Chicago

This month reminds me of the late great Billy Mays because the word “August” sounds so much like “Awesome Auger.” August also signifies the beginning/end of summer in Chicago all in the same month, so it’s even more important you get out and enjoy the rock show this month while the weather is good. Enter Lollapalooza. It will be extra special this year, with Oz making the journey in from California to join Shirk, Woody, myself and loyal HearYa reader/Tom Cruise body-double ViaChicago for the festivities. We have live sessions scheduled with Henry Clay People and The Low Anthem that very weekend at Shirk Music & Sound, and of course Lollapalooza during the day. If your life isn’t quite this awesome-auger, there’s still plenty more to see this month around town.

Pete Yorn – Park West – 8/3 & 8/4

Andrew Bird – Schubas – 8/6

Andrew Bird – Heretics

The Decemberists / Heartless Bastards – Metro – 8/6

Exclusive: Heartless Bastards – Hold Your Head High (HearYa Live Session)

Arctic Monkeys – Metro – 8/7

Arctic Monkeys – Mardy Bum

Various Artists – Lollapalooza at Grant Park – 8/7 & 8/8

Dan Auerbach – Schubas – 8/8

The Gaslight Anthem / Constantines – Double Door – 8/8

The Gaslight Anthem – ’59 Sound (from Fuel for Friends)

Fleet Foxes – Metro – 8/8

Fleet Foxes – He Doesn’t Know Why

Joe Pug / The Low Anthem – The Hideout – 8/8

Joe Pug – In The Meantime

The Low Anthem – Charlie Darwin

The Duke and The King – Schubas – 8/14

The Duke and The King – If You Ever Get Famous

Daniel Johnston – The Metro – 8/15

Lucero – Subterranean – 8/15

Lucero – Hey Darling, Do You Gamble (acoustic, courtesy of Fuel for Friends)

These United States – Green Music Fest at Eckhart Park – 8/16

These United States – I Want You To Keep Everything

Brendan Benson – Schubas – 8/20

Brendan Benson – Feel Like Taking You Home

Stephen Kellogg – Old Town School of Folk Music – 8/23

Two Cow Garage – Schubas – 8/23

Two Cow Garage – Your Humble Narrator

Pearl Jam – United Center – 8/23-24

The Rural Alberta Advantage – Jay Pritzker Pavilion – 8/24

Exclusive: Rural Alberta Advantage – Edmonton (HearYa Live Session)

Modest Mouse – Aragon Ballroom – 8/25

The Roadside Graves – The Bottom Lounge – 8/26

The Roadside Graves – Ruby

Wheat – Schubas – 8/29

Wheat – Changes Is

What did we miss?

July is a heckuva month to see live music in Chicago. With Festival Season in full swing, there’s a great show to see every weekend – and almost every night. Of course, Pitchfork Music Festival is in the middle of the month with an exceptional lineup, but there’s plenty more to tickle your fancy the rest of the month. Here are the shows we recommend. See you at the rock show.

White Rabbits – Empty Bottle – 7/1

White Rabbits – Percussion Gun

Gringo Starr – Schubas – 7/2

Gringo Starr – All Y’all

Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks – The Bottom Lounge – 7/2

Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks – Baltimore

Drive-By Truckers – Taste of Chicago – 7/4

Drive-By Truckers – Two Daughters and a Beautiful Wife (Live)

Buddy Guy – Taste of Chicago – 7/4

Sunset Rubdown – Logan Square Auditorium – 7/7

Sunset Rubdown – Idiot Heart

Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears – Chicago Folk and Roots Festival – 7/10

Magnolia Electric Co. / The Donkeys – Schubas – 7/11

Magnolia Electric Co. – Josephine

The Donkeys – Walk Through a Cloud

Deep Dark Woods – The Hideout – 7/14

Deep Dark Woods – Hang Me, Oh Hang Me

Deer Tick / Dawes – Empty Bottle – 7/15

Deer Tick – Art Isn’t Real (City of Sin)

Dawes – When My Time Comes

Cymbals Eat Guitars – The Bottom Lounge – 7/17

Cymbals Eat Guitars – Wind Phoenix

Those Darlins – Schubas – 7/17

Those Darlins – Redlight Love (HearYa Live Session)

