Road to the Bottle with Sweet Cobra & Cloakroom

sweet cobra darkoord day by Sarah Krowka

Sweet Cobra are old pals of ours, they’ve been producing monstrous hardcore rock since the early 2000s and we’ve been fans since the beginning. They have a lengthy road behind them as they set off to trample out yet another path with their latest ground crushing record “Earth”. And anyone who knows knows that they’re really sweet dudes. It’s no surprise then, that when Cloakroom’s drummer Brian Busch was unable to do their most recent tour, Jason Gagovski drummer for Sweet Cobra filled in.Birthed as a three piece in 2003, Sweet Cobra began as the collaborated efforts of Jason Gagovski, Robert Lanham Jr, and Botchy Vasquez (Tim Remis). They quickly added a second guitar player, Neeraj Kane to round out the line-up for their debut album, then later adding Mat Arluck, before entering Electrical Audio to record their sophomore album. They made their presence known in the Chicago noise scene, touring with Russian Circles, Pelican, and The Life and Times to name a few. Prior to “Earth”, the band has put out three full length albums throughout the 2000’s, and have collaborated with the likes of Young Widows, Doomriders and Get Rad. With all the rigorous touring these guys you’ve got to watch what you eat. Only the essentials.In 2009, their second guitarist Mat Arluck lost his battle with cancer, leaving behind an irreplaceable void in the Chicago music scene. The three remaining members carried on, determined to continue relentlessly carving out their path and reinventing their sound, driven by the glorious new avenues that the four members had already built for themselves in hardcore.Sweet Cobra have always emitted a fury that rang as loud as any noise/metal band, but with a calculated and forthright commitment to rock based rhythms: a combination of heavy, booming noise and resonating, memorable flow.Instead of seeking applause and fame with gimmicky approaches and obnoxiously loud motifs, Sweet Cobra devote to making quality hardcore that allows the music to speak for itself; a rare quality today, and produces a sound that is still obnoxiously loud and catchy, but unassuming, and true to its explosive core.Their latest record ‘Earth’ (Magic Bullet Records) will make its debut at the Bottle THIS very evening. Sweet Cobra gave us a tasty little nibble yesterday when they premiered this woozy new music video release for the track “Future Ghosts”. Loud and hypnotic as ever we’ve been getting nothing done over here cause we just keep watching it on repeat.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eD4g3oEj9EJoining them for their record release are tour buddies Cloakroom. A trio, hailing from an industrial corridor of northwest Indiana. Significantly younger than their friends in Sweet Cobra, Cloakroom formed in 2012, and created a sound that takes influence from a number of different genres. Like some sort of musical wizards they swirl hard rock, alternative indie, and hardcore together in a giant cauldron to create a heavy stew that we love to pour down our ear holes!Taking on a more minimalist approach to hardcore, it’s impressive the dynamic and intoxicating effect that a few well-articulated tones can produce. Thunderously heavy riffs have been pieced together in intricately placed buzzing waves that resonate inside the walls of your skull. Their music puts you in a morose and almost catatonic stupor that leaves you exactly where they want you to be. They’re in the driver’s seat so buckle up pal, the ride is worth it.Sweet Cobra celebrate the release of their latest record at the Empty Bottle tonight June 19th with Cloakroom, Electrick Hawk (one of our other faves!) who are also record releasing, and Chris Hansen of Pinebender. Tickets are only $10 so don’t be stupid, get them here.Sweet dreams boys!

Road to the BottleTim GurnigJune 19, 2015Road to the BottleComment

Road to the Bottle with Doldrums & Moon King

The Road to the Empty Bottle for Doldrums and Moon King began way back in early April up in the Canada. Since then it feels like they’ve been almost everywhere. Still they somehow manage to bring “nonstop energy” to each night’s performance.

(everybody’s gotta take a turn driving with this crew)

Montreal’s DOLDRUMS is rooted in the mind of Airick Woodhead, who began releasing material under this name in 2011, making waves with his first single, an official remix for PORTISHEAD. Since, DOLDRUMS has been signed to a little record label out of Seattle called, Sup Pop. Sharpening their live performances through tireless touring, Doldrums has matured into a full band. Incessant live practice has allowed them to get creative with their performances, often setting up in the middle of the crowd and willing their audience to dance with them or be left behind.Having just released ‘The Air Conditioned Nightmare’, the follow up to their 2013 debut album ‘Lesser Evil’, DOLDRUMS has marked their ground along the famed lineup of Montreal born artists, including GRIMES, PURITY RING, & MAJICAL CLOUDZ. The album’s concept draws on themes that carried Henry Miller’s 1945 collection of short stories of the same name. Primarily: his dystopian descriptions of American culture, anxieties and inner conflict.

The sound of ‘The Air Conditioned Nightmare’ is one of tastefully calculated chaos and rhythm; with a more sonically cleaned up approach than their previous releases.

The album begins, and immediately the growl of HOTFOOT’s stuttering bass dances in parallel to the tantalizingly repetitious drums. Before you even realize it, you’re swinging to the beat that builds and breaks in just enough layers, while maintaining the same groove that you’re just never quite ready to break out of.

