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Showing posts with label Congress Theater. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Congress Theater. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

WIN Four Pairs of Tickets To Funky Meters, The Greyboy Allstars & More (18+) THIS Fri at The Congress #CIMMfest




ChiIL out with ChiIL Live Shows at The Congress Theater THIS Friday.   We're giving away FOUR pairs of FREE tickets for the show through midnight Wednesday, 4/17.   So enter like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often.   (Thanks to Congress Theater and the fine folk over at Silver Wrapper & React for kickin' us tickets to give away.)


Click the Rafflecopter link below for your chance to win.   Winners will be contacted by e-mail and listed here Thursday.


a Rafflecopter giveaway





Come get funked up Friday.   With Funky Meters, Greyboy Allstars, JC Brooks and The Uptown Sound and more, all under one roof, it's sure to be a good time!   ChiIL Live Shows will be there...  will YOU?!   We'll also be out covering all 4 days of CIMMfest, bringing you the best of rock n film.


Click here to order Congress tickets & for more show details


Click here for our coverage on CIMMfest 2013 including more official highlights

Thursday, April 11, 2013

CIMMfest Official Highlights For 2013 Including Funky Meters & The Greyboy Allstars at Congress #CIMMfest



Music and film... together in one rockin' raucous 4 day fest.   ChiIL Live Shows will be there... will YOU?!   Check back early and often for loads of our original content from CIMMfest 2012, and hot happenings for 2013 as we count down to the 5th Annual CIMMfest April 18-21!

Of course, some of our fest favs are the little screenings (particularly punk & metal related) that don't make the official, featured hot happenings and famous faces.  The beauty of a multi venue fest is choice.   Take some time to check out the full listings here and make your own path.   Still, here's the official word on what's awesome and upcoming.   And some of it we wouldn't miss for any obscure indie release.  

We're particularly stoked for The Funky Meters, Greyboy Allstars and J.C. Brooks... all long time funk favs of ours.   We're also huge fans of Chi-town's Bloodshot Records, Sister Spit's infamous grrrrrrl power poetry and prose, and we're looking forward to checking out Manual Cinema. 



CONCERTS BY LYDIA LOVELESS, COREY HARRIS, FUNKY METERS & GREYBOY ALLSTARS 
 ADDED TO CIMMfest No. 5 LINEUP, APRIL 18-21

Other highlights include:
50 YEARS OF THE ROLLING STONES ON FILM, 
 MELVIN VAN PEEBLES ACCEPTS CIMMFEST’S FIRST LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, 
VAN DYKE PARKS & SON CELEBRATE CAREER AND
WORLD PREMIERE OF BLUES DOC TRUE BLUES, PLUS BIG STAR DOC


An expanded live music component with concerts by Lydia Loveless, Corey Harris, Pontiak and a Funk Rock Soul triple bill with the funky METERS, Greyboy Allstars and JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound; CIMMpathy for The Stones, celebrating The Rolling Stones’ 50 years of music on film; a special film section, award ceremony and concert with maverick filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles; an evening of music and movies with the legendary Van Dyke Parks and his filmmaker son, Richard; a Blues film section; 13 World Premiere screenings; and much more highlight the 5th annual Chicago International Movies & Music Festival (CIMMfest No. 5).  The four-day festival annually brings together filmmakers, musicians and devotees from around the world for a celebration of movies and music at various venues centered around Chicago’s Wicker Park and Logan Square neighborhoods, with a satellite location at the Music Box Theatre, Thursday, April 18 – Sunday, April 21. 

More than 100 films from over 27 countries will be screened including features, documentaries, shorts, concert films, animation and music videos, all with music at their center. Playing a bigger role this year will be the live music component, including showcases by Bloodshot Records, Captcha Records and ASCAP; curated concerts, and innovative multimedia events, featuring Manual Cinema, Sister Spit, live film scoring, concerts by documentary film subjects and more. 

