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.
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.
Modern Baseball.
Hell ya! Lollapalooza is here and we are stoked about it. This year marks the 25th birthday of the iconic music festival, so get ready to see Lollapalooza cruising in its' new legally rented car? Along with hosting some official after shows for these massively talented artists at Empty Bottle, many of the bands playing at the fest have graced Ye Olde Bottle stage over the years. Check it out...Modern Baseball The Empty Bottle is excited to welcome MODERN BASEBALL to our stage for the first time Friday, July 29th with Gambier, OH band SPORTS& DJ BETH KLAKO, and. Indie rock quartet MODERN BASEBALL hail from Philadelphia, PA and crank out their own brand of emo, pop-punk tunes--citing some late 90s early 00s as their influences such as SAY ANYTHING, MOTION CITY SOUNDTRACK, and DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL. Self-recording their first album as college freshman, they have since garnered over 100,000 social media followers and millions of plays on popular streaming services. Their new album, Holy Ghost, was released on Run for Cover Records in May and captures a more refined version of their nostalgia-tinged punk sound. We JUST released more tickets to this show, so hurry on up! (If you miss out, limited tickets will be available with doors at 9 PM). MODERN BASEBALL plays Lollapalooza on Friday.
Chairlift
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We are thrilled welcome back NY synth pop duo CHAIRLIFT on Saturday, July 30th for a Lollapalooza aftershow with New York artist ELA MINUS and DJ OSHWA. CHAIRLIFT
have been on our radar since their 2008 breakout hit
Bruises
which catapulted the band into the ears of millions after being featured in an Apple commercial. Now signed to
Columbia Records
, they released their third album this past January entitled
Moth.
On July 22nd, the duo
teased new music with the release of a single titled,
Get Real
.
CHAIRLIFT
is no stranger to The Empty Bottle stage, having played in both 2008 and 2012. We just opened up
to this show - get 'em before they're gone! (If you miss out, limited tickets will be available with doors at 9 PM).
Chairlift
plays Lollapalooza on
Saturday
.
More Empty Bottle Veterans:
Long before their headlining days,
FLOSSTRADAMUS
was just two guys from Chicago with a passion for music. Now Josh Young (J2K) and
Curt Cameruci (AUTOBOT) have played their electronic sets for millions of avid listeners, working with other high-profile acts such as DIPLO
, JUICY J, THE COOL KIDS, and A-TRAK. Back when they were just starting out in 2006-2007, FLOSSTRADAMUS played the Empty Bottle stage a couple notable times, including a July '07 show opening for CHROMEO. They headline on
Thursday night
of Lollapalooza.
San Diego rock band
WAVVES
,
have spent numerous nights on the Empty Bottle stage from 2009 to 2013, including two different Lollapalooza after shows! The brainchild of frontman Nathan Williams, the band has morphed into a surf-pop/punk powerhouse, creating upbeat tunes for almost a decade. They play Lollapalooza on
Thursday
.
Indie rock band
MOTHERS
has produced a lot of buzz in the past year. Originally a solo project
singer/songwriter Kristine Leschper started in 2013,
MOTHERS
blossomed into a full-fledged four piece and landed a deal with label Grand Jury. They played a show at Empty Bottle just this past May and play Lollapalooza on
Sunday
.
mothersband_021116
LA trio AUTOLUX
have made a name for themselves with their electronic-infused alternative rock. With three records under their belt and a deal with
Columbia
, these rockers are ones to keep an eye on. Their most recent album,
Pussy’s Dead
, was released this past April, the same month AUTOLUX played to a sold out Empty Bottle audience! You
can catch them at Lollapalooza on
Thursday
.
Hailing from Scotland, indie rock band
FRIGHTENED RABBIT
has been exciting audiences since 2003. With their sixth effort
Painting of a Panic Attack
released by
Atlantic Records
this year, they have established themselves as a steadfast rock band. Back in 2007,
FRIGHTENED RABBIT
played a show at the Bottle before playing two sold out shows in 2009. They play a sold out show at our sister-venue
on
Thursday
and Lollapalooza on
Friday
!
frightened_rabbit_0
NOTHING
has been pumping out heavy metal-infused indie rock since they formed in 2011.
NOTHING was born out of former HORRORSHOW member Domenic Palermo’s desire for a fresh start after a brief jail stint. They played Empty Bottle in 2015 and you can see them at Lollapalooza on
Saturday
.
While all girl punk band
POTTY MOUTH
hasn’t released an album since 2013, their melancholy 90’s inspired tunes continue to give us all the feels. Back in 2013, in anticipation of their debut full-length,
Hell Bent
, POTTY MOUTH
played the Bottle with HEAVEN and DISINHERITED. They play Lollapalooza on
Saturday
.
Potty Mouth's new album, Hell Bent, comes out Sept. 17.
Los Angeles indie band
LOCAL NATIVES
have been making dreamy rock songs since their formation in 2008. In 2013, the band played a free show at Empty Bottle sponsored by
93XRT
and
Bud Light
. They play the
Sunday
of Lollapalooza.
The Fourth is behind us but we're still moving forward with that special celebration of I-N-D-E... you know the rest. Fireworks are gonna keep sparking up the Empty Bottle stage and these fresh streams will persuade you to get your summer-self on in here. Grab your drink, grab your butt, and enjoy the finest of the fine.Moods, baby, moods... pair 'em with music, friendly, dancing and you have got yourself one of the finest evenings of the week. Sonny & the Sunsets are headed to the bottle this evening with that California sunshine following right behind them. Their sixth studio outing Moods Baby Moods invites you to take a dive into the creative mind of Sonny Smith for his fresh perspective on life supported with groovy base lines and spacey-synth beats sure to keep your shoulders swinging. Take a listen to the full album via Stereogum and grab your tickets for tonight's show here.Cinematic in scope and sound, Inter Arma’s newest release doesn’t hesitate to relish in opportunity to experiment. Clocking in at just over an hour, Paradise Gallows takes its time to cover as many languages of metal as the Richmond, Virginia based band can muster. Although the run-time can seem daunting, the breathability of the album allows the listener to settle in to the experience led by countless electric guitar solos and forays into instrumental motifs reminiscent of the 70s. Take a listen over at NPR before the album drops on Friday July 8th and make sure to grab your tickets for their show here at the bottle July 13th.The Julie Ruin are on their way to Thalia Hall next Thursday July 14th and NPR has a preview of their newest release, Hit Reset, set to hit shelves on July 8th. Tackling issues of her personal past and present, Kathleen Hanna and her band have a handful of tracks, here, set to propel them to the future. With an album closer that'll make your eyes wet, Hit Reset will get you nothing short of excited for a start-over. NPR has the album for streaming and Thalia Hall has your tickets for purchasing.
