Venue, The Metro(4/6):
The Metro is one of the faded glories of the Chicago music scene. In its day it was a wonderful venue. You’d made it in Chicago if you played the Metro even two years ago. It is a great venue; don’t get me wrong. It is very intimate-- maximum of 1000 people, two tiers, and a cheap bar. The bathrooms are even decent for a bar/concert venue. However, you can see it fading. It is sad in a way, as that place has a lot of sentimental value for the music scene in Chicago. I still love it there; one of my first big shows in Chicago was there. However, the sound system is probably older than the venue itself and dying. The building itself is falling apart in minor ways-- it could stand to have fresh coat of paint and have the floors redone as they are mostly that odd cardboard like stuff that many dance floors are covered in and lots of gaff tape.
However, it is one of the few places that you can still get a 20oz water for 3$ and it still draws good music. The small size also makes the crowds more manageable.
The Crowd (3/6): The one thing I dislike about the music crowds I tend to run in is a certain flavor of audience member. Stop me if you’ve seen this person. Loud voice, that just gets louder when the music starts, often stands facing his friend rather than the stage, thus running into the person in back of him constantly. He is completely unaware of his body, usually bitching about something regarding the act on stage. If you think the artist sucks either leave or don’t come in the first place.
If you’re not there to watch/listen to your artist, then get the fuck out of my way. Especially if your over six feet tall and standing in front of a five foot tall fan of the artist on stage.
We had at least three of those in our row alone. I was ready to pull out my metal elbows and start a throw down.
Luckily, I’m a shrimp.
The show:
Rockie Fresh (2/6) I will add a caveat here, I’m not as familiar with hip-hop/rap as a genre, so its sometimes tricky for me to judge quality versus something I’m not used to. I should also add that this particular artist caters to a flavor of hip-hop that I don’t care for. I try to put my personal genre biases aside when reviewing, however, and focus on the technical talent and overall quality. I also acknowledge that one of the things that makes hip-hop so innovative is the use of sampling to change the way a song sounds. I like that.
It is however, a genre that relies on a persons sense of beat being razor sharp and vocal talent to being articulate and precise.
I found that Rockie Fresh lacked the edge needed to make his vocals stand out. I also found his music too busy. There is a line between well-layered music-- a common thing in hip-hop-- and cacophony. I find his work comparable to the young musicians that, rather than specializing, learn to play multiple instruments, but not very well. While innovation is one of the keys to success in the music industry, without that foundation, any diversification becomes noise, rather than style. If he simplified his work and really honed his vocals, I think he could have a shot at success in the club scene.
Patrick Stump(4/6):
Patrick Stump has a distinctive, clear voice that is a pleasure to listen to. He is a fun, talented artist with a striking look and energy in spades.
Stump is also playful on stage and constantly bouncing, flailing and bolting from one side to the other of the stage. He has a wonderful smile both in his face and in his sound. He is very much riding the high of being able to finally do what he wants instead of having to fight with band mates.
What Stump lacks, however, is structure and a foundation. I find him very chaotic and uncoordinated in both his sound and his presence. I feel like he is used to having something to rein in his raw energy and direct it and now that he is no longer in Fall out boy, he doesn’t have any direction and structure. It is as though he’s gone back to the beginning, but maintained some of his popularity from Fall Out Boy. He’s still struggling to find exactly what he wasn’t to sound like and how he wants to present himself as an artist. I’m willing to give him a couple years, however,I do not know if the fan-base is. During the show I saw more than a few people leave. On the other hand the fans that stayed were intensely loyal and very vocal. If stump is going to succeed I feel like he needs to recognize that he is not as big as he used to be and really work on honing himself as an artist.
He also needs a better backup band, I didn’t find any of them particularly talented.
In short, Stump is a nice Midwestern boy who needs to gain a little of the big city edge to succeed on his own.
Showing posts with label The Metro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Metro. Show all posts
November 12, 2011
February 7, 2010
Concert review: Mark Rose, Cavashawn, Sing It Loud, The Accademy is...
The Venue: See my previous review of The Metro. Excellent venue, but it lost some points for the merch booth being on the wrong side of the ticket check.
The Crowd: 4/5. What a fun crowd, even during the openers, they were moving, bouncing--even singing a long at some points. Good vibe, never an undeserved bored moment.
First Opener--Mark Rose (3/5) Former front man, guitarist lyricist for Spitalfield, Mark Rose, was really not suited to rest of the show. Very PG, no real push to it. It largely consisted of a man with an acoustic guitar, supplemented very slightly by another person on an electric guitar. It was the kind of thing that older people would call "good clean fun.” Despite this dilemma, he brought a lot to the stage. Because of where I was standing it actually took me about half the set to realize that there was another person on stage. The lyrics were a bit too sanitized, and would have been more at home in the nineteen fifties. The technical talent was there, as well as decent vocals, but if he's going to make it solo he has to bring a little more drive to the table.
