Hey, blogspot readers, May's rockin' all month with tours and shows. Check out SouthSide's good friends, Seven Day Sonnet and Dastardly as they tour places/venues near you. However, if you're in the Chicagoland area, this reviewer suggests checking out the following shows happening around town this month.
Also visit http://www.elboroomchicago.com for I AM Fest Battle of the Bands shows during this month.
May 5 - DJ Scary Lady Sarsh presents The Sky Drops at Shimmer will be rockin' Late Bar on Fullerton.
May 6 - Paper Thick Walls along with Derek Nelson and The Musicians are performing at Hideout - 10p show start. Also Paper Thick Walls will be rockin' Milwaukee's International Pop Overthrow the next night.
May 7 - Kids of all ages will be rockin' SouthSide's good friends Action Blast when they perform at Metro.
Also at Cubby Bear - Your Villain My Hero performs a FREE show.
May 10 - Urban folk rockers The Real Jane Martin will be peforming at Martyrs' with a FULL BAND, blogspot readers! Also performing that night - SouthSide's other rockin' friends from New York, Izzy and The Kesstronics and Candy Town. 8p show start / $7
May 13 - Basket Case - The Ultimate Greenday Tribute will be rockin' the stage at Cubby Bear along with her other friends, The Passing and Trainwreck Symphony. $5 / 21+
May 14 - Ninja Tunes and Last Rites presents Kid Koala, Cave, The Loyal Divide, and Save The Clocktower featuring DJ Intel and DJ Demchuk rockin' The Abbey Pub. 8p doors / 8:30 show start / 21+
Visit http://www.ticketfly.com/event/33109 for advance ticket prices.
May 15 - Michael Freer and his unique ukulele performance happens at Elbo Room.
May 17 - Rock with the legendary super group of Soul/Funk/Jazz - Tower of Power at House of Blues (Chicago). Tickets are $22.50 (advance) / $27.50 (door) / 17+.
Visit http://www.houseofblues.com for more information.
SouthSide will be interviewing bandleader Emillio Castillo on Wednesday.
May 19 - Laura Grill Band performs at Martyrs'
May 20 - Helium Fuse will be rockin' Elbo Room's Friday night lineup.
May 21 - Inn Cinema along with I Can Hear Myself Levitate, Riot Inside, Red Novella and Onasis rocks The Bottom Lounge. 17+ / $8 / 7:30 show start
May 22 - SouthSide's Australian friend Travis Caudle returns to Chicago performing at Uncommon Lounge (Grace and Clark location). 7p show start.
Reversations are encouraged.
May 27 - The Abbey welcomes Frontline Assembly, Die Knupps, Cyanotic along with DJ Acucrack and DJ Scary Lady Sarah. $22 advance / $25 door / 21+
Visit http://www.ticketfly.com/event/34321 for more information.
May 28 - SouthSide's off to do the Time Wrap with her gal pal, Edonna ...plus she'll be in costume while attending the Rocky Horror Picture Show!
Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
18 Apr 11
...if you want to go to Heaven, put your momma in your songs...
Lori McKenna
Hey, blogspot readers, check out Chicago's vibrant Folk scene. SouthSide already knew Folk music was making a strong resurgence within the local scene ...a large part of that came from local acts like The Shams Band, Dastardly, Jon Drake & The Shakes and many others keeping it alive as well as other other artists SouthSide has recently met like Seth Adam (CT) and now Lori McKenna and Mark Erelli (both from MA). Then there's another component - Old Town School of Folk Music in which plays a major role too. This unique "school" located in the Lincoln Square neighborhood not only holds classes for kids of all ages but also serves as a venue for concerts and festivals. The auditorium itself is quite spacious ...with seating on the main and balcony floors, it gives every concertgoer an excellent view of the stage from all sides. However, SouthSide was told she had the best view in the house since she was directly in the middle next to the sound booth and could clearly observe the stage and audience around her. Currently Old Town School of Folk Music is "growing" - expanding its facility space to a larger building (being constructed) across the street which would accommodate more classrooms and extras. For more information about Old Town School of Folk Music visit http://www.oldtownschool.org. Also SouthSide highly recommends checking out this radio program - Both Kinds hosted by Al Finley on WNUR 89.3 FM (or online http://www.wnur.org). His radio showgram runs on Sunday from noon to 11:30p where Al features "...music with a Southern accent..." such as Country, Americana etc, blogspot readers.
Opening tonight's rockin' Folk concert was singer/songwriter Mark Erelli who truly impressed SouthSide with his performance full of heartfelt emotion, vivid lyrical imagery within his poetic words and falsetto vocal tone that captivated the entire audience. This reviewer enjoyed the bursts of intense melodic rhythms (off the guitar and sometimes harmonica) as well as his enthusiastic momentum that lit up the stage while playing under a lively acoustic tempo. This certainly matched his vocal style thus making his words seem so life-like especially when adding some emotions into his words at certain focal points of his songs. SouthSide highly recommends listening to the heartfelt tenderness in Mark's song Volunteer(which was dedicated to a soldier and his family he met at O'Hare airport) that brought a couple of tears or more to this reviewer's eyes. His gentle words painted a not so pretty picture of war, blogspot readers - yet feeling so real as if he had been at Afghanistan or Iraq himself but truth be told, Mark has never served. However with such reality inside his lyrics, one would have thought he did a tour or two in the Middle East despite expressing some harsh disdain about why he was sent there to fight. Also she highly recommends checking out Mark's Basement Days (a reminiscent look at when forming a band didn't involve a video game ...plus listen out for some pop references within the song) and Passing Through (highlight of the show in which the audience sang along with the artist at the chorus ...what a powerful moment to hear all voices including SouthSide's joined as one). SouthSide highly recommends checking out Mark Erelli at his next scheduled performance by visiting http://www.markerelli.com or http://www.myspace.com/markerelli for more information of when and where he'll be performing again.
Lori McKenna, a talented singer/songwriter who has written and toured with Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, (joined throughout her performance with Mark) had this audience anxiously fired up (especially a group from WI who drove 7 hours to attend tonight's concert) to see and hear her perform at Old Town School of Folk Music, blogspot readers. And SouthSide could clearly understand why. Lori wasn't really singing about her life experiences in her songs such as Buy This Town ...no she was reflecting on those precious moments in life that everyone in the audience could realistically relate to. Throughout her performance, there were moments in which SouthSide saw a piece of herself inside the heartrfelt lyrics while listening to her Janis(Joplin) like Southern twang such as during one particular song when the artist sung about her mother. The tender words instantly popped this reviewer's own childhood memories of her mother (with some pop references of Judy Garland and Carnegie Hall) while listening to the lively acoustic-mandolin tempo and the paired vocals of Mark and Lori complimenting each other. During How Romantic, SouthSide felt the love between a husband and wife in this ballad (written after 23 years of marriage for Lori's husband) as the lyrics wonderfully describe their joys and pains of their married life. Lori certainly tugged on the heartstrings during this particular song with her dynamically powerful voice which no Hallmark card could ever match the sentiments heard from her words. And nicely paired with Mark (subbing as the "husband" for this song), this reviewer enjoyed how their vocals as well as stage presence together fed off each other song after song emitting that warm fuzzy glow whenever they sang. There were so many Lori highlights of the night, blogspot readers, that SouthSide had a difficult task in picking which one she should spotlight in this review because each song performed was a highlight of the night. SouthSide highly recommends checking out Sweet Disposition - which was one of the few times Lori demonstrated her raw vocal power while Mark slowly, reverently played a steady acoustic tempo with some backing vocals and Unglamorous - which SouthSide can totally relate to this particular song (she's not a rock star all of the time, blogspot readers) because just like Lori, this reviewer lives a "no thrills, no fuss" life too with her two daughters ...nor does she have diamond rings in the tub. Though closing her amazing show with a somber song, Lori did surprise the audience with a sort of an unplugged (no vocals over the mic) cover version of Tom Petty's Room At The Top which also had the audience singing along with vocal harmonies as one. What a beautiful way to end the night, blogspot readers! SouthSide highly suggests adding Lori McKenna's new album - Lorriane (her real name but affectionately named in dedication for her mother) to their collection but it's WAY better seeing this phenomenal singer/songwriter/storyteller (her tales about life at the McKenna home were delightful) up close and personal. Visit http://www.lorimckenna.com or http://www.myspace.com/lorimckenna for more information when and where she'll be performing again.
Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide
Lori McKenna
Hey, blogspot readers, check out Chicago's vibrant Folk scene. SouthSide already knew Folk music was making a strong resurgence within the local scene ...a large part of that came from local acts like The Shams Band, Dastardly, Jon Drake & The Shakes and many others keeping it alive as well as other other artists SouthSide has recently met like Seth Adam (CT) and now Lori McKenna and Mark Erelli (both from MA). Then there's another component - Old Town School of Folk Music in which plays a major role too. This unique "school" located in the Lincoln Square neighborhood not only holds classes for kids of all ages but also serves as a venue for concerts and festivals. The auditorium itself is quite spacious ...with seating on the main and balcony floors, it gives every concertgoer an excellent view of the stage from all sides. However, SouthSide was told she had the best view in the house since she was directly in the middle next to the sound booth and could clearly observe the stage and audience around her. Currently Old Town School of Folk Music is "growing" - expanding its facility space to a larger building (being constructed) across the street which would accommodate more classrooms and extras. For more information about Old Town School of Folk Music visit http://www.oldtownschool.org. Also SouthSide highly recommends checking out this radio program - Both Kinds hosted by Al Finley on WNUR 89.3 FM (or online http://www.wnur.org). His radio showgram runs on Sunday from noon to 11:30p where Al features "...music with a Southern accent..." such as Country, Americana etc, blogspot readers.
Opening tonight's rockin' Folk concert was singer/songwriter Mark Erelli who truly impressed SouthSide with his performance full of heartfelt emotion, vivid lyrical imagery within his poetic words and falsetto vocal tone that captivated the entire audience. This reviewer enjoyed the bursts of intense melodic rhythms (off the guitar and sometimes harmonica) as well as his enthusiastic momentum that lit up the stage while playing under a lively acoustic tempo. This certainly matched his vocal style thus making his words seem so life-like especially when adding some emotions into his words at certain focal points of his songs. SouthSide highly recommends listening to the heartfelt tenderness in Mark's song Volunteer(which was dedicated to a soldier and his family he met at O'Hare airport) that brought a couple of tears or more to this reviewer's eyes. His gentle words painted a not so pretty picture of war, blogspot readers - yet feeling so real as if he had been at Afghanistan or Iraq himself but truth be told, Mark has never served. However with such reality inside his lyrics, one would have thought he did a tour or two in the Middle East despite expressing some harsh disdain about why he was sent there to fight. Also she highly recommends checking out Mark's Basement Days (a reminiscent look at when forming a band didn't involve a video game ...plus listen out for some pop references within the song) and Passing Through (highlight of the show in which the audience sang along with the artist at the chorus ...what a powerful moment to hear all voices including SouthSide's joined as one). SouthSide highly recommends checking out Mark Erelli at his next scheduled performance by visiting http://www.markerelli.com or http://www.myspace.com/markerelli for more information of when and where he'll be performing again.
Lori McKenna, a talented singer/songwriter who has written and toured with Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, (joined throughout her performance with Mark) had this audience anxiously fired up (especially a group from WI who drove 7 hours to attend tonight's concert) to see and hear her perform at Old Town School of Folk Music, blogspot readers. And SouthSide could clearly understand why. Lori wasn't really singing about her life experiences in her songs such as Buy This Town ...no she was reflecting on those precious moments in life that everyone in the audience could realistically relate to. Throughout her performance, there were moments in which SouthSide saw a piece of herself inside the heartrfelt lyrics while listening to her Janis(Joplin) like Southern twang such as during one particular song when the artist sung about her mother. The tender words instantly popped this reviewer's own childhood memories of her mother (with some pop references of Judy Garland and Carnegie Hall) while listening to the lively acoustic-mandolin tempo and the paired vocals of Mark and Lori complimenting each other. During How Romantic, SouthSide felt the love between a husband and wife in this ballad (written after 23 years of marriage for Lori's husband) as the lyrics wonderfully describe their joys and pains of their married life. Lori certainly tugged on the heartstrings during this particular song with her dynamically powerful voice which no Hallmark card could ever match the sentiments heard from her words. And nicely paired with Mark (subbing as the "husband" for this song), this reviewer enjoyed how their vocals as well as stage presence together fed off each other song after song emitting that warm fuzzy glow whenever they sang. There were so many Lori highlights of the night, blogspot readers, that SouthSide had a difficult task in picking which one she should spotlight in this review because each song performed was a highlight of the night. SouthSide highly recommends checking out Sweet Disposition - which was one of the few times Lori demonstrated her raw vocal power while Mark slowly, reverently played a steady acoustic tempo with some backing vocals and Unglamorous - which SouthSide can totally relate to this particular song (she's not a rock star all of the time, blogspot readers) because just like Lori, this reviewer lives a "no thrills, no fuss" life too with her two daughters ...nor does she have diamond rings in the tub. Though closing her amazing show with a somber song, Lori did surprise the audience with a sort of an unplugged (no vocals over the mic) cover version of Tom Petty's Room At The Top which also had the audience singing along with vocal harmonies as one. What a beautiful way to end the night, blogspot readers! SouthSide highly suggests adding Lori McKenna's new album - Lorriane (her real name but affectionately named in dedication for her mother) to their collection but it's WAY better seeing this phenomenal singer/songwriter/storyteller (her tales about life at the McKenna home were delightful) up close and personal. Visit http://www.lorimckenna.com or http://www.myspace.com/lorimckenna for more information when and where she'll be performing again.
Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide
Thursday, April 21, 2011
16 Apr 11 - International Pop Overthrow Festival
Hey, blogspot readers, it's an early Saturday outting for this rockin' reviewer! Despite the unseaonably dreary cold and rain, SouthSide was ready to rock out her first International Pop Overthrow fest at The Abbey. Founded by David Bash in 1998 at Los Angeles (where the first IPO was held), this festival has featured not only local acts but international acts at select cities including Chicago since March 2002. Now in its tenth year, the festival name pays homage to one of Chicago's hometown bands, Material Issue, in which its debut album bore the same name - "International Pop Overthrow". IPO 2011, over a span of two weeks, featured nearly 79 artists like Common Shriner, The Love Shots, Million Yen and Penthouse Sweets rockin' the stages at Red Line Tap and The Abbey Pub before the fest moves to Detroit and then Milwaukee. Today, IPO held an all ages show featuring performances by Missing The Point, Freetoed, The Injured Parties, They All Have Legs, and Grammy-nominated artist, Dave Rave (from Ontario, Canada). For more information about International Pop Overthrow, visit http://www.internationalpopoverthrow.com or http://www.myspace.com/internationalpopoverthrow. SouthSide highly recommends blogspot readers checking out the following bands/artists mentioned in this review.
