Tonight : Our first show in Missoula. White Mystery, Magpies, and more...

Tonight in Missoula, Montana, we begin what will hopefully end up being a decently lengthy series of shows.  Chicago's White Mystery, Organs from NYC, and Missoula's excellent Magpies, BOYS.  Thanks to Hana Mt. for the flyer!

April also will see us hosting two shows by another Chicago favorite, THE FUNS.  Info below.  With the closing of Zoo City Apparel, and the options for all-ages dwindling, we're honored to help the Z.A.C.C. "bsmt" take off once again, and to host 3 all-ages shows.  The others will be hosted at our favorite, seemingly unstoppable bar, the VFW post 209.  If you watched the Treefort video below, it's true, the folks at the VFW209 in Montana have made a spectacular resurgence effort, and are killing it!  If you're around, or have friends in the area, let 'em know!

April 21st @ THE Z.A.C.C. "BSMT"! :
THE FUNS, CRIMINAL CODE, KING ELEPHANT, NEEDLECRAFT

April 22nd @ Ole Beck VFW!
THE FUNS, BAD NAKED, I HATE YOUR GIRLFRIEND, BUDDY JACKSON

If you're around, hope to see you there.  All the best.

A 37 minute case for Treefort Music Festival 2013.

Treefort Music Festival 2013 from GONZO CHICAGO on Vimeo. 

I knew nothing about Boise, Idaho. When Missoula based BOYS told me I could tag along to their show at the second annual Treefort Music Festival, I happily agreed.  Impose Magazine jumped on board.  What I didn't remember was that I was heading to the very same festival that caught my eye, through that very site, in 2012. One comment to that article is that more people got off their asses to go to shows in Boise after this festival. I can only see that happening again after this particular weekend. To say it was one of the best festivals I have been to lately is an understatement. Over 200 bands, a dozen venues. Boise, Idaho became a haven for any type of music you could ever want to see. The small venues sealed the deal. It's not a new concept, however, I can assure you that the energy felt here was thicker than what I've felt in a while. It reminded me of the most potent warehouse shows in Chicago. The large main stage, notorious energy killers, even had the vibe of Chicago's smaller street fests like Do-Division. Sure, what we saw in Boise exists many places, but there was a rabid passion for a shared musical experience that made all the difference.

We stayed in a house that has DIY shows. Boise's Ditch Tiger calls it home. A living room and a strong ethic to make things happen in exactly the way you want. The right way. The comfortable way. The fun way. Treefort Music Festival engulfed Boise entirely. The El Korah Shriners palace, from what I understand, had never hosted a rock show. Over the weekend, they had some of the best. Built to Spill, Quasi, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Foxygen. The shriners held down the door and shilled spectacular $5 trucker hats. I bought one.

It was a golden opportunity to see a slew of bands I'd never heard of. For it's second year, it all went extremely smooth. They lost a main act with the cancellation of Animal Collective. The lineup shifted. In four days of wrecking myself running from venue to venue, only one band started late. Lines moved as quickly as they could. The security was nice. The staff was overly accommodating, and I didn't hear one remotely negative thing the whole weekend, despite brisk temperatures for the main stage. You have to give it to Eric Gilbert and crew for having the guts to put on a festival with a large main stage in March. It could have been a disaster, but it wasn't. The whole thing is a testament to Boise, Idaho, really. A collective of people who want to do it right. Embedding myself in Missoula, Montana for a year, I'm seeing sides of the country I never would have before. Not just tour runoff from Portland and Seattle, but whole new communities that could and do exist everywhere.

Many bands I talked to were having the time of their life. Deathfix, in particular, seemed really happy hanging out with everybody. Talking freely to many of past endeavors of Fugazi, Medications, and Faraquet. I have a bit of video I should have put in here. I could have edited it for months, but I just want you to see this.

I could talk all day about the acts, how much fun everyone had, the love shown for playing to a crowd that's really excited to be in the moment. As always, I'd rather show you. I think this video captures the spirit of it all. Bands, this festival should be in your thoughts when booking your spring 2014 tours. If the second year was this good, it's surely something to keep on your radar for years to come.

'Cast' in order of appearance:
Dan Deacon
BOYS
The Walkmen
Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band
The Thermals
White Lung
Quasi
YACHT
Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt!
Deep Sea Diver
Youth Lagoon
Digital Leather
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings
Built To Spill
Foxygen
Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Japanther
Finn Riggins
Little Ruckus
TEENS
Camper Van Beethoven
Naomi Punk
w/ Ditch Tiger, The Pharmacy

Thanks :
BOYS
Eric Gilbert
Matt Dalley
Neil Fridd
Emily Kempf
Treefort Staff (and their 300 volunteers)
Impose
Ditch
Dan Deacon
Albert Schatz

Rest in peace, Roger Ebert.