Second Opener--Cavashawn (4/5)Nearly lost points on the hard to type and pronounce name. In sharp contrast to the previous act, front man Scott Salmon (sic) came out with a lot of drive, energy, and presence. Salmon was constantly moving, working the crowd, getting them to dance, clap and even sing along. On top his ability to work the crowd, his vocals were sharp, and had wide range from falsetto to something nearing baritone. The music itself was retro with a bitter twist in the lyrics. The love songs were at once cynical and hopeful. Their music was worth buying, though I didn't at the show, as the merch booth was jammed.
Final Opener-- Sing It Loud (2.5/5) Started out working the crowd fairly well. Not a very clean sound live. The music itself didn't have enough complexity and not crisp enough The front man does not have the best voice. The lyrics are simplistic and often repetitive. Nevertheless, they tried to keep the crowd moving and they complied more or less, though they lost a lot of their momentum due to the number of new songs played. The band put forth a lot of energy, however they didn't seem to understand what the crowd wanted or how to pace a rock show.
Main Act- The Academy is... (5/5) Goddamn. I never run out of good things to say about these guys. The Academy is.. are constantly innovative, always pushing the envelope to see what they can do. No two albums sound the same, yet with William Beckett's unmistakable vocal style they are always recognizable as TAI's work.
However, this show wasn't about the new and experimental; this was a celebration of the 5th anniversary of their first full album, Almost Here(2005). It was an homage to the fans that put TAI on the map. Despite this familiarity, there were no ruts or lulls. From the first word the fans were singing along, leaping, and dancing. However, Beckett, true to his previous shows, kept working the crowd with a spirited fervor. The fans returned his energy almost tenfold, and rather than simply take like other artists often do, he continued to give. The smile almost never left his eyes or his lips. Not only that, but he seemed to have an intrinsic knowledge about how long to spend at which part of the stage-- he was constantly in motion--quite literally in the crowd at some points. William Beckett is a powerhouse of rock and roll energy.
I hereby retract any apprehension at their new found popularity. Come back soon boys, Chicago will always welcome you.
The Crowd: 4/5. What a fun crowd, even during the openers, they were moving, bouncing--even singing a long at some points. Good vibe, never an undeserved bored moment.
First Opener--Mark Rose (3/5) Former front man, guitarist lyricist for Spitalfield, Mark Rose, was really not suited to rest of the show. Very PG, no real push to it. It largely consisted of a man with an acoustic guitar, supplemented very slightly by another person on an electric guitar. It was the kind of thing that older people would call "good clean fun.” Despite this dilemma, he brought a lot to the stage. Because of where I was standing it actually took me about half the set to realize that there was another person on stage. The lyrics were a bit too sanitized, and would have been more at home in the nineteen fifties. The technical talent was there, as well as decent vocals, but if he's going to make it solo he has to bring a little more drive to the table.
Second Opener--Cavashawn (4/5)Nearly lost points on the hard to type and pronounce name. In sharp contrast to the previous act, front man Scott Salmon (sic) came out with a lot of drive, energy, and presence. Salmon was constantly moving, working the crowd, getting them to dance, clap and even sing along. On top his ability to work the crowd, his vocals were sharp, and had wide range from falsetto to something nearing baritone. The music itself was retro with a bitter twist in the lyrics. The love songs were at once cynical and hopeful. Their music was worth buying, though I didn't at the show, as the merch booth was jammed.
Final Opener-- Sing It Loud (2.5/5) Started out working the crowd fairly well. Not a very clean sound live. The music itself didn't have enough complexity and not crisp enough The front man does not have the best voice. The lyrics are simplistic and often repetitive. Nevertheless, they tried to keep the crowd moving and they complied more or less, though they lost a lot of their momentum due to the number of new songs played. The band put forth a lot of energy, however they didn't seem to understand what the crowd wanted or how to pace a rock show.
Main Act- The Academy is... (5/5) Goddamn. I never run out of good things to say about these guys. The Academy is.. are constantly innovative, always pushing the envelope to see what they can do. No two albums sound the same, yet with William Beckett's unmistakable vocal style they are always recognizable as TAI's work.
However, this show wasn't about the new and experimental; this was a celebration of the 5th anniversary of their first full album, Almost Here(2005). It was an homage to the fans that put TAI on the map. Despite this familiarity, there were no ruts or lulls. From the first word the fans were singing along, leaping, and dancing. However, Beckett, true to his previous shows, kept working the crowd with a spirited fervor. The fans returned his energy almost tenfold, and rather than simply take like other artists often do, he continued to give. The smile almost never left his eyes or his lips. Not only that, but he seemed to have an intrinsic knowledge about how long to spend at which part of the stage-- he was constantly in motion--quite literally in the crowd at some points. William Beckett is a powerhouse of rock and roll energy.
