Aleks and The Drummer

So I saw Aleks and The Drummer last September on a Free Monday at Empty Bottle. I know this is already October and so the fuck what. Why am I regurgitating this now or at all. A live performance in general lasts for me far beyond the fraction of time it occupies, a long shelf-life for me. This band is pumping out new songs in each of their live sets. The 5 song ep is now only a fraction of the foundation, a scene in a much anticipated movie with characters and storylines yet to be revealed. More and more, what they choose to present live is the most dominant trait, and yet their most delicate 'cause it's not recorded. Part of the experience is seeing how differently Ms Aleks dresses up. On top of that you don't know what she will play for that night. For this night at the 'Bottle she indeed was a sight to behold. And now most of the duties of playing the instruments were all delegated to her band members, including keyboard, freeing her to be at the front of the stage. When Natalie Grace had a full backing band, that unshackled her to deliver her full performance on stage. And so we let someone take over keyboard, to let Aleks bring to us with costume and sound the wonder of her world and work. And it was all new music. Any way, so Aleks is now free to move about the stage. In red, black, orange and gold, she was a glam rock villainess from Buck Rogers. Just like her music, her outfit must imply a narrative beyond the snap shot of the performance. And so Aleks seemed to be out of a sci-fi subcultural legend. Her hands and wrists were bound in black tape like a boxer. The music was all new with more instruments; a cello, another keyboard I believe. It was an awesome performance. I captured maybe one song on camera, and then I turned into a fucking deer to wonder and marvel at the incoming light. I loved all of it. The new combinations of instruments and voice. All this for the moment we can only see live. It's all yet to be recorded. And Chicago is home to this! It was put together here, and influenced by being here. The whole time as I listen I want this down on CD. I'm already missing the fleeting performance. There was one other performance after this one. Aleks' opened for Shonen Knife at Schubas. I could not go to that.

Zig