Pick of the Week! Your Smith with K.Flay and Houses at Riviera Theatre (September 19, 2019)

Your Smith with K.Flay and Houses at Riviera Theatre (September 19, 2019)

The Minneapolis native relocated to Los Angeles in 2016 and after years of releasing her music under her given name, Caroline Smith, she let go of her insecurities and reawakened herself under the new moniker Your Smith. Her newfound steadfastness, boldness, and unapologetic nature through her alter ego flourishes in her latest, acoustic driven single, “You Could’ve Told Me,” as she sings, “You could’ve told me, when you met me, all your love was gone.”

Smith’s freedom of her new self appears through her previously released, carefree single, “Wild Wild Woman,” an anthem for the wild woman that lives inside us all, begging to be let out. The warm, synth-pop gem is tinged with Funk and R&B rhythms, Smith’s silky, smooth voice, and a beat that’s danceable until the very end. Following this lighthearted essence, Smith released “In Between Plans,” a song inspired by an acid trip on a catamaran in Nicaragua. Written in a jungle hut at Neon Gold’s prestigious NEON GOLDEN writing retreat, the session was attended by Tove Lo, Phoebe Ryan, What So Not and more. It was there she was able to shove self-doubt aside and take her artistry to a new level.

Your Smith is opening on this tour, but don’t be surprised if she is the headliner next time around!

Get tickets now for the September 19th show!

Cost of a ticket: $42
PlaylistHQ Economic Rating: Worth It!
Rating Scale: Exceptional Value > Worth It > Half Price > Go for Free > Don’t Bother

Also, check out her fantastic cover of St. Lucia’s “Closer Than This”!

 

 

Pick of the Week! All Souls Jazz Fest featuring Kaeyra, Marbin, and Grażyna Auguścik at Chopin Theatre (November 5, 2018)

Here are our top three picks for the All Souls Jazz Fest:

Kaeyra

 

 

In 2016 Kaeyra got “honorably mentioned” on the blog of Postmodern Jukebox. This led to being able to record two videos with the band. She recorded a cover of “Time after Time” which currently has 2 million views. And her most recent video was “Nothing else Matters” which almost generated 18 million views. Stay on the lookout for her upcoming video where she covers “In The Air Tonight” by Phil Collins. She has done a couple concerts with Postmodern Jukebox in Chicago, Warsaw, and Poznan.

See the YouTube Playlist here.

Marbin

 

Marbin is a progressive jazz-rock band based in Chicago, IL, with a unique story that stands out in today’s music world. With a do-it-yourself approach, Marbin started touring extensively in 2011, bringing their original instrumental music to every part of the United States. Through word of mouth, Marbin has gained tens of thousands of devoted fans all over the world, and has sold tens of thousands of albums.

Grażyna Auguścik

Singer, composer, arranger, and producer Grażyna Auguścik has won the praise and admiration of music critics, jazz enthusiasts and even non-jazz audiences with a singular voice that speaks a universal language. She is one of the most intriguing contemporary vocalists on today’s world jazz scene. Her elusive style challenges traditional definitions of jazz and shows a vocalist and musician without boundaries. Her unorthodox approach to rewriting classic works pays tribute to their authors and at the same time is an adventure into uncharted territory. Her original music gives a fresh taste of uncanny flavor.

See the PlaylistHQ page here.

Get tickets now for the All Souls Jazz Fest.

Quinn Delaney

 

Don’t Miss! Into The Ark opening for Tom Jones at the House of Blues Chicago (May 12-13, 2018)

Coming this May to the House of Blues is Into The Ark. The band consists of Dane Lloyd (26) and Taylor Jones (21) who are both from Blackwood in South Wales. Their style is Northern Soul.

In January of 2017, Into The Ark entered The Voice UK on ITV1 with the promise of regularly performing to a televised audience of millions too much to resist. Mentored and coached by Sir Tom Jones, their progress throughout the series was apparent for all to see, and fans were won over by their personalities as much as their music. They eventually finished as runners up, but the story didn’t end there. Sir Tom Jones subsequently invited them to open on his huge outdoor summer shows, and they͛ll join him in May/June of 2018 when they play nineteen shows in what will be their debut North American and Canadian tour.

Get tickets now for Into The Ark opening for Tom Jones at the House of Blues Chicago on Saturday May 12^th or Sunday May 13^th!

Quinn Delaney

Pick of the Week! Chicago Repertory Ballet Presents Modern Motions at Athenaeum Theatre (April 6-7, 2018)

Modern Motions will have world premiere works by nationally acclaimed choreographers Tenley Dorrill, Ryan Nye, Shannon Alvis, and CRB’s own Wade Schaaf.

