULL STRING QUARTET (that's right), will be there to accompany your cocktails, as will folk act Henry Joseph. Panoramic & True, who dropped their LP Wonderlust this summer, have been compared to everyone from Andrew Bird to Arcade Fire, but you'll have to hear them live and decide for yourself.

As always, CHIRP DJ's will be playing after the sets, and we'll be raffling off some prizes as well. But with these bands and The Whistler's mind-blowing drinks, that's all you really need, right? Right. See you on Monday, May 13th at 9pm. As always the event is 21+ but HEY no cover.

TV Ghost will open the 18-and-over show starting at 9 PM. Visit lincolnhallchicago.com for more info. And come say hello to our volunteers at the CHIRP table!

Friday May 10

Andre Nickatina, Roach Gigz, MUMBLS
Abbey Pub 8pm, 21+

The Schadenfreude Rent Party
Beat Kitchen 7:30pm, 21+

Camera, Temporary Pharoahs
Beat Kitchen 10pm, 21+

Animal City, We Theory, Sasha Kokorokoko
Beauty Bar 9pm 21+

Candyland, Gladiator, Team Bayside High, & Fatoby
Bottom Lounge 9pm

Joe Robinson, Cole Degenova
Bottom Lounge

Candyland, Gladiator, Team Bayside High, Fatoby
Bottom Lounge

The Western, The Outfit, Bobcat Williams, The Bishop
Double Door 8:30pm, 21+

The Hoyle Brothers
Empty Bottle 5:30pm, 21+

Dumpster Babies, The Runnies, Absolutely Not, The Sueves
Empty Bottle 21+

White Mystery. Heavy Times, A Giant Dog
Hideout 10pm, 21+

Boris, Young Widows
Lincoln Hall 10pm, 18+

Mercury Soul
Metro 9pm, 18+

Bailey Dee's Late Night Bait
The Old Town School of Folk Music 8:30pm

Barb Wire Dolls, The Infected, Shift
Reggies Music Joint: 8:30pm 21+

Pain of Salvation, Kingcrow, Imminent Sonic Destruction
Reggies Rock Club 7pm

Sabrosa
Rodan 10pm 21+

Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby
Schubas 7:30pm, 21+

Emily Wells, Skating Polly
Schubas 10pm, 21+

Greg Haus, DJ Jenamax
SmartBar 10pm, 21+

Chuck Prophet and the Mission Express, Steve and Diane from Dolly Varden
SPACE 8pm

Minor Characters, Elsinore
Subterranean 9pm

Blunted Beats
The Whistler 9:30pm, 21+

Saturday May 11

Big Wu Family Reunion Xlll, Preparty Circle Of Heat
Abbey Pub 10pm, 21+

They They're There, Noumenon, Oshwa, Kittyhawk
Beat Kitchen 9pm

The Wonder Years, Mixtapes
Bottom Lounge 10am

The Coop, The Manhattan Project, Digeometric, Shapes & Colors
Bottom Lounge 9pm, 21+

State & Madison, The Sweeps, Honey & The 45's, Fletcher
Double Door 9pm, 21+

Wolf Eyes, Yakuza, Bloddyminded
Empty Bottle 9:30pm, 21+

Anthony & The Tramps, Julie Meckler, Good Evening
Hideout 9pm, 21+

DJs Carrie Weston & Mary Nisi
Hideout 11:59pm, 21+

Boris, Pallbearer
Lincoln Hall 10pm, 18+

Black Moth Super Rainbow, The Hood Internet
Metro 9pm, 18+

If Birds Could Fly, Mississippi Gabe Carter, The Sideshow Tragedy
Reggies Music Joint 8:30pm, 21+

Snarky Pupper, Alison Wedding
Reggies Rock Club 9pm

Solid Gold
Rodan 10:30pm 21+

Danielle Ate The Sandwhich, Briar Rabbit
Schubas 7pm

Agoria, Tyrel Williams, Sevron
SmartBar 10pm, 21+

Steve Moakler
SPACE 6:30pm

Tylan of Girlyman, Heather Maloney
SPACE 7pm

Night Beats, Energy Gown
Subterranean 9:30pm

Nathan Scott, Michael Woods
The Mid 10pm, 21+

Brasstax
The Whistler 9pm, 21+

Sunday May 12

Distant Cities, Rachael's Surrender, A Year In A Day, Belmont and Clark
Beat Kitchen 8pm, 21+

Josh Full Breach, Johnny Walker
Beauty Bar 21+

Numero Group Gospel Brunch
Empty Bottle 11am, 21+

Coliseum, Sweet Cobra, Pink Avalanche
Empty Bottle 8:30pm, 21+

METZ, TV Ghost
Lincoln Hall 9pm, 18+

David Lindley
The Old Town School of Folk Music 8:30pm

Sonic Angels
Reggies Music Joint 10pm, 21+

Snarky Puppy
Reggies Rock Club 9pm

Jordan Zawideh
Rodan 10pm 21+

The Ike Reilly Assassination
Schubas 8pm, 21+

Derrick Carter, Michael Serafini, Garrett David
SmartBar 10pm, 21+

Pet Lions, American Wolf
SPACE 8pm

The Morons, Son of a Gun
Subterranean 8pm

The Minneapolis Henrys, Knyfs
The Whistler 21+

Monday May 13

Geoff Rickly, John Nolan, Gabriel the Marine
Beat Kitchen 7pm, 21+

Extraordinary Popular, Delusions
Beat Kitchen 8:30pm 21+

UV Race, Daylight Robbery, Culo
Empty Bottle 9pm, 21+

Robbie Fulks, Greg Cahill
Hideout 7pm 21+

Charlie Hirsch, Jacob Green
Reggies Music Joint 8:30pm, 21+

The End of The Ocean, Rocket MIner, An Aesthetic Anaesthetic
Reggies Rock Club 8pm

