Davey Jones, the prolific mastermind behind experimental bedroom pop project Lost Boy ?, put out my favorite new summer jam this week! Listening to “96” after scrolling through too many friends’ family vacation photos and recovering from an ice cream binge stomach ache succeeded in making me feel less like an apathetic beach sloth. Its “I’ve only got time for love” hook lies on top of a Violent Femmes-y bass line and bright acoustic guitar, immediately sticking in my sun-fried brain and turning it into a more hopeful warm place. Thanks Davey!
Lost Boy ?’s next NYC show is July 29th at Riis Park Beach Bazaar with THICK, Big Huge & Gobbin Jr. RSVP here.
Check out the rest of our Track of the Week playlist below…
Rarely a night goes by in Bloomington without locals filling the basements of show-houses, bobbing their heads to punk, garage, and grunge riffs. Once a month, Rebecca recounts some of the live music highlights from the previous four weeks. Read and listen below for a bevy of Bloomington bands that should be on your radar.
(8/3) Rich Boy Junkie, Her Again, Paradise, Brian Berger @ the Bishop
It was an evening of farewells at the Bishop as locals Rich Boy Junkie and Her Again performed their final shows in Bloomington. I arrived at the Bishop in time for Her Again’s set, where a substantial audience showed up to catch the doo-wop infused surf punk sounds of Claudia Ferme (guitar), Jordan Gomes-Kuehner (drums), and Megan Searl (bass), who traded in their typically deadpan delivery for visible emotion as they graced the a Bloomington stage together for the last time. Rich Boy Junkie, the indie synthpop outfit featuring Collin Thomas, Brian Berger, Cole Stinson, Sam Winkhouse, and Nick Kinney, closed down the night. In between intimate lyrics sung with an earnest sincerity, frontman Collin Thomas took time to thank the band’s supporters and reflect on the special place that Bloomington will have in their memory.
(8/5) Jeff Rosenstock and Laura Stevenson @ The Void
*This review was written by Jennie Williams, a friend, colleague, musician, and fellow local music lover*
The Void, Bloomington’s all-ages collectively operated venue, sold out its largest show yet on Saturday, August 5th. This highly anticipated event featured Jeff Rosenstock and Laura Stevenson, old friends and bandmates from Bomb the Music Industry! (BtMI!). They had been touring all summer together with their own self-titled projects. Pre-sale tickets to this show were not available, which meant that even though I thought I showed up on time, I was already late and at the end of the line.
The first band to perform was a local punk group called Whelmed (an appropriate name to kick off the eagerly awaited and nearly overwhelming event). The lead vocalist welcomed the audience and introduced The Void and its mission to the crowd, which consisted of people from in and out of town. I even overheard that someone drove for over an hour and a half to see the show.
Laura Stevenson performed next, opening with “Out With A Whimper” from her 2015 album Cocksure. Stevenson was friendly, funny, attentive to the crowd, and played electric guitar with an effortless talent as she sang out devotedly over the sound of the loud speakers. For her last three songs, Jeff Rosenstock joined Stevenson on stage and played a shredding electric lead. The band closed with “Jellyfish” – an instant crowd favorite.
While the Jeff Rosenstock fans pushed forward, readying themselves for the headliner, I went over and introduced myself to Stevenson at her merch table. I bought a t-shirt and we talked about an Elliot Smith cover song she played two Christmases ago and our mutual love for Dolly Parton. Rosenstock fired up the crowd that became a chorus of voices singing every word to his songs. Rosenstock praised the audience for being respectful to one another and thanked the Void for hosting this successful and memorable night.
(8/7) Iron Cages with Beverly Bouncehouse, Laffing Gas, and Twinso @ Jan’s Rooms
The Jan’s Rooms crew stacked the lineup for the final show at one of Bloomington’s most popular house venues. Eager to catch the entire bill, I arrived in the basement in time for local punk band Laffing Gas’s opening set. Although I instantly regretted my oversight in not bringing earplugs along, the infectious energy that emanated from the frenzied instrumentals and fiery vocals made the minor physical discomfort worth it. The second act of the night was Twinso, an Evansville-based hardcore punk duo. Donning matching jumpsuits and orange hats, Twinso visually referenced a Devo aesthetic during their performance. The true surprise came when they began to play their instruments, juxtaposing a whimsical visual with heavy sounds: explosive bass lines and wildly accelerated drum fills.
DC-based hardcore punk quartet Iron Cages came through for the penultimate act of the night. During yet another heavy and energetic set, vocalist Laura danced in the crowd while instrumentalists Brendan, Joey, and Nate thrashed around onstage. Lastly, local DJ Beverly Bouncehouse facilitated a charming end to the night, singing an eclectic and hilariously curated playlist of covers (“Short People” by Randy Newman and “Sweat” by the Inner Circle were definitely set highlights) on top of the songs’ original backtracks. It seemed fitting to end the house’s final show with a reminder that above all, Jan’s Rooms was a venue for old and new friends to connect to each other and have a good time.