I hereby retract any apprehension at their new found popularity. Come back soon boys, Chicago will always welcome you.
December 22, 2009
Kill Hannah: New Heart for Xmass 7 (with VIP pass.)
What an amazing weekend. I had the privilege of meeting, and briefly socializing with two wonderful artists. I was indoctrinated into a wonderful community of close knit fans, brought together by a gracious, caring artist who gives back a great deal to his fans.
Day one (12/18/09):
Venue: Reggie's Rock Club (2.5/5) I'm trying not to judge the venue by the sketchy area it was lodged in. Being on state street a hop, skip and a jump from nicer areas, I assumed quite incorrectly that it would be a decent area.
I didn't really get a chance to look at the bar itself, as I was too busy doing what I came to do, namely schmoozing with Kill Hannah. Reggie's struck me as a place that could not make up its mind weather it was a music venue or not. The layout was similar to other standing room only venues, however, it was too small to accommodate the audience for larger shows. That alone was not a problem, as there are other similar venues, designed for smaller bands. However, if you're going to be a little dig like that, at least have a good enough sound system that the vocals could be decerned from the base four rows in.
Full Album performance of Kill Hannah's "American Jet Set" (3/5) While not my favorite album, it was nice to have a hat tip to the fans that had been there for the full decade that the band has been preforming. There were songs I'd genuinely forgotten were on the album, which was a pleasant surprise. Having seen them live before, my bar was set very high, and while the show was phenomenal, it did not live up to the standard Kill Hannah set. The energy was weaker I would have expected in a show that is explicitly devoted to the more dedicated fans. While far from a disappointment, it wasn't as powerful as I would have hoped.
Day two (12/19/2009)
Venue: The Metro (4/5): I would call this my new, second favorite venue, rival only two The House Of Blues. Despite having been a Chicago girl now for three and a half years, \ I hadn't visited The Metro before because I am a petite person and had heard The Metro's reputation for wild, densely packed crowds. However, my attachment to Kill Hannah's music won out over my trepidation. I was not disappointed.
The Metro is a lovely venue with four bars tucked just a little away from the floor, making them easier to get to than at most venues. It has three floors, one is mostly just the merchandise booth and a place to house the line. The second floor is where the stage and dance floor are, very simple design a basic black, flat floor. The third floor was more of a lounge with seats and tables, however it over looked the second floor so that the show is visible. This was also where the coat check was, which was nicer than most venues. It is clean, except for the bathrooms, which I will get to in a moment. The sound booth is set back closer to the bar, adding that much more room to the already spacious floor. The seasonal decor was fun, large wire and nylon snowflakes, lit candy canes and little plastic trees where the permanent decor was professional and neat and there were posters everywhere advertising the next show or release party, but not so many that it was messy.
Then there were the bathrooms, like at Vic, the bathrooms were questionable at best, I was a little afraid to use them actually for fear of how dirty they were and the amount of graffiti
The Crowd: (4/5) While understandably bored during the first acts, the crowd was lit with an energy hitherto unseen in Kill Hannah fans, they were airborne, screaming, dancing like the world was ending. The energy was intense, but it wasn't such a tight crowd that it was suffocating.
First opener: 1997 (1/5) I try to be lenient on first openers, because its a rough slot to fill and they are often less experienced, younger bands, doubly so if they are a multi-gender band. However, they were positively discordant and had all of the stage presence of a dust bunny. They did try hard to get the audience to participate, however the audience was having none of it.
Second opener: Hey Champ (3/5) A fun, if forgettable, opening band. Their guitar work was pleasant but nothing unduly impressive.
Main Act: Kill Hannah. (4.7/5) New Heart for Xmas is Kill Hannah's annual big show, and it was simply put amazing. Mat Devine gives 110% to the audience and his interaction with them was the a delightful give and take. I've never seen a front man so gracious as Devine. On top of the band's engagement with the audience, their music was as as always wonderfully dynamic and well orchestrated without sounding manufactured. I was also impressed by how the band managed to preform songs that normally had far more parts than they have band members (one song on the album includes a choir as well Amanda Palmer, but they still played it quite nicely).
Despite Devine's spending the bulk of his time leaning over, in some cases all but steping into the crowd, they still manage several set and costume changes, a light show, and laser guitars. These guys push from being simply a band to being full on performers without sacrificing their craft.
