Editor's Note
Welcome to issue #24 of Chicago Crowd Surfer! This week we feature plenty of local albums out now including the new Sonny Falls, a dual EP from Lunar Ticks, and emo punk Belmont’s debut. We hit up several shows this week: Lydia at Lincoln Hall, Red Baraat at Sleeping Village and the Lunar Ticks release party at the SubT! Along with our first film review, where we take a look at the new documentary Punk Band. There is also plenty of other new releases this week with highly anticipated new records from Mitski and Thee Oh Sees; as well as a couple jams that signal some big releases are on their way.  

Seeing live music gives us joy, and it is our mission, in these trying times, to spread some of that joy to you. We don’t just want to spread it, we want to share it; which is why we are a crowd-sourced publication. We want you to join us: to write about, and share pictures of, the shows you attend, the new albums you love, the bands you adore, and any other thing that has to do with seeing, performing, or experiencing music in Chicago. Please send any submissions to chicago.crowd.surfer@gmail.com. We are now up to eleven contributors and are always looking for more! We may not publish everything we get, and we reserve the right to edit, but will always try and seek the submitters’ approval. Our mission is to be a positive publication, so if you have negative things to say - please look for another forum in which to express that opinion. We aim to wade through the bullshit of this modern life to find what good is left. See you at the show Chicago.

Keep Seeing Live Music!

KPL & JCB

 Red Baraat  / all photos by KPL
 

Putting together this mag every week involves a ton of effort and with us working deep into the night to get the issue ready, Wednesdays are usually off limits for shows. However, every once in awhile a show comes along that we just can’t miss and when you find out that Chicago’s newest venue, Sleeping Village, is hosting one of the hottest bands to come out of Brooklyn in a while, you make an exception. LPL and I rushed to get the issue complete, but still didn’t quite make the 9PM start time. As we ran into the venue in the rear of the SV, we were greeted by the doom-funk madness that is Gramps The Vamp. 

This Chicago outfit is an eight piece instrumental onslaught. Maxx McGathy was already deep into a solo on his keys when we made it to the floor, and it wasn’t until the whole band kicked back up that it became clear this was sevenites-influenced, cinematic-funk at it’s finest. Start and stop breaks, rapid fire horn lines, and consistent solos are all hallmarks of the genre, and these guys have it down. From the theatrics of Stevenson Valentor during his five minute virtuoso drum solo to the slick licks laid down by guitarist Mike Novak, the rhythm section was given their just due (as is sometimes not the case with funk bands). The trio of horns had plenty of solo time as well, and they treated the crowd to some new material towards the end of the set. If you get a chance to see them, take it. Their next local gig is August 24th at The Cubby Bear. If you’re looking to get down and dance the night away, they are your ticket. 

As I returned from another round toward the end of their set; I spotted Sunny Jain--the dhol player and band leader of Red Baraat--checking out the hometown boys. I nodded to him, and the mustachioed Jain nodded back. My hands were full of beers so I couldn’t shake that talented hand, but the acknowledgement was enough for both of us. While at the bar between sets we discussed the poor turnout with a couple other fans--there was probably no more than a hundred there--and they decided it was the 9PM Wednesday night show time. However, I am more of the opinion that Sleeping Village is just not a well known venue yet. That will all change soon though. And we hope Red Baraat will return to Chicago in the near future because more people should take in this musical phenomenon. 

Mixing the sounds of bhangra, jazz, brazilian, hip hop, and funk; Red Baraat is the ultimate party band. Dancing was a must when Jain started banging on his dhol (a double headed drum with roots in south asia). He created a rhythm that started in the feet then moved to the hips and up. His band backed him with such a mix of influences you couldn't help but love what was produced. Elements of New Orleans second line entered through John Aleteri on sousaphone and Chris Eddlestons drums. Jazz and hip hop blended in Sonny Singh’s trumpet and rap verses. But all eyes were on Jain as he took over center stage, swinging the dagga and tihli (the sticks used to play the dhol) like his life depends on it. His constant smile and swagger brought the whole band and crowd with him on this musical journey through the world. 

It’s no wonder that he has such charisma; he has been playing dhol for most of his life, has backed prominent musicians from all around the world, and is the drummer for Junoon (one of the most popular rock bands of South Asia). His already twenty-five year career (he’s only 42) has shaped him into an incredibly entertaining performer. It’s a shame that more weren’t there to witness the awesome power of Red Baraat. But that left plenty of dancing room for those of us who were lucky enough to attend. 