“CIMMfest audiences will have the rare opportunity to experience first – and firsthand – an incredible range of movies and music.  We are thrilled to be producing our fifth festival showcasing amazing films and live performances, with much more live music alongside innovative crossover events,” said Josh Chicoine, CIMMfest Co-Director, with Ilko Davidov. “We are happy to bring satellite venues like The Hideout, The Burlington, the Music Box and the brand new Constellation to our main drag: Milwaukee Avenue from Wicker Park to Logan Square. CIMMfest is unique in that we truly aim to highlight the crossover of film and song, movies and music, past, present and future, in the best city on earth. Along with our board of directors, staff, partners, sponsors, friends and supporters, we are thrilled to be curating these amazing four days in April!”


CIMMfest NO. 5 HIGHLIGHTS

  • This year’s Opening Night event, An Evening with Van Dyke Parks, pays tribute to the legendary American composer, arranger, producer, musician, singer, author and actor, in a rare Chicago appearance at the Constellation (formerly the Viaduct), Thursday, April 18. The multimedia program will feature: Van Dyke Parks in conversation about his life in music; the screening of three related short films directed by his son, filmmaker and former newspaper editor, Richard Parks, including Van Dyke Parks on Discover America, Van Dyke Parks on Song Cycle and Music Man Murray (which was scored by the elder Parks and won the Best Short Doc Award at CIMMfest 2012); and a live performance by Parks of his many classic songs.

  •   CIMMpathy for The Stones, a major retrospective celebrating The Rolling Stones’ 50 years of music on film includes screenings of ten concert films and documentaries – two never before seen in Chicago –and takes place at the Music Box Theatre, Friday-Sunday, April 19-21.  The event kicks off Friday with a trio of films: Muddy Waters and The Rolling Stones at the Checkerboard Lounge, Live Chicago 1981, The Rolling Stones: Charlie Is My Darling - Ireland 1965 (dir. Mick Gochanour, Peter Whitehead), followed by a Q&A with Director Mick Gochanour and Producer Robin Klein, and Stones In Exile (dir. Stephen Kijak).  Saturday screenings include: Some Girls – Live in Texas ’78 (dir. Lynn Lenau Calmes); the Chicago Premiere of Rolling Like A Stone (dirs. Stefan Berg, Magnus Gertten); Sympathy for the Devil (dir. Jean-Luc Godard); the Chicago Premiere of I Got The Blues In Austin (dir. Richard Jernigan); and Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out! (dirs. Albert Maysles, Bradley Kaplan, Ian Marciewicz), followed by a Q&A with producers Gochanour and Klein. Sunday’s lineup includes Ladies & Gentlemen: The Rolling Stones (dir. Rollin Binzer); and The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus (dir. Michael Lindsay-Hogg), followed by a Q&A with producers Gochanour and Klein. Additional special guest appearances will be announced. 

  • CIMMfest’s Inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award: The Baadasssss Award, ceremony and concert honors maverick filmmaker and Chicago native Melvin Van Peebles at the Constellation on Saturday, April 20, followed by a special live musical performance by Melvin Van Peebles widLaxative. The writer, actor and director, who turns 80 this year, ushered in a new era of African-American films with his Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song, which will be screened during the Festival along with his The Story of a Three-Day Pass and Don’t Play Us Cheap, plus a documentary about Van Peebles, How to Eat Your Watermelon in White Company (and Enjoy It), by Chicago native Joe Angio. The CIMMfest Lifetime Achievement Award pays tribute to the outstanding accomplishments of maverick artists who helped to shape and obliterate barriers for today's generation of filmmakers and artists. 

  • Blues Film Premieres throughout the weekend include the World Premiere screening of True Blues (dir. Daniel Patinkin), a celebration of traditional acoustic blues at the Logan Theatre, followed by a Q&A with the director and a live performance by two of the film’s subjects, MacArthur Genius Corey Harris and Blues Great Guy Davis at ROSA’S Lounge Saturday, April 20. Making its Chicago Premiere is AKA Doc Pomus (dirs. Peter Miller/Will Hechter), a documentary about the polio-stricken, Brooklyn-born Jerome Felder who reinvented himself as blues singer Doc Pomus and went on to become one of the most brilliant songwriters of the early rock and roll era, at the Logan Theatre, Saturday, April 20.