Two Fresh Streams segments in one month?! You better be grateful. Welcome to January streams round TWO. We are making sure to keep you in check with your emotions while also giving you the opportunity to be saturated in nostalgia with these upcoming releases.Delving into uncharted waters, Irishman Cian Nugent takes on the role of singer-songwriter for his new album Night Fiction to present a series of songs unlike any he has released to date. Not only is he using his own voice for the first time, the particular blend of American rock, blues, and folk Nugent encircles you with creates a sense of safe nostalgia that makes you want to turn the record over and over and yes, over again. Take a listenbefore it hits shelves on 29th January and buy tickets to his show at The Bottle here.Trying to capture the most intimate moments of new love, Idiot Glee front-man James Friley takes you on a journey from 1st base to home plate in the bands new self-titled release out January 29th. Described as "an alluring slice of psych pop" by Consequence of Sound, these tunes will get you longing for the days of going out to slow-dance to synthpop. Like yesterday... at 70s night... at Beauty Bar. Listen here and grab your tickets for their set on the Empty Bottle Stage February 23.——————-IMAGE: Wouldn't it be nice to climb to the top of a mountain and look out over the land like a God as the sun was setting on a late-spring afternoon? That's what's on our mind this January and we found this pleasant pic from our good pals at Google. Simply marvelous. Thanks, Google!
Hello and welcome to another segment of Fresh Streams. Today we’ve provided quite a range of musical selections to address a number of feelings on your complicated emotional spectrum. There’s a solid chance you haven’t heard some of these albums, because these babies entered the world no more than 3 days ago! So cute.Six piece post-metal band Bloodiest have just released their second full-length album. The self-titled record is droney, dreamy, in-your-face rage at its finest. The album is currently available to stream on Nerdist. We recommend you listen, otherwise, here’s a link where Stereogumexplains why you should listen. Get your tickets for their show at the Bottle on March 12, where they’ll be playing with Sweet Cobra and Electric Hawk.Eleanor Friedberger’s third solo record New View is currently available to stream on NPR Music's First Listen. ‘New View’ is a rock’n’roll album, recorded live to tape in a studio in upstate New York. She’ll be paying the Empty Bottle a visit on February 24, get your tickets tickets here.Psychedelic garage rock prince Ty Segall has released his tenth solo album over the span of 8 years. The album, titled Emotional Mugger, is also streaming on NPR's First Listen. To hear the trippy adventure in person, head to Thalia Hall either March 7 or 8. Tickets available hereand here.Interestingly enough, Chicago locals Tortoise's latest album was brought to fruition through a commission from the City of Chicago. Their first album since 2009's Beacons of Ancestorship, The Catastrophist infuses improvisational hooks performed in their live shows over the past six years with reworked tunes pulled from the City of Chicago suite composed to represent the local jazz and improvised music communities. Get ready for a journey from synth-swept to dance jam when you preview the whole album at The Guardian and grab tickets for their two show run at Thalia Hall here and here.——————-IMAGE: Wouldn't it be nice to head to the open prairie and do a little fly fishin' in the warm, late-spring afternoon? That's what's on our mind this January and we found this pleasant pic from our good pals at Google. Simply marvelous. Thanks, Google!
Fresh Streams is a new segment we’re doing, which will pop up as it fits with our calendar. On these posts you’ll find album streams of bands that are playing the Empty Bottle in the coming days/weeks/months. For music fans who are constantly inundated with music news and new records, we think this will be exstreamly useful (sorry! / you’re welcome?). There’s a lot to sift through each week, so if we miss something, shoot us a comment with the link and we’ll add it to the list (and maybe even comp you a ticket to that show)… Give a listen to the fresh new albums below — these bands wouldn’t be playing here if we didn’t like em!TRIATHALONSavannah, Georgia based three-piece, TRIATHALON released the second single from their second full length album, Nothing Bothers Me, out November 13th on Broken Circles Records. Go stream it via Aint-Bad Magazine, and get tickets to watch 'em take on our stage Wednesday, November 4th!PINKISH BLACKThe Forth Worth, Texas-based experimental "goth-wave" duo PINKISH BLACK are back with the release of their third LP, Bottom of the Morning, out FRIDAY, 10/30 via Relapse Records. You can stream the album now on Noisey before you buy your tickets to catch them opening for ZOMBI on Thursday, November 5th!VIDEO // MIDNIGHT RERUNSOn Monday, November 9th, our Free Monday series gets some tough lovin, courtesy of hard-nosed Texas punks VIDEO and Milwaukee rock & rollers MIDNIGHT RERUNS. The new single from VIDEO, "Shackles", is a razor sharp dose of blistering post-punk... or "hate wave" as they like to call it. Their new record, The Entertainers, is out THIS FRIDAY on Third Man Records, and the band calls it "The greatest record since Leather Leather" (their first record).MIDNIGHT RERUNS are pullin' out the big guns with the release of their second full length album Force of Nurture, out on Milwaukee's Dusty Medical Records (other releases from bands such as BLACK LIPS, STRANGE BOYS, CALL ME LIGHTNING).You can stream the full album via Bandcamp (below), and make sure you don't miss these power-pop thrashers, along with Chicago's CLEARANCE & MAMA for that stacked FREE MONDAY on November 9th!-------------------IMAGE: It's times like these where we could use some mountain air to help welcome the fast-approaching winter. We found this nice pic from our friends at Google and think it's just stunning. Thanks, Google!
Fresh Streams is a new segment we're doing, which will pop up as it fits with our calendar. On these posts you'll find album streams of bands that are playing the Empty Bottle in the coming days/weeks/months AND also have records streaming on the good old world wide web. For music fans who are constantly inundated with music news and new records, we think this will be exstreamly useful (sorry/you're welcome?). There's lots to sift through each week, so if we miss something, shoot us a comment with the link and we'll add it to the list (and maybe even comp you a ticket to that show)... Give a listen to the fresh new albums below -- they wouldn't be playing here if we didn't like em!SWEET SPIRITAustin, TX's SWEET SPIRIT does it big. The nine-piece country-rock band featuring a beautifully energetic “self-contained party” are streaming their debut album, Cokomo, out 10/16 on Nine Mile Records, via NOISEY specifically for those ears of yours. Stream it all here. The nontet (definitely a thing) make their way to our corner stage Wednesday, October 21st as part of our fresh to death monthly installment, GLITTER CREEPS, which is ONLY $5 to get in!WAX IDOLSAn EB favorite and project of Oakland-based songstress HEATHER FORTUNE, WAX IDOLS is releasing her third recording, American Tragic. Out on Collect Records 10/16, the work is equal parts declaration of independence and meditation on togetherness, as well as hauntingly propulsive. Listen via SoundCloud, and don’t miss ‘em swamp our stage Tuesday, October 27th. GET TIX.HERE WE GO MAGICFollowing a well-buzzed 2012 LP release, the New Yorkers in HERE WE GO MAGIC are releasing a follow up record via Secretly Canadian, out 10/16. The album, Be Small, revers their longstanding lyricism and manages an effortless command of sense, style and sound over a backdrop of guitar pop, psychedelia and assuredly strutting melodies. Peep the entire album (and interview) here, and don’t even try missing them at ye ole Bottle on Friday, October 30th. A pre-Halloween treat for you, so grab tickets now.ZOMBIThe Pittsburgh, PA post-prog-synthlords in Zombi are back at it and man oh man, what a treat it is. The duo’s last release was around four years back and rumored to be their last, until Relapse Records hit us all with a surprise that slapped us silly. The band's signature sound, achieved using only electric bass, drums, and a collection of analog synthesizers, is deceptively lush considering its two man skeleton crew ensemble. Scheduled for a 10/16 release, you can stream the album here via Northern Transmissions. The duo comes to our neck of the woods on Thursday, November 5th and you don't wanna miss it, so snag some tickets, doofus!--------------IMAGE: Fall is in the air, as you can tell by our "Featured Image" -- we found that beauty through a simple "Google Image Search" and it's called Antarctica Wallpaper #6872200... Mmmm, delightful.
