Q87.7FM Presents.. Sick Puppies with 10 Years and Charming liars at the House of Blues, Chicago

The Venue: I’ve reviewed the House of Blues something like 9 times. Coming to the House of blues is like seeing an old friend after years. I hadn’t been their in a long while and it is far and away my favorite venue, if not my favorite place in Chicago period. It was a second home when I first started to go out to concerts on my own and it still feels like it.

Charming Liars (2/6): The instrumentation saved this band. The drum work was solid and the guitar work was pleasantly showy in places. Their sound was very much in keeping with the rest of the evening--bitter alt. rock with a slightly hardened edge. The frontman made a diligent effort to get the crowd pumped, but they were having none of it. Given that he took half the set to warm up and had a mediocre voice in the first place, it was understandable. The energy and edgy, bitter lyrics were enough to salvage the set, but on the whole they were sub-par.

10 Years (3.5/6):  10 Years was a very pleasant surprise. I’d heard these ages ago, and they didn’t make much of an impression then. It took me until they played “Fix Me”(their big radio song) to even recognize them they’d improved so much. 10 Years  has come a long way as a band. Their bassist is wonderful and has a striking look in addition to his wonderful talent. With, rippling shoulder and waist length dreadlocks and wild head banging, he had more presence than even  the front man. He also attacked the bass with a rare fervor that gave their sound extra fire.

Their drummer was solid as can be and even got a chance to show off a little with  a short solo. Their guitarist wasn’t half bad either.

Their vocals were interesting. On the one hand, their lead vocalist was really good and had a very distinctive sound that really meshed with their overall sound perfectly.
While he was very talented on the guitar, their screamer fell decidedly flat. If you’re going to take the scream-o angle, you need to really go hardcore. There is no middle ground for screamers. In addition to being a mediocre screamer, he had a horrible attitude. Even their front man seemed taken aback when he flat out insulted the  crowd.  He literally compared them to his excrement because they were a very subdued crowd.

That attitude almost made me regret purchasing the album. However, I support the rest of the band whole heartedly and wish them nothing but success.

Sick Puppies(warning, flash): (5/6): These guys have successfully earned the second highest rating I give out. They were absolutely fantastic as always. I was a little nervous about this show as their new album has some pretty serious style changes and is decidedly not sure of itself. I should have had more faith in them. Over the years they've grown from the first line of a four set show to a headliner. They’re a powerhouse of hard-edged rock seeded with inspiring ballads and wonderfully hopeful rock songs. Between Shim Moor’s wonderful vocal control and his brilliant dynamic with the audience, he was wonderful. his guitar work has dramatically improved and he is absolutely frantic on stage.
However, it is very obvious this band is a close-knit team, especially with Emma Emma Anzai’s popularity and her increased partition on the vocals. She has brilliant stage presence, outside of her warm, bell-like voice and her mean bass work. She is far and away the best bassist I’ve seen live.  She is also one of the very few bassets I’ve seen with such popularity among the fans. She is wonderfully gracious and vulnerable yet unbelievably strong. Her playing was the driving source of Sick Puppies’ set.
 I couldn’t talk about sick puppies without touching on their charismatic drummer, Mark Goodman. He is the good humored, subtle yet amazing heart beat of the band and his smile alone is just beautiful.
Overall they impressed yet again and it was a pleasure.

Kill Hannah's New Heart for Xmas 9 "I've Waited My Whole Life"

If you’re from Chicago and haven’t been living under a rock, I don’t need to tell you that New Heart for Xmas is the little three day long party that Kill Hannah throws every year for their fans. I attended all three days on the Ultimate Fan Package.

Day 1: JBTV Studio Kill Hannah Practice and Q&A

Venue:

JBTV Studio

I’ve talked about  the JBTV Studio before. It’s an amazing little studio.

The Set and Q&A(5/6):

Whenever, I hear  the members of  Kill Hannah speak, I feel like I've just received a pep talk from Winston Churchill. In particular, Mat Devine has a knack for striking very honest, yet surprisingly universal notes when he speaks, weather it be answering fan questions or talking about his band and their experiences. Being the lead, Mat is the one who gets the most press, so it was nice to hear the rest of the band share their perspective. They are equally candid and insightful. The wonderful report  had  both with the fans and with each other was a joy to experience.