Push Beats
Rodan 10pm, 21+

Band Called Catch, Youth In A Roman Field, Xoe Wise
Schubas 8pm 18+

Panoramic & True, Henry Joseph
The Whistler 21+

Tuesday May 14

The Henhouse Prowlers
Abbey Pub 21+

Timbuck2
Beauty Bar 9pm, 21+

ElvisBride, Stephanie Rearick Jr., The Crooked Mouth, Daniel and The Lion, Mitch Mead
Double Door 7:30pm, 21+

Masaki Batoh's Brain Pulse Music, The Body
Empty Bottle 9pm, 21+

Chandeliers
Hideout 9pm, 21+

Kurt Vile & the Violators, Steve Gunn
Lincoln Hall 8pm, 18+

Fortunate Youth, Inna Vision
Reggies Music Joint 7pm, 21+

Mr. Blotto
Reggies Music Joint 10pm, 21+

Big Speak, Upsin Hounds, Grae
Reggies Rock Club 7pm

Johnny Fonseca
Rodan 10pm, 21+

Lady Lamb The Beekeeper, Xenia Rubinos, Geoff Farina
Schubas 8pm, 18+

Health & Beauty, Conductive Alliance
Subterranean 8pm, 21+

Relax Attack Jazz Series
The Whistler 21+

Wednesday May 15

Distant Brothers, Overman, The Who*es, The Additives
Beat Kitchen 8pm, 21+

Mainframe
Beauty Bar 9pm 21+

Digitalim
Bottom Lounge 10pm

Hugh Bob and The Hustle, The Righteous Hillbillies, Frank Bang & The Secret Stash, Black Oil Brothers
Double Door 8:30pm, 21+

Sir Sly, JMSN, Evan Ireland
Empty Bottle 9pm, 21+

Nick Mazzarella Quartet
Hideout 9:30pm, 21+

Telekinesis, Deep Sea Diver
Lincoln Hall 9pm, 21+

Youth Lagoon, Majical Cloudz
Metro 9pm, 18+

Mima
The Old Town School of Folk Music 8:30pm

Devin Miller
Reggies Music Joint 7pm, 21+

Wednesday 13, Vampires Everywhere, Hessler, Sinister Fate
Reggies Rock Club 8pm

Fluid Mercury
Rodan 10pm, 21+

Vietnam, J. Fernandez, Marko Casso
Schubas 9pm, 21+

DJ Psycho Bitch, Teri Bristil
SmartBar 10pm, 21+

Joshua Radin, My Name is You
SPACE 8pm

The Discreet Charm, Boss Fight
Subterranean 8:30pm, 21+

Desert Soap, The Film Society
The Whistler 21+

Thursday May 16

Copper Box
Abbey Pub 21+

The 92's, Grandkids, Wilshire, Old Honey Drums
Beat Kitchen 8pm

In Flames, Armored Assault, Burn The Remains
Bottom Lounge 6:30pm

RAW Natural Born Artists Showcase
Double Door 8pm, 21+

Mike Rep + Tommy Jay, Negative Scanner, The Sleaze
Empty Bottle 9pm, 21+

The Thermals, Bare Mutants, Moon King
Lincoln Hall 9pm, 18+

Shout Out Louds
Metro

Kristin Hersh
The Old Town School of Folk Music 8pm

Calvin Evans
Reggies Music Joint 6pm, 21+

Dead Horses, Good Ground, The Butterroot Band
Reggies Music Joint 9pm, 21+

Rotten Sound, Enabler, Reign Inferno, Dead in the Dirt, Pit of Spikes
Reggies Music Joint 7pm