Various Artists – Pitchfork Music Festival at Union Park – 7/17-19

Frightened Rabbit – The Bottom Lounge – 7/19

Frightened Rabbit – The Modern Leper

Blitzen Trapper – Empty Bottle – 7/19

Blitzen Trapper – Furr

Akron/Family – The Bottom Lounge – 7/24

Akron/Family – River

Elvis Perkins in Dearland / The Dodos – Subterranean – 7/25

Elvis Perkins in Dearland – Shampoo

Obits – Empty Bottle – 7/25

Obits – Pine On

Backyard Tire Fire – Wicker Park Festival – 7/26

Backyard Tire Fire – How The Hell Did You Get Back Here (HearYa Live Session)

Scott H. Biram – Empty Bottle – 7/26

Scott H. Biram – Still Drunk, Still Crazy, Still Blue

Toad the Wet Sprocket – Park West – 7/27

Josh Ritter – Metro – 7/30

Josh Ritter – Good Man

What did we miss?

Some readers (Vanessa) have asked several times for Chicago concert recommendations. I’ll try to squeeze one of these out at the end of each month for our Chi-town readers (even though I’m in California). For those going to Blitzen Trapper, get there early enough to catch Alela Diane and tell me all about it. I’m a big fan of her debut album.

Heartless Bastards and Alberta Cross will both be in the studio for HearYa Live Sessions as well!

In addition to Musikanto at The Darkroom tomorrow night, here are a few more upcoming shows to consider.

1/31 Heartless Bastards @ Martyrs

Heartless Bastards – Mountain

2/6 The Record Low @ Double Door

The Record Low – Southern State (from the HearYa Live Session)

2/13 Marah @ Schubas

Marah – My Heart Is The Bums On The Street

2/13 Radio Moscow @ Bottom Lounge

Radio Moscow – Whatever Happened (from the HearYa Live Session)

2/14 Delta Spirit @ Double Door

The Delta Spirit – Give Me Some Motivation

2/17 The Submarines and The Morning Benders @ Schubas

The Morning Benders – Waiting On A War (from the HearYa Live Session)

2/19 Blitzen Trapper and Alela Diane @ Empty Bottle

Blitzen Trapper – Furr

Alela Diane – The Rifle

2/20 Deer Tick @ Empty Bottle

Deer Tick – Art Isn’t Real (City of Sin)

2/20 Mark Olson and Gary Louris (formely the Jayhawks) @ Park West

2/21 Bobby Bare Jr. and David Vandervelde @ Schubas

Bobby Bare Jr. – I’ll Be Around

Bobby Bare Jr. – Let’s Rock and Roll

2/28 The Airborne Toxic Event and Henry Clay People @ Schubas

Henry Clay People – Something In The Water

2/28 The Airborne Toxic Event and Alberta Cross @ Schubas

Alberta Cross – Known For Long (acoustic)

What did I miss?

We’ve got some Chicago love for you this week. We had upstart Mike Musikanto and his badass band in the studio a couple weeks ago on a freezing cold night. It was the kind of night that made you want to punch Mother Nature right in the base of the neck with the side of your fist like Steven Segal used to do. Fortunately my rage was immediately calmed upon entering Shirk’s studio and hearing the smooth sounds of Musikanto.

I’d only had a chance to peruse their MySpace page for a few minutes before the session, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. But the guys got things off on the right foot by cracking some pre-game Miller High Lifes (High Lives?) – the champagne of beer always gets things moving.

They came out of the gate strong with “Misty Morning,” a catchy-as-hell tune with some great guitar work, heady lyrics like “She stole my clothes and left me with a heart of desire,” and some absolutely fantastic drum fills by Russ Mallard. “I Ain’t Your Rock” followed and was probably my favorite track of the night. Mike and lead guitarist JJ Evans complement each other extremely well and are both a pleasure to watch play – I particularly liked the guitar interplay about two-thirds of the way through “Take It On Will.” Scott Schaffsma keeps things moving while handling the bass duties, and even drops a little upright bass on the album.

After laying down several tracks with the full band, JJ had to take off for another gig, so Mike decided to cozy up behind the microphone with just his acoustic guitar. He sang a couple more songs and showed off his ability to write Americana rockers and slow burning acoustic tunes alike.