If you thought we didn’t like writing about Canadian punks, then there's a good chance you've never read this here blog. Canada’s ever-growing punk landscape has become a hotbed for varying guttural acts and the sludgy cult leaders (not actually) in Toronto, Ontario’s post-punk, grimed-out outfit HSY ("Hussy") beg for your ears' attention. This four-headed beast has a few splits under their belt, as well as a self-titled 7-inch and their spankin' new, debut full length, Bask, out September 11 on Buzz Records, is completely out of control.If messy, distorted, sludged-up punk tingles those flaps of tissue on the side of your head, then listen listen here... right now. The twelve track muck-plunging mania is just as scuzzy as the best MELVINS records and the pairing of raw lyricism and thick, driven chords brew a loud, dark, and twisted solitude. The group’s been tearing away at Toronto’s underground since 2011 and the amalgamation of releases haven’t quite developed a maturity as much as a culmination of a distinct sound. The record sees HSY maturing into their full potential while grappling with higher concepts, both musically and lyrically. With gritted out progressions getting more and more abrasive and hurried as the album inches forward, you’re ultimately left with a disheveled-yet-cohesive mess on the floor. It’s a dark anxiety that pushes a healthy, cathartic response.Besk’s seamless blend of hardcore, noise, metal, industrial and post-punk elements wrap inside a parasitic underbelly. Despite a very noisy, and sometimes busy mix, vox/guitarists Anna’s and Jude’s (both mononymous) voice ring through like a clouded atmosphere hellbent on narrating your latest nightmare. Jagged melodies turned into abrasive story-telling jab your gut. Fans of Nashville punk four-piece NOTS (also EB faves) take note as Anna’s vocals match pretty similarly in tonality and aggression to the trio’s double x vox. HSY recently opened with the sludge forefathers OLD MAN GLOOM in Toronto along with MARE on their recent tour, and you should kick yourself in the head with a boot if you missed out on that, Toronto readers (one love, though, for reals). Although GLOOM’s recent tour did stop here at everyone’s objectively favorite punk rock bar (see Chicago Reader and Buzzfeed if you think we’re wrong), HSY weren’t apart of the night’s beastly bill. Having last visited our beer soaked floor in November of last year, the four piece HSY keep on keepin’ on and we’re thankful as hell for this solid release.----------Words by Alex Conover
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On September 10th, 2015 we returned to the Bohemian National Cemetery on the northwest side of Chicago for the fourth installment of the Beyond The Gate series, which Empty Bottle Presents produces alongside J.R. ROBINSON, leader of Chicago doom collective WREKMEISTER HARMONIES. For this end of summer concert, EARTH, DISAPPEARS and HOLY SONS performed on stage and ROBINSON kept the tone in place with cryptic vinyl selections before and in-between bands. It was a thrill to host such this line-up in such a gorgeous and haunting setting, especially since the skies were clear after a long (and stressful) day of rain. We are incredibly thankful and excited that all of the artists were as into the idea of performing in this setting as we are.Heavy midday rains put a literal damper on plans, but as the time for Beyond The Gate approached, the sun broke through the clouds and the skies remained clear, giving our surroundings a rich coloration. It could not have been a better - or more fortunate - introductory setting for each group's unique take on enchanting, atmospheric rock music. Bite Café came through with some tasty dogs and slaw, not to mention some delicious, homemade elotes, and we were so happy to work with Half Acre Beer to keep the night loose with their unmatchable brews. Special thanks to Brownshoesonly for the endlessly stellar visual projections that highlighted each band's sonic personality while helping further illuminate the beauty of Bohemian National.After ROBINSON eased us into the night with some droning, atmospheric records, HOLY SONS took the stage for a set of bluesy hard rock that never sounded like the tired "blues-rock" you'll hear some bar bands playing around town. Led by EMIL AMOS, who also plays in GRAILS, OM and LILACS & CHAMPAGNE, the trio worked through lush and complex arrangements that showcased AMOS's chameleonic versatility. Performing songs off their 2014 & 2015 Thrill Jockey releases, HOLY SONS were heavy and hooky, soaring out of the cemetery towards the planes passing overhead.As the sun began to set and the lawn really started to fill up, Chicago staples DISAPPEARS took the stage and once again wowed us (and the large crowd) with a set of stark and chilling post-punk. Their shimmering and clanging guitar work, provided by singer/guitarist BRIAN CASE and guitar maestro JONATHAN VAN HERIK, and driving, Krautrock-inspired rhythms, led by bassist DAMON CARRUESCO and drummer NOAH LEGER, took on a new life at Bohemian National. The confines of the mausoleum walls and the surrounding landscape had the four piece sounding as good as ever, and as day turned to night, Brownshoesonly's static projections gave the environment - and the band - an exhilarating look and feel. DISAPPEARS performed some of our favorite tracks off their first four records and we were delighted to hear some new numbers, which can only mean a new record will be on the way, hopefully before the end of next year.We've had the pleasure of welcoming Seattle doom/drone metal band EARTH to the Empty Bottle stage a few times over the past couple years, but nothing can compare to witnessing their live show inside the gates of a cemetery. Slowly and methodically, EARTH guitarist and leader DYLAN CARLSON led his band through a set of grinding and thunderous instrumental rock, complete with mountainous guitar chords and crushing rhythms. With low lighting on stage, multi-colored liquid ink projections danced on the walls of the mausoleum, morphing the cemetery into a warped and psychedelic alien landscape. The musicians cast gigantic shadows on the walls behind them, echoing the hugeness of the music they performed for a rapt crowd of nearly eight hundred onlookers. With all three bands performing entirely unique sets, the combination of the musicians, mixed with the projections and the hundreds in attendance, combined to create a truly transcendent experience. It's something we won't forget for a very long time.We're honored to be given the opportunity to present forward thinking, expansive music in a setting so deep in history as the Bohemian National Cemetery. Endless thanks to Beth, Steve, Rob, and the rest of the staff up there for being so accommodating from day one and believing in the idea that these events are more than just a party in a strange setting. Thank you to everyone in attendance. Your respect for the area is the reason why we are able to continue hosting events there. A portion of the ticket sales go directly to the cemetery and help to maintain the dignity of the grounds for years to come. Would also like to thank Alderman Laurino and the Albany park residents for working with us and continuing to be on board with this series.---------------Words by Brent Heyl & Michael GebelPhotos by Zachary Spinner