The set itself was lovely, as usual. It was also a lot of fun to see how they work and communicate with the people managing on the technical aspects of the show.

Day 2: Acoustic Set at the Crimson Lounge.

Venue:

The Crimson Lounge (5/6):

 The Crimson Lounge is simultaneously roomy and cozy. I am actually surprised I’ve not been there before. It’s beautiful, classy, and warm. The stage is actually fairly large for the size of the lounge and the system is actually quite good (especially for a bar). The posh atmosphere could be off-putting for some, but I found it welcoming.

The Set (4/6):

As a small person, I tend to hover toward the middle or back of a crowd to keep a better vantage point. For this set it was intimate enough  and not frantic, so I managed to be right up front and slightly off to one side. What an experience! It was a marvel just to watch a talented set of artists work. I could see  exactly how much skill Dan Wiesse and Greg Corner had just by watching their fingers.

The rapport  the band had with each other and the fans really shown through, the playful antics combined with moments of complete and deadly seriousness were a delight to witness. Devine's  constant efforts to make sure the fans all had a good view were simultaneously hilarious and incredibly endearing. He actually stood on his chair for about half the set and when the photographers were finished he invited the fans that were standing to one side of the stage area to come sit right in front of the stage.

I have gone on and on about how vulnerable divine is on stage, this  show was even more intimate. It was very much a show for his fans, for the KHK who's worked so hard to support them. This was ours as much as it was Kill Hannah's. 

Day Three: The Big Show 

Venue:

 House of Blues (previously reviewed)

Openers:

(Regrettably I missed the first opener, Blood Red Boots, and equally regrettably I caught the second opener, Action Blast. I will be reviewing Blood Red Boot's album in an upcoming blog entry)

Action Blast (2/6)

The two  points both go to the drummer who wasn’t half bad. The guitar work was passible.

I can forgive a band  for being young and untrained, or even just not talented, but there’s a certain attitude that happens, usually in mediocre bands,  that are low talent and high ego that I just cannot stomach. If you’re a nearly unknown band and you come in talking like you’re the biggest badest thing on the planate you make me scoff right out the gate. As a good critic, I  kept watching despite this and at least tried to pay attention until  their front man (in a misdirected attempt to get the crowd moving) declared "Silence is gay." 

I took out my crocheting at that point and wandered back to the bathroom where I ran into two more fellow KH fans that were quite literally hiding in the bathroom to escape the terrible music.

Dot Dot Dot (4/6): These guys were the  first surprise of the night. Their name has cropped up on my radar several times, but  I hadn’t had the chance to sit down and listen to any of their stuff until last night. I'd always heard that they weren't that good. I'm declaring whoever said that tone deaf. 

Lead man Adam Blair is  as flirty as he is confidant and  has an unquestionable charm. From  the  playful smile to the energetic guitar work and animated singing, Blair is quite the performer. His voice was what really caught my attention first. He has remarkable vocal control and a surprising range that you don’t hear on  his recorded work.

The biggest issue with the band was the huge talent gap between Blair and his band. Guitarist Rose Ana Laguana  was solid but  her counterparts were  just fair not good

Kill Hannah(5/6)

This is the show the entire Kill Hannah fan base waits for all year. It is always quite a party with theatrics and snow machines. 

I've griped before about how passive the Kill Hannah crowds are. They are normally a quite bunch, matching divine in his introverted manner.

I retract every gripe.

Never in my five years as a Kill Hannah fan have I seen the fans like this. It was not insane, nor has the band itself had so much force. It was unreal. From the first note of believer to the last line of Welcome to Chicago, Kill Hannah brought  a fire that blew all of this previous shows out of the water. 

First off, when Jonny Ratkey got back on stage with Kill Hannah, the crowd just about lost their minds. Johnny hasn't been an official part of Kill Hannah since 2008, but the fans love him. His appearance at New Heart For Xmas is always a sincere pleasure. 

