Marnie Stern tore up Subterranean, made a dude shove a pick up other dudes ass...

"Why did I film this?!"

I still don't know.

The Subterranean is one of my favorite places in Chicago.

Tera Melos opened, and people loved it. They were good. I didn't know who they were! I saw Reinhart up there....cool tour, as he played with Zach Hill at Beat Kitchen the last time they were in town.

So, dudes...what exactly prompted you to get on stage and do such a thing? I guess now you have 500 photos and this video to remind you of how awesome/gross/brilliants/stupid you are. I'm not saying you are one or all of those things, but you know....take your pick of the previous words depending on how you feel.

It was an all ages show, complete with "that guy" up front who wouldn't stop asking me for some of my beer, kept telling me how many drugs he was on, etc. He has never heard of Marnie Stern.

I bet she blew his mind, because the set was great. Some different songs than the last time...stage divers....general debauchery. A strong, wild set at the Subterranean.



Here's a pic from my buddy Lee Klawans :

Video + Photos : Menomena @ "Music. Friendly. Dancing." #1

Portland's MENOMENA headlined the first of many free monthly shows ran by the Empty Bottle entitled "Music. Friendly. Dancing."

As a "thank you" to customers, the Empty Bottle crew are holding these free shows on a free, first-come, first-serve basis.

There was a small line around 6:45, when I quickly got in to discover there was no re-entry.

I left and picked up a box of greatness from my brother, and then headed inside.

Absolutely Not, from Chicago, opened. They were good! There's a short HD test video from the weekend of TNK of some of them in a different band who's name escapes me. Distractions? I go to too many shows. Some wicked fuzz with warped keyboard lines and a hint of Blue Meanies style yelping and mood.

Menomena were great, missing an original member, which cut out a bunch of really, really good songs entirely. I missed those, but the set was tight and energetic. radley love. newer songs were played with a fervor of just wanting to play music.

...so at 8PM on a Monday, they did just that.

No re-entry was the only negative to an otherwise perfect, flawlessly executed night.

An early, short, free set by an Empty Bottle favorite....on the same night you've been going there to see great free shows anyway...

As if we needed another reason to look forward to summer.



Photos :

Photo : Laptop thieves at Lincoln Hall....

Chicago is getting serious lately. Thieves everywhere, always, but this is getting ridiculous.

Luckily Metromix took a photo of him posing....yes...i'm serious...

LAPTOP THIEVES at Lincoln Hall's #claychella.

ANY INFO ON WHO THIS BRO-TASTIC DUDE IN THE STUPID TIE IS, PLEASE CONTACT ThiefTips@lincolnhallchicago.com

EDIT : The laptops were "returned"... Further justice, Chicago?

Jacuzzi Boys sign to Hardly Art....watch them + Tyler Jon Tyler @ Hideout Sunday night...

Jacuzzi Boys and Tyler Jon Tyler played a two-band bill on a cozy lil' Sunday set at the Hideout. This one's a bit dark. Camera cirrhosis. Still nice though.... Enjoy!

Edit : Today's news says Jacuzzi Boys have signed to Hardly Art, and are working on their first record for them, now!

HUMBOLDT PARK : If you see a crackhead with this stolen backpack....

My buddy Andy Junk had his backpack with a chunk of his livelihood stolen out of his car outside of the Empty Bottle last night. Items included "60 gig iPod, 4 day pass to Emo's outdoor Chaos in Tejas shows, Canon NB-4L battery charger, Canon LP-E5 battery charger, AC iPod charger with removable battery, DC iPod charger, iTrip, a metal spork, a Parker pen, the new issue of Cometbus, or the best backpack I've ever owned"

If you see a crackhead with this backpack, or any of the items listed, please chop off all limbs and send them, with backpack, to :

Gonzo Chicago
123 Fake St
Chicago IL 60606

...or, you know...e-mail me @ hotmetaldobermans@gmail.com

Photo :

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" :

Titus Andronicus shredded Chicago's Congress Theater opening for The Pogues!

...opening for the Pogues!!! Who were good, the few songs I watched. I got a video of a super drunk guy in the balcony crying and screaming the second song. After an hour wait, people still freaked out. I had to bail.

So proud of Titus. They KILLED it!

So many people. Great, rowdy, drunken crowd. Tons of people didn't know what was going on. So many amazing accents. Thank you, Andy Stroble, for giving me a free ticket last-minute. You rule.

Here's some photos of Titus Andronicus, and one of the balcony during Pogues.

This permanently scuffed, shutterless, beer-encased Camera.....is on it's last limb. My computer is shutting off every 30 minutes. I have some video, but don't think I can even upload it on this.

tough to take photos from that far away with such a terrible camera...sorry!

Ironically, I have spent the last few days culimating something to do with the community of Chicago, and it EXPLODED.

Get ready for something big, Chicago. Something amazing that will help some really, really great places, the community, it's venues, my own craft... EVERYONE.

Some amazing people are on board.

If you're reading this...in one month, I will put a call out to the world, Hackers style. Razor and Blade. Mark your calendars.

For now, there's these :












The Pogues (from the balcony)

TONIGHT : Tiger Bones @ Whistler....Mines / Baby Birds @ Ball Hall, Titus Andronicus, Nitetrotter show...and more...

Thursday night party!

How many things do you have to choose from tonight?

