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Saturday, October 22, 2011

Photo Filled Recap: Carnivale Delirium at Reggie's Rock Club



Double click slide show for full screen and other options.

There was a fun bit of Steampunkery goin' down at Reggie's Rock Club Friday night, with the second annual Carnivale Delirium.   We enjoyed circus arts for the 17+ crowd including burlesque hooping, freak show tricks like the old nails up the nose bit, lifting heavy things with body parts, juggling, magic and acro.   We also enjoyed fun music from:

Vagabond Opera - Portland, OR
"Unbelievable vaudeville cabaret show and music!"


Veronique Chevalier - Los Angels, CA
"Master of Ceremonies and polka aficionado!"


The Dead Man's Carnival - Milwaukee, WI
"Circus sideshow and magic act!"


Eerie Twilight - Washington, DC
"Sensual steampunk burlesque!"


Candy Town - Chicago, IL
"The ultimate cabaret act!"


The White City Rippers featuring Lula Houp-Garou! - Chicago, IL
"Mechanical squeeze box and theremin band w live sideshow burlesque!"


with additional accompaniment by the...
Lords & Ladies DJs!
"Vaudevillian disc jockey extra-ordinaires!"


We particularly dug Vagabond Opera and The White City Rippers with their theremin!!   And of course, the crowd was full of characters and character.   We love an excuse to play dress up.   




Raffle benefits and "Betty Page style retro calendar" sales benefited our friends over at GIRLS ROCK! CHICAGO.   Check out ChiIL Mama's own Sagezilla performing with Girls Rock! at The Metro in June.    Here's Octopie-her first band/first show ever, performing their original Sugarcubesesque punk song, Bloody Unicorn.



 



Thanks Steampunk Chicago!
Check out their site for area Steampunk events and more.



Thursday, October 13, 2011

Win Free Tickets to Primus This Friday-ChiIL Live Shows Has 4 Pairs!




Spend your Friday with the inimitable Les Claypool and Primus!   You've gotta love a band full of consummate musicians with a sense of humor.    Case in point...They have released some of their records on Claypool's Prawn Song Records label, the title of which is a parody of Led Zeppelin's Swan Song label.

With their witty irreverence, these are serious musicians who make for a seriously fun and funny show.   We've seen Primus (and Les Claypool in many other configurations) for years, and they do not disappoint.

This show is all ages, so bring your punk kin and further their rock education, or make it a night out.  

We'll be giving away 4 pairs of tickets this Friday at noon.   Winners names will be on the guest list at the door.   Valid ID required.   Enter at the bottom of this post for your chance to win.   We never share, sell, spam or post contact info on bathroom walls.   Only the winners' first name and last initial will be published.


An Evening with Primus 2011 Tour

Primus is an American rock band formed in 1984, currently composed of guitarist Larry "Ler" LaLonde, vocalist and bassist Les Claypool, and drummer Jay Lane.Primus originally formed with Claypool, Todd Huth and Lane, with the latter two departing the band before Primus's debut release Suck on This, being replaced by drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander and Larry LaLonde. 

During this lineup, the band released four studio albums: Frizzle Fry, featuring "John the Fisherman", Sailing the Seas of Cheese, featuring "Jerry Was a Race Car Driver" and "Tommy the Cat", Pork Soda featuring "My Name Is Mud" and Tales from the Punchbowl, featuring their most commercially successful single, "Wynona's Big Brown Beaver". In 1996, Alexander left Primus and was replaced by Bryan "Brain" Mantia, with whom they would later release Brown Album and Antipop before placing Primus on hiatus in 2000. They were also known for creating the original theme for "South Park" in 1997.

In 2003, Claypool and LaLonde reunited with Tim Alexander and released a DVD/EP, Animals Should Not Try to Act Like People, before touring from 2003 through 2004. In 2010, it was announced that one of the band's earliest drummers Jay Lane had rejoined the band for a cross-country tour, and they later digitally released the free June 2010 Rehearsal EP. An eighth album, titled Green Naugahyde was just released.