LES Foundation
Rodan 10pm, 21+

Colin Stetson, Justin Walter
Schubas 9pm, 21+

Four Tet, Nate Manic
SmartBar 10pm, 21+

Grant-Lee Phillips, Nicholas Barron
SPACE 7:30pm

Good Willsmith, COIN
Subterranean 8pm

Tom Swoon, Alex Andros
The Mid 21+

Tess Kisner
The Whistler 21+

1. The Kingbees – Shake-Bop (The Kingbees): This West Coast band was ahead of the curve on the rockabilly revival, putting out albums in 1980 and 1981. They weren’t as slavish as later revivalists. Indeed, the music seemed to cover rockabilly through early Beatles type music. This song here wouldn’t have sounded out of place on Marshall Crenshaw’s first album.
2. The Morells – Your Ma Says You Cried In Your Sleep Last Night (Morells Anthology Live): Thankfully, there are now a handful of full Morells concerts on CD, so folks can here one of the all-time great bar bands. This is a fun rendition of Kenny Dino’s 1961 hit (his only Top 40 hit), which a lot of people may have heard performed by Robert Plant.
3. The Pretty Things – Balloon Burning (S.F. Sorrow): One of the best tracks on this seminal rock opera, it has a driving rhythm and lead guitarist Dick Taylor races along with a sustained guitar line, while spectral harmonies ride on top of this controlled frenzy. A great arty psych-rock tune.
4. Terry Reid – Speak Now Or Forever Hold Your Piece (Terry Reid): While Cheap Trick’s cover of the song on their debut album is definitive, Terry Reid’s original is pretty damn fine. Cheap Trick didn’t mess with the basic structure of the song, and Reid, as per usual, sings the hell out of it.
5. Hawksley Workman – Lethal and Young ((Last Night We Were) The Delicious Wolves): Some piano whimsy that provides a respite from the more caffeinated material that dominates Workman’s second and best album.
6. Graham Parker – Not If It Pleases Me (Howlin’ Wind): Parker’s debut album is a classic, with his working class take on Van Morrison and R & B fueled rock. This ditty provides a lighter moment, as it has a nice New Orleans lilt, and shows that Parker wasn’t always an angry young man.
7. Jimmy Cliff – She Does It Right (Jimmy Cliff): Jimmy Cliff’s debut album is simply one sunny reggae gem after another. His angelic voice, the reggae rhythms and strong R & B inspired melodies make for great pop music.
8. B.B. King – You Upset Me Baby (The Roots of Rock ‘n’ Roll): King breaks out Lucille right away on this swinging number, with bouncing piano and horn accompaniment. This is a more urbane version of the blues, closer to Louis Jordan than the Mississippi Delta, and things are getting closer to Chuck Berry turf.
9. Jim Croce – Tomorrow’s Going To Be A Brighter Day (You Don’t Mess Around With Jim): A typically nice slice of folk-pop from Jim Croce’s debut album. This has some finger picking guitar and shows off Croce’s nice mix of melody and rhythm in his singing.
10. Yo La Tengo – Tears Are In Your Eyes (And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out): A gentle number sung by Georgia Hubley. This seems to find a midpoint between an early Velvet Underground/Nico number with a hint of Americana pop. Very sweet.

Friday May 3

Twin Tigers, Bad Bad Meow, Snow Ghost
Abbey Pub 21+

Tenki, Hemmingbirds, Dirty Pigeons
Beat Kitchen 9pm, 21+

Senses Fail, Such Gold, Major League, Real Friends
Bottom Lounge8pm, 17+

Too $hort
Double Door 9pm, 21+

The Hoyle Brothers
Empty Bottle 5:30pm, 21+

Colleen Green, Cosmonauts, Jaill, The Garden
Empty Bottle 9pm, 21+

The Claudettes, The Embraceables, The Cell Phones
Hideout 10pm, 21+

Oh Land, High Highs
Lincoln Hall 7pm,

Purity Ring
Metro 8pm & 12am

Bill Frisell's Beautiful Dreamers
The Old Town School of Folk Music 7pm & 10pm

Jimbo Delta
Reggies Music Joint 5:30pm, 21+

Ashes of Avarice, Innersiege, Vanlade, Dark Mirror, Gatekrasher, Ancient Dreams
Reggies Music Joint 7pm 21+

Omen, Tyrants Reign, Ashbury, Eldritch, Blood Feast
Reggies Rock Club 5:30pm

The Mashup
Rodan 10pm, 21+

Chappo, The Lonely Wild, The Kuhls
Schubas 10pm, 18+

Gerd Janson, Savile
SmartBar 10pm, 21+

Trixie Whitley w/ Johnny Nicholson
SPACE 8:30pm

Dead Sheriff, Flesh Panthers
Subterranean 8:30pm, 21+

Polish Ambassador, Project Aspect, Shoregasm, Zebo
The Mid 10pm 21+

John Simmons
The Whistler 9:30pm, 21+

Saturday May 4

Devin the Dude, Mikkey Halsted, Psalm One
Abbey Pub 21+

Pure X
Beat Kitchen 9:30pm, 21+

Tripwirz, Third Coast, Fuse
Bottom Lounge 7pm

Nit Grit, Gladkill, Sugarpill
Bottom Lounge 10pm, 17+

King By Friday, The Bribes, High Energy Physics, Magatha Trysty, The Mirandas
Double Door 8pm 21+

Sweater Funk Dance Party, K-Maxx
Empty Bottle 9:30pm, 21+

Generationals, Brass Bed, Sabers
Lincoln Hall 10pm, 21+

Titus Andronicus, The So So Glos, Sharpless
Metro 9pm, 18+

Ben Rector
Park West

Lords of the Trident, Centrel Disorder, Borrowed Time, Winterhawk, Demon Bitch, Olorin
Reggies Music Joint 5:30pm 21+

Oz, Vikings, Shok Paris, Split Heaven, Pctober 31, Sleepy Hollow
Reggies Rock Club 5:30pm

Will Luck
Rodan 8pm, 21+

Tom Odell, The Colourist
Schubas 10pm, 18+

Simon Baker, Ataxia, Mantas Steles
SmartBar 10pm, 21+

Matt Wertz
SPACE 7pm & 9:30pm

Goodbye Good Sense, The Sky We Scrape, Dead on TV
Subterranean 8pm

DVBBS, Nathan Scott
The Mid 10pm, 21+

DJ Cool Hand Luke
The Whistler 21+

Sunday May 5

Liquid Soul
Abbey Pub 21+

Minor Wits, Duck, Sure Fire Groove
Beat Kitchen 8:30pm, 21+

Geth Prime, Premium, Vamos, Cooler By The Lake
Double Door 8pm 21+

Har Mar Superstar, The Chalice, My Blue Valentine
Empty Bottle 8:30pm, 21+

Kelly Hogan, Dmitry Samarov
Hideout 7pm, 21+

Sugar Blue Unplugged
The Old Town School of Folk Music 6:30pm

Zoe Keating
The Old Town School of Folk Music 7pm & 9pm

Even the Jackals
Reggies Music Joint 8:30pm, 21+

LivingSundays
Rodan 10pm 21+

Fort Frances, The Great American Canyon Band
Schubas 7pm,

Derrick Carter, Michael Serafini, Garrett David
SmartBar 10pm, 21+

Sami Grisafe & Stephen Leonard
SPACE 7pm 21+

J-Roc and The Biz, Crussia
Subterranean 8:30pm

Monday May 6

Extraordinary Popular, Delusions
Beat Kitchen 8:30pm 21+

Pomegranates, Noah's Ark Was A Spaceship
Empty Bottle 9pm, 21+

Robbie Robbie Fulks w/ Steve Frisbie
Hideout 7pm 21+

Handeagle
Reggies Music Joint 8:30pm, 21+

Push Beats
Rodan 10pm 21+

Jay Brannan, Julie Meckler
Schubas 7pm

Patti Smith & Her Band
The Vic

Tuesday May 7

Two Cow Garage, The Heavy Machine, Max Benson
Beat Kitchen 8pm, 21+

Timbuck2
Beauty Bar 9pm, 21+

Cachet, Sevron
Beauty Bar 9pm 21+

The Waco Brothers
Bottom Lounge 9pm, 21+

Evil Beaver, Rollo Tomasi, The Cut-Outs
Double Door 8:30pm, 21+

Black Pus, Oozing Wound, Mounds
Empty Bottle 9pm, 21+

Chandeliers
Hideout 9pm, 21+

Youngblood Hawke, The Colourist, Future Feats
Lincoln Hall 8pm, 13- 18+

Mr. Blotto
Reggies Music Joint 8pm 21+

James McCartney, Rebecca Haviland
Schubas 8pm, 21+

Dear Electric Family, The Oceanic Saints
Subterranean 8pm, 21+

Relax Attack Jazz Series
The Whistler 21+

Patti Smith & Her Band
The Vic

Wednesday May 8

Terrapin Flyer
Abbey Pub 10pm, 5- 21+

Mainframe
Beauty Bar 9pm 21+

Hollywood Ending
Bottom Lounge 7:30pm

Riverside, Jolly, A Friend Called Fire
Double Door 9pm, 21+

The Mirandas, The Morons, Max Clarke & The Cut Worms
Empty Bottle 9pm 21+

Little Boots, AVAN LAVA, Feathers
Lincoln Hall 9pm, 18+

Marcelo Frota
The Old Town School of Folk Music 8pm

Jill Hopkins
Reggies Music Joint 7pm 21+

Dillinger Escape Plan, The Faceless, Royal Thunder
Reggies Rock Club 7pm

Velcro Lewis
Rodan 10pm 21+

J-Roc & the Biz, BE.water, Kave
Schubas 7pm

Greg Corner, Trancid
SmartBar 10pm, 21+

Har-di-Har, Paul Leonard
The Whistler 21+

Thursday May 9

Dead Horses, Logan Brill
Abbey Pub 9pm, 21+

Benyaro, Felix & Lyons
Beat Kitchen 8:30pm, 21+

Ladytron, Reuben Wu
Beauty Bar 9pm 21+

Mobb Deep, Nick Coury, C-Hu$tle, Aerias
Double Door 8pm, 21+

Oyarsa, Sun Splitter, Winters in Osaka
Empty Bottle 21+

Reds and Blue, Man Is Man, Mere Oracle
Hideout 9pm, 21+

Reds and Blue, Man Is Man, Mere Oracle
Hideout 9pm, 21+

Daughter, Wilsen
Lincoln Hall 9pm, 18+

Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires
Metro 9pm, 18+

Tommi Zender
The Old Town School of Folk Music 8:30pm

Apollo House, Midnight Ghost Train
Reggies Music Joint 8pm, 21+

Really Doe, Philosopha, Julian Malone
Reggies Rock Club 7:30pm 18+

Awe Dub Sessions
Rodan 10pm 21+

Von Strantz, Anchors, Maren Celest
Schubas 9pm, 21+

Kill Paris, Haywyre, Tylr, Stephens
SmartBar 10pm 21+

Improvisational Aesthetics w/ Radius & Leo123
The Whistler 21+

It’s almost a crime against humanity that the music of Veronica Falls is not nestled securely at the top of the Billboard charts, selling a gazillion copies and inducing the kind of fever usually triggered by Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga. Almost, because there are real crimes against humanity that are far more serious, like genocide, ethnic cleansing and the music of Lionel Richie. But in a perfect world, bullets wouldn’t be used to kill people, bullets would only be used to illustrate the speed with which bands like Veronica Falls ascended to the toppermost of the poppermost of the pop charts.

Touring to promote their sophomore release, Waiting For Something To Happen (Slumberland), the London quartet packed a crowd into The Empty Bottle for a late night show on a cold Thursday night in mid-March. It was almost 13 months ago that they graced the same stage, but tonight they played a longer set, given they had twice as much recorded material from which to draw, in addition to their eponymous self-titled 2011 debut.

Although the group is still relatively new as a band, three-quarters are veterans. Lead singer and guitarist Roxanne Clifford and drummer Patrick Doyle hail from the aptly named Sexy Kids and singer and guitarist James Hoare was formerly in Your Twenties (which may also be apt, but irrelevant). Clifford and Doyle famously met Hoare at a concert by UK twee-pop pioneers Comet Gain, and bassist Marion Herbain was a longtime friend of Clifford’s, recruited when they hatched the plan to form a band.

As one might guess, tonight’s setlist featured cuts from the new album prominently, but the group did not shy away from sharing highlights of their debut as well, and by the end of the night, the selections worked out to an even split. Veronica Falls specialize in three-part harmonies led by Clifford’s darling honey-soaked soprano delivery, Hoare’s prominent baritone backing and Doyle’s tenor (and at times falsetto) accents from behind his drum kit. Hoare and Doyle echo their nominal “lead singer” vocally throughout their songs, occasionally even antiphonally, so much so that Clifford doesn’t really seem like a “lead singer” at all, and that’s one of the most engaging charms of the Veronica Falls sound. With the addition of their vigorously chiming and rhyming guitars and Herbain’s muscular-but-never-showy bass strumming, the foursome conjure the ghosts of power pop past while somehow crafting something not necessarily completely new, but entirely enjoyable.

In a phone interview last year, Doyle was quick to dismiss the easy critical crutch of seeing Veronica Falls as nothing more than mid-’80s twee-pop C-86 reconstructionists, and indicated that they draw more of their inspiration from American indie pop, and nowhere is that more clear than on the last single from their first record, “Beachy Head,” which was next in their set and clearly owes an allegiance to Beat Happening’s “Bad Seeds.” Next up was what should, by all rights, be the next single from Waiting, “Broken Toy.” It has tight harmonies and dynamic pacing, followed by their rendition of the title track. “Everybody’s crazy, what’s your excuse, baby?” Clifford crooned slyly as Doyle pounded the drums in rat-a-tat fashion. This song illuminated the vocal imbalance between Clifford’s lead and Hoare’s backing tenor most egregiously. Her vocals should have been turned up, and his down, but, despite Empty Bottle being one of Chicago’s best live music venues, words and vocals are never the point of emphasis there. What mattered more in tonight’s show was the speedily strumming guitars and bounciness of their songs, and that was not lacking.

Veronica Falls may never be at the “top of the pops,” but no one can dispute the claim that they craft perfect “pop” songs, and if they can graduate to slightly larger venues and have a rewarding career in music, that will have to be good enough. But with songs this good, and music so lovely, it’s a shame that not everyone will fall victim to the wily ways of Veronica Falls.

[This excerpted article is reprinted with permission from Popstache.com. Click here to read the complete review and the set list from the show.]

When I arrived, DJ New Jersey Drone was keeping the crowd at a dull roar but palpably on the cusp of dancing.  Playing spaced out Future remixes welded to jungle beats, he gave an energetic performance preparing the crowd for impending stage performances.

Yen Tech gave the most divisive performance of the night, with lyrics deployed like idiomatic missiles from some stock R+B armory over slick radio-ready beats.  It was powerfully difficult to discern whether or not the love for Yen was sincere or schadenfreude with songs like “Forever Ballin” functioning as perfect distillations of post-Fergie Black Eyed Peas hits playing at a clothing store for tweens.  Yen Tech’s style was a simultaneous nod to Midwestern K-Mart parking lot meth dealer and 90’s street fashion, down to the Oakley sunglasses and baby blue baseball jacket.  Yen Tech’s combination of style and performance tightened as the evening went on and as he delved into some of the slower jams.  By the end, despite the restless sea of late-teenagers texting, Yen commanded solid energy from the growing crowd.

Minutes after Yen left the stage, Katie and her Lawless Inc. crew made their way to the makeshift backstage DJ booth.  After Lawless founder Larro Wilson checked the setup, Katie and her hype girl hit the stage breaking right into her youtube hit “I Need A Hitta” The crowd went wild and floor began to bounce and creak.  Thankfully it held under the perpetual momentum of the quickly growing crowd through the remainder of her 15-minute set.

Katie, with all the humility of a veteran performer, showed love for the pleading audience with a short encore of “I Need A Hitta” to a screaming response.

If you missed it, here's your chance to see how this year's record fair played out; and if you made it, enjoy the reminiscing!

The view from the balcony of the Chicago Journeyman Plumbers Hall, site of the Record Fair (photo by Kelsey Phillips)

The day started out sort of bright and early as about 100 Early-Bird ticket holders braved the brief morning blizzard and scoured the crates for the choicest records before the real crowds showed up. Luckily, the snow and rain stopped by the time the doors photo opened for regular admission at 10 AM, and vinyl fans quickly filled the auditorium, which remained crowded most of the day. Total attendence for the event topped 1,000 people!

Shoppers peruse the crates (photo by Margot Buermann)

Record fair attendees browse the selections at the CHIRP table. CHIRP collects music and movies throughout the year from generous donors. (photo by Kelsey Phillips)

Throughout the day, dealers and CHIRP DJs provided a soundtrack by spinning records straight from the crates. Onstage entertainment included a live painting session by artist Anna Todaro, a music quiz emceed by CHIRP DJ Mary Nisi, and a performance by experiemental dance group Laboratory Dancers.