Missing The Point rocked the opening IPO slot with its a burst of intense melodic rock sound inside a hint of country twang during their opening song Dreams at the instrumental bridge. This reviewer enjoyed hearing the intensity within the guitar riffs but also with inside the front man Steve's vocals. This musician made the lyrics literally pop inside his vibrant falsetto range in which the music nicely matched his fire and vigor note for note. Plus there's plenty of rhythms and danceable grooves within Missing's music that will get you moving to the beat. However, it wasn't intensely melodic all of the time, blogspot readers. This band wowed the ears with a lively country-inspired pop sound as well as Polka-inspired song which was interesting to see three guitars rockin' the stage with a Polka/rock vibe. Missing even surprised SouthSide with some island heat heard in their reggae/ska sound and rock riffs in the song Four AM. Besides performing Anxiously Waiting and Life So Badly (off Missing's upcoming album which featured a retro rock tempo and sound), Missing rocked the stage with a mesh of covers by The Cranberries (Zombie) and Metallica (Enter The Sandman) before ending their set with Friday Night. Visit http://www.missingthepoint.com or http://www.myspace.com/missingthepoint.
Performing their second IPO appearance, Freetoed rocked the stage with a unique subtle lead-in of soft falsetto and calming guitar riffs ...then POW - blasting the ears with intense music. Like Missing The Point, this band also featured a melodically intense sound yet in a subtle way to soak the ears into the vibrant music first. SouthSide liked how that intensity came mostly from Freetoed's front man's vocals and then from the music during the instrumental bridges. This reviewer suggests listening to Alchemist (a song featuring less melodic tone and more rock edge off the guitars) and Never Looking Back (a gritty rock sound which draws out the emotion heard in the vocals as well as a fiery intense vibe from Freetoed). Both songs though different in sound retained a certain energetic momentum that highlighted the dynamic vocal tone especially when Freetoed cloed with Patterns. Despite rockin' the stage with intensely vibrant music, SouthSide did have one small problem with Freetoed's set - not enough voice projection in between songs. Where she was sitting, close to the sound board, her ears had to strain themselves to decipher what was being said over the microphone. Visit http://www.myspace.com/freetoedmusic for more information about this band.
Making their tenth IPO appearance, The Injured Parties took a humorous approach to their rockin' performance, blogspot readers. SouthSide immediately liked how the fun lyrics and lively pop/rock sound cohesively blended together especially after an acapella intro for For Your Protection (off Injured's Fun with a Purpose album). TIP's songs popped with catchy rhythms and danceable melodies ...almost reminiscent of the 80s music genre and feel that had energy and vibe never dulling the senses. Plus this band also added a touch of local flavor within their songs - for example one was about Damen Avenue which was quite poetic off front man Larry's deep vocal tone. Still that deep range made the imagery inside the words breathed life like during On Her Way to Becoming Something Else (an interesting song about transcending or about alien abduction - cue X-Files theme here which can also be found off Fun with a Purpose album). SouthSide appreciated how this band rocked the stage with a simplistic yet energetic sound and lyrics which kept Injured's music within a lively tone flowing melodically while enticing the ears with its catchy rhythmic groove. This reviewer recommends listening to the slice of life within American Comfort and Zingerman's Deli. Visit http://www.theinjuredparties.com or http://www.myspace.com/injuredparties.
They All Have Legs rocked The Abbey as an eight-piece symphonically melodic pop/rock band, blogspot readers, despite needing more vocals to be heard above the horns, guitars and cello during the opening song since the (soft) arias could barely be heard vocally. Still, this reviewer enjoyed how the entire band collectively rocked under such vibrant (as well as vivid) bursts of energy amidst Legs' catchy rhythms wafting from the stage. However that was at the beginning of the set ...somewhere afterwards that energetic feeling was lost and in its place was something more melodically emo (patent pending). SouthSide cited Legs' music as such because that's how her ears perceived the music - somewhat depressing and moody (perfect for the day's weather). Legs did rock out the venue with a little livelier tune (their pseudo-theme song, We All Have Legs) towards the end of its performance but after the two emo downer songs, the thrill was already lost that she felt from the beginning of the performance. Visit http://www.myspace.com/theyallhavelegs for more information about this band.
Rockin' out this performance of IPO's all ages show was solo artist Dave Rave (Ontario, Canada) who has performed at all fifteen IPO locations including Liverpool and London, blogspot readers. This Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter electrified The Abbey stage with a unique energetically "acoustic" set that featured Dave on his electric. This reviewer instantly felt the intense guitar riff momentum as well as fire wrapped inside his lyrics in which this artist inserted himself emotionally into each word sung. Dave brought a bit of 80s back to the stage with a 2011 twist that vibrantly contained a G-chord to spark more electricity throughout the venue ...SouthSide felt every riff played during Top Down - it was very intense, blogspot readers. During the song Anne-Marie (off his current Live With What You Know album), this reviewer saw a tender side to Dave yet while still rockin' the stage under a cloud of intense momentum and heartfelt emotions combined before offering a little observational slice of life when Patty Rocks. Dave rocked out his performance by having IPO founder and CEO, David Bash join him to do some shaking and singing during Let's Shake. SouthSide highly recommends David Bash doing more rockin' and shakin' on stage with Dave again at this artist's next IPO appearance. Visit http://www.dave-rave.com or http://www.myspace.com/daverave for more information about this artist.
Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide
Missing The Point rocked the opening IPO slot with its a burst of intense melodic rock sound inside a hint of country twang during their opening song Dreams at the instrumental bridge. This reviewer enjoyed hearing the intensity within the guitar riffs but also with inside the front man Steve's vocals. This musician made the lyrics literally pop inside his vibrant falsetto range in which the music nicely matched his fire and vigor note for note. Plus there's plenty of rhythms and danceable grooves within Missing's music that will get you moving to the beat. However, it wasn't intensely melodic all of the time, blogspot readers. This band wowed the ears with a lively country-inspired pop sound as well as Polka-inspired song which was interesting to see three guitars rockin' the stage with a Polka/rock vibe. Missing even surprised SouthSide with some island heat heard in their reggae/ska sound and rock riffs in the song Four AM. Besides performing Anxiously Waiting and Life So Badly (off Missing's upcoming album which featured a retro rock tempo and sound), Missing rocked the stage with a mesh of covers by The Cranberries (Zombie) and Metallica (Enter The Sandman) before ending their set with Friday Night. Visit http://www.missingthepoint.com or http://www.myspace.com/missingthepoint.
Performing their second IPO appearance, Freetoed rocked the stage with a unique subtle lead-in of soft falsetto and calming guitar riffs ...then POW - blasting the ears with intense music. Like Missing The Point, this band also featured a melodically intense sound yet in a subtle way to soak the ears into the vibrant music first. SouthSide liked how that intensity came mostly from Freetoed's front man's vocals and then from the music during the instrumental bridges. This reviewer suggests listening to Alchemist (a song featuring less melodic tone and more rock edge off the guitars) and Never Looking Back (a gritty rock sound which draws out the emotion heard in the vocals as well as a fiery intense vibe from Freetoed). Both songs though different in sound retained a certain energetic momentum that highlighted the dynamic vocal tone especially when Freetoed cloed with Patterns. Despite rockin' the stage with intensely vibrant music, SouthSide did have one small problem with Freetoed's set - not enough voice projection in between songs. Where she was sitting, close to the sound board, her ears had to strain themselves to decipher what was being said over the microphone. Visit http://www.myspace.com/freetoedmusic for more information about this band.