If this show demonstrated anything is was that this band and the Kill Hannah Kolective are family. Between the showers of affection on stage and the gracious words the band spoke, it was clear  that, to borrow from something Adam Blair  said, this was a family reunion. 

But the music itself, was truly phenomenal. Kill Hanna was on the absolute top of their game, weather it was Dan Wiese and Johnny Radtke tearing it up on the guitar or Elias Mallin on the drums, the music was just flawless.

I'm missing someone.

Mat Divine.

I cannot say enough about how talented, vulnerable and all around amazing this man is. His voice was spot on last night. His energy  was explosive,  and that energy charged the fans, which in turn charged the band, creating an explosive, intense energy loop. 

I’ve also never seen them  attract such a huge crowd. I’m used to them selling out the metro (a venue half the size of The House of Blues, at most), but I’ve never seen so many Kill Hannah fans in one place before. I am proud.

It was one hell of a weekend. 

Shinedown with The Art Of Dying at the House of Blues Chicago

Venue: House of Blues Chicago (5/6) I have personal bias toward the House of Blues. It was the first venue I ever patroned to of my own volition in Chicago. For a while it was the only one I went to, as I was scared of getting lost. It is my home venue. It is big enough to house a few thousand, but small enough that there isn’t a truly bad vantage point, save for behind one of the massive pillars that support the ornately painted celing. It’s a very clean venue with friendly staff and wonderful security. I often refer to their security as ninjas, nearly invisible unless there is a problem in which case suddenly you find yourself in close proximity with five burly gentlemen in bright yellow shirts.

I also find it a gorgeous venue peppered with unique art and statuary lining two layers of balcony seating along with the standing room floor.  The bathrooms are also some of the nicest I’ve seen in any venue. Which doesn’t mean anything about the other venues, but adds a certain degree of class to the House of Blues.

The Show:

Art of Dying: (4/6) This is the second time I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Art Of Dying. Their classic rock sound combined with upbeat, motivational lyrics make for a show that makes the listener feel like they are capable of anything.  Vocalist Jonny Hetherington worked the crowd surprisingly well and kept lively interaction going throughout the show. Greg Bradley’s style is precise and distinct without being over rehearsed. In fact, the overall sound of the band was very clear and had a great deal of personality. There was no mixing up Art of Dying’s sound with any other. Eighties aesthetic meshes with a more modern sensibility nicely in this little four man band. I found art of dying to be a great opener for Shinedown, as their sound complemented Shinedown’s well

Shinedown (5/6):

 Shinedown continually brings a powerhouse of emotional content ranging from the highflying “Amaryllis” to the cutthroat “Devour” and the quiet pain in  “45.”  Vocalist and lyricist Brent Smith gives all  of himself to his music and it shows. His energy matches his graciousness in its boundlessness.  He is wonderful to both his fans and his band mates; you can really see how much Smith understands that the band is a unit, not simply a vehicle for the front man.  It was especially fun to see his dynamic with guitarist Zach Myers. It is apparent that these two have been working together for a very long time and share a strong chemistry that is a rare treat in the rock world.

Myers is a showman in his own right.  With his clean-cut hair and pretty-boy face, Myer’s bold power scream vocals are quite a surprise. His guitar work is powerful and occasionally sassy. Myers also has an innate understanding of how to place himself on stage and, as mentioned above, has a wonderful dynamic with his band mates.

On the whole, Shinedown continues to bring a fierce, engaging show and a professionalism that a lot of artists simply lack.  I cannot wait to see them again. 

Coheed and Cambria at House of Blues

Venue: House of Blues, Chicago (5/6): I’d been at The Aragon too much and forgotten that HOB had started me on concerts in Chicago back when I first moved here in ‘06. It was the first venue I went to by myself too. I have a deep affection for the place and after the Aragon I’d forgotten how nice it was to be able to see without going on tiptoe or jumping. It is a cozy little venue that I will always come back to and if you ask for a glass of water its free, h is rare.


The Crowd (5/6): The crowd was frenzy like I have rarely seen, even during the first half of the show, which was acoustic. I’ve been around Crowds don’t frenzy during acoustic numbers like this at any other show.

