Show review: The Mountain Goats at the Vic, 4/5

Posted by Matt Ciani

photo: D.L. Anderson

Due to an allegedly strict curfew - as mentioned a dozen times by various members of both bands on the bill - it was an early night when The Mountain Goats played the Vic Theater Tuesday night; the band left the stage before ten. Despite the time restraint, John Darnielle and co. brought their wordy stories and divorce-themed fan favorites to a surprisingly enthusiastic audience, especially for a Tuesday night. The mass of humanity yelled and bobbed along as Darnielle emphatically insisted his lyrics with his nasally, over-pronouncing voice.

The headliner took the stage just before 8:30 and, without introduction of acknowledgement, launched immediately into the closing track of their most recent album, All Eternals Deck, entitled “Liza Forever Minnelli.” “I’ll never get away from this place,” Darnielle repeated as his long-time bassist Peter Hughes bobbed and rocked along to the simple chord progression. “Anyone here who mentions Hotel California dies before the first line clears his lips,” continued the lyrics, drawing attention toward another story of “never getting away."

Drive A at the Vic, 2/20

By Mike Sullivan

The large cold and wet crowd that waited patiently outside the Vic Sunday night for the Chicago stop of the Dead Masquerade Tour got hot and sweaty really quick once they got inside.

Drive A - a Los Angeles-based punk/rock band with influences ranging from Anti-Flag to Rise Against to Green Day - opened the night with a lot of angst filled lyrics and power chords that reminded me of the classic skate punk music from the 80s. These guys know how to throw down a highly intense show and singer Bruno Mascolo loves to interact with the crowd throughout the set.

The quartet played some new tracks from their upcoming album The World in Shambles, set for release this spring. Their sound and writing has matured greatly since their first album, 2009's Loss of Desire. You can tell that two years on the road has helped them grow as musicians and really polish their sound. If you’re into punk music, you should really give these guys a listen and check out their energetic live show next time they come around.

Show review: Concrete Blonde at the Vic, 6/12

A reunited Concrete Blonde, one of alternative rock's original and most dynamic bands, played Chicago's Vic Theatre Saturday night as the fourth stop on a national tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of their most successful album, Bloodletting.

Considering the band had been inactive as a unit since 2004 with, up until recently, no plans to get back together, it was hard to know exactly what to expect from the show going in. But all it took was the creeping, menacing guitar intro of "Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)," the apparent enthusiasm from the large, obviously dedicated crowd, and the commanding appearance of front woman Johnette Napolitano looking entirely ready to rock to signal that it was going to be one hell of a night. And it was.

After a slithering version of the song did its job getting fans to sing along, the band continued the set with four more Bloodletting tracks. A solid version of their biggest commercial hit, "Joey," surprisingly didn't seem to get quite as much of a crowd reaction as some of the lesser-known songs in the set. Rocker "Days and Days" and two of the album's most beautiful, more laid-back tracks - "I Don't Need a Hero" and "Lullabye" - sounded incredibly fresh. Later, they played two more tracks off the record, the sad, eerie "Caroline" and a particularly powerful version of the Andy Prieboy-penned "Tomorrow, Wendy," both of which are Concrete Blonde staples. After reading reports of "Caroline" not being played on previous stops of the tour, I was relieved to hear the band kick into it Saturday night - a show celebrating Bloodletting just wouldn't seem complete without it. "Tomorrow, Wendy," an always-moving song about dealing with loss, reached new heights as Napolitano began singing in a fragile, wounded voice behind a hood and her mess of hair, eventually letting loose for the most powerful lines ("I told the priest don't count on any second coming/God got his ass kicked the first time he came down here slumming/He had the balls to come the gall to die and then forgive us/No, I don't wonder why, I wonder what he thought it would get us").

In the end, the band played seven of the 10 songs from the album the tour was put together to celebrate. While "The Beast," "Darkening of the Light" and "The Sky Is a Poisonous Garden" would have been no less welcome than the ones that made the cut, it was ultimately for the best that they made room for a variety of tracks from their other albums. All corners of the Concrete Blonde sound were represented, from hard rock ("God Is a Bullet," "Run Run Run") to poppier fare ("Someday?," "Happy Birthday") to punk ("Your Haunted Head," "Still in Hollywood"). They even played two of their best covers, Leonard Cohen's "Everybody Knows" and Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing."

Perhaps the biggest show-stopper, though, was one of the most obscure songs in the set, "When I Was a Fool" from the group's 2002 reunion album, Group Therapy. Napolitano delivered the track's lyrics - which deal with self-acceptance and maturation but at the same time are laced with bitterness - with unbelievable intensity and had the crowd 100 percent transfixed.

It should also be mentioned that Jim Mankey's howling guitar work sounds as amazing as ever - playing a major part in what gives Concrete Blonde their bite and distinctive style - and that drummer Gabriel Ramirez also did a fantastic job.

You never really know what to expect when a band hits the road again after years of not playing together. It could lead to mediocre, or even downright bad results. Fans might not show up. Tensions and rustiness could hinder the music. In Concrete Blonde's case, though, the respite seems to have given them even more fire. With a band that has always been as naturally thrilling, though, I guess there was never any reason to worry.