Flying man gif

One of our favorite tracks, ‘Funeral for Lightning’ begins with an uplifting, borderline childish, brassy sounding synth melody, and sinks into a hypnotic and slightly unsettling groove. Throughout the pulsebeats there is a moment of quiet serenity when the rhythm breaks, and Woodhead’s teetering melody croons back and forth in a seemingly optimistic way, though the contents of his message are less rose-colored. Using death as a parallel to the loss of art, he offers “..a drink for every, every forgotten dream. Let’s rate the dead 1 through 10, hoping they enjoy the peace.” The song functions as a sonic distillation of the unique sound DOLDRUMS has cultivated.

‘Video Hostage’ also offers striking perspective on modern existence illuminating the mundane repetition and disconnected trance that our culture has become entangled in thanks to our fixation on success. The track snags on itself in yet another repetitive anxiety, which finds it’s flow once Woodhead offers his smooth melodies to tie it all together.

Toronto based duo MOON KING, comprised of Maddy Wilde and Daniel Benjamin, who joined DOLDRUMS on a cross country US tour throughout April and May. Their new LP ‘Secret Life’ is a blend between a classic take on fuzzy, washed out shoegaze, with psychedelic elements that take the genre in a new and exciting direction. The bright and upbeat vibe of the album is balanced out by the subtly more dark lyrical content. The recording of the album was done in a little cottage in the depths of the Canadian wilderness surrounded by snow, which seems fitting, as the whispery vocals of Maddy Wilde in combination with the twangy destroyed guitar sounds give one the impression of walking through a blindingly white blizzard.

Opening track ‘Roswell’ incorporates a whompy, fizzy synth that carries the track, as bright sporadic synths compliment the slow moving, trippy progressions of the guiding melody.

‘Hexe’ is a high energy track whose frenzied drums are tied to a gently tapping piano melody, and as Benjamin’s vocals come howling in, the track sails through the clouds. While the sound of the song is elating, the lyrics pull you back down to earth as the duo sings to the theme of loss: “Hate yourself for what you're thinking, there's nothing you're left here all alone. Why'd I waste my time and breath, you're a face that I'll forget, you know.”

Moon King gives us a taste of the sun in their track ‘Apocalypse’, whose gorgeous guitar melody loops, peacefully at first, until it tenses up into a frenzied repetition and finally explodes into a buzzing, loud, and full take on the riff that allows the melody to repeat itself endlessly without ever losing its hypnotizing effect.

You’re never caught wishing for more or less in this album amongst the intricate and gratifying layering that is both subtle yet oh so satisfying.

MOON KING and DOLDRUMS play the last show of their collective tour with us at the Empty Bottle this Saturday before heading to Europe. They’re joined by exciting young locals DEEP BREATH and the boys from WHITNEY will be slinging tunes from our piano DJ booth all night.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Get yours now and save money for “other stuff”.

Road to the Bottle, UncategorizedTim GurnigMay 7, 2015Dancing, Doldrums, Moon King, Road to the Bottle, Sub PopComment

Road to the Bottle with Moon Duo

The Road to the Bottle for Moon Duo has not been especially long or arduous. The journey began in Portland, which these days is home for front man Ripley Johnson. From there they've made a line across the top of the country, with stops in Fargo, Minneapolis & Milwaukee before arriving at our doorstep to celebrate the release of their latest LP. We're no strangers to Ripley and his work. His other group, WOODEN SHJIPS, celebrated the release of their breakthrough 2013 album, Back to Land, in front of a way sold out crowd right here at the Bottle. More reason to get here early tonight, since all the heads know this one is sure to be a ripper.(Testicle Festival - Welcome Bikers)MOON DUO's new album, Shadow of the Sun, remains true to Sanae Yamada and Ripley Johnson’s distinctly addictive, buzzy and fuzzy 70’s psych rock sound, but with a playfulness and ear for improvisation that shows the finesse they have developed within their musical style. With new percussive elements, compliments of their new drummer John Jeffrey, Moon Duo have created an album that perfectly walks the line between classic and refreshing.(Hanging with The Fonz in Milwaukee)A Moon Duo tune is instantly recognizable by their unmistakable repetitive, explosively metallic guitar riffs that make you feel like every sound wave is being dragged through a contorted mess of gnarled metal scraps, with the remaining shards of sound bursting into your chest at a steady, intense pace. Shadow of the Sun’s lead single “Animal” is a notable example of their delightfully aggressive groove.(Clean moves)As each riff momentarily seems to fall in energy, it immediately catches itself in a loop of feverish rhythm, with simplistic guitar and synth melodies screeching in that grow and become colossal amongst the repetition. The slow progressionsomehow feels unrelentingly exciting with each new layer; it’s a buzzing plateau that never really reaches a point of static.Ripley’s droning, warm vocals and Sanae’s occasional delicate whispers drift through the music and give you a satisfying melodic contrast this serves more to compliment the breaking instrumentals and make you want to dance.(Sound check at Cactus Club in Milwaukee)The new album takes a sunny turn on tracks “Slow Down Low”, where bright keys and guitar licks are supported by a strong backbeat that feels reminiscent of early rock n’ roll.Expect much of that familiar explosive kraut-rocking groove that made their earlier albums so energetic and addictive, but with fresh new interpretations on their distinctive sonic attack. Come dance under the Shadow of the Sun with MOON DUO tonight at the Empty Bottle as they take the stage for their fresh release.Show @ 9. Verma & Richard Vain open. Cop some tix here, while you still can, ONLY $10, YEAH!!(The Road)(The Road?)

