Rachael's Surrender

I haven't seen RS in many years. To give you an idea as to how long I was still using a disposable camera with film back then. That is a fucking long way back. I'm lucky to have the CDs I do. This show I caught was at Live Wire Lounge way north on Milwaukee Ave. Fortunately for me the gig was running late due to so many bands playing that night. Ruben Surrendr I'm glad to know for many years. I learned about his project Rachael's Surrender way back during the internet's early adolescent years. I didn't even know this was Ruben's until we both went to Whitby Gothic Weekend with Scary Lady Sarah. The name of the band I just found intriguing. Then I finally heard the music. RS has been through many changes since forming in 1996. They briefly had Elysabeth Grant before she went with Black Tap For A Blue Girl. These days and for a long time it's singer-songwriter Liz Nickrenz.  Unless I'm wrong, that's who I photographed on film and now on my digital camera. The voice of Liz is immaculately angelic and clear. In fact, everything is clearly heard, the drums, guitar, keyboard, like a house compulsively cleaned by a synth-pop staff. It's no strain to listen to lyrics. They are actually a fun and interesting read especially after having listened to the songs. You become personally invested in exploring the various and varied motifs all neatly and individually packaged in this beautiful synth-pop wrapper. As I write that I'm thinking about Prohibition Suit, Pirates, and Shadowloss .
  Every song has a well thought out....something to hold you to it, words to identify with, a narrative to follow. All three of these mentioned songs are from the LP Asteroid Love Song which can be downloaded right from the website which I will post at the end when I exhaust this rant. That works for me because I do have some of the CDs and my iMac had a problem downloading from one of them. And this band is local, from Chicago. It was stupid luck to have all three time, place, opportunity collide to provide the physical product...and shirt. As they say in Sound Opinions, this is a buy it, if you are there to see them play.  And it being synth-pop it also compels you to dance on top of everything. Goths love to dance.
  Live Wire Lounge is a small venue that I've been to three times to see bands loosely tethered with homemade gothic string. Most of the time, there is no cover. This place is on a north-west end of Milwaukee Ave. Street parking can be good to...fuck all.  It's not as bad as...say Wicker Park. This end of Milwaukee feels like a lonelier stretch, less congested with competing venues. So the parking thing is mostly better.  Live Wire Lounge is the kind of place that makes feel at home the various subcultures that like to wear black...metal, rockabilly, punk and goth. And yes they are all different. So Rachael's Surrender was right at home. It's mostly goths that listen to synth-pop leaning music. The bands that played there that Friday night were very different from each other, no real common tether. I left soon after RS finished their set. I think there are more live gigs to anticipate from this band and to know me is to know that I will try to make it to every one.
Zig.
Oh, here's the link to them!

Rachael's Surrender