Upcoming Chicago Concerts

8/5 - She & Him @ Park West
8/6 - Tilly & The Wall, The Ruby Suns @ Abbey Pub
8/7 - RX Bandits, Portugal. The Man, Maps & Atlases @ Metro
8/8 - We Are Scientists, Oxford Collapse @ Abbey Pub
8/8 - Amanda Palmer @ Lakeshore Theatre
8/9 - Pegboy @ Bottom Lounge
8/12 - Eddy Grant @ Martyr's
8/14 - The Duke Spirit @ Empty Bottle
8/14 - Jukebox the Ghost @ Schubas
8/14 - Natalie Portman's Shaved Head @ Sub T
8/14 - James Murphy (DJ set) @ Smart Bar
8/15 - Matthew Dear @ Smart Bar
8/15 - Racebannon @ Beat Kitchen
8/16 - Oneida @ Empty Bottle
8/17 - Handsome Furs @ Empty Bottle
8/17 - The Ex @ Logan Square Auditorium
8/17 - Pterodactyl @ Bottom Lounge
8/21 - Weedeater, Black Cobra @ Double Door
8/22 - The Faint @ Vic
8/22 - Ben Weasel @ Reggie's
8/23 - Ben Weasel @ Reggie's
8/23 - Boat, Creeping Weeds @ Schubas
8/23 - A-Trak @ Sub T
8/23 - Aesop Rock @ Abbey Pub
8/23 - Bang! Bang! @ Empty Bottle
8/28 - Tub Ring @ Beat Kitchen
8/30 - Don Caballero, Ponytail @ Sub T
8/30 - Richie Hawtin @ Metro
9/3 - Andrew Bird @ Millennium Park
9/3 - Xiu Xiu, Prurient @ Bottom Lounge
9/3 - Reggie & the Full Effect @ House of Blues
9/4 - Mike Gordon @ Park West
9/5 - Shudder to Think @ Park West
9/5 - The Juan Maclean @ Empty Bottle
9/5 - Van Ghost @ Sub T
9/6 - Sons and Daughters @ Double Door
9/6 - U-Melt @ Martyr's
9/6 - The Wombats @ Empty Bottle
9/7 - Benevento/Russo Duo @ Martyr's
9/7 - The Indobox, Low Life (feat. Clay Parnell) @ Tonic Room
9/9 - Lymbyc Systym, This Will Destroy You @ Bottom Lounge
9/10 - Does It Offend You, Yeah? @ Sub T
9/11 - Ra Ra Riot, Walter Meego @ Sub T
9/12 - Holy Fuck @ Sub T
9/12 - The Walkmen @ Metro
9/15 - Balkan Beat Box @ Logan Square Auditorium
9/17 - Low @ Epiphany
9/17 - Cut Copy, The Presets @ Metro
9/17 - Cut Copy (DJ Set), The Presets (DJ Set) @ Smart Bar
9/19 - Jenny Lewis @ Epiphany
9/20 - Lagwagon, MxPx @ Metro
9/20 - We Are Wolves @ Sub T
9/20 - Evangelicals @ Beat Kitchen
9/20-21 - Hideout Block Party @ Hideout (The New Pornographers, Ratatat, Dan le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip, Black Mountain, etc.)
9/21 - A Place to Bury Strangers @ Empty Bottle
9/23 - Say Hi @ Sub T
9/24 - Sigur Rós @ Chicago Theatre
9/24 - Miss Kittin & The Hacker @ Abbey Pub
9/26 - Mogwai, Fuck Buttons @ Congress Theatre
9/26 - Why? @ Bottom Lounge
9/26 - Hayden @ Schubas
9/27 - My Bloody Valentine @ Aragon
9/27 - Buckethead @ Vic
9/28 - Hot Chip @ Metro
9/28 - Hot Chip (DJ set) @ Smart Bar
9/28 - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds @ Riviera
9/29 - Hot Chip @ Metro
9/29 - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds @ Riviera
9/30 - Born Ruffians @ Schubas
10/1 - The Wedding Present, Dirty on Purpose @ Empty Bottle
10/2 - Liam Finn @ Lakeshore Theatre
10/2 - Beck, MGMT @ Aragon
10/3 - Beck, MGMT @ Aragon
10/6 - Black Kids @ Metro
10/6 - Ani DiFranco @ Chicago Theatre
10/7 - Talkdemonic @ Schubas
10/8 - The Dodos @ Bottom Lounge
10/9 - My Morning Jacket @ Chicago Theatre
10/10 - My Morning Jacket @ Chicago Theatre
10/10 - Stereolab @ Vic
10/10 - Silver Jews @ Metro
10/10 - Southern Culture on the Skids @ Schubas
10/11 - The Kooks @ Riviera
10/11 - Oh My God, Baby Teeth @ Sub T
10/12 - Pinback, Make Believe @ Bottom Lounge
10/12 - Riot Fest 2008 @ Congress Theatre (Mighty Mighty Bosstones, ALL, Mustard Plug, etc.)
10/17 - The Notwist @ Logan Square Auditorium
10/18 - King Britt @ Empty Bottle
10/19 - Dead C, Wolf Eyes @ Empty Bottle
10/24 - Ekoostik Hookah @ Martyr's
10/25 - Fujiya & Miyagi @ Bottom Lounge
10/25 - Lotus @ Park West
10/25 - Lykke Li @ Empty Bottle
10/27 - Of Montreal @ Riviera
10/29 - Mest @ House of Blues
10/31 - The King Khan & BBQ Show @ Bottom Lounge
11/21 - m83 @ Bottom Lounge

Pitchfork Music Festival

2 Words - Animal Collective

I had no idea what these guys would be like live considering all of their albums are so experimental and somewhat "out there," but they were by far the best show I saw all weekend. One of the better concerts I have seen in the last few years, actually.

Fleet Foxes, The Dodos, and Caribou were also pretty awesome.

Overall, Pitchfork had their act together. The festival was extremely organized and well put together with a good lineup. As expected, the hipsters of Chicago did not disappoint and I was able to view multiple pairs of jorts, ironic sunglasses, and tattoos that will certainly halt future career plans. Well played hipsters.

Here are some videos from the festival Pitchfork has posted.


Fleet Foxes


Animal Collective!!!






Caribou


Dizzee Rascal


The Dodos


Public Enemy

Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

Usually around once or twice a year I hear an album that really makes me stop and realize why I love music. This album does that. From start to finish this album had my attention, so much so that I listened to it three times in a row while I sat at my desk at work.

This album escaped me for almost a year now, until my friend informed me that we went to school with Justin Vernon aka - Bon Iver, and told me to give the album a listen. Vernon was in an extremely popular band called Deyarmond Edison while I was in school at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, and I had heard nothing of them after they broke up.

Well, 2 years later and talent pays off. Vernon MADE it. On the world stage... Pitchfork Magazine named his album in the top 50 of 2007 and numerous other magazines have given it 5 out of 5 stars. THE MAN IS OPENING FOR WILCO THIS SUMMER. W I L C O. That's a pretty good sign.

Anyways, here is the album. If you like it, buy it, or see the artist live. I'm seeing him this weekend at Pitchfork Music Festival and I can't wait.

Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

Atmosphere - When life gives you lemons, you paint that shit gold

Good hip hop out of Minneapolis. I have heard "You" on the radio before which strikes me as somewhat weird for Atmosphere, nonetheless it is a damn catchy song. These guys have put out some quality, thought provoking hip-hop over the last 10 years.

Atmosphere - When life gives you lemons, you paint that shit gold