Well :

A free show at The Whistler :

Tiger Bones + Village! 10pm

From Pitch Perfect PR : "Tiger Bones, the Chicago band that began as an experiment called Gay Baby, is psyched to announce their debut EP, Go Over Here. It will be released through their new label Dedd Foxx on March 1, 2011.

Recorded by Ponys front man Jered Gummere, the 4-track EP is a curiously uneasy balance of danceable caveman drums, jangley Link Wray-inspired guitars, and moody, layered vocals, all laced with haunting reverb…You’d never expect to get a weirdo-surf-rock vibe out of four dudes from Chicago, but Tiger Bones has achieved a dreamy, disconnected sound that encourages a blissed-out state of being. Their first single, “Kill Them”, fuses shoulder-shaking beats with ominous, paranoid vocals that bring to mind Three Imaginary Boys-era The Cure, Broadcast, and Suicide.

Go Over Here will be released on vinyl through Tiger Bones’ label, Dedd Foxx, and as a free download via digi-label Candy Dinner. The vinyl EP features four original songs and the digital version includes an additional bonus track that cleverly intertwines Harry Nilsson and Joy Division.

Don’t miss Tiger Bones’ EP release show at The Whistler in Chicago on March 3rd, where you’ll find the band- Jonathan Burden, Jay Ranz, Nick Hagen (who practices with the band via email), and Mike Renaud (a noted fixture in the graphic design community and host of The Show ‘n Tell Show)- enjoying craft cocktails and trying not to make everyone uncomfortable."

...check out a video from the amazing Giant System below :



...and at Ball Hall, you have the great Mines...who were present and playing when Halfway House got busted up...which there's a video of on my Youtube...they play with Baby Birds Don't Drink Milk, Vehicle Blues, and Relay Beken!

That's not it! If you really need more options, how about :

A show by the industrious Nitetrotter :

Nude Sunrise : nudesunrise.bandcamp.com
Meester Magpie : http://www.myspace.com/meestermagpie
Billy Crystal Meth
CMI : www.myspace.com/bloodtiger4u

$5 donation at door for awesome bands
$2 donation for beer!
$3 other booze
Free hugs

The Observatory

....

CONGRESS THEATER: Pogues with the always stellar Titus Andronicus !!!

-or-

EMPTY BOTTLE hosting Bruce Lamont, Chris Connelly, Scott Tuma !!!

A good night for music to lead up to an AMAZING weekend of shows including THE PARTING GIFTS at Empty Bottle, A ridiculous SXSW send-off show (if it's still happening) including White Mystery , Rabble Rabble, Mickey, and Tender!!!

Rest up, or just go for the gold, Chicago...

MENOMENA to play first Empty Bottle "Music. Friendly. Dancing" event. Man Man Tour.

UPDATE : IF YOU'RE READING THIS, SEE MAIN PAGE POST FOR VIDEO / PHOTOS OF THE MENOMENA SHOW!


Huge news on March 1st!

Portland's MENOMENA are headlining the first of many free monthly shows ran by the Empty Bottle entitled "Music. Friendly. Dancing."

As a "thank you" to customers, the Empty Bottle crew are holding these free shows on a free, first-come, first-serve basis.

The first event kicks off on Monday, March 7th at 6p.m. , and admission if not guaranteed, so get there EARLY!!!

You can purchase "tickets", or RSVP if you will, HERE!!!

Chicago has always been a GREAT town for free, live music, such as the Do-Division street festival, Wicker Park fest, Empty Bottle's own "free mondays" and curated outside music festivals sets (like Menomena) , Pritzker shows...but this is great news for summer, music lovers, and fun-seekers in general!

P.S. there's a Betta Promotions hosted show at Schubas tonight including The Island of Misfit Toys, and Project Film. You should go. It's only $8

Man Man are going on tour!

03-19 Austin, TX - Auditorium Shores / Ground Control Touring SXSW
04-28 Carrboro, NC - Cat’s Cradle
04-29 Charlotte, NC - Visulite
04-30 Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse
05-01 Birmingham, AL - Bottletree
05-02 New Orleans, LA - One Eyed Jacks
05-03 Houston, TX - Fitzgerald’s
05-05 Austin, TX - Emo's - Outside
05-06 Dallas, TX - Sons of Hermann Hall
05-07 Oklahoma City, OK - Academy of Contemporary Music
05-09 Albuquerque, NM - Launchpad
05-10 Tempe, AZ - Clubhouse
05-11 San Diego, CA - Casbah
05-13 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey
05-14 San Francisco, CA - Bimbos
05-16 Seattle, WA - Neumos
05-17 Vancouver, British Columbia - Rickshaw
05-18 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom
05-20 Salt Lake City, UT - In the Venue
05-21 Denver, CO - Bluebird
05-22 Omaha, NE - Slowdown
05-23 Minneapolis, MN - First Ave
05-24 Chicago, IL - Metro
05-25 Pontiac, MI - Eagle Theater
05-26 Toronto, Ontario - Lee's Palace
05-27 Montreal, Quebec - Caberet Mile End
05-28 Boston, MA - Paradise
05-29 Danbury, CT - BOMB Fest
05-31 Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall of Williamsburg
06-03 Washington, DC - Black Cat
06-04 Philadelphia, PA - The Roots Picnic
06-11 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo


I took this little gem at Bottom Lounge in 2010. Enjoy :




Edit : The night was great! Quick, short show, ending in time for 9-5'ers like myself to sleep early.

Super good, even with a main member gone...

Video will be up in the next day or two! HMD

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 :