Concerts

Concert Review: Gold Motel, June 10, Chicago Ribfest

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Celeste in Concerts, Everything | Leave a comment

Every year I’m baffled by the quality of the bands that Chicago’s Ribfest is able to secure. It’s not like there’s any prestige to the event – the crowd is sweaty, surly, overly full, sun burnt and relatively small. It’s not even in a nice part of town. I don’t understand how they do it, but every year I’ve been in Chicago I look at the lineup for this season, and right away I know that this year’s Ribfest will consist of 50,000 pounds of barbeque and one vegetarian. Last year Jukebox the Ghost was the big draw, and this year Spinto
Band and Gold Motel played.

So on Sunday evening I trekked down to North Center for Gold Motel. Unfortunately, Chicago Transit Authority and I were in a big fight on that day, so by the time I was done with my two transfers I only caught the last two songs of their set – but let me tell you they were awesome. Lead singer, Greta Morgan, was looking adorable and pocket sized in a gold skirt and black top, and was backed by a band I wasn’t really paying attention to because I was super distracted by the guitarist’s sweet cut-off jorts. I was hoping to catch “Safe in LA,” my favorite from them, but instead they finished off their set with “Cold Shoulders” which is a pretty solid piece as well. It’s easy for bands to just phone it in at these kinds of events where it’s 90 degrees and most of the crowd is chatting through your set, but Gold Motel was all graciousness and smiles – really a lovely group. They’re touring right now and I’d suggest checking these guys out if they come through your part of town – I bet they’re even better in a venue with A/C.

Concert Review: tUnE-yArDs, June 3, 9:30 Club

Posted on June 5, 2012 by halley in Concerts, Everything | 2 Comments


Has tUnE-yArDs “made it”?
Let’s check.
1) Is she booking reputable venues?
Not to toot DC’s horn, but the 9:30 Club is widely recognized as one of the best music venues in the 50 United States (see the Esky music awards, the Billboard Touring Awards, etc). Last time tUnE-yArDs came around she sold out back to back shows at the Black Cat – a feat in and of itself. But the fact that the woman is now rolling in and out of the 9:30 Club like a boss is one strong indicator she has, indeed, made it.
2) Is she drawing crowds?
Lady sold out the aforementioned 9:30 Club. On a Sunday night. No big deal.
3) Does she have good openers?
Um, if you can name a better opener than an eight-piece mariachi band in matching costumes and corbatins, go for it. But until you are preceded, in your daily life, by a comparably hard-rocking ensemble that markets itself as “purveyors of audio and visual dissidence” and includes an accordion, and a title like “Mariachi El Bronx” I’m going to go ahead and say tUnE-yArDs can one-up you. (Side note: I love this band’s song Slave Labor which they dedicated to everyone dreading the return of the work-week the next day).
4) Do the crowds like her?
Remarks heard yelled at the concert: “YOU ARE A GODDESS!” “LET ME HAVE YOUR BABIES!” “DC LOVES YOU!” “MARRY ME!” Conclusion: yeah, her fans think she’s OK.
5) Is she backed by a good band?
tUnE-yArDs travels with three guys. They are amazing, and, unless their relationship is totally different off stage than on-stage, they seem totally happy to be there and devoted to their front lady. Her two saxophonists are SO ADORABLE and are great at doing anything required (which included but was not limited to: jumping and twirling in unison, banging on the floor/mic stands/pots and pans (?)/jamming out – and playing great sax of course). Her guitarist is also a star, providing back-up vocals and great music.
6) Are her songs solid?
They are amazing. Seriously. tUnE-yArDs pulled out her classics, including Bizness and Gangsta and also mixed it up with some songs I was less familiar with, such as Real Live Flesh which I immediately fell in love with.
7) But are her songs good live?
You haven’t heard tUnE-yArDs until you’ve heard her live. She rocks it – and seeing her make her own loops and feedbacks and instrumentals is absolutely worth the ticket price.
8) But sell her. For real.
tUnE-yArDs is the one artist I’ve seen in the past decade who cannot be compared to… anyone. I like a lot of artists, but feel I can ‘boil them down’ to a combination of three-ish other artists (i.e. Of Monsters And Men = Mighty Mighty Bosstones + Edward Sharpe + Mason Jennings). tUnE-yArDs is tUnE-yArDs. Check her out.