  • Showcase Argentina welcomes two docs making their U.S. and North American Premieres, respectively: Esperando el Tsunami (Waiting for the Tsunami), a collaboration between renowned French filmmaker Vincent Moon and the Argentine-Colombian duo Lulacruza that documents a musical journey through Colombia; and El Gran Río (The Mighty River) (dir. Rubén Plataneo) about rapper David Dodas Bangoura, aka Black Doh. The Sundance Film Festival hit, El último Elvis (The Last Elvis), Armando Bo’s drama about an Elvis impersonator facing the emptiness of his life, has its Chicago debut as part of this series.

  • Two Chicago-based record labels will present showcases for CIMMfest No. 5: Bloodshot Records presents alt-country singer-songwriter Lydia Loveless and New Orleans singer-slide guitarist Luke Winslow-King at The Hideout, Friday, April 19; while Captcha Records presents onYou, Chandeliers, Aru + BBjr and Windbreaker at The Burlington, Saturday, April 20
  • Multimedia events pairing movies and live music include: Manual Cinema’s one-of-a-kind melding of theater, projection and sound with its newest production, Lula Del Ray, at the Constellation, Saturday, April 20; a screening of Asphalt (dir. Joe May), with live scoring by Yael Acher at Logan Square Studio, Saturday, April 20; and two documentary screenings followed by live concerts by the films’ subjects – La Voce di Rosa (Rosa’s Voice) (dir. Nello Correale) with performance by The Sicilian Jazz Project  at Loyola University, Thursday, April 18; and I Am Not a Rock Star (dir. Bobbi Jo Hart) with performance by pianist Marika Bournaki at Heaven Gallery, Friday, April 19.  
Also, by popular demand, an encore CIMMfest performance by the raucous, rowdy performance gang, Sister Spit, at The Hideout, Saturday, April 20. This multimedia explosion of tastemakers, novelists, luminaries, chanteuses, performance artists, poets and filmmakers will feature Sister Spit co-founder Michelle Tea; author Ali Liebergott; Cuban-American artist and writer, Cristy C. Road; Australia’s felt-tip superhero, TextaQueen; writer and performer Daniel LéVesque; and performance artist and "genderqueer" DavEnd.
  • 14 films & videos will make their World Premieres, including four with Chicago themesThe Jesus Lizard: Last (dir. Tony Ciarrocchi) documenting the last performance of the band at Metro on New Year's, 2010, at the Society for the Arts, Friday, April 20; Unconscious Therapy (dir. Steven Harnell) about the beginning of House Music in Chicago, at the Logan Theatre, Saturday, April 20; Sacrificial Youth, the punk rock musical by Joe Losurdo (You Weren’t There) who will also preview his Wax Trax! film at the Logan Theatre, Friday, April 19; and True Blues. Other World Premieres include Six Strings Meltdown, The Last Song Before the War, Tuning the Pulse, Joey Molland: Liverpool to Memphis,  Leaning Toward Solace, TWO, Moha, Archie Powell & the Exports, Univore ‘I Dream the Video,’  Linger & Fade and The Stranger.   

The Chicago Premiere of Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me (dirs. Drew DeNicola and Olivia Mori). The definitive documentary about the beloved and influential '70s rock band Big Star, showing at the Logan Theatre, Friday, April 19, features rare music, never-before-seen footage and in-depth interviews with the original band members, family, friends and artists they influenced. 

A selection of short films from the Sundance Film Festival include Datamosh, Black Metal and #PostModern, while films screened at SXSW include The Punk Syndrome, Downloaded, Necronomica, KRS ONE: Brooklyn to the Bronx and Killer Mike “Reagan.

A new Unreliable Narrations program offers films by and about musicians who refuse to conform, including the Chicago Premieres of The Mystery in Old Bathbath (dirs. Miss Pussycat and Quintron) by underground cult band Quintron; the documentary Human Skab (dirs. Frank Gunderson and Bret Woods), about the psychotic, hardcore punk rock blues band from Elma, Washington; and a number of notable short films to be announced. 

