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. 

Wicker Park Fest: Kill Hannah, AM Taxi, The Baseball Project, Magic box

Wicker Park Fest: (4/6)The festival itself was simply amazing. I’d never really been to the heart of Bucktown and it felt so artsy and thriving. Seeing the local artisans and artists out was a lot of fun and they managed to make the music and the art feel equally important. The space was small enough to be comfortable, but big enough that there wasn’t interference between the stages. The two stages I visited , well, they were outdoor temporary stages with all the pitfalls thereof. They were good temporary stages, albeit, but they had the distortion and poor sound balance of so common in that kind of set up. Surprisingly, the smaller central stage had better sound quality than the larger north stage.

I’ve stopped talking about the quality of the audience, but damn I’ve not seen a Kill Hannah crowd that active in years.

The Shows

Magic Box (center stage)(3/6): (partial set seen_ I wasn’t particularly a fan of their country overtones so my response is a bit colored) They sound almost completely different recorded, much more coordinated and less twangy. It still had more of a jam session feel than a show feel. The guitarist is just a little behind the beat, which is distracting.

AM Taxi (North stage)(4/6)—AM Taxi has always hovered at the peripheral of my radar, but never quite fully caught my attention. They seem to float around as a second tier band in a lot of the genres I follow. While I wasn’t mind blown, I was impressed. (Front dude) has a gravely voice that lends maturity to an otherwise standard Midwestern post-punk sound. He also enunciates better than most in the punk genera, which I like. On the whole AM Taxi has a sophistication that doesn’t happen often in their genera. Their musicality was not 100% though I attribute some of that to the venue (Outdoor venues have notoriously bad speakers, this was no exception) In order to make it really good, they need to tighten things up just a frication.

The Baseball Project (4/6)- While The Baseball Project were talented and the instrumentation was spot on, I personally just was not a fan. They were clearly professionals with both energy and enthusiasm, but they felt like has-beens, deceptive being on their up climb. They had the style that most bands the play for bigger abundances put forward, but without the experience backing them up. I also found their music immature, it felt like it was meant for children and had an utterly superficial flavor. Their sound was goofy. While there is nothing wrong with fun, bouncy music, this all just felt hackneyed and cheesy.

Kill Hannah (4/6): I have been a long time supporter of this little band. Mat Divine isn’t kidding when he says Kill Hannah has the most loyal fan base around. Devoted fans, and a band that puts all of its heart into giving back to them tenfold makes Kill Hannah feel more like family than anything else. Kill Hannah have always been accessible and gracious.
Their music is both fearless and romantic; Divine’s voice is alternately a whisper and a wildcat screech. He is as talented as he is gracious. And willing to speak with conviction and without any fear of what someone else will say. While he wasn’t 100% on his game musically he made up for it by putting forth an energy I haven’t seen from him in years. He was on fire up there.

They recently acquired a new guitarist who has style. He doesn’t look like much, a puppy face with shaggy hair that all but covers his face. I believe he’s the other guratist’s younger brother, but don’t quote me. That boy can shred like its no one’s business. He is still learning to look up and make eye contact with the audience, but he has great deal of potential.

Bassist Greg Corner has both talent and personality. Off stage he is friendly and a talented DJ. On stage he’s the strong undercurrent in a band with a lot of high-end work, so he often goes unnoticed, but his sound really round things out.

Overall, the band is always fun live. I look forward to more from them.

Kill Hannah’s New Heart for Xmas 8: I'm Alive for Ten More Minutes.

New Heart for Xmas is an eight year running (with one break last year) multi-day event Kill Hannah throws every year.
Day 1: JBTV Studio filming/“Storytellers” event(VIP only)-- The Songs That Saved My Life
5/6
This was my first experience in a recording studio and I spent a lot of time staring at the walls, which were covered in rows of signed, platinum and rare albums. It was an audiophile’s dream. We filed into the small soundstage that was built for Kill Hannah a few years ago. JBTV and Kill Hannah have had a mutually helpful relationship for nearly a decade giving each other their well-deserved places in Chicago history.

Being this close to one of my favorite artists was a once in lifetime moment. It was breathtaking. Hearing their stories was wonderful, I’ve always loved listening to artists talk about their work. I learned a lot about Kill Hannah’s roots and how lyricists/vocalist Mat Devine was inspired to write some of my favorite Kill Hannah songs. There were also a few lovely moments between the members of the band, which is always a pleasure to see.
I am very proud of them and am thrilled to have been a part of the event.

The performance itself was really wonderful and it was interesting watching the band interact with the studio crew. It really felt like we were a part of something bigger.

Day 2:The Show--Welcome To Chicago.
Venue: Bottom Lounge (4/6)
I’ve been to the bottom lounge twice now and I got lost both times because there are two Ashland L stops on the green line. One is on the south side. One is a hop skip and a jump from downtown. Guess where I wound up?
I almost died before I even got to the show.
That being said it is just across the street from the L, very convenient if you don’t get lost. It’s a cozy, not cramped venue with a bar attached and surprisingly decent sound equipment. I found there was minimal distortion and the balance was nice.
And the view was great.

The Bottom Lounge is unique in that it still felt like a concert despite having an under 500 person capacity. Very cozy, yet still a good party.

The Crowd: (3/6) I am continually disappointed in the Kill Hannah crowds. Kill Hannah has an intensely loyal, hardworking street team and fan base, why they can’t give their all at a show is beyond me.

The Show:(4/6)

(Regrettably due to aforementioned getting lost I didn’t make the openers. I will review their albums at a later date)
The most striking thing about last evening was the amount of gratitude the band expressed. Due to singer Mat Devine being on Broadway New Heart for Xmas didn’t happen last year, and there was a lot of talk about how little the band was doing because of the show. There were even questions as to weather or not New Heart would happen this year. The relief in the air was palpable. Especially from bassist, Greg Corner and have course Divine. I don’t know how many times I heard “thank you” from their lips. It felt like magic.

Having met Divine multiple times now and kept up with his blog/advice column it’s hard for me not to adore his work. He wears his heart on his sleeve and even after over ten years in the industry, he has yet to lose his fearless edge. I’ve seen many artists start out fierce and defiant only to wear out after a few albums. While Kill Hannah has gotten a little less raw, Devine has yet to lose his rebellious sense of self.

Devine has an introversion about him. It is as though after all these years he’s still a bit confused by this whole stardom thing. At the end of the day he’s just Mat. This introversion can be a little detrimental on stage, as he doesn’t have the powerhouse energy some do. However, what he lacks in energy he makes up for in emotional output.

While Devine is certainly Kill Hannah's heart, the band is a family. Bassist Greg Corner has an incredible energy about him and a wonderful charm with the fans. He is the most social of the band (also being a DJ for Dark Wave Disco).

Just seeing drummer Elias Millan on stage with them again was wonderful. He was absent from two of the last shows.

I could honestly gush about each member for pages each. They are a very genuine, wonderful band that I will keep coming back to as long as they come to Chicago.

Through the Pain: The Matthew Leone Benefit (the Frantic (unreviewed) Makeshift Prodogy,Local H, Kill Hannah and lovehammers(unreviewed))

The Event (5/5):
Never have I been prouder to make Chicago my home. I think Mat Divine said it best when he said that nowhere else-- not in LA, Not in New York, only in Chicago could this have been pulled off.

I apologize in advance if this section becomes a bit unprofessional; I am extremely passionate about this event.

In case you haven’t been plugged into the Chicago music scene, or missed the news report, let me fill you in.

Madina Lake bassist, Matthew Leone, is home now after needing brain surgery due, because he did a heroic thing, and very nearly paid with his life.

According to his brother, Madina Lake frontman Nathan Leone, Matthew was walking to go meet a friend for a drink when he saw a man assaulting his wife. Matthew intervened, subdued the man called the cops, and the man beat him nearly to death. He suffered severe injuries and was left to die on the sidewalk. The woman left with her husband. (Article and follow up here, here, and here if you’re interested.)
Being a young musician, Matthew had no insurance and barely any money.

So Chicago, being the kind of city it is, stepped up. Many Musicians from Chicago came home to perform at the benefit shows. Not only did musicians donate their time, but also the Hard Rock Hotel and several other organizations donated both space and equipment. . Literally every penny went to Leone via Sweet Relief. Filter even came down and played a few songs when they found out about the show.

If this had happened in LA, he’d be dead. I’m unbelievably proud of all of the bands involved. And deeply honored to be a part of it.

Now, on to the show.

The Venue (3/5)( Hard Rock Hotel):
Honestly, like much of the Hard Rock franchise, it was glossy and pretentious, without real backing for it. The equipment was quality but the sound balance was terrible. Vocals were excessively quiet and the lead guitar was so loud I lost hearing in one ear part way through the show. Before the band I actually came for. It was upsetting.


The Crowd (3/5):
It was the typical Kill Hannah crowd in all honesty. I’ve noticed that the Kill Hannah audience does not have the same energy that the band they follow does. I love the fan community, I do, but I’ve seen how much they look up to these people-- they should act like it. You’re at a rock show for peat’s sake, not watching TV. Give back what is being thrown to you.