Road to the Bottle, This WeekTim GurnigMarch 3, 2015Record Release, Road to the BottleComment

Road to the Bottle with Pompeii and Simian Ghost

Pompeii’s Road to the Bottle has taken them to some interesting places, and the Empty Bottle will be their last stop on this long tour before returning home to Austin, Texas. They'll play one last show in Austin with their tourmates Simian Ghost, who will then return home to Sweden. There is little doubt though that Pompeii and Simian Ghost will feel at home here at the Bottle.

Pompeii brings a cold, calculated and modern take on shoegaze to our stage, which should have everyone swaying to and fro. Noisey called Simian Ghost, “by far one of Sweden’s most promising pop acts to come out this year.”

Pompeii’s songwriting is meticulous and detail oriented. They work to blend atmospheric openings that envelope the listener. They fill up the room with soft, lilting effected guitars that soothe the listener. After they’ve laid this foundation they build towards soaring crescendos.

Pompeii have been around for a decade now. Forming in Ausitn, TX back in 2004. In that time they have rarely written songs quickly, instead spending a long time focusing on all the little details that make up the sonic spaces they have put down on record. “Blueprint,” one of the singles off their latest release, LOOM, was written in three days, and that’s probably the fastest they have ever written a song. Still, it's one their best songs to date recalling a more classic shoegaze style than much of their other work. With its chugging bass line and a wall of guitars, the vocals are almost whispered as the guitars do all the yelling and the drums just beg you to move. You can give it a listen right here:

Simian Ghost make dreamy upbeat pop songs. With shimmering production and interesting rhythms the band seems poised to continue rising. Their lyrics are nuanced and offer a depth that rewards multiple listens, but the melodies are so immediate and instantly accessible that it’s not hard to see why more and more people are getting into this band.

Catch them both here tonight with Minneapolis band ENEMY PLANES and Chicago’s own THE BLACK TAPE. Four bands and it’s all only 8 bucks at the door. That's something like... $2 per band -- quite a steal if you ask us!

Get your tickets here (or at the door after 8:30)!

Words by Tim.

Road to the Bottle, This WeekTim GurnigOctober 28, 2014Road to the BottleComment

Road To The Bottle with Alice Boman

Chelsea Hotel Alice Boman Road to the bottle

Trumpet Lady Alice Boman Road To The Bottle

Sound Check Alice Boman Road To the bottle

Washed out beach alice boman road to the bottle

back seat alice boman road to the bottle

After trekking all over the states on her way to Chicago, Alice Boman makes one last stop in the US just for us before going back to her native Sweden for the European leg of her tour.She and her bandmates have gotten to see some great sights along the way, including a very memorable trip to the Hotel Chelsea while in NY. “We were kinda starstruck just by seeing that building,” Boman said of laying eyes on the legendary landmark.Alice Boman feels like a deeply personal secret, a secret that is delicate and precious. You ache to share it, but fear sharing it with the world. This is all odd considering Alice’s work is no secret at all. She’s actually been receiving a ton of national coverage for her two shatteringly beautiful EPs, both out on Adrien Recordings and the gentle videos that accompany them.It was an unlikely series of events that led Boman to her label. Boman sent a few songs, recorded at home, that she considered demos to a studio to inquire about the cost of recording time. The employee who received them liked them so much that he sent them along to Adrien Recordings. If not for that simple connection, we may never have heard these beautiful songs as they are.Words like “ethereal,” “haunting,” “ghostly,” and “intimate” end up being thrown around a lot in regards to Boman’s music. However, those fail to capture her entirely. You’re just as likely to encounter a word like “powerful” to describe the way she manages to craft a warm, sonic room that leave the listener shivering.It’s incredible the way Boman is able to break your heart with just her voice, piano, and the occasional bit of guitar. In 2014, when those instruments have seemingly been mined for all they’re worth, it is artists like Boman injecting not just humanity into them, but nature that allows them to continue living.Skisser, Swedish for “sketches,” is a perfect name for her first EP. Many of the songs have that feeling – they don’t feel like they start or end so much as they float across you. Like flipping through someone else’s sketchbook, their raw beauty is unparalleled in its honesty because they truly were recordings intended only for their creator. If you’re like us, you will find yourself hitting replay over and over again. The songs almost force the listener to, because as they end, it is hard to imagine listening to anything else. It seems likely that no matter how many people are here Saturday, the crowd will demand an encore.“You know I need the darkness / as much as I need the light,” Boman sings. An arbitrary line that could easily sound cliché or stilted in another artist’s hands instead feels like something you’ve always known. It also serves as an excellent parallel to the story of her work being released to the public. Everything that we have of Boman, we almost never saw as it is.Although she came on the scene in 2013, news outlets such as HuffingtonPost, NPR (TWICE), Rookie, The Guardian (TWICE), and even our own city's Chicagoist have all taken note of Boman in the past year and I’m sure they won’t be the last. The always impressive and haunting CIRCUIT DES YEUX opens the show with a stark, chilling live show that’ll leave you aching for more. Tickets are only $8 and the show starts at around 7pm.

Road to the Bottle, This WeekEmpty BottleSeptember 25, 2014Road to the BottleComment

Road to the Bottle with The Lemons

One of Chicago's greatest bands, The Lemons, have been touring all summer long. We caught up with them on their way back to Chicago from Lexington, KY (finishing up a mini-tour with Twin Peaks). By this point they had attempted to play three shows in less than 24 hours and had almost made it to Indianapolis (if not for rain). Riding in the backseat with The Lemons is all it's cracked up to be. They love each other so very much, they laugh and cry together, hold hands....but really, it's true, how do you think they come up with such sugary songs? They're just a bunch of folks who are lookin' for love, just like us.