The Show Itself (6/6): The bar has risen for best concert I’ve ever been to. Period. This one blew all the others away. Initially, I was surprised there was no opener. Then the band came out with acoustic instruments, given that I knew the show was themed around their first album Second Stage Turbine Blade, I thought it might just be an acoustic show, which would have been a little disappointing but still breathtaking. They played for about forty five minutes and had a set break, then the electronics came out and they proceeded to rock out.

They were their own opener. Pure guts and brilliance.

I was very skeptical of Coheed and Cambria pulling off acoustic, I felt like something was going to be lost. I was thoroughly and utterly impressed with how precise and articulate Coheed and Cambria were with their instrumentation, especially, Claudio Sanchez’s guitar work. In most cases, if the front man plays the guitar they do rhythm guitar and have someone else handle the more complex lead. Not only did Sanchez manage to put on an amazing, clear voiced vocal performance, but also his guitar work was phenomenal and technically perfect. He was one of the few artists who I could clearly understand even during loud, rock numbers.

I’ve never seen a performance like it before.

And that was just Sanchez.

The rest of the band was incredible. Particularly, Travis Stever, the guitarist* had not only the talent to keep up with Sanchez’s guitar work but also match is insane range.

The acoustic set was haunting, reverent, and utterly beautiful.

By the set break I’d already figured out this was going to be unlike any other concert I’d ever seen. The second half was everything the first half was with an incredible burst of energy and power. Sanchez’s brilliant voice and off the hook dancing further augmented the explosive nature of the show. It had the energy, volume, and dynamic of a real rock show. No holds barred. This band is a force on stage like nothing else I’ve ever seen.

*Among other parts. It impressed me farther that every member of the band (except the drummer) plays no less than four instruments.

Music Update and Concert review : Sick Puppies and Bad City

Sorry folks, it’s been a rough few months in real life land for me and I ran into a slight case of broke, so there was a hiatus.  Mea culpa.
Musical things of note that have happened:

• 10/4 Kill Hannah front man, Mat Divine, upon landing a roll in Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark, canceled his long standing tradition  of a  huge, mutli-day music event in December ( Called New Heart for Xmass) In favor of something on a similar scale in New York, offending many Chicago fans. 
• 9/12--the VMAs happened: I admit I should have reviewed them highlights include:
• 30 Seconds to Mars riding in on bikes as tribute to their "Kings and Queens" video
• And one of their members, Shannon Leto, had to take an emergency break when he got glitter in his eye thrown by more exuberant fans.
• Rihanna made a "surprise" performance with  Eminem.
• Gucci Mann tossed hundreds of dollars onto the carpet.
• Lady Gaga came out in a dress made of raw meat, I'm not entirely sure why, possibly because she's gaga.
• 11/23 30 Seconds to Mars released their "Hurricane" 14 minute movie and MTV banned the video within two days for its sexual content.  30 Seconds to Mars released to the fans that day, and an uncensored version is due out the sixteenth of this month.  I watched the video and I can see why MTV banned it.  Hurricane was full of very sexual imagery, and some things that bordered on pornography.  However, it was incredibly artistic and had an interesting message
• 12/11 Q101 kicks off its Twisted  Event-- I attended the first day (review below)

 The Show itself: Alter Bridge (not reviewed) with Sick Puppies, and Bad City.  (House of Blues, Chicago)

 The Venue: The House of Blues, Chicago (4/5):  I've reviewed it countless times.  However, they've made some changes than I'm still not sure about.  Initially,  The House of Blues had the balcony as exclusively VIP.  I never had any desire to go up there,  as a rocker, my place is on the floor whenever possible, and so I can't comment on how it is up there.  However, I've never seen the place more crowed on the floor.  I'm pleased one of my favorite  venues has gained more patronage.
They've also added more security in the bar area (which is 21+ for obvious reasons, they have other areas meant for younger patrons, though truthfully the House of Blues  is really designed for a 21+ crowd.

