Show review: El Ten Eleven at Bottom Lounge

Posted by Conor O’Hagan

Instrumental post-rock is not the most accessible of genres. Commonly associated with the epic darkness of Godspeed You! Black Emperor or the sultry sweeps of Explosions in the Sky, it rarely can be called forthright.

El Ten Eleven, however, are exactly that. In their Bottom Lounge show on April 29th they showcased their complex and multi-faceted compositions with unabashed Californian pomp and a glee in the simple act of playing music.

This is surprisingly intricate and undulating rock music for just a two man army - Kristian Dunn, with a fretless bass, some wonderfully nimble fingers and numerous looping pedals and drummer Tim Fogarty, who utilises a variety of pads and steady, pulsating beats.

Show preview: Spectrum, Panda Riot, The Chatham Rise at Bottom Lounge, 4/20

Posted by Sasha Geffen

Those of you wishing to escape the unseasonable nastiness that Chicago has saddled us with can hide out and enjoy some dreamy psych pop at the Bottom Lounge tomorrow night. The cavernous ex-warehouse space of the Bottom, hidden away under the El tracks of the West Loop, makes for a perfect spot to drown yourself in reverb. Shoegazers take note.

The Chatham Rise will swing by from Minneapolis to open with their hazy slowcore jams after a DJ set by Scarylady Sarah. Following that, one of our favorite local dreampop outfits, Panda Riot, will take the stage.

We’ll be lucky enough to see Spectrum, the latest project of Pete Kember a.k.a. Sonic Boom, headline. As one of the founding members of the English psych-rock band Spaceman 3, Kember spent most of the ‘80s inventing shoegaze as we know it. It’s not every day that you get to see an innovator of a genre play alongside the latest incarnations of that genre. It’ll be a special night in Chicago indeed.

Doors open at 8pm and the show begins at 9 on Wednesday, April 20th. Tickets are $12 and available online or at the door. The show is 17 and over with valid ID required for entry.

Q&A with Chicago band Big Science, show 8/27 at Bottom Lounge

Posted by Frank

Big Science

This Friday, August 27, Chicago's Big Science will headline Bottom Lounge, with fellow Windy City acts Post Honeymoon, The Kickback and Camera also on the bill. The four-piece mix post-punk and new wave influences with a modern rock vibe to create a sound that's as atmospheric as it is danceable, as heard on their recently-released second EP, Skyscraper Sound. They're bound to bring a good time Friday night, and to help gear up for the show bassist Jason Richards answered a few questions for WCR on Big Science's history, style and plans. Read what he had to say below, and check out a free download of "Basement Lights" off the EP for a taste of the band's sound.

Download mp3: Big Science - "Basement Lights"

WCR: You guys have been playing together as Big Science for a few years. How did the band get started?

JR: The band got started when Jason Hendrix (vocals, guitar) and I moved to Chicago. We aimed to start something with Jason Clark (guitar) who we knew from San Diego. Not long after we started generating ideas, a friend said that he knew someone that he was working with (Jeremy Pena) that wanted to play music and that he was a drummer. And that was that.

Tell us about your recently-released second EP, Skyscraper Sound. What was the recording experience like?

Everything that we've released we have recorded on our own, in our own studio. The recording experiences are always a learning process. We're always getting new tools that help us make our recordings sound better, but there's a learning curve with them and it can be frustrating because a lot of times there are kinks that pop up in our work flow. I'm mostly talking about problems that arise with the technology involved in recording. For Skyscraper Sound we had to switch recording programs right as we were about to mix. It was a total pain.

Skyscraper Sound follows-up your debut EP, 2009’s Coast of Nowhere. How would you say you’ve grown as a band from the first release to the new one?

I think we're more confident as a band and as songwriters. I also think I'm taller now. I'm definitely way taller than Jason Clark.

You’ve released the EP on AEMMP Records, a student-run label through Columbia College Chicago. What’s your experience been like working with AEMMP?

AEMMP has been a good experience for us. We have had some students that we're really excited about working with us and I think they took away a lot from the class in terms of what it's like to work on a record and what it's like dealing with a band.

What do you think sets Big Science apart in the Chicago indie rock scene, and how do you think the city influences your music?

I think that our live shows help to set us apart here. I also think that musically, we have a different aim from a lot of bands in Chicago as far as the sounds that we're after to make our songs happen. Chicago gives us experiences and feelings, both good and bad, that I think we sometimes draw on. I know that Hendrix sings about it some in "1000 Years," but mostly I think it's a subtle thing if it's there. If we ever write a song called "Fuck, It's Cold" you'll know Chicago has taken hold.

Most memorable show you’ve played to date?

Wicker Park Fest was a really great experience. Getting to hang out all day and watch great bands and seeing all the people that came out was amazing. We got to play on the same stage as Mission of Burma and Cap'n Jazz.

If there was one band – past or present – that you could play a show with, which would it be?

Right now, I would say The Clash.

What’s next for the band?

We're playing Bottom Lounge on the 27th of this month. It's going to be a fun time. We're going to play a couple brand new songs. After that, we're leaving for a little week-long tour on September 10. When we're not playing shows or touring, we're always writing and recording. We're currently working on a full-length debut.

Become a street-teamer for Bottom Lounge

If you're a fan of the Bottom Lounge (1375 W. Lake St.) and are interested in helping them get the word out about their shows, listen up!

The club has let us know that they're on the lookout for "individuals with a deep passion for independent music and who are interested in getting involved in concert promotion and live music. Your duties will be representing the club to local businesses, other music fans and flyering street routes, concerts and festivals. The position is unpaid, but street team members do get comped meals and free entry to all Bottom Lounge shows for themselves and a guest."

