Walking into Schuba’s for the sold-out Janelle Monáe show last Monday I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I had heard her music and I liked it, but I wasn’t sure what her performance style would encompass. She is pop music with a bit of hip hop thrown in, but she is a bit bluesy at moments, and she flirts with rock and she understands R&B and soul, limiting Janelle Monáe to one genre is damn near impossible.
Photo Credit Not Found
I walked in on time to catch the last half a dozen songs by The 54, who reminded me slightly of Incubus. They got the crowd riled up and by the time they were finished everyone was anxious for more, as though they wanted a seamless continuation into Janelle Monáe’s set. However, that was far from what happened. Set to take the stage at 9:15, Monáe didn’t go on until almost 9:45. Running a half hour behind production due to a flawed projection system.
Finally the lights dimmed and a track began playing with a man introducing the performance we were about to witness, four black cloaked figures headed toward the stage; it was all very dramatic. The crowd whistled in anticipation, and then Janelle Monáe dropped her hood and the music began blaring as she rapped into the microphone. Movement began at once and the crowd was again in a roar. On stage Monáe was wide eyed with her big brown eyes, and her style of dancing was slightly rigid, yet still flawlessly fluid, like a soulful robot or perhaps like an android, which is suitable due to the title of her debut album The ArchAndroid.
While the music was completely enjoyable and dance worthy, I couldn’t help but wonder, why Schubas? Her performance style was too big and grandiose, it seemed to be designed for a 1,200+ person venue say The Metro rather than a small place with the capacity of about 200 like Schubas. Despite starting half an hour late for the projector, the images weren’t really worth the stall, and I felt completely confident that she could have improvised and not used them to start on time. That’s not to downplay her musical ability, she was talented, diverse and capable of melding several genres into her own unique style, the performance was… just too much for one show.
What is love?Never Shout Never‘s Christofer Drew wants to know. According to the Corinthians passage quoted on his MySpace profile love is patient, kind, and trustworthy. In his own words love is “the weapon for this wounded generation.” As depicted in the music video for his single (appropriately entitled “What is Love?”) it might be your after-work drink, an unrequited romance, or maybe we just don’t know at all.
Photo Credit Not Found. Please contact gali@familiarizeyourself.com.
While he figures it out, Christofer Drew is working with a sound that is sort of like skateboarding around on a sunny day off with no destination in mind; a classically emo voice coupled with an acoustic guitar and some additional miscellaneous instruments (shaker, snapping fingers, assorted percussion). The bio of the brainchild behind NSN simply states, “My name is Christofer Drew. I am nineteen. I make music for expression; not for a paycheck.“
Seems the dollar hungry music industry might have a thing or two to learn about inner peace from this guy.
I had the opportunity to speak with the enlightened musician about his love for 60s pop, the AP Tour (which Never Shout Never is currently headlining), and his outlook on life. Read on. Read more…
Sunday was Rock for Autism‘s benefit concert at Beat Kitchen featuring So Many Ways, Michael Vecchio, Last Fast Action, and Hotspur. I discovered Hotspur when they toured with Cavashawn in the Fall, stopping at Beat Kitchen to blow my mind. I immediately fell in love with the two songs I was able to catch after showing up late, and bought the CD to hold me over until I could experience a full set. Well, that opportunity didn’t come around until now but it was well worth the wait.
As keyboardist Dave Trichter started playing a suspenseful introduction singer Joe Mach slowly approached the stage, hopping on just in time for the band to explode into “$$$” (my favorite song on their 13-trackalbum). The early show (doors at 3pm??) pulled in only 30-40 heads but Hotspur worked with the small audience to make the room feel even smaller… and jam packed. The band transitioned into song after song seamlessly and without pause. When they finally did take a break the crowd burst into cheers, urging on the next song.
Off stage the boys are making waves as well. They recently won MTVU’s “The Freshman” contest with their song “Chandelier”, traveled to SXSW, and are currently on a Midwest/New England tour. I cannot recommend Hotspur highly enough to the devout pop-rocker like myself. Super catchy hooks and choruses and beats with high impact make this a difficult act to forget,and one you should check out before they start selling out clubs across the U.S., which I predict for them very soon.
Ashley: The dynamic duo Tegan and Sara recently reached a rare landmark few have seen with the release of their sixth studio album, Sainthood, at the end of 2009. I was first introduced to Canada’s Tegan and Sara back in 2007 with their release The Con. The title track lured me into purchasing the album, but I always felt like the majority of Tegan and Sara’s songs left me hanging. Lasting barely longer than two minutes, and ending on a note that felt awkward and unfinished, I always kept waiting for the long pause between songs to pick up right where the last song left off.
If there is one thing I hate about going to a lot of shows, it is having to sit through the same shitty local opening band that somehow manages to get on every show I go to. I mean it can get to the point where I know words to songs by these terrible musicians solely because I’ve seen them so many times. However, every now and then a really good band is that local opener, and lately for me that band has been Elgin, IL’s The Brokedowns.
“Sean Spencer” by The Brokedowns
This foursome has been playing shows in and around the Chicagoland area on a seemingly daily pace recently, while putting out releases just as quickly as they’ve released split EPs with The Copyrights, The Arrivals, and Turkish Techno within the last year. In addition, their 2007 full-length New Brains For Everyone was re-released on vinyl just last week via Traffic Street Records. These guys are the definition of workhorses. Read more…
Singer/songwriterClaire Stahleckerhas been given a gift, between her ageless songwriting and a voice that will stop anyone in his or her shoes, Chicago-native Stahlecker is planning on a godzilla-like take over Nashville this summer. Her latest EP release titled “A little Piece of Heaven” under her belt, Claire Stahlecker is definitely one to keep an eye on -enjoy this week’s feature of Artist of the Week.
FYW: How have your experiences at Columbia helped you grow as a musician and performer? Have you found other students to collaborate with?
CS: My experiences at Columbia have helped me grow as a musician in many ways. I knew diddly-squat about theory and harmony before attending Columbia, and now I can actually play and communicate with fellow musicians. I’ve also had the pleasure of working with tremendously talented vocal and instrumental coaches who knew how to push me to my full potential. I’ve collaborated with many students in the music department and formed my own band.
We are putting a lot of blood, sweat, and tears (well maybe not so much blood), into this project. Check back for video updates, concert updates, and love. We need you now, help us spread the word!
On the eve of Cursive’s 1-year anniversary for their latest release, Mama, I’m Swollen, Cursive swung through Chicago to play one of my favorite venues in the city, the Metro. Playing two sold-out shows with Alkaline Trio and the Dear and Departed, this is the first time we have seen Cursive in the windy city in over 6 months, and the first time we have seen them not in the headlining position of a tour. Before the show on Sunday I had a chance to catch up with bassist Matt Maginn, a man who majored in environmental science but was quickly whisked away into the life of a touring musician.
FYW: Two years ago I caught your performance at Subterranean where you guys previewed your newest album to the crowd before it was even entirely recorded. Is this something you try to do with every release?
MM: Anytime we can we try and do that- we did it with Mama quite a bit. We did it with Ugly Organ, but with Happy Hollow not as much. Ideally yes, but with every record we don’t have to. Mama was the most thorough we’ve ever [road-tested the album]. We were playing songs live that we’d never even recorded. That’s good and bad, because then there’s a few fans out there that heard it, or have a YouTube clip of it and they’re like “you guys are jerks, why didn’t you put that song on the record?â€
Portland-based band Portugal. The Man came through Chicago this weekend, rendering me speechless Friday night at their sold out Lincoln Hall show. In a stunning and seemingly effortless performance, the foursome delivered a taste of their 70′s soul, funk, and blues-inspired sound.
Monochromatically lit in alternating colors, Portugal. The Man warmed up the crowd with a long instrumental as smoke machines pumped enough fog that the stage took on a mystical quality from my vantage point in the balcony. When bassist Zachary Scott Carothers was spontaneously lit with red, blue and green polka dots and singer John Baldwin Gourley began crooning in unison with the enthusiastic audience I knew I was in for a spectacular night. Read more…
If it isn’t easy to tell by the majority of the content on this site, we are indie music fans. BUT, I am proud to say that none of the writers on this site limit themselves to one genre, even when it comes to stepping outside of our comfort zones to check out a show. Sometimes you surprise yourself and discover music you would never listen to twice online. This was the case with Los Angeles’s own People Under The Stairs when they headlined Chicago’s Subterranean rock club last week, entertaining a sold out crowd of music fans that love underground hip-hop.
exclusive