An Evening with Primus 2011 Tour
Fri, October 14, 2011
Doors: 7:30 pm / Show: 7:30 pm
$39.50 - $99.50

This event is all ages
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Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Full Moon Fire Jam Photo Filled Recap 10-11-11



Last night, the final Full Moon Fire Jam of 2011 was a spectacular spectacle of spinning, drumming, flames and fun.  


  












It was something to experience!   They'll be taking the winter off and resuming in April.    Highly recommended!



Saturday, October 8, 2011

Photos: Suicide Machines-Secret Show at AAA-Riot Fest 2011




Suicide Machines killed it last night at a secret, late night, after show at the AAA Warehouse in Chicago.  It was great to hear lead singer, Jason Navarro, expound on being a dad now.  His own next gen of punk kin already love The Ramones.    He may be somebody's parents now, but he's still a skater and an old school Detroit punk at heart.  And Suicide Machine's high energy, political ska/punk had everyone skankin' like 1991 all over again.


The crowd was stage diving and screaming along, even when an inebriated Navarro forgot some of their songs they haven't played out in 15 years and improvised.    The drummer and bass player exchanged a few quizzical looks and mouthed expletives, but didn't miss a beat and went with it, for some sweet, improvised mayhem.    The band played their landmark LP, Destruction by Definition (more or less) in it's entirety, then branched out into Black Flag covers and requests for more of their originals.  

We can't wait to see them again tonight at Congress Theater where they open for The Descendents.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band-Congress Theater-Riot Fest 2011




Rock N Roll Redemption For All Seasons With The Reverend Peyton

Our summer was bookended by rockin' sets by Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band.    We first shot them Memorial Day weekend when we did press coverage for Summer Camp Music Festival.    Those gorgeous, spring, outdoor shots can be seen HERE.

Then we caught them again for a fall appearance at The Congress Theatre, where they opened for Social Distortion as part of Riot Fest 2011  The aging, crumbling theatre was darker, and so was the crowd...despite the amazing, warm weather and riot of autumn color outside.    The Rev. and his wife again got the audience well warmed up with some wild riffs, the flaming washboard, and hot guitar and drums.


Social Distortion at The Congress Theater-Riot Fest 2011




Despite some poor audio and lighting choices that made for a subpar show, Social Distortion got the crowd going.   We were hoping for some harder hitting set choices, rather than the "frat boy" punk we were served up, but thanks to Groupon and half price tickets, there was a capacity crowd at The Congress, and the energy was palpable.   

We're hoping tonight that the lighting is fixed and no longer blasts the center of the floor audience with a blinding white spotlight for long periods of time.    That kind of harsh light is annoying in short pans and completely inhumane for the bulk of a show.    The guy next to me had his sunglasses on the whole night, and I'm seriously considering doing the same.   

You'd think they'd get a clue when a wide swath down the whole center of the audience has their hands over their eyes and can't even see the show for being blinded.  Miserable!  The audio was poorly mixed and left a lot to be desired as well.  We'll be back for more the next 3 nights, so hopefully Riot Fest can pull it together with the technical difficulties and do the remaining bands justice.   

Otherwise, we may just head straight over to the alternate venues like Bottom Lounge, Cobra Lounge, Double Door & AAA.   They get it right with the sound, and the light shows, if not spectacular, are at least aimed at the bands and not the crowd, so you can see and hear who you came for.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

X LIVE at Bottom Lounge 10-5-11



It was a rare pleasure to see in a relatively small venue.    We've seen them at Double Door and Metro in recent years, and they always impress.   Bottom Lounge hosted an avid and enthusiastic crowd for the sold out show, which kicked off the first night of Riot Fest 2011.



First , the crowd was treated to a Film Screening of “X:The Unheard Music”.   Then around 9:45, the real band took the stage to perform their album, “Los Angeles” in its entirety.



Then they continued the show with many more of their timeless hits.    Here's the set list:






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