Making their tenth IPO appearance, The Injured Parties took a humorous approach to their rockin' performance, blogspot readers. SouthSide immediately liked how the fun lyrics and lively pop/rock sound cohesively blended together especially after an acapella intro for For Your Protection (off Injured's Fun with a Purpose album). TIP's songs popped with catchy rhythms and danceable melodies ...almost reminiscent of the 80s music genre and feel that had energy and vibe never dulling the senses. Plus this band also added a touch of local flavor within their songs - for example one was about Damen Avenue which was quite poetic off front man Larry's deep vocal tone. Still that deep range made the imagery inside the words breathed life like during On Her Way to Becoming Something Else (an interesting song about transcending or about alien abduction - cue X-Files theme here which can also be found off Fun with a Purpose album). SouthSide appreciated how this band rocked the stage with a simplistic yet energetic sound and lyrics which kept Injured's music within a lively tone flowing melodically while enticing the ears with its catchy rhythmic groove. This reviewer recommends listening to the slice of life within American Comfort and Zingerman's Deli. Visit http://www.theinjuredparties.com or http://www.myspace.com/injuredparties.
They All Have Legs rocked The Abbey as an eight-piece symphonically melodic pop/rock band, blogspot readers, despite needing more vocals to be heard above the horns, guitars and cello during the opening song since the (soft) arias could barely be heard vocally. Still, this reviewer enjoyed how the entire band collectively rocked under such vibrant (as well as vivid) bursts of energy amidst Legs' catchy rhythms wafting from the stage. However that was at the beginning of the set ...somewhere afterwards that energetic feeling was lost and in its place was something more melodically emo (patent pending). SouthSide cited Legs' music as such because that's how her ears perceived the music - somewhat depressing and moody (perfect for the day's weather). Legs did rock out the venue with a little livelier tune (their pseudo-theme song, We All Have Legs) towards the end of its performance but after the two emo downer songs, the thrill was already lost that she felt from the beginning of the performance. Visit http://www.myspace.com/theyallhavelegs for more information about this band.
Rockin' out this performance of IPO's all ages show was solo artist Dave Rave (Ontario, Canada) who has performed at all fifteen IPO locations including Liverpool and London, blogspot readers. This Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter electrified The Abbey stage with a unique energetically "acoustic" set that featured Dave on his electric. This reviewer instantly felt the intense guitar riff momentum as well as fire wrapped inside his lyrics in which this artist inserted himself emotionally into each word sung. Dave brought a bit of 80s back to the stage with a 2011 twist that vibrantly contained a G-chord to spark more electricity throughout the venue ...SouthSide felt every riff played during Top Down - it was very intense, blogspot readers. During the song Anne-Marie (off his current Live With What You Know album), this reviewer saw a tender side to Dave yet while still rockin' the stage under a cloud of intense momentum and heartfelt emotions combined before offering a little observational slice of life when Patty Rocks. Dave rocked out his performance by having IPO founder and CEO, David Bash join him to do some shaking and singing during Let's Shake. SouthSide highly recommends David Bash doing more rockin' and shakin' on stage with Dave again at this artist's next IPO appearance. Visit http://www.dave-rave.com or http://www.myspace.com/daverave for more information about this artist.
Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide
Monday, April 18, 2011
15 Apr 11
...if you want, you can shake your butt to all of these songs...
RYAT
Hey, blogspot readers, SouthSide's mini tour around Chicago continued in Lakeview area for her most unique and eclectic adventure ever! On the fourth floor (sorry, no elevators for you non-stair climbers) inside an obsecure building (located on North Lincoln Avenue), there's a little lesser (underground) known venue called The Observatory that's also a recording studio. This recording studio/venue caters to the new millennial generation of the avant-garde, beatniks and hipster crowd ...plus it's probably the only place in town where the smoking ban does not apply and you can B.Y.O.B. (bring your own beer) to the show. Despite being surrounded by smokers of all kinds (saw a few bongs and reefer madness happening), The Observatory pulsates an artistic atmosphere through its dim lighting and splashes of psychedelic artwork on the walls.
This was perfect for tonight's lineup in which SouthSide wouldn't classify the performances as "out of the norm" from her usually typical Friday night of rock-n-roll festivities. No, blogspot readers, it was a truly music adventure for the senses ...music that had no true definition or standard major/minor tempo structure. It mostly took on a universal sound with rhythms yet to be boxed in a genre and melodic not truly part of this millennium. Basically, for one night, SouthSide got a wonderful peek into the future of what the next millennial generation will be rockin' to at The Observatory ...and she like the futuristic possiblities of the direction where the music scene might be heading. Part of the night's lineup featured a debut performance by Joywheels (loud clashes of different rhythmic tones and melodies merging together into epic pieces ...earplugs are a must while enjoying the eclectic mindblowing soundwaves), Panda Riot and RYAT (pronounced "riot" from Pittsburgh, PA) with Light Pollution headlining.
In keeping with tonight's central theme (avant-garde industrial/instrumental music), Panda Riot impressed SouthSide with its performance full of melodic tones, electro/pop rock sound and docile female vocals (by Rebecca) sweetly pulsing throughout the upbeat rhythms. This band performed danceable groove yet there were moments in which an edgier rock sound came into play due to three guitars rockin' the stage. And even during those moments, the rock tone still had balance from the vocals melodically wafting over the microphone like a haunting siren's call - it was very soothing to hear along with Panda's energetic tempo. Thanks to RYAT for solving the band's minor technical problem, this band had the audience feeling groove-tastically (SouthSide's latest "it" word of the night ...patent pending) excited through its vibrant electro sound and some symphonically toned music especially while ending the set with a mix of twinkling sounds and digital rhythms. SouthSide highly recommends blogspot readers to personally immerse their ears to the avant sound of electro/pop rock music by Panda Riot at the band's next scheduled performance. Visit http://www.myspace.com/pandariot for more details about the band and its music.
At the time of this review, RYAT was wrapping up its spring tour which included a couple of shows during SXSW and other points between New Mexico and Wisconsin. Tonight, this unique duo, the fashionable Christina and Tim, eclectically not only rocked The Observatory stage but also blasted everyone's mindset into the year 3000 and beyond. In order to "understand" RYAT's music, one must gaze at the intricate detail of the stage setup for these two multi-instrumentalists. By SouthSide's count, there was a piano/keyboard and synth, 2 laptops (for digital programming), 2 tom drums and cymbals, electric guitar, two microphones (for Christina) vocals in which one was used for digital vocal fx and more. Together as RYAT, Christina and Tim electrified the stage with music so avant-garde that in SouthSide's opinion it was beyond gold (a little play on words referencing their next album Avant Gold featuring remixed RYAT tracks). Those two artists are wonderfully paired feeding off each other's unspoken momentum and vibe seen throughout this energetically charged set. Watching them effortleslly switch between instruments (sometimes while playing other instruments at the same time) without missing a beat or interruption to the vibe should be an Olympic sport, blogspot readers. Yet, do not waste one moment of your time trying to decipher the many undescribable rhythms, sounds, melodies, etc which energetically fueled this duo's electically rockin' music. Simply, let go and enjoy the futuristic fusion of genres and sound from around the world (heard some Asian pop and African beats) and music spectrum ...feel the sweeping vocal arias heard within the powerfully vibrant rhythms ...rock to the eclectic (or at times, chaotic - for a good reason) mesh of digital sounds that flow and intertwine together as one ...sometimes it's quite spiritual as well as intensely fierce or lyrically poetic with a lot of danceable excitement and more, blogspot readers. And that's just barely the tip of what the entire RYAT performance encompassed. SouthSide highly recommends tapping into the avant future heard musically now by RYAT at their next scheduled show. It's one soulfully mindblowing experience you'll never forget. Visit http://www.ryat.info or http://www.myspace.com/ryat for more information about this hot duo and their music.
Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide
RYAT
Hey, blogspot readers, SouthSide's mini tour around Chicago continued in Lakeview area for her most unique and eclectic adventure ever! On the fourth floor (sorry, no elevators for you non-stair climbers) inside an obsecure building (located on North Lincoln Avenue), there's a little lesser (underground) known venue called The Observatory that's also a recording studio. This recording studio/venue caters to the new millennial generation of the avant-garde, beatniks and hipster crowd ...plus it's probably the only place in town where the smoking ban does not apply and you can B.Y.O.B. (bring your own beer) to the show. Despite being surrounded by smokers of all kinds (saw a few bongs and reefer madness happening), The Observatory pulsates an artistic atmosphere through its dim lighting and splashes of psychedelic artwork on the walls.
This was perfect for tonight's lineup in which SouthSide wouldn't classify the performances as "out of the norm" from her usually typical Friday night of rock-n-roll festivities. No, blogspot readers, it was a truly music adventure for the senses ...music that had no true definition or standard major/minor tempo structure. It mostly took on a universal sound with rhythms yet to be boxed in a genre and melodic not truly part of this millennium. Basically, for one night, SouthSide got a wonderful peek into the future of what the next millennial generation will be rockin' to at The Observatory ...and she like the futuristic possiblities of the direction where the music scene might be heading. Part of the night's lineup featured a debut performance by Joywheels (loud clashes of different rhythmic tones and melodies merging together into epic pieces ...earplugs are a must while enjoying the eclectic mindblowing soundwaves), Panda Riot and RYAT (pronounced "riot" from Pittsburgh, PA) with Light Pollution headlining.
In keeping with tonight's central theme (avant-garde industrial/instrumental music), Panda Riot impressed SouthSide with its performance full of melodic tones, electro/pop rock sound and docile female vocals (by Rebecca) sweetly pulsing throughout the upbeat rhythms. This band performed danceable groove yet there were moments in which an edgier rock sound came into play due to three guitars rockin' the stage. And even during those moments, the rock tone still had balance from the vocals melodically wafting over the microphone like a haunting siren's call - it was very soothing to hear along with Panda's energetic tempo. Thanks to RYAT for solving the band's minor technical problem, this band had the audience feeling groove-tastically (SouthSide's latest "it" word of the night ...patent pending) excited through its vibrant electro sound and some symphonically toned music especially while ending the set with a mix of twinkling sounds and digital rhythms. SouthSide highly recommends blogspot readers to personally immerse their ears to the avant sound of electro/pop rock music by Panda Riot at the band's next scheduled performance. Visit http://www.myspace.com/pandariot for more details about the band and its music.
At the time of this review, RYAT was wrapping up its spring tour which included a couple of shows during SXSW and other points between New Mexico and Wisconsin. Tonight, this unique duo, the fashionable Christina and Tim, eclectically not only rocked The Observatory stage but also blasted everyone's mindset into the year 3000 and beyond. In order to "understand" RYAT's music, one must gaze at the intricate detail of the stage setup for these two multi-instrumentalists. By SouthSide's count, there was a piano/keyboard and synth, 2 laptops (for digital programming), 2 tom drums and cymbals, electric guitar, two microphones (for Christina) vocals in which one was used for digital vocal fx and more. Together as RYAT, Christina and Tim electrified the stage with music so avant-garde that in SouthSide's opinion it was beyond gold (a little play on words referencing their next album Avant Gold featuring remixed RYAT tracks). Those two artists are wonderfully paired feeding off each other's unspoken momentum and vibe seen throughout this energetically charged set. Watching them effortleslly switch between instruments (sometimes while playing other instruments at the same time) without missing a beat or interruption to the vibe should be an Olympic sport, blogspot readers. Yet, do not waste one moment of your time trying to decipher the many undescribable rhythms, sounds, melodies, etc which energetically fueled this duo's electically rockin' music. Simply, let go and enjoy the futuristic fusion of genres and sound from around the world (heard some Asian pop and African beats) and music spectrum ...feel the sweeping vocal arias heard within the powerfully vibrant rhythms ...rock to the eclectic (or at times, chaotic - for a good reason) mesh of digital sounds that flow and intertwine together as one ...sometimes it's quite spiritual as well as intensely fierce or lyrically poetic with a lot of danceable excitement and more, blogspot readers. And that's just barely the tip of what the entire RYAT performance encompassed. SouthSide highly recommends tapping into the avant future heard musically now by RYAT at their next scheduled show. It's one soulfully mindblowing experience you'll never forget. Visit http://www.ryat.info or http://www.myspace.com/ryat for more information about this hot duo and their music.
Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide
14 Apr 11
...everything's about life... ~ The Hepsounds
Hey, blogspot readers, the weekend has finally arrived! And this reviewer has four days of planned, nonstop fun and music until Sunday to cover. SouthSide will be roaming around town from Old Town/Lincoln Square to Downtown Chicago with a few places in between covering what's rockin' Chicago's vibrant local scene. Her first stop tonight was at Lakeview's popular local venue, Elbo Room, to see her good friend, singer/songwriter Nate Z and meet some jive hep kats known as The Hepsounds. Blogspot readers are highly encouaraged to check out their next scheduled performances.
SouthSide's good friend Nate Z rocked the Elbo Room stage with another powerful solo "acoustic" performance but not done using the an acoustic guitar. No, blogspot readers, Nate electrified the basment lounge by playing his electric (tuned as an acoustic) which matched his dynamic yet emotionally charged vocals. This artist personally described his music as "...rhythmic melodic rock..." however SouthSide would like to add "acoustically metal-tastic" too because there were a couple of songs in which he could jam with an acoustic metal sound. And when he does, watch out. Nate will not only blow your mind away with his fiercely intense guitar fingering but also your ears with his vocal intensity ...Nate inserts a lot of vocal power upon feeling that emotional high off the song's momentum. Even while gently calming your ears with a deep falsetto lull in his voice, you can still feel as well as as hear what this artist's expressing emotionally via the lyrics. For instanace, during Love Me Hate Me, SouthSide clearly heard the anger and frustration dripping empathically within the lyrics and guitar chords despite not so much from Nate's voice. That emotional high was somewhat bottled inside not what this reviewer was expecting however after speaking with him about this particular song, Nate promises to get more vocally angry which might also bring out the metal-tastic sound hidden inside the guitar riffs. Other examples include, Holy Ghost where this artist powerfully rocked the stage with a fiery montage of riffs and vocals - both perfectly matching the other with the same intense energy; during On A Train To Chicago, the audience saw (and heard) a totally different side to Nate in which heartfelt vocals within a downtempo ballad was spotlight; and his brand new song (finished muscially but not lyrically), though untitled, this reviewer enjoyed hearing the poetic imagery within an upbeat tempo that truly highlighted how dynamic his vocals can get. For more information about Nate Z and his music, visit http://www.natezmusic.com.
