Semi Precious Weapons, Verona Red, Nico Vega and The Flavor Savors ROCKED Chicago this Weekend

I had an amazing weekend.

Friday night I went to see my beloved Semi Precious Weapons at Subterranean. This was my fourth time seeing them in Chicago, and fifth overall. LOVE them. I don't think blogger allows a large and bold enough font to accurately express my positive feelings towards them. Their live show sucker punches everyone else's live show in the face and makes all the other live shows cry. It's full of the most beautiful rock and roll you'll ever see. They're currently on tour with Lady Gaga, which is great for them and ironic since Gaga used to open for them back in the day, so they're leaving the country again for a few months. BUT, next time they're in Chicago and playing a smaller venue (so NOT Chicago Theater w/Gaga), do yourself a favor and check out their show. You'll want to be up front and center for this one, so get there early and wear something fabulous. Below are some clips from their show.
Opening for SPW was LA's Nico Vega. Every once in a while I see a band I'm not familiar with and they blow me away. Ha Ha Tonka did it. Passion Pit did it. Nico Vega did it. They have a live show worthy of opening for SPW, which is a feat in itself that most can't conquer, and I can certainly call myself a fan. After rocking my socks off a few songs in a row, I decided to snap a clip for your viewing pleasure. Check it out below.

Saturday night was Chicago's Verona Red's turn to rock my socks off. They did, and they did it well. I am constantly impressed with their ability to play really great rock and roll with such vigor that people dance, instruments break, and good times are inevitable. Of all the Chicago bands I've seen, they have the best live rock show hands down. They're playing again in Chicago at Subterranean on May 14 with Hurricane Bells from NY and King Sparrow from Chicago, so if you have the desire to be rocked, check them out then. Below is a video of them starting the show with "In the Coat Check."
Model Stranger and The Flavor Savors also played Saturday. Mad props to Model Stranger for such an amazing album release show. "Dreams and Bones" sounded great live, and I'm looking forward to the next show. Also, The Flavor Savors were a blast. I captured a bit of their show below.

MGMT Rocks SNL with "Brian Eno"

While I was rocking out to Verona Red on Saturday night at Cubby Bear, MGMT was busy rocking out at SNL. Thanks to the interweb, I'm able to enjoy and share their performance today. Within my first few listens through MGMT's newest album, Congratulations, "Brian Eno" was one of the songs that caught my attention. I was happy to see it was one of the songs they performed. Check it out on SNL below or with the rest of the album HERE.

A Must-Stop Indy Music Shop

I happened to be in Indianapolis this weekend to attend a Verona Red show, and I finally made it out to LUNA Music. I will definitely be back!

More than just a record store, LUNA offers a variety of items within the music-lovers culture. There's a whole section of music books, magazines, t-shirts, and knick knacks, as well as new and used CDs. Literally, the walls are lined with merchandise I want to own. Alas, I limited myself to three albums: Golden Silver's True Romance, Spoon's Transference, and Mumford & Son's Sigh No More. I left behind a copy of Verona Red's Side Effects in the FREE bin, so stop by and try to claim it!

The LUNA Music I visited was at 431 Massachusetts Avenue. There's a second location at 5202 North College Avenue, and I hope to visit there soon.

What You Should Be Doing Tonight

If you're:

• In Chicago
• Wanting to have fun
• A fan of good music
• Needing/Wanting to get drunk
• Hoping to work out more in the New Year (aka dancing)
• Friendless
• etc

Invest your time wisely, my friends, and head to Subterranean to see Verona Red! They have a KILLER live set, chuck full of really fun rock and roll music and good times. The show's been previewed on Chicago Innerview and Baby Stew, and was recommended in Friday's RedEye, so you can see there are others who support this post.


Doors are at 9, The Locals start at 9:30, followed by The Glide at 10:30, and Verona Red at 11:30. All three bands represent rock and roll, sporting some chicks in The Locals and an electronic influence in The Glide. Verona Red's music is infused with some swing, blues and dance, and an intense contagious energy. Tickets are $10, and this show may very well sell out, so schedule it into your plans now, yo.

You can check out more Verona Red on twitter, myspace, or their blog. And hopefully, I'll see you tonight!

Exciting to Know My Gold Mask is from Chicago

Chicago

If Emiliana Torrini wrote lyrics to a Battles song, it might sound like Circle Mass, by My Gold Mask. With its very driven and large sound, this song will quickly rack up play counts on my iPod, especially because it's FREE HERE.

Give it a listen, and then (if you're not heading to Subterranean to see Verona Red) maybe head over to The Hideout to hear it live on Saturday, January 9.

