Esben And The Witch

There are gigs that if missed they will hurt tremendously. I scraped together what I could to see Esben And The Witch. It was an adventure in obstacles the last time as well. Opportunity to see them almost denied and so cherished indeed. This second visit to Empty Bottle was on Tuesday 26 March for Wash The Sins Not Only The Face. Their Dante's Purgatory if we are to refer to Violet Cries as Inferno. So it was a mission to go to this thing. Violet Cries is a spooky psychedelic bliss fest..... Awh, come on! It's dark enough.  The ominous, intense soundscapes give long shadows to the slightly more ambiguous yet still gloomy lyrics.   That concert also at Empty Bottle I recall being one of the great times because I got to share it with a group of friends, some of which I saw here again.
   If you are fortunate, your memory is an expressionist filmmaker. And certainly EATW are other-worldly enough to archive and play back with fish-eyed distortion. In the distance, expressionist memory is going to enshrine a certain way how Rachel Davies hair fell over her face and mic, hitting the sticks and single drum to Marching Song. This time she played the bass for most of the songs. That bass guitar seemed huge, bigger than her. And so you wanna do it again, see what comes next out of them. While the band orbits back from Brighton, England for their second time in Chicago a whole set of memories are built with this music playing around. When the imprint begins with the performance its an avalanche of euphoria that you want to stretch out. Like a library and Reckless Records crashing on top of you only instead of getting crushed to death you become at least way smarter and the worlds coolest human ipod. That was a little loopy of me. I guess what I meant to say is the experience of the band does not finish with that one performance that hits you. I can stretch that in various ways, buying the music, the shirt...if there is not enough for both, you have quite the first world problem on your hands. I think I recall them introducing themselves to the modest sized Empty Bottle audience, as coming from England. I don't recall them saying Brighton specifically. They are its best ambassador. Its really cool when they get specific. I like it when they show their local pride. It puts those names on our maps, other than those that we know in common.  I'm grateful for the briefest of times spent in places other than London. Lets get to know Brighton and see them play to a home crowd.
  I considered not going to the show and so getting the new CD later. That would set me up to regret not seeing them play Deathwaltz, Yellow Wood, Despair, these being the most impacting are the songs at the moment, making me a fan all over again. There is more forward drive than the previous release. Even dark psychedelia tends to wander about sometimes, but not here so much.  Lyrics feel less ambiguous, dramatic and urgent but not over the top. I think I'll have an easier time exploring them, reading them. I won't go on that much about what this song means or  that. Lyrics stick out all out of order and that invites further exploring. Deathwaltz lyrics end in the middle of the song and then its just them jamming, jamming, and it has the energy of a sudden and intense sprint. A racing across! And its like finding your second wind stronger than the first. This would have been great for my once regular stair-climbing. They must have played it because I remember intense periods of me time with their guitars and all. No singing. I thought that was awesome. Despair, their shortest song is also my favorite. Its all in the delivery when they load up dramatically and powerfully other-wise common statements like "we've come too far", "you're ready now". Well its also in what is said in between, and the reflections you find as you explore. How I would love one more minute of it. The track barely goes over two minutes. It sounds to me like they layer Rachel's voice, with one trailing behind. Wow, does that work. They have come very far indeed and for a while, they let me ride with them. They have emerged from the dark wood and found themselves a road to drive, and its Rachel at the wheel playing the bass in addition to being the voice. When you are done being a tourist you tend to take the more direct route, and you carry only what is essential.
Zig

