Join me after the jump for a collection of photos that I took on Day 2 (Saturday) of this year’s Pitchfork Music Festival. Photos are arranged by set time. They are also available in higher resolution on Facebook. Check out my full recap of the day, as well as all the rest of the coverage, by going here.
Tag: concert
My Morning Jacket are at their core an outdoor ampitheatre band. The music they make, in all of its triumphant goodness, can be so expansive that even the largest of rooms would have trouble holding it. That’s a big part of the reason why they’re often asked to play music festivals, and do so with the sort of wild abandon reserved for the headliners they are. Looking through their copious tour archive, I wasn’t entirely surprised to learn that My Morning Jacket’s last four shows in Chicago have all taken place at festivals and/or outdoor venues. The last time they played inside was in late December 2008, where they blew the doors off the Chicago Theatre for two nights in a row. It’s taken them seven years to return, which is probably how long the venue needed to repair and reinforce the “damage” from last time. Of course now they’re even bigger and more popular band with a few radio hits under their belts, so for 2015 a two-night stand becomes a three-night stand. Out of concern for my safety and the thought that the 94-year-old venue might not survive the 72 hour rock and roll punishment it was about to endure, I decided that attending the first show on Tuesday night would probably be the smartest choice. Immediately following the show I can tell you my biggest regret was not getting tickets to all three.
It began with a waterfall. Specifically, the psychedelic-looking one that graces the cover of their new album. It was projected onto a gigantic white sheet that covered the entire front of the stage. The first few plinks of keyboards rang out from behind the sheet, as did Jim James’ voice at the beginning of “Believe (Nobody Knows),” the opening track on The Waterfall record. As the song approached the first chorus, a blinding white light flashed on from the back of the stage, revealing the massive shadows of a band that many consider to be larger than life. It was a playful start to the show, and the curtain finally fell once they got around to the chorus for the second time. A massive cheer erupted from the crowd as the band was fully and exultantly revealed. I’ve seen a couple of other artists pull a similar stunt at the start of their shows, and honestly it’s effective even if it’s not original.
Unknown Mortal Orchestra are difficult to pin down. This is something that has only increased in magnitude over time. On his recently released third album Multi-Love, the band’s primary architect Ruban Nielson might as well have titled it multi-influence as he takes a signature lo-fi psych-pop sound and infuses it with elements of funk, soul, blues, disco and much more. The one thing holding it all together is the record’s overarching thematic exploration of polyamory (hence the title) and the impact one woman had when she joined Nielson’s already established family. While stylistic expectations and societal norms may be upended, the overall focus stays strong and prevents things from totally going off the rails. A similar approach has made its way into UMO’s most recent live shows, and was on full display this past Saturday night for a wild and funky set at Lincoln Hall.
Prior to Saturday, I had seen Unknown Mortal Orchestra perform twice. Both times were at outdoor music festivals, which was nice because their sound pairs nicely with nature. Yet fests are also built as variety pack samplers to give you a good taste of what an artist has to offer but may not be the truest representation of what they’d do in a typical show in the confines of a dark venue. What struck me about those previous UMO sets was how genuinely relaxed Nielson and his bandmates were, to the point of spending about a quarter of the time seated on the stage with legs crossed just playing guitar. Sometimes it’d be in service of the song, while other times it’d be part of some extended jam session that included effects pedals and plenty of knob turning. It only took two songs at Lincoln Hall before Nielson sat down, turning the outro of II track “From the Sun” into a jittery, radiating piece of white noise. While the idea was smartly conceived, particularly since that song has plenty of room for deviation from the recorded version, the execution in this case was a little less than ideal. Playing with effects simply for the sake of playing with effects can come across as a bit aimless if you’re not careful, creating the reaction of, “just end this already.”
