08 Jun 12

Hey, blogspot readers, hot fun in Chicago's music scene this summer! Fests, street fairs and and more will be rockin' the upcoming months this year that SouthSide has lost count of how many (especially new ones) there are. And this also means, she will be extremely busy trying to cover as many as she possibly can just for you.

Earlier today, SouthSide attended an awesome live taping of The Parlotones (http://www.theparlotones.net) making their debut on JBTV (http://www.jbtvonline.com) with her good friend and host, Jerry Bryant. This local icon has been rockin' the local television airwaves bringing what's hot and new in music from acts like Semi Precious Weapons and 30 Seconds to Mars to local faves like Janus and Dandy Warhols from his River North studios. This South African band performed a special 40 to 50 minute intimate set in front of an audience featuring songs Life Design, Stars Fall Down, Honey, Shoule We Fight Back and new one Brave And Wild before having to get ready for their Schubas appearance later that evening. SouthSide doesn't know when this episode will air (she wants to tape it), blogspot readers, however hopes to see her friends again sometime later in 2012 for another On The Town review.

Then later ...it was off to rock her night away at Wicker Park's hippest rock venue on six corners (Damen, Milwaukee, and North) - Double Door with her friend Board of Governors. But before the headliners took the stage, this reviewer did check out the opening acts and was sadly disappointed to see this band supported by weak performances, blogspot readers, that she wasn't impressed to review them. Despite arriving nearly the end of The Deeper End's (http://www.facebook.com/thedeeperend) set, SouthSide's ears here horribly assualted (before even entering the venue) by the band's front man and his vocals which were either hoarse (due to strain) or off key. In her honest and best opinion, his vocal tone threw off the band's hardcore guitar rock sound during this particular before their closing number. Meanwhile, King By Friday (http://www.facebook.com/Kingbyfriday) during their EP release performance was busily doing too much within their allotted time leaving this reviewer quite confusted. She did like the band's energy and momentum however the cross-genre hopping (one minute they were a rockin' alternative band and then the next a Shelia E mixed with Miami Sound Machine knock off) really didn't appeal to SouthSide. She tried to figure out what they were and what was their core rock sound but gave up after the fourth song. The female lead vocalist while on her conga drum set had a few miscues here and there and failed to "bring it" as promised while performing the closing number. Lastly, Fly Over State (http://www.flyoverstateband.com) truly had SouthSide cringing in her balcony seat not from the band's rock sound but from their bad Blondie knock off stage presence, blogspot readers. There's only one Debbie Harry in this music scene and the female lead vocalist for this band performed a horrible imitation with her lifeless, soft vocals on lyrics. You couldn't really tell if she was actually there on stage singing because the band would constantly overshadow her time after time - meaning there was no emotion or dynamic powress to state "yes, I'm here ...notice me..." popping on the mic. She was in desperate need of more vocal umph to stop sucking dry the band's energy. Even while in a downtempo rhythm in a ballad, she didn't "bring it" to pop the lyrics with momentum or anything. If the vocalist was going for sex appeal during this performance, that failed miserably. Though somewhat liking the 80s/rock fusion, it wasn't truly working for this band especially it's mostly keyboard/synth driven meshing a hardcore guitar rock sound. Now, SouthSide understands there are fans out there for each of these bans mentioned. Yet, in all honesty, blogspot readers, this reviewer cannot give her stamp of approval for any recommendation since they didn't bring their A-game to this show tonight.

When it came for Board of Governors to take the stage, the stage area on the main floor immediately swelled to capacity with excited fans ready to rock out with this band. Opening with a harmonizing aria of vocals full of melodic floetry, this band soon flipped the script and began the task of giving their fans one heck of rock show, blogspot readers. And what a show it was. This trio besides the wonderfully complementing vocal harmonies packed their headlining performance with plenty of fist-pumping, gritty Southern guitar rock. Out of very little, these three musicians created enough sound as if they were a four or five piece guitar rock band. And judging by the enthused reactions from their fans (espeically those by the front of the stage), this reviewer immediately knew this crowd was ready for all of the excitement and space-cadet glow of this BOG set complete with sequenced lighting effects for each song. So what makes this band so good to be asked to perform at this year's Summerfest (in Miwaukee) or I AM Fest (Aug 25th at House of Blues Chicago)? Well, honestly, this trio gives their fans a performance filled with simplistic views about the world around them without any added rock fillers or preservatives. Just pure alternative rock music that will chill and thrill your soul with excitement especially during the instrumental bridges where they soak the ears with plenty of twitterpating riffs or heart-pounding crescendo rises to then POW you with a blast of energetic momentum. Yes, it was that kind of show happening on Friday night, blogspot readers. Performing songs like Lines, Bleed, and Dirty, BOG wowed this reviewer with one powerful punch of original music after another which kept their die-hard fanatics screaming for more. Yet still, SouthSide was mainly fascinated by their infamous trio of vocal harmonies that melodically tames the wild rock side of this band. Amazing isn't it how vocals can do that and more to Board's core rock vibe? And it works too. The vocal melodies match the band's guitar sound offsetting (a little) hardcore rhtyhms ...not by much to turn them into a contemporary band but still retain that gritty Southern feeling. Even while taking the energy down a bit to highlight the vocals, Board still can retain that energetic momentum within the guitars with some dramatic pause to lure their fans into that build up of excitement found inside the twitterpating riffs. There are plenty of opportunies this summer to see this local rock the stage and SouthSide highly suggests attending their next performance. For more information, visit Board of Governors at http://www.reverbnation.com/boardofgovernors.


Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide