Watch : Ed Schrader's Music Beat at Empty Bottle.

In 2011, a friend of mine held an art show in Chicago. It also housed some of our favorite local bands like Piss Piss Piss, Moan Moan Moan, and Lechuguillas. Smack dab in the middle of a 7 band line-up was Ed Schrader's Music Beat. Being unfamiliar, and properly sauced by the time these two took the stage, I really had no idea what I was in store for. He lit the drum, covered by a Double Dagger t-shirt, and they were off. It blew me away. They went from Joy Division to Jay Reatard in mere seconds.

The power in that evil gaze made me laugh, but this was no joke. I was laughing because it was so fucking spectacular. Wondering if my booze-addled brain was just wasted enough to trick itself into thinking this was, indeed, THAT good, I trekked to the Empty Bottle to see them again. As I hope you can see in this video, I was not mistaken. Some of the most powerful sounds and moments to come from a simple two piece, since, well, anything I can ever remember.

Ed lives in Baltimore, and is a comedian, journalist, talk-show host, and part of the city's "Wham City" collective. He's joined by Devlin Rice on bass, and I hope it stays that way.

"Jazz Mind" is out now on Load Records. Buy it!

Watch : MINES

Chicago based MINES have been around a long time. They've been tearing up DIY spots for years, and it seems they're finally getting some overdue recognition. It started as a solo project of Bill Satek in 2008, and aside from a singular lineup change, it's members have remained consistent. With current backing by members of Tiger Hatchery, Wyoming, and Battleship, and now with Ben Billington on second drum duty, we're hoping we hear a lot more in the future. Be on the look out. This was filmed at The Empty Bottle's first show of 2012.

Tonight : Echotone Screening + Paper Mice set / Treasure Town art show + Double Dagger's final Chicago show...

Tonight, Consequence of Sound welcomes Nathan Christ's Echotone to Empty Bottle , with a special performance by the amazing Paper Mice! The event starts at 6:30, with Paper Mice playing shortly after. There will also be a premiere of the new White Mystery video! Admission is $5.

Also, the amazing Double Dagger are breaking up! Sad news, but they're playing a second show, more their style. Your favorite DIY warehouse! The second night in Chicago, with a reunited Black Ladies, Hume, and more. It's in the basement of the Mortville building, and there's also a hexagon themed art show in the middle level, Treasure Town. The art show starts a bit earlier, and the show begins at 11PM.

It's a great day to be in Chicago. Come on out!

Here's a recent video we took of Paper Mice playing some killer new songs :

Watch : WILD FLAG - Live at Subterranean : Part 2!

This weekend, WILD FLAG return to Chicago for a sold-out two night stint at The Empty Bottle, here's a PART 2 of sorts of that crazy Subterranean show in July. Channeling Patti Smith, Brownstein and her spectacular lady cohorts left everyone freaking out. Go see this band! Click this to watch Part 1.

Watch : Running @ Empty Bottle

Loose Dudes played their beer-drenched final show Monday. Running opened (as well as Empty Heads).

As the dumbing of america just said in an article entitled "Your new favorite band" :

"You want indie? I’ll give you some f-ing indie. Meet Running. They’re from Chicago and like they’re hometown heroes Big Black, they make a cacophonic noise that has a brilliant sense of anti-melody and rhythm deeply embedded. In this day of social media madness, Running are blissfully undercover."

This article probably won't change that, but you know what? If you are a reader of this site, you will like this video. If you don't know Running, you probably will have a new favorite band. Go see them live. Enjoy. Second camera by Matthew Youngblood :

R.I.P Loose Dudes : Free tonight at Empty Bottle...

poster by the amazing Ryan Duggan

"someday there will be a loose dudes coffee table book that cool punk rock dads buy at barnes and noble. RIP. loved you guys since the first time i blacked out watching you." - Ryley Walker

Well, this is it folks. Loose Dudes final show. The end of punk rock, again. Tonight! 10pm. Where is this, you ask? The Empty Bottle. How much, oh.. well...it's free. Well, shit! Who are they playing with?!



Go.

Watch : R. Stevie Moore @ Mortville + Empty Bottle - Chicago

Home recording legend R. Stevie Moore came to town on Tuesday, July 21st, for what would be his first Chicago show ever. It was held, fittingly, at Mortville. A monstrous, art-splashed warehouse in the ashes of Cabrini Green, Chicago. His second night in the two-night stint? The Empty Bottle, for free. Each show had different cuts from his extensive past, and each was a wonderful rare experience to bask in the splendor that is RSM. This video is 17 minutes long, and has a pretty funny ending. Sit back, partake. Enjoy.




View photos from Mortville HERE!

View photos from Empty Bottle HERE!

R. Stevie Moore

Empty Bottle

Free / Recommended this weekend : SAKI turns one, Lechuguillas, Birthday Suits, and more...

We love free shows. For the perpetually broke / almost-homeless, Chicago has 'em spades, every week. Whether it be the Empty Bottle mondays, a free in-store, or just free for the sake of free.

Aside from Taste of Randolph (blergh) :

We could see Lechuguillas play in Mortville every weekend and remain smiley about it. The line-up tonight : Tiger Hatchery, Lechuguillas, Names Divine, Socially Retarded, Sun Splitter. Sounds like a good Friday to us.

Tommorow is looking good, too. Leave it to the Empty Bottle to not only announce ANOTHER new summer music series at the Logan Monument with Thee Oh Sees and a ton of other great bands, but they're also giving you another FREE show, on a Saturday night, with one of our favorites, the spastic and amazing BIRTHDAY SUITS! Not only that, but TERRIBLE TWOS, RADAR EYES, and more are on the bill! Holy free Saturday show, Bartman!

YOU NEED TO RSVP TO THIS BEFORE MIDNIGHT TONIGHT!!! DO IT!!!

If you need a little something else, Saki is turning ONE this weekend, and has some great things planned...

So, there you have it. We planned your weekend for you. Go have fun.

NEON MARSHMALLOW FEST begins TODAY!

Could this be the fate of the Empty Bottle's disco ball by the end of the weekend?

If you know the ins-and-outs of the Chicago music scene, then surely you know about Acid Marshmallow.

Whether it be the hundreds of videos he has up on his site, or the tireless dedication he spends updating his local and diy show list just so you can easily pick and choose what you want to do, Acid Marshmallow have been providing entertainment for years.

You probably also know they hold a music fest with NEON BLOSSOM, and this year's fest is spectacular :

NEON MARSHMALLOW MUSIC FESTIVAL 2011
June 10-12 at the Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, in Chicago

Friday - Doors open at 6 pm
screening of Experimental ½ hour
C V L T S
Spiral Joy Band
Baker/Colligan/Zerang
James Plotkin
Mountains
Rene Hell
White Rainbow
Lucky Dragons

Saturday - Doors open at 6 pm
screening of selected animated Alice Cohen
Leslie Keffer
Dylan Ettinger
Sword Heaven
Outer Space
Sickness
Bill Orcutt
Oneohtrix Point Never
Pelt

Sunday - Sonic Celluloid at Neon Marshmallow - Doors open at 2:30 pm
David Daniell
Lichens
Sam Prekop

Sunday - Main program - Doors open at 6 pm
Film screening begins
Tiger Hatchery
Beau Wanzer
Sick Llama
Mike Shiflet
Telecult Powers
Pulse Emitter
The Rita
Morton Subotnick

We think we could talk all day about how legendary Morton Subotnick is, the killer Lichens, Tiger Hatchery, Sick Llama, Mike Shiflet...but we think you should just go ahead and BUY TICKETS NOW

Kurt Vile in-store tonight, Les Savy Fav + Yo La Tengo Headline "Green Fest", BLACKOUT IS BACK!

No April fools jokes in here! All of this great news is true!

Normally i'm not one to regurgitate news that you could read 100 others places, but this is serious business, and proves Chicago is not fucking around.

First off, Kurt Vile will be playing the Wicker Park Reckless Records tonight at 7:30! Right down the street from Double Door on Milwaukee Avenue.

Listen to "Ghost Town" off his new LP "Smoke Ring For My Halo"

Vile's Subterranean show with J. Mascis is SOLD OUT, so don't miss this great intimate opportunity!





LES SAVY FAV, YO LA TENGO, and THE THERMALS headline newcomer's Green Music Fest third go-round June 25+26, 2011!!! Les Savy Fav are also playing the Subterranean. Tickets go on sale TOMMOROW!!! Don't blow it.

More info HERE.

Last but certainly not least, the BLACKOUT IS BACK!!!!

Via Gossip Wolf : "It's been five years since Horizontal Action magazine threw the last BLACKOUT, a festival that over its six-year run became one of America's most spectacular showcases of garage rock and binge drinking. But on May 27 and 28, HOZAC RECORDS is bringing the party back, and Gossip Wolf has the scoop on the lineup! A source in HoZac's upper-level management confirms that out-of-towners NOBUNNY, the SPITS, IDLE TIMES, K-HOLES, and READING RAINBOW will play, as will locals the BRIDES, MICKEY, HEAVY TIMES, OUTER MINDS, and RADAR EYES. The source also hinted that one of the headliners will be a beloved Australian band. That could mean HoZac recording artists and cool girls SUPER WILD HORSES, but it could also mean . . . AC/DC! For those about to rock, we salute you!"

Tyler Jon Tyler are going on tour, and I might be going along for the ride!

Towns thus far : 4/27 - 5/2: Columbus, Philly, Washington DC, Brooklyn, New Haven, Cleveland

Watch a video of Paper Mice at the infamous last Mopery show, and head to the Hideout to see them tonight...or hit up the 12 DIY shows happening this weekend so diligently listed at ACID MARSHMALLOW.



Empty Bottle's free "Music. Friendly. Dancing." headliner gets announced on monday. If I were you, I would set our RSVP in stone, right now. It's going to be a doozy.

I will have updates, including some Destroyer video, Lightning Bolt, etc throughout the weekend, so be sure to come back and enjoy.

Neon Marshmallow Fest 2011 lineup! Dead Ghosts / Tyler Jon Tyler / Colleen Green photos!

First, three photos from that criminally underattended Hallowed Ground with :

Colleen Green :




Tyler Jon Tyler :



Dead Ghosts :



slushy opened. colleen green and her lady friend gave everyone the sunglasses'd doe-eyes, tyler jon tyler, 2/3 in the same shirt, showed you why tyler jon tyler still fucking kill a lot of pathetic attempts at pop music, and dead ghosts, not surprisingly finally got a half-way raucous whoop from the overly tired 20 people in attendance. as someone who, upon entering hallowed ground that night only to all but lay on the couch and finish a bottle of cognac for the strength to stand, it was the kind of evening where relatively chilled vibes ran throughout. that just meant there was more room when you wanted to get decked by some of dead ghosts bass lines. playing permanent the day before, then milwaukee, they sent their noise everywhere.


also, the NEON MARSHMALLOW FESTIVAL 2011 lineup has been announced!!

If you don't know, Acid Marshmwallow....well, get aquainted now. They have full sets from some local and non local greats, with video from the 2010 fest!

Neon Marshmallow Music Festival 2011
June 10th, 11th & 12th at the Empty Bottle in Chicago

featuring full performances by:

Morton Subotnick
Oneohtrix Point Never
Pelt
Bill Orcutt
White Rainbow
Rene Hell
The Rita
Pulse Emitter
Outer Space (John from Emeralds)
Spiral Joy Band (members of Pelt)
James Plotkin
Sword Heaven
Telecult Powers
Sickness
Leslie Keffer
Sick Llama
Dylan Ettinger
Mike Shiflet
Beau Wanzer

...more to come

*ltd. edition NMF pin to anyone that buys a complete pass

purchase pre-sale complete passes:

for more info:

NMF.....get ready!

Listen to Obits play "Moody, Standard, and Poor" at the Empty Bottle...

Sadly, last night, I missed Hozac's People's Temple and the sloppy fun of Loose Dude's. I was a bit bummed, but bopping around to the always entertaining, fresh Subpop signee's Jaill...it made me happy that I got there at least to catch them.

The mighty OBITS, consisting of Rick Froberg, Greg Simpson, Sohrab Habibion, and Scott Gursky, tore apart the Empty Bottle last night with a ton of scathing cuts from "Moody, Standard, and Poor" , launching into the stratosphere in a mere two weeks.

I regaled them in stories of interviewing and filming Handsome Furs, in which Dan Boeckner told me Obits singlehandedly turned him around on SXSW, and how it was insane he even got to meet Rick Froberg.

Make no mistake, the fellows in Obits are extremely nice. Downstairs in the green room of the Empty Bottle, I asked Sohrab if he was the one that agreed to let me record it. He smiled, stretched his hand out, and excitedly introduced himself...later, Greg Simpson gave me a shirt and a fresh copy of "Moody, Standard, and Poor" for the price of a record. Swell folks.

They began their set with new cuts off their soon-to-be-released sophomore Subpop outing...peppered in some classics like "SUD", "Widow of My Dreams", "Milk Cow Blues", and "One Cross a Piece".

It can take quite a bit to engage with new songs noone has heard, but these new tracks, as you can hear below, have all the bite and hooks of anything Rick Froberg and his band of cohorts has put out. A completely engaging, sweaty, brutal set with a few heart-felt ballads, and slow-jams by Sohrab in the mix. This was their third time gracing the Empty Bottle's stage, and by far the strongest.

Now I just have to fix my record player...


OBITS Start their destruction of Chicago's Empty Bottle with a slew of new songs, "Run", and another cut off "I Blame You"

Enjoy :


Raging on with "Widow of my Dreams" , "One Cross a Piece" , "SUD", "I Can't Lose" , and more new jams off Moody, Standard, and Poor! Out in two weeks on Subpop!


They end their reign of fire on the Empty Bottle in Chicago with ripping new songs "Killer", "Shift Operator", "I Want Results" , and end with a double encore of "Milk Cow Blues" and "Talkin' to the Dog". INSANE!!! Thanks to the OBITS!

...and please watch this space on April 4th for some big news

Watch Parting Gifts' Greg Cartwright play a couple songs in the Empty Bottle's bathroom...

I kind of laughed as I asked Greg Cartwright, of the Oblivians...Compulsive Gamblers...Reigning Sound...if he'd play me "Strange Disposition", and he said "let me go get my guitar" then seemingly sprinted to the stage. That's how nice he is.

He ended up playing snippets of a few other songs, too. We both had heavy days of drinking. This computer now can't encode anything over 5 minutes without shutting off. Parting Gifts videos soon, who were just...fucking great. A story was also told, after someone hugged Greg and kept telling him how his shows are the best shows he ever sees.

I'm sure whoever stole Andy Junk's backpack out of his car will get what's coming to them.

There's not much else to say except enjoy. ...in the bathroom of the Empty Bottle in Chicago, with Radley staring us down.



Parting Gift's "My Minds Made Up" :

Fergus and Geronimo - Live at Beauty Bar. Full set + Smith Westerns photos...

Fergus and Geronimo stopped by Beauty Bar on Chicago Avenue to play a strong, short and sweet set before heading to the Empty Bottle to open for the Smith Westerns. It was a fast, poppy, hook-laden 30 minutes. They commented on the good vibes of the small crowd that was lucky enough to catch it in such a beautiful space. Beauty Bar continues it's trend of having one band per night. Normally ending before midnight each time, it allows you to at least try to have a short night out, that is, if you want to. Super nice guys! Austin tried to get me on their Empty Bottle list, but it was full. Got in anyway...

But this was Saturday night, and they had to head over and play first in a three band bill including Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and Smith Westerns, I was oddly unfamiliar with. It takes a bit to get me excited if i'm not familiar with your material, but they won me over. A tight, seemingly short set with no encore. The band seemed happy to be in Chicago, at the Empty Bottle, where they played "6 or 7 times" in the beginning. People around me loved it.

Fergus and Geronimo - Full set - Beauty Bar Chicago : 02/26/11 :




Photos :

Fergus and Geronimo :
















Smith Westerns @ Empty Bottle :