(8/10) Garrett Walters @ The Void
A couple of months back I picked up Garrett Walters’ debut album, I Call My Younger Sister Twice A Day. For some reason I was intrigued by the album art so I decided to take a risk. While you can’t always judge a book by its cover, you might be able to judge an album by its cover art because I Call My Younger Sister Twice a Day played on repeat in my car for a good month or so. Walters’ live show was just as intimate as the recording itself; as the audience formed a semicircle surrounding the singer, who stepped down from the stage to get a little closer to us all, we were treated with a smattering of personal folk punk songs about the good, the bad, and the ugly of life and love Bloomington.
(8/10) Amy O’s Elastic Release Party with Bugg and Jacky Boy @ The Bishop
After moseying over to the Bishop from the Void (thankfully Bloomington is relatively small and easy to get around fast), I made it to Amy O’s Elastic release show just in time for the last few songs of Jacky Boy’s set. The room was already packed for the best turnout for a local show that I’ve been to all summer. After grabbing a drink and worming my way through the crowd, I climbed up onto a booth to catch the sludgy yet melodic basslines and nonchalantly slacker vocals of the local grunge outfit Bugg, who was the second supporting act of the night.
The mood was high by the arrival of Amy O’s much-awaited set. She performed most of the songs off of Elastic, which was released earlier this month via local label Winspear. This was Amy O’s return home after a midwest and east coast tour and the tone felt celebratory. In between exchanges with the audience and smiles to fellow bandmembers Madeline Robinson (bass/vocals), Justin Vollmar (drums), Damion Schiralli (guitar), and Aaron Denton (keys/vocals), Amy O delivered a substantial set of tightly composed grungy basement pop.
(8/15) Charlottesville Benefit feat. Eric Ayotte, Charlie Jones, Byrne Bridges, Fresh Kill @ Boxcar Books
Punks Give Back Bloomington hosted a last minute show at Boxcar Books, Bloomington’s local volunteer-run bookstore and activist center. The event, which featured Eric Ayotte and Charlie Jones, Byrne Bridges, and Fresh Kill, raised over $1000 to assist with medical expenses for the anti-fascist protesters who were attacked and injured by white supremacists in Charlottesville on August 12. While the atmosphere felt understandably somber, Boxcar’s comfortable and inclusive environment became a space for people to come together and begin to process their feelings.
Fresh Kill opened the night with an acoustic set once the audience settled down onto the floor. While I’ve seen these two perform quite a few times in the months since their debut, this more intimate and unplugged version of Fresh Kill provided the space for Jess (drums) and Emma (guitar) to showcase their poignant lyrics and tight vocal harmonies. The next act to perform was Byrne Bridges, a solo project that combines elements of glam and folk punk. Their set included collective moments of catharsis, including a song/social experiment where audience members were given the space to take the stage and offer things that they are sorry about while crowd sang along. Unfortunately I couldn’t stay for the final act, but reports back from people there confirm that Eric Ayotte and Charlie Jones are certainly worth keeping an eye out for more performances to come.
I walked into the basement of the Blockhouse just in time for the psychedelic dream pop stylings of LadyCop. LadyCop is an eight person project headed by Chelsea Sherman (vocals, keys, synth, percussion) and is comprised of Alex Arnold (guitar, bass, synth, percussion), Kenzie Main (vocals), Biz Strother (vocals), Jonathon Brunnes (bass), Josh Morrow (drums), Charles Roldan (drums) and Patrick Hitchings (violins). While not all eight member of the project were present at this live show, a fullness in sound was provided by the three-part vocal harmonies, one of the core identifying features of Ladycop’s sound.
Finishing the night was Tabah, a Minneapolis-based five piece comprised of Cecelia Erholtz (vocals/guitar), Charlie Bruber (bass), Murphy Janssen (drums), Jeff Ley (guitar), and Andrew Seitz (keys). While psychedelic undercurrents ran throughout the band’s set, Tabah draws from multiple sources. Utilizing elements of folk, country, soul, funk, and hard rock, their music is delightfully difficult to pinpoint in any one genre. One common strand that ran throughout their set, however, was each member’s proclivity towards their instruments. As these elements came together onstage, Erholtz’s soulful vocal timbre weaved into the sonic tapestry with apparent ease.
(8/27) Big Huge, Casual Burn, The Bills, and Ghastly @ The Root Cellar
The Root Cellar opened up its doors on a Sunday night for a stacked lineup of local and touring punk music. Kicking off the night was the Bills, a brand new local group. A substantial crowd had accumulated to support this power punk trio, who played a short and sweet set of original tunes. New Orleans-based post punk four piece Casual Burn was the second act of the night. Hopping on the lineup last minute, the post-punk stylings of Monet Maloof (vocals), David Sabudowskly (guitar), Nathan Bluford (drums), and Carlos Knoop (bass) were a welcome surprise. The energy emanating from this group even prompted a small moshpit, a fairly uncommon occurance in Bloomington, where most punks prefer bobbing their head subtly to the beat over heaving their bodies in any which direction.