“There is a wide variety of music from Modern minimalist composers to classic jazz standards and everywhere in between!” – Wade Schaaf

From Wade Schaaf, Founder & Artistic Director :

“I founded Chicago Repertory Ballet 6 years ago, and since that time I have presented many productions in the city of Chicago including some of our most successful works like The Four Seasons, Bolero, The Rite of Spring, and my full length ballet William Shakespeare’s MACBETH.

This program promises to vary in tone and style offer’s a look into CRB’s mission to produce dance that defies labels.”

Get tickets now for Modern Motions on April 6th or April 7th!

Quinn Delaney

 

Pick of the Week! 311 with The Skints and New Politics at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island (July 2, 2017)

311 was formed in Omaha, Nebraska by singer/guitarist Nick Hexum, singer S.A. Martinez, guitarist Tim Mahoney, drummer Chad Sexton and bassist P-Nut. The band now resides in Los Angeles, California.

311 mix rock, reggae, hip-hop and funk into their own unique sound. After years of consistent touring, 311 have developed a reputation as one of the most entertaining & dynamic live bands in the U.S.

They have just released their 12^th studio album MOSAIC (BMG) with its unique album cover–which is made up of nearly 10,000 photos submitted by fans.  Even the image of the 5 band members on the cover is made up of tiny fan photos–to solidify the concept of band and fans as one. Fans can view a high-resolution pan & zoom mosaic of the cover image now at 311AlbumArt.com.

“This cover captures the spirit of the collective nature that is 311–band and fans together to form something greater than the sum of its parts.” says Nick Hexum (singer/guitarist). Chad Sexton (drums) adds, “We have a very symbiotic relationship with our fans that see us on tour year after year.  We wanted to have an album title that would describe our fan base, our band & our music. And to tie all of this into a concept that could be presented in the album artwork as well.”

311 with The Skints and New Politics at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island (July 2, 2017)

Pick of the Week: John Cleese at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall (March 15, 2017)

John Cleese is both a versatile comedic actor and a leading business motivator. With the legendary Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Fawlty Towers, and A Fish Called Wanda, he created a unique comedic style that has inspired countless writers and comedians.

John Cleese’s influence is also felt in the corporate world as the founder of Video Arts, the world’s largest provider of business training programs. Established in 1972 with three fellow British actors, Video Arts gained an international reputation as the premier source for business know how. Cleese attributes his success at making hit training programs to his fascination with psychology and his love for teaching and making people laugh. He believes that “humor in training increases retention and decreases anxiety. When the training point is surrounded with humor, it can be readily digested, remembered and applied.” On the lecture stage, Cleese brings his award-winning series of videos to life. His boundless energy and inimitable sense of humor create a hilarious exploration of business basics, from corporate etiquette and customer service to creative thinking and problem solving.

“The world’s funniest man” first made his mark as a member of the legendary Monty Python troupe in the 1960s and has gone on to write, produce, direct, and star in some of the greatest comedic hits of the last 40 years, even receiving an Oscar nomination for best screenplay for A Fish Called Wanda. But John is far from your garden variety entertainer. From the beginning of his career, he has continually parlayed his enormous talents into advancing the political causes he believes in (he is a vocal supporter of the U.K.’s Labour Party); promoting education (a former Rector of the University of St. Andrews, he served as a professor-at-large at Cornell University from 1991 through 2006); and teaching business skills (the training videos created by his Video Arts production company are viewed by millions of people in the U.K. and abroad).

In fall 2014, John released his New York Times best-selling memoir, So Any way… The book shares his ascent in the entertainment world, from his humble beginnings in a sleepy English town and his early comedic days at Cambridge University (with future Python partner Graham Chapman) to the founding of the landmark comedy troupe that would propel him to worldwide renown.

Cleese enthralls packed audiences worldwide. Whether he’s coaching novice comedians, discussing his liberal politics, or imparting his formulas for success in education, business, and life, Cleese always leaves audiences clamoring for more.

Get your tickets now for John Cleese on March 5^th!

Also, see our review of The Faulty Towers Dining Experience!

 

Pick of the Week: Where’s Walden? at Knowhere (January 13, 2017)

Where’s Walden? is a young alternative rock band that has proven themselves capable of encapsulating a medley of emotions in each song as though it were a simple recipe.

The first song of theirs I heard was “Green,” which I loved. The staccato guitar strumming is a favorite sound of mine. The lyrics are truly vulnerable, as they are both innocent and truthful. As I kept listening, I realized that no song was the same. These guys aren’t a “heard one song and heard it all” type of group. By listening to their Bandcamp page, I could tell that they had mastered a variety of different techniques and made it their own. Despite their band being a 5-part harmony, they manage to weave each part together beautifully. It’s very cohesive—it almost comes off as one sound.

