Because food and music are equally important in our world, we invite an Empty Bottle artist to join forces with Bite Café every month — the result is a one-night-only special item to be served on the night of their show.

This month, we invited the most got dang kawaii band in the freaking universe to curate a dish for us. The result is ROOKIE’s: chicken shawarma with Jerusalem salad. Read on to learn about their musical and culinary inspirations via Max Loebman (singer and guitarist in ROOKIE). Limited tickets to their upcoming album release gig on March 13 remain.

 Tell us a bit about yourselves!
A good portion of our time together is spent grabbing a bite post-practice, pre-show, or during a recording break. Sometimes it's a greasy Chicago burger, other times we're headed to the nearest taqueria. It's easy to work up an appetite when you're busy!

Tell us why you chose these specific inspirations for your Bottle Bites dish. 
It's a dish we all love. I have cooked it often and always share when I do. Food is as much an art as is music.

If you could invite five people – living or dead – to your dream dinner party, who would be on the guest list?  What would ya’ll eat?
Terry Kath, Chrissie Hynde, John H. Bonham, Neil Young, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. This would be one classy but crazy dinner party…I'm gonna have to go with sushi.

What's your go-to meal on tour?
We've been on the East Coast for the past couple weeks with the legendary Cheap Trick. Everyone's been eating a bagel a day. Some of us get sausage, egg, and cheese. I get Lox with all of the fixings. Mish mosh bagel is the consensus. NY Bagel and Bialy on Skokie is the closest you'll get to that New York perfection in the Chicago area.

Because food and music are equally paramount in our world, we invite an Empty Bottle artist to join forces with Bite Café every month — the result is a one-night-only special item to be served on the night of their show.

This month, we invited the most got dang kawaii band in the freaking universe to curate a dish for us. The result is CHAI’s Walking Star Sticky Ribs: marinated spare pork ribs with black garlic shoyu, sambal, sesame, and apricot mostarda. Read on to learn about their musical and culinary inspirations. (Limited tickets to their sold out Empty Bottle gig on January 25 will be available at the door.)

Tell us a bit about yourselves!
MANA: We are an all-female 4-member group with a set of twins, myself and KANA, along with YUUKI and YUNA! 
KANA: From Japan you know!
YUUKI: Something you’ve never seen before, something you’ve never heard before, something you never felt before!  That’s what we’re going to show you!
YUNA: We’re going to win a Grammy!

Tell us why you chose these specific inspirations for your Bottle Bites dish.
YUNA: Meat is our source of power overall!  As a band we eat all kinds of meats to fuel our work ethic.
MANA: It’s when we eat meat that are true voices come out.
YUUKI: Thank you, meat!  We never waste a thing!  We eat every piece on the plate.

If you could invite five people – living or dead – to your dream dinner party, who would be on the guest list?  What would ya’ll eat?
MANA: Mom, Dad, OH!  That’s 2 people already sorry!
KANA: (in response to MANA) Should we not choose family then?
MANA: (in response to KANA) No family???!!!
YUUKI: All of our parents and Michael Jackson!
YUNA: That’s a total of 7 people!  That’s 2 people too many, oops!
MANA: Oh!  I also want to invite my dog Roy!

What’s your go-to meal on tour?
YUNA: Thai food!
YUUKI: We always eat Thai food!  Love Pad Thai!
KANA: Green Curry too!  Oh and Papaya Salad of course.
MANA: For Japanese food, it’s definitely Japanese BBQ (Yakiniku!)

Because food and music are equally paramount in our world, we invite an Empty Bottle band to join forces with Bite Café every month — the result is a one-night-only special item to be served on the night of their show.

This month, we invited the fuzzy and depressive, expressive and expansive homies of Cloakroom into our kitchen, and they emerged with Meatless Star Poutine, a vegan Mexican poutine with chorizo spiced beans, pico de gallo, guacamole, and cilantro. Read on to learn about their musical and culinary inspirations. (And don't forget to snag tickets to their December 22 EB gig!)

Tell us a bit about yourselves!

We are a three-piece rock outfit from the Region

Tell us why you chose these specific inspirations for your Bottle Bites dish.

I think we tend to seek out Mexican cuisine a lot on the road, but we really love when we can find vegetarian-friendly poutine. Being vegan, the options are super limited, so anytime vegan poutine is offered I go for it.

If you could invite five people—living or dead—to your dream dinner party, who would be on the guest list? What would y'all eat?

Stanley Kubrick, Marcus Eoin and Mike Sandison (of Boards Of Canada fame), Kyle Larson, and Steph Curry. All experts in their respective fields, the conversations would be deep and educational. I would serve a cheezy pine-nut seitan roast, smashed red potatoes with mushroom gravy, mac & cheeze, and greens.  

What's your go-to tour meal?

I would say I consistently eat burritos and falafel, but any time I can get some out of the ordinary vegan cuisine Im game!

Try Bite Café's Meatless Star Poutine for yourself on Sunday, December 22, in celebration of Cloakroom's descent upon Empty Bottle. Tickets are available here.

Because we love food as much as we love music, we invite an Empty Bottle band to go toe-to-toe with Bite Café every month — the result is a one-night-only special item to be served on the night of their show.

This month, we invited the riff-huffing, psych-stoking gents of King Buffalo into our kitchen...and our hearts. Read on to learn what they've cooked up for ya. (And don't forget to snag tickets to their September 27 EB gig.)

Tell us a bit about yourselves!

King Buffalo are a power-trio bonded by three forces: flow, space, and, of course, heaviness. Their pace is a smooth cadence and perpetual hypnotic groove — it’s deliberate, powerful, and always moving.