To get involved, they've asked that you send an e-mail to info@bottomlounge.com that includes some information about yourself and why you are interested in becoming a street team member.

Record review: The Whigs - 'In the Dark'

By Colleen O'Neill

The third full length album from Athens, GA-based trio The Whigs is, from the ground up, a work of straightforward lyrics and edgy beats likely to please fans of recent musical trends blending elements of alternative, stadium rock and country. While less derived from punk than previous efforts, the record continues to emphasize a loud, fast, ear-catching sound.

The album opens with arguably its best and most interesting track, "Hundred/Million," in which lead singer Parker Gispert quips, “There’s a hundred million people in my mind/which is me and which is not?” The song kicks off strong with a talented effort from drummer Julian Dorio and Gispert's rock-twang delivery. From here the album stays relatively consistent, creating an atmosphere likely to draw in fans of early 90s rock, with heavy guitar and vocals and simple-yet-poetic lyrics.

In the Dark makes it clear that the band has shifted its focus to a bigger sound. After a tour with Kings of Leon, the impact of large scale venues has seemingly broadened the Whigs' horizons. With the help of Ben H. Allen, the producer behind Gnarls Barkley’s St. Elsewhere and Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Pavilion, The Whigs have crafted a sound more suited to fill arenas and entertain music festival crowds.

Is this sound the record label wants, or the true sound of The Whigs? That's not entirely clear, as the line between a marketable sound and genuine musical development can be very thin. While In The Dark is overall a quality effort to expand on their underlying style, the band might still have to work out a few kinks in order to reach a broader audience while coming off as completely sincere to their existing fans.

The Whigs will come to Chicago on their tour supporting the record for a show at Bottom Lounge on Friday, April 23 ($15, 8 p.m., 17 and over). Click here for tickets.

Win free tickets to see the Whigs at Bottom Lounge

Heads up! Citysearch Chicago will kick off a contest this Friday morning, October 30, giving readers the chance to win a pair of free tickets to see The Whigs, The Features and The Dead Trees at Bottom Lounge on November 6. The contest will go live on the Citysearch Chicago Facebook page, so head over there for details and a chance to score the tix. Citysearch plans to give away freebies through the page every week, so be sure to keep an eye out.

Show preview: Old Canes at Bottom Lounge, 10/16

Feral Harmonic, the sophomore album from Old Canes - a project fronted by The Appleseed Cast's Chris Crisci - is set to drop October 20, and the band will make a Chicago stop this Friday, October 16 at Bottom Lounge as part of their fall tour promoting the release.

The new release follows-up 2004's Old Canes debut, Early Morning Hymns. Work on Feral Harmonic - which features material written, played and recorded almost exclusively by Crisci in his basement studio, "Toyshop" - kicked off in 2005 and took three-and-a-half years to complete. The result is a solid collection of bold, eclectic folk rock. Tracks such as "The Last Collapse," "I Will be the Sun" and the hopeful, up-tempo "Little Bird Courage" add punk rock energy to the material's folk base, while others such as "Under" and "Southern Radio" introduce a quieter, more subtle Americana approach that adds an effective balance to the record.

Download mp3: Old Canes - "Little Bird Courage"

Feral Harmonic is released on Saddle Creek Records and is currently available to order in both CD and vinyl format on the label's site.

Old Canes at Bottom Lounge
Friday, October 16, 2009
Also with Chaperone and The Marshmallow Ghosts
$10, 8 p.m., 18 and over (more info and tickets)

CD release shows this weekend - October 10-11

Catfish Haven - "Devastator" - These indie rock meets soul locals will play a CD release show for their second LP, "Devastator," Saturday, October 11 at Metro.

Brighton, MA - "Amateur Lovers" - Brighton, MA will join Catfish Haven at Metro for the October 11 show with a release of their own. "Amateur Lovers" is the band's debut album, which they will play in its entirety.

My My My - "Little Cat Plays the Alpha Rave" - This local indie pop band, which brings to mind the smart pop of The New Pornographers, is playing a record release show at Subterranean for their new LP, "Little Cat Plays the Alpha Rave," this Saturday.

Kid, You'll Move Mountains - "Loomings" - This is the band's debut record, and while they are planning an official CD release shows, they are giving those who attend their show at Bottom Lounge this Friday, October 10, first crack to hear it for free. Everyone who attends the show will receive a unique download URL.

The New Bottom Lounge Opens, Announces Upcoming Shows

The new Bottom Lounge, located at 1375 W. Lake St., has finally opened its doors after a healthy amount of delays. The venue previously existed at 3206 N. Wilton before closing in 2005 as a result of expansion of the Belmont El stop, and features dining, a tiki-themed lounge and an outdoor deck in addition to a live music area.

The venue has announced numerous upcoming shows, including:

• 6/06 MODCHICAGO: OUR WAY OF THINKING 7
• 6/07 MODCHICAGO: OUR WAY OF THINKING 7
• 6/12 THE ATLANTIC DIVIDE
• 6/13 COOLER BY THE LAKE
• 6/14 THE PARTY DOWNERS
• 6/15 THE BROKEN LETTERS
• 6/18 TENNIS COURTS
• 6/19 BEAR CLAW
• 6/20 JONNY RUMBLE
• 6/21 DAVE FISCHOFF
• 6/22 DEALS GONE BAD
• 6/25 CHATTY CATHY
• 6/26 NEW DUNCAN IMPERIALS
• 6/28 LADY ANN w/ The Drastics
• 6/29 MILLIONS
• 7/12 URGE OVERKILL
• 9/03 XIU XIU

For more information, visit the official Bottom Lounge site.