TONIGHT at Empty Bottle: SISU, Ell V Gore & Dirty Beaches

SISU and Ell V Gore are playing with Dirty Beaches at The Empty Bottle tonight (September 12th).  For SISU, Sandy Vu of The Dum Dum Girls steps out from behind the kit to showcase her shoegaze take on electro and dreamy vocals. SISU sounds like a mix between Chromatics, Karen O vocals and m b v reminiscent washes.  SISU are releasing their debut LP 'Blood Tears', September 17th on Mono Prism and just premiered their new track 'Harpoons' on Brooklyn Vegan.  Credit Steven Perlin Toronto's Ell V Gore is the project of 24 year old Ell V who has been playing in weirdo punk and no wave bands for the past decade. He is also a man known around town for throwing some of the freakiest underground parties in the city. Ell V Gore just released the 'Sex Static' EP on Ben Cook of Fucked Up's label, Bad Actors.You can check out his latest video for 'Her Vicious' on Brooklyn Vegan.  SISU Premiere 'Harpoons' On Brooklyn Vegan, Debut LP "Blood Tears" Out September 17th On Mono Prism Records On Fall Tour With Dirty Beaches "Blood Tears" Track Listing: 1. Counting Stars 2. Cut Me Off 3. Harpoons 4. Electronic 5. Sinking Feeling 6. Let Go 7. Return The Favor 8. Shotgun Running 9. Sharp Teeth 10. Blood Tears   Remaining Tour Dates: 09/12 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle # 09/13 - St. Louis, MO - Firebird # 09/14 - Nashville, TN - Exit/In # 09/15 - Birmingham, AL - Bottletree # 09/17 - Austin, TX - The Mohawk # 09/19 - Phoenix, AZ - Rhythm Room # 09/20 - Los Angeles, CA - The Echo #% 09/21 - San Diego, CA - The Void #% 09/22 - San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill #% 09/24 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios #% 09/25 - Seattle, WA - Barboza #% 09/26 - Vancouver, BC, Canada - Biltmore Cabaret #%   # with Dirty Beaches @ with Colleen Green ^ with Whirr, Nothing % with Chasms Praise For SISU: "Sandra Vu's band make gothy postpunk/shoegaze a la Lush or Slowdive (with a slinky dash of Siouxsie perhaps"-- Brooklyn Vegan "The Light Eyes EP's "Two Thousands Hands" channeled the dreary romance of Cocteau Twins, but this latest track hews closer to the post-punky rhythms and urgent pacing of the Cure's earlier output." -- Spin “Unleashing waves of dark, melodic rhythms and thudding percussion, SISU inject their warped aesthetic into the mold of ’80s synth-pop, resulting in a something more dense and evocative that still manages to maintain its carefree shimmer." -- Consequence Of Sound The dark-tinged, hazy shoegaze outfit sees Vu step out from behind the kit as the band's main songwriting force, building upon the Dum Dum Girls pop-base with layers of noise and abrasion." --Impose Magazine "combines mournful jangle pop of lead singer Sandra Vu’s other group Dum Dum Girls’ with some dance-ready goth-pop."--CMJ Ell V Gore Premieres 'Her Vicious' Video On Brooklyn Vegan, Announces Tour With Dirty Beaches "Sex Static" EP Out Now On Bad Actors (Founded By Ben Cook Of Fucked Up) Watch 'Lobotomy' Video On Pitchfork! Stream The "Sex Static" EP At Brooklyn Vegan! Tour With Dirty Beaches: 9/12 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle  9/13 - St. Louis, MO - Firebird 9/14 - Nashville, TN - Exit In 9/15 - Birmingham, AL - Bottletree Praise For Ell V Gore: "Surging out of the cave like the Birthday Party trying to cover Joy Division’s “Transmission”, [Lobotomy] strikes a masterful balance of barked psychosis and mechanistic precision, of primitive trash-can clang and synth-shocked futurism."--Pitchfork "Noisy, viciously catchy no wave from this wonderful Toronto weirdo" -- Noisey scuzzy, gothy post-punk you might expect given what you've read to this point. Fans of The Birthday Party, Wire, The Cramps and all things WIERD take note" -- Brooklyn Vegan "[Lobotomy's] a vicious single that sniffs the glue that built Ty Segall’s Melted and drills cascading rhythms into the back of your head" --Blare Magazine Photo Above Credit: Norman Wong Watch The 'Her Vicious' Video On Brooklyn Vegan! If Ell V Gore’s Sex Static sounds to you like it was made by four weirdos you’d meet at a pitch black, late night bizarre sex party beating their instruments half to death…well, that’s because it was. Toronto’s Ell V Gore is the project of 24 year old Ell V who has been playing in weirdo punk and no wave bands for the past decade. He is also a man known around town for throwing some of the freakiest late-night parties in the city (when he isn’t manning the microphone at strip clubs in between for cash).  Sex Static, their debut EP on Bad Actors, is an industrial punk rock beat-down. It is a visceral, dark, and loud late night album that sounds like Chairs Missing era Wire and The Birthday Party being filtered through a kaleidoscope of 90 shades of black and grey. Known around the city for their stunningly intense live show, the experience has translated well to record. The rhythm section is tight and malicious, the guitars and synthesizers scrape, scratch, and scream, and Ell V’s controlled Lux Interior-esque howl bounces off walls with the guttural intensity of Michael Gira. Weirdos, freaks, and late night delinquents – your party has begun. About Bad Actors: Bad Actors is a Toronto based boutique record label focused on bringing you the best from the next generation of the city’s best songwriters, bands, producers, and beat makers. The label is headed by Ben Cook aka Young Guv, a member of Fucked Up, and the brains behind several of Toronto’s most loved and respected musical acts including: No Warning, Yacht Club, Marvelous Darlings, and The Scuzz. His résumé also includes: starring in some of your favorite childhood TV shows, ghostwriting some of the catchiest songs amongst your most beloved guilty pleasures, and producing some of his city’s most promising musical acts. Needless to say, the Guv can bring the goods, and it was only a matter of time before he started his own label. Bad Actors will serve as a stepping-stone to bigger things for young acts, while offering them an opportunity to work closely with one of Toronto’s most creative and energetic musical forces. Upcoming releases on Bad Actors include records from industrial punk freaks Ell V Gore, guitar pop masterminds Actual Water, weirdo soul-goddess MCs Bizzarh, 17 year old producer extraordinaire Harrison and Cook’s own Yacht Club. Links: Ell V Gore Facebook Ell V Gore Tumbler Ell V Gore Twitter