Concert Review: Apparat, May 28, Lincoln Hall

Posted on May 29, 2012 by Celeste in Concerts, Everything | Leave a comment


If I had to describe the Monday night Apparat concert at Lincoln Hall in one word, my first choice would be delightful. Second choice would be charming. Third choice would be surprising. Although I know I shouldn’t stereotype bands based on locale or genre, Apparat was not what I was expecting from a German techno group. Instead of a thumping bass, neon lights and four stoic band members, the crowd was treated instead to a stage decorated with little lights that flashed in time to the music and gave the impression of well-synched fireflies, a lighting system that brought to mind the scratchiness of an old newsreel, and four quiet but charismatic musicians. Most endearingly of all, the four of them lined up at the end of the concert and took a bow. Love.

No one song stood out to me, but the entire set was solid, with a rich and varied feel to it, and the last song of the night ended with a rain sound that brought to mind the days of elementary school when our teacher had us make rainsticks out of paper towel tubes, toothpicks and rice (a collective “oh yeah” memory or just me?) although I’m sure the band’s rain-sound producing instrument was a little more high tech. Overall a surprisingly charming and delightful concert – go see these guys if you get the chance.

Concert Review: Maps and Atlases, May 23, Rock And Roll Hotel

Posted on May 27, 2012 by halley in Concerts | Leave a comment

maps and atlases panic manual concert review

So many magical moments at the Maps and Atlases concert at Rock and Roll Hotel on May 23. Seriously,
though, several mythical never-before-seen phenomena transpired, including:

1) The perfect set-list. The band covered songs old and new, soft and loud, slow and fast. Long-
time and newly won fans rocked out together to Fever, Old and Grey, and Winter among
others from the band’s new album “Beware and Be Grateful.” Old-timers rocked out and new
fans pretended to know the words to the band’s older classics, including The Charm and Solid
Ground from “Perch Patchwork.”

2) Lambs laying down with lions. OK, so maybe not literally, but it was one of the most
heterogeneous crowds I’ve seen at the Rock and Roll Hotel hipster mecca in a while. Preps
mingled with hipsters mingled with grunge mingled with preteens. NBD. My favorite moment
was when some beautiful blonde prep complimented the hipster next to her on his overalls (he
was wearing suspenders).

3) The good guy getting the girl (and boy). Every one of the four members of Maps and Atlases
seemed to be just the nicest, laid-back, most soft-spoken types you could imagine. But the way
the crowd reacted to them was like they were Bieber-meets-Rihanna-wrapped-up-in-Ke$ha.
Total rockstars. Their reactions were so cute too – lots of humble nods, little smiles, and the
occasional fist pound with an eager fan.

4) Religious experiences. So, I don’t pretend to know much (or anything) about the actual skill
sets involved in playing any instrument, but the way the fans around me were talking about
the drummer were in almost Biblical terms. I heard him described as ‘the second coming’ of
John Bonham (the drummer from Led Zeppelin); fans loved the fact he was rocking out without
shoes; and he was also described as the ‘shepherd’ of the band by some guy in the crowd who I
took to be a Maps and Atlases expert given his hair and glasses were carbon copies of the lead
singer’s.

5) Chivalry not being dead. Going to concerts alone is one of the few things I like to do solo (you
wouldn’t catch me dead alone in a restaurant/bar/café) – for some reason I have no shame just
hanging out by myself in the back of the venue. But at this particular show I was lucky enough
to be spotted by a super nice guy who’d seen Maps and Atlases several times before, and who
would not let me hang out in the back. Instead, he fought his way to the front with me in tow –
and I have to admit it made the entire experience a whole lot better (so thanks to you, wherever
you may be!)

Is it worth seeing Maps and Atlases? Absolutely. While I can’t guarantee you’ll experience all five of
the afore-mentioned marvels, you have a pretty good chance of enjoying at least one, right?

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