Touring band Big Huge performed next, delivering rock and roll vibes with a southwest aesthetic. Based out of New York, Big Huge is comprised of Sam Richer (guitar), Dan Reg (vocals) Hannah Nugent (bass), Dave Chase (drums), and Dan Gaetani (guitar). Local favorites Ghastly closed the night with jangley pop punk and emotional, fervently sung lyrics that are personally and politically motivated. Ghastly is A.T. (vocals, guitar), Martin (guitar), Eric (drums, back up vocals), and Kara (bass).
Seeing a show at the Market Hotel can feel like gaining access to a secret club. Though obviously, anyone can go, you’ll pass a few confused first-timers milling around Mr. Kiwi before they spot the side entrance on Myrtle. If the show is sold out, you have to wait on a narrow staircase as the bouncer waves patrons in a few at a time, controlling the flow of the crowd. But once you make it inside, you’re privy to a unique view of the JMZ, the tracks of which wrap around the venue’s walls of windows, silently racing past the bands.
It feels like a different world. That’s why it was the perfect place for last Thursday’s show, which featured three garage rock bands with a very vintage lean: Shannon And The Clams headlining, Big Huge opening, and in the middle, White Mystery.
A brother and sister duo from Chicago named after an Airheads flavor, White Mystery are Alex White on guitar and vocals and Francis Scott Key White on drums. Their seamless live performance is due to their bond as siblings as well as their rigorous tour schedule, which they’ve documented extensively on the band’s website in a dizzying, endless list.
Alex has a voice that is high and piercing, seemingly from another dimension: a shocking ray of pure sound that defies tone and pitch. She materializes riffs, chords, and licks from her Rickenbacker with an effortless air, incredible considering the power behind her playing. During “Sweet Relief,” she and Francis switched places, with Alex taking a seat at the kit to provide a bass drum beat to her brother’s turn at the mic during a fast-paced monologue. Rarely has a band been so determined to make sure that every single person in the audience was having the time of their lives. Looking around, it seemed like everyone was.
Before their show, Alex answered some questions via phone about touring, gear, and her role as Vice President of the Chicago chapter of the Recording Academy. Read our conversation below:
AudioFemme: When was the last time you played in Brooklyn?
Alex White: I think we counted that we’ve played Brooklyn almost 50 times in the last nine years. We’re from Chicago, so it’s kind of a blur, but I’m pretty sure the last time we played was at the Archeron.
You’ve definitely done a lot of touring.
For eight years, yeah. We’ve played almost a thousand shows.
In videos of your performances, I’m always surprised how full your songs feel considering there’s only two of you. As a duo, is it ever a challenge to fill space when playing live?
I would say the biggest struggle with being a two-piece is tackling the long drives when you’re on tour. That’s why for this one, we brought two people from Chicago with us to split up those drives. Filling up sound… being brother and sister, it’s natural to us. We have a musical dynamic where when Fran goes high, I go low, and vice versa. With good songwriting, you could be one person and make something sound really full.
Is the Rickenbacker your main guitar?
Yeah, although this year, I played this 1971 Gibson SG for a couple of shows. The Rickenbacker I got when I was 15 years old, and I bought it brand new. It’s definitely an awesome instrument. Rickenbacker still makes everything here in the United States… they’re very fine instruments and I’m 31 now so I’ve had it for, like, 15 years. It might also have to do with that full sound you were talking about- on that guitar, you can really squeak out a lot of different sounds on it.
Do you use a certain effects/pedal setup?
Yeah, actually, this year White Mystery released a guitar pedal called Fire Keeper. It’s a fuzz pedal I helped design with Daredevil pedals. That’s the only pedal I use. There’s a cool article in She Shreds about it.
I know you’ve previously listed a lot of classic rock influences like The Who, MC5, and T. Rex. Are there any particular artists you’re really into right now?
Yeah, I’ve been listening to Creedence Clearwater Revival quite a bit… kind of on repeat, you know? Where you find these songs that really work for you, like “Down On The Bayou” and “Fortunate Son.” I’ve also been listening to the Troggs a lot. They’re a 1960’s garage band and they were highly influential to bands like The Stooges. And now here we are in 2016 – way later – and they’re still such an influential band.
You’re the Vice President of the Recording Academy‘s Chicago Chapter. What does that job involve?
I got elected into the position, for the second time. The Recording Academy is an organization that’s for music professionals; engineers, producers, full-time musicians can join, and it has a lot of benefits. There’s MusiCares, which is a charity part of the music academy for musicians who are in need; like their instruments were stolen, or their house burns down. Quite a lot of it too is that we lobby Congress for musicians’ rights… Just trying to make sure that the musicians are able to continue making a living, so it can be an actual career and not just a hobby. And a lot of that has to do with fair pay. [/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][I] just try to be a good leader for that community. And for the Chicago chapter, that actually covers the whole Midwest, from Minnesota to Ohio, Michigan down to Missouri. We’re just trying to improve the quality of people’s lives, basically. That’s the goal.