Musikanto may be relatively new on the indie music scene, but they’ve got the chops and the songwriting sensibility to be venerable mainstays. They’re a great group of guys who demand perfection from themselves – a quality that’s sure to pay dividends. I strongly recommend their hot-off-the-presses album, Ghost Pain, and I also recommend you give Mother Nature a dropkick to the groin and brave the elements to see them live. They’ve got a show this Friday, January 30th at the Darkroom in Chicago. See their MySpace page for more dates.

In the meantime, check out the live tracks below and some HD footage from the studio, courtesy of our boy Shirk.

Exclusive: Musikanto – I Ain’t Your Rock

Exclusive: Musikanto – Take It On Will

Exclusive: Musikanto – Howl

Exclusive: Musikanto – To See You One More Time

Exclusive: Musikanto – Atomic Walls

Download ‘em all as a zip.

Video: Musikanto – To See You One More Time

Musikanto – To See You One More Time from HearYa.com on Vimeo.

Musikanto is the latest alt-country, folk, Americana singer-songwriter to emerge from Chicago in recent years, joining the likes of Joe Pug, Tom Schraeder and His Ego and the now defunct Cracklin Moth. I had to name drop since they’ve all been through the studio to record live sessions.  Musikanto was in the studio last week and his session is being mixed by Shirk as we speak.

The debut album Ghost Pain is an addictive twangy rock affair in the same vein as bands like The Old 97’s and Ryan Adams. The album is a solid effort from beginning to end and it’s accessibility will satisfy both the alt-country crowd and the more casual pop-rock aficionados looking for something catchy.  He’s releasing it independently, but don’t let that fool you. No corners were cut and this guy can put pen to paper and write great songs that are backed by more than just an acoustic guitar.  You’ll hear horns, piano and healthy backing vocals to jazz up his sound.

Formely performing around Chicago with the band Sleeper Car, Musikanto has set out to make a name for himself. Ghost Pain will do just that. Check back next week to hear the Musikanto live session.

MySpace

Musikanto – Misty Morning

Musikanto – I Ain’t Your Rock

I’m making my long anticipated journey back to Chicago first thing in the morning and can’t wait to hang out with the rest of HearYa, watch the OSU-Michigan game and take in the Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival (the show schedule was released).

As I began reminiscing about my years living in Chicago, I started making a list of locations that hold special memories and got some input from Drinking Buddy. You’ll notice that my adventures kept me mostly in the Lincoln Park/Lakeview areas.

Do you have any landmarks we missed? Leave a comment and let us know.

Best Irish Bar: Cullen’s – You can drink through a hangover here for 12 straight hours on New Years Day, so I’ve heard.
Best Bar to Get a Bottle Broken Over Your Head: Irish Eyes
Best Tater Tots With Cheesy Dipping Sauce: Brownstone
Best Place to Almost Die At The Hands of a Latino Gang – Clarke’s on Lincoln – This came unprompted and the young gentlemen walked up to our table at 4am, looked at me and said “I’ll cut your fucking face!” The staff wouldn’t serve us after the encounter.
Best Place to Steal A Cab At 2AM: Outside of Bacchus
Best Place to Get Arrested For Stealing a Cab At 3AM: Outside of Lucky Strike
Best Place to Run Into Vince Vaughan and Cade McNown Eating Ice Cream Cones: Castaways at North Ave. Beach
Best Place to Watch Creepy Middle Aged Men Stealing Second Base From Unsuspecting College Chicks: McGee’s
Best Dive Bar: Rose’s Lounge
Best Beer Garden: Justin’s
Best Late Night Music Venue: B.L.U.E.S
Best Jukebox: Gingerman Tavern
Best Music-oriented Bar: AliveOne
Best Bar to Take Your Dog To – Cody’s Public House
Best Place for a Music Man-Date: Schubas – you can stool up in the front bar or rock out in the back room. The only problem is sometimes it can get so loud in there you literally have to get 3-4 millimeters from your man-date’s earlobe to speak with him.
Worst Place for a Music Man-Date: Park West – a great venue, but not for you and your man-date. I’ve been shushed in there for quietly cracking jokes during a show. And they don’t have nearly enough bartenders to keep up with demand for me and my man-date crushing beers. It’s also too romantic.
Best Record Shop: Rolling Stones Records – they have life sized cutouts of SRV, Kiss, Led Zeppelin and more on the roof.
Best Karaoke Bar: Louie’s in Bucktown – they actually get some pretty good talent in here and it’s a supportive crowd. And, unlike Trader Todd’s (which is owned by Animal from Revenge of the Nerds), the place actually has air conditioning.
Best Local Band: Wilco
Best Place to Shoot a Music Video: Wherever Jan Terri Shot this
Best Public Place to Makeout Without Anyone Catching You: 3rd Floor Stairwell of Burton Place
Best Bar for Shots: Guthrie’s – you’ve got to try the Root Beer Barrel.
Best Deep Dish Pizza: Pequod’s
Best Red Bull Vodkas: Gamekeepers, a.k.a. “Shamekeepers”. Drinking RBV’s and making bad decisions go hand-in-hand, so might as well go to the original breeding ground of bad decisions (ask them to add a splash of grenadine to make it go down easier)
Bar with the Highest Per Capita Concentration of Overweight Girls Who Are Originally From Wisconsin: Wrightwood Tap, a.k.a. “The FUPA Tap”

