The Minneapolis, Minnesota based Bad Bad Hats opened up the night at Lincoln Hall on Friday, and while unfortunately low on their namesake, they were rocking some bad, bad-ass garb. Lead singer Kerry Alexander in particular was sporting big chunky hipster glasses, surrounded by whorls and waves of brown locks while she crooned out her mournfully upbeat lyrics. That really is the best description I can think to give – listen to the band’s single “Midway” with its catchy riffs and toe tapping beat and its despairing lyrics and you’ll get a sense.
Next up was Hey Marseilles, the chamber pop sextet hailing from Seattle, WA. The band (who’s as fun to look at as they are to listen to) played mostly from their upcoming self-titled album, out on the 5th, but also threw in some old favorites including “Elegy” and “Heartbeats” from Lines We Trace and “Hold the Morning” from To Travels and Trunks. The gentlemen were surrounded by instruments on instruments, with an especially impressive string section that boasted an electric violin and cello. With the waves of sound crashing all around him, Matt Bishop led the Chicago crowd into a night full of narrative whimsy.