04 Mar 11

Hey, blogspot readers, embark on a fantastical journey of the epically instrumental kind. Tonight's On The Town adventure took this roving reviewer to Southside's popular music venue - Reggie's Rock Club. Known primarily as a "rock" club, the lineup featured a rockin' experience full of melodic sound and haunting rhythms the audience would never forget. Performances by local rockers Community College, The Crown and Two Chairmen and good friends Army of Monsters included SouthSide's Austrian friends Lehnen and the Icelandic band, For A Minor Reflection. Blogspot readers are highly encouraged to attend these bands' next scheduled shows.

A thunderous clash of sound and vibrant mix of thrash/metal riffs opened Community College's performance under a cloud of eclectic instrumental energy. SouthSide enjoyed how the band's music was loudly as well as vigorously performed on stage which popped with hardcore stamina. Throughout the set, this reviewer was taken on a riveting adventure of epic heart-pounding rhythms despite tricking the ears of its seemingly off base melodies. There were moments when Community performed a particular piece with the gentleness of lulls or in another with the harshest blast of guitar chords ever heard. Yet it's this reviewer's honest opinion that the use of keyboard rhythms (during certain songs) did nothing to enhance the band's eclectic core sound ...simply confused it even more. Community's instrumental rock sound was absolutely fine without the few notes barely registering over the rockin' guitar jam during the closing number. Visit Community College at http://www.hicommunitycollege.com or http://www.myspace.com/ourwolffriends for more information.

Don't worry, blogspot readers, these monsters don't bite ...unless they're rockin' the audience with its unique blend of dark electronica/pop rock sound and haunting vocal power (by Bianca). After opening the set with the howling call of the wild, Army Of Monsters wowed this reviewer again but this time with its instrumental piece titled, Stadium of Stars Part 1. She enjoyed how the vibrant piano/keyboard ladened sound (combined with rockin' guitar riffs) vividly popped under the electro vibe. Plus new song Be Alone spotlighted Bianca's dynamic usage of her vocals behind the melodic electro/pop rhythms ...don't be fooled by the softness of her voice - this vocalist packed a powerful soprano punch when she wants to be effectively heard over the microphone. SouthSide recommends listening to Army's electronica/rock song with sharp-shooting lyrical verse in the song titled Back of My Mind (a fan favorite that certainly gets the audience feeling this band's music). Visit her friends Army of Monsters at http://www.aofmrock.com or http://www.myspace.com/aofmmusic for more wild information about them.

Combining the dynamic (ambient/electro rock) with dramatic (random visuals played on a screen), Lehnen vibrantly rocked out its second Chicago performance at Reggie's, blogspot readers. This Austrian band not only captivated but astounded the entire audience as they performed with vigorous energy (despite some technical difficulties). The combination of random video images (running in sync with the songs off current album Awake) gave the eyes a deeper appreciation for Lehnen's epic-sounding arias and haunting rhythms. Plus such images like lightning streaks and firework bursts or slow moving traffic (going forward/backward due to good editing skills) tend to give the listener some incite to the music's central theme. Beside hearing favorites Coma, Awake and What Is In The Air, SouthSide enjoyed Lehnen's new song in which the sound of electro/rock vibrated a pulsating vibe throughout the venue. Blogspot readers should know that 10% of this band's CD sales goes to the Charity: Water (http://www.charitywater.org) which brings clean, fresh drinking water to people of developing nations. Visit Lehnen at http://www.lehnenmusic.com or http://www.myspace.com/lehnen for more information.

Continuing where Lehnen ended, local rockers The Crown and Two Chairmen performed an exciting yet vigorous set full of ear-popping melodies and rhythms. To SouthSide, this band's music created a profound aura of mystery within its epic tone ...the sound was so vivid that any lyrics added wouldn't have truly captured the music's essence. This reviewer distinctly felt the passion off the heart-pounding crescendo rises and soulful falls - the tempos were electrifying besides hearing them. For example, in one particular song, Crown took the energetic tone down to a calming lull yet this instrumental piece still breathed life under its steady pace. However in the next one that followed, the ears were blasted with vibrant of bursts of melodic arias between a gentle lull before exciting the audience with a huge electrifying finish. Crown ended their performance with a ballad played solemnly as well as reverently displaying the band's "softer" side on guitar consisting a wonderful combination of an allegro tempo and steady rhythms yet finishing with a BANG! Visit http://www.thecrownandtwochairmen.bandcamp.com or http://www.myspace.com/thecrownandtwochairmen for more information about this band.

SouthSide only has two words to say, blogspot readers, after seeing this band's rockin' performance - F*CKIN' AWESOME! And that's not really a good description of what she (and everyone else) experienced when For A Minor Reflection rocked out the lineup. This Icelandic band after a grueling fifteen hour drive from New York amazed the late night audience with the stamina and energy to perform a full ambient/instrumental rock show ...with more room to spare to grant the audience's request for an encore. You simply had to be there to witness the explosive sound full of vibrant crescendo rises and melodic rhythms played vigorously fast and furious. It was epically astounding as well as profound as SouthSide listened closely to the hidden "lyrics" being sung. Just feel, for example, the hushed lullaby vividly portrayed with the tenderest of feelings ...or the clashing cymbals coupled with rip-roaring riffs within Minor's melodic arias. SouthSide highly recommends listening to Dansi Dans which featured a hint of Mozart-like concerto duet on piano with each set of hands playing an octave higher or lower from the other as well as songs Kastljos and Okyrrd. Joel (front man of Lehnen) had this to say about For A Minor Reflection "...[these] guys are amazing ...[it's] everything you wanted to hear..." in music. And he also wishes he was touring with them - and SouthSide agrees ...they would make a good touring companions hopefully returning for another rockin' show in Chicago. Visit http://www.foraminorreflection.com or http://www.myspace.com/foraminorreflection to experience this amazing music for Iceland yourself.


Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide