Headphones On

----- Day Shows ------

Honeycut - Emo's Annex (IODA Day Party)
Oh Bart Bart Bart. Honeycut puts on one hell of a live (albeit slightly confusing) show. I have NEVER seen a keyboard player on 3 keys at once AND dancing like Bez. Such great energy here this was a great way to start the day.

The Changes - Emo's Jr (Metro 25th Anniversary Party)
Yay Hometown kids! I think this was the BEST rendition of "Her You and I" I've *ever* heard. I couldn't stay at the Metro party for long because I felt way too sheepish about listening to local bands while people walked around me in Metro Chicago t-shirts. A bit *too* close to home but I would break that rule any day for The Changes.

Peter, Bjorn and John - Red Eyed Fly (Little Radio Party)
Alright well it took me a little bit to get into them, but as Skippy kept asking me "Have you melted yet?" Have I melted? Oh yes. Adorable, energy full Swedes, how could I not? It does make me a wee bit sad though because it feels like the Eggstone revolution happening 15 years after the fact. No songs about water in tennis balls but WOW anyway.

Marajube - Canadian Party - Brush Square
It has now been decided I like their music videos far more than their music. Too harsh for me. Too.... LOUD. Sounded better as we walked away, even better as we crossed the street, and the best from over 200 yards away. Not a good sign.

----- Evening Shows ------

The Pipettes - La Zona Rosa
"We are the Pipettes, oh and we've got no regrets"... why didn't they start with that other than it's way too obvious? Firstly, they are as adorable in real life. Secondly, their voices are not as manufactured as the dance moves. Not bad, not bad... but they could have used a MUCH better backing band.

Ladybug Transistor - Antone's
It's been a good 10 years since I've seen Ladybug. Next time I'm not going to wait so long. Ladybug are really a band that need to be absorbed though over a good period of time to let the waves and layers of sound wash over you. Unfortunately we didn't have that kinda time last night but the next time they come through Chicago I'm there.

Division Day - Blender Bar
Very talented bunch of kids but just way too Emo for me so I hopped next door to...

Rubicks - Co-op
This was a pleasant surprise! A girl on a crunchy guitar, a boy on a bass and a whole lotta drum machine. They definitely brought their A game with them from London. If it hadn't been so early in the evening I could have stayed there and gaped for hours. Think "Black Cherry" era Goldfrapp but without all that fuss of being Goldfrapp. Wait, maybe Client without the kitsch and pencil skirts.

How I Became The Bomb - Maggie May's Rooftop
I wanted to like this band, I really did. BUT they had way too many things working against them. a) A complete lack of vocal mic. I think all the vocals we were hearing were coming through his monitor cos from 5' away I got nothing out of him and yet the sound guy did bupkus. b) Lose the "fancy dress" (aka bad 80s tuxedo cummerbunds). This isn't a costume party. I appreciate your trying to bring some humor to the event but this way is just not working. Ok that said... there really did seem to be some talent underneath here (esp. loved the keyboards and guitar jangles). I'd love to give them 6 months or a year and see how they're progressing.

Cody ChesnuTT - Exodus
Perhaps Cody really is the definition of "Creative Genius" but with a lone electric guitar and a very low volume compared to the bar noise... it was on to Loney, Dear.

Loney, Dear - Emo's IV
Absolute, hands down, BEST SHOW OF THE NIGHT. I don't know where the snarl in Emil came from tonight but they were COMPLETELY on.

Sissy Wish - Buffalo Billiards
I wanted so much more than Sissy Wish actually were in real life. At least it was a few minutes to sit down and sip a drink instead of down it and move on. Not so good when the only positive about a show was a chair.

Honeycut - Friends
Why are they so fascinating to me??? Is it the two boys who look/act like they're direct from early 90s Madchester? Is it Bart's seemingly split personality?

Let's Go Sailing - Blender Bar
Very cute. Very twee but very cute. I'm always a sucker for live strings though I could have done without the drunk guy who was pretending the actually "go sailing" in front of the stage.

The Softlightes - Central Presbyterian Church
If anyone I saw today had to be "the IT band", I'd really want it to be The Softlightes. I love this record more and more with every listen. I'm glad they're playing again though because 1AM in a church is not an ideal Softlightes atmosphere (although really the acoustics in this church were phenomenal making Ron sound like an angel).