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Blackstone Rangers

Blackstone Rangers played Township Friday 22 March, in a gig that included Videotape and Panda Riot. Blackstone Rangers are from Texas. Ruth Smith plays the keyboard and sings. Derek Kutzer plays guitar and sings, and Dan Bornhorst plays drums. I did not know much about them before seeing them. I liked the name, that stuck, and bands that appear on my radar by way of Panda Riot usually I like. So I listen to the keyboard driven Mutiny at Toho Bay, the first song on their 5 song EP Into The Sea. Its very electronic, dance friendly and almost trance inducing with Ruth Smith repeating the phrase "into the sea" for most of the song. I wished the song was longer, and I wanted to see them just based on it alone. I was sold and good to go Friday. You listen to Mutiny and you almost trust that this is how they sound like throughout. Oh, but that would be ignoring Derek on guitar and Dan on drums. The rest of the tracks at first seemed to me as related to each other as Four Brothers. And as in the movie, there are more brothers to like. I mean who was Sofia Vergara with, right. What, no one knows the movie? Bloody hell. Anyway, so they sound very different from each other, and it speaks to the wide range that they are capable of. These Rangers from Texas comfortably sound electronic and shoegazy one minute and garage rock the next, as in Sheen Machine...well at least for me it sounds garage rock. It brings to mind The Long Blondes. Its certainly rougher sounding that the first song, Ruth's keyboard near the end of the song reminds me of The Dials now that I'm at it. Remember them? Normally Its hard to sell me a male voice as of late. But it happens. Derek sings lead in  I Won't Tell, where Ruth saying "I'll Find You" made me go back and listen to it again. Yeah another hit of that. And lets add Hollyglen,. In both Ruth's voice provides a haunting support to Derek. His voice is clear enough to hear and take in the words. I love the individual components of the songs, meaning drums, guitar, voices. Its gonna be a long term thing chewing through these.  The guitar sort of rides the drums, sometimes matching it's urgency, or being a calming counter to them.  And you get space to hear just the instruments. I hear some songs and I don't even know what happened to Ruth's keyboard. The element that I so far and away thought would be front and center. Her keyboard changes things just like that. For this show at Township they had this fog machine that just wouldn't quit, and  I grew nostalgic for the times when it would happen with my friends Killer Moon.  The dense fog enveloped and separated Ruth, Derek and Dan in their own separate clouds and good chunk of the front audience as well. I did not listen to the rest of Into The Sea until after the show. I wanted the first imprint to be from seeing them live. Now as I go over them again, they are hitting in ways that didn't the first time. I really can't believe my good fortune. I saw the Blackstone Rangers and they were awesome, I downloaded their music and they were awesome again, a left and the right that you walk into and with lasting impact. The curiosity to see them the first time is now the urgency to see them again.
Zig

Panda Riot at Hideout

They finally have shirts coming for this next show at Township. Figuratively it feels like I've been wearing one forever. This release party for Panda Riot at Hideout I used to mark my birthday with some really close friends and my sisters. Northern Automatic Music is the new release that they have been playing from it for quite a long time I think. Some of them sounding familiar. There is something to an official release event that gives everything a new life. To some it does not exist until its a CD in their hands on the way home in the car.....right after seeing them. Its different when you have it available instead of exclusively trusting the memory of the live show. Now is when it counts with more physical product. And I hope now they have shirts.
  Organizing stuff comes with the risk of things not turning out. For so many reasons I should not have made it beyond the door. The show was sold out. Cory was there and he got me in. He played twice that night, first with Lightfoils then Panda Riot. Along the way I talk to Joselyn and Julius of the Walking Bicycles. Its great to see them. They got a show coming at Empty Bottle. Its easy to dwell about how completely awesome that show will be. Its the greatest effort not to charge that moment to be special, but it is.....Still lets stay focused and know that they were at the Panda Riot gig. So I can say that during my birthday moment I saw them too. Things were still in flux while I talked to the Bicycles. Gladys, Gustavo, Lionel were already inside waiting and my sisters were yet to arrive. Well, eventually we all made it inside to enjoy the show. The people I invited are exactly the sort I think would like shoegaze. And they did. This was the first I've seen Panda Riot sell out a show.
  They were playful and at ease with each other, unguarded almost sloppy. It was nice to see them bask in it. Jose was showing his usual blissful glow. Rebecca always smiles like she knows something you don't. It was good to see those expressions on them. This was an audience they knew loved them back and so they relaxed. Cory, the bass player will be doing this for Lightfoils as well, two bands.  I see him at Late Bar I feel cool and at ease for going. I can feel unguarded. I got a good feeling when I learned that he would play bass for both bands. They are all in related side projects. Rebecca Scott is in architecture. Some times Jose plays drums for them as well. I can go on. These guys are fucking work horses and its stupid luck that I get to live in the same city as them. .  Someone living elsewhere would have the recorded work but not the regular local gigs that I get to see. They've seen small crowds. I was happy for them, would still be if I had not been able to enter....really. I was happy because each moment that occurred did so with the reminder that it did not have to happen. The world will turn just fine if I don't see shit. So I was partying with that extra layer of gratitude. Birthday celebrations don't have to happen. Nothing need go your way.
  In The Forest captures attentions easily. Its both within the parameters of what you might expect out of them as well as a total departure. Meaning, that you can expect something more to like from the band you like already.  Yet it will still feel new and awesome. The percussion feels more assertive and urgent while still proving typical capacity for wonder and relaxation. The percussion's merge to the center has allowed for more boldness from the whole as in Good Night, Rich Kids. Does Mtwn Glass sound familiar to you....kinda? Its because its in the Far And Near EP that they released I think in 2009. Its not entirely the same song. I like both versions, and they are different enough from each other.  I'm always thinking about how great this song or that song will work for a movie, this is the feeling that is provoked when I hear Black Pyramid. Your favorite underground, underdog protagonist just saved the world. got the job, did the thing you never thought he was capable of, roll the credits and cue Black Pyramid. Everyone walks out of Facets feeling happy. Panda Riot will continue to play for this newest release at Township Friday 22 March, with new bands to introduce me to.
Zig

 Alright, it was not my intention to post this one twice.  I don't know how it happened.