At this point we were all pretty sleep deprived, and Kelly Lamone's new found obsession with Nelly and Twitter (100//) resulted in this:

And this:

Then we stopped at a Love's and picked up the best souvenirs EVER - needless to say, Juicy James is/was ecstatic.

And Kelly Lamone felt like this:

But that's not to say they didn't have fun before their drive back. They went in a rowboat in Boston and paddled around in circles for a few hours:

Chris Twist got some sleep:

Kelly Lamone and Juicy wore matching

Starfoxxx

tees:

They played a show right here in Detroit:

And Juicy SLAM DUNKED in D.C. !!!!!

Which resulted in this and a buncha other bruised band members:

But he's alright and tough as ever:

Juicy even wrote a song for us while on tour called "Juicy The 8th"!

"The best part about road trips is finding amazing AM stations that still play the oldies. And the best thing about listening to oldies is replacing normal words with vulgar words. Well, used to be! Now i'm a musician now and as such I replace the vulgar words with less vulgar ones about the same acts. It's great fun! Chris Twist and I just try to rip off as many classics as we can and see what sticks! I tried my hand at a Henry The 8th rip-off and he hated it! So i made it myself!"

News, Road to the BottleEmpty BottleAugust 25, 2014Comment

Road to the Bottle with Crocodiles

The road to the Bottle for the band CROCODILES has seen them mostly sliding up and down the East coast this summer, but now they find themselves in the heart of the midwest. From what we can tell this has been the quintessential summer tour for CROCODILES. They have been taking in baseball games (at bars--of course), brushing up on their BEACH BOYS lyrics, snapping selfies in Detroit, and road-tripping sleepily across America. All the makings of a classic summer, but it would not be complete without a stop at ye olde Empty Bottle.

That is not a CAN record you CAN find every day!

"Robert loves baseball"It’s no secret to anyone who has listened to Crocodiles that these fellas are some serious record collectors. So we were not surprised to see that their travels included a stop in Ohio at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. While there they took this pic for us of Brian Wilson’s hand written lyrics. Nice!They also scored a nice CAN 7” at Lager House in Detroit. Then they took this selfie out on the streets of Detroit. This band knows how to live it up on tour, and here at the Empty Bottle, we LOVE when bands send us selfies# !CROCODILES played here for the first time back in May of 2009. Since then we have had the pleasure of watching this band grow and refine their unique sound from record to record. Their debut, Summer of Hate was dark, echoing, and promising. A lo-fi and noisy affair that displayed a young band with a long deep love for music.The band’s follow up, Sleep Forever, was even better. While CROCODILES tour with up to five people for their live shows, the band was started by two friends that met at an anti-fascist rally in high school. The original core, BRANDON WELCHEZ and CHARLES ROWELL spent 10 days recording with producer JAMES FORD, (SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO) out in the middle of the Mojave Desert. Ford brought a bit of sun to the band’s shadowy and macabre sound, while keeping everything that was great and raw about their debut. The result is a record that grabs you a minute into opener “Mirrors” and doesn’t let go until the emotional ending to “All My Hate and My Hexes are for You” at the end of the record.

They were not done refining their sound, though. Their latest record Crimes of Passion, out on French Kiss late last year, is their most fully-realized album to date. More cohesive than any of their past works can can claim to be, and with a sunniness peaking out through the grey clouds that the band is known for. It shows the band’s songwriting has truly matured over these past four records. We can't wait to enjoy their energetic live show again!

Catch them here with one of our favorite bands from, “The Good Land” Jaill, and Heavy Times; some of the best local dudes you (or any of us for that matter) could ask for!

There are some tickets still available. Get some at the door TONIGHT!

News, Road to the BottleTim GurnigJuly 29, 2014Crocodiles, Road to the BottleComment

Road to the Bottle with A Sunny Day in Glasgow

Road to the Bottle, A Sunny Day in Glasgow, Tour, Empty Bottle

Road to the Bottle, A Sunny Day in Glasgow, Tour, Empty Bottle, Van herbs,

Road to the Bottle, A Sunny Day in Glasgow, Tour, Empty Bottle, Great Scott, Boston, Chicago, Shoegaze, Sunny Pop

Road to the Bottle, A Sunny Day in Glasgow, Tour, Empty Bottle, Chicago, Shoegaze, Dream Pop, Best New Music, Ice Cream,