Even with the light show, there is an incredible intimacy between the fans and the band. The honestway Devine talks about his music, and by extension his life, shows a vulnerability not often expressed in artists who are, for lack of other word, high gloss. on the whole the band gives off a very human energy.
It is a privilege to be involved with such a kind, down to earth artist who is also still not afraid to dream. Feet planted firmly on the stage, and eyes ever on the horizon Kill Hannah is an invoative band that puts on a thoroughly engaging show.
Day one (12/18/09):
Venue: Reggie's Rock Club (2.5/5) I'm trying not to judge the venue by the sketchy area it was lodged in. Being on state street a hop, skip and a jump from nicer areas, I assumed quite incorrectly that it would be a decent area.
I didn't really get a chance to look at the bar itself, as I was too busy doing what I came to do, namely schmoozing with Kill Hannah. Reggie's struck me as a place that could not make up its mind weather it was a music venue or not. The layout was similar to other standing room only venues, however, it was too small to accommodate the audience for larger shows. That alone was not a problem, as there are other similar venues, designed for smaller bands. However, if you're going to be a little dig like that, at least have a good enough sound system that the vocals could be decerned from the base four rows in.
Full Album performance of Kill Hannah's "American Jet Set" (3/5) While not my favorite album, it was nice to have a hat tip to the fans that had been there for the full decade that the band has been preforming. There were songs I'd genuinely forgotten were on the album, which was a pleasant surprise. Having seen them live before, my bar was set very high, and while the show was phenomenal, it did not live up to the standard Kill Hannah set. The energy was weaker I would have expected in a show that is explicitly devoted to the more dedicated fans. While far from a disappointment, it wasn't as powerful as I would have hoped.
Day two (12/19/2009)
Venue: The Metro (4/5): I would call this my new, second favorite venue, rival only two The House Of Blues. Despite having been a Chicago girl now for three and a half years, \ I hadn't visited The Metro before because I am a petite person and had heard The Metro's reputation for wild, densely packed crowds. However, my attachment to Kill Hannah's music won out over my trepidation. I was not disappointed.
The Metro is a lovely venue with four bars tucked just a little away from the floor, making them easier to get to than at most venues. It has three floors, one is mostly just the merchandise booth and a place to house the line. The second floor is where the stage and dance floor are, very simple design a basic black, flat floor. The third floor was more of a lounge with seats and tables, however it over looked the second floor so that the show is visible. This was also where the coat check was, which was nicer than most venues. It is clean, except for the bathrooms, which I will get to in a moment. The sound booth is set back closer to the bar, adding that much more room to the already spacious floor. The seasonal decor was fun, large wire and nylon snowflakes, lit candy canes and little plastic trees where the permanent decor was professional and neat and there were posters everywhere advertising the next show or release party, but not so many that it was messy.
Then there were the bathrooms, like at Vic, the bathrooms were questionable at best, I was a little afraid to use them actually for fear of how dirty they were and the amount of graffiti
The Crowd: (4/5) While understandably bored during the first acts, the crowd was lit with an energy hitherto unseen in Kill Hannah fans, they were airborne, screaming, dancing like the world was ending. The energy was intense, but it wasn't such a tight crowd that it was suffocating.
First opener: 1997 (1/5) I try to be lenient on first openers, because its a rough slot to fill and they are often less experienced, younger bands, doubly so if they are a multi-gender band. However, they were positively discordant and had all of the stage presence of a dust bunny. They did try hard to get the audience to participate, however the audience was having none of it.
Second opener: Hey Champ (3/5) A fun, if forgettable, opening band. Their guitar work was pleasant but nothing unduly impressive.
Main Act: Kill Hannah. (4.7/5) New Heart for Xmas is Kill Hannah's annual big show, and it was simply put amazing. Mat Devine gives 110% to the audience and his interaction with them was the a delightful give and take. I've never seen a front man so gracious as Devine. On top of the band's engagement with the audience, their music was as as always wonderfully dynamic and well orchestrated without sounding manufactured. I was also impressed by how the band managed to preform songs that normally had far more parts than they have band members (one song on the album includes a choir as well Amanda Palmer, but they still played it quite nicely).
Despite Devine's spending the bulk of his time leaning over, in some cases all but steping into the crowd, they still manage several set and costume changes, a light show, and laser guitars. These guys push from being simply a band to being full on performers without sacrificing their craft.
Even with the light show, there is an incredible intimacy between the fans and the band. The honestway Devine talks about his music, and by extension his life, shows a vulnerability not often expressed in artists who are, for lack of other word, high gloss. on the whole the band gives off a very human energy.
It is a privilege to be involved with such a kind, down to earth artist who is also still not afraid to dream. Feet planted firmly on the stage, and eyes ever on the horizon Kill Hannah is an invoative band that puts on a thoroughly engaging show.
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