A special Funk Rock Soul concert presentation, in partnership with React Presents and Silver Wrapper, features co-headliners funky METERS direct from New Orleans and the Greyboy Allstars celebrating their record release, with rising local post-punk soul quintet JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound. Rounding out the music is Chicago's own Jesse de la Peña and Maker, all taking place at the Congress Theater, Friday, April 19. The night will begin with a panel discussion with Elgin Park (aka Mike Andrews), Bruce Sheridan, Film Chair at Columbia College, and more.

Chicago Premiere of In Search of Blind Joe Death – The Saga of John Fahey (dir. James Cullingham) at the Society for Arts, Friday, April 19. This feature documentary about tremendously influential composer, guitarist, author and provocateur John Fahey (1939-2001), features participation by Pete Townshend, Joey Burns of Calexico, Chris Funk of The Decemberists and many of Fahey's closest collaborators and friends, including renowned radio personality Barry Hansen, aka Dr. Demento. 

CIMMCon
New this year is the launch of CIMMCon, a dynamic professional and entrepreneurial industry conference, presented in association with Columbia College Chicago and the Engineering and Recording Society of Chicago (EARS).  CIMMCon will offer, at no charge, compelling presentations from industry professionals, film icons, artist entrepreneurs and music makers, including Keynote Speaker Martin Atkins (Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, Public image Limited, Killing Joke) renowned for his candor regarding the music business.   More information on CIMMCon programming will be announced shortly.  

COMPETITION 
For the fifth year, most films will be up for competition, with awards given to the Best Feature Documentary, Best Short Documentary, Best Fictional Feature, Best Short Fiction and Best Music Video. The esteemed jury consists of: award-winning documentary filmmaker Jeff Scheftel; two-time Emmy Award©-winning Executive Producer at VH1, Warren Cohen; co-founder and chief content wrangler at MusicFilmWeb.com, Andy Markowitz; Film Presence’s director of marketing, Sara Kiener; WBEZ 91.5FM arts and culture reporter, Alison Cuddy; Chair of the Film & Video Department at Columbia College Chicago, Professor Bruce Sheridan; film critic and essayist Ignatiy Vishnevetsky; and film director and contributing editor at Filmmaker Magazine, Brandon Harris.

FESTIVAL TICKETS & VENUES
All-Access Festival passes, priced at $79, are now available at www.CIMMfest.org.  Festival passes not only offer a substantial savings on individual tickets but provide access to four days of outstanding premiere films, concerts, Q&As, performances, after parties and more.  Single tickets are priced at $10-$12 (Some events are discounted for students with valid ID); most special events are priced at $15.  Concerts are priced per venue.  

Festival venues include: The Burlington (3425 W. Fullerton Avenue), CIMMCity Headquarters (2634 N. Milwaukee Avenue), Cole’s (2838 N. Milwaukee Avenue), Comfort Station (2579 N. Milwaukee Avenue), Congress Theater (2135 N. Milwaukee Avenue), Constellation (formerly the Viaduct, 3111 N. Western Avenue), Double Door (1572 N. Milwaukee Avenue), Elastic Arts (2830 N. Milwaukee Avenue), Green Eye (2403 W. Homer Avenue), Heaven Gallery (1550 N. Milwaukee Avenue), Hideout (1354 W. Wabansia), Logan Square Studio (2341 N. Milwaukee Avenue), Logan Theatre (2646 N. Milwaukee Avenue), Loyola University Crown Center Auditorium (1032 W. Sheridan Road), the Music Box Theatre (3733 N. Southport Avenue), Northwestern Block Cinema (40 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston), Rosa’s Lounge (3420 W. Armitage Avenue), The Society for Arts (1112 N. Milwaukee Avenue), Subterranean (2011 W. North Avenue), Township (2200 N. California Avenue), Underbar (3243 N. Western Avenue), and The Whistler (2421 N. Milwaukee Avenue). 

Corporate and Community sponsors of CIMMfest No. 5 include Columbia College Chicago, ACME Hotel, Ticketfly, ABKCO, Wicker Park Bucktown SSA #33, the Logan Theatre, the Music Box Theatre, The Society for Arts and Eagle Rock Entertainment.

A recent Driehaus Foundation Grant winner, CIMMfest is a Non-profit 501(c)3 organization.  For information on how to get involved, visit www.CIMMfest.org.