The Road to the Bottle for A Sunny Day in Glasgow doesn’t start in one place, but many. Originally hailing from Philly, but the band’s founder Ben Daniels (guitar) has also been working as a biostatistician in Australia. Vocalist Jen Goma has been living in Brooklyn where she’s been working on a number of other projects, and amongst those projects she lends her vocal talents to the latest Pains of Being Pure at Heart record. Many of the other members of ASDiG are still hanging around in Philadelphia, but there hasn’t been a time when all six members of the current lineup were together for the recording of the latest album, Sea When Absent.This is the first time we’re lucky enough to be hosting A Sunny Day in Glasgow on our stage. Surprising, considering they have been putting out some truly great records since way back in ’06 --yet understandable, considering the band has been spread across multiple continents for the past few years. Just another reason we are extra-stoked to be seeing this show. And, who knows the next time this band will all meet up in one part of the world to play shows?#RoadtotheBottleA Sunny Day in Glasgow are a hard band to pin down, but one of the genre tags most often hung on them is shoegaze-- a genre full of dark brooding music perfect for Fall, Winter, and rainy days. The songs on Sea When Absent, are full of sunny melodies and beautiful harmonies. The vocals are down in the mix slightly at times and have lots of reverb, echo, and effects on them , so it’s why it’s easy to see why people would tag them as shoegaze.Van herbs, of course!A lot of reviews for Sea When Absent have talked about how this is pop music with a lot of “noise” and “cacophony." It’s not a dissonant or harsh type of noise, though, even when the tracks are layered with fuzzy walls of guitar. It’s more like beautiful, joyous noise. ASDiG’s maximalist tunes envelop you. They seem to come at you from all directions with a variety of textures - to keep with the summer theme, it’s like laying on the beach. The sun is beating down. The harsh grainy sand below is creeping in everywhere. The waves crash rhythmically. Relaxing joyous chaos. This is the pretty kind of noise.(Outside the club in Boston)A Sunny Day in Glasgow play Empty Bottle on Tuesday July 8th. Get your tickets here.They've been going fast since Pitchfork gave her the 'ol Best New Music tag.The show starts at 9PM and they are joined by Lightfoils, one of our favorite local Shoegaze groups who are celebrating the release of their debut LP, Hierarchy. Up and coming Chicago quartet Startropics open this dreamy Tuesday night and the Shimmer DJs will be spinning records throughout.This one's going to be a real treat!

News, Road to the BottleTim GurnigJuly 7, 2014Comment

Road to the Bottle with Allah-Las

It’s hard to believe the members of the Allah-Las had time to snap a picture of them standing on a sand dune considering how busy their road to the Bottle has been. Starting in San Diego they have been playing back to back shows every night as they traveled down to Mexico and back up into Texas. In fact this picture was taken on the Mexico border en route to Austin. Could it be that there is a story that involves Tequila, Mescal, Rock and Roll, and lost passports which forced these lads to sneak back into the states to keep their tour going? Probably not, but this blog tends to think some mysteries are better left unsolved.

One thing we do know for certain is that the Allah-Las are well versed in the subject of Rock and Roll. They met in L.A.’s biggest record store and their tasty debut LP shows their time at work wasn’t wasted just doing work stuff. With a first record full of songs that feel exceptionally confident, these four dudes weave things like melody and countermelodies together with rhythm more seamlessly than your grandma could weave an afghan (The jury's still out on who has a better chocolate chip cookie recipe, though). Don’t take our word for it though, head over to their Soundcloud and check out their latest single right HERE!

And check out this photograph bass player Spencer Dunham sent us of himself saying GOODBYE to the Pacific Ocean. Don’t know about you, but we feel pretty special knowing these guys left all that to come hang out with us for a night.

Get here early and you might see the guys taking down the teepee they sleep in on tour. Just kidding. That will be down way before you get here, but you can check out, SLEEPY KITTY, a local duo Brooklyn Vegan called a “grungier and more layered BEST COAST” - perfect! Also, HORSE THIEF is making the trip up from Oklahoma City to get the night started right with their vibrant, contemplative widescreen sound. What could be better? Nothing, that's what!

News, Road to the BottleTim GurnigJune 14, 2014Road to the BottleComment

Road to the Bottle with MARISSA NADLER

It makes sense to have Boston songstress Marissa Nadler partake in Road To The Bottle. The first song off her hauntingly beautiful new album, July, is titled "Drive" and it sets the tone for an album that moves through one year of her life, from breakup to reunion. Layers of darkness surround each song's multi-colored sonic palette and her evocative, mysterious vocals soar alongside the shadowy atmospheres she creates.Marissa recently returned from a tour in Europe, which is where these photos were taken. We could have called this post Sky to the Bottle, but that doesn't really make any sense. Besides, from what we can tell none of these were taken from a big ol' jetplane, so quit your fussing and just enjoy the photos.As you can see, Miss Nadler's got an eye for photography, as well, and she captures some of the same ghostly beauty that she explores in her music. There's a shot outside of a hotel window onto a parking lot with a hint of the photographer reflected in the glass - the ghost of a past self. There are photos of her and her bandmates on the road, as well as various shots of what they experienced on their European excursion. As she told us via e-mail, "Europe was very beautiful in the spring, outside of the window of a moving van. Elevators, hotels, nightclubs, and highways."It's a treat for us to get to see into the lives of these artists as they travel around the world. We hope you'll join us on Sunday, May 11 for a spectacular show with Marissa Nadler (playing solo), Mind Over Mirros and Quarter Mile Thunder. Bring you mom and treat her to a great night of live music on Mother's Day.Here's a video of Marissa Nadler performing a full set live on KEXP:

News, Road to the BottleEmpty BottleMay 9, 2014Road to the BottleComment

Road To The Bottle with A MINOR FOREST

Some roads to the bottle take longer than others. In the case of San Francisco's A MINOR FOREST, it's taken damn-near 15 years to make it back to our little stage, but here they come once again. Since it’s taken the math/post-rock trio so long to get here, we’ll try to keep this short and sweet. It kind of makes sense to anyone familiar with their music, which excels at stopping, starting, and shifting directions at a moment’s notice. After releasing a couple awesome, cerebral records back in the 90s, the band disappeared for 15 years and, out of nowhere, has decided to come back for one final farewell.Well, welcome back, Eric, Andy and John. These guys were clearly missed by many, our fearless and handsome leader included. Did you guys see Bruce’s deep look back at them on this very blog? Check it out here.Basically, you’re not going to want to miss this show. While this isn’t the end of their current tour, who knows if you’ll get to see A MINOR FOREST ever play the Bottle again. The earliest we'd expect em to return is roughly 2029. We can’t really say, though. We’ve learned with these guys it’s about expecting the unexpected. Actually it’s about throwing your expectations out the window and going along for the weird-angular-mathy-sonic ride. Isn’t it always?