Space is prevalent and exudes the group’s blossoming confidence (and patience) — providing air for suspense, tension, and crescendoing releases.

With the added breathing room, the explosive parts build and powerfully bust through like a blues-tinged, psychedelic, kraut-rock-powered tsunami. Bear witness to King Buffalo's journey as they cruise onward and upward, leaving behind an amazing soundtrack as they go.

Tell us why you chose these specific inspirations for your Bottle Bites dish.

We're only 60 miles from Buffalo, NY, so the wing culture made its way over to Rochester.

If you could invite five people—living or dead—to your dream dinner party, who would be on the guest list? What would y'all eat?

Socrates, Nikola Tesla, Leonardo Di Vinci, David Bowie, and Jack White. We'd probably eat a 5-course meal including Greek and Italian dishes.

What's your go-to tour meal?

Mexican and Pho are the go to's, usually, or late-night pizza.

Try Bite Café's King Buffalo Cheese Curds for yourself on Friday, September 27, in celebration of King Buffalo's sonic assault upon Empty Bottle. Tickets are available here.

Each month, a band on the EB calendar will be invited to curate their own Bite Café special to be served on the night of their show. This month, we invited barstool rock legends The Hold Steady to cook up somethin' real nice for y'all. Let Steve Selvidge, The Hold Steady's guitarist, tell you all about his BBQ-inspired Bottle Bite...

Tell us a little about yourself!

I am a musician, born and raised in the musical community in Memphis, TN.  

Tell us why you chose these specific inspirations for your Bottle Bites dish.

I was backstage at a gig in Memphis, and all of us musicians were talking about what local BBQ we loved and why. This led to a discussion of some of the favorite things that our moms made for us. Somewhere on that Venn Diagram we ended up here. 

If you could invite five people—living or dead—to your dream dinner party, who would be on the guest list? What would y'all eat?

Paul Stanley, Anthony Bourdain, Jimmy Page, Georgia O’Keeffe and my dad, Sid Selvidge. So many things. A lot of grilled steak with chimichurri, grilled green onions and tomatoes, really good crusty bread and some amazing wine that’s local to somewhere.

What's your go-to tour meal?

Usually some sort of comforting pasta that I can eat some of before the gig and then finish later. Try and get a salad in as well.  

Try Bite Café's Fried Catfish and Braised Greens for yourself on Friday, August 23, in celebration of The Hold Steady's three-night Chicago takeover!

Each month, a band on the EB calendar will be invited to curate their own Bite Café special to be served on the night of their show. This month, we invited proto-new wave legend Gary Wilson into our kitchen (and our hearts 🖤) . Read on to learn what he cooked up for y'all!

Tell us a bit about yourself!

I am Gary Wilson born in the town of Endicott, New York, in 1953. I self-recorded my album You Think You Really Know Me at my parents' home in Endicott.  Composer John Cage invited me to his home in Haverstraw, New York, when I was 15 years old. We went over my avant garde classical scores. I was invited by Questlove of The Roots to appear on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon and Earl Sweatshirt of Odd Future invited me to appear with him on The Jimmy Kimmel Show. I have released my last 6 albums on Cleopatra Records, with my latest called The King Of Endicott. 

Tell us about your Bottle Bites dish…

My mother was Italian and my father was English. My mother would have to strain her sauce for me. I'm sort of a plain guy — I don't eat vegetables and fruits and very rarely drink regular water. I mostly drink a two-liter bottle of regular Coke every day. My sauce is basic but the secret is the sweet Italian sausage (not broken up) and letting it simmer for at least 3 to 4 hours. Plain cheese burgers are also my favorite food.  

If you could invite five people—living or dead—to your dream dinner party, who would be on the guest list? What would y’all eat? 

I would invite John Cage, Allen Ginsburg, Frank Zappa, Dion and Barbara Steele for dinner. We would have my cheese ravioli and sauce and plenty of cheese and soda pop with my favorite movie playing (A Summer Place with Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue).

What’s your go-to tour meal? 

My favorite place to stop on tour is McDonald's for a few plain cheese burgers. I did two tours in Europe and McDonald's saved me.   

Try Bite Café's 6.4 = A Dinner Out (bucatini with veal meatballs, Sunday gravy, and grana padano) for yourself on Tuesday, July 30, in celebration of Part Time and Gary Wilson's Bottle gig!

Y'all doubled down on last month's Dehd Dawg, and we're all about giving the people what they want, so...Bottle Bites* is back, babyyy!

*(A note for the uninitiated: Each month, a band on the EB calendar will be invited to curate their own Bite Café special to be served on the night of their show. Keep a lookout for dishes that'll be equal parts daring and delicious, hungry hounds.)

Read on to get the whole scoop on The Mystery Lights' Bottle Bites installment...

Tell us a bit about yourselves!

We all need a drink and a shrink :)

Tell us about your Bottle Bites dish…

It all started with the noodle. Not a hot noodle as expected...this noodle is served cool like jazz and while yer at it, hold the gluten. 

If the chicken came before the egg, we're glad it did because the chicken inspired the egg on our dish. Soft-boiled, because the yolk reminds us of summer sun and friendships that hold us together through the hard times.

Let’s not forget the kimchi because we like to put cute microorganisms into our bellies, where they can party on the inside while we humans party on the outside.

A little of this here and a pinch of that there and you got yerself a bingo  bango!

If you could invite five people—living or dead—to your dream dinner party, who would be on the guest list? What would y’all eat?

George Clinton (with Joseph Campbell as his +1), Harmony Korine, John Leguizamo as ‘The Pest’ (with Mason Ramsy as his +1), Snoop Dogg, Bette Davis.

What’s your go-to tour meal?

This tour has definitely been the Beyond / Impossible Burger tour so far.

Try Bite Café's Mystery Bowl (a Bibimbop Bowl with soba noodles, a soft egg, kimchi aioli, and seasonal vegetables) for yourself on Tuesday, June 25, in celebration of The Mystery Lights' show at The Empty Bottle!

Oh, and we should mention that tickets are flyin' for that one. Get yer paws on some now.

DehdBottleBites

We here at ye olde Empty Bottle believe that, YES, we can have it all. That's why we're combining our two favorite things in the whole wide world—music and food. Cue: Bottle Bites.

Each month, a band on the EB calendar will be invited to curate their own Bite Café special to be served on the night of their show. Keep a lookout for dishes that'll be equal parts daring and delicious, hungry hounds.

Read on to learn a little sumpin' sumpin' about hometown darlings Dehd and their Bottle Bites creation...

Tell us a bit about yourselves!

We are Emily Kempf, Eric McGrady and Jason Balla—otherwise known as Dehd. We love snacking on the road, bubbly water and playing at the Empty Bottle.

Tell us about your Bottle Bites dish…

We chose a fancy pants hot dog as our dish for Bite because on tour the gas station dogs always let us down, so we wanted to be able to come home and have a proper dog. Also, since we call Chicago home it just seemed right. AND it rhymes. Dehd Dawg!

If you could invite five people—living or dead—to your dream dinner party, who would be on the guest list? What would y’all eat?

It’d be a pretty wild bunch. Britney Spears, Marcel Duchamp, Kendrick Lamar, the Kardashians and Stanley Kubrick. Eric would cook his specialty feast of potatoes.

What’s your go-to tour meal?

Sad to say it’s Subway. Veggie delight footlong, light mayo and spicy mustard.

Try Bite Café's Dehd Dawg (an andouille pork corndog with honey butter dijon) for yourself on Friday, May 10 in celebration of Dehd's record release show at The Empty Bottle!

Oh, and we should mention that tickets are flyin' fast for that one. Get yer paws on some now.

Behold, the Dehd Dawg.

The Empty Bottle works with a wide variety of venues for their Presents shows, but perhaps none of them are as intimate and stunning as their Rockefeller Chapel concerts. For EBP this past Friday, Low took to the stage with opener IN / VIA. Both groups used the space to their advantage, crafting stark, emotionally wrought songs that were mollified by the Chapel’s acoustics.

IN / VIA, the solo synth project of Nona Invie, was an apt way to set the tone for Low. With swirling and twirling synth lines that were as mesmerizing as the vocals, IN / VIA created structured soundscapes that moved freely. Synth sounds warm and cool basked in the Chapel’s openness providing a lush backdrop for somber, heartfelt lyricism.

While Low didn’t use synths (their consistent instrumentation is guitar, bass, drums, and vocals), their set followed IN / VIA’s smoothly, with poise and admiration—for their opener, the Chapel, and the listeners. The fact that it was an EBP production was particularly resonant for them, as their first show in Chicago was at The Bottle about 25 winters ago.

Despite it being just the beginning of the cold months, the harmonies of Alan Sparkhawk and Mimi Parker (the group’s core members who are also married) instantly instilled the imagery and feeling of the last bit of snow and ice melting at the end of winter. Their haunting vocals are what really set Low apart, and experiencing these voices live—attached to their sincere sources and heard in the reverberant space—was a highlight of the show.

“It’s such a beautiful space, I can’t say anything to ruin it,” Sparkhawk said simply of the Chapel.

Much of its beauty was manifested in its sonic qualities, but both these and the visual aspects were only accentuated by the lighting that accompanied Low. Frequent collaborator and engineer/producer Tom Herbers (who has also worked with Andrew Bird, Why?, and many others) instead focused on the lightboard, controlling three panels of lights that reacted to the sounds with abstract textures and other visuals. The lighting echoed the evocative, solemn music well, playing a much larger role than lighting usual does at a concert.

About half of Low’s set was made up of their recent album, Septembers’ Double Negative. Sonically, the record is a huge shift from previous records, with different production and recording approaches greatly molding their sound.

But their Rockefeller Chapel concert showed that their distinct songwriting and minimal compositions were still at the heart of this new sound. Sounding more like previous records rather than Double Negative, Low’s feeling and energy is what is most important about their music, and the fact that they can convey that purely no matter the sonic approach is a testament to their genuinity and emotional sentiment.

*A review by Izzy Yellen

*Photos by @bblane_photography

[FinalTilesGallery id='2']

Photo by Mike Bieniek

This past Monday, the Thurston Moore Group and poet Krista Franklin shared new work at the Art Institute, and the two contrasting performances filled the sold-out room with rejuvenating and motivating power amidst the the Chicago snowfall and nation’s ever-present negativity. While Franklin conjured up these powers with weighted words, Moore’s band instead premiered a lengthy instrumental piece.

Franklin shared three poems to open up the event, each with a distinct style. The third led into the Thurston Moore Group perfectly. The poem was explicitly a call to action and reflection, and Moore’s new composition certainly allowed inward-looking and was rooted in activism.

The piece was entitled “Alice Moki Jayne,” after its three inspirations—musician Alice Coltrane, visual artist Moki Cherry, and poet Jayne Cortez—all key figures in the sixties due to art and activism. While Moore is known for his heavily improvised noise jams in his group and Sonic Youth, “Alice Moki Jayne” was much more restrained and conceptual, allowing him to explore his instrumental compositional voice and the sound of the 12-string electric guitar.

Joined by guitarist James Sedwards, bassist Debbie Googe, and drummer Steve Shelley (also a Sonic Youth alum), Moore “conducted” the group minimally, signaling new sections, segueing and stitching together the ambient and heavy seamlessly.

Opening with a minimal, reverb-drenched section, the group played to the room with no problem whatsoever. This elastic moment was disrupted by a strum of gravitas from Moore, moving the quartet into the second part.

Photo by Neil Rigler

The lush ringing the 12-strings brought to the palette were particularly accentuated by the venue—the Chicago Stock Exchange Trading Room—a boxy, resonant location.

The piece was a journey through many sections—some short soundscapes, some longer fuzzy jams—each one unpredictable yet satisfying. There was direction that came from its structure, but the variety of the sections kept the work snaking and hard to pin down. Not only that, but the maintained cohesiveness was even more impressive thanks to mixed bag.

With all the false endings from the movements, the actual end took the audience by surprise, and after awe and applause, Moore leaned into the mic for his only words—sharing the basis for the piece and his gratitude to Franklin “for sharing what’s on her mind” as well as the concert-goers. The Thurston Moore Group has performed “Alice Moki Jayne” a few times, so if a studio recording happens, you’d better keep your ears open.

*A review by Izzy Yellen

About a month ago, rapper Serengeti completed his Kenny Dennis saga, comprised of eight releases and “Dennehy,” the infamous song that started it all. Serengeti first rapped as Kenny back in 2006, creating a light-hearted single song about a simple guy who enjoys kicking back, watching some Chicago sports, and eating brats. But Serengeti’s inventive personality and own life began shaping this Chicagoan stereotype even more and more, and there are many points in all the releases where it’s clear Kenny isn’t just a character. He is more than that—a way for Serengeti to get through his own life, Dennis 6e being particularly connected to its creator.

After an enjoyable conversation with Serengeti (who’s a down-to-earth, genuine dude named Dave Cohen), it was clear that the depth of Kenny goes beyond speculation. While he may have started as a fun, humorous character, he grew beyond that, a self-prescribed therapy of sorts. Serengeti has done other cathartic music, but it was Kenny that he found to be distinctly freeing.

“I do all these records to get myself out of it,”

referring to his sadness. While he makes the art for everyone to hear, it is first and foremost for him. With Kenny, Cohen shared, he can distance himself from the situations and emotions and make breakthroughs. But as much as he separates his life from Kenny’s, the two never fail to mesh together, informing each other more and more.

In the case of the final album, the intertwined lives both have closure. When I asked Cohen about how he feels now that the last chapter has been told, his response was of contentedness and acceptance:

“Now I see the whole thing for what it is.”

He’s happy with what he created in all its intricate, detail-oriented, emotionally-driven, funny glory—and more than that, its creation seems to have had a lasting effect on his well being.

So what’s next for Serengeti? He may be retiring Kenny Dennis but he’s certainly not slowing down—it’s not in his nature (he’s released nearly thirty albums and over ten EPs since 2003, damn). But he is approaching music in a different way than he has during his productive career, focusing more on short, physical releases. He’s also completed a full-length script for a Kenny Dennis movie, telling the stories the music did in a more literal way and filling in the gaps. He explained to me the desire of making the movie came from the distinction of what each means of storytelling does—the music told it in an impressionistic way, but he wants the movie to be more literal—

“really clear and really funny and also sort of sad.”

Serengeti will be performing at The Empty Bottle on October 11, in support of Air Credits and Sims. You can follow his many endeavors on his Instagram and Twitter under the handle of @serengetidave.

“Shit is fuckin’ weird right now. Be nice to people you know, be nice to people you don’t know…Lance that boil, pop that zit. Here’s another song.”

Lead vocalist Tunde Adebimpe expressed these sentiments and similar ones through his quips between songs and overall performance, and the rest of the band backed him up throughout their set that closed out the first day of Goose Island’s 312 Block Party. The show had a perfect balance of being about the turmoil going on right now and simply dancing away that negativity, the music cathartic and enjoyable in nature.

Photo by Danny O'Donnell, @Do312

What makes TV On The Radio special is their extreme eclecticism—they’re primarily a rock band, yes, but they pull from many sub-genres (including but not limited to punk and synth) as well as a multitude of other styles and traditions. And they do this with an energy that boils and melts it all together into a fine hodge-podge of sounds, in the studio—and as exemplified by their September 21 show—on the stage.

In all honesty, I was a bit nervous to hear how they would sound live—their records are so well-produced, countless layers interacting but never getting in the way of each other, pristine vocal tracks and their harmonies shining. Throughout the concert, there were great moments where each musician’s zeal was supremely prominent—a trombone and guitar rhythmically spitting back and forth, subtly and minimally used vocal effects resulting in controlled feedback atop everything else before being buried, unrelenting drums holding it all together.

Photo by Danny O'Donnell, @Do312

A high point in the show came after the aforementioned quote, with the moving chorus of “Trouble,” from 2014’s Seeds. Adebimpe—and the many fans singing along—belted out “‘Everything’s gonna be okay’ / Oh, I keep telling myself / ‘Don’t worry, be happy’ / Oh, you keep telling yourself” and following its introduction, the song that preceded recent events had a new meaning, one that evoked both a longing acceptance and bitter sarcasm, depending on how you heard and processed it. In a time when it seems every artist has to acknowledge the current climate, TV On The Radio navigated that well, not disregarding the immense power music has to deal with heavy subjects in abstract ways, nor the ability it has to—at the very least—help masses put their worries somewhere else and just dance and sing.

