Watch : A GET BENT! Birthday : Strychnine, The Hecks, Nones

Our friends at GET BENT! had a birthday party with some of our favorite Chicago bands.  Only fitting we should go check it out.  Strychnine opened it up right with some garage-punk reminiscent of the Sonics.  If all is right with the world, you'll probably start seeing The Hecks around a lot more.  Some seriously good Brainiac style guitar work, driving drums, and just plain refreshing songwork from a new Chicago two-piece.  They just opened for Black Dice, garnering praise from more than a few people I know that had never seen 'em.  Nones are on Hozac, and bring a sort of Jesus Lizard esque vibe to the closing of it all.  Enjoy.

Watch : Mayor Daley - "15 Silver Arrows"

Something happened when Emily Elhaj joined Mayor Daley over a year ago, alongside Kelly Marie Carr and Paul Erschen. They seem more focused and a little more mellow, but in a way that forces your attention and breathes its own air in the room. They let the fuzz and rhythm ooze out slowly, but eventually, undeniably, you're encompassed. These are slow, building, sonic war-cries. I've heard the term "best band in Chicago" multiple times over the last year.

While that's certainly debatable, Mayor Daley's live show is definitely something that sticks around in your head for a while afterwards. You grab a stiff drink and light up. Close your eyes. It's hard to capture on video, the songs averaging around the 10 minute mark, but I've tried about ten different times. My most successful attempt is below, with a mostly still camera mimicking the turns of a human's body. The new LP, Sand Bath, will be out July 4 on Rotted Tooth Records. Watch, and take a listen to the just-recorded versions of "15 Silver Arrows", and a killer 12 minute "Plastic Light" below.

Stream the new songs.  Also, they're going on tour soon.  Venues to be added :

6/9 (Sat) Dustbowl w/ forced into femininity, etc.
6/16 (Sat) Mortville CAKE (comics group) benefit w/Ono, Toupee, Witch Hat.
6/28 (Mon)Empty Bottle.
7/6 Iowa City, IA (Friday)
7/7 Minneapolis, MN (Saturday)
*7/8 ACRE Benefit –Burlington (Sunday)
7/13 Kansas City, KS (Friday)
7/14 Columbia, MO (Saturday)
7/15 St. Louis, MO (Sunday)
7/16 OFF (Monday)
7/17 New Orleans, LA (Tuesday)
7/18 Atlanta, GA (Wednesday)
7/19 Asheville, NC (Thursday)
7/20 Baltimore, MD (Friday)
7/21 New York, NY #1 (Saturday)
7/22 New York, NY #2 (Sunday)
7/23 Providence, RI (Monday)
7/24 Boston, MA (Tuesday)
7/25 Rochester/Albany, NY (Wednesday)
7/26 Cleveland, OH (Thursday)
7/27 HOME (Friday)

Listen : BOX - Live at Situations last night...

12 minutes of loud, guttural rock n' roll.  Chicago's BOX.  A two piece with members of Forced into Femininity.  Not quite metal, not quite hardcore, it's a slap in the face when presented as an opener.  Especially on a Wednesday night in a small basement.  This is sadly only half of their set.  Blame whiskey and technical difficulties.  The bill also included Bomb Banks, Russian Tsarlag, and PPPMMM.  Enjoy.

Watch : A new, untitled T'BONE song....

T'bone are one of our favorite bands in Chicago.   Jokey lyrics, but not to a detriment.  Absolutely bonkers drumming by Ed Bornstein.  Solid pop songs.  Definitely a band to catch live, though the record is spectacular.  This is a new song that's so fresh it doesn't even have a name.  Filmed in "Nowheresville", 2012.

An afternoon with Running, ONO, and The Runnies.

Record Store Day in Chicago means in-stores, and lots of them.  While it's impossible for one to hit them all, we sure as hell tried.  Here's a guided tour to some of our favorite bands and spaces, all in one day.  Running have a new record, "Asshole Savant" out on Captcha Records.  ONO have been a staple of the Chicago underground for over 20 years.  The Runnies, well, they just rule.  Filmed at Reckless Records, Saki, and Permanent Records.  Enjoy

Watch : Willis Earl Beal live at the Hideout

"Don't wait to for nobody to discover you....discover your goddamn self". Willis Earl Beal is on everybodys watch list for good reason.  The talent is there.  Nabbed up by the XL imprint Hot Charity, he's seemingly still crafting a solo show that fits his liking.

The Chicago south-side native described "Acousmatic Sorcery" as "some shit that I did when I didn't know what I was doing", and that it's "not what you saw here".  His live show was simple backing by tape that gave a little more gravity to the lines he was singing.  It worked.  He also jumped on the Hideout's piano for a song.  At the end, an announcement that he was "not a musician", but a "motivational speaker of harmonious intentions."  A great show.  Keep an eye out.  Enjoy.

Watch : Wild Flag psych out, cover Fugazi

We captured some footage via BV Chicago of Wild Flag covering Fugazi, psyching the fuck out, and going ape at the Metro. Still surprised by this band. Girls just wanna have fun.

Watch : Timmy's Organism - "Scum Revolution"

"I'm part panther!" Human Eye's Timmy Vulgar and his cohorts Timmy's Organism dedicate "Scum Revolution" to Christmas Woods and the rest of us derelicts at Chicago's killer Burlington back-room. This was at the Guilty Pleasures reunion. Enjoy.

Tonight : Over 14 new bands are formed. Mines + Mystreater also playing...

Chicago : Tonight at Treasure Town, we draw 60+ musicians names from a hat. Those names will form over 14 new bands. Those new bands, they have 2 months to create a set of new music, to be played for you.

Welcome to the Chicago Sonic Consortium. This is not a new concept, as Cleveland had their "Lottery League", Milwaukee has "All Messed Up", and so forth, but with the amount of talent in this city, how could we not put this together? Come hang out at Treasure Town, as Mines, Mystreater, and Magic Ian will be playing for you as well. 9PM. Bring a few bucks for these fine folks, as gas is really quite stupid expensive. Be there!

Mines :


Mystreater :

Watch : Heavy Times - "Might Not Shoot Myself"

New Heavy Times jams! The dancing bearded fellow screamed and yelled into the night. Surely you could hear him in the previously filmed Paper Mice song. He had his fun, and we had ours. Filmed in a very cramped "Situations" basement. Movement was difficult, but this one sounds so good, we had to share. Enjoy!