They swing with the liveliest ...hippest music around town, blogspot readers. They're the coolest hep kats to really have this venue rockin' with a vibrant energetic combination of R&B/Soul/Funk/Country/Blues (and the list could go on for days) and more within one set. And this band has the perfect name that totally described its main theme - The Hepsounds. What a band ...and what a performance! Nonstop funkified rhythms and melodic groove ruled the stage yet that's merely the tip of these cool kats' sound. There was also Hep's charismatic as well as vocally dynamic front man Nathaniel on vocals (and guitar) who literally electrified the microphone with his soulfully raspy deep falsettos. Wither, ladies, because this hep kat will make you swoon and sigh throughout Hepsounds performance especially while performing such songs like Satisfied and All I Want. The Hepsounds kept the ears poppin' with a lively upbeat Chicago Blues-driven song affectionately titled Cold Chicago (SouthSide suggests a longer jam session, time permitting, instead of abruptly ending the song) and a downtempo Country with a sharp rock edge in Falling From Grace which wonderfully spotlighted Nathaniel's emotional side within his soulful vocals (also another song in which The Hepsounds could have jammed a little longer). The band itself entirely impressed this reviewer with its vibrant energy from start to finish ...even while in a downtempo too. The funkified Hepsounds sound was quite contagious as well as it's diverse that they easily can switch from one genre (or combination two together) to the next without losing that upbeat momentum or groove from each song intro. SouthSide sees bright things happening this band in the near future and highly suggests getting to know her new friends, The Hepsounds on a personal level at their next scheduled performance. Visit The Hepsounds at http://www.reverbnation.com/thehepsounds or http://www.myspace.com/thehepsounds for more details.
Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide
Hey, blogspot readers, the weekend has finally arrived! And this reviewer has four days of planned, nonstop fun and music until Sunday to cover. SouthSide will be roaming around town from Old Town/Lincoln Square to Downtown Chicago with a few places in between covering what's rockin' Chicago's vibrant local scene. Her first stop tonight was at Lakeview's popular local venue, Elbo Room, to see her good friend, singer/songwriter Nate Z and meet some jive hep kats known as The Hepsounds. Blogspot readers are highly encouaraged to check out their next scheduled performances.
SouthSide's good friend Nate Z rocked the Elbo Room stage with another powerful solo "acoustic" performance but not done using the an acoustic guitar. No, blogspot readers, Nate electrified the basment lounge by playing his electric (tuned as an acoustic) which matched his dynamic yet emotionally charged vocals. This artist personally described his music as "...rhythmic melodic rock..." however SouthSide would like to add "acoustically metal-tastic" too because there were a couple of songs in which he could jam with an acoustic metal sound. And when he does, watch out. Nate will not only blow your mind away with his fiercely intense guitar fingering but also your ears with his vocal intensity ...Nate inserts a lot of vocal power upon feeling that emotional high off the song's momentum. Even while gently calming your ears with a deep falsetto lull in his voice, you can still feel as well as as hear what this artist's expressing emotionally via the lyrics. For instanace, during Love Me Hate Me, SouthSide clearly heard the anger and frustration dripping empathically within the lyrics and guitar chords despite not so much from Nate's voice. That emotional high was somewhat bottled inside not what this reviewer was expecting however after speaking with him about this particular song, Nate promises to get more vocally angry which might also bring out the metal-tastic sound hidden inside the guitar riffs. Other examples include, Holy Ghost where this artist powerfully rocked the stage with a fiery montage of riffs and vocals - both perfectly matching the other with the same intense energy; during On A Train To Chicago, the audience saw (and heard) a totally different side to Nate in which heartfelt vocals within a downtempo ballad was spotlight; and his brand new song (finished muscially but not lyrically), though untitled, this reviewer enjoyed hearing the poetic imagery within an upbeat tempo that truly highlighted how dynamic his vocals can get. For more information about Nate Z and his music, visit http://www.natezmusic.com.
They swing with the liveliest ...hippest music around town, blogspot readers. They're the coolest hep kats to really have this venue rockin' with a vibrant energetic combination of R&B/Soul/Funk/Country/Blues (and the list could go on for days) and more within one set. And this band has the perfect name that totally described its main theme - The Hepsounds. What a band ...and what a performance! Nonstop funkified rhythms and melodic groove ruled the stage yet that's merely the tip of these cool kats' sound. There was also Hep's charismatic as well as vocally dynamic front man Nathaniel on vocals (and guitar) who literally electrified the microphone with his soulfully raspy deep falsettos. Wither, ladies, because this hep kat will make you swoon and sigh throughout Hepsounds performance especially while performing such songs like Satisfied and All I Want. The Hepsounds kept the ears poppin' with a lively upbeat Chicago Blues-driven song affectionately titled Cold Chicago (SouthSide suggests a longer jam session, time permitting, instead of abruptly ending the song) and a downtempo Country with a sharp rock edge in Falling From Grace which wonderfully spotlighted Nathaniel's emotional side within his soulful vocals (also another song in which The Hepsounds could have jammed a little longer). The band itself entirely impressed this reviewer with its vibrant energy from start to finish ...even while in a downtempo too. The funkified Hepsounds sound was quite contagious as well as it's diverse that they easily can switch from one genre (or combination two together) to the next without losing that upbeat momentum or groove from each song intro. SouthSide sees bright things happening this band in the near future and highly suggests getting to know her new friends, The Hepsounds on a personal level at their next scheduled performance. Visit The Hepsounds at http://www.reverbnation.com/thehepsounds or http://www.myspace.com/thehepsounds for more details.
Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide
Thursday, April 14, 2011
11 Apr 11 - Interview with Ragbirds
Hey, blogspot readers, come flock with some hip birds who affectionately describe themselves as "...hopeful, joyful, energetic, world conscious travellers..." Hailing from Ann Arbor, MI, the Ragbirds are currently on tour and will be rockin' Chicago's Reggie's Rock Club on Saturday April 23. Though not being able to attend this particular show, SouthSide recently had an opportunity via telephone to chat with Erin Zindle, Ragbird's lead vocalist, about the band's Kickstarter campaign to the upcoming album, touring in an eco-friendly van and more.
First, SouthSide wanted to know more about Kickstarter and why did the Ragbirds consider using it. Erin explained that Kickstarter is a fundraising platform in which artists (music, film, art, etc) can raise money in support of a particular project and fans of said artist (i.e. Ragbirds) can be supporters within that creative process of the artist's campaign. In a nutshell, blogspot readers, think of Kickstarter as the online version to PBS (Public Broadcasting Station) quarterly pledge drive that includes special parting gifts as each different level of donation. She says "...people don't realize that it's a lot of money to put out an album..." which why the band is using Kickstarter to fund their next album. For instance with the Ragbirds' Kickstarter campaign, fans can join at the basic level (Hummingbird) with support of $1 or more to an elite level (Phoenix) with support of $1,000 or more. According to Erin, by supporting the Ragbirds in their campaign, fans can receive special as well as unique "thank you" gifts that go beyond the standard t-shirt/CD combination. For example, at one level, fans cane be mentioned inside the "thank you" liner notes of the new Ragbirds album meanwhile at another level, fans can receive the van cut-out (used in their Kickstarter profile) in which the band will autograph and/or private Ragbirds performance. How cool is that, blogspot readers? Erin told SouthSide that she was a bit hesitant (and didn't want to go "begging" for money either) at first about using Kickstarter after learning about it from a friend who also worked as consultatnt with three other successful projects. So far, the Ragbirds' campaign is going well. Currently, the band (at the time of this interview) was 76% funded of their $10,000 (and more) goal in which the fundraising campaign will end on Thursday April 21.