The Laboratory Dancers incorporate costumes, projectors, paint and lush soundscapes into their performances. (photo by Patrick Bobillin)

Lawrence Peters watches the crowd from the stage during his DJ set. (photo by Patrick Bobilin)

In addition to the ridiculous number of records, shoppers also browsed CDs, tapes, books, crafts, zines and artwork. When it came time to refuel, local eateries Handlebar and Irazu were on hand to serve up delicious vegetarian and Costa Rican dishes, Dark Matter Coffee kept everyone awake and alert throughout the day, and Goose Island poured local craft beers.

Vintage posters paper the walls of the Record Fair (photo by Margot Buermann)

Vinyl fans of all ages discover records they love (photo by Patrick Bobilin)

In 11 hours, 57 vendors and 1,000+ attendees helped CHIRP raise over $13,000 at our biggest fundraising event of the year. Thank you to our vendors and sponsors for helping us make this year's fair better than ever before, and thank you to all the attendees who came out to celebrate vinyl, shop independent dealers, and support community radio. We can't wait for the next one! You can see more photos from the Record Fair and other CHIRP events at our Flickr page.

Peace, love and vinyl (photo by Patrick Bobilin)

Friday April 26

Ghostface Killah, Adrian Younges' Venice Dawn
Abbey Pub 9pm 21+

Hard Kiss, The Dead On, The Black Tape, Queen Buzz
Beat Kitchen 8:30pm, 21+

PANIC! Dance Party
Beauty Bar 9pm 21+

Punch Cabbie, Red Novella, The Action Blast, Daylight Dawns
Bottom Lounge

Soul Summit Presents: Ruby Velle and The Soulphonics, Soul Summit DJS Dave Mata, Sloppy White, Duke Grip
Double Door 9pm, 21+

The Hoyle Brothers
Empty Bottle 5:30pm, 21+

Killing Joke, Czar, DJ Bud Sweet
Empty Bottle 9:30pm, 21+

William Tyler, Brokeback, Rebecca Gates
Hideout 10pm, 21+

Free Energy, The Kickback
Lincoln Hall 10pm, 18+

Mathew Tembo Afropop Ensemble
The Old Town School of Folk Music 8:30pm

Biel Barret
Reggies Music Joint 5:30pm 21+

Pound of Flesh, W.O.R.M.
Reggies Music Joint 9pm 21+

The Starship, Viking Jesus, DOllface
Reggies Rock Club 9pm,

Soul Glo
Rodan 10pm, 21+

He's My Brother She's My Sister
Schubas 10pm, 21+

Jacques Renault, James Curd
SmartBar 10pm, 21+

Stanley Clarke
SPACE 7pm & 9:30pm

Tera Melos, TTNG
Subterranean 8pm

Ghosthouse, Porn N Chicken, Zebo
The Mid 10pm, 21+

Cherries Records Presents
The Whistler 9:30pm, 21+

Saturday April 27

Euforquestra, Twin Cats
Abbey Pub 21+

Verona Red, Stone Cold Fox, Elusive Parallelograms
Beat Kitchen 9pm, 21+

Another 90s Party
Beauty Bar 9pm, 21+

Moon Taxi, American Wolf
Bottom Lounge

Farraday, Vintage Blue, Chris Buehrle Band
Double Door 9pm 21+

Killing Joke, Czar, DJ Philly Peroxide
Empty Bottle 6pm & 9:30pm, 21+

Bubbly Creek, Hayward, Miss Oneida
Hideout 9pm, 21+

The Frank Russell Band and Special Guests
Mayne Stage 8pm

Fly Over State, Lights Alive, Jip, Halfmoon Mad
Metro 7:30pm, 18+

Amy Speace, The Sea The Sea
The Old Town School of Folk Music 8pm

The Calamity Cubes, Rachel Brooke, Jayke Orvis and the Broken Band
Reggies Music Joint 11am, 21+

The Messaround
Rodan 10:30pm, 21+

Ivan & Alyosha
Schubas 7pm, 18+

Aril Brikha, Luke Hess
SmartBar 10pm, 21+

John Oates, Marc Scibilia
SPACE 8pm

Bleached, Ex Cops, Hunters, Vamos
Subterranean 9:30pm

Erick Morillo, Bill Basil, KCJ
The Mid 21+

Interstellar w/ DJ Marty Mars
The Whistler 9pm, 21+

Sunday April 28

Mooner, There is No Mountain, Panoramic & True, Oblio and Arrow
Beat Kitchen 8:30pm, 21+

Loudness, Hessler
Bottom Lounge

Barren Girls, Valleys, Swimsuit Addition
Empty Bottle 7pm, 21+

Everyone's A DJ featuring Rebeccae Valeriano-Flores
Empty Bottle 10pm, 21+

Scott H. Biram, The Lawrence Peters Outfit
Hideout 8pm, 21+

The Lemonheads
Lincoln Hall 8pm, 21+

Sammy Adams
Metro 7:30pm

!Mindparade, Kali Ra
Reggies Music Joint 8pm, 21+

Chick Biondis
Rodan 10pm, 21+

The Ike Reilly Assassination, The Rouge
Schubas 8pm, 21+

Seth Glier & Liz Longley
SmartBar 7pm, 21+

Donovan D3, Michael Serafini
SmartBar 10pm, 21+

Seth Glier & Liz Longley
SPACE 7pm

Third Eye: DJ Moppy & Raj Mahal w/ DJ Form
The Whistler 10pm, 21+

Monday April 29

Extraordinary Popular, Delusions
Beat Kitchen 8:30pm, 21+

Nude Sunrise, Marriage, Matches
Empty Bottle 9pm, 21+

Robbie Fulks w/ The Hoyle Brothers
Hideout 7pm 21+

Push Beats
Rodan 10pm 21+

Motive, Fall Classic
Schubas 8pm, 8- 21+

The Opposition Party
The Whistler 10pm, 21+

Tuesday April 30

Timbuck2
Beauty Bar 9pm, 21+

D1ther Doom, Dead Dragon Mountain, James Connolly, Violet System
Empty Bottle 9pm 21+