*A review by Izzy Yellen

It’s not often you get to see a well-programmed concert at a cemetery on the Fall Equinox. And under the Harvest Moon. But Empty Bottle Presents’ Beyond The Gate was exactly that.

Photo by Danny O'Donnell, @312

Right off the bat, the setting was beautiful—blue lights illuminating the building behind, branches and handmade lit-up orbs adorning the stage, blankets and chairs packed into the lawn with bundled up fans.

Photo by Danny O'Donnell, @312

Once the crowd and the sun’s light settled, Hilary Woods began, twangy guitar accompanying her wispy but resonant voice. The atmosphere she created, especially in the cemetery, was reminiscent of Angelo Badalamenti’s music for Twin Peaks—thick, muddy voicings on a keyboard and 50s-sounding guitar (she switched between the two) created structured songs that still allowed there to be an atmospheric, open quality.

Photo by Danny O'Donnell, @312

Mute Duo is Sam Wagster on pedal steel and Skyler Rowe on drums/percussion, but for this special concert, they were the Mute Duo Ensemble, joined by six others. An instrumental group (aside from wordless vocals from Bottle staple Bruce “Hesh” Lamont, who also played tenor sax), the collection of musicians played without breaks, going from unified drones to solos to prickly durations of time that had the many voices peeking out of the combined voice with their idiosyncrasies.

Photo by Danny O'Donnell, @312

Grouper was—in terms of the whole bill—a synthesis of her openers, bringing together chaos and stark songwriting. The fact that it was just a sole musician (Liz Harris) didn’t stop there from being layers and layers of sound enveloping the audience. Grouper’s outside music surrounded and comforted me, the powerful moments—emotionally and sonically—making the near silent moments even more silent, and the silent moments making the powerful even more powerful. The dynamic and emotional range of her performance was flooring, and this was only accentuated by its setting.

While the space and her interaction with it was an instrument itself, it would not have functioned as such without the sources—her elaborate but well-controlled setup of piano, guitar, affected vocals, and samples, all through a mixer she intently controlled. Melting and shifting together, these different instruments often took on similar forms in context of her larger work.

Hilary Woods, Mute Duo Ensemble, and Grouper evoked an unsettling creepiness at their concert space without forcing it at all, their music finding a home at Bohemian National Cemetery and, ultimately, being more moving thanks to the environment. I’m already excited to hear more bands find a home for their music at the cemetery next year.

*A review by Izzy Yellen

Neither the fact that it was a Monday night or the start to the Jewish High Holidays deferred fans from a show with experimental rockers Gang Gang Dance and Deakin (of Animal Collective). GGD and AnCo have known each other since the early 2000s, renting a practice space together and sharing a bill at the Empty Bottle in their wee beginnings, and their reunion at this venue was something special—both bands spoke highly of each other and their host, showing this gratitude and energy through their music as well.

Justindemus opened things up with his dark beats and singing, fitting right into the bill of music that both grooved and warranted somber contemplation. Deakin followed him, armed with two guitars, a keyboard, a mic, an OP-1, and a whole lot of pedals. (Between two of his songs, he said with tongue in cheek, “Thanks for your patience…while pushing all these buttons.”) Despite the significant number of instruments, Deakin approached all the music with an intense concentration and consideration, subtly layering and melding drones, rhythms and more together. The meticulous control of the instrumentals was the perfect counterpart to his vocals—cryptic in lyricism (and often effects too), the voice was the instrument he really let loose with, going from collected lower register drawls to unbridled yells and back again. His voice wove in and out of his other sounds, peeking above frequently. It’s not uncommon to compare thickly layered music to a blanket, but Deakin’s live set wasn’t quite that, instead, a sheet providing warmth and protection (with the feet and shins sticking out for contact with cool air).

The overall feeling of his live music was similar to his 2016 album Sleep Cycle, but only one song of the setlist was a track from his sole release—the album opener “Golden Chords,” which closed the set. Other songs were solo reworkings of two AnCo songs—“Wide Eyed” from 2012’s Centipede Hz and “DownDownDownDown” from their site-specific live show earlier this year—and a cover of a Tinariwen song with elements from his remix. In addition to this variety of songwriting sources, Deakin debuted several “sketches” of songs he’s working on, but had he not described them as such, we would most likely never have known. Performed with confidence and intention, these new tunes had the same grounded substance heard in Sleep Cycle. It’s clear he’s aware of all the sounds going on and what his lyrics mean to him, and even though I was transported into this world of creative sounds I hadn’t heard before and lyrics I didn’t have the meanings of, I felt—in one of those inexplicable, experiential ways—home.

While Deakin ushered in feelings of introspection and home, GGD ushered in cosmic and bigger-picture reflection. Tight grooves that slipped and slid from improvisation to intense composition pulled listeners in, getting many to dance, but unsettling harmonies and ambiguity of who was making what sound really gave the audience something to chew on. GGD’s live set was both carefree and thoughtful, occupying both ends of the spectrum and challenging what dance music is and what it can be. You could dance the night, mull over their musical choices, or both at the same time—hell, I know I switched back and forth through all of those.