According to the press release given to SouthSide, the Ragbirds perform nearly 200 shows a year travelling over 40 states which had this reviewer wondering what was their most memorable city and/or place. She actually stumped Erin for a moment with this question, blogspot readers, before revealing Nederland, CO (a mountain city near the Continental Divide and Barker Meadow Reservoir in the mountains southwest of Boulder County) as the answer. Erin said there were other special places that standout however Nederland stands out because it's a really beautiful hippie town - full of artists and musicians. Definitely sounds like a good place to visit for SouthSide whenever she decides to take her On The Town blog on a little road trip. Then, this reviewer asked Erin how would she personally describe the Ragbirds' music to which the vocalist instantly replied "...infectious global groove..." The "infectious" part, according to Erin, comes from the Ragbirds' catchy pop elements while the important word "global" incorporates the band's usage of world music (i.e. Gypsy/Celtic/Afrian/etc) and the "groove" comes from the pop/rock music. That's when SouthSide asked her another tough question - which song(s) should people familiarize themselves about the Ragbirds. Erin suggested checking out Tarantella (loosely based on combined purification ritual and ancient Italian belief) - the band calls this their "...dancing to sweat the spider poison out..." song and title track off current album, Good, which is about being in the present moment. Besides Erin's suggestions, this reviewer also recommends checking out their Romanian Train Song and Believe It.
Speaking of albums, the Ragbirds are currently working on their 4th release (scheduled to be out this fall), blogspot readers, but don't have a title as of yet. So, SouthSide asked Erin how the new album will differ from the Ragbirds' current and prior releases. The vocalist noted the new album will have more of a "live" studio sound (i.e. capturing that same energy and momentum that fans would feel from their live performances) than a "regular" studio-produced sound. She also stated the band has been exploring a few new styles that they never tried before as well as tightening arrangements ...plus learning as they go. They have been preparing songs about their travels meant for live audiences - so Ragbirds fans can expect more danceable tracks and fun music within the new album. Yet, besides the band's travels, this reviewer wanted to know what else influences their songwriting and music. Erin replied with one word that came to mind - spiritual ...not in a religious senses, blogspot readers, but a message of hope woven throughout the lyrics. She also stated throughout the Ragbirds' songs, she tries to paint a picture of hope amidst the difficulties and unpleasant life experiences. Then, SouthSide asked what kind of performance can fans expect from Ragbirds next Saturday at Reggie's and she was told the following - their live shows are really fun in which the band sings their hearts out. It's diverse with sounds from all over the world with danceable rhythms and fans are encouraged to sing and/or dance along too.
The main interesting thing, blogspot readers, about the Ragbirds is their eco-consciousness for the environment as they travel across America in a diesel-converted van that runs on waste vegetable oil. Yes, SouthSide indeed said "waste vegetable oil" - the leftover stuff which restaurants/fast food places toss at the end of business. Well, this independent has a found a way to use that waste as their fuel to travel state to state while on tour. So far, the Ragbirds' eco-friendly van has logged over two hundred thousand miles and still uses some diesel fuel however it mainly (95%) runs on waste veggie oil thus saving this band a lot of money by not spending it on regular gasoline. And if you live in Chicago, current prices (as of this post are between $4.13 to $4.29) are way above the national average. According to Erin, "...[it's] an alternative way of doing things ...[as well as] another option instead of using regular gas..." By now many of you are probably wondering how do the Ragbirds go about obtaining the waste veggie oil since it's not ready-made at any service station pump. Erin told SouthSide a little secret - her husband, Randy, has a prepared speech when asking restaurants for their waste oil ...some don't give it way but others do which in turn saves the business from dumping it in the dumpsters and later harming the environment. And like any ordinary vehicle always on traveling on the road, the Ragbirds do experience typical van-related troubles such as engine and/or transmission problems but rarely is it related from using waste vegetable oil, blogspot readers. And the Ragbirds have done a few workshops about their eco-friendly van to show people there are different ways to impact the earth without harming it by being more eco-conscious.
To conclude this fun interview, SouthSide asked Erin if she had any final thoughts. She only had one thing to say "...come to the show..." on Saturday April 23 at Reggie's Rock Club. Plus she added the Ragbirds are easy to find online ...on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Visit http://www.theragbirds.com or http://www.myspace.com/theragbirds for tour details and more.
Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide
First, SouthSide wanted to know more about Kickstarter and why did the Ragbirds consider using it. Erin explained that Kickstarter is a fundraising platform in which artists (music, film, art, etc) can raise money in support of a particular project and fans of said artist (i.e. Ragbirds) can be supporters within that creative process of the artist's campaign. In a nutshell, blogspot readers, think of Kickstarter as the online version to PBS (Public Broadcasting Station) quarterly pledge drive that includes special parting gifts as each different level of donation. She says "...people don't realize that it's a lot of money to put out an album..." which why the band is using Kickstarter to fund their next album. For instance with the Ragbirds' Kickstarter campaign, fans can join at the basic level (Hummingbird) with support of $1 or more to an elite level (Phoenix) with support of $1,000 or more. According to Erin, by supporting the Ragbirds in their campaign, fans can receive special as well as unique "thank you" gifts that go beyond the standard t-shirt/CD combination. For example, at one level, fans cane be mentioned inside the "thank you" liner notes of the new Ragbirds album meanwhile at another level, fans can receive the van cut-out (used in their Kickstarter profile) in which the band will autograph and/or private Ragbirds performance. How cool is that, blogspot readers? Erin told SouthSide that she was a bit hesitant (and didn't want to go "begging" for money either) at first about using Kickstarter after learning about it from a friend who also worked as consultatnt with three other successful projects. So far, the Ragbirds' campaign is going well. Currently, the band (at the time of this interview) was 76% funded of their $10,000 (and more) goal in which the fundraising campaign will end on Thursday April 21.
According to the press release given to SouthSide, the Ragbirds perform nearly 200 shows a year travelling over 40 states which had this reviewer wondering what was their most memorable city and/or place. She actually stumped Erin for a moment with this question, blogspot readers, before revealing Nederland, CO (a mountain city near the Continental Divide and Barker Meadow Reservoir in the mountains southwest of Boulder County) as the answer. Erin said there were other special places that standout however Nederland stands out because it's a really beautiful hippie town - full of artists and musicians. Definitely sounds like a good place to visit for SouthSide whenever she decides to take her On The Town blog on a little road trip. Then, this reviewer asked Erin how would she personally describe the Ragbirds' music to which the vocalist instantly replied "...infectious global groove..." The "infectious" part, according to Erin, comes from the Ragbirds' catchy pop elements while the important word "global" incorporates the band's usage of world music (i.e. Gypsy/Celtic/Afrian/etc) and the "groove" comes from the pop/rock music. That's when SouthSide asked her another tough question - which song(s) should people familiarize themselves about the Ragbirds. Erin suggested checking out Tarantella (loosely based on combined purification ritual and ancient Italian belief) - the band calls this their "...dancing to sweat the spider poison out..." song and title track off current album, Good, which is about being in the present moment. Besides Erin's suggestions, this reviewer also recommends checking out their Romanian Train Song and Believe It.
Speaking of albums, the Ragbirds are currently working on their 4th release (scheduled to be out this fall), blogspot readers, but don't have a title as of yet. So, SouthSide asked Erin how the new album will differ from the Ragbirds' current and prior releases. The vocalist noted the new album will have more of a "live" studio sound (i.e. capturing that same energy and momentum that fans would feel from their live performances) than a "regular" studio-produced sound. She also stated the band has been exploring a few new styles that they never tried before as well as tightening arrangements ...plus learning as they go. They have been preparing songs about their travels meant for live audiences - so Ragbirds fans can expect more danceable tracks and fun music within the new album. Yet, besides the band's travels, this reviewer wanted to know what else influences their songwriting and music. Erin replied with one word that came to mind - spiritual ...not in a religious senses, blogspot readers, but a message of hope woven throughout the lyrics. She also stated throughout the Ragbirds' songs, she tries to paint a picture of hope amidst the difficulties and unpleasant life experiences. Then, SouthSide asked what kind of performance can fans expect from Ragbirds next Saturday at Reggie's and she was told the following - their live shows are really fun in which the band sings their hearts out. It's diverse with sounds from all over the world with danceable rhythms and fans are encouraged to sing and/or dance along too.
