Fort Frances will be playing at Lincoln Hall on Sunday, November 3. In honor of playing in our fair city the band concocted a cover of Sufjan Stevens' "Chicago". Stream and download the track, which is unbelievably pleasant, below. For more information on Fort Frances, check out their facebook page, HERE!
Have you heard of Boy? Well here you go, the most up beat some of summer is delivered to you, called Little Numbers. You have two chances to check them out Chicago Oct 12 & 13 at Lincoln Hall. Get your tickets now!
After releasing a 22 track track album, Endless Fantasy, on May 14 Anamanaguchi continues their Endless Fantasy tour this Saturday at Lincoln Hall. For more information on the show click here and check out Space Wax America from the album below!
Anamanaguchi debuted their second single off their highly anticipated second album, Endless Fantasy, last week, Planet. The album is out on May 14th, but if you can't wait that long (like us) we suggest you give this track a listen! Anamanaguchi will be playing Lincoln Hall on May 25, just after the new album drops, so get yo tickets here.
The Chicago new-wave quartet California Wives just announced that their 11-track LP, Art History, will be out September 4 on Vagrant. You can grab a free download of their song "Marianne" below.
The group will also be playing a show at Lincoln Hall this Sunday, opening for Brooklyn duo Tanlines- in other words, you should be at Lincoln Hall on Sunday evening, because it's going to be SICK.
Lincoln Hall knows how to celebrate Pitchfork
weekend by hosting an event each day. Some shows offer a limited number of
discounted tickets reserved for Pitchfork Music Festival buyers. Get involved in this Pitchfork excitement!
The Chicago Tribune
called it “A rollicking evening of boozy storytelling, one that happens to be
centered on designers showcasing their failures, triumphs and triumphant
failures.”
Check out the sweet video from Gonzo Chicago of Young Man playing their song "School" at Lincoln Hall. They played a rad Tuesday show, supported by Mines and Catacombz.
Lately, I've been attending a lot of electronic music shows. While I thoroughly enjoy electronic bands and electronic music as a whole, I can say that it was quite refreshing to see Langhorne Slim(aka Sean Scolnick)and his band, the Law, perform at Lincoln Hall on Thursday.
I was running late; Chicago was having a lovely day of rainy, windy weather, and I had dropped my phone onto the wet ground while rushing to get inside. Langhorne Slim was about to begin, so I grabbed a quick drink at the bar and walked in just in time for Langhorne to start singing "Cinderella". At the sound of his voice I was no longer in cold, damp, Chicago; I was back home in Missouri, barefoot in the grass, whiskey in hand, listening to music that closely resembled what I grew up hearing. That feeling didn't leave throughout the entire show. It was almost as if I was watching an old friend as he joked with band mates between songs, bantered with the audience, and engaged everyone by telling stories and including them in songs. Perhaps it was all part of the performance, something he did at every show, but he pulled it off and made me feel absolutely unique. It was all very real and genuine, traits I not only favor in music, but in my day-to-day life.
At the end of their set, they played a song called "On the Attack". I was completely enthralled by the time he sang, "My love, please understand. Jesse, my love, please understand." Is it a coincidence that I was there to review his show and he sang a song about a girl with the same name as me? Most definitely...but I still loved every minute of it.
Their new album, The Way We Move, comes out on June 5th, but for now you can stream it here. After you've listened to and/or purchased the album, please go see them live. It's worth it, I promise.
Me, my musical friend Kim and the members of Peggy Sue sat down in the backstage stairwell at Lincoln Hall to chat about their music.
Peggy Sue (formerly Peggy Sue and the Pirates) hail from the UK and have the lovely accents to prove it. They're currently on tour with First Aid Kit, and before that were touring with Wild Flag.
Their drummer, Olly, still has two months until he graduates with a degree in pop music, natch. After he's done, the band hopes to begin recording again in the autumn.
"Chicago's a lovely city," said Rosa. Katy agreed - I found out later that it was her birthday when Rosa told the crowd to buy her Malibu and pineapple juice, her favorite drink.
What really got me during Peggy Sue's show was the percussion. In addition to Olly's drumming, Rosa had sticks and a drums in front of her so she could join in. Power radiates from both Katy and Rosa's vocals. Their entire set had so much energy (also, they used a loop pedal. I'll say it again - I LOVE loop pedals).