Thank you to everyone who voted in the Chicago Reader's 2015 Best of Poll, especially if you voted for us to win Best Music Venueand Best RockClub. It's our third year in-a-row taking home both top spots and fifth year getting the Best Rock Club nod in the Chicago Reader. Of course, awards and recognition aren't the reason we do what we do, but it's always damn nice to be recognized by the community for all the hard work that goes into making this place run day-in and day-out. Special thanks to all of the incredible artists who've graced our stage over the past 365, all the fans who've come out to see the shows, and of course, to our incredible staff for all of their hard work.The Empty Bottle is a special place in Chicago and beyond, so we'll keep busting our tails to keep it that way... Here's a cool video of THE VASELINES playing earlier this year!Past awards in Chicago Reader's Best Of...Best Music Venueand Best Rock Clubin 2014Best Music Venueand Best Rock Clubin 2013Best Rock Cluband runner-up for Best Music Venuein 2012Best Rock Cluband runner-up for Best Music Venuein 2011Best Venue to Watchand Best Venue to Playin 2010
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There are times when my life can feel like a fairy tale, and it all started Once Upon A Time in the sunshine filled, rolling hills of Athens, Ohio. Where the town is small, but house shows happen often, where nature reigns supreme and one of the most tight-knit communities finds a home. Athens is also the birthplace of DARK CIRCLES RECORDS, a label and collective devoted to producing and promoting independent music and art.A few years has passed since the genesis of DCR and myself, along with what I will call a power team of friends that make up the masterminds of DCR and half of SODDY DAISY have since transplanted to the one and only Chicago, Illinois. What started as a group of my closest friends loosely putting out albums and throwing a lot of parties, has begun to grow into a driving force in the DIY scene, becoming more efficient and confident every step of the way. From the outside it's easy to dismiss yet another DIY tape label emerging on the scene, but from the inside, knowing that a group of people you love is working towards bettering a community you love, well nothing can bring a tear to your eye more quickly.Tonight DCR is celebrating the release of it's first, of many, compilations and all the hard work it took to put it together. The track lists includes bands from varying genres and locations including some local legends like RABBLE RABBLE, THE LEMONS, NEGATIVE SCANNER, and new comers SODDY DAISY. To say that this compilation is unique is an understatement, from the tracks to the custom made packing, everything about this comp is special. I got to catch up with my good pal, Maureen Neer of SODDY DAISY to talk about life post-Ohio and the growing musical empire surrounding SODDY DAISY and DCR.ASHLEIGH DYE: Living in Athens made you no stranger to playing shows and being involved in a community based music scene, but what were some of the more major transitions/adjustments that went along with doing the same thing in a much larger place?MAUREEN NEER: I think I got really lucky meeting the Young Camelot dudes so soon after we moved here...it was like, maybe two months in? I came to Chicago with two really specific goals in mind: to play in a band that worked a lot--shows, recording, tour, partying, ya know. Also to get better at cooking. I think we're still in the fledgling stage, but we're all about working hard and building community.AD: How do SODDY DAISY and YOUNG CAMELOT co-exist?MN: There's limited band cross-over at Young Camelot, because we try to showcase a diverse range of music from Chicago and elsewhere. We don't want to constantly book shows with our own bands on the bill, because then people wouldn't come to YC shows. There are so many awesome reasons why I love being involved in YC, and we definitely work with them. Now that we're in the church, YC has gotten REAL. Like, now at YC we print shirts, are potentially partnering with Dark Circles Records for distribution, we can record bands and every live performance, we have film screenings, plays... and the list goes on. We want to come up with a better way of paying performers and helping them record and promote their music. There are also twelve of us that run YC, and we all have different interests and talents, which is why we can offer a band pretty much any service they'll need cheaper than going to a different place for every thing. We want to be a positive part of the community that not only throws bangers, but helps people out. Mostly because we're all weirdos who don't want real jobs, so we're trying to find ways to do what we love. Which is music, art, and having a grand ole time.AD: What do you value most about being apart of a community of people with similar goals?MN: I think the best thing about finding your group, especially in a city as big as Chicago, is that you have so many ideas to bounce off of really talented, creative people. It really produces amazing art and music, and you know, makes life worth living and shit....
AD: SODDY DAISY is barely a year old, but has been making some major headway in Chicago. What have been some of your highs and lows so far?MN: Fighting. We got some stubborn-ass people in our band, I am definitely one of them, so sometimes shit gets, uh, volatile. They flare up quick, but don't last long. I think whenever we play a really awesome show, that's when I feel the happiest. It's the mixture of adrenaline and drugs and shouting and dancing. It's like musical therapy, I think.
AD: How did you all meet?MN: Well, as you know, Chris Lee was apart of our caravan from Ohio to Chicago. Chris met HoneyHole Johnson and went over to play music at his house, which was the old Young Camelot on Chillwaukee Ave. One night Chris came back to the apartment and was like, "yo, you gotta come over and play with these dudes". So, eventually I did and it was with Christian and Joey. The very cool dudes over at Situations had booked me for a show already, and I didn't know what to do, so I was like, "you guys wanna play a show in two weeks?" and that was it.
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AD: Why do you think DIY spaces are so valuable?MN: DIY spaces are crucial because they are havens of unfettered creativity. They promote positive community and take care of the people in it. And the music is better .
