Watch : Divine Fits at Schubas.

Divine Fits - "For Your Heart" Live - Schubas from GONZO CHICAGO on Vimeo.
"This is the first place I ever set foot in Chicago". Dan Boeckner recounting how all of his bands first shows were at the seasons venues small quarters. Divine Fits were no exception, kicking out the brand new record on their fourth show ever. Unsurprisingly, the show was great, and was opened by the wonderful Bare Mutants. Let's hope they stick around for a while.

Watch : Coffin Ships @ Roxaboxen

Coffin Ships - "Hillary is an Animol +" from GONZO CHICAGO on Vimeo.

If you didn't notice, we're a huge sucker for pop hooks. Chicago has a great deal of newer two-pieces that you probably haven't heard of.  They're seemingly starting to creep out into their own little slice of internet (and real life) stardom.  One thing I love about most of the bands we post about here, is they could really give a shit less about the lot of that, they just want to play, make their own music, and have people appreciate it.

These bands, they've all been playing dirty basement to 20 people for months, or years. The Hecks, The Funs, and Coffin Ships. Not to be confused with the also excellent Coffin Pricks, the ol' Ships are a non-abrasive two piece who sing about dogs and fuzzy memories. They're great, and also just put a song out on the spectacular "Manic Static Compilation #1", alongside Heavy Times, Magic Ian, and The Funs. You should buy it. Try and catch these guys in a basement. Filmed at Roxaboxen, 2012.
manicstatic.bigcartel.com/product/ms-005-manic-static-mix-tapes-no-1-cs
coffinships.bandcamp.com/

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.

Watch : Warhammer 48K reunite at Bitchpork 3. Final Treasure Town show tonight...

WARHAMMER 48K : BiiiTChPoRk. from GONZO CHICAGO on Vimeo.

Ah, Bitchpork 3.  Three full days of the hottest conditions known to any DIY show.  The police came on day two due to an influx of people on the patio, so they closed it down on that second day.  Temperatures reached above 100 degrees.  We had a giant bucket filled with beer each day, sticking in a rather nasty corner by the catbox.  How we survived seeing every band, every day, without any permanent injury, I'm still not quite sure.

The building will never be replicated, largely due to Mortville's insane and maniacal art installations.  Treasure Town's art frenzy via Nick Fisher and others.  The amount of shows we saw there is staggering.  It's a shame it ended senselessly, due to NATO and not in a "normal" way, like a show being busted, or them just closing the damn thing.  However, it had a run that lasted longer than most any DIY space I've ever heard of.  It should be celebrated, and surely will be remembered long after.

The final Treasure Town show is tonight.  The lineup is secret until you show up.  8PM.  Bring as much dough as you can part with.

The above video is from Warhammer 48K's reunion during Bitchpork 3.  A sweltering, insane close to day one of the festival.  Enjoy, and see you tonight.

Watch : Young Man - "School" live at Lincoln Hall

Young Man - "School" Live at Lincoln Hall. from GONZO CHICAGO on Vimeo.

Young Man brought a hefty crowd for a Tuesday night at Lincoln Hall.  As I walked the crowd, I was surprised by the energy of it all.  Sadly, ninety percent of these people missed the huge sound of Mines and Catacombz emanating from the beautiful space, but what can you do?   The room filled like clockwork when the band, led by Colin Caulfield, gave a surprisingly rowdy performance.  It had been a while since I had seen them. Fresh off tour, and a feature in Rolling Stone, who wouldn't be having fun? "Volume 1" is out now on French Kiss Records, and we'd suggest you pick it up. These aren't just simple, sparse pop songs by a lonely singer songwriter.   There's something more to it that you should discover for yourself.

BITCHPORK 4 : Lineup, dates revealed....

 
BivTCHPORK.   Spread throughout the city in multiple venues.  Some of this information is surely to change.  We probably won't update this particular page with spaces for each day, and such.  If you really even give half a shit, you'll know how to find what's what.   They're looking for spaces + volunteers to help.  Help them.  E-mail : bporkproductions@gmail.com.  DO NOT send an e-mail asking if you can play.  It's full!  It's in two weeks!  Just help e-mails, dingus!  xoxo.

Lineup :

THURSDAY JULY 12 
Gas Mask Horse
Heat Death
Meat Pressure
Psychic Steel
Uncanny Valley (Oakland)
XTC Jock (New Orleans)

FRIDAY JULY 13
B0dy Gl0ve (Oakland)
Diamond Hyman (Tampa)
Diving God (Los Angeles)
Dreebs (New York)
Giant Squid Autopsy
Panicsville
PC Worship (New York)
Piss Piss Piss Moan Moan Moan
Rotten Apples (Boston)
RUN DMT
Sarah Weis
Windbreaker
Winston LaskerTERRORS (Baltimore)

SAT JULY 14
Attic Ted (austin)
Enamored (Oakland)
Gel Set
Ginseng (Iowa City)
Henry & Hazel Slaughter (East Lansing)
Daniel Lutz (Columbia MO)
Machismo
Outmode (Tampa)
Runawei
Samantha Glass (Madison)
Solid Attitude (iowa city)
Thee Open Sex (bloomington)
Tyvek (detroit)
VnessWolfCHild (Virginia)

SUN JULY 15
Apache Dropout (bloomington)
Guardian Alien (New York)
Hurricanes of Love (Philly)
Lazy K (kansas city)
Lil Princess
Mind Detergent (Oakland)
Persuasion
Single Moms (New Mexico)
Spires That In The Sunset Rise (madison)
Tips for Twat (mnpls)
…and a large ensemble performance of Terry Riley’s “IN C” conducted by Dan Quinlivan

Watch : Future of the Left play "Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues" in NYC. Secret show photos...

We spent the last 4 days in New York City!  The night after playing Europa, our old chaps in Future of the Left did two "secret" shows. One at Saint Vitus, the other, Generation Records. Both were fun and full of snarky comments, Mclusky cuts, old and new songs. The Saint Vitus set was particularly potent. A great week, considering we are, well, based in Chicago, and didn't even expect to see these fuckers. The four piece slays. If they come, it's in your best interest to go. More video from this show will be coming up. Stick around. Thanks, New York.


Future of the Left - "Lightsabre Cocksucking Blues" from GONZO CHICAGO on Vimeo.