YACHT cover "Burn and Rub" by Paleface, "Nausea".......02/28/10

Yacht came to the Empty Bottle in Chicago with Bobby Birdman and made me a believer. "Best New Music" indeed. Ridiculously nice people who knew and loved Brainiac and busted out some serious guitar work and noise. This is good dance music people.

Below are two covers, Paleface's "Burn and Rob" in the dark, and "Nausea" !

YACHT - Covers "Nausea" and "Burn and Rob" from GONZO CHICAGO on Vimeo.

R.I.P HALFWAY HOUSE : : Loft Show Hopping : Crazy-ass hardcore crowd, Halfway House gets busted up, Chicago, 2/20/10

Too dark, but must go up anyway, a lighter version will be up when I stop using Windows Movie Maker on a laptop from 2001.

Really now....

The craziest crowd I have ever seen at a DIY space was last night, as shown after the first small clip. Was way late, got there at 9:30, it started around 7 / 8. Caught the last two bands of four, which i believe these are Neurons and Raw Nerve. Had never been here. Cool spot with low ceilings. The guy in the red shirt drained every single drop of energy during their set. It seems everyone did. This was sheer insanity. Even inebriated, you could just feel the energy of that circle. Truly a whirlwind. WTF is going on at some of those points? Dude holding your face, are you okay?

The second show started at 10:30 at Halfway House. I knew nothing about it until a text came at 9:00. Nothing on the internet.... three? bands played, and cops were everywhere toward the end.. 12? cars outside. Gangbusters. Nice mixture of bands. Donation stuff. Amazingly layout. Space to walk around even though there were shitloads of people. It sounded like they're going to tear you guys apart!

I , and most people, really appreciate what you guys are doing to have these shows. Cheers to you all.


******** UPDATE ********** EVERYONE @ Halfway got evicted, EVERY floor?!

Dammit. First time there, loved it. WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DID GUYS! :(

St Vincent came to the Metro....

...completely blowing me away. 2/18. I had only heard a handful of songs and the full album once as low backround noise to work.

I sensed it would be a really good one, so I posted a craigslist ad three hours before the show to test my luck. A wonderful girl answered my craigslist ad for tickets UNDER face! I hadn't heard more than a handful of St. Vincent songs, but from what I heard, I knew i'd like it. I'm happy I went. This ruled. I just listened to this song on record and it is not like this. This version ...jeez...just....heart on the floor.

Enjoy.

Marnie Stern destroying a dog's ears....Permanent Records Chicago

Marnie Stern came and played the wonderful Permanent Records. The vocal amp blew out. They laughed and kept playing. Beers were drank. That dogs ears are screwed. I left a fan of Marnie Stern. 08???

This was the first song...

NEW REIGNING SOUND - Subterranean , Chicago, 2009

WHAT IS THIS SONG?!?!?! I don't think it's a cover.

Reigning Sound played the Subterranean in 2009.

I really thought a few people there were either going to throw their voice of from screaming like madmen, or just hyperventilate and pass out.

People were WILD happy to be there, and so were they.

My friend Andy Junk dragged me out to this, and for that, I am grateful. I was not well versed in the catalogue of Cartwright, and am not easily impressed.

I was blown away.

Enjoy.

REIGNING SOUND - OMGWTF? NEW????? Subterranean Chicago 2009 from John Yingling on Vimeo.

The Life and Times - Dull Knives

The Life and Times came to the Empty Bottle and made the next night's Cold War Kids set seem dull and uninspired.

Epley lives in Chicago now.

Enjoy.

Dear Summer, hurry.....

Serious snow.

Being originally from Wisconsin, I could normally tend to care less.

Last year's lineups of tiny street festivals was stupid good. Menomena, White Rabbits, Handsome Furs, Flossatradamus, Harlem Shakes, Thao, Night Marchers etc. at Ribfest and Do Division

Tapes n Tapes and Art Brut played the first ever "green fest".

Haymarket Riot and Turbo Fruits played to NOBODY at the first ever...what...Metronome fest???? NOBODY!!!! Turbofruits were happy to drive to drive that long just to get $600. Me and two dudes rocked out.

Made for great footage.

It was a huge fucking surprise.

Hope this summers line-ups can compete.

Hideout needs a proper block party this year.

New ENON Song - EMPTY BOTTLE - JUNE 2009

Enon came to the Empty Bottle and played a bunch of new songs in June of 2009. They played with Eat Sugar and Kinetic Stereo Kids.

They also played Rubber Car and Biofeedback.

These other new ones will also be up rather soon, as it was a phenomenal show.