News, Road to the BottleEmpty BottleMay 1, 2014Road to the BottleComment

Road To The Bottle (sort of) with BLACK LIPS

Road to the Bottle Empty Bottle Presents BLACK LIPS at Logan Square Auditorium!This is a very special edition of Road to The Bottle because it features some old friends of ours, a band that's been playing our stage (and various EBP rooms) for close to a decade. It's also the first RTTB to feature a band not actually playing THE Empty Bottle. If you're a fan of contemporary rock & roll, chances are you're well aware of Atlanta's BLACK LIPS. They've been burning up the punk underground for damn-near 15 years and have slowly peaked their heads into mainstream consciousness these past few years with kick-ass records that stay true to their old-school punk roots. If you haven't heard their brand new record, Underneath The Rainbow (VICE), give it a spin and come on down for the show tomorrow night. Hopefully you've already got your ticket, though, cause that shit's been sold out for months!Yes Yes, y'all, your friends at Empty Bottle were nice enough to hook up a show with the Black Lips here in Chicago. The very same Black Lips who recently jammed with muthafuckin' BOY GEORGE in Philly. Who knows, maybe they’ll bring Boy George with to their show at Logan Square Auditorium?? Probably not. We can almost guarantee not, actually.Just how Rock & Roll are the Black Lips? Well, for one, they get vitamin B injections in their butts before shows. You know, for energy. Just like other famous stars, Katie Perry and Deerhunter. Chances are Bruce Springsteen does this - how else could he stay so buff? They did some sort of video interview with Pitchfork some years ago where they explained this. You can watch it and get excited for the show (and butts) here: http://pitchfork.com/tv/1-plus-one/4-black-lips/The road to the Bottle has been long for these dudes. They’ve been all over these united states already and they even went to Canada for a bit. But don’t worry about fatigue, when it comes to live shows these guys are the pro-est of pros. They’ve been doing this forever and have played all over the world, even the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Their shows are notoriously wild, as we’ve come to know and love, and we know Saturday’s event won’t disappoint. Be sure to show up early for kick-ass openers NATURAL CHILD and FOOTBALL!

News, Road to the BottleEmpty BottleApril 25, 2014Road to the BottleComment

Road to the Bottle with Secret Colours (SXSW 2014 Edition)

Not all of us can journey down to the SXSW. We have day jobs, obligations up here in Chicago. Besides, why bother fighting the crowds and BBQ lines? If you’ve paid close attention, all the best acts from SXSW have been stopping by the Bottle in the last couple weeks or will come by in the next month. So, you know, you’re welcome.Secret Colours is one of those bands. They’re headlining the Mister Suit Record Release Show here, Wednesday night with Fred Thomas (of Saturday Looks Good to Me) and Yeesh. Yeesh, that’s a good show for a hump day… or any day, for that matter.Before Secret Colours left our beautiful city we charged the gents with a little mission. We asked them to report on their SXSW experience so that everyone up here in Chicago who didn’t get to attend could live vicariously through them. They, being some pretty nice dudes, were happy to oblige. Here it is, everything you need to know about SXSW!We left for the Capitol of Texas by way of the "night flight". The entirety of the band, cruising down the highway in our trusted Ford van. The preferred, or rather accustomed mode of travel is through the night. Rest is for the wary, the sand has been brushed from our eyes and we are eager. What makes a night flight is the sort of accompaniment which is brought along. Sonic stimulation enhanced by high spirits. Lift off, the pilot has turned off the signal to stay seated.The flight is at an end, eighteen hours in and we have landed in sunny Austin, TX. Our manner is disheveled, and the city is in chaos. A massive upheaval that picks the city's locals off of their vine and plants a seed for tourists and suits combined. Somewhere in the midst, there's a small town hero attempting to strike a chord to be heard. We gather ourselves, collect our festival wristbands, too tired to sleep we headed towards East Austin this evening. We indulged in a few gin & tonics at our favorite Austin hang out, “Yellow Jacket Social Club”. Located off of the beaten path on a side road following some train tracks, we felt strangely at home.Easily the best part of the festival is the opportunity to hit up the local food. You learn pretty quick that the trailers downtown offer something no more than street food but if you take the time to explore a bit outside of downtown you’ll find yourself at some incredible trailers and food joints. A standard that we have upheld recently is a visit to “Lucy’s Fried Chicken” in South Austin. Chicken gizzards with an assortment of various hot sauces, it’s difficult to go wrong. In East Austin a friend who happened to be a local suggested the Micklethwait Craft Meats trailer which proved to be a close contender.We had a total of four shows spread over the course of the five or six days we were in town. It wasn’t our first rodeo with SXSW. Our band has grown accustomed to the city over the years by playing various festivals and recently tracking our latest album “Positive Distractions” at “Dandy Sounds Studios” (Any Kind, Cross Record) in Dripping Springs, TX. We were able to catch some incredible performances. Some of which were St. Vincent, Damon Albarn, Sean Lennon, Cross Record, Any Kind, and our Chicago friends in Future Monarchs.Loaded up on barbeque, fried chicken and whatever else we decided to destroy our systems with, it was all at an end. The days tend to blend together, and by the end of the festival the cold embrace of Chicago seems oddly appealing. Maybe it’s the comfort of a bedroom, a familiar face, or just the emotions that the Chicago seasons seem to brand into those who wear it’s flag proudly.

