A few shows to check out this week

Posted by Frank

Tom Schraeder

Tonight, December 28, catch two great Chicago acts, Tom Schraeder and His Ego and Derek Nelson and the Musicians at Schubas (3159 N. Southport). Tom released his latest, Once Lace, Now Cotton, back in June, and Derek and co. also put out some excellent tunes this year via Riders of the Tide (our review). More info and tickets are available here.

Hope's Wake (KHughes Photography)

On Thursday, December 30, head to Goose Island in Wrigleyville (3535 North Clark) to check out Nashville's Hope's Wake plus two locally-based acts - The Bergamot and Kory Quinn. Bobby of Hope's Wake wrote to tell us about the show and introduce us to his music, describing his sound as "a schizophrenic Bob Dylan combined with the groove of Radiohead." That description pretty much begged a listen, and what do you know, it really does sound like that. Which is really quite something. He just put out a very cool EP  and is traveling a long way to play Chicago, so if you like what you hear be sure to check out the show.

Pegboy

There's a lot of really good shows happening on New Year's Eve, but quite possibly the loudest will be taking place at Abbey Pub. Four certifiably noisy Chicago bands spanning punk and garage rock - Pegboy, Mannequin Men, Sweet Cobra and White Mystery - will be taking the stage to ensure you ring in the new year with ringing ears. Click here for more information and tickets.

Chicago musicians head to NYC for CMJ 2010

Posted by Sasha

For six years, the Chicago Showcase at CMJ has brought some of the Windy City’s best music to the Big Apple. If you’re in the New York area this week, the 2010 lineup isn’t one to be missed.

Scott Lucas and the Married Men will play Wednesday the 20th at The Local 269. Lucas of Local H fame explores a softer side of rock with this outfit, carrying the intensity of his primary band into a more personal place. While Local H are known for their instrumental minimalism, Lucas proves that his writing can thrive against the rich Americana backing of the Married Men’s talents, complete with accordion, violin and slide guitar.

The bulk of the showcase will play on Friday, October 22nd, also at The Local 269. Kicking off the evening will be Unicycle Loves You, a dream pop trio caught somewhere between the sounds of the Jesus and Mary Chain and Trompe le Monde-era Pixies. Their latest album, Mirror, Mirror, came out last month and can be purchased and streamed in its entirety on the band’s website.

Nathan Xander & Witchouse, who recently celebrated the release of their new 7” through RWIM, will follow with their bluesy Americana. Xander’s complex and introspective writing evokes the sounds of Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Jason Molina alike, swinging from dark folk quiet to jubilant country stomps.

Originally from Florida, the foursome Jonny Rumble moved to Chicago after their homes were destroyed by hurricane Jeanne in 2004. Since then, they’ve gotten up to some trouble, the most recent of which includes the release of their newest LP. The record, entitled simply JR, is a full-on romp through their classic rock-inspired post-punk, tongue-in-cheek and entirely fun. Think of them as the States’ answer to Maximo Park. The record is available as a free download here, where you can also buy it on vinyl.

Tom Schraeder and His Ego will also bring their airy Americana to the mix. This will be Schrader’s second performance at CMJ, having also played at the fourth Chicago showcase. Schraeder’s gentle songwriting evokes alternately the indie-folk stylings of Phosphorescent and Wilco’s layered alt-country.

Also on the 22nd, The Streets On Fire will play Kenny’s Castaways. Their fierce, danceable post-punk plays out dark, desperate and gritty as hell. This is Fancy, their latest album, demonstrates both their bitingly snarky side and their ability to soar to epic heights on swells of static. The record can be streamed and purchased on their website.

Shows are free with a CMJ pass. Check out the rest of the CMJ goings-on here.

New late-night talk show to feature Chicago musicians

Chicago's Second City will soon be home to a weekly, live, "late-night"-style talk show that will not only feature comedy and chats with notable guests, but also serve as a platform for Windy City musicians.

The show, dubbed "The Late Live Show," will take place at midnight every Saturday night at Second City's de Maat Theater (1616 N. Wells Ave.) beginning June 26. Locally-based comedians Joe Kwaczala and C.J. Toledano will bring their humor to the show as co-hosts, and the variety format will also include a live music performance each installment. So far, the following Chicago-centric list of acts have been lined up for the first five shows:

June 26 - Tom Schraeder
July 3 - David McMillin
July 10 - The Heligoats
July 17 - Gold Motel
July 24 - The Nothingheads

While Kwaczala explained to us that "The Late Live Show" has been developed to be first and foremost a live experience, the shows will also be filmed and there are plans to make them available to view online, and possibly on TV.

All shows will be free, but tickets can also be purchased for $5 in advance to guarantee a seat. Click here for more information.