Enjoy some new Enon!

Pavement, Modest Mouse to play Pitchfork Fest 2010...

Oh shit.

Line-up so far :

Friday, July 16:

-- Modest Mouse

Saturday, July 17:

-- LCD Soundsystem
-- Raekwon
-- Here We Go Magic

Sunday, July 18:

-- Pavement
-- St. Vincent
-- Lightning Bolt
-- Cass McCombs
-- Sleigh Bells

Ticket get.

These Arms Are Snakes - Sad to see you go...

These Arms Are Snakes broke up in January. I think my head still hurts from the last show. I'm saddened to see them go, but if it had to be done it had to be done.

Some argued the greatness of their most recent album, but I felt it to be really solid.

If they think it was time, who am I to argue.

This, my friends, is a song called Idaho, from the Subterranean show in 2009. Personally, this was my favorite time I ever saw them. Partly because they opened with this fucking song. They sure did love that place. Such a fitting venue for this band to tear to pieces.

"You stole all my love, and I.....WANT IT BACK"

ISLANDS ARE FOREVER...

Islands came to the Subterranean in 2009, without a string section, and killed it. a rapless Whalebone was played. I think I popped a few blood vessels. In support of Vapours, which I think is some of the catchiest stuff they've ever done.

A story was told about going into a town that they truly believe was the REAL Sleepy Hollow.

The Michael Cera video cape was in full effect.

Below, Switched On.

Enjoy...

Chinese Stars just want to destroy your eardrums...

Chinese Stars have become one of my favorite live bands. They remind me of Brainiac. They always come and play the Empty Bottle, one of the best venues in Chicago. It's always wild, boozey, and a treat for everyone who gets to witness it.

Not only did they play the Empty Bottle twice in the last year, they also came and did a one-off when one of their shows got cancelled. It was in an art gallery. The cops showed up right before they went on, but they played anyway, instructing all to just use the back door if you want to go out.

This particular night I could barely hold my camera up due to multiple reasons. Eric told me a story involving an overweight girl who gave him some sort of disease. He told me they'd be back with Six Finger Satellite. I didn't really believe him because it just sounded too good to be true. But it ended up happening.

GO AND SEE THIS BAND. Their new record is on Anchor Brain. It rules. Buy it.

A photo from Jay Reatard's last show...

The only decent photo I got from Jay Reatard's last show.

Today we all found out Jay Reatard had passed away on January 13 due to "cocaine toxicity, and that alcohol was a contributing factor in his death."

We will all miss you so much. I'm grateful to have seen him so many times, and to have spoken with him. He participated in something i'm putting together.

The first time I saw him was in Green Bay, WI with Lost Sounds. I remember him playing a few songs just him on the drums playing a guitar and singing too. "Who was this man?" I wondered...

Thank you Jay for what you brought while you were here. It's stupid you're not around to keep going. If anyone deserved to, it was you.

Rest in peace.

Cold War Kids - Vic Theater - Chicago 1/30/2010

Guerilla video get! You can't film at the Vic, but obviously if you know me, you know it won't stop me. Thanks to the girl who had no idea who I was, letting me put my hand on her shoulder so the security guards line of sight only saw her head, and nothing more.

It's not just me. The last time the Cold War Kids were at the Vic, I looked up the reviews to see how it was. I couldn't go. I saw luke-warm reviews. It made me sad! "Maybe they were having an off night?" I thought...

Well, they came again, and I agree with a lot of the reviews out there. They played 5 shows in the U.S. for "Behave Yourself", and sadly, in hindsight, it was pretty underwhelming.

I never got to see them for Loyalty, so I was excited to see these songs. To me, most of them fell flat. When "Relief" started, I couldn't help but be so excited I nearly swallowed my tongue. I love that song. I think the energy it exudes is just so oddly amazing, but again, just....nothing came from it.

Props to them for offering the show for free download. Maybe I should have grabbed it to see if this "review" is warranted, but you leave a show with a certain feeling, and the Cold War Kids ALWAYS left me floored. I saw them open for Tapes n Tapes years ago in Madison at the Barrymore, had no idea who they were, and got my ass kicked all over the place.

What happened?

Where was the opening band for "St. John"? Where was the junk yard drum kits, the smiles, and well...the energy?

The connection was decent, but they just seemed a bit bored during a lot of it, despite saying that Chicago is very special to them. Maybe new material will help, but it's not like Loyalty is ten years old.

People seemed to love it, but I just didn't take a whole lot away from it.

Wamp!

One song that did grab me off their new EP, is Sermons Vs. the Gospel, which is below.