Listen : Magic Ian - Live at "The Dells"

Magic Ian is a solo artist who is also a part of Close Hits and Snacks, two distinctly different style bands, each quite spectacular in their own right.  Each of these bands are still alive, just a little more dormant due to having the same drummer who's currently in school in a different town.  

This was recorded impromptu at his now defunct home and show space called "The Dells".   A particularly enjoyable set due to the warmness in the room and the late hour.  I wandered in on what I remember to be a winter night, sat down, and this was already happening.  There's some funny lines in here from the peanut gallery.  God knows how long he had been playing for.  Recently he attempted to beat his record of play something like 100 fucking songs or something ridiculous like that.  The man loves to play.  Natalie Grace Alford, "Electric Ian" (also of Snacks) joining in here and there with voice and other instrumentation.  Enjoy.  Cover photo by Mark Ciarleglio.

Watch : "Instrument" at the 2012 PRF BBQ.

"Instrument" - PRF BBQ 2012 from GONZO CHICAGO on Vimeo.

 "Instrument" is a Fugazi cover set.  It's performers consist of :

Adam Reach (The Poison Arrows)
Jay Ryan (Dianogah)
Kevin J. Frank (Gauge/Haymarket Riot)
Paul Kelvington (Econoline)

This was at the spectacular, daunting PRF BBQ, a truly staggering yearly event that just seems to get better and better each year.  Tons of media coming from all sorts of people on this.  Keep an eye on the website.  Enjoy!

Watch : NAKED ISLAND at the Final Treasure Town show...

NAKED ISLAND - Final Treasure Town show... from GONZO CHICAGO on Vimeo.


After this month, our home away from home on S. Kedzie avenue will be no longer.  So many memories flood through our heads at the mere thought of the place.  Double Dagger's final Chicago show in the "meat-locker" loading dock.  Bitchpork.  Cacaw.  Art shows in Treasure Town.  Seeing Pile in the basement.  We could go on all day.  There's tons of footage lingering on hard drives we will eventually put up.  Here's Naked Island at the last Treasure Town show.  Kudos to these folks for putting up with everyone's shit for years longer than anyone ever expected, and giving us all the time of our lives.  We barely even remember this night.  It was grand, though.  Enjoy.

Watch : Leaf Bird - "Sadaildade"

Cassette output continues to grow in Chicago.  You have bigger indie labels like Drag City releasing high-quality albums like CAVE, barely-there ghosts like Trust Tapes (who's website doesn't even work anymore), and recent deep underground start-ups like Manic Static and Teen River.  It continues to grow, and there's dozens more.  Then you have Plus Tapes, ran by Dustin Drase.  A slick tape output with a great website, and a strong back catalogue that includes Old Fake, Mannequin Men, and countless others.  

This is the label Chicago locals Leaf Bird chose to release their newest cassette, "Diamonds From the Cherry Mine, Vol. 1".  It's psyche, folk, rock, and pop all mixed into a short, concise package.  The below video is from the recent tape release show with House Sounds, Bone + Bell, and My Dad, held at Reversible Eye Gallery.  "Sadaildade", the video below, combines all of these elements into an almost new-wave sounding track and veers off into some heavy psyche.  It just so happened to include some wicked projection work physically held by a man on a ladder the entire time.  Dedication!  "Diamonds" is currently only available at shows, so be sure to keep an eye out.  Seek.  Purchase.  It's worth your $5.


Leaf Bird - "Sadaildade" from GONZO CHICAGO on Vimeo.