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First Aid Kit -
what can I even say?
Their show was a blur of light and long hair - the Stockholm sisters threw themselves around the stage during songs like wild women, and then came back to the microphone to speak to us, sweetly, in accented voices. The things that struck me was their genuine, sweet spirits. They love their music. They love to share it.
And I love to listen.
They came to the front of the stage to sing "Ghost Town" to us, sans microphones or amplifiers, in the middle of their set. Everyone in the audience sang along, and Lincoln Hall felt like a church. I had to close my eyes from where I was standing in the balcony. The sisters' harmonies rang out and vibrated through the hall. Perfection.
"Come talk to us after the show at the merch table!" they said. And they bowed before they left the stage, as if it were their middle school piano recital.
Wow. I'm a little behind on reviewing concerts (because I was traveling around in a van with my pals Moon Furies. Which was tons of fun.). Catch-up time!
Last Thursday, I got to see Dry the River and Bowerbirds at Lincoln Hall.
I chatted with a few members of UK band Dry the River before their show - also very enjoyable, since they have British accents. I'm a sucker for a good accent.
They played at SXSW, and said that Austin felt like a carnival. Apparently, they also played a cult-like private party in the suburbs of Austin. The host was wearing a robe and gold necklace - there were free tarot readings - shrines and crystals littered the house. Sounds like a blast!
They've been touring around the US with Bowerbirds in their own 40-foot RV.
I asked if they missed home.
"The road is my home," said Scott (bass), with a laugh. "I don't know what to do with myself when I get home."
Their influences are all over the board, depending on which band member you talk to. 70s prog-rock, country, post-rock, post-hardcore -
"And pretzels. I'm really into pretzels," one of them said. "We love salt. Salt's a big influence."
I asked them what three words describe their album.
"See us live," said Scott.
From the sounds of it, the Dry the River fellows really focus on making their live performance a separate entity. Performing live is what they're really passionate about, and they put a lot of effort into their shows.
Luckily, they don't just talk the talk.
Their show at Lincoln Hall was gorgeous. At one point, they stepped away from the microphones and went acoustic, singing out three-part vocal harmonies into the hushed crowd. The venue was startlingly quiet. This wasn't a get-drunk-and-yell concert. This was a close-your-eyes-and-listen-close concert. I love that. Beauty is what I search for in music, and Dry the River creates a beautiful space for the audience to enter and to experience what they have to share.
Bowerbirds was the icing on the cake of the evening for me. More low-key, beautiful music. But honestly, I enjoyed Dry the River more. They have that Something for me. Keep your ears on them.
Part of TNK, I saw the bands 1, 2, 3 (check back here for a exclusive interview with the band) and Grouplove. I started listening to 1, 2, 3 about 6 or so months ago, it was one of those bands I fell in love with right away! Their style and sound was just amazing and it caught me like a ton of bricks. They were in Chicago last time with The Givers (If you haven't heard them check them out!).
Grouplove actually originally caught my eye, not my ears. I read a story in Vogue about how the band met was so different then what I normally hear from bands. They all bounded in Greece over the summer at a commune in Crete, where it wasn't uncommon to hang out and jam on whatever instruments.
I attended Thursday's concert with my friend Ian of Shake It For Grandma fame (I missed their latest concert at Cobra Lounge, but heard it was a resounding success).
I hadn't heard of either Tycho or Active Child before this week, but the show sold out, so I assumed it'd be at least semi-enjoyable.
I arrived in the midst of Active Child's set and was immediately sorry that I was late. The room was full of fog and lights, and Pat Grossi's soaring vocals hovered over his synth and harp, putting me in a celestial trance.
Tycho's set began with an amalgam of video clips, which were projected behind the band throughout the show. Despite some technical difficulties mid-way through the set, Tycho captivated the audience with a miasma of melodies, vocal samples, and beats. He primarily played songs from his latest release, Dive, but also threw in some oldies near the end of his set.
Class Actress, shows the great power of hushed,sailing vocals over strong synth beats. Reminiscent of strong, early 80s Madonna, Elizabeth Harper magnificently paints the words she sings with a soft aesthetic similar to "Madge" herself! The act, with all its synth grooviness, is coming to Lincoln Hall along with Metronomyon October 27th, fresh off the release of Rapprocher on October 16th.