In contrast, a little more than halfway through the set the band took single “So Good at Being in Trouble” and extended it to encompass some incredible guitar and drum solos. When a band fires on all cylinders like that, it can make for a truly transcendent experience, as this certainly was. It also served as a great reminder of how ridiculously talented of a guitarist Nielson is. No matter if he was jamming for fun or playing an intricate part because that’s what the song required, the way his fingers would fly around the fret board and pluck those strings was almost always a treat to behold. The real shame is that he didn’t do more of it. Of course when your set primarily focuses on your new album which doesn’t feature as many guitars let alone solos, there’s no point in trying to shoehorn them in. Actually Nielson put down his guitar towards the end of the night for a synth-heavy performance of “Stage or Screen,” which freed him up to climb atop some speakers on the side of the stage as well as pull off a funky spin into the splits as a capper. That was arguably the most fun he had all show, though the loud cheers from the crowd and people yelling “Ruban!” kept him smiling for much of the evening.
Speaking of the crowd, their passion and energy was nothing short of infectuous. There was an older gentlemen standing in front of me, likely in his mid-50s and dressed like he had just come from a fancy dinner, who spent most of the show jumping around, dancing and just generally having the time of his life. He might not have looked like the average Unknown Mortal Orchestra fan, but in many respects he showed more enthusiasm than a lot of people who are half his age. Part of me wonders if his fanaticism pushed others to more freely express their own by dancing and singing along. Things really picked up at the end of the set, with the one-two punch of 2010 single “Ffunny Ffrends” and 2015 single “Multi-Love” subtly placing emphasis on how much UMO has evolved over these last few years. The double-barreled encore of new songs “Necessary Evil” and “Can’t Keep Checking My Phone” then offered up a closing salvo, the gleeful smiles and writhing bodies connecting with each melody to ensure the future of this project will be anything but unknown.
Buy Multi-Love from Jagjaguwar or via iTunes.
Set List
Like Acid Rain
From the Sun
How Can You Luv Me
Ur Life One Night
Thought Ballune
The World Is Crowded
So Good at Being in Trouble
Swim and Sleep (Like A Shark)
Stage or Screen
Ffunny Ffrends
Multi-Love
**ENCORE**
Necessary Evil
Can’t Keep Checking My Phone
On May 14, 2013, Lady Lamb (Aly Spaltro) played a headlining show at Schubas in Chicago. She was very sick with a cold and by all accounts barely made it through her set. “If I recall correctly,” she said on Wednesday while reminiscing about that night, “I couldn’t even sing most of the songs, so I asked the crowd to sing along with me.” Quite a few people cheered when she said that, to acknowledge they were there and that she was telling the truth. Shows like those are the sorts that both the audience and artists remember clearly, because they’re far from what could be considered normal. Then again, I’d like to think that just about every Lady Lamb show is special and unique in its own way, which is why when Spaltro returned to Chicago to play the Empty Bottle with Torres about a month and a half later, she was 100% healthy and arguably even more memorable for her powerful and intense solo set.
Nearly two years to the day since her sick performance at Schubas, Spaltro returned on Wednesday night to headline the venue once again. Not only was she in tip top shape, but was also armed with a brand new record called After as well as a backing band to help bring her songs to life in a much fuller way. Things immediately got off to an elaborate start with the multifaceted “You Are the Apple” from Lady Lamb’s 2013 debut album Ripely Pine. In the grand tradition of starting strong and then going stronger, After single “Billions of Eyes” surged to life next, which got the crowd moving a bit with some serious head bobbing and a bit of a sing-along. At one point a couple people began to clap along with the beat, but unfortunately nobody else joined in so that stopped pretty quickly. Still, it was clear early on that people were connecting with the songs, they just showed it in a variety of ways.
For her part, Spaltro did a great job of mixing things up, really putting her three piece setup to good use with some of the louder and more aggressive numbers like “Bird Balloons” and “Spat Out Spit,” then giving them a mid-set break to play some quieter stuff like “Sunday Shoes” and “The Nothing Pt. II” solo. Those moments when it was just her voice and guitar really brought back the intimacy of her shows from a couple years ago while also infusing the set with greater doses of pathos and heart. The between song banter was a similar shade of earnest, with Spaltro expressing real gratitude for Chicago and everyone who came out to support Lady Lamb, which included her own Aunt Fran. I had the privilege of standing right behind Aunt Fran next to the stage for the duration of the show, and she was positively beaming with pride the entire time.