Some Good Upcoming Chicago Shows

SO much good music playing in Chicago soon. :)

Click their pic to buy

8/20/09: Coltrane Motion at Double Door, FREE
8/21/09: Verona Red at Reggie's Rock Club, $15 <-- Rock 4 Autism benefit!
8/25/09: Modest Mouse at Aragon Ballroom, $29.25

8/26/09: Empires, Big Science and Pet Lions at Schubas, $10

8/28/09: Nine Inch Nails at Aragon Ballroom, $55
While I only know one NIN song, I love that one song SO much, it was my inspiration for starting this blog.

8/28/09: Loyal Divide at Beat Kitchen, $8/$10

8/29/09: Mucca Pazza at Bottom Lounge, $12

Also, some upcoming September shows I'm really excited for include Royal Bangs, Matt & Kim, and YACHT. :)

My Pitchfork Thoughts

Well, I had a FABulous time at P4K 2009. :) Like the rest of my postings, I'm going to keep this review brief!




HIGHLIGHTS

• Yeasayer - They were on my list of "must sees" and I had pretty high expectations for them, and yet they still blew me away. (Dancing in the rain to Yeasayer = favorite Pitchfork moment of 09) Way to be really awesome Yeasayer and turn an existing fan into a exciting fan. :)

• Final Fantasy- I love a good one-man band, and what Owen Pallett did to that violin was inspiring.

• The Labels - not any one band, but the many booths of labels representing. I have especially warmer and fuzzier feelings now towards Polyvinyl, Cardboard Sangria, Hometapes, and AEMMP Records.

BIGGEST DISSAPOINTMENT

• The Walkmen - Not only are they "above" playing the song that made them famous, but their set was blah overall. So sad.

HAPPY MOMENTS

• Seeing that Whole Foods had gigantic bags of cherries available for sale as a healthy snack. Those were delicious and refreshing.
• Perusing the poster artists - found a few promising designers.
• Randomly running into folks from Moxie Motive, Loyal Divide, Verona Red and Bully in the Hallway.
• Making the most awesome picture buttons ever. :)
  
• Pretty much every moment, as music festivals are my heaven-on-earth.

SAD MOMENTS

• Realizing that the crazy, colliding fans I burried myself in for Matt & Kim actually squished all the ripe and juicy cherries in my purse, getting cherry juice on my purse, my pants, my sweater, my hand, my boyfriend, my phone, etc.

• Losing one of the most awesome picture buttons ever. :(
• Watching some drunk loser cut off some handicap guy waiting to use the handicap porta-potty. All the folks in my porta-potty line gave him the stink eye when he got out. Loser.

Check out some more images from my 2009 P4K experience

See clips of P4K performances from Yeasayer, Final Fantasy, Flaming Lips, Black Lips, Matt and Kim, and Bowerbirds HERE.

Random 10 Extras I Love

On this blog I post one song every day by a new artist, never repeating an artist... Sometimes it takes me a while to find an artist I believe is worth posting, and most of the time, once I find that artist, I love more than one of their songs. What to do?!?!

Well, as hard as it may be, I chose one-and-only-one song to recommend each day, but now my Random 10s allow me to share other songs from these artists that I love. Enjoy! :)

The Blow - Parenthesis
Calvin Harris - Acceptable in the 80s
Grizzly Bear - Alligator (choir version)
Iron & Wine - Innocent Bones
Mugison - Jesus is a Good Name to Moan
Muse - Butterflies and Hurricanes
She & Him - Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?
Verona Red - Hesitations & Cliches
Wolf Parade - Call It a Ritual
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps

Recommended Song of the Day

Chicago, IL

5/21/09: Warm Body Syndrome, by Verona Red

Listen to it HERE

It's been SO HARD to pick only one song to feature... so here are some other favorites :)

Marjorie
In The Coat Check

Enjoy!

Tracy :)

OH and they're playing in Chicago tonight at Subterranean w/People in Planes AND tomorrow at Cubby Bear with Pistols at Dawn. See you there!!!

Some Good Upcoming Chicago Shows (You're Welcome)

LOTS of good music headed our way, Chicago. Here are my personal favorites!

As always, click on their pic to head to their myspace.

Wednesday, 5/20
Black Dice @ Empty Bottle
21+ $12

NY

Thursday, 5/21
People in Planes and Verona Red @ Subterranean
17+ $12

Wales and Chicago

LOVE Verona Red's live shows! They're playing back-to-back in Chicago this week - no excuse not to make one! Free music and cookies - two of my favorites :)

Friday, 5/22
Verona Red and five other bands @ Cubby Bear
21+ $7 ($4 if you check out their Thursday show @ Subterranean too!)

Chicago

Saturday, 5/23 *my birthday :)
Loyal Divide @ Empty Bottle
21+ $10

Chicago