-KPL

Lunar Ticks / all photos by KPL
 

Tonight we saw our cousins perform with their band. Yes, again. No two jam shows are alike, and, apparently, no two shows with extended family involved are the same. Tonight there were cousins galore and hugs abound. At one point, I was rocking out next to my mom’s cousin, Rob Mutert, the father of Rotten Mouth’s drummer and bassist, Chris and Clayton Mutert. I looked over to him and he gave me a big ol’ Mutert bear hug.
I asked him, “How proud are you right now?”

Without a pause in his dancing he crossed his arms over his chest and sighed, “So proud.”

Then he raised a pair of devil horns over his head and roared. 

The day after their show, they were set to play a benefit for their dad’s non-profit organization, Warp Corps, at skatepark The Zone, in McHenry, to commemorate his friend, Ryan Buss, who fell victim to suicide while serving in the military. Proceeds support the non-profit in offering accessible love and support for at-risk youths in order to prevent suicide and opioid abuse.

As a jam fan, it was admittedly tough not reviewing Rotten Mouth’s show. They are family and we said early on we wouldn’t review family bands. But I still get to give you a glimpse of Bronson Rock and Lunar Ticks! When I see a jam show, the bass is what truly reels me in. Bronson Rock walked up, bass forward. Matthew Robinson is good and he knows it, and he uses this confidence to bring you a show. He dropped down into a deep knee lunge, and held the bend--for quite an impressive amount of time--then popped back up without faltering a single finger from his strings. He had every reason to be geared up into a bouncing lunge mode--they were there to support their friends, Lunar Ticks, at their EP release party. In fact, Josh Levine of LT supported them back, adding guest keys to their set.

I took a quick bathroom break upstairs--which is never quick at Sub T, by the way, but waiting until set break is much much worse. With only 2 stalls, it has at times taken me longer to wait my turn than for the stage crew to set up for the next band! Anyway…  I paused at the rail to take in the aerial view with my cousins and the crowd. No one was talking around me, nor in the crowd below. Everyone was too busy swaying to the encapsulating magic of jam rock. With so many sounds happening at once in a jam show, people are rarely following the same beat. With a buh-bah-dah-buh-dah they eased from a jam to a groove with ease. They rested there for just a bit to give their fingers a break and then circled back into a full jam. Thank you for engineering this rollercoaster set Bronson Rock!

In addition to these three great bands, artist Zach Bartz garnered his live experience by painting impromptu pictures of teeth, eyes and faces throughout the night. I caught glimpses of the 20 or so works hanging in the stairwell that he had completed in the first two acts and was drawn to more than a few. I tried multiple times to describe here in writing some of the pieces that stood out to me, but I was not doing it justice. (I am not an art reviewer afterall.) I was intrigued by Bartz’ work and wanted to learn more about his process and inspiration. My ears caught up with my eyes and I realized that Lunar Ticks was the present source of inspiration for both my stream of consciousness and for his art. I turned to the black-lit stage which was filled with a band wearing neon colors. What caught my eye was not the bands’ glowing wardrobe, but the hot pink coat hangers that Josh Levine had decided to wear over his shoulders. They stuck up like wings upon which the group floated through their EP release party. (Scroll down a bit to read KPL’s review of Unkown Gnomes Neon Hearse.) They bounced through every track on UKNH, which is to be expected at a release party. What was unexpected was how easily they slipped into an homage to masters of the genre. Playing “Jerry Was a Racecar Driver” (PRIMUS), “Four” (Miles Davis), “Tell Me What’s Inside Your Heart” (Ty Segall), “War Pigs” (Black Sabbath) and closing their encore with “I Wanna Be Sedated” (Ramones). These guys are really great, and very aware that they are just stepping on to a well-worn path of greatness. I hope your neon wings take you far guys. Until next time!

-LPL

Lunar Ticks is supporting Aqueous at Chop Shop on Thursday Nov. 29. Tix are $15!

Lydia  / all photos by JCB

I wrote about Lydia’s last effort, Liquor, in issue #19. I was excited to see how the move to summery synth pop would translate live, and the stage was set before the band came out. The crew lined up and flipped on several industrial sized LED lights that were brighter than the center of the sun. If that ain’t summer vibes, I don’t know what is.  Frontman Leighton Antelman has transformed his band’s sound while maintaining a devoted fan base – something many bands can’t pull off. That’s been easy because of the charismatic performances of ethereal pop. Using the infectious single, “Goodside”, as a catalyst for this year’s incarnation of their ever-evolving sound, they brought their version of Washed Out’s waves of sound, coupled with Leighton’s captivating falsetto. The band played songs that were perfect for a summer evening in Chicago, even when they were from less bombastic earlier releases. That’s the sign of a great band, when an ever evolving sound doesn’t restrict what your old songs can be. Reinventing them for the sound you’re most interested in presenting today is something I don’t think a lot of musicians are able to do – technically or artistically – so it’s refreshing, and honestly a bit surprising, when it does happen.

-JCB

Documentaries usually only work when there is high drama, a catastrophic event, or there is a compelling story to tell. When Bradley Pontecore decided to produce a doc about a tour of Chicago punk band Voice Of Addiction he probably didn’t think he would get two out of three of these elements. Everything starts innocent enough with interviews about the bands backstory and the past of each member interspersed with well filmed live footage that effectively cuts from venue to venue during the full song sequences; a compelling effect that cuts through the staticness some live video can have. But as the tour wears on and tempers and personalities clash the question becomes “Will they make it through this?” 

Ian Tomele, the only original band member, has been plugging away for years at the whole touring thing; and has a way he wants it done. Meanwhile, guitarist Jackob Smith and drummer Vinnie Dinwiddie have their own ideas on how to find a place to stay, when to pack out their gear, or how much they can drink before it’s their turn to drive (among other things). It may sound trivial, but to Pontecore’s credit he finds a way through a mix of pre and post tour interviews, live concert footage and spontaneous filming of conversations to make the viewer care about these three. You want them to make it through to the other side; especially Dinwiddie, who is the youngest and most troubled. Ultimately the film only works because you care about these three guys just trying to make it through a West Coast run. 

Pontecore, a native of Danville, IL (a sleepy town on the Il and IN border directly South of Chicago), is a first time filmmaker and the inexperience somehow rubs off on the film in a positive way. It almost has an innocence that slowly wears away as the story gets darker, and things take a turn as the hotel room interview sequences about religion and drug use make way for arguments in venues and parking lots. It’s tough to watch a band implode on screen. The members of VOA all have large personalities, each in their own way, and to watch as that wears them all down is a compelling experience that makes Punk Band a must see for fans of Chicago punk rock and an engrossing experience for everyone. 

-KPL

ALBUM REVIEWS

sonny falls
some kind of spectre
sooper

Sometimes a record comes along and completely knocks you sideways. Sonny Falls debut full length is just that album. Tight, concise, and undeniably listenable; it’s one of those “don’t skip a track” kind of releases and should propel them to local favorites, if not get some national attention. Leader and lyricist Ryan Hoagie Wesley Ensley weaves the kind of confessional tales you would find in bedroom pop but with a rock backdrop that fits with the Chicago indie style of the moment with a bit more straight up fuzz than most. 

The production here is impressive. From the strings and horns on several tracks to the super crisp mix, there is an appeal here that is missing from some local indie acts. With the sprawling jam on “Head on Display” and the scaling up open to “Towards No One” it’s clear they have chops. And final track “The Last Time You Called Me” really shows off their sensitive side with lyrics like: “I saw lightning strike last night / in the middle of your eyes / it’s strange how quickly one can change” Some Kind of Spectre is a break out album for sure. Listen to it right now! We know you’ll dig it. 

-KPL

They are hitting Beat Kitchen on September 22nd. See you all there!

lunar ticks
unknown gnomres neon hearse
lunar ticks

There is always a danger in studio recordings of Jam music. It haunted the likes of legends The Grateful Dead in their later career: how does a band translate their searing live performances into a studio format. Lately bands like Lunar Ticks have started to break that mold, being able to transfer their live sound to record. With a loose and echoey production style this dual EP makes you feel like the Ticks are in your living room jamming out over your stereo. There are extended jams on both sides of the EP in “Ultraviolet Phlegm” and “Subliminal Massage” which really sound just like they do live; and the epic psychedelic “Neon Hearse” ends the album with flair.  A bit more punk than most jam acts with straight up rockers like “Got Time” and “Noise In M’Head” this Chicago five piece is starting to pick up steam in the local scene. 

-KPL

You can check them out when they open for Aqueous at 1st Ward Chop Shop on November 29th. Tix are going for only $15

mitski
be the cowboy
dead oceans

After two albums of straight up guitar rock indie darling Mitski returns to her original instrument, the piano, for possibly her best work yet. Not to say she has left the guitar in the dust, there is still some great stringed work here, but the songs that really shine on this one are piano rockers like “Me and My Husband” and “Nobody.” Most impressive is her being able to squeeze 14 songs into a thirty two minute record. There is much to be said about succinct pop music. There is no fluff here, she gets straight to the point. It will leave you breathless from its breakneck pace, and as soon as it’s over, you’ll start it again . . . then again . . . or maybe that’s just us . . .     

-KPL

She is dropping by The Vic on October 25th with Jessica Lee Mayfield in support. It is sold out but there are plenty of 3rd market ticket out there.

thee oh sees
smote reverser
castle face

John Dwyer is a fucking madman. 21 albums in 15 years? I think only Buckethead has him beat there, but John has one big edge over everyone else – I’m pretty sure (but feel free to correct me) that he has never repeated the same sound on any album. He’s been experimenting with the band’s sound more than the band’s name.

Starting off with a psych-out garage number that rockets into the atmosphere of otherworldly jazz, this is an album that takes all the sound changes over the past 3 years and creates one of the most straightforward LPs of their career. There has to be something new on each record though, and this is one features so many organs I was pretty sure Iron Butterfly helped in the studio. The entire album has a very 60s blues-metal feel to it, interspersed with music that Lemmy might want to calm down a bit. Flipping from a groovy Deep Purple-ish song like “C” right into “Overthrown” (which honestly made me take off my headphones before my ears started to blister) takes guts. And chops. I knew from seeing them earlier this year that these guys are no joke, but it’s still a shock.

As with most Oh Sees records, this is an exercise in stamina. It’s Dwyer’s world, and we’re just blessed to live in it from time to time for an hour or so. If you can make it through all of the record in one sitting, good on ya. You’ll have graduated with a crash course in sludgy rock, funk, avant-jazz, garage rock, and possibly tinnitus. But you’ll have listened to one of the most interesting men in rock’s underground doing potentially his best work yet. I hope we get a straight follow up to Smote Reverser, but who knows. As long as Dwyer is giving the finger to the limits of his guitar, it’ll be a hell of a ride.

Only 13 minutes to spar? Check out these 3 tracks.

Sentient Oona
Enrique El Cobrador
Abysmal Urn

-JCB

Postscript: Member Music Frozen Dancing from Issue 0.6? I member. John Dwyer members. My scar from the crowd barrier crashing into me members.
 

 Get your body armor ready and see Thee Oh Sees at Thalia Hall on Oct. 12. Tickets here

Yo-yo ma
Six evolutions
sony

You might not be aware of this, but Yo-Yo Ma is one of the most famous classical cellists of all time. He’s been playing the cello since he was 4, and released his first of three recordings of J.S. Bach’s Unaccompanied Cello Suites in 1983, at the age of 28. It was this release that won him his first of 18 Grammy’s... although it came 2 years later because Grammy’s. He recorded it again in the 90s, and then broke off into the stratosphere of popular culture; becoming known equally for his Baroque work and his delving into traditional Chinese soundtracks, American bluegrass, South American traditional covers and even modern minimalism. While I’ve never tire of his work, I wondered when he’d revisit the classics. Now we get his third, and admitted final, recording of these 300 year old masterpieces. And it’s nearly perfect. I know these pieces inside and out, and yet they’ve been transformed.

Yo-Yo Ma is able to suss vocal quality from one-instrument music in a way sometimes not even heard from entire symphonies. His technique is flawless with every phrase of the 36 tracks that comprise these 6 Suites. This is classical music that needs to be heard by everyone. Bach’s music is timeless, and it has never been showcased more wonderfully than by a single cello. Entire libraries have been written about the importance of his work, and of the man performing it. There is a reason that Yo-Yo Ma has played this music for nearly 60 years. There will always be new ways to interpret it, even multiple times by the same man. It’s an evolution for not only the music, but the performer. Perhaps this is when Ma needed to record the 6 again. Maybe taking so many left turns led him right back to where he started, and yet home looked different.

Must listen. No shtick about which tracks to pick out. No PS. This is important.

-JCB

WHAT WE'RE JAMMING TO THIS WEEK

THIS WEEK'S RECOMMENDED NEW RELEASES

MORE NOTABLE RELEASES

Great Lake Swimmers / The Waves, The Wake / Nettwerk

Melodic folk from up North that is made for sleepy Saturday mornings. Simple and elegant, this is their tenth studio effort and the experience shows.  

Schuba’s is hosting them on October 20th and tix are going for $12 ($15 at the door)

Trevor Powers / Mulberry Violence / Baby Halo

After calling it quits on his successful bedroom pop project Youth Lagoon, Trevor Powers goes back to the studio and gives us a mainly electronic record that still has all the emotional power of Youth Lagoon with a much darker and twisted background.  

He is coming to The Empty Bottle on Friday October 12th. Tix are available for $15.

Animal Collective / Tangerine Reef / Domino

If you’re looking for wonderfully harmonized Beach Boys on acid pop, look elsewhere. Panda Bear skips out on this Collective release, taking with him the beats and pop stylings. In its place is a drab soundtrack about a drab documentary - how we’re killing our coral reefs. It’s a soundtrack that is definitely weighty, but we think it is meant to be played along with its video brother.

They were just here at the end of July so we don’t expect them to return any time soon.

Rebel Wizard / Voluptuous Worship of Rapture and Response  / Prosthetic

Doom metal at its grittiest. He calls it Negative Metal. Out of Ferny Creek, Australia this one man metal machine is as tight and demonic as it gets. 

We couldn’t find any tour info for them.

Aminè / ONEPOINTFIVE / Republic

The Portland MC releases an album under the radar and, in our opinion, rhymes circles around the likes of mainstream rappers who are sitting at number one and two on the charts right now. (Yeah we’re saying he blows Travis Scott and Nicki Minaj out of the water) Goes to show you where mainstream tastes are at. (Or have always been at) 

He’s not visiting Chicago anytime soon. Boo!

NEIL FRANCES / Took Awhile / NEIL FRANCES

This producer duo hits us with a six song EP that is as sleek as synth pop can get. Marc Gilfry and Jordan Feller have a bright future together. 

They are coming to open for Poolside at the Bottom Lounge on September 6th at 9PM for a measly $15.

NOTES & ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Hey there surfers! One more week till we hit 25! No real announcements this week just wanted to say that. Without further ado here are the shows we think are work checking out this week. The Logan Square Food Truck Social is gonna be one of the last great street fests this year, check it out why don’t you! 

• We’d like to wish Claire of Claire and The Bears a happy damn birthday! 

****

Till next week . . . .

See you at the show Chicago! 

Been inspired by a recent musical experience? Excited about an upcoming show? shoot us an email to GET STARTED.

Being a contributor has never been easier. All you have to do is enjoy music, have a good time and tell others about it. We are a community sourced web mag, that means our experts are music lovers in your community. Yes, you are an expert music lover. (We know because you are reading this site) Our goal here is to encourage people to see live music, and have a good time doing it. Get clever with how you would like to contribute, but here are some ideas:

• See a show and write about what made it great for you (and snap a couple pics)
• Tell people about CCS
• Listen to a new album and write a review
• Share the weekly issue post
• Buy us a ticket to see a show - we will try to cover the show if you can’t go!
• Post to our social media sites about news in the local music scene 
• Help us make a connection to acquire:
  • Press passes
  • Photo passes
  • Promo materials (flyers, buttons, stickers, gear…)

With any written contribution, we request email submissions by the following Wednesday morning  (ex. If you see a Friday show, submit 4 days later; ex. Listen to a new album on Tuesday, submit the next day). Please let us know that you want to contribute so we can get you into that week’s issue. You can totally submit a review later than Wednesday, and we may include it. Not to put the pressure on, but we are a weekly mag so we like to keep content current.

-LPL

P.S. If you want a little extra confidence, we really do want to hear from you and expand our community. I am not a trained writer, and personally think my reviews need a good deal of improvement. I keep writing to get better, and people are still reading it!