At times, it was overwhelming, as if the physicality of the music and all its many components were grabbing you, yet I enjoyed this aspect of it. One of their more popular songs—“Vacuum” from 2008’s Saint Dymphna­—was as encompassing and intoxicating live as it was with headphones, if not more so. And that’s a chiller song of theirs. Other moments had three percussionists going full throttle, a guitar acting like a synth, a synth acting like a few synths, and one of the fullest basses I’ve ever heard—with Lizzi Bougatsos’ ethereal shrieks and organic oscillations atop, of course.

With all the controlled chaos throughout the set, their closer was even more expansive. Introducing the song as one about “the future of the universe,” the band launched into a soundscape-oriented rather than groove-oriented jam, with flowing swells from guitars and synth, rustling drums out of time, and breathy, spoken lyrics—all musicians leaving lots of space for each other to settle, expand, and continue the cycle. It ended the night with a misty, thoughtful energy, bodies tired from dancing and minds tired from thinking, both ready for rest.

I wish I could have been there in those early aughts to see how GGD and Deakin have evolved in a live setting, but who knows, maybe they’ll both be back a decade or so from now. And if they are, you can bet I’ll be there.

Love was in the air last Wednesday night as The Empty Bottle and Pacifico Beer hosted Chicago hip-hop favorites JOEY PURP, KNOX FORTUNE and DJ THELONIOUS MARTIN for a very special Valentine’s Day Show.DJ THELONIOUS MARTIN, who was spinning on stage under the revolving shine of the disco ball, set the mood before anyone even had time to grab their first drinks. What a sweetheart. By the second sip he had the crowd grooving and swooning to everything from r&b classics, hints of remixed funk and even some Gwen Stefani. The transitions were smooth, and the vibe was set for the night.After a couple rounds, Chicago producer and rookie album releaser KNOX FORTUNE took to the stage to bring his late-night sounds to the hungry and energetic crowd. The anticipation was palpable, the energy sapable, you could almost drink the excitement stirring about. Pairing tracks together like an expert mixologist, KNOX, in signature style, flowed the likes of Connan Mockasin, Miguel and even some left-field Beatles for a truly unruly set.Last to take the stage was none other than the matchmaker of the evening, JOEY PURP. Alongside him was STIX and PETER COTTONTALE of THE SOCIAL EXPERIMENT band providing some live instrumentation, which created some very unique stylings of tracks from JOEY’s earlier recordings.He mused the crowd like everyone was his soulmate, impressing at all costs playing signatures off “iiidrops”, bringing out fellow Chicago rapper KAMI to join the party and even teasing new music from his long-awaited follow up project “Quarter Thing”. To seal the deal, JOEY’S debut at the Bottle wouldn't have been complete unless the crowd hauled him back onto the stage for a final nightcap track where he blasted his beloved song “Girls @” before finally saying goodnight.Blood was flowing and the taps stayed pouring as another Valentine’s Day at the Empty Bottle came to a close, till next year ya lovebirds!Review by Allen Stewart. Photography by Victoria Sanders.

On Saturday, 3/25 and Sunday, 3/26, we hosted the first three shows of #EB25 2017! Here's a recap for all our friends out there who are far away, couldn't make it, or were too drunk to remember.

First, we saw a visit from New Orleans duo QUINTRON & MISS PUSSYCAT co-headlining with our boy NOBUNNY on Saturday. Everyones favorite rodent rock group, RATSO AND THE RABBITS, opened. Headed by local television star RATSO (Chic-A-Go-Go) this rambunctious crew kicked things off with a bang.

NOBUNNY performed next. We're always ready for the loud and energetic performance this woodland creature brings to our stage. And in nothing but his skivvies, to boot! This was NOBUNNY's seventh Empty Bottle performance - in the words of the great FOREIGNER, "feels like the first time."

QUINTRON AND MISS PUSSYCAT brought a much-needed blast from the past in the form of their signature genre-defying "Swamp-Tech" dance music. Due to an unfortunate accident during home repairs, Mr. QUINTRON had his left arm captive to a sling. Luckily, he brought friend and fellow N'awlins boy Benny along to fill in for his injured appendage. Fun fact: did you know QUINTRON and Bottle bossman Bruce go way back to their college days at University of Missouri?

On Sunday, we revived an olden day tradition of two TORTOISE shows in one days. Both shows were opened by THE LONESOME ORGANIST, the one-man band project of Jeremy Jacobsen. Using guitar, keys, harmonica, steel drum, and various percussion instruments, Jacobsen put on a spectacular show not once, but twice.

Speaking of double trouble, celebrating #EB25 with Chicago post-rock legends TORTOISE twice in one day is kind of a dream. These guys have played the Bottle over a dozen times, yet the sheer magnitude of their talent never ceases to amaze. During one of their encores, they welcomed JIM ELKINGTON, guitarist from ELEVENTH DREAM DAY, to the stage to shred with them. 'Twas an amazing evening we shall never forget!

Thanks to everyone who made it out! On deck for our #EB25 Anniversary Series... 

• April 14th - The Cool Kids, Owen Bones, The Boy Illinois

• April 15th - New Bomb Turks, Daylight Robbery, Son of a Gun, Mixed Deuce, Bric-a-Brac Records DJs, Benefit for Ben Reber

• April 28th - Pissed Jeans, STNNNG, The Catburglars

• May 13th & 14th - The Black Lips

• May 19th - Big Freedia

• May 27th - Local H

We did it again, y’all. On Saturday, March 4th, we once again joined forces with our cronies at Goose Island and threw a block party on the frigid streets of the Ukrainian Village. To our delight, bout 2,000 well-behaved (subject to opinion) humans (plus a couple dogs and other mammals) came to party with us. In case you missed out, short recap below with pictures to boot!

