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The CHIRP Blog
Jason Crock writesCHIRP Welcomes Com Truise & Bonde de Role to Bottom Lounge on Oct. 18th!
CHIRP Radio is pleased to welcome one-man synthesizer artist Com Truise to the Bottom Lounge on Thursday, October 18. A self-admitted admitted synth obsessive from Princeton, New Jersey, Com Truise (a.k.a. producer Seth Haley) is the maker of an experimental and bottom heavy style he calls “mid-fi synth-wave, slow-motion funk.” His latest album, 2011’s Galactic Melt, is full of bass-heavy instrumentals that meld funk, synth-pop, and Italo disco.
Opening acts to this 17-and-over show include L.A. dance duo Poolside and Brazilian party-starters Bonde do Role, who have just released their new album Tropicalbacanal on Mad Decent records. The show starts at 9pm. See bottomlounge.com for more info.
Mike Bennett writesFriday iPod/MP3 Shuffle—Happy Birthday Dave Vanian Edition
Very few people realize this, but the first British punk band to release a full album was not The Clash or The Sex Pistols. Instead, it was The Damned. They didn’t have the social or political agenda like those two, but they clearly represented the bridge from pub rock to a faster and louder style of music that was rooted in traditional rock ‘n’ roll. Indeed, early Damned songs like “New Rose” weren’t big breaks with tradition, but brought back the basics with a dose of attitude. From there, the band explored many styles, from psychedelia to garage rock to pop to goth. The constant throughout these changes has been lead singer Dave Vanian. From early on, he was a self styled rock ‘n’ roll vampire, with his slicked back hair, dark clothes and near crooning voice. He was a the perfect frontman for this often madcap group, managing to be serious with taking himself too seriously. In honor of Vanian’s birthday, let’s celebrate by grabbing your iPod or MP3 player, hitting shuffle, and sharing the first 10 songs that come up.
Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesWeekly Voyages: Friday 10/12 to Thursday 10/18
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Do you have corrections or updates for this list? Send us an e-mail.)
Friday October 12
The Heard, Krewe
Abbey Pub: 9pm, 21+
The Dirty Pigeons, The Bribes, Quintin Hirsley & The Truth
Beat Kitchen: 9pm, 21+
DJ Mark Flava
Beauty Bar: 9pm, 21+
The Green
Bottom Lounge: 9pm
The Samples, Beautiful Collision, Taggart Transcontinental
Double Door: 8pm, 21+
Family of the Year, White Arrows, New Cassettes
Empty Bottle: 10pm
Motion City Soundtrack w/ Jukebox The Ghost and Now, Now
House of Blues Chicago: 6:30pm
The Soft Pack, Heavy Hawaii
Lincoln Hall: 10pm, 21+
JD McPherson, Lucius
Metro: 8:30pm, 18+
Chris Smither, Paul Cebar
The Old Town School of Folk Music: 8pm
PJ & Soul, The People Brothers Band
Reggies Music Joint: 8pm, 21+
After the Burial, The Contortionist, Reflections, No Zodiac, Burn the Remains
Reggies Rock Club: 6pm
Neil Halstead, Jim Hanft with Samantha Yonack
Schubas: 7pm, 21+
Move D, Scotty Brandon
SmartBar: 10pm, 21+
Four Bitchin’ Babes
SPACE: 7pm
Charlie Peacock
SPACE: 10pm
Teenage Bottlerocket, Toys that Kill, Masked Intruder, The Reaganomics
Subterranean: 9pm
Sasha, Zebo, Funk Shui, Mayhem
The Mid: 10pm, 21+
Leroy Bach, Atmosphere Strut, Kid Color
The Whistler: 6pm, 21+
Social Distortion
The Vic: 7:30pm
Jason Crock writesFair Warning: The First Time Reading Series is Back on October 10th
The First Time Reading Series to benefit CHIRP Radio returns Wednesday, October 10, at 8pm. Readers will write original pieces around a “first time” theme, pick a song to accompany their piece, and then The First Time Three plays their song live, in a stripped-down, acoustic setting.
Next Wednesday’s theme is “First Breakup,” and the The First Time Three (former members of Frisbie) are always down to cover whatever the reader chooses, from whatever genre.
CHIRP Radio’s Andy Weber is among the featured readers, as well as Kevin Robinson from Chicagoist, Holly McDowell, Improviser and writer Kelsey Kinney, singer/songwriter Dan Phillips, and Jenn Kloc. The cover for this 21-and-over show is $10, and the proceeds benefit CHIRP Radio. We’ll see you at the Beat Kitchen, on 2100 W. Belmont Ave!
Mike Bennett writesFriday iPod/MP3 Shuffle—Happy Birthday Russell Mael Edition
Let’s wish a happy birthday to Russell Mael, the lead singer for my all-time favorite band, Sparks. Since the late ’60s, Russell and his brother Ron have made a career on trying to hit the pop charts by subverting pop conventions. Sparks actually started as Halfnelson, changing their name after the band’s debut album (full of wiggy post-psychedelic pop) stiffed. Even then, Russell’s odd falsetto stood out. It moved more to the forefront when he and Ron went to England and became glam rock stars, Ron’s ornate compositions having no regard for what notes Russell would have to hit in order to cram tons of lyrics into a short space. In 1979, Sparks worked with Giorgio Moroder on the groundbreaking disco/rock album No. 1 In Heaven, and Russell’s angelic vocals were a template for future hi-NRG dance music and future synth-poppers like Bronski Beat and Erasure. Nowadays, Russell has mastered the art of stacking vocals on Sparks’ more recent baroque, classical music inspired albums. To this day, he can hit those high notes in a distinctive style. It’s no wonder noted producer Tony Visconti said that Russell is the best vocalist he has ever worked with. Let’s pay tribute to Russell Mael by grabbing your iPod or MP3 player, hitting shuffle, and sharing the first 10 songs that come up.