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AD: You and your drummer, Chris Lee, have been involved with Dark Circles for quite sometime, can you give us a rundown of your guys' history with the label?MN: I've really just recently become actively involved with DCR. Back in Athens, I didn't really do anything with them, other than drugs (just kidding, mom). They put out two of my old bands--ELTON JOHNNY and M.O.P. Chris Lee was recording a lot of that stuff in his basement; the Danger Room. It was always freezing and I was always there until sun rise and people were always coming through and partying. It also helped that it was a stones throw from my house. One day I remember I was catching some rays on my roof, and I could see and hear Chris playing banjo. Like a creep. Now I'm doing more PR for DCR, because I'm out at shows a lot and have met a lot of awesome bands, and we're trying to really get situated here in Chicago. We're new, but word's getting out, so it's really exciting to watch that unfold here. I feel like a geek, but I'm starting to do what I've really always wanted to do here in Chicago, and I'm happy as a clam.AD: What's in store for SODDY DAISY'S future?MN: The future of Soddy Daisy? Millions, hookers, rehab, and then hopefully, someday, a reality show on VH1.AD: What are you most excited about for tonight's compilation release?MN: Playing with our dudes from Athens, WEIRD SCIENCE!WORDS & PHOTOS BY: ASHLEIGH DYE
Space Blood Glitter Creeps Empty Bottle
Donnie Glitter Creeps Empty Bottle
Space Blood Glitter Creeps Empty Bottle
Space Blood Glitter Creeps Empty Bottle
Space Blood Glitter Creeps Empty Bottle
Paper Mice Glitter Creeps Empty Bottle
Space Blood Glitter Creeps Empty Bottle
Crowd Glitter Creeps Empty Bottle
Cell Phones Glitter Creeps Empty Bottle
Glitter Creeps is a Rock/Punk/New Wave queer night hosted and co-curated by Donnie Moore & Madison Moore, who you may know as two-thirds of Chicago punk band ABSOLUTELY NOT. Donnie and Madison started hosting Glitter Creeps at the Bottle just last month, and we've got em booked on the second or third Wednesday of the Month through the winter (at least). Madison gets behind the bar and plays "Guest Bartender" (this month: Jello Shots) while Donny plays Mr. DJ from the good ol' Piano DJ Booth. Don't miss em THIS WEDNESDAY for Party #2!
On Saturday, December 6th, we returned to Bohemian National Cemetery for Cold Moon, December's full moon that summons the beginning of the winter. For this performance, we ventured into BNC's Cathedral, where we presented three outstanding performances by Chicago's WREKMEISTER HARMONIES, RYLEY WALKER and CIRCUIT DES YEUX. The show was sold out by 8:15pm, just before we started, and the artists were joined by Brownshoesonly, everyone's favorite multi-talented projectionist. Rob Sevier of Numero Group came through once again to set the sonic tone of the evening, playing some brain-melting records throughout the event. Consequence of Sound was there to catch the mystical concert, and at the end of their review the writer "wondered whether the whole event had been some sort of ancient rite, the incantation on the steps of some final initiation. Only time will tell... until the next full moon anyway."Chicago photographer Roman Sobius sent us these fantastic photos that he took. Check em out and don't miss out on the next event at Bohemian National Cemetery. Only time will tell when that is going to go down...
Empty Bottle Book Curbside Splendor
In case you haven't heard, a year from now (October 2015) Chicago publisher Curbside Splendor is putting out a book about us and they want your stories, photographs, and art! This is the LAST CALL for submissions: You have until December 31st, 2014 to submit something for the Empty Bottle BOOK! Journey through the dark, twisted, beer-soaked canals of your mind to come up with something YOU think the people will want to read about.Here's what Curbside has to say about the book: "We want your stories, photographs, and art inspired by the Empty Bottle, whether you played there, worked there, partied there, made love there, or got married there—we want it!" SUBMIT YOUR STORY HERE and get updates from the book's Facebook page.
For our 8th Episode, still with a Parental Advisoryon iTunes, we are honored to welcome three of the righteous dudes from beloved Chicago institution, Permanent Records. Dave, Robert and Jamie get around the table to talk about in-stores, Boris and other favorite bands. Then Dave gets Permanent Records founders Lance and Liz on the phone all the way from LA to talk about Permanent's Bronze Anniversary and the party we'll be hosting with them at the Bottle on Oct 27 celebrating the release of Oozing Wound's newest LP. This month we also welcome one of our favorite local bands, Running to discuss higher education and other "high" exploits. They'll be joining in the celebration on October 27 and then will be returning to the Bottle to open the two sold out Thee Oh Sees shows here in November.Under all the band talk and shit talk, you’ll hear songs from the following bands who will be playing Empty Bottle shows in the coming month. See you in November?Subscribe/Listen on iTunesPodcast Oct 27"Western Child" - Touched By Ghoul - Oct 31"#1 Dad" - Running - Oct 27, Nov 25 & Nov 26"Drug Reference" - Oozing Wound - Oct 27"Dog Bite" - Natural Child - Nov 12"Cold Days From the Birdhouse" - Twilight Sad - Nov 23"Moonraker" - Tüth - Nov 4
OOZING WOUND is in a genre all it's own and it literally doesn't give a shit. The three person riff-heavy, punk outfit has been thrashing skulls and taking names for roughly three years with no signs of slowing down. This month they're celebrating the release of their second full length album, Earth Suck, out on Thrill Jockey last week. In the new record, you can find even more caustic examination of mankind, an impressive blend of punk, metal and rock & roll, and some very cheeky lyrics, that is if you can decipher them. I met up with the trashy trio for an interview that's as serious as the band itself, during which I weird out Zach Weil, discuss past wounds, and the toppings on an Oozing Wound specialty dog.
ASHLEIGH DYE: So your newest album Earth Suck, out on Thrill Jockey, was just released. What are you guys most excited for with this release?
KYLE REYNOLDS: Definitely the fidelity of it is way better. We spent a lot more time writing this one.
KEVIN CRIBBIN: It sounds way better than our first album, but I don’t think we’ve recorded the album yet. We may never.
AD: Haven’t peaked yet.
ZACH WEIL: We got out of the play really fast mind-set.KR: The second half of the album de-evolves into this really strange repetitive kind of sound. Things are stranger and more melodic. The second half of the record I really like a lot. Whatever we were doing, it was good.ZW: I think we just intentionally knew that the second half of the album was just going to be weirder. It let us feel more free to do something like that. Retrashhad already established a very specific sound, we finished side A of Earth Suck before Retrash even came out. So, side B was really more, I don’t want to say reactionary, but we felt much less restricted on what we could and could not do.
KC: We had more recording time, too, we got to think about more making intros and outros. Our friend Whitney came in and played the viola.
AD: Yeah, you guys had what, one day to record your last album?KC: It was quick, we were just stuck with what we had. I’m happy with that, too. It was just a little stressful. But, we even cut a song.ZW: Yeah, but it has it owns aesthetic. At the time it was good fortune. I worked with this one guy who convinced me to let him record us. He had one night free so we recorded four songs, and he was impressed we could do four songs, so then he interned at Electrical Audio and he got a free day. We all figured we could do an album in a day if we can do four songs in a night. In that sense it was total luck. I mean if something had gone wrong or it sounded horrible it would be another thing.
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AD: How was moving from doing your first release on your own label,
,
to putting stuff out with
Thrill Jockey?
KR: Well
Rotted Tooth
is just me. I don’t have thousands of dollars to throw into promotions and marketing. So, it was obviously totally different.KC: It would have just gotten out there so much slower. Kyle’s just one dude, man!ZW: We’re used to that, though. That’s how we’ve done everything. It’s either Kyle puts it out, or
would put it out, or just random dudes. It’s never been remotely a big production for any record we’ve been a part of,
Thrill
Jockey
’s not even that big. It’s only five or six people working directly on something. It doesn’t feel all that much bigger, but they’ve been doing it long enough so for whatever reason now we have a playlist on
.