News, Road to the BottleInternApril 22, 2014Road to the BottleComment

Road to the Bottle with Shearwater

Shearwater’s road to the Bottle has seen them passing through a multitude of environments and working on their sharing skills. Their road to the Bottle has featured long drives from Austin to Atlanta, and Seattle to Salt Lake City. But their next drive may be the longest of all. See their show at the Bottle Saturday night also serves as a bon voyage party before the band heads to Vienna, Austria. That’s right Shearwater’s last view of America for two months will be all you beautiful people that hang out at here at this place we call the Empty Bottle.

Shearwater is the music of Jonathan Meiburg, who also provided his multi-instrumental talents to a band called Okkervil River (Check out his gorgeous backstage selfie above). Shearwater’s music is like no one else’s while also feeling immediately familiar. Their sound manages to contain a folkiness that feels comfortable, while being much more sonically inventive than any folk artist we can think of. See their cover of the excellent Mountain Goats song, “This Year”. Meiburg remains true to the feeling of the original while effectively adding electronic beeps and a sweet synth line to the melody!

[Oh, yeah! Shearwater did a whole album of wonderful covers of songs by their former tourmates. You should buy it at their show!]

Shearwater’s newer stuff has been far more informed by that genre endearingly called “rock”. Meiburg’s voice wander’s in operatic fashion. This is a man who really knows how to sing. And sing he does, he sings about the likes of snow leopards, golden archipelagos, black rivers and birds. But the driving propulsion of the drums always keep the songs moving forward. The arrangements are lush and full they expand creating beautiful sonic landscapes but never feel like their sole goal is to explore texture (see:put you to sleep). These are well crafted songs, and it’s going to be a delight to see Shearwater pull them off live here!

Just cause Shearwater won’t put you to sleep doesn’t mean they don’t need to catch up on some Zs with all the traveling they do!

News, Road to the BottleInternMarch 28, 2014Road to the BottleComment

Road to the Bottle with The Pack A.D.

The road to the bottle began in Vancouver for The Pack A.D. and has since taken them through some of America’s amber waves of grain and red desert’s majesty. Don’t be fooled though, this band is Canadian through and through. What does that mean for you? It means they’re guaranteed to be some of the nicest people to ever rock your face off.The Pack A.D. play something resembling "garage rock." We know you like that. Unlike many garage bands who leave the vocals as mumble yowls laying in the mix, these innovative ladies bring the vox to the front and slap them with reverb til they’re as big as the Canadian wilderness.Reports of their shows in other cities tell us these ladies fill the largest stages and turn the smaller ones to booze soaked splinters. Good thing they go on last, because they will likely leave nothing but a heap of rubble when it’s all said and done. This is their first time back at the Bottle in two and a half years, so we know the kind of lasting impression they're going to make on you fine people.The Pack A.D. seem to only get bigger as time marches on (likely to one of their massive beats). The duo continues to explode through the pressure that new levels of success bring, and roundhouse kick any raised bars.The Pack A.D. play here Thursday, March 6th with a pair of other duos. They are joined by Chicago’s own Nonnie Party who add some shoegazery and freak-outs to the night. Also The Ex-Bombers bring their ever seedy and equally sexy brand of pop music up from Charleston. It's only $10 - even you can’t screw that up.Rest up the night before, this is one you don't want to miss!

News, Road to the BottleInternMarch 4, 2014Road to the BottleComment

Road to the Bottle with The Belle Game

The Belle Game tour just kicked off last week, but they come to us all the way from Vancouver. We’re happy to have them back after seeing their delightfully dark live show last year when they stopped here on their tour with Bear Mountain. They’re stopping at the Empty Bottle as part of their detailed U.S. tour which has them traveling to all the cool cities and discussing how frequent pioneers got laid.Woven together by lines of witchy guitars and threads of reverby keyboards, The Belle Game’s music is like a shadowy blanket. No - a shadowy snuggie, which keeps you feeling warm and comfortable, but also leaves your hands free for drinking. Come snuggle up to a glass of something dark, or several and drink till it’s hump day.There will be plenty of time for you to sit home alone playing Legend of Zelda after the show is over. We know that’s what The Belle Game will be doing.While many bands are content to explore a singular sound The Belle Game can go from wild and witchy to elegantly somber in the same song. The perfect thing for enjoy these last superbly dark days of Winter. Pretty soon it’ll be outdoor festival season again. There will be lots of sunshine and cheer and happiness, and you’ll just wish you could sit in a dark bar and drink some dark beer and listen to some well-crafted dark pop music. Trust us.The Belle Game play here TONIGHT with a pair of terrific locals. Catch them with, The Dead Woods, and Gold Cult here, since they’re not playing anywhere else in town. Doors at 8:30 and a mere $10 gets you in for the evening.