When filter made their surprise appearance, the crowd lit up like new years in time square and I think it primed them fro Kill Hannah. Which really turned up the energy of the overall show, but sit was still not the kind of energy I would expect.


The show itself:

Makeshift Prodigy (3/5)
This band has improved since the last time I reviewed them. I feel I owe my readers a bit of an apology, I was nervous when I wrote the original review as one of the people who work with them was going to be reading it, so I erred on the side of being nice.

These people are good, no question, but honestly they need more grab. They are great to listen to but there is nothing keeping me interested. They are one of those bands that I don’t actively listen to, but every time I hear one of their songs when my mp3 player is on shuffle I think, “wow, who are these guys?” and love it. But something isn’t quite making me actively seek them out. I can’t quite put my finger on what exactly it is.

Part of it is they need to hone the coordination of their instrumentation and work on balancing the parts. Also front man, Anthony Banagara needs to articulate his words more clearly. He has a lovely voice, but it’s hard to understand the lyrics live.

I can tell you what they aren’t missing though: Energy and presence. These people are constantly in motion; Bangara is simply off the hook, literally doing back flips off the piano. All of them are in constant motion. You can’t help but watch.

Local H (4/5)
As a warning due to the above mentioned speaker issues I actually lost my hearing in one ear half way through their set so my review is little truncated.
What a pleasant surprise! I had only heard of “Local H” in passing, maybe seen them on a few lineups, but never really listened to them. For a starter, front man guitarist and bassist Scott Lucas’ voice has slight gravel to live that doesn’t exist recorded. It’s sexy. Lucas is of a slight build, so it’s quite a surprise to hear the voice of a seasoned gunslinger come out of his mouth.

Despite having seen just him and his guitar for most of the show, he had a strong presence and fantastic energy. He is playing was often dramatic, and very well done. I was intrigued to learn that on the albums he plays everything but the drums, an impressive feat indeed. Lucas’ lyrics grab the listener’s attention forcefully especially in the song “Hands on the Bible.”


Extent, catching, energy.

Kill Hannah (4/5): I adore these people; even half deaf they were a treat to see. Mat Devine has wonderful energy and presence with a band that is full of talented members, flawless coordination and with songs that are steeped in passion, jadedness, and hope all at once. I’ve previously gushed at great length about how dear Kill Hannah’s music is to me.

Mat also knows how to work a crowd, and his fans are devoted enough to know exactly how to respond. The result is an intimate give and take with wonderful, touching moments.

The band itself is also in constant motion, however it all happens so smoothly that its hardly noticeable until one of them is standing in front of you.

They are wonderful performers, very talented artists, and very kind to their fans.


I Have to add something here, I feel their tour guitarist, Michael Maddox, is a wonderful performer, and has a very good rapport with the fans. I would love to see him take the place of former guitarist Johnny Ratdke as a permanent member.


Great show, average venue to be honest. Truly wonderful cause.

Bamboozel 2010: Kill Hannah, 3OH!3 at the Charter One Pavillion

Bamboozle (8/10): Music festivals are an entirely different animal than most other shows. They tend to be outside and people don’t usually come explicitly for one artist. Some people come just for the atmosphere. Overpriced beer and junk-food may not be as appealing in other arenas but when you’re hanging out with friends and hearing live music, to some that is excellent.
And of course, there’s the music, for the price of one show (or less for some festivals) you can see multiple artists. The sets and the fame usually get bigger as the night progresses.

In Bamboozle’s case it was $35 for up to twelve acts (some were DJ). I was a little more selective than that and went to just three acts(I skipped reviewing Treaty of Paris as I was exhausted) and overheard the rest. One of the things that made Bamboozle unique from what I’ve seen is that you could actually see all of the acts present. There was no overlap between sets. While this meant shorter sets, it also meant you didn’t have to pick and choose. The side stage was also close to the main stage so you didn’t have to bolt between sets.

This was like the speed dating of festivals. other festivals i’ve seen are 3 days or more with 1-2 hour sets (my old home town, Milwaukee festival Summerfest (warning flash site), is a full 11 days long) Bamboozle managed to cram what could have been two days worth of music into one. The result could have been catastrophic, but it was amazing. The sets i saw were only 30 minutes a piece, and were very close together.