At the very end of her 90 minute set, Spaltro once again sent off her bandmates and closed by playing “Ten” solo. “This is my favorite song,” Aunt Fran whispered to her friend as the first notes rang out. It comes across like a diary entry brought to life, complete with the little moments and vivid imagery that we remember from our childhood. In one of the final verses, Spaltro sings the lines, “We were singing along / To every word of the songs / That helped make us who we are.” If the tear-streaked faces in the crowd were any indication, Lady Lamb’s songs have done their part to help shape lives in a similar fashion.
Let’s not sugar coat this: Foxygen aren’t for everyone. They’re the sort of band that thrives on doing their own thing and not apologizing for it, which can really rub some people the wrong way. If you want to listen to and enjoy music that’s safe and comfortable that’s fine, but if unsafe and uncomfortable music is more up your alley, then by all means give Foxygen a try. Their 2013 album We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace & Magic represented the band at the height of their powers, taking cues from classic artists like The Rolling Stones and The Kinks while at the same time blurring lines between psych-pop, soul, funk, gospel and straight-up rock. They took that smorgasbord of influences and doubled down both figuratively and literally with last year’s …And Star Power. Across two discs and 24 tracks, Foxygen had crafted something akin to a 70’s glam rock concept record along the lines of Pink Floyd’s The Wall and The Who’s Tommy. Of course both those albums are classics, while Foxygen’s latest effort was met with more of a collective sigh from many critics and fans. Much of the good will the band had amassed the year prior had been wiped away by that point anyways, thanks to band in-fighting, shows being cancelled and an overall sense of fatigue that came with spending too much time on the road. Some artists progress slowly and steadily, while others push themselves to extremes and flame out quickly and in spectacular fashion. For all practical purposes, Foxygen appear to be the latter.
Last week they let everyone know via Twitter that this will be their final tour. Now before you go crying tears of sadness or joy, depending on your opinion of the band, I think it’s important to remember the following: they may not be 100% serious about it. Allow me to offer up a reasonable explanation. Upon the release of …And Star Power last fall, Foxygen decided to go all-out spectacle with their tour in support of it. They put together a true production with a large crew, elaborate stage design and extra band members that included backup singers/dancers. Then they kind of but not really changed their name. I’m not sure if they settled on Foxygen and Star Power or simply just Star Power, but to avoid confusion everyone kept calling them just plain Foxygen anyways, so it doesn’t matter so much. Upon claiming that this is their “final tour,” that could have multiple meanings. Will this be the final tour in support of the …And Star Power record? Will they be breaking up “Star Power” only to reform again as Foxygen? Will they simply be ending their extravagant live show with extra band members and will scale back to normal? It could be any/all of those things, none of which truly spell the end of Foxygen. More than anything, I’m convinced they’ll disappear for a few years, then resurface with a new album.
Whatever they choose to do, it’s likely to be interesting if not a bit bothersome and annoying. But that shouldn’t stop you from going to see Foxygen play what could be their final show in Chicago on April 9th at Metro. At the very least it’ll be the last time they come through town for the foreseeable future with a whole big event-style performance. To give you at least a taste of what that might entail, check out their visit to Letterman from back in January where they blew him away with “How Can You Really”. Pretty great, right? Anyways, tickets to their show at Metro are $18 in advance and can be purchased here. It’s an 18+ show and starts at 9PM, just so you’ve got all the necessary details. I hope to see you there!