The Crowd: (2.5/5) While I didn't stay for Alter Bridge, I sincerely hope the crowd improved for them.  These people were very still and had a  dulled vibe.  They improved for Sick Puppies, but I think that is a function of Sick Puppies being that good, rather than a function of the crowd.

The First Opener: Bad City (2.5/5 live, 3/5 recorded)  First openers are always a little green, a little uncoordinated, and a little unbalanced as they are unpracticed.  However, they also tend to have a lot of often-misplaced energy.  This band was a perfect example of all these things, a clumsy, but  energetic and some how they had a little charm.  Their sound seemed quite disparate from their look,  lead man Josh caddy looks as though he would fit in more with bands like My Chemical Romance  than in a rock show.  Their sound was very much rock, with a little bit of an eighties nostalgia flare.  Their look fit more in this decade however.  They certainly put in effort though and you could tell that, unlike many of these greener bands, they had practiced a good deal.  I'm not sure these boys will make it beyond the local scene.

Second Opener: Sick Puppies (5/5) these guys are in my top three for live shows.  Shimon Moore (the front man) is fantastic with the crowd,  he can get them moving even when it’s a slow song, and he got a good portion of the people there for Alter Bridge to jump.  One of his tactics, which I’m quite fond of,  is  to challenge the people who are Sick Puppies fans to "show them how we do things at a Sick Puppies show" so to speak.  In a very still, often unforgiving crowd people who by a show of hands had never seen Sick Puppies before, I saw most of the pit  jumping and eve some slam dancing-- a rarity for an opener.

One of the things I particularly like about these guys is that  they  are constantly improving their show,  altering their set lists, and  they clearly put a lot of work into their shows.  It’s a treat when  you see a band for your second or third time and it’s an even better set, with even tighter coordination than the last one.

Another thing that caught my attention was that we're seeing more vocals from their bassist, Emma Anzai.  Anzai has a wonderful, very soft alto voice that is not often heard on their albums.  I'm looking forward to  hearing more of her on their next album.
I unfortunately had to bail  for Alter Bridge, the weather was nasty.  More reviews later.

Concert review: You Me At Six, Secret Handshake, Mayday Parade, and The Academy is..(8/28)

Note: Sorry for being absent, my personal life exploded.

I almost didn't make it to this show, I ran late and nearly forgot what day it was on. I went alone, a personal first for me and it confirmed everything I thought about myself.

The Venue- (House of Blues, Chicago)(5/5): I've been itching to review this place since I started this blog. It’s my second home and the first venue I ever went to in Chicago. The House of Blues is connected to its own restaurant, which has decent enough food and they keep the policy that if you eat there, you get to skip the line with a receipt. On the outside it looks nice enough. But when you walk through the doors, you're met with ornate carvings, wooden walls, and hand painted signs. Its three levels, not counting the balcony. The first being the main bar area’ the second being wooden stools and small tables, the last being, of course, the dance floor itself. Hardwood floors and décor with colorfully painted walls with hosts of odd little statues, the balcony and the frame of the stage are beautifully decorated and across the top of he stage are various religious symbols and a phrase that temporarily escapes me regarding unity through music. There is always something new to look at, for example the ceiling by the sound booth is decorated with hand painted bottle caps and repurposed ashtrays.

Four bars (three main ones and one little kiosk) line the dance floor with sections for people who are under age and want food or water and people who have wristbands to prove they are old enough to drink. The bar staff has always been extremely friendly and are very good at making out what you’re shouting to them over the music. THe security, while tight at all ages shows, is very polite.

There is an equally beautiful little back hallway for merchandise and two gorgeous bathrooms. The Ladies at least has an attendant, mock marble counters, and wood slatted doors. I could even get a hairbrush and deodorant if i needed them.
Not have time to skip the line and get a sit down meal? No problem! They have a variety of bar foods (pizza, sliders, fires and so on) that are as good as the restaurant itself.