 

Property Of Saints at Township

I've been seeing a lot of Township as of late. Saturday  26 January I saw Property Of Saints there. I saw them only one other time at Abbey Pub with Natalie Grace. There was something about them to like that you know can manifest later.  And so you remember them. And after missing them so many other times I finally caught this show at Township. Theirs is a sweetness......for not over powering the first time, it lingered. The name stuck.  Youtube videos are helpful in retaining my impressions of seeing them. Township was filled with that love for them. I think they remarked on how many people they recognized. Their pace is casual, alert and naturally seems to underplay this coolness. While you are trying to figure them out for yourself they too busy just being. Then, you can't help but fall into liking them. Not in a big rush and soaking it all in the park on this bike ride, Abigail Large sings and plays lead guitar. The clarity of her voice makes it easy to follow words and indeed you want to. Her voice is beautiful, serene. The songs aren't.....slow. As they sink in, you like them more establishing a long term familiarity. Christi Batka plays bass, the engine of this machine. She can match muscle car engines with Sybris but chooses a steadier pace. Wonder is casual and optimistic, a steady drive with a capacity for urgency. I just saw this video of them playing in their own place and it reminds me of New Order/Joy Division. Whiskey Programing is the name of the song. No....not depressed. The blood can pump fast when needed. EavesDroppers is another I keep coming back to. Now they are all falling on top of me Lazarus, 77th Street. For those that run into their shows a few times, it starts vaguely and pays off. Now I want to see them. I' ve been slow with posting and as of this one, POS have already did Empty Bottle with Moritat and have Burlington 25 March....I hope I don't miss it.
Zig

Sick/Sea at Reggies

So these very dear and close friends of mine invite me to Reggies to see Sick/Sea. Or rather, these dear friends had a performance.....that I was late for....but I arrived on time for Sick/Sea. I believe they are from Mc Allen, TX., a border town north of Reynosa, Mexico. At least I think its Reynosa. Just to begin this, I'm really impressed with the Audrey Scott's voice. The beautiful articulation of what she says, and how she expresses outrage over being wronged, wounded by a trusted someone. I'm going by my initial imprint of Parasite. The first but not the only song to grab me. You can't help but feel the seriousness and anger that simmers with "I get it", each excuse she airs out withers upon mention.  Body blows that hurt when you hear "....when your heart is weak".  Real damage upon the deserved. The CD they are doing this for is called Moral Compass. It has 5 songs. Don't you roll your eyes like that. I think calling the CD like that is bold and seeks out a common moral reference point. Wouldn't we all like to be this well articulate when faced in a situation their music speaks about. So how she expresses in song...or how the band does it is something that I think can sell when exposed. And its not always about outrage and addressing a wrong. They can be cheery too. Not one of them wore black that night at Reggies.  No Bauhaus, or Siouxsie shirt in sight....or at least on them. That would put them in a "goth/industrial" section at Reckless Records......good company by the way....they do sell them next door, Reggies has a shop. Quite the novelty having this place officially on the south side. Well....we were on the northern end of the south side of Chicago. I was taking this somewhere.....The first song I looked up was for the video Robot, and that sounds full of nice wide-eyed optimism. You feel the warmth of the sun on your back. And that song also has me believing that........I believe Sick/Sea has something that can resonate widely, not in specific niches, or even the specific niches I like. Its not just my warped neurons. I can hear Audrey's voice all day. This resonance I feel has a long shelf life, meaning I can still see myself listening to Compass  for a long time not a passing fancy. I believe they have songs that they have not recorded yet. Well, I only got the one CD and did not ask them about any thing else recorded. Hell I barely had enough to buy the CD they had out. But I believe there is more in the tank from them and I look forward to seeing them again in Chicago. Just by hearing one song, I knew the well was deep, and I was happy to have been lead this way by my dear friends Gustavo, Gladys, Lionel.....and I think Yvonne and Zoila were there as well, but perhaps I'm thinking of another night at Reggies.

Zighttp://www.sickseamusic.com