Multiple studies done over the last decade have pretty much all determined that our own personal tastes in music become established between the ages of 14 and 24. As these are the most formative years of our lives, from puberty to the completion of our education in high school and college to the friends and social groups we settle into, it makes sense that this would be a testing ground for the kinds of music we like. The reason I bring this up is because at the tender age of 19 I discovered the band Cursive. To be fair, I discovered a LOT of bands at that age and have continued to for a good decade since, but for one reason or another Cursive holds a special place in my heart. Their 2003 concept(ish) album The Ugly Organ very blessedly blurred the lines between alt-rock, indie, punk and emo so it provided a rather easy entry point for music fans of all stripes and colors. Working at a college radio station in the Midwest also brought the band to my attention, and few were the days when you couldn’t find me in the DJ booth jumping around to “Art Is Hard” as it blasted over the airwaves. ‘Twas a simpler time. But I digress. The point being, The Ugly Organ was a record I really got into and apparently a whole lot of others did as well. So much so the band decided to reissue it last fall with a bunch of bonus material, and follow it up this winter/spring with a two month U.S. tour in celebration. The band finally reached Chicago at the tail end of that for a sold out show at Lincoln Hall on Wednesday night. Here’s what happened. (cue Law & Order ::dun dun::)
One of the more noteworthy things about The Ugly Organ is that it’s Cursive’s only release that prominently features the cello. The band recruited cellist Gretta Cohn in 2001 to play on the record and tour in support of it, but in 2005 she left to pursue other interests and was never replaced. While Cohn did play a show or two with Cursive recently when they stopped in New York (where she now lives), she hasn’t rejoined the band or anything like that. The good news is that all of the other stops on this tour did have a cellist to help ensure that the album was properly brought to life, not to mention the bonus of adding cello parts to a bunch of other songs across the Cursive catalog.
Unlike a majority of bands who have adopted the trend of performing a classic album from front to back, Cursive decided to shake things up a bit because they didn’t want to be like everyone else. That was clear right from the beginning of their set, which kicked off with “Sink to the Beat” from 2001’s Burst and Bloom EP followed by “Big Bang” from 2006’s Happy Hollow. Those were but a couple of many interesting choices the band made across close to 90 minutes and 21 songs. Yes The Ugly Organ was technically played in full, but there were detours taken along the way to throw the crowd off and celebrate other records in bits and pieces. Of the non-Organ records, 2009’s Mama, I’m Swollen got the most love, but not by much. The biggest surprise of the night was probably “Excerpts From Various Notes Strewn Around the Bedroom of April Connolly, Feb. 24, 1997,” a song that appeared on a 2002 split EP called 8 Teeth to Eat You. That, or the song “Nonsense,” which was found on the Saddle Creek 50 compilation. Both of those tracks actually are included in the deluxe reissue of The Ugly Organ so it makes sense that they’d be played, but context aside they’re absolutely rarities and not the sort of songs you expect to be performed live pretty much ever.
As for The Ugly Organ itself, let’s just say it’s the sort of record that holds up really well. The 1-2-3 punch that is “Some Red Handed Sleight of Hand” into “Art Is Hard” into “The Recluse” still hits with the same force, only this time you’ve got a room full of people shouting along to every single word. “Art Is Hard” in particular is just a powder keg that set a lot of people off. Similar things could be said about the late set heroics from songs like “Bloody Murderer” and “Sierra,” the latter of which kicked off the encore. As great of a time as the crowd seemed to be having, the band looked like they were having a blast too. Frontman Tim Kasher seemed to suggest that the tour had been going on forever and they were all a little worse for wear, but there were no telltale signs outside of a couple small coughing fits that Kasher had between songs. Illnesses can be tough to recover from when you’re on the road and are unable to rest or take really good care of yourself. So long as it doesn’t degrade the performance though, such things are manageable. Turns out a night honoring The Ugly Organ was anything but ugly. It’s my sincere hope that Kasher and the rest of Cursive take inspiration from that record and this tour as they write and arrange material for their next effort. The world could use more albums like it.