May you be dancing on the red carpet above.  June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013

Watch : TAR reunite at the 2012 PRF BBQ.

TAR - PRF BBQ 2012 from GONZO CHICAGO on Vimeo.

Ah, the PRF BBQ.  Doing things the right way can be a bit more difficult, but it's always worth the effort.  This group of people, they live by that rule.  This year's rendition of the fabled festival brought a mess of good things to a warehouse in Ravenswood.  Kegs of really good beer for donation.  Donated sausages from Hot Doug's.  More bands than your legs would allow you to stand and watch.  All of the proceeds went to charity.  People flew in from all over the place, and for good reason.  This was TAR's first show in 17 years.  These are the first few songs.

A Night in Missoula : 3 live recordings.

The Plurals

Three live recordings from a November night at the Ole Beck VFW Hall.  Lansing, Michigan's The Plurals, I Hate Your Girlfriend, and a new song by Magpies.

Turning a VFW hall into a music space is not a new idea.  However, when this particular VFW is helping to fill a void in all-ages venues, it's all the more important.  The fabled "BSMT" and "The Lab" having closed within the last year, Missoula kids did what any healthy music scene does : they kept going, found new spaces, kept booking shows.  However, the cycle continues, and the all-ages crowd got another blow this week.

Zoo City Apparel, a space that just hosted Thee Oh Sees and White Mystery, sadly announced a few days ago they will be ceasing all-ages shows.  ZCA is a clothing collective churning out the awesome "406" (check the White Mystery poster) line of clothing, which will remain in production with the help of another company who just purchased their clothing line.  The racks were put away, a fresh stage built. A short-lived, wholly DIY minded space that could have existed anywhere, holding donation, BYOB shows.  It's a monumental effort to keep an all ages space like this going, and they deserve to be applauded for selflessly making it happen in the first place.  Having seen quite a few shows there, including one last night, we're sad to see it go.

Sioux City Pete and the Beggars

Thankfully, the Ole Beck can and does host all-ages shows, and instead of slowing down, seem to be going full bore since we arrived in September.  I can only imagine this will grow exponentially with ZCA's closing.  They've done what many before them have, but also turned it into one of Missoula's most enjoyable places to see music.  It works, due to the people involved.  Endlessly hospitable.  The "most forgiving bartenders" as labeled by Kate Whittle.  Classically, the bands serve your drinks.  The shows, on average, $2-5.  The acts?  Great locals mixed with stellar touring bands like The Plurals, Sioux City Pete and the Beggars, and close neighbors Sam Platts & the Kootenai Three.  We just booked White Mystery April 10th, with a show by The Funs to follow.


BOYS

Missoula's scene is impressive for its size.  The ability to seek out noise, yet be able to drive 10 minutes to obscenely gorgeous scenery, has twisted my brain.  Shortly after moving here, one of our favorite locals, Magpies, took us on a short trek to Helena.  On Friday, we head back, this time alongside I Hate Your Girlfriend, old-school Missoula band VTO as well as Magpies.  Helena's independent scene basically consists of one venue. Jester's   Missoula bands make the trek more often than you'd think, the last time being just months ago.  Touring acts coming through are a stream of locals from a whole other area.  Different from what we're used to, it's great to watch.  I can only imagine how things will heat up as this mild winter comes to an end.  Missoula bands like King Elephant, Skin Flowers, Buddy Jackson, BOYS, and Shahs keep us heading out.

So much more to come from both sides of the country.  Stay tuned.


Sam Platts & the Kootenai Three


King Elephant

Listen : Bomb Banks - Beauty is the Beast

Jenna Caravello

When you go to shows obsessively, seek out noise, you watch a lot of bands grow.  You get to enjoy when a familiar potent live moment comes to those uninitiated.  The energy and volume making people physically react, even if they don't want to.  For well over the last year, a band called Bomb Banks has been terrorizing Chicago's cramped basements and unique all-ages spaces.  More than once making everyone uncomfortable, making them yell and scream back, impatiently shift, or start a circle pit.  However, there's no schtick here.  Just energy.