Opening for Nikka Costa at Lincoln Hall on August 21st is
Dance Floor Plans. The group has a laid back, 70s vibe courtesy of vocalists James Johnston and Tina M. Howell, as well as a groovin' brass section that easily convinces you to make those plans for the dance floor :) Evolving and constantly growing, the group lives for creating their sound from the ground up, and they are definitely an act you should go see...especially for those of you who love a good amount of soul in their musical diet.
Foster the People performed here in Chicago this past Sunday night to a sold out crowd. Sunday nights are usually nights I don't go see shows, but this was such an amazing way to end the week, with fun dance music. It was such an interesting experience watching F.T.P. live, its like a set of musical chairs up there, everyone in the band is moving all around the stage from song to song, banging on the single drum to key boards and all. It for sure keeps you on your toes at all time, wondering whats going to happen next. I happened to be in the very front for this show, and I was dancing with everyone around me which was such a fun time, I even had this guy screaming "It's the Foster People" which was pretty darn funny, and not to mention his dance moves where out of this world. For you all that missed them at Lincoln Hall you must go to Lollapalooza and see them, I promise you, that you won't be disappointed! Ending the show I actually was able to meet the lead singer Mark Foster because of a mutual friend. He was saying he is actually originally from Ohio, but now lives out in LA. For someone that is on the road as much as him, he certainly seemed to have past shows and upcoming show very straight in his mind, which really impressed me. He was saying how nice it was to be in Chicago, since they had been in smaller towns the days before. If you don't have their album already, go get it and have a dance party!
The Irish sensation Two Door Cinema Club played to a sold out show at Lincoln Hall, Chicago last night. If you haven't heard of them yet, you will certainly be hearing a lot of buzz about them very soon. They have opened already for the well-known French band, Phoenix. With songs like “I can Talk” and “Undercover Martyn,” you can’t help but to break out your dance moves! As the hipped up crowd last night proved by, jumping up in the air like they just don’t care! How can you resist incredible Irish music and don’t forget the sexy Irish accent!? The bands energy was so marvelous, they really have a way of capturing the crowd and reeling you in like fish bate. Or perhaps it could be Trimble’s (lead singer) red-hot hair? On second thought, it’s really his distinctive voice, and for the fact that the whole entire “Tourist History” album is simply astonishing. It leaves you on the floor gasping for air because you have been dancing all around your apartment to it. (Not speaking from experience or anything).
Go hereto see where Two Door Cinema Club is on the road, and of course go get the album now! Stic honor you won’t be disappointed!
On Friday Stic was able to catch the band Hey Rosetta! at Lincoln Hall. This Canadian band certainly knows how to blow up the stage. Starting things off with “Red Song” I was immediately drawn in. The song “A Thousand Suns” nearly lit the stage on fire, with such intense sound of the violin and cello beaming through the room. Standing there listening to lead singer Tim Baker, you almost feel as though you are in an trance because you are so consumed in the music. The sound just builds up so nicely in all their songs, it’s like a adrenaline rush with musical notes. Good new is they are still on tour, go check them out! If you missed them already in your city, visit Hey Rosetta! here.
Not only did Local Natives play at Pitchfork during the day on Sunday, but they also headed over to Lincoln Hall for a sold out after show performance. You would never know these guys were sweating in the hot and steamy sun earlier that day. They brought an immense amount of energy and force to the stage. These astonishing performers drew the audience into there hands as though they were handing out free candy. The crowd couldn’t stop waving their hands in the air and swinging there hips back-and-forth. Fans started screaming and jumping when the song Airplaneswas being performed. Ending things off they performed Sun Hands, which just blew me away live. It has been on my iPod as one of my most played tracks since back in March when they were buzzed about for their SXSW show. Hearing it live for the first time made me like the song even more, and it was as though they were playing it for the first time , the energy just beamed down on you like the hot sun did earlier that day. If you haven’t heard of Local Natives, you will start hearing about them, they have been gaining quite the buzz in the music industry. To check out more about Local Natives go here.
Rapprocher,