News, Road to the BottleInternFebruary 25, 2014Comment

Road to the Bottle with The Casket Girls

A wise man with long golden locks once said that, “The road to the Bottle isn’t always smooth. It’s not always trips to London and Paris, or the most exotic beaches.” That man is correct, of course. The truth is that sometimes in life you escape from the crocodiles unscathed, and sometimes the ‘crocodiles’ of life total your van. So the road to the bottle hasn’t been easy for The Casket Girls and The Graveface Roadshow, but as you can see they’re staying in good spirits.The journey began in Savannah, Georgia, the hometown of these lovely young ladies. Although, listening to their music, you would think they really reside in some weird Lynchian dream world when not touring. The Casket Girls make pop music that sounds like a sexy funeral march. So wear black to the show, or white. Really it doesn’t matter what you wear, we’re pretty sure you’re going to drink all our tequila and slowly take off your clothes anyways.This show is FREE which means you have extra money to buy their merch. Their van got totaled just one week ago! Not to worry, they're bringing this guy.and more importantly this guy, Ryan Graveface, founder of Graveface records and opening tonight's show as Dreamend.!

News, Road to the BottleEmpty BottleFebruary 24, 2014Road to the BottleComment

Road to the Bottle with COURTNEY BARNETT

Courtney Barnett and her band, The Courtney Barnetts, have had an exceptionally long road to the bottle. They come to us all the way from Melbourne, Australia. But lately they’ve been hanging around London and Paris where they had a handful of performances over the past week or so.Check em out below![Rough Trade in-store, London. View from the stage][Sebright Arms]Courtney and her music often get the “slacker” label tossed on them - guess that's what you get for writing honest, relatable lyrics these days. She’s been collecting a lot of fans recently, regardless of what the press decides to call her. People are joining Team Courtney in droves. Trust us, tickets for this show sold faster than Australian hotcakes.[A Pub, somewhere]Despite comparisons to early Dylan, Stephen Malkmus, Kurt Vile, and Eleanor Friedberger, Courtney manages to be herself. Not many artists these days garner as much attention for the release of a double EP, or have the audacity to pull off the line “I don’t need no 9 to 5/telling me that I’m alive” without sounding like a total cheese ball. Courtney does incredibly well, though. She can also create makeshift lighting in a pinch on tour.It’s well deserved love. Courtney does the amazing trick of making her well-crafted songs seem like off the cuff, unraveling confessions from a dear friend. Plus, this girl crams as many clever lines into a song as Kanye West. Speaking of Courtney Barnett and Kanye West, we’ll leave this here:So sure, they've had a pretty damn long road to the Bottle, as you can see, but they've arrived in Chicago and are integrating well into the local culture. Here Bones (Bass) shovels snow. Welcome!See you, Tuesday, snugglebugs.

News, Road to the BottleEmpty BottleFebruary 17, 2014Road to the BottleComment

Road to the Bottle with CHEAP TIME

Jeffrey Novak has been at the center of Cheap Time since the band started in 2006. Jeff writes and sings all those Cheap Time songs we love. He’s also the guy standing in the middle of that photograph, but that aint Lake Michigan he’s standing in. These guys are in the middle of a massive U.S. tour which has seen them swerving around all those states that are warmer than ours.Cheap Time have been teasing us before their Valentine’s day date at the bottle with these photos they keep sending. The pics are quite the tantalizing. They show us a band we love, but haven’t had the pleasure of seeing in almost three years, and that there is still land that exists outside this polar vortex.Besides releasing 5 records over the past six years, Cheap time has been touring like crazy, and on a quest for a Ramones letter opener. Luckily, they’ve found time to come visit us Friday the 14th (and apparently the Ramones letter opener).Angular, curvaceous, rhythmic, sexy, post-punk, touches of Krautrock – that’s what all the kids are saying about Cheap Time. It’s also how we would describe most of our romantic relationships, which is why we couldn’t picture a better fit for a Valentine’s Day show. You don’t want to be a lonely loser on a Friday night, so grab a glass of punch of four from the bar and drink yourself pretty.Their tour even took them through gator country. Luckily, all limbs are still intact, so they’ll still be able to give us their maximum rock and roll on ol’ February 14th.Words by Tim Gurnig. Photos by Cheap Time.

News, Road to the BottleEmpty BottleFebruary 12, 2014Road to the BottleComment

Road to the Bottle: POTTY MOUTH

POTTY MOUTH is four ladies from western Massachusetts who are simply doing what they want to do. This straightforward approach to living may seem naïve in our modern world, but it appears to be working out pretty well for them. As the chorus of approving blogs (Spin, CMJ, Pitchfork, Noisey, and NPR among them) and a growing nest of fans might agree, it’s both admirable and enjoyable to watch come together.Ally, Phoebe, Ally, and Victoria are going on two years making badass melodic pop music with punk rock in their hearts and minds. They clearly came of age in the 90s, but are not to be fetishized as a teenage punk band. Nor, as they have made clear in every interview they’ve done, are they to be labeled as RIOT GRRRL, because that’s “lazy and reductive” and “gender does not equal genre.” Boo-yah.Learn more about the gals in POTTY MOUTH and view some adorbz photoz after the jump.