Whether it’s with their heavier, deeper lyrics, light electric guitar riffs, or psychedelic melodies—the point is, you feel something. And that’s what good music does (as corny as it may sound). This group has become experts at taking these feelings and translating them, making us see why music is poetry in every way.

Where’s Walden? is performing at Knowhere in Chicago on January 13^th. Doors open at 7 p.m. Stop by to hear something worthwhile.

Liz Lawson

Preview: Blitzen Trapper and Screaming Females at Logan Square Arts Festival (June 25 – 26, 2016)

Blitzen Trapper, a rock band out of Portland, is set to take the stage this weekend at the Logan Square Arts Festival on Sunday evening. They exhibit a fusion of country, rock, and folk into a unique sound that is perfect for a Chicago audience. While listening to this intriguing experimental band, one is also able to enjoy art, food, and drink-all of Chicago’s finest. You won’t want to miss the incredible ambiance created from live outdoor music in one of the city’s most beautiful spots, Logan Square.

A trio unlike any other, Screaming Females is a show you won’t want to miss. Headlining the Logan Square Arts Festival on Saturday evening, they are anticipated to be one of the more memorable of the weekend, known for their punk and indie rock flare. With six full length albums having already been released, their show is sure to elicit perfection in
instrumentation. Their long list of reputable performances includes features on MTV as well as performances with many renown bands such as the Arctic Monkeys. They are sure to give the audience a show this weekend, and against the beautiful backdrop of the Chicago skyline, it’s definitely worth a drop-by.

Madeline Taber

Pick of the Week! Old St Pats Presents JD McPherson with Passion Pit and 7th Heaven at World’s Largest Block Party (June 25, 2016)

Passion Pit

Michael Angelakos’s songwriting process for Passion Pit has always been to filter and reshape. Many sounds on Kindred that you’d assume are synths are actually his voice, minced on a computer, morphed by pedals. Michael samples Michael. It’s an ability to look at himself from a slight distance and tweak and adjust, which also extends to his character off record.

He aspires to “create worlds” with his music, and fittingly his studio resembles the Hadron Collider. There are buttons and switches and knobs on everything, his restless mind echoed in his workstation. He makes his weird ‘Hands Across America’ utopian bangers out of broken Casios and diaristic candor. (“If you’re going to be honest with your music, you might as well be brutally honest.”) The creation of “Five Foot Ten” entailed Michael pressing the same key on a cheap ‘90s synth while cycling through 160 different sounds, then running them all through his Russian space station-looking Eurorack modules. “Looks Like Rain” uses a sampled 808 kick drum as a chordal instrument. Everything is run through a filter and Passion Pit itself is but a larger filter. It’s Michael’s life run through the psyche of his inner 19 year old. The young and insecure part. The part that only ten years ago was nine. —Brent Katz

JD McPherson

As a visual artist, Broken Arrow, Okla., native JD McPherson is well versed in the process of working within clearly defined formal parameters, and he employs a similarly rigorous discipline with his music. On Signs & Signifiers (Rounder, April 17), McPherson’s seductively kickass debut album, produced by JD’s musical partner, Jimmy Sutton, this renaissance man/hepcat seamlessly meshes the old and the new, the primal and the sophisticated, on a work that will satisfy traditional American rock ’n’ roll and R&B purists while also exhibiting McPherson’s rarefied gift for mixing and matching disparate stylistic shapes and textures.

Buy tickets here!

Pick of the Week: Brothertiger with JR JR at Metro (November 14, 2015)

JR JR with Brothertiger at Metro (November 14, 2015)

Brothertiger

Fitting with the chillwave trend, Brothertiger’s music has neon ’80s keyboard tones and the woozy fidelity of an old VHS tape. Toledo native John Jagos started making upbeat electro as Monoteque in 2006 and, as he became influenced by the ambient moodscapes of Brian Eno and M83, he started recording under the moniker Brothertiger in his freshman dorm at Ohio University in 2009. Jagos released the Apache Feathers EP and the Vision Tunnels EP before signing to Mush Records for the 2012 full-lengths Golden Years and Lovers. ~ Jason Lymangrover, Rovi

Listen to their latest track, Wake, on soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/brothertiger/wake

JR JR

Under their original moniker Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., the group built a rather rich history, eventually setting the stage for JR JR. From famously getting signed by a Warner Bros. A&R exec who jumped on stage at CMJ, at which point Zott remembers asking, “Who is this asshole?” to snagging their own Ice Cream flavor back in Michigan, JR JR Mint, and even being invited to practice by the Milwaukee Bucks, their indefinable and inimitable charm continually proves magnetic. Along the way, they’ve sold out countless shows, given TV performances on the likes of Conan, and cultivated a rabid fan base. Kicking off this next phase, they addressed the name change in a personal statement, but one tweet perfectly summed it up, “Diddy changed his name 3 times. It’s really not a big deal.”