The Venue--( Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island)(7/10) I feel like im comparing apples to oranges when rating an outdoor venue against indoor venues. They are really differnt animals. The Charter One Pavilion has an enormous 7,500 person capcity, yet I’ve been in several plces at the venue and you can generally see fairly well (exception is the par for the corse 6 foot tall guy in front of my 5’1“ self, which thankfully didn’t happen this go). Another nice thing about sprawling outdoor venues is you get all the volume without as much pain on the ears. This venue has been suprisingly cheep too. I think the most I’ve paid for a show there was $75.

I feel most of the downsides are part of the nature of outside venues (weather, not as clean). However, the food and beverage prices are a bit ridiculous even for a concert ($4-5 for a 20oz bottle of water, $8 for nachos)

There was one odd nice touch, the merch booth took credit cards wich I’ve never seen before at an outdoor festival, heck some indoor shows don’t take credit, wich was a huge load off my mind.

The crowd--(6/10) The usual festival crowd which was a mix of very lively fans and laid back folks who were just there for the festival. A very comfortable, but hard to rate and even harder to anylize crowd.

On to the shows:

First Act-- (Kill Hannah)(7/10) An old favorite of mine that I’ve gushed over repeatedly, so I’ll keep it short. This was the welcome home show after an intense three week tour of Europe. They were wonderful as usual, with front man Mat Divine’s powerhouse energy and unique voice carried over a set that comprised of as many songs as the band could play in thirty minutes. It was a pleasure to see the guys back on their home stomping grounds.

And even more of a pleasure to see the guys Just hanging out and signing and chatting with fans. It was not the traditional Meet them from behind a table, be forced to buy a CD and wait in a huge line set up. They were just there among the people. While not part of the set, i found it really cool how amicable they are with their fans.

Second Act (3OH!3) (8/10): A total surprise considering It took a very long time for me to warm up to their recorded work and even now I only really like a few songs. They really brought the metaphoric house down.
3OH!3 is an odd band that is hard to figure out what to make of (according to wikipeda they are ”crunkcore“ I’d put them closer to hip-hop). On first listen their lyrics are rude, and seem sexist but there is something inexplicably catchy about it. However, the more i listen to them, the more i think they are parodying the hip hop culture, a bold move for young men who very clearly don’t look like they are a part of that culture. Its tongue in cheek that often comes very close to the style it is parodying.

Frontmen Nat Motte and Sean Forman were smashing on stage. I’ve never seen a hip hop show live before, and this was really something. The two of them were not only very articulate but incredibly fast spoken. I found myself genuinely liking them which frankly surprised me. They also took a moment to introduce the rest of the band, a nice touch and balanced the set nicely only intruding one completely new song, which the crowd liked as much as the previous set.

Electronic is hard to balance, and I think they did a very nice job incorporating electronic elements without it being a distraction.


Overall a good show.

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.

Album Review: Kill Hannah Wake Up the Sleepers.

Song order is often critical to an album’s presentation, even with the advent of shuffle buttons. The balance and the opening are especially critical.
Kill Hannah does a lovely job here kicking off their newest album Wake Up The Sleepers with a song that hit me as an artist like a fist.
Highlights:
Radio: every band needs a song like this. The song that says we did this despite what other people thought and we owe it to you, our fans. In the spirit of front man Mat Devine’s bold personality, this song is one part thank you letter to the city and medium that made Kill Hannah, one part flipping the bird to the people that said they’d never make it. This song brings a shiver to my spine as an artist. I only hope to ever be able to say what this song says about my own work.

New York City Speed: I wasn’t in a good environment the fist time I heard “New York City Speed,” but it still managed to catch me. Utterly fearless and defiant, it speaks of living fast in the moment. Like “Welcome to Chicago,” (released originally on a one-track single: Welcome to Chicago, Motherfucker!) “New York City Speed” screams the name of its namesake city.

Living in Misery: Slow songs are not something Kill Hannah is known for, but this little beauty illustrates Devine’s wistful, touching lyrics beautifully. This song is for the misfits the way “Unwanted” (From For Never and Ever). With a lovely, almost gospel-like harmony at the end that made the hair on my arms stand up.


Why I have My Grandma’s Sad Eyes: Mat Devine’s lyrics once again speak of coming back from pain. Even his despairing songs whisper hope. This song quotes another song which I haven’t been able to track down with the words “Universe wrap your arms around me, make me strong so I can take on anyone.” This little line I think encompasses the song. One part admitting vulnerability one part seeking hope this little gem inspires

Escape artistry: This is a spirited song that I think anyone who’s ever been trapped in one place for too long can identify with this dancy, brazen song.

Promise Me: This one actually made me stop what I was doing the first time I heard it. It was so different from most of what Kill Hannah does. Stripped of the electronic rhythms and complex tones of their usual songs. This song has one very simple background note. The lyrics are a caress, a whispered entreaty not to be forgotten. Its a simple, beautiful song.