AD: I listened to that today, I really liked it! I love that a lot of your musical output, Zach you run that music blog
, and the music you review is really versatile. There’s some harder stuff, but also a lot of like late 80’s pop. How does those sort of left field influences surface in Oozing Wound’s sound?
KC: I hear things emerge here and there that allude to something else. I really like minimalist music, I love
Lungfish
and
Lighting Bolt.
They’ll get in your dome. I think in that sense we can relate to their sound.
AD: What was the process for some of your music videos you have out? That video for
Welcome to the Spaceship, Motherfucker
is insane. Did you guys work on that togeth
er?KC: That’s our good friend, Joe Martinez. I’m sorry, Joe Martinez
JR
. He’s been our go-to photo guy and he's always done videos. It was like “Dude, we need to make a video.” So, we called Joe and he had already shot a bunch of these pictures and we just had a bong hit idea to make GIFs out of them. A friend of Joe’s who works for
drew all that stuff and edited it.
AD: How many beers were shotgunned for the
video?
ZW: So many beers. Ryley Walker alone shotgunned a shit ton before cameras even started rolling!
AD: Does
Thrill Jockey
help you with your videos or is that still something you do on your own?
ZW: Oh no, we would never make them do any work for a video unless they specifically ask us to make a video. They help fund them, which is great because we have no extra money to create something like that. For the most part they’ve been pretty hands off. They’ll just ask “You guys got any ideas?” and then we say no, and then we panic and come up with something pretty fucking stupid, then we shoot. "Call Your Guy" was done in one night, "Going Through the Motions Until I Die" was a little more sporadic.
AD: Yeah I watched all three of those today, they were great.
ZW: Man, you’ve had such an Oozy day!KC: Oozing Monday.AD: Yeah I even read through almost your entire blog. I really like the harmonizing you did with your nephew Bamper.ZW: Man, this is almost getting creepy!AD: You put it on the internet, man. Do you see a future for infants in Oozing Wound?ZW: Hell yeah, if he ever wants to be a part of it we got a spot for him. Right now he only cares about Thomas the Tank Engine and some really fucking terrible cartoons. He sings though, it’s pretty cute. I played a lot of the Retrash riffs in front of him, because we were writing that while I was watching him. He seemed pretty into it.AD: Do you play into the sludginess of the sound when writing your lyrics?ZW: I just do it based on how it sounds best. I’m yelling and screaming on top of loud rock music, so it’s not surprising you can’t really hear what I’m actually saying.KR: One of the things we are self-conscious about, as a band, is having vocals that are too loud. I like when vocals are buried in a sound. Lyrics can so quickly ruin a song.ZW: Yeah there are two elements that can really ruin a song. Your lyrics are fucking horrendous or the vocal itself is unlistenable. Things don’t always translate very well.KC: There are certain times when clarity is cool, but not when you're playing loud rock in a basement. Too loud of vocals is just like when there’s too much icing on a cupcake. It’s obnoxious.AD: I literally could not agree more. I guess I should ask if you feel like you can say some more personal things since people won’t really be able to hear what is being said.ZW: I go out of my way not to be very personal, especially in this band. I free write until something cool comes out, or I’ll save pages of weird or fucked up things I read on the internet and sometimes a story kind of emerges, but I don't think we have any songs from my point of view. I mean, I relate to them, but even "Hippie Speedball" is about a roommate of mine who would go to work high everyday, which most people probably think is about me, but I don’t do that. I get it and I relate to his plight.
AD: What caused your Oozing Wound?
ZW: 7th grade. Emotional turmoil. I got called poser a lot.AD: Oh yeah, that’s in that video, Going Through the Motions til I Die. “How’s my headbanging, babe?”
ZW: People keep walking up to me and saying that at work now. It blows.KC: I had an oozing wound once. I was almost really hit by a car. It knocked me over and crushed my bike. I got this really bad scar on my ankle, I don’t know if it was from the car or the bike, but it was right on my joint and wouldnt heal. It got really gross and gnarly. But, then I bought liquid skin, because the future is insane.
AD: Kyle, what about you? Do you have a real or fantasy oozing wound?
KR: I don’t. Wait, a street fight!
AD: I imagine some leather jackets, some switch blades…
KC: Broken bottles!
AD: And lastly I’m not sure why, but I want to ask: If Oozing Wound were a specialty hot dog what would the toppings be?
ZW: Oh man, we’ve talked about this!KR: A veggie dog with bacon. No substitutes.KC: A Chicago dog filled with that green ketchup they made for Shrek. Because fuck you Chicago and your hatred for ketchup. You can put ketchup on whatever you want, it’s America.Check out some of
Earth Suck
and be sure to catch them here, at the Empty Bottle,
. Stop by for the
Oozing Wound Sidewalk Slam & Sing-Along
beforehand. It's all FREE, ya ding-dongs!
Words & Photos by Ashleigh Dye
I first met Juan Wauters in November last year, opening for his band The Beets at Glasslands in Brooklyn. We became quick friends and realized we had a lot in common musically. Months later he released his outstanding debut solo album North American Poetry. Soon after we played a handful of shows together in Austin for SXSW, where we did nothing but chill. Since then we've kept in touch and hang whenever the opportunity is there. Juan and homeboy Mac Demarco dropped by my last show in Brooklyn a couple months back, which is when the picture above was taken.To get down to business, Juan is one of the most unique songwriters in recent years. He has a weird philosophical take on day-to-day living in his lyrics. His live show and aesthetic is as unique as everything else he does. Backed by Matt Volz's artwork and an array of triggered lighting, he engages the audience by himself in the chillest way imaginable.This is his third Empty Bottle performance of 2014 and I could not be more excited to have him back! I caught up with my man on the phone today for a little interview action, and here's what he had to say.Jimmy: Sup Homie!Juan: Sup son! Stoked to come back to Chicago and hang!Jimmy: Let's get down to brass tax real quick. Plenty of time to shoot the shit later tonight. Gotta be a pro-journalist for a second.Juan: Whatever you want to know, bro.Jimmy: One of my favorite things about your lyrics is your take on day-to day-living, some might say it's kind of philosophical...Juan: I just like to think about myself and how to make myself better, you know? I just think about they way I think and how I am, and the way the world works. Kind of my commentary on the world's condition and the human condition. I don't know 'bout philosophical...that sounds kinda uptight.Jimmy: Chill Philosophy?Juan: Yeah man.Jimmy: Whats the main difference for you, in shifting from doing The Beets and doing solo style?Juan: With The Beets it was more of working around the set-up and instruments we were using. But right now I can go further and explore different sounds. And it has become a lot personal now too.Jimmy: Solo is great cause you can't break up with yourself...Juan: Yea man, just living drama free!Jimmy: So you're a cutie... You get hit on by the ladies at the rock shows?Juan: Haha, yeah, I don't think I get hit on too much or anything like that. Sometimes, it's chill...I dunno dude. I like to share moments with the ladies and the guys.Jimmy: You just did Europe and kept posting about how you were accepting fruit. Did people hook it up?Juan: Yeah, people brought a lot of fruit, but fruit wasn't too good in Europe. Actually, fruit is kinda bad over there. Matt Volz got some shoes. I got some shoes.Jimmy: Was Spain really chill because Spanish is your first language?Juan: Yea, that's the first time I got to play for a Spanish-speaking audience. I've been writing a lot more in Spanish recently. And I got to sing a lot of songs in Spanish. So get to communicate. But I have a lot of Spanish-speaking kids that come to the shows in the states too. They feel like they can identify with me, which is really cool.Jimmy: What's next for Juan?Juan: Going back to New York and recording a record next week that's gonna come out in March. And have a different record coming out in January, it's a 50 minute song that I did with Carmelle. That one has many different moods, but is a really weird one. It puts people to sleep, but in a good way. Very peaceful. But I can't wait to get the second album out in March. I've been ready to do this for a long time! Thats what's up son!