I had originally dubbed October “Rocktober” as I was fixing to see a host of shows this month. Due to some personal issues, I missed my first show, Heartless Bastards & Langhorne Slim, and then Jim James was injured and the My Morning Jacket Show at the Chicago Theatre was canceled. Rocktober was falling apart in front of my eyes. But then I went on a run of shows that I haven’t seen since before the kids started arriving fast and furious.

First up were the Silver Jews. Lead singer, David Berman, emerged in a snappy suit and fat belt buckle enscribed with “JOOS.” This show was a replacement for MMJ and in a way I was happier to see Berman and company for the first time.

Berman carries an awkwardness on stage that makes his stage presence genuine and real. He’s constantly checking his set list, which is written on a paper plate and dedicates songs to anyone and everyone. He also battles the mic and the accompanying stand as if it were his first time on stage.  Berman announced that it was in fact their 100th time on stage this night. Bob Nastanovich (formerly of Pavement) showed up to play drums on “New Orleans.” He told stories of the origins of the band, when they would call Thurston Moore’s answering machine and leave demos.

The show was an absolute blast and, in many ways, a very communal experience. People sang along and when he played “Random Rules” everyone in the crowd had a shit-eating grin on their face.

Next up the docket were Fleet Foxes. This was the third time seeing them this year and their eponymous LP is easily my favorite debut of the year, if not my favorite album. This was my first time seeing them headline in a proper club and they didn’t disappoint.

At the Pitchfork Festival, the crowd was eerily quiet when Fleet Foxes played and once the boys from Washington hit the stage at The Metro, the “shhhhhs” came out in full force. When one jackass started mocking the situation with his girlfriend, another guy politely said, “Please, we really want to hear them.” The guy relented as he realized that people came to listen the music and not bullshit about nonsense.

The Foxes tore through a set that covered almost every tune from their EP and full length. “Drops In The River” which led into “English House” was an amazing 10 minutes of music. There was plenty of easy going banter the band and the crowd. It’s good to see they are easing into their new found celebrity.

The highlight of the night was “Mykonos.” The four-piece harmonies were absolutely breathless. That was the last song before the encore, and really they could have walked away at that point and I would have been thrilled. I’m glad I caught them at The Metro this time because I don’t think I’ll ever have that opportunity again.

Last on my concert stops was Okkervil River. This was my 6th time seeing them this year and I’m one random run-in at the grocery store from getting a restraining order slapped on my desk. Sheff and co. launched into “Plus Ones” and were off. What else is there possibly left for me to say about them? Let’s see… New guitarist Lauren Gurgiolo seems to be settling in nicely. In August, she seemed unsure of herself, as if she didn’t want to flub a note. Now she smiles more and seems to really be enjoying herself. Bass Guitarist, Patrick Pestorious, should sing more often. He sounds great on “Lost Coastlines.” And on a sad note, Sheff announced that they don’t play “Kansas City” any more. That made me sad. That’s a fucking doozy of a tune.

Anyway it was a great show that we’ve all come to expect. Sheff busted out a solo “Red” and the band fired a version of “A Stone” that was transcendent. They are hands down my favorite band right now.

Silver Jews – Strange Victory, Strange Defeat

Fleet Foxes – He Doesn’t Know Why

Fleet Foxes – White Winter Hymnal

Okkervil River – Lost Coastlines