ABOUT CIMMFEST
The mission of the Chicago International Movies & Music Festival (CIMMfest) is to highlight the inseparability of film and music through the production of an annual four-day, multi-venue festival. CIMMfest is a convergence event that highlights the interconnectedness of all people shown through the lens of music and movies, on stage and on screen.  All participating films have music at their center: short and long form documentaries and narrative fiction; concert films; animation; music videos; performances; live concert events; art exhibits; and panel discussions, presented at both new and historic venues around Chicago.  CIMMfest is a platform for filmmakers and musicians, artists and producers, to present their vision and offer a connection point for people to come together for a celebration of movies, music and good times in the greatest city on earth – Chicago!  For more information, visit www.CIMMfest.org.  




Wednesday, March 20, 2013

The Heard Photo Recap Congress Theater #showshots #funk




all photos by bonnie kenaz-mara © 2013 chiIL Live Shows  








It was great to finally catch The Heard LIVE at The Congress opening for Slightly Stoopid and Tribal Seeds on 3/9.    They put on a rockin' live show and were fun to shoot.






The band will be celebrating the one-year anniversary of their weekly residency at Alive One on Thursday, March 28.   Come check 'em out!












Thursday March 28th / aliveOne Chicago - aliveOne One Year Anniversary Party! We’ll be celebrating The Heard and aliveOne’s one anniversary with fantastic lights, plenty of special guests, and like always, FREE FUNK!




aliveOne Thursday Residency
Every Thursday at aliveOne, 2683 N. Halsted. 10pm. Never a cover. $3 Three Floyds.  (21+)


Saturday, March 9, 2013

TONIGHT: The Heard Opens for Slightly Stoopid at Congress




Movin' on up like George and Weezy.....   Chi-town's own The Heard was tapped to open for the midwest leg of Slightly Stoopid's national tour.   Catch 'em at Congress Theater TONIGHT.   ChiIL Live Shows will be there...will YOU?!    Get there early at 8pm sharp and catch The Heard.   You'll be glad you did.  We'll be shooting sweet pit photos for you, so check back for our recap soon.  But you'll feel more than slightly stupid if you're 17+ and miss this one.   Two words...  stealth groove!

Show Details:

Calendar

Silver Wrapper, React & Congress Present
Silver Wrapper & React Present: SLIGHTLY STOOPID with TRIBAL SEEDS and THE HEARD
Tribal Seeds, The Heard
Sat, March 9, 2013
Doors: 8:00 pm / Show: 9:00 pm
$25.00 - $30.00
This event is 17 and over


Slightly Stoopid
With more than a decade of making music together, the members of Slightly Stoopid have perfected one of the rarest and most valuable skills a band can develop: the art of the stealth groove, that knack for quietly, almost innocently, sliding into a composition, and utterly lassoing anyone within earshot by mid-song. That's where the band has come to reside, musically: deep in the pocket, that ever-elusive, funky trench where a band can entrance an audience, hypnotize it and hold on to it until the set or CD is finished. Built on a bedrock of nasty, oceanic slabs of dubby bass, meditative vocal harmonies, rock-steady guitar licks and tightly syncopated percussive rhythms, Slightly Stoopid illustrates a case study in underground success, steeped in years of hard touring, an improvisational business model, and a creative process that continues to unwind and push the envelope of a new jam-based genre the band helped to create.

Illustrating the perfect underground success story, Slightly Stoopid's dual front men Miles Doughty (Guitar, Bass, Vocals) and Kyle McDonald (Guitar, Bass, Vocals) created their own label, Stoopid Records, in the early 2000’s. They later added musicians Ryan ‘RyMo’ Moran (Drums) and Oguer 'OG' Ocon (Congas, Percussion, Harp, Vocals) from the B Side Players, as well as C-Money (Trumpet, Keyboard) and Dela (Saxophone) from John Browns Body; solidifying their on stage line up. The buzz surrounding the group continues to increase with each successive release; their album catalog sales have topped the 800,000 mark under their own record label, Stoopid Records, and the group continues to play sold-out shows at the most prestigious concert venues around the world. In addition to that, their annual summer amphitheatre tours consistently rank in Pollstar’s top concert tours of the year. 