Gates opened at 1pm, with the Goose Island beer a-flowin’. The inside of the Empty Bottle was a tropical paradise, complete with blow-up palm trees and cardboard tiki men. Lumpen Radio DJs were spinning throughout the day, starting with Sol Son, moving into Logan Bay, and closing out with SONORAMA.

Photo by: Christopher Alvarez

Chicago three-piece DIM took the stage first, captivating the crowd with their heavy, aggressive brand of shoegaze. SNEAKS, aka Eva Moolchan, performed next, bringing the unique blend of post-punk developed in her hometown of Washington, D.C. SNEAKS was like a nice shot of adrenaline on this chilly March day.

New Jersey trio SCREAMING FEMALES gave us a killer set, filled with wild vocal energy and raging guitar licks. Hell, we watched it from way up on the roof and it felt like we were front row center! After SCREAMING FEMALES came the unveiling of our surprise guest: legendary MC KOOL KEITH aka DR. OCTOGAN. For the true heads in the audience it was a welcome shock.  For those who have no idea who KOOL KEITH is, we can only assume they thought it was the strangest METZ intro they had ever seen.

The lovely Canadian gentlemen of METZ closed out the evening. By gentlemen, we mean blow your eardrums, strain your neck style noise-rockers. Couldn’t think of a better group of lads to close out our fourth Music, Frozen, Dancing block party.

Thank you to everyone who came out and especially to our neighbors for being down with this insane idea year after year. Shout out to Mike Broers, winner of the Synth-Chili Cook-Off, whose chili recipe we served at the fest via Bite Cafe.  Sales from said chili were donated to our friends at One Tail At A Time. We like dog. We like you.  Thanks also to Dark Matter for keeping us warm and jacked.  To our Goose Island people, we did it, let’s get lit.

Thank you Chicago, see you in the snowbanks in 2018.

-Empty Bottle Presents

#musicfrozendancing

(All photos credit to Sarah O'Neill unless otherwise stated)

2017 will begin the Empty Bottle’s 25th year in existence. For the first time, we have decided to celebrate ourselves with a years’ worth of special programming aptly code named EB25. We even have a book (The Empty Bottle Chicago: 21+ Years of Music / Friendly / Dancing) that was put out by our friends Curbside Splendor celebrating this feat. Check back here often, as this page will update frequently (and you don’t want to miss anything). You can also sign up for EB25 info to be sent directly to you by signing up here.Any questions? Email us at info@emptybottle.com.

We've only just started 2017, and we’re already fortunate enough to be hosting FOUR local record labels showcasing FIFTEEN artists this month. Joining us in the fight against .mp3’s with Impossible Colors, Tall Pat Records, For Practically Everyone, and Pretty All Right.

1/10 | Impossible Colors ‘Down in the Trumps’: A Benefit for the Chicago Community Bond Fund: We kicked this streak off on 1/10, when Impossible Colors rolled through with a benefit for the Chicago Community Bond Fun. Civil rights lawyer and musician, Adele Nicholas, collaboratedwith artist Kriss Stress to compile a 14 track mixtape to protest against the ideology of where our political system is heading in the upcoming weeks. All proceeds of the mixtape were donated to the Chicago Community Bond Fund while ticket sales from the 1/10 show went towards helping Planned Parenthood.

1/24 | A Very Tall Pat Records Showcase: FRIENDS! FRIENDS! FRIENDS! We have a very special night planned for you on Tuesday, January 24th, courtesy of  Tall Pat Records. Comm To Black is back to attack, headlining the evening, with support by local psychedelic headbangers HAIR and songwriting extraordinaire, Joey Rubbish’s newest outfit GIANTOLOGY. DJing for the night is Tall Pat’s DAD, and we all know that dads rock the hardest out of anyone so...

1/25 | Pretty All Right Night: Come through January 25 for a night of DJing, drum machines and dancing! We’re excited to host a celebration of Pretty Alright Records, Tom Owens’s decade-old label dedicated to eccentric experimental electronic music. Owens himself will spin his favorite tunes as DJ Potions to kick off the night before leading into performances by fellow locals WINSTON LASKER, SPA MOANS, and BLU SHAM.

1/29 | FPE Presents: Everyone Has A Voice: Come on, come all - literally EVERYONE is invited to FPE Record’s night, “Everyone Has A Voice”. Turning 5 years old this year, local label,  FPE has released a diverse pallet of music thus far including half bro/sis duo ZIGTEBRA and classically trained songbird SYNA SO PRO. Since 2010, ZIGTEBRA has been writing positive catchy pop numbers that would compliment any Wes Anderson film. And is there anything that SYNA SO PRO can’t do?  We are very pleased to host this One Woman Musical Enigma, loop artist and multi-instrumentalist on our stage.

14900440_1155465057908411_2726595719552156828_n

by Kelsie HogueNow more than ever, the act of cultivating a safe space is imperative. A safe space is simply an environment where anyone regardless of race, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religious affiliation or physical/mental ability are able to express themselves freely without fear of their comfort or safety being at risk. Over the past two years, sibling duo Donnie and Madison Moore have cultivated pure fun with their monthly LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, and more) show Glitter Creeps.Taking place every third Wednesday of the month at The Empty Bottle, Glitter Creeps features a broad spectrum of voices and styles, reinforcing the idea that queer nights are for everyone. To celebrate their official toddler phase we’re throwing a party for anyone and everyone on Wednesday, November 16th, featuring everyone’s favorite punk weirdo NOBUNNY, with support from PROUD PARENTS, BEV RAGE & THE DRINKS, and an interlude by drag entertainer LUCY STOOLE.I got the chance to grab some pure unfiltered sound bites from both Donnie and Madison Moore of the Glitter Creeps as well as Justin Champlin aka NOBUNNY on the importance of such a gathering within the Chicago music scene. Allow their tender musings to tide you over until the big night. See you on November 16th!