Setlist:
1. Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)
2. Joey
3. I Don't Need a Hero
4. Days and Days
5. Lullabye
6. Scene of a Perfect Crime
7. Ghost of a Texas Ladies' Man
8. Someday?
9. Everybody Knows
10. Caroline
11. When I Was a Fool
12. God Is a Bullet
13. Run Run Run
14. Little Wing
15. Heal It Up
16. Your Haunted Head
ENCORE ONE:
17. Mexican Moon
18. Happy Birthday
19. True
20. Tomorrow, Wendy
ENCORE TWO:
21. Still in Hollywood

Concrete Blonde to resurrect 'Bloodletting' at the Vic

Armed with the indisputably powerful vocals and songwriting of front-woman Johnette Napolitano and an honest, hard-hitting style, LA's Concrete Blonde were one of the most notable bands in early alternative rock. They broke up in 1995 (and again in after a brief reformation a few years ago), but this week announced that they will regroup for a tour celebrating the 2oth anniversary of their most highly-regarded record, Bloodletting, with a Chicago stop on Saturday, June 12 at the Vic.

The show will celebrate the excellent LP with a setlist that will presumably include all 10 tracks, including "Joey," the band's most successful single, as well as other fan favorites such as "Tomorrow, Wendy," "Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)" and "Caroline." It is one of 13 dates on the tour, with other stops covering New York, Texas, California and more. Click here for a full list.

Tickets for the Chicago show go on sale here this Saturday, April 17 at 10 a.m.

This Tuesday: Pretenders, Cat Power & Juliette Lewis at the Vic

What better way to spend your Tuesday night than by rocking out with The Pretenders? The iconic band will play Chicago for the second time this year Tuesday night, August 18, headlining a triple bill with Cat Power and Juliette Lewis.

Last October, Chrissie Hynde and the band released Break Up the Concrete, their first new LP since 2002's Loose Screw. The stripped down, rockabilly-flavored record brought the them some of their best reviews in quite a while and seems to have kicked the band into high gear. They toured the U.S. early this year (which included a Chicago stop at the Riviera, reviewed here), made rounds in Europe through July, and are now back for round two in the States.

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Cat Power released her eighth album, Jukebox, last year, while singer-actress Lewis has just come off a six year stint fronting Juliette and the Licks and is now set to release a new album, Terra Incognita, on September 1st.

Tickets are $44 and are still available here.

Five great places to see a show in Chicago

A venue can make or break a show. There are so many factors during a concert experience independent of a band and its music, including venue sound, layout, atmosphere and crowd. Chicago is home to a healthy amount of venues - big and small - so any local live music enthusiast is sure to have a list of personal favorites.

Below is a list of, in my opinion, five of the coolest and most satisfying places to see a show in the city. Admittedly, I've not been to every venue, so if your favorite isn't on this list be sure to comment with where you love to go and why.

1. Schubas (3159 North Southport Ave in Lakeview) - Schubas is pretty much the ideal place to catch a band in Chicago. It's intimate and relaxed, but features a diverse roster of musicians that includes both local favorites and more widely-known, national acts. On top of that, the sound is great, the prices are good and the staff is always friendly. What more could you want?

2. Hideout (1354 West Wabansia in Noble Square) - One of the main reasons to see a show here is the sense of personal satisfaction you get when you finally locate the blasted thing. Yes, the Hideout really does hide out. So much so that the first time I went there it resulted in a rather confused and strained relationship between me and my cab driver. That aside, once I made it inside I found a comfortable, unassuming place that serves as an ideal setting for checking out some of the many awesome indie acts that call Chicago home.

The Chicago Reader and its readers agree - they recently selected it as the city's finest rock venue. What the Hideout crew had to say for itself says it all:

"Of course the secret to our success is not a secret at all. It is a friendly staff, made up mostly of musicians, and artists, that are not only concerned with our community but actually participate in civic minded activities. Add amazing bands and cheap beer and you’ve got a great party."

3. The Vic (3145 North Sheffield Ave in Lakeview) - When it comes to a happy medium between huge venues and small venues - as well as the huge and small acts that go with them - the Vic is very effective. Every time I've been there the sound has been great, you can choose whether you want to sit or stand and it's easy to get to via public transportation. Did I mention the sound is great?

4. Park West (322 West Armitage in Lincoln Park) - Just been to Lollapalooza and still trying to scrub strangers' sweat and cigarette smoke off your skin? It's time for a more relaxed, intimate show. Lincoln Park's Park West is the perfect place to go for a more chilled-out (but often still quite rocking) evening in a unique, classy atmosphere. This venue is generally frequented by more thoughtful, singer-songwriter and veteran acts, which means you probably won't have to deal with trashed indie kids annoyingly preventing you from hearing or seeing the show.

The theater has been around since the 1920s, but turned into Park West in 1977. Since then, it has provided a welcome antidote to one too many consecutive dive bar shows.

5. Metro (3730 N Clark St in Wrigleyville) - Metro isn't a perfect venue, but it's undeniable that it's a mainstay in the Chicago music scene and usually features a strong selection of music that spans popularity levels and genres, including small, large, legendary and new acts. Plus, you get a good view pretty much anywhere you stand.