Let me set the scene: It’s a Saturday night at the end of January in Chicago. According to the weather reports, something wicked this way comes. Specifically, a monster snowstorm set to pile on more than a foot of the white stuff between Saturday and Monday morning. It has the real potential to be a record breaker too, possibly capturing a coveted spot on the Top 10 biggest snowfalls to ever hit Chicago. Yet in spite of this and the myriad of warnings from meteorologists to avoid travel if possible, the bands Pearl and the Beard and Wild Child still performed in front of a sold out crowd at Lincoln Hall that very evening. We Chicagoans are a tough and proud people, refusing to let winter keep us away from enjoying some live music. Thankfully bands like these are also willing to come around when we’re at our weather worst. So how did it all go, conditions outside notwithstanding? Let me give you the play by play.
Pearl and the Beard are a Brooklyn-based trio with a fascinating dynamic and sound. While Jocelyn Mackenzie handles drums, Jeremy Lloyd-Styles plays guitar and Emily Hope Price does the cello and keyboards, when it comes to vocals there is no technical frontman or frontwoman or lead singer. All three of them are equally talented at their individual instruments, yet can also belt out a song with ease. They may all take turns behind the microphone, but more often than not add a little extra grace and beauty to their songs with some highly impressive harmonies. The cello goes a long way to contribute some additional beauty as well, all of these things contributing to the band’s unique and difficult to describe sound. Their set at Lincoln Hall was the final stop on their tour with Wild Child, and though they confessed to being a little bit worn down and sick, as one might expect during a long winter touring cycle, it seemed to have little to no effect on their performance. Just about every note hit with the right inflection and energy, engaging the crowd and encouraging sing-alongs for those familiar with some of their singles. Not being terribly familiar with their records, this show was a bit of an introduction for me, and a pretty positive one at that. Their eclectic approach and style may make them hard to pin down, but quite easy to like. That they all seem to have a pretty great sense of humor helps too, providing a few laughs between songs keeps everybody in a jovial mood. If the handful of new songs they played from their forthcoming record Beast are any indication, 2015 might just be the year that Pearl and the Beard reach a whole new audience.
Buy Pearl and the Beard music on iTunes
As far as headliners Wild Child go, let’s just say that they’ve already built a rabid fan base for themselves. I mean, they probably could have sold out Lincoln Hall without any openers if they had wanted to, and it stands to reason the next time they come through Chicago it’ll be at a significantly larger venue. What’s fascinating to me is that they’ve done all this with no radio support or mentions from a number of prominent music publications. Still, NPR has really championed them, and most of their singles have gotten a massive amount of streams on YouTube, Spotify and The Hype Machine, so clearly people are catching on anyways. In case you’re not familiar, here’s a quick play-by-play. The Austin seven piece have released two full lengths to date, 2011’s Pillow Talk and 2013’s The Runaround. Their sound is described by most as indie pop, though with so many members and instruments it’s more like a collection of styles and genres incorporated into traditional pop structures. I’d say that folk pop is sort of their base, as most of their songs fall somewhere on the spectrum between The Lumineers, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Of Monsters and Men, Vance Joy and The Head and the Heart. There’s that acoustic guitar base, the male and female traded off vocals/harmonies, touches of violin, cello and banjo, and choruses that everybody can collectively sing along to. In fact, such actions are strongly encouraged during their live show.
The crowd at Lincoln Hall was more than happy to oblige with the request, leaving the band equally grateful and blown away by the extreme enthusiasm. What else can I say about their set? It was lovely, it was fun, and it was full of should-be hits from across their catalog. The best moments offered up a range of emotions, like when they transitioned from a joyously high energy song that had everyone on stage singing and playing as hard as they could, then followed it up with a stirring ballad that featured only principal members Kelsey Wilson and Alexander Beggins while the rest took a short break. Through it all what shone through most was their passion, both for the material and for their fans. While I can’t quite call myself a fan due to a general ambivalence in regards to their music, at the very least they know how to put on a good show. That’s really all I was hoping for, and am thankful that Wild Child was able to deliver in that aspect.