Written by Mr.
Hoop Dreams Basketball Commentators
Hoop Dreams Basketball Sign
Hoop Dreams Basketball Crowd Watching
Hoop Dreams Basketball Chris Kramer Jump Shot
Hoop Dreams Basketball Rascal Defense
Hoop Dreams Basketball Jimmy Whispers Jumper
Hoop Dreams Basketball Radar Eyes
Hoop Dreams Basketball Shirts Skins
Hoop Dreams Basketball Hanging Out
Hoop Dreams Basketball Skateboarding
Hoop Dreams Basketball Magic Milk
Hoop Dreams Basketball Kelly Nothing
Hoop Dreams Basketball team hozac
Hoop Dreams Basketball Michael Jordan Smith Westerns
Hoop Dreams Basketball Sportsmanship
This past Sunday, October 12th, rather than staying home and drinking Sambuca all day, we joined forces with Jimmy Whispers to host the first ever HOOP DREAMS BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT. The tournament (and music fest) was located at 1834 W Chicago Ave and it was created to raise funds for CeaseFire, the Illinois branch of the Cure Violence Organization, which operates in 6 cities throughout the state – Chicago, Maywood, Rockford, East St. Louis, Springfield, and North Chicago/Waukegan.We opened the gates just after noon and the lot started filling up right away. Notable members of the community came by and sipped on beer from Revolution Brewing and enjoyed food from The Doner Men Truck and Soups in the Loop.The first game of the day got pretty heated as local record store heavyweights Reckless Records faced off against Permanent Records. Many picked PRex to go all the way since they had home court advantage (the tourney took place at a lot just a few doors down from Permanent's store). With the high-flying-heroics of the All-American Boi Chris Kramer (SLUSHY/THE LEMONS), their team looked in top form and they took an early lead.Reckless wasn't hearing it though. They kept their heads down, tightened up on D and proved the naysayers wrong. Coming out victorious, thanks in large part to the hard-nosed and wily playing of one called “Rascal” (BARE MUTANTS).The second game featured a couple of our favorite home-town record labels, with Hozac Records squaring off against Drag City. Leading the Drag City team was triple-threat Jimmy Whispers (JIMMY WHISPERS), who helped organize the event, performed a set of his music, and balled O.C. (that's outta control for all you noobs). Unfortunately for Drag City, Mr. Whispers was too busy to make many shots. Hozac jumped out to a large lead, led by strong efforts in the paint from James Swanberg (TODAYSHITS/THE LEMONS) and Spike Johnson (SPIKE AND THE SWEET SPOTS). With only two minutes left on the clock and down by 14 points, Drag City’s fate looked sealed. However, Brett Sova (AXIS: SOVA) wasn’t going to lie down and take it. He led his team back. With the help of a miracle buzzer beater, the teams headed to OVERTIME!The comeback was certainly one for the books, but Hozac proved to be far too much during OT. The clock had struck midnight on Drag City’s Cinderella Story. Such a loss could have been truly heart breaking for the Drag City dudes and all the fans that had been cheering them on during their come back, but RADAR EYES was there to rock all our troubles away. We cracked open another Revolution and it was like everybody was friends and no one was ever sad... Although it must be noted that many shooty-hoopers weren't too happy with the tournament's volunteer ref after the second game. So much for good sportsmanship!With the title match between Hozac and Reckless all set, Permanent and Drag City played each other in a consolation game. Permanent won, making them the 3rd place team in the first ever HOOP DREAMS CHARITY BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT. This game was a crowd favorite because both teams had black uniforms, which led to them inevitably going SHIRTS VS SKINS. Hell yeah - lookin' good, fellas!Speaking of “Hell Yeah” moments, Jimmy Whispers serenaded the crowd with his uniquely honest and painfully-raw love songs. MAGIC MILK jumped on stage to play along with him for part of the set. We can’t show you pictures because Kenny wasn’t wearing any pants. Instead check out these other pics of Kenny from the day, and imagine him in his underwear on your own time, OK!Fine. We’ll show you one pic of Kenny in his underpants, but that's all you get.The title game was something truly special. Reckless started out hot, raining threes on team Hozac. The lead would not last, and following a sluggish start, Hozac started scoring in bunches. It looked like Hozac had an iron grip on the game. But then Kelly Nothinig (THE LEMONS/ANIMAL KINGDOM) started to drain 3 point shot after 3 point shot to give Reckless hope and get the crowd going NUTS! Guess they don't call her Kelly "Nothing But Net" 420 for nothing.In the end it was too little too late, and Hozac held off Reckless’s advances to become the winners of the first ever HOOP DREAMS CHARITY BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT. Here are the people behind all of Team Hozac’s glory: Todd & Robyn.Former Chicago Bulls player Michael Jordan was in attendance, hanging out at the scorer’s table and doing a little announcing along with Joe Jeffers and Cullen from Smith Westerns.All agreed, that the reffing was really strong throughout the tournament, but truly the day was about community and charity.Photos by Sam Awesum & Roman Sobus
Though you may not assume it when listening to their music, YAWN are DIY renegades. The phrase DIY usually doesn’t bring the type of immaculate production style that YAWN’s recordings feature. They represent a sort of hybrid animal within current music that reflects aspects of both recent DIY and archaic pop aspects of music. On one side, they are self-producing and recording. On the other, they have quality sounding recordings with an acute attention to detail. They have the assets of time and artistic control on their side and it has shown ever since their first EP in 2010.