Freakwater
Hideout 9pm, 21+

The Milk Carton Kids, Aiofe O'Donovan
Lincoln Hall 8pm, 18+

Mr. Blotto
Reggies Music Joint 8pm, 21+

Raw Power, Wartorn, I Attack
Reggies Rock Club 8pm

Pearls & Bones, Apollo House
Subterranean 8pm, 21+

Relax Attack Jazz Series
The Whistler 9pm, 21+

Wednesday May 1

The Blind Staggers, Mission South, Waxworks, The Tornaparts
Beat Kitchen 8pm, 21+

Mainframe
Beauty Bar 9pm 21+

The Viaducts Workhorse Kings, Butterfly in Traffic
Double Door 8pm 21+

Emptymansions, Scott Lucas & The Married, Men, T'Bone
Empty Bottle 9pm, 21+

P'indékuecha
The Old Town School of Folk Music 8:30pm

Big Boi
Park West 8pm 18+

Joe Buck Yourself, Sean and Zander, Rachel Brooke, Viva Le Vox, Mikey Classic
Reggies Music Joint 8:30pm, 21+

Clay Bridgewater
Rodan 10pm 21+

Palma Violets, Guards
Schubas 9pm, 21+

Scary Lady Sarah
SmartBar 10pm, 21+

Beach Fossils, Twin Peaks, Ivy Dye
Subterranean 8pm, Other

The Drastics
The Whistler 21+

Thursday May 2

The David Mayfield Parade, Northside Ruckus
Abbey Pub 9pm, 21+

Kill the Cirucs
Beat Kitchen 8:30pm, 21+

Zion I, Young General, Probcause, DJ Trew
Bottom Lounge

Tula, Lake Shore Vibe, Frau Troffea, Tia Einarsen
Double Door 8pm 21+

GOAT, Holy Wave
Empty Bottle 9:30pm, 21+

Stolen Silver, Brighton MA
Hideout 9pm, 21+

IAMX, Heaven Malone
Lincoln Hall 9pm, 18+

James Blake
Metro 9pm 18+

The Tony Rice Unit
The Old Town School of Folk Music 8pm

Robert Cornelius 7
Reggies Music Joint 9pm, 21+

Qwel & Maker, Qwazaar & Batsauce, Lady Daisey, Psalm One, Big Once, The Whoevers
Reggies Rock Club 9pm, 18+

Shami
Rodan 10pm, 21+

Lucius, Tall Tall Trees
Schubas 8pm, 21+

James Blake (DJ Set)
SmartBar 10pm, 21+

S. Carey
SPACE 7:30pm

The Veils, Lantern, The Island of Misfit Toys
Subterranean 9pm

DJ Markski, David S, Miro
The Mid 10pm, 21+

Shred One
The Whistler 21+

The Ribbons – Ain’t Gonna Kiss Ya (Girl Group Sounds Lost & Found): A low budget girl group tune with a definite grounding in R & B and gospel. There is a little echo on both the lead and backing vocals, which gives this song a cool feel.

Run-D.M.C. – 30 Days (Run-D.M.C.): While the drum machines and keyboards are dated beyond belief, the spare approach on Run-D.M.C. classic debut album still holds up so well. The spare backing puts so much emphasis on the rappers, and both stars command attention. Which is good, since their lyrics are just okay and saved by their flow and cadence.

Funkadelic – Get Off Your Ass And Jam (Let’s Take It To The Stage): The first time I heard this chant was when folks were cheering for an encore at a Big Twist and the Mellow Fellows show in Carbondale. This little ditty is really just an excuse for Eddie Hazel to let his fingers fly across the fretboard.

Doleful Lions – Airline Histories (The Rats Are Coming! The Werewolves Are Here!): Well before Doleful Lions’ album 7, Jonathan Scott was incorporating electronics. This song has a chilly post-punk sound, and his voice is a bit more in the middle of the mix until he builds to the chorus, which he builds up to very well.

Al Green – How Can You Mend A Broken Heart (More Greatest Hits): The Reverend takes this Bee Gees classic and slows it down and lets it simmer, to wring out every bit of rhythm and blues goodness out of this Brothers Gibb composition.

Tahiti 80 – Separate Ways (Wallpaper For The Soul): As wonderful as the last Phoenix album was, and they are a good band, this is my favorite breezy French band that mixes ‘60s pop with touches of classic R & B and contemporary dance music. Singer Xavier Boyer is very appealing and the band lays down a good rhythm and fills the tracks with lots of embellishments for texture.

The Impressions – Finally Got Myself Together (I’m a Changed Man)(Can You Dig It?: The ‘70s Soul Experience): Some post Curtis Mayfield style Impressions. This was their biggest hit sans their departed leader, and it is true to their classic ‘60s vocal group sound, but it’s just a bit greasier, a bit funkier, a bit more...’70s.