The Slightly Stoopid story can be traced to Ocean Beach, California, when childhood chums Miles and Kyle formed the group in 1995, mixing rock, reggae, and punk sounds into one smooth stylistic cocktail. Soon after, late/great Sublime front man Brad Nowell gained interest in the group, and signed them to his Skunk Records label – while the band members were still in high school. After a pair of successful releases (Slightly Stoopid and The Longest Barrel Ride), the group began releasing on their own label, Stoopid Records, beginning with 2001’s Acoustic Roots: Live and Direct (a 40-minute acoustic set, captured live at San Diego 's Rock 105.3 radio station). They then went on to release Everything You Need (selling more than 250,000 copies) Closer To The Sun, Winter Tour '05-'06, their first-ever DVD Live in San Diego, Chronchitis (debuted at #48 on the Billboard 100 and #2 on the indie charts), and their latest Slightly Not Stoned Enough To Eat Breakfast Yet Stoopid (B sides + new material).

Seemingly always on the move, there appears to be no slowing down in sight for Slightly Stoopid, and according to Miles, that’s precisely what fuels the group’s creativity. “For us, the most important thing in the future, we just want to stay busy and always playing music – whether creating, touring, or just sitting on your couch and jamming. I think we’ll always be recording. And just have fun – without the fun part, it ain’t worth it.”



Tribal Seeds
From San Diego, California, award-winning reggae group Tribal Seeds have
become known for their spiritually driven, refreshing rock vibe they have infused
with the roots style of reggae music. Originally started by two brothers, Steven
Rene Jacobo [lyrics, lead vocals, rhythm guitar] and Tony-Ray Jacobo [producer,
keyboard player], Tribal Seeds now boats six members, including: Tony Navarro
[lead guitar], Carlos Verdugo [drums], Jose Rodriguez [keys, percussion], and
Victor Navarro [bass].
Tribal Seeds' unmatched musical talent and authentic sound has brought them to
the forefront of the reggae rock genre, as their art form has reached people of all
ages across the United States, and worldwide. The band's self titled debut
album, "Tribal Seeds" was released in 2008, and their second album "The
Harvest" was released in June of 2009. iTunes named both albums the "Best
Of" in the Reggae genre, for their respected years. Their debut album helped
garner them the "Best World Music" title at the San Diego Music Awards in
2008, and "The Harvest," which contained fourteen new and original songs,
debuted at the number 5 spot on the Billboard Reggae Charts. The tracks,
written and produced by Tribal Seeds, were recorded and mixed by Alan
Sanderson at Signature Sound Studios in San Diego, and mastered by
Erik Lobson at Universal Mastering.
On July 19, 2011, Tribal Seeds gave listeners a brand new EP entitled
"Soundwaves," which peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Reggae Charts.
The band notes that the album was inspired by their life experiences, being on
tour, and their desire to inspire youth to raise their voices and seek a higher
consciousness.
Tribal Seeds have toured throughout the United States, and have also performed
in Mexico, Guam, Aruba, and Hawaii. They have shared the stage with artists
such as Dave Mathews Band, Jack White, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane's
Addiction, Skrillex, MGMT, Cee Lo Green, Jason Mraz, Matisyahu, Sublime with
Rome, Taking Back Sunday, O.A.R., Pretty Lights, Pepper, Collie Buddz, The
Wailers, Julian Marley, Stephen Marley, Gregory Issacs, SOJA, Rebelution, and
many more.


The Heard
Native peoples from deep within the mesh of yo' boom box speakers, The Heard are a 6-piece instrumental horn-funk explosion. Our "soul" purpose is to educate you on the finer points of pocket. Inspired by breakdancers, brain enhancers, Dirty Bastards, New Masters, a James Brown "Get down!" and yo momma shaking that ass to Tower of Power records in the basement - this is Nu-Funk for the Nu-Millenium.


Click here for Tickets

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Oberhofer With Matt & Kim LIVE at Congress Theater TONIGHT #originalvideointerview #showshots


ChiIL Live Shows original Oberhofer LIVE show shots from Lincoln Hall 3-27-12




ChiIL Live Shows caught up with Oberhofer at their March 2012 album release show at Chicago's own Lincoln Hall.   Check out our back alley interview with 3 of the band members.   This interview will serve as a Time Capsule too--a window into the beginning of a rising rock band......Oberhofer.


   

When we first saw Oberhofer LIVE at Lincoln Hall, it was their 1st show after their March 2012 album release. 



  


Quotes /
"Expansive instrumentation and charming, unpredictable song structures" Billboard
"The rising phenom Brad Oberhofer, the songwriter and front man for this band, sings with such a youthful urgency that sometimes he can’t contain it, and lets it out in yelps. He has a natural pop sensibility and the wisdom to toy with unconventional instruments." The New Yorker
"A newly sophisticated musical playground." SPIN 
"It's a credit to Oberhofer to take such small moments and build them into such a feeling of importance." Consequence of Sound
"It's a visceral, hook-laden, and often beautiful teenage dream." Under The Radar 
"Oberhofer's debut album, Time Capsules II, has the feel, the scope and the grandiloquence of a musical." The Guardian 
"Time Capsules II is that kind of album: a buffet of familiar confections designed for easy digestion, painstakingly dressed and seasoned to demand repeat consumption" CMJ




We ran into friends of ours there--industry insiders who worked for Spin for years, and raved that Oberhofer was one of their favorites from SXSW 2011.  






Check 'em out for yourselves tonight at The Congress Theater opening for Matt & Kim.  All ages.





Emotion is what drives the psychedelic catchy pop rock tunes crafted by the oft-effervescent Brad Oberhofer. Drawing on influences ranging from Brian Wilson to Descartes, the 21 year old is fixated on the idea of making philosophically minded, energetic melodies that just make people smile.
“Music is this thing I just inherently do and psychologically, I have a desire to make as many people happy as possible. Music helps you think about stuff, it helps you feel, you know?”
With an unforgettable way of speaking directly from the heart, Brad Oberhofer’s songs have a pulse that form the very core of what makes Oberhofer, Oberhofer. To put it quite simply, a great rock & roll band.
Armed with a belief that you spend your entire life searching for the socially aware version of the 5 year old “you”, he tries to inject each song with the innocence felt by that same kid, sitting on the couch of his parents house playing the broken guitar he spent months teaching himself  how to play.
Referring to his songwriting as “a time capsule of exactly how I’m feeling at a particular moment”, each song on his forthcoming debut, Time Capsules II, is a clear, unrestrained look inside the head of Brad Oberhofer. “Gold” is a reflection on two magical weeks spent with a first love that inadvertently initiated his musical endeavors. “Away Frm U” is an upbeat song about saying goodbye to that love.
Like most of the impressive debut, the stand-out “I Could Go” shows that above all, his heart is on his sleeve in both his words and everything he creates, a trademark that suits his search for sincerity well.
After moving to Brooklyn from his hometown of Tacoma, Washington, to attend New York University, Brad quickly immersed himself in the indie rock community forming the 4 piece which is now quite simply, Oberhofer. Catching the attention of Glassnote Records, the band officially joined the labels’ roster over the summer of 2011. Brad recorded the debut album Time Capsules II with legendary producer Steve Lillywhite (U2, The Rolling Stones & Morrissey among others) in Brooklyn last fall and are on the road for the next, playing shows and festivals around the world.
One thing is certain – expect to see big things from this promising young band. It’s going to be quite a year for Oberhofer, the sky is truly the limit.



Remaining Tour Dates /


11/08 - Rave Ballroom - Milwaukee, WI *
11/09 - The Vogue - Indianapolis, IN *
11/10 - Congress Theater - Chicago, IL *
11/11 - Majestic Theatre - Detroit, MI *
11/13 - House of Blues - Cleveland, OH *
11/14 - Newport Music Hall - Columbus,    OH *
11/15 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY *
11/16 - House of Blues - Boston, MA *
11/17 - Wellmont Theatre - Montclair, NJ *
* with Matt & Kim

Time Capsules II | Tracklisting /
01. HEART
02. Landline
03. Away Frm U
04. I Could Go
05. Yr Face
06. oOoO
07. Cruisin' FDR
08. Gold
09. Haus
10. Homebro

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