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The CHIRP Blog
Azure writesJoins Us for Merchandise This Sunday at Schubas!
End your weekend the right way with CHIRP! Come hang out with us this Sunday, June 15th at Schubas as we welcome the amazing rockers in Merchandise! The Florida-based outfit will be sharing the stage with bands, The Ukiah Drag and Final Grin. Merchandise is hitting the road this summer to support the release of their upcoming album After the End, due out August 26th. After gracing us with their musical presence last summer at Pitchfork Music Festival, the band is back to “up the punx” here in Chicago. If you missed that set, better make sure you hit up this show!
Sharing the stage is The Ukiah Drag, who released a 7 inch single this spring on Wharf Cat Records called, “Dirt Trip”. Check out the band’s video for the song here! The Ukiah Drag will also be supporting Merchandise on their tour throughout the summer. Also, make sure you get to the show early and catch local Chicago trio, Final Grin, hit the stage to bring you’re their death rock drenched tunes at its best.
Be sure to stop by the CHIRP table while you’re there and say hello!
The show is ALL AGES and the show starts at 7:00 PM. Schubas is located at 3159 N. Southport Ave., Chicago, IL 60657. Get your tickets here or visit: Schubas.com for more information.
Kelsey Phillips writesJoin Us at the Bottom Lounge This Wednesday for F*ck Buttons!
Join CHIRP on June 11th at the Bottom Lounge to take in the musical spectacle that is Fuck Buttons. Duo Benjamin Power and Andrew Hung started in the Bristol noise-rock community in 2004, but have since moved on to something much bigger. They met back in art school working on a soundtrack for one of Hung's films, but soon began performing live and quickly gained fans. A product of heavy drums, synthesizers, and even children's toys (think Fisher-Price karaoke machines), their sound doesn't fit any mold or genre, and truly needs to be experienced to be understood. They've been lying low for a while, but they're kicking off their US/Canada tour on June 11 at the Bottom Lounge. Doors are at 8pm, and the 17+ show is at 9pm. Stop by and check out some music that is truly unlike anything else out there right now!
Mike Bennett writesFriday iPod/MP3 Shuffle—Happy Birthday Levi Stubbs Edition
In 1954, Levi Stubbs formed a singing group with three high school friends called The Four Aims. Two years later, they changed their name to The Four Tops. Over 43 years, those four performed together, with Stubbs in the front. Initial recording efforts were not successful, but after they signed with Motown, the hits came one after the other. Stubbs was known for his passionate voice. Although a baritone, he was given songs written for tenors, to get that desperate passionate sound heard on classics like “(Reach Out) I’ll Be There” and “Bernadette”. Stubbs became one of the most distinctive voices in soul music, but spurned chances to go solo out of loyalty to his friends. He also became a noted voiceover talent, providing the voice of Audrey in the 1986 remake of the movie Little Shop of Horrors. Stubbs kept on singing for the Tops until he suffered a stroke in 2000 and passed away in 2008. In honor of Stubbs on his birthday, please grab your iPod or MP3 player, hit shuffle and share the first 10 songs that come up.
Mike Bennett writesFriday iPod/MP3 Shuffle—Happy Birthday Topper Headon Edition
People say that punk rockers didn’t have great musicianship. That was a broad and oft-incorrect generalization. For example, today’s birthday celebrant was dubbed “the Human Drum Machine” by producer Sandy Pearlman, due to his impeccable timing. Topper Headon had that and more. He may have been the second drummer for The Clash, after Terry Chimes was bounced, but he was definitely the best. Without Headon’s underrated playing, The Clash couldn’t have achieved the stylistic breadth displayed on classic albums such as London Calling and Sandinista!. Moreover, he also contributed songs, such as “Ivan Meets G.I. Joe” (which he also sang) and the band’s biggest hit single, “Rock the Casbah” (on which he played drums, piano and bass when he got tired of waiting for his bandmates to get to the studio). In honor of Topper, grab your iPod or MP3 player, hit shuffle and share the first 10 songs that come up.
Clarence Ewing: The Million Year Trip writesWeekly Voyages: Friday May 30 to Thursday June 5
(Weekly Voyages is CHIRP Radio's listing of concerts in Chicago at select venues. Information about tickets can be obtained from the venues' Web sites. Do you have corrections or updates for this list? Send us an e-mail.)
Friday May 30
DreamTAp Sun Stereo
Abbey Pub 9pm, 21+
Paul Dunski Present!: Pseudogod Wrathprayer, Sacrocurse, Diabolical Messiah, Infernal Sacrament, Hellfire Deathcult
Beat Kitchen 8pm, 21+
Audiobakery, Adora, Draft Week, Bury Me In Lights, HeroInEden
Bottom Lounge 6:30pm
PJ Morton Special Guest: Chantae Cann, Guest DJ: Charles Protege
Double Door 8pm, 21+
DEPARTURE, Mercaba, Icky Thump
Elbo Room 9pm, 21+