Overall review:
I was left wordless by the last new track on this album, so it took me a moment to get to writing this  review.  In this album, Kill Hanna keeps pushing and honing the style that is unquestionably their own. For those of you that haven’t heard Kill Hannah they are one part alt rock, two parts electronica. Mat Devine has an effeminate voice that I thought belonged to a woman when I first heard it. Its lovely in conjunction with lyrics that Mat himself has said come from the heart and a beat you can dance to. This album experiments a little more with both the vocals and the over all sound. It also has a nice balance of slow and fast songs.
(4.5/5. This album is nearly perfect)

The Tenderbox, Kill Hannah and She Wants Revenge at The Vic Theater (10/1/09)

The Venue (see previous review of The Vic)I was smart this time and did not use the bathroom.

The Crowd: (2/5). Ugh. A too small crowd that kept staring at the stage wondering when their song/ band would come on. A little better for the opener but frankly, bored.

The First Opener ( The Tenderbox )(2.5/5)-- This little band tried very hard, and put fourth a lot of effort to get the crowd (which was having none of it) moving. They put forth a good effort. However, they were only all right in terms of talent and had no stage presence to speak of. I think they'll probably get better, but at this point in time they fell flat. I can't really comment on their lyrical content, as I cannot find their lyrics online and don’t feel they’re worth purchasing the album at this time.

The Second Opener (Kill Hannah)(4/5) Despite Kill Hannah being the band I came for I had relatively low hopes going in as electronically driven music often doesn’t translate well to stage. From the moment front man Mat Devine ran out onto the stage he gave 110%. Devine was full of energetic dancing, all but leaping into the crowd. I think he even got some of the stubborn She Wants Revenge fans moving. I could tell that this show meant absolutely the world to these guys (that its their home city and nearly coincides with their album release was really something). These are Chicago boys, and it shows.


I gravitate toward strong lyrics and Kill Hannah is no exception. They have some very intense songs, and you can feel the passion in them. The lyrics have the same intensity their performance does. Whether it be the almost flirtatious daredevil song "Lips like Morphine,” or the pained but still energetic "Unwanted," Kill Hannah brings a very strong, heartfelt lyrics and a fast no-fear energy that stays strong even after they’ve left the stage.


One of the first things that struck me about Mathew Devine was his effeminate voice, which could have sounded shy with tamer lyrics. The voice fits the man-- a slight, archetypal pretty boy. Devine’s quavering tone is complemented nicely by fierce lyrics and powerful energy. This surreal dynamic creates something truly unique


The Main Act (She Wants Revenge) (3/5): Admittedly, it’s hard to impress me when I only know one or two of your songs and I’m already tired from dancing my legs off to the opener, but I like to give it my all even for artists I’m not that familiar with. I have some of She Wants Revenge’s albums so I was familiar with their sound and a couple of their songs.

I danced merrily but I caught myself yawning, which is unusual for me, as I tend to get a buzz off the energy at a good show. So, I thought about it a little as I danced, and sure enough I yawned again. I focused my attention trying to discern what was causing this.

And then it hit me.

Despite the energy of the crowd, which had picked up substantially by that point and Front man very articulate singing style and smooth voice. Front man, Justin Warfield had very dull energy and he absorbed the energy the crowd generated but gave nothing back. It took me just another moment to determine that he was also quite arrogant.

His attitude was effectively demonstrated when a fan tossed an obviously hand painted graffiti style hat onto the stage. Warfield picked it up. Now I’ve seen artist show what I call the "gift face" when they receive something they're not sure what to make of, but they tend to be gracious and flattered. Not so here. Warfield looked at it, made fun of it briefly, and tossed it back into the crowd.

One of the things I have very little patience for is people being ungrateful toward those who put them where they are. These are your fans.

Even Warfield’s dancing and the way he moved on stage was always at a distance from the audience. Part of that I know is the "indier than thou," posh style he was presenting. However, that’s no excuse to be rude. Even the poshest people in existence know how to be grateful.

On the other side of the coin, Justin Warfield’s lyrics are a lot of fun and very articulate, if dominated by one subject: seduction. His songs are full of flirty, almost too deliberate lyrics, which are regrettably not sung from the heart. He doesn’t even manage to be cheeky in his dispassion.

There is centrally talent in the music, especially the vocals and the keyboard. Keyboardist Adam Bravin had the most passion of the entire group and it showed in his wonderful performance. I would that the front man had that kind of passion.