Together, a consistently entertaining three piece that's constantly evolving after dozens of shows, yet you could probably count the times they've played a "normal venue" on one hand.  They'd like to play your all ages show, please

Not People is out now on cassette via Love Lion. If you're in Chicago on Wednesday, RSVP to their Empty Bottle show for free entrance and spend that money supporting a great local tape label.

10 of our favorite photos we took in 2012.

2012 was intense.  A heavy year for Chicago, and many other places.  The windy city saw two of it's best DIY spaces shut their doors, others open, and the cycle continues.  We are a resilient bunch.  Bands we loved last year continued to grow and prove that the Chicago underground is still alive and will remain so.  As we type this from Missoula, Montana, this article by Kate Whittle, our new friend in the northwest, hits close to home.  We can already see the sprouts being planted for 2013.  We're eager to return to our windy city we call home in the summer, but there's work to be done here.  There's a lot up our sleeve for the new year, and we couldn't be more excited.  Missoula has a lot in common with Chicago, and it's been amazing to document, explore, and dig into.

Chicago was on fire when we left, and we hope you're taking advantage of it.  Get into the basement.  Even though we're out of town, we're keeping a watchful eye on it all, so watch our social media for the more gnarly shows you should attend in 2013.  Acts like The Funs, Heavy Times, Toupee, The Hecks, ONO, countless others playing their hearts to dust in cramped basements and dark spaces.  We'll have another year in review for 2012 in January.  Footage of the Sonic Coalition.  There's a ton of great things coming soon.  While you wait, here are 10 of our favorite moments we captured as the year flew by.  Thanks for the kind words and support.  It means a lot.  Onward!  


April Camlin, with her alter ego, Glucuous. Mortville. Part of a benefit for C.A.K.E.



A "Brain Frame" production.  The amazing Lyra Hill holding the hand of Tyson Tortensen.



Columba Fasciata at the final "Enemy" show.



Ian Williams, before Battles played Bottom Lounge.



Kevin J. Frank, Jay Ryan and crew channel Fugazi as a performance labeled "Instrument".  This was during the spectacular yearly PRF BBQ.



ONO.  Permanent Records.  Record Store Day 2012.




Impossible basement crowdsurfing at Situations.  The first ever "Chicago Sonic Coalition".   More info 



Running.  Record Store Day 2012.  Take 10 minutes and listen to the audio equivalent of getting away with murder.



Snacks : the best party you probably never went to.  Like Running, this is true punk rock in 2012.  Their drummer (who also hits things for an equally impressive band that shares members called Close Hits) is currently in school in another state, but when he comes back, this happens.  Keep an eye out.



Thee Oh Sees in our new temporary residence, Missoula, Montana.  This is a DIY-minded arts and clothing collective called "Zoo City Apparel".  Stay tuned.

Watch : Reggie Watts live at The Badlander. Missoula, MT.

This town continues to amaze us.  Reggie Watts grew up in Montana, so naturally, he had a lot to say at The Badlander in Missoula on a cold December night.  The Badlander "complex" is part of a multi-venue space nestled downtown.  The Badlander as a venue reminds me of a western Empty Bottle, whereas the basement space, The Palace, has vibes of the Cake Shop in NYC.  There's also a pretty great bar and casino attached under the name Golden Rose.  Having spent a little time in each in a few short months, I'm sure there's hundreds of stories for each room.  I even have a few myself.  Reggie continues to prove that he's one of the most well-rounded acts around.  Blending music and comedy in a performance is something so many others try and fail to do well.  He nails it.  Chris Fairbanks, another hilarious Montana native, and "the only other working Montana comic", opened.  Thanks to The Badlander for hosting.

Watch : Football (the band)

Football is, for now, a great-american rock n' roll past-time from the likes of Jered Gummere, R. Srini, Jim Hollywood, and Mike Lust.  A big squishy mess of local good guys.  A few of them just moved to Milwaukee for some reason.  They've been in the Ponys, Baseball Furies, Hot Machines.  Ridiculously solid noise and hooks, with the energy of a bunch of 16 years olds.  Catch them the next time they play, as Chicago Reader put it, they're indeed the "best band that could self-destruct at any moment".

Watch : Doomsday Student - "World Without Teeth"

You know who these men are. They have been other men. 

Who they were before does not matter. What matters most is who they are now. 

These men, with two menacing guitars, violent drums, and persuasive words will control your thoughts. They will build bunkers out of your bones. They will make weapons out of your teeth. They will drink your tears and feed on your meat. 

They will.

Filmed at Empty Bottle.

European tour is wrapping up.  Check the dates.  Enjoy.