Glitter Creeps

Absolutely Not (photo by Marisa KM)

GOGGS Performing during the August Glitter Creeps (photo by Marisa KM)

Along with being at the helm of Glitter Creeps, Donnie and Madison Moore make up two thirds of local glam punk outfit ABSOLUTELY NOT. With Donnie on vox and guitar, Madison on keys and backup vox and Santiago Guerrero on drums, ABSOLUTELY NOT has carved out their own unabashedly queer and tenacious space in the Chicago music scene with multiple performances at The Bottle.Where did the idea for Glitter Creeps come from and how did it end up at the bottle?Donnie: Most of my young adult life I searched for cool rock or punk related LGBTQIA events, but the options were extremely limited. After living in Chicago for a couple of years, I found out about things like Fed Up Fest, Homocore, and Queer Social Club (QSC) night at Archie's. After attending and guest DJing a few QSC events I became good friends with Pete, who was the organizer at the time). He asked Madison and I if we wanted to take over QSC, and refresh it with a new name and style. My dreams had come true! I was now a part of organizing a night geared toward the LGBTQIA+ community with the style of music and culture that I identify with. I was was excited to provide such an event for like-minded people that had very little options. After successfully doing many Glitter Creeps at Archies, Madison and I just couldn't shake the nagging feeling of wanting to go even bigger where we could have live bands performing at our events. One day I walked my silly ass into the Empty Bottle, and had a very long, nice talk with Christen Thomas who was the talent buyer at the time, and she was 100% into the idea of Glitter Creeps. Three months later, on November 19th 2014, we launched Glitter Creeps at Empty Bottle with THE CELL PHONES, PAPER MICE, and SPACE BLOOD. What does making an LGBTQIA+ inclusive space mean to you?Donnie: Glitter Creeps is an event where everyone should feel comfortable. Gay, Straight, Black, White, Male, Female, Transgender, Genderqueer, etc, literally ANYONE with an open mind and an open heart are welcome. Obviously, the event is heavily geared toward the LGBTQIA+ community, but we're not trying to be one of those events that say they are only there for one part of the community. In my dream world, there would be something for everyone in every establishment. Unfortunately, the world isn't like that, so that's why events like Glitter Creeps are extremely necessary. It's a place where the entire LGBTQIA community are safe to express themselves fully, and feel very comfortable doing so! That same offer goes out to open minded heterosexual males and females as well! If you are supportive of all races, and all sexual preferences and identities, you are welcome at Glitter Creeps!Any memorable Glitter Creeps moments from the past two years that stick out?Donnie: Honestly, I have a favorite memory from each show. Every single band that has played Glitter Creeps so far has really given us spectacular performances. It really makes me happy beyond words to see bands going balls to the wall because they know there will be no judgement at Glitter Creeps. That's literally what I live for. I love when music is truly genuine, and performers are bringing their highest levels of expression. GET WEIRD! GET REAL! You only live once, so BE TRUE TO WHO YOU REALLY ARE!Madison: I couldn't agree more with Donnie. However, if I had to choose, I'd probably have to go with the show where, along with SODDY DAISY, our band got to open for GOGGS (Ty Segall’s latest project). Such an awesome night.Donnie: Oh yeah, duh. [laughs].What do you hope to continue/change/explore with another year of Glitter Creeps?Donnie: Honestly, we just want to keep having great bands and amazing shows. We are trying not to repeat any bands for as long as humanly possible, so wish us luck with that!What does the 2 year anniversary mean to you?Donnie: It means growth, and it means happiness. We've definitely experienced personal growth from running Glitter Creeps for two years, and hope we've helped encourage further growth in the happiness and comfort levels in punk/rock side of the LGBTQIA community as well. With bands like NOBUNNY, Micachu and The Shapes, Royal Headache, and GOGGS playing and showing mega love for the event, that light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter and brighter for the community.Any news about your band Absolutely Not?Donnie & Madison: Yes! We are working on finishing the new LP, and we just released the first single/music video from it recently!

Interview with NOBUNNY

14517417_10154277735774425_6251076724435446533_n

Justin Champlin crashed onto the scene in 2001 with his explosively lovable punk/rock n’ roll persona NOBUNNY. With gloriously crusty glam stage antics filled with costumes, nudity and a very special bunny mask, NOBUNNY has captured the hearts of cuties all over.How long have you known about Glitter Creeps and what does it mean to you to be a part of the two year anniversary?Nobunny: I met Donnie and Madison right when they started doing Glitter Creeps two years ago. I'm stoked they invited me! Any favorite Empty Bottle memories?Nobunny: Setting up an interview with a band when I was 19 and Bruce letting me in, as long as I stood on the radiator by the front door. Taking acid for free jazz improv nights. My grandmother attending a Nobunny show and commenting on how dirty the bathroom was.How integral is your live performance when writing new material?Nobunny: I don't generally think about performing live when writing. I suppose sometimes though, I think "this is gonna sound killer live"or, "this will never work live". One song at a time!Can we touch base on the Elvis impersonation time in your life?Nobunny: Elvis impersonation is a decent way to pay the bills, but Nobunny is more creatively fulfilling.