They’ve been a seminal part of the Chicago’s DIY scene outside of their own band as well with two members being two-thirds of the founding group of FEELTRIP, a local DIY studio space, venue, and label. All of but the latter are now extinct since the closing the actual space nearly a year ago. The place was host to numerous acts of all types including the ever-blossoming young locals TWIN PEAKS and THE ORWELLS, as well as JUICEBOXXX, SISTER CRYSTALS, DIRTY BEACHES, STARFOXXX (the other 1/3 of Feeltrip's founders), MICRODOT and many many others. Who knows, we might even see a non-fiction book in Barnes and Noble in thirty years about the place and the renowned acts that played there in the span of just a couple years.But YAWN has had their own individual success as well, especially for a band who has handled their own business primarily. They’ve opened for acts like Yeasayer, Tame Impala, The Kooks, Mates of State and Yuck as well as getting featured on Pitchfork a handful of times.They came to The Empty Bottle for the release of their new LP Love Chills (Old Flame Records).As YAWN seems to be discovering (as many DIY outfits do as they mature) that when it comes to DIY-ing it, the actual release of albums and EP’s is the part you may want to DI-don’t. Even more important though is that this album marks the largest shift in YAWN's sound as they stray further away from their sampling tendencies and introduce a more traditional, instrumental approach. Most notably, percussionist/drummer Jorge Perez is heard rocking a full drum kit where before the beat would be comprised of many singular, sampled drum elements. With more guitar and organic key sounds than ever, one gets the impression of people in a room jamming rather than music being made in some strange dimension of space and time which was been the feeling of past works. YAWN was able to sit down and talk with The Empty Bottle about their new album, new label, and how they came to be before their performance.
The new album is out on Old Flame Records. How did that happen?
Adam: We’d been sitting on it for four months, shopping around to labels. We'd met this guy Rob Mason, the guy who runs old flame back in 2011, when we were in New york. He wanted to put out our first EP but it was already old at that point. And so we reconnected. Just a friend basically.You guys have been heavily DIY for a while, self-releasing your first LP. This one is out on Brooklyn label Old Flame Records. What was the motivation for going through a label instead of self-releasing it?Daniel: We needed the outside help. When we self-released the last album we felt like it didn’t go off as well as we wanted it to. It didn’t get the traction. When you have outside help people are willing to help with their connections and resources. Even though we essentially recorded and produced the whole thing on our own, releasing it and having someone push it out and have people listening to it was important to us.Where did you guys record the new LP, Love Chills?D: We recorded it at a place where we lived that was a recording place and a venue called Feeltrip. It used to be the studio of seminal 2000’s rock band Disturbed.So you guys had has all of the recording done by the time Feeltrips was closed about a year ago?A: Well except for one song.Could you attribute Feeltrips to the fact that there are a lot of live drums on the album and having the space to rock out?D: Absolutely. We recorded everything on our own starting with the first EP. We always had the mentality “Lets just do it and make it sound as best as possible, however we can do it.” So we were always scrappy about it. Recording one drum at a time. That’s why everything before this LP heavily weighed on samples, especially drum samples because we couldn’t get the drums to sound that big. Here with collaborative efforts with all of our friends who had equipment, who had microphones and interfaces, we finally had a way of just sitting there, going take after taker, learning as we went, recording drums. Feeltrip allowed us to do all that live drumming.
Was the dynamic of collaborating any different? Did roles within the band switch or change? Or did you guys stick to your guns?
A: Daniel started playing more bass. Right? And I definitely played more guitar. Or took it more seriously, not just sort of interjecting a solo. It weighed a lot on my guitar playing this time around. Nothing really changed, we just started focusing more on one of our instruments.D: And then production mostly. So a lot of the times when we had a song written, we were grabbing random stuff in our studio like a Rhodes that is running through the pedals, and thats cool sonically. Having a lot of fun getting cool sounds without having to go to samples. At the core of it, it was kind of the same. We all play the instruments that we usually do.Are there any pieces of gear that you fell in love with while recording this album? Any new tricks or common occurrences while recording?D: The Carbon Copy.A: The Carbon copy delay is great. That Pedal.S: Yamaha DX-& we used a lot.A: I love my VOX AC30 for recording.How has your live set-up changed with this new album?S: I’m running through Ableton on a laptop now just having a MIDI keyboard setup with the sampler machine on it and that’s pretty different because before I was just using analogue synths and this allowed us to use any sound we want. It’s different when you can just basically choose any sound that you want. Especially the ones that we used in the studio that we couldn’t use live before, now the laptop’s right there and we can just play it then and there.Before you were using a sampler/hardware pieces?S: I was using a mono synth, a DX-7 for a while, an Akai Ax80. And they're all great but they’re limited in comparison with what you can do with a laptop. There’s so many different analogue plug ins, it’s pretty endless.I know you guys are all about the studio, and have heard you guys mentioning Harry Nilson as an influence. He's notorious for never touring and basically strictly being a "studio artist." Would you guys just be in the studio all the time if you could?
A: We’d love to but that’s just a dream. You couldn’t make any money off of it. Right now, the bands make a lot on touring. But we’ve always loved the later Beatles stuff just because they explored with recordings, and pushed things you know. Brian Eno’s solo stuff where he just sat in a room and recorded.
S: Kate Bush too. It just seems so unreal to us that someone could make a living enough that they don’t have to tour.
D: But at the same time, over the last year we didn’t tour. I’m fucking excited just to go. There’s a lot of excitement that goes into it. And just traveling around…
S: Leaving Chicago. Seeing other places. Seeing other People.
D: It’s a pain in the ass sometimes. Especially if you have a piece of shit van or no money, it’s still way more fun than just sitting on your ass all year.
Speaking of vans I saw Hanksy just painted your van recently? Are you guys friends with him?
S: He used to be a writer for a blog and he interviewed us and that’s how we actually met him. We’ve kept in touch since then. He lives in New York now, but he comes by pretty often and we go to New York pretty often.
What did he paint again?
D: Vanny McBride.
vanny mcbride
S: The one before that was Van Akroyd.
van a
D: And that van got stolen.
(laughing) How do you steal a Van Akroyd?
S: I think they might have broken it for parts like the second they got it. Brought it to some chop shop or something.
For us Chicagoans looking to discover new music, what/who should we be watching out for in the local music/art scene?
A: Jimmy Whispers is Great.
S: We like this band Sexy Fights a lot and we are good friends with them but they never seem to get out of the studio so hopefully, we’ll see if they can.
A: There kind of like us; studio heads.
YAWN: Sister Crystals.
D: Yeah they’re recording. Kangaroo is recording. Their playing tonight. They’re recording with Colin Croon (Sister Crystals) at the Observatory.
A: The new Twin Peaks album of course.
D: Yeah. That shit was awesome.
Any post album release plans? New videos in the works? Tour?
A: I think we’re gonna do a house show DIY venue little tour. Try to play as many as we can in Chicago before we head out on the road in November. Hopefully November. (laughs)
S: We’re telling everybody that.
D: That’s what makes it happen. (laughs)
Words by Luke Otwell
DON'T MISS ADAM FROM YAWN AS HE TEARS IT UP ON THE COURTS THIS SUNDAY for TEAM RECKLESS RECORDS as part of HOOP DREAMS!