Jerry Lee Lewis – Sometimes A Memory Ain’t Enough (A Whole Lotta...Jerry Lee Lewis): A weepy country ballad from the Killer. The strings swell and the steel guitar whines and weeps and Jerry Lee shows that even with his larger than life persona, he can convincingly portray vulnerability. This does not stop him from showing off on the piano.

Small Faces – Up The Wooden Hills To Bedfordshire (Small Faces): One of the mod gods transitional songs, as they were, by their second album, expanding from R & B and pop into more psychedelic sounds. Ian McLagen shines on the organ.

Randy Newman – God’s Song (That’s Why I Love Mankind) (Sail Away): It’s possible that this song is an even more cynical take on religion than XTC’s “Dear God”. A chilling track, with Randy and his piano speaking volumes.

(above, the Soil & the Sun)

Audiotree presented Audiences, Kellen and Me, and the Soil & the Sun, to a sold-out show at the Hideout on Saturday, March 30th, 2013. To preface this article, Audiotree is a Chicago-based hodge-podge of band management, concert promoters and most notably, their live video/audio in-studio sessions with supreme, unaltered audio quality. All three of these bands have recorded sessions with Audiotree and can be found at Audiotree.tv.

Chicago-based, more specifically, Lakeview-based band, the genre-bending Audiences opened the show. The guitar riffs can go from feeling jazzy to full-out rock in the same track. The crowd really responded to, “Missouri,” a pop-rock gem with an unforgettable guitar riff that rang though out the Hideout that at one point turned to almost metal.

Next on the bill is Chicago-based solo artist, Kellen and Me. Kellen, is every musician’s wet dream with all his peddles, altering his sound by the flick of one of his many peddles. He has a very indie, lo-fi, folk, rock sound to his songs with sometimes witty lyrics and awesome guitar riffs. A saw a few people singing and getting into the song, “Ancient Drum,” off of his new album set to be released in May.

Headlining this evening’s performance was the Michigan-based, eight-piece experimental spiritual-folk band, the Soil & the Sun. You could just feel the audience’s excitement anticipating the bands entrance on stage. The band nailed song after song with each track showcasing an insane amount of layers. All eight members would play at one hundred percent, then pause and sing in harmony. The part that blows my mind is the band’s ability, musicians that can accurately identify when to build and when to stop (or create a lull) that creates a certain atmospheric feel to their soundscape. The band is on tour to promote their 2012 album, What Wonder is this Universe!

Check out the full set or photos on CHIRP’s Flickr page or for a more organized view check out the set of photos on my Flickr page.

Our friends at the Reader have put together this amazing comprehensive guide for the Chicago area, so take a look, plan your day, and then go buy some records!

The Beatles – Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band): One of the ultimate psychedelic songs, which clearly shows the effects of John Lennon’s excessive tea consumption. While many of the trappings were typical of the psych sounds of that time, the song itself isn’t just some production gimmicks, and Ringo’s drumming really gets it going in the chorus.

Webb Wilder – Meet Your New Landlord (Doo Dad): Wilder blurs a few genres, and some of his best songs seem to find a mid-point between roots rock and power pop, with a bit of a ‘60s influence underneath. This song certainly fits that category, with Wilder’s wonderfully distinctive vocals.

Wilco – I’ll Fight (Wilco (The Album)): The Conscription Act of 1863 required all able bodied men to fight for the Union army...or hire a substitute to take your place, which many well off men (such as future president Grover Cleveland) did. This song is sung from the perspective of a substitute, corresponding with the man who hired him. Really smart stuff.

The Orgone Box – Guilt Trip (The Orgone Box): The reason I like and don’t love bands like Tame Impala and Unknown Mortal Orchestra is that I know of so many psychedelic revivalists of prior years who are as good or better. Take Rick Corcoran’s project, The Orgone Box, which made two great albums of psych pop a bit over 10 years ago. The production is truly mid-fi, with a bit of reverb on Corcoran’s vocals, with an emphasis on big melodies. This sounds like a George Harrison/John Lennon collaboration.

The Gun Club – Carry Home (Miami): Jeffrey Lee Pierce quavering, desperate vocals over punk blues guitars pretty much always worked for me. This song is high gothic drama, with the band sounding like they want to explode at any moment, but then quieting down so Pierce can hog the spotlight, which looks a lot like a full moon.

Sparks – Beaver O’Lindy (A Woofer In Tweeter’s Clothing): Forty years after it’s original release, Sparks’ second album is still ahead of its time. It starts off as an orchestrated piece before careening into trebly rock with the title spelled out in the chorus. Simply stunning art pop like no other.

Spoon – Lines In The Suit (Girls Can Tell): A fine track from my favorite Spoon album. They were already a pretty cool band, but dialing back their aggression did wonders for the overall effect. This almost has a bit of a Zombies’ vibe to it.

Sir Douglas Quintet – She’s About A Mover (Nuggets): The best known song by these classic Tex-Mex rockers led by the legendary Doug Sahm. The cheesy organ, the shaking maracas, the easy to sway to rhythm and the big chorus – this is a classic.

Shearwater – Immaculate (Animal Joy): A short aggressive track from last year’s fine Shearwater release. While many of their songs are more ornate and lush, when they rock it up a bit, they sound a bit more like Okkervil River (from whence they came) and ‘80s indie poppers like The Connells.

Crowded House – Catherine Wheels (Together Alone): A ridiculously lovely song from the fourth (and, at the time, final) Crowded House album. Neil Finn has a near crooner mode, which this song is definitely in, where he can do no wrong.