Thursday, January 31, 2013
Sexfist Live Music Tuesdays
Hello everyone. I hope you are prepared to dosey doe and grab a partner and spin around because I don't think you will be able to help yourself much when this band kicks off their set. If you don't believe me take a listen to the amazing Sexfist and they'll have you spitting in a tin cup before its all over.
<iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F77281691"></iframe>
https://soundcloud.com/colethefriel/sexfist-live
http://soundcloud.com/colethefriel/
sexfist-live
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Saturday Update
Hello everyone once again. Tonight I am busy trying to find some music to go and see. A few hot spots of mine are hosting hip hop tonight so I probably won't go to those. Instead I'm giving a good look into livechicagomusic.org in search of a show of potential quality. Also I hoped to find an open mic, but the few places I've been told about are no longer hosting open mics on saturdays so I wish they would update their information on the internet. So hopefully I'll find something as I continue my search. Also I intend to catch a traditional Irish session tomorrow at the Abbey so we'll have to wait and see how that goes.
House of Blues
Well, I made it to the Railroad Earth show at the House of Blues on friday. It was a good show, the band was definitely in the groove and on the same page as one another. Railroad Earth has a Jam Grassy style and play lots of strings, pipes and flutes. The venue sounded pretty good overall. I bounced around all over between the different levels searching for the best place to capture some film of the show.
It was a good show, although I felt they had a larger, more commercial following than what they had a year ago at this time. Which is kind of sad in a way to me because when a band's following becomes more commercial it seems the crowd begins to contain more pompous frat-like kids there more to be deranged rather than attending out of the love of the music. So a much more crowded venue than what I remember last year and a more aggressive vibe than I've felt at a Railroad show before. Its always irritating getting pushed in the back all night whilst you try to enjoy yourself.That being said there were some really great and friendly people there as well.
But I knew what to expect. Especially playing House of Blues in River North where everything is expensive. Which leads to the area normally being full of inconsiderate snobby people. Half of the staff seemed to enjoy their job and the other half were rotten. One staff worker named Joy was complaining to me about the band going over in time and playing until 1:04 A.M. Whaaaa! "They're supposed to be done at 1:00 A.M," is what she cried to me. I couldn't believe it. Joy was not a Joy to be around and I kept a movin'.
Overall Railroad Earth delivered an A show, but to a C- environment.
It was a good show, although I felt they had a larger, more commercial following than what they had a year ago at this time. Which is kind of sad in a way to me because when a band's following becomes more commercial it seems the crowd begins to contain more pompous frat-like kids there more to be deranged rather than attending out of the love of the music. So a much more crowded venue than what I remember last year and a more aggressive vibe than I've felt at a Railroad show before. Its always irritating getting pushed in the back all night whilst you try to enjoy yourself.That being said there were some really great and friendly people there as well.
But I knew what to expect. Especially playing House of Blues in River North where everything is expensive. Which leads to the area normally being full of inconsiderate snobby people. Half of the staff seemed to enjoy their job and the other half were rotten. One staff worker named Joy was complaining to me about the band going over in time and playing until 1:04 A.M. Whaaaa! "They're supposed to be done at 1:00 A.M," is what she cried to me. I couldn't believe it. Joy was not a Joy to be around and I kept a movin'.
Overall Railroad Earth delivered an A show, but to a C- environment.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Entry to the Underground
Have you ever wanted to hear live music, but thought you didn't know where to go or were you concerned about the price? Well follow my blog and I'll tell of some great places where the music is played every night and where you can catch a free show or often very cheap. I have been scouring the city of Chicago since my arrival to find the best places to hear great music and I wish to offer my opinion in consideration of the venue's sound quality, musicians, and the environment created by the crowd and employees. This has resulted as a time consuming yet very exciting and rewarding venture considering there are literally hundreds of bars, night clubs, and venues in the area and most of those are quiet neighborhood hangouts that only the locals seem to know.
I've spent much of my time seeking out live music because I am an audio production student and my greatest interest is in live sound production. I think it would be great to see and engineer a live show every night. So I have been to several great places worth mentioning and I seem to be discovering new places all the time.
As a proper introduction to the underground scene I would like to mention Lonnie Walker's Underground Wonder Bar where the music is played 365 days a year until 4 a.m. and admission is free before 10 p.m. Once the admission does kick in it is $5 for weeknights. The Underground Wonder Bar has 3 stages, 2 underground and the main stage on the ground floor. The music that can be heard falls among a danceable, jazzy, reggae, rockish, soul influence and has weekly performances by the owner Lonnie Walker's Big Ass Company Band. I seen Smokin' Joe Thomas play the walking' bass last monday with a jazzy drummer and a fella pounding on the piano. The Underground had a great sound for the fat bass lines of Smokin Joe, which were accentuated further by the clubs long rectangular shape and by diffusors that hung on the wall opposite the band. The people at the Underground were very friendly and positive as well. They invite you to more shows and welcome you back as I hope many of you will visit back to my blog and even offer a comment or two. Thank you all for your time.
I've spent much of my time seeking out live music because I am an audio production student and my greatest interest is in live sound production. I think it would be great to see and engineer a live show every night. So I have been to several great places worth mentioning and I seem to be discovering new places all the time.
As a proper introduction to the underground scene I would like to mention Lonnie Walker's Underground Wonder Bar where the music is played 365 days a year until 4 a.m. and admission is free before 10 p.m. Once the admission does kick in it is $5 for weeknights. The Underground Wonder Bar has 3 stages, 2 underground and the main stage on the ground floor. The music that can be heard falls among a danceable, jazzy, reggae, rockish, soul influence and has weekly performances by the owner Lonnie Walker's Big Ass Company Band. I seen Smokin' Joe Thomas play the walking' bass last monday with a jazzy drummer and a fella pounding on the piano. The Underground had a great sound for the fat bass lines of Smokin Joe, which were accentuated further by the clubs long rectangular shape and by diffusors that hung on the wall opposite the band. The people at the Underground were very friendly and positive as well. They invite you to more shows and welcome you back as I hope many of you will visit back to my blog and even offer a comment or two. Thank you all for your time.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Halsted Harp
If you are looking for free live music and new talent on a thursday evening try the Halsted Harp. Thursdays are their day of open mic and live entertainment. The small, friendly, Irish bar creates a great atmosphere whether you wish to relax and watch the performers or if want to perform yourself. They have cheery staff and all are welcome resulting in interesting and diverse musical styles. This past thursday saw several talented performers take the stage ranging in styles and genres from electric blues, traditional Irish Folk, American Folk, an Indie performance, and even a nostalgic Buddy Holly impersonator dropped in and sang a couple classic songs.
The Halsted Harp's open mic night is ran by Michael 'Fingers' Maloney and he can certainly express himself on the guitar. He has a fairly simple set up, but it allows him to layer his guitar licks in real time so he can subsequently build a song up before your ears by overdubbing. He accomplishes this to great effect. Michael creates a really big, thick, warm sound that he is able to manipulate, which really adds quality to his one man set up. He can really get a full sound out of his system and if you didn't know it was a solo act you may think he had a full band backing him up.
For a truly fun place to visit with quality musicians and with no shortage of colorful characters to talk to; try the Halsted Harp.
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