The main interesting thing, blogspot readers, about the Ragbirds is their eco-consciousness for the environment as they travel across America in a diesel-converted van that runs on waste vegetable oil. Yes, SouthSide indeed said "waste vegetable oil" - the leftover stuff which restaurants/fast food places toss at the end of business. Well, this independent has a found a way to use that waste as their fuel to travel state to state while on tour. So far, the Ragbirds' eco-friendly van has logged over two hundred thousand miles and still uses some diesel fuel however it mainly (95%) runs on waste veggie oil thus saving this band a lot of money by not spending it on regular gasoline. And if you live in Chicago, current prices (as of this post are between $4.13 to $4.29) are way above the national average. According to Erin, "...[it's] an alternative way of doing things ...[as well as] another option instead of using regular gas..." By now many of you are probably wondering how do the Ragbirds go about obtaining the waste veggie oil since it's not ready-made at any service station pump. Erin told SouthSide a little secret - her husband, Randy, has a prepared speech when asking restaurants for their waste oil ...some don't give it way but others do which in turn saves the business from dumping it in the dumpsters and later harming the environment. And like any ordinary vehicle always on traveling on the road, the Ragbirds do experience typical van-related troubles such as engine and/or transmission problems but rarely is it related from using waste vegetable oil, blogspot readers. And the Ragbirds have done a few workshops about their eco-friendly van to show people there are different ways to impact the earth without harming it by being more eco-conscious.
To conclude this fun interview, SouthSide asked Erin if she had any final thoughts. She only had one thing to say "...come to the show..." on Saturday April 23 at Reggie's Rock Club. Plus she added the Ragbirds are easy to find online ...on Facebook, Twitter, etc. Visit http://www.theragbirds.com or http://www.myspace.com/theragbirds for tour details and more.
Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
11 Apr 11
Hey, blogspot readers, this band soulfully rocks! Tonight's featured On The Town adventure had SouthSide returning to Elbo Room for a soulful ...vibrant yet always energetic until the last note performance by Lake Street Dive (NY). This reviewer highly recommends checking out this amazing group of musicians (currently on tour) who held the basement lounge within their captivatingly eclectic grasp through the mix of rockin' music as well as dynamic vocal style by female lead, Rachel.
Opening with Go Down Smooth, Lake Street wasted no time in capturing the audience's attention - their set of catchy pop sound intermixed with a bit of R&B/Soul and Jazz in the melodies kept everyone groovin' to the beat. The energy from the stage was totally contagious, blogspot readers. It truly had you feeling it was Saturday night instead thinking it was Monday. Yet what amazed this reviewer the most about Lake Street was how the simplistic band set up vibrantly rocked the Elbo Room stage - a mini drum kit, bass (upright cello), guitar and Rachel, front and center on the microphone. Tiny as it sounds, you should have seen this quartet perform under such vigorous fervor ...creating nonstop energetic momentum throughout their performance. And speaking of Rachel, this dynamic vocalist definitely has some soul rooted inside her voice. SouthSide's speaking of that Aretha Franklin-type of soul in which her vocals dug deep enough to powerfully wow the eats and melt your soul. It's somewhat hard to describe but that's how SouthSide felt when hearing Rachel (along with Bridget and/or Michael on backing vocals) vividly popped each Lake Street song to life with her voice ...even while covering (Ben E. King and)The Drifters' This Magic Moment. This reviewer absolutely loved the unique music spin to this classic oldie in which Lake Street flipped the original crooner tempo into a new milennium danceable groove as Rachel soulfully rocked the lyrics.
Performing other songs off their self-titled debut album, this audience enjoyed the humor-filled tune about Bridget's amorous (sex all times of the night) neighbors in an apartment above her in Neighbor Song (track 9) - this reviewer liked how Rachel vividly captured the painted imagery via Bridget's words ...plus the music had lively bursts of trumpet energy during the instrumental bridge. During Elijah (track 7), the entire basement received some soulful as well as electrifying edification upon feeling the band's momentum but also from the dynamically powerful vocals - Rachel truly shined on this song; meanwhile during Don't Make Me Hold Your Hand, SouthSide liked hearing the smoky R&B sound off this radio-ready track which perfectly exemplified an obvious relationship frustratingly not moving forward (i.e. think of Agents Mulder and Scully if you're an X-Files fan like SouthSide while listening to this song) Besides rocking the stage with Got Me Fooled (a downtempo song with a sharp rock edge featuring a R&B/Funk melodic sound ...also off the debut album), Lake Street ended this performance with an explosive BANG of music and vocals when performing an upbeat Jazz-inspired tune Hello? Goodbye!
SouthSide suggests visiting http://www.lakestreetdive.com for details of when and where this rockin' eclectic caravan of musicians will be performing next near you, blogspot readers!
Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide
Opening with Go Down Smooth, Lake Street wasted no time in capturing the audience's attention - their set of catchy pop sound intermixed with a bit of R&B/Soul and Jazz in the melodies kept everyone groovin' to the beat. The energy from the stage was totally contagious, blogspot readers. It truly had you feeling it was Saturday night instead thinking it was Monday. Yet what amazed this reviewer the most about Lake Street was how the simplistic band set up vibrantly rocked the Elbo Room stage - a mini drum kit, bass (upright cello), guitar and Rachel, front and center on the microphone. Tiny as it sounds, you should have seen this quartet perform under such vigorous fervor ...creating nonstop energetic momentum throughout their performance. And speaking of Rachel, this dynamic vocalist definitely has some soul rooted inside her voice. SouthSide's speaking of that Aretha Franklin-type of soul in which her vocals dug deep enough to powerfully wow the eats and melt your soul. It's somewhat hard to describe but that's how SouthSide felt when hearing Rachel (along with Bridget and/or Michael on backing vocals) vividly popped each Lake Street song to life with her voice ...even while covering (Ben E. King and)The Drifters' This Magic Moment. This reviewer absolutely loved the unique music spin to this classic oldie in which Lake Street flipped the original crooner tempo into a new milennium danceable groove as Rachel soulfully rocked the lyrics.
Performing other songs off their self-titled debut album, this audience enjoyed the humor-filled tune about Bridget's amorous (sex all times of the night) neighbors in an apartment above her in Neighbor Song (track 9) - this reviewer liked how Rachel vividly captured the painted imagery via Bridget's words ...plus the music had lively bursts of trumpet energy during the instrumental bridge. During Elijah (track 7), the entire basement received some soulful as well as electrifying edification upon feeling the band's momentum but also from the dynamically powerful vocals - Rachel truly shined on this song; meanwhile during Don't Make Me Hold Your Hand, SouthSide liked hearing the smoky R&B sound off this radio-ready track which perfectly exemplified an obvious relationship frustratingly not moving forward (i.e. think of Agents Mulder and Scully if you're an X-Files fan like SouthSide while listening to this song) Besides rocking the stage with Got Me Fooled (a downtempo song with a sharp rock edge featuring a R&B/Funk melodic sound ...also off the debut album), Lake Street ended this performance with an explosive BANG of music and vocals when performing an upbeat Jazz-inspired tune Hello? Goodbye!
SouthSide suggests visiting http://www.lakestreetdive.com for details of when and where this rockin' eclectic caravan of musicians will be performing next near you, blogspot readers!
Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide
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