Which brings us to the show itself:

First Frontliner (Youmeatsix)(3.5/5): I confess because of how late I was running I didn't really settle in till about half way through their set so some of it was a little more preoccupied with texting and eating, which made me all the more impressed that it was as enjoyable as it was. An obviously UK based, punk-pop band with a distinctly punkier flavor than much punk-pop. In true punk spirit they were a bit inarticulate, though they didn’t scream as often as pure punk. Their energy was surprisingly good for a first in four show. They even got a mosh pit going and got the crowd to join in singing a few of the numbers. Not a band who's album I bought that day but a good opener, lots of fun energy and a cute front man, which didn't hurt things.

Second Frontliner (Secret Handshake) (1.5/5)-- I think I'm being generous with that. 5 because I'm nice to fontliners. They sounded atrocious. I was hoping they were better recorded, but I checked and they're not. If I were to give one piece of advice to them: Turn of the vocoder, it sounds broken. The front man certainly gave a good effort but I spent most of the show wondering if the mike was supposed to sound like that, and trying not to restlessly tap my feet waiting for The Academy is... I try hard not to pity clap often, but I did for them.


The First Main Act/ Last Frontliner (Mayday Parade) (4/5) Hello, pleasant surprise. I hadn't heard anything of theirs when I first came to the show (I came for The Academy is...) With what I saw of the openers and the crowd, I wasn't expecting much out of Mayday Parade, only hoping they'd live up to You Me at Six and not be atrocious like Secret Handshake. I was delighted by the energy Mayday Parade brought and the talent they had. While not mind blowing, they did quite well. I got a few of their albums and I'm starting to enjoy them quite a bit. They brought a strong energy, a verity of songs both slow and fast, mostly in the "teenage" vein-- love/ breakup songs and a couple of songs about clandestine romance. I have to say they might have gotten a little extra love from me for the song "Miserable at Best" I'm recovering from a break up and this song struck me as rather sweet. Mayday Parade brings above average lyrics, and a fun sound, with a little of that bitter twist that a lot of us can identify with.

The Second Headliner(The Academy is...)(4.7/5): I have a hard time giving out fives unless they' really earned it. I've seen The Academy is... now for I believe the third or fourth time and they put on a great show every time. Its a very different animal from other shows i've reviewed in that it’s essentially fun. I've come to expect front man and lyricist William Beckett’s spirited dancing and defiant lyrics as par for the course with his shows.

Beckett seems to truly enjoy himself without a lot of the gravity that many artist bring to the stage. At the same time it is obvious that he puts a great deal of passion, energy and time into his work. He's out there to enjoy himself and give his fans a truly good time. I have to say having met Beckett, you could not ask for a more friendly, gracious person. He's quiet startled by all the adoration fame's brought him but he still takes the time he can to talk to his fans. Despite his bolder stage persona he's soft spoken and shy. This genuineness comes out on stage tenfold, there is no doubt that Beckett sings from experience and while there are hints that he’s finally growing used to fame, Beckett still has a great deal of heart.

Beckett's lyrics have become a little less bold as The Academy Is…has grown in fame, however there is no doubt he still believes every word of "Black Mamba"(from their debut album Almost Here)in which Beckett declares “Oh, Mr. Magazine/I never wrote one single thing for you/Or your so-called music scene/Don’t mean a thing to me.” He remains loyal to his defiant roots. While, Fast times at Barrington High is certainly in a less toothy vein, catering a bit to the teenage audience, Beckett keeps his lyrics cheeky and elegant with the occasional slower song for variety.

Musically the entire band has talent, however, Beckett shines just a shade brighter than the others. The band plays off each other quite nicely, however and certainly should not be discounted as a lesser part of the group. The balance is quite strong over all.


Vocally, Becket is a surprise in a genre that often gets away with sub-par vocals. He has a very soft voice despite being loud enough to be heard across the room. He sounds young and I feel that much what makes him who he is musically is in that voice. Distinctive, enough to be recognized completely out of context, his voice speaks (or should I say sings?) of a young man searching for himself under the limelight while still being very much young at heart. You can hear the smile in his voice in many of his songs and seeing that smile in person confirms how much this young man has to offer. I have a feeling we have not yet seen what he's truly capable of.

Overall, I am exceedingly glad to have gone to this show. Well done all around, in a favorite venue of mine a favorite band, as well as a few new discoveries.

Bravo.