12 Dec 15

"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/.

  

 Yes, blogspot readers, he's actually standing on the bar counter!

Until next time, support your local scene,

SouthSide

Evan and Jamie Benefit Info

The Heartland Cafe and Red Line Tap Benefit for Evan and Jamie West Thursday, 5/1/2014 at 7 pm Featuring music from   The Twin Peaks and friends In the Heartland Cafe And in the Red Line Tap The Red Line Disaster With Special Guests The Polkaholics All the proceeds from this benefit will be going to help former Heartland Cafe and Red Line Tap Employee Evan West who was seriously injured at this years SXSW festival in Austin Texas We'll have music, a silent auction and more, all to help Evan West through this trying time. Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/634881 Doors at 7 pm / Music at 8 pm Thursday, May First at the Heartland Cafe and the Red Line Tap On March 13, a 21-year-old drunk driver trying to evade arrest sped the wrong way on a one-way street and plowed through a police barricade at the annual SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. He injured dozens of people. He killed three. Evan West is one who was injured, and Jamie West, his wife of two years, one who died. She was just 27. Leaving the festival early, as Jamie had to be up for work the next morning, they were struck on their motorcycle near the intersection of Red River and 11th Street. Witnesses said that the driver, whose blood-alcohol level would later be measured at 0.114, accelerated as he fled, peeling through the crowds on Red River, which festival organizers had blocked off for pedestrians only. Jamie was pronounced at the scene. Evan was rushed to Brackenridge, a trauma hospital near UT. He had been severely injured, breaking his leg in three places, fracturing two ribs, lacerating his spleen and liver, and sustaining trauma to his brain. We need your help. Whatever we receive through this fund will help us with the many costs related to Jamie's funeral and Evan's recovery, including arranging physical rehabilitation and legal representation.   https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/dinF5/sh/233bwc The Evan West Fund. Anyone wanting to donate can do so at any of the Garrett State Bank locations. Anyone out of state who would like to donate can do so by mailing to: Garrett State Bank P.O. Box 29 Garrett, IN 46738 (make sure to make a note that it's for the Evan West Fund)

You are receiving this email because you joined our mailing list or are a friend of one of the owners or managers of the Heartland Cafe, Red Line Tap or No Exit Cafe, collectively know as the Heart of Rogers Park. You will receive weekly newsletters with updates on music and theater events, menu items, special offers and more. We promise not to give away or sell your information to THE MAN. Our mailing address is: The Red Line Tap 7006 N Glenwood Chicago, IL 60626 773-274-5463 Copyright (C) 2009 The Red Line Tap All rights reserved.

14 Dec 13

 
"...Jingle bells ...schmingle bells..." ~ Don of The Polkaholics

Hey, blogspot readers, what does beer, bowling and party have in common? Well, if you were out Saturday night in the Lincoln Square area, you probably heard the sounds of ten pins falling amidst lively polka music. And if there's polka music, then it must be The Polkaholics rockin' this venue - the Lincoln Square Lanes. This bowling alley was the sight of this local polka-loving band's annual holiday party in which attracted a crowd of friends, family and fans for good times and fun. It was wild time for SouthSide and her daughter as they enjoyed a spicy plate of chicken wings and music ...and it was the first On The Town review at a bowling alley, too, blogspot readers.

This holiday polka party included three sets of this band's hits from the numerous released albums
like a Halloween polka mash-up, Old Style (beer) song, Beer Garden and many more as well as songs off the Christmas release titled Jingle Bells, Schmingle Bells, blogspot readers. Yes, it was three hours of polka music and fun to be had by all! And the beauty about attending The Polkaholics performance, you really don't have to like polka. Seriously, it's not really the typical Polish kind ...there's Mexican, German, Bavarian, etc and Don (front man on guitar) mixes it with classic rock sounds from The Rolling Stones, The Knack, Black Sabbath, etc to give it an edgy polka flare. So in essence, you're rockin' to polka rock! It's the band's longtime goal - to conquer the world with polka one fan at a time and judging by The Polkaholics' growing popularity, they're gaining new converts after each performance.

After rolling out the barrel and jamming to their theme song, The Polkaholics got their holiday party off to a good start by featuring songs like Yakov The Polka Reindeer (i.e. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer) and Sausage Balls (JingleBells) in which had them dreaming of a Polka Christmas (White Christmas) too. As you can see, blogspot readers, nothing escapes the polka path ...not when it comes
to The Polkaholics. For example, there's the Chicken Dance as well as the Hokey Pokey polkas that will require your participation when the band performs those two particular songs. So be prepared to shake your entire body (that includes your neck, liver, shins and more) during the Hokey Pokey. They even had a few audience member dancing the Horah (Jewish circle dance) while rockin' out the stage with a little of The Rolling Stones' Painted Black during the Halloween mash-up. No one cared that it wasn't the correct holiday music for this party but for Don and the guys everyday is Halloween to them. There's a polka dedicated to local weatherman Paul Konrad (of WGN-CW station). Also from the Stones, look for riffs from Sympathy For the Devil during the intro to In Excelsis Polka song ...plus there's The Kinks' Gloria somewhere too before taking your ears on the highway to polka, blogspot readers!

It was pretty wild ...Don rockin' the guitar on the bar counter. Yes, this "old" rocker was living up the life fantastic entertaining the crowd around the bar area. Even had some by the pool tables dancing along too. Other songs during the first two sets included Barfly (dedicated to the Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunaway movie), I Loved You Till You Chicken Danced (featuring Gary Glitter's Rock-n-Roll Part 2 and Chicken Dance), Son Of A Gun polka (dedicated to Lil Wally, the King of Polka featuring
ten seconds of the quietest music by the band) and so much more. Hanging out with The Polkaholics
over the past three years , blogspot readers,  has this reviewer learning more and more about polka ...the different kinds of polka and the famous music performers of this genre - that she does have a fond appreciation of this lively fun music. Ah, what fun it was but sadly it getting late for the young daughter. This reviewer highly recommends polka-ing your way with this local band. So, you better watch out ...you better shout but don't cry because The Polkaholics are coming to your town and/or venue (like Lincoln Square Lanes) near you in 2014.

For more information about The Polkaholics, visit http://www.thepolkaholics.com.


Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide