The Pack A. D.

Another awesome band at a Free Monday at Empty Bottle. Originally I went to see Geri X at Martyrs but I was too late for that. I recalled that The Pack A.D. were playing as well so off I went to salvage the night, and wow! I feel fortunate for seeing them. Locally, they remind me of White Mystery, all bluesy and rough, and they are just one guitar/singer and one drummer. Non-locally they remind me of The Ettes. PJ Harvey even has some songs that are more bluesy like this, but hell this is about The Pack.

I caught most of the show, I think. Finding parking around Empty Bottle is getting harder even on a Monday night. That's how you can tell a lot of things before even arriving. It does not get that way if no one showed up. Early weeknight gigs filter out all but the fans. The band was certainly happy to see such a good crowd for a Monday night. I believed they remarked on how that does not happen in other places they've been. It was clear the audience was there to see them. Well it makes sense in a way. On your third CD tour, no cover. Your fans will come. There is something about being in a room full of the converted. They create the tide that can influence and enhance or even taint your experience. What they see coming, what they anticipate from around the corner hits you with no warning. Someone points to the sky, and I notice instead the Joy Division shirt that person is wearing. If what you are pointing to is meant to hit me, then it shall. And converted I became that night. Their live show was amazing. More so because the singer Becky was sick, and she soldiered on. That is one experience. As I'm writing this it's the CD's that are converting me a second time. It's bluesy music that is easily recognized by the casual ear, yet does not sound too familiar, nor too tired. I don't know that much about The Pack A. D. I think they've been here before to Hideout I think. They are from Canada, and they are promoting their third CD "We Kill Computers".

Golden Filter

So I saw Golden Filter last Wednesday at Empty Bottle. I was anticipating this band since I saw them last time at the now defunct Sonotheque which is now called Beauty Bar I believe. So I post pictures of both performances; the iconic first and the second one long anticipated.

This band has this classic disco dance sound, with live drums to give it this organic rough edge to it. The same places you are taken to when you hear Eurythmics, Blondie....this band owns. To give another description, they are kind of like a streetwise Bel Canto. I drop these other names to tell what pantheon they belong in, at least for me. It's an extra hit when you see them live because of those drums.

So upon seeing this band I was taken to those crystalized iconic moments of disco. Well my memories are of seeing older relatives jam out to this in their cars, or in the basement with their 8 tracks, cassettes or records. There's the music that has this timelessness to it and there is also the disco that sounds quaint, and off. There is always the stuff that yellows quickly. Golden Filter to me has that staying power and yet there is nothing to suggest that they want to invoke the 70's or even disco period. They are a contemporary band that sounds a certain way and that's that. I was glad when this is what I take in with my own eyes. This is the contemporary music that I experience. This is my own iconic cult moment. And Sonotheque was small. Empty Bottle is bigger, but not by much. Catching this at a big place like Double Door, or Metro would feel distant. It would be distant. The singer was right in front of me, at least for the Sonotheque night. They did not even have the CD out yet. This was probably two years ago. I had to make due with the live recording I had of "Solid Gold".

They played in complete darkness that first time. No lights on them or anything, just the flashes of cameras. That seemed a little mysterious to me. The Sonotheque crowd was heavy with well dressed unpretentious people. Many were dancing to this band playing. You could not see the band so much so you might as well dance. Perhaps that was the point. It seemed like it was no different than the DJ playing. People just danced, and focused on that. You sink into your own world when you are in the dark. Everyone was sharing this space with their own party. The band was free to create the music, and we were free to party with it. That was perhaps two or three years ago. They came back to play Empty Bottle, the Wednesday of the Blackhawks winning the Stanley Cup.

It's so awesome that they won, but that is a footnote to me. The main thing was to see these guys play again. The Empty Bottle crowd indeed knew who they came to see. They did not act indifferent or lukewarm. There was one song in which the lead singer mentions "a few of my favorite things" and she threw into that list Chicago and the crowd reacted in kind. I had no problem going to the front of the stage, but there was a crowd of people behind me, many dancing. I did not want to lose my spot at the front. And now you can actually see the girl on stage. Alright, let me post this thing already and move on to the next post.

Zig

Aleks and The Drummer

I missed this band when they opened for Dengue Fever, but I did catch this previous performance somewhere in Bridgeport on a Saturday. I recall at this venue there was art on display all over the place. There were some displays that did catch my eye and thoughts, but perhaps not long enough to survive me writing about them. So why do I go see them whenever I can? Why do I get angry at myself when I miss this band? There are only 5 songs on the ep. There are many songs still you can only catch live. So I go to see what is changing, and for what has remained the same. This is a fascinating artist to see if it's your first time, and one to keep seeing once you are a fan. She evolves before your eyes. By now I have songs that I'm familiar with and anticipate. This was the first time I saw a cello at one of their shows. I also like Ms Aleks' outfits for her performances. She is always way colorful, and can I add this, not tacky or way outlandish. There are some artists where you can kind of guess what they will wear for their own show. Sometimes they have some outfits that they always put on for a show, then there are those that just like black. What Ms Aleks wears one day does not signal what she shall wear her next show. She may not wear black but her music sure does. I'm not saying that her songs are deliberately goth. For me that is part of the beauty of it. It's just natural. I believe that this band has an effortless appeal to a goth crowd. Her signature church organ sound just has this natural sense of authority, fast or slow. "Eye To Eye" always plays in my head when I'm late for something. That drummer is on crack. The live drummer gives the live experience that sense of urgency, and dread even when the songs are slow.

Her voice, her operatic voice, is something to behold. I have mad respect for her voice. There was one show when it was apparent that she was sick, a sore throat I believe. And it was there when I saw the effort that goes into the performances of each song. In seeing this girl tough it out with a sore throat I had a new respect for her voice, and the music. You don't wanna stress your voice with singing and now you gotta hit them high notes. Nothing of the sort happened for this time. I was just going on about why I have that extra respect for the live experience.

Zig

Natalie Grace Alford

After missing her shows the last 2 times. I finally reached one on time. It was at Bridgeport Art Center on 35th street, in the middle of an industrial park I think. There was a lot of art on display at that place. And it is huge, like it was a factory once. The building looks old and sturdy. I'm glad they found this use for it. The artwork on display was more interesting to witness because it was all juxtaposed against the working class-ness of the building. Still, I don't recall any of the art. For me it was a nice background for Natalie to perform in. She was outside as I was walking in. She recalled me from before. How nice. You can't miss her with her white wig. Perhaps it's me, but wigs have become a signature of hers. In Wicker Park her sense of fashion fits right in. On the working-class south side, she sticks out. Well, to be fair so did many people at Bridgeport in that night. No, I'm not taking the piss out of her, or any one. I'm happy to see them have such events as far south as 35th. It means the south side of Chicago is indeed cultured and weird. For me that's awesome. I almost don't have to take the highway. Anyway back to Natalie Grace.

The last time I saw her at Beat Kitchen she played alone, yet she took on the tasks of an entire band all on her own. This time there was a band mate playing the keyboard which freed her to focus on the singing. And it makes a difference. She expressed more in her voice and body language. The music she writes kind of obliges one to put both balls into it. And she still takes on the tasks of an entire band. I think any one that hears her music will have a vague cultural familiarity to it. She uses her voice as an instrument....as several instruments. Like a cappella. For me I hear some doo-wop, and motown. I do not know if it's deliberate from her. Is it a matter of what inspired her to sing? I did not ask. Ms Natalie so reminds me of those old doo wop bands of the 50's and 60's, and she pulls out the timelessness of those styles. It's in almost every song, but each song is different. They are siblings, not the same song with different clothes. Part of the theater is watching her build each song one vocal track at a time. I suppose she can have the relevant parts to each song pre-recorded and ready to go, but that would take away from the organic process of each voice chiming in one barbershop chic at a time. And these uhm, voices can go high or low. One vocal track is deep and bassy, and they go higher from there. The creative well that Ms Nat draws from is deep indeed. I feel fortunate enough to have her demo CD but she has enough material to record another. And like an Argentine boxer, after her gig is done, she steps out for a smoke. Nice!

Zig

ami Saraiya

I've been catching a lot of her live shows this year. There is something you can only get from seeing the same band a bunch of times. Each performance leaves it's own imprint. Each venue also leaves a stamp. Indeed some venues are just small bars with tiny stages...if they have stages. I was on a barstool across from Ms Ami one time. It felt like I was intruding on the band's space. I almost had to lean back. I go to these small shows 'cause to me they are not small. I like the little differences you get from the CD's. Her whole band is awesome. I'm starting to have a much more deeper appreciation of them. It's just Ami's name on the whole thing but, the performances are a product of all her band mates. I notice how intricate they all sound, and how necessary they all are to Ami. She's played a lot of bars....I don't mean real venues like Empty Bottle and Hideout. I mean just bars, and I can think of entire sub-cultures that would support this. If you're a fan of steam punk, I think I can interest you in Ami. She has that same retro-forward thing. Only Ami does it without the costume. All kinds of related festivals can want this chick. Projekt Fest, Dracula's Ball, Dances Of Vice. I 'm in utter disbelief that her fan base does expand into these subcultures. It's just that something about the Midwest. Out of it comes out all kinds of music that it ignores. There's a new song that she plays that's not in any CD yet. It's called "Cattle Prod Hands". I feel very familiar to her music, yet I don't get tired from hearing it. This song is a further evolution of a sound that I've come to anticipate from her.