SouthSide On The Town: December 2015

"How do you know there's a drummer at the door? He doesn't know when to enter."

Letterbomb

"I wanna polka all night ...and eat pierogi every day..."

The Polkaholics

Let's have some holiday fun, blogspot readers! It has been one heck out of year for this rock-n-roll gal now chef of a reviewer. And tonight, SouthSide is once again treating herself to a night on the town ...partying as well as polka-ing with her internationally famous friends - The Polkaholics!

SouthSide does polka?

Of course, she does. Yet, blogspot readers, this is your ordinary, run of the mill polka band. No, this local trio is widely known for their unique polka fusion of punk, classic rock, even some reggae too and other things Don and his band can mix within the traditional polka sound. However, tonight's show was a little bit different. Toss in some twisted holiday and Christmas tunes and you definitely have one wild and crazy night of polka!

To help them kick off the fun festivities, another local band, Letterbomb, got the crowd inside Phyllis Musical Inn warmed up with their brand of angered punk rock style. It's not so much of the "anger" that really gets your head banging to the music, blogspot readers. It's the wicked electric riffs and the thumping bass rhythms which automatically gets the heart pumping to the boisterous beat fused inside Letterbomb's 70s classic punk style. And, believe SouthSide ...they truly honed in the spirits of classic Ramones and The Clash for their sound. Also she enjoyed how the band shared in the vocal duties though Mike (on guitar) was the rock-n-roll front man of this band. Loved the Che shirt he was wearing. Anyway, Letterbomb entertained us with such tunes as Key Party (that 70s swinging party game when couples would drop keys in bowl and then swop partners) and Riot in between a bit of comedic banter and jokes. They did make this beginning set rather interesting while performing The Band's classic song "The Weight" but done in a punk rock rhythm. This reviewer has to admit - it truly works within a faster tempo pace and hardcore guitar riff. Definitely not what she was expecting upon listening to Letterbomb's version. Oh yeah, check out their version of Run, Run Rudolph too. It was a gas, blogspot readers!. This reviewer highly suggests checking out this band in 2016 when they release their vinyl (yep, it's a record to played on a record player, blogspot readers, not hung on a wall) album soon. For more information about this band, visit them on Facebook or http://www.lettterbomb.net/.

The Polkaholics....

...what can SouthSide say more about this polka-loving band? She has seen them so many times that another review isn't really necessary, blogspot readers. However since this is their annual polka holiday show ...and it's usually never the same like last year's, she'll give you the highlights of tonight's fun in you weren't there ...or if you were there, you missed a few things while dancing a jig near the front of the stage. In any case, what a crazy night it was. Don and the band were simply being Don and the band ...rockin' out Phyllis Musical Inn with a special double set of twisted holiday music and their classic The Polkaholics hits like Beer Garden, Old Style, and Who Stole the Kishka. Yet there were others such as The Polkaholics Are Coming To Town, Ten Drinks to the Floor and of course the fan favorite - The Chicken Dance. Now there wouldn't be a performance if The Polkaholics didn't play this song at all, blogspot readers, because it really gets the crowd dancing along with them.

Still that's the command of the night - dance, dance and dance with

them! Besides the music, you even get some educational fun facts too! Here's something even SouthSide didn't know ...the Aussies have discovered a way to drink beer in space ...as in outer space ...to which the trio dedicated Space Polka to the people down under. (Also did you know they produce more beer than any other country in the world? Shocking isn't it?) For over 18 years, The Polkaholics have been spreading the polka love across the city of Chicago as well as across the pond ...and this reviewer doesn't see them slowing down anytime soon. Not when you have an energetic front man like Don who will climb a bar stool onto the bar counter and rock out your bar, blogspot readers! Hey check out other songs like Barfly Waltz Polka ...Sausages and Sauerkraut for Santa ...Kiss My Polka (in which this reviewer loved the reggae rhythms intertwining with the polka sound. Oh yeah, blogspot readers, catch that polka fever when seeing The Polkaholics at their next show. For more information about this band, visit them on Facebook or http://www.thepolkaholics.com/.