TONIGHT: Shows on Our Radar SISU at Empty Bottle

SISU Stream Debut LP "Blood Tears" On Spin Out September 17th On Mono Prism Records + On Fall Tour With Dirty Beaches Watch 'Harpoons' Video On Refinery 29! Listen To 'Harpoons' On Brooklyn Vegan! "Blood Tears" Track Listing: 1. Counting Stars 2. Cut Me Off 3. Harpoons 4. Electronic 5. Sinking Feeling 6. Let Go 7. Return The Favor 8. Shotgun Running 9. Sharp Teeth 10. Blood Tears Tour Dates: 09/12 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle # 09/13 - St. Louis, MO - Firebird # 09/14 - Nashville, TN - Exit/In # 09/15 - Birmingham, AL - Bottletree # 09/17 - Austin, TX - The Mohawk # 09/19 - Phoenix, AZ - Rhythm Room # 09/20 - Los Angeles, CA - The Echo #% 09/21 - San Diego, CA - The Void #% 09/22 - San Francisco, CA - Bottom of the Hill #% 09/24 - Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios #% 09/25 - Seattle, WA - Barboza #% 09/26 - Vancouver, BC, Canada - Biltmore Cabaret #%   # with Dirty Beaches % with Chasms Links: SISU Website SISU Facebook SISU Twitter SISU Tumblr MONO PRISM Website Listen To "Blood Tears" On Spin! Pre-Order "Blood Tears" Here! Multi-instrumentalist and many-times credited studio musician (Dum Dum Girls, Boredoms, Raveonettes) Sandra Vu spent years exploring the psych rock scene in Los Angeles. Now as the front-woman of SISU, she seeks to find the natural balance between the dark with the beautiful. Through deep introspection and sonic experimentation, Blood Tears is the cummulation of Vu’s insomnia-laden nights, where she learned to channel comfort through the means of explosive contrast. Thematically dark, there is still a certain uplift and sense of light to SISU’s debut album. A distinct danceability and melodic hooks shows her knack for writing pop songs with unpop sounds. “I like to combine ‘loner sounds’—echo-ridden, cold, distorted synth sounds—with pop melodies,” Vu says. “They come from a melancholy place, but offer hope.” “Electronic” is one of Blood Tears most dynamic pieces with Vu employing a mutant form of seduction: breathy vocals that cut through synth soundscapes and pierce through distortion leave a beguiling impression on the listener. Both aggressive and sublime, it’s quintessential SISU. Blood Tears is about barreling into the fire of human tendencies—the dichotomies and struggles between desire and disgust, hope and doubt. To be human is to feel pain, and Vu attempts to find a cathartic rhythm that not only confronts these fears, but also soothes the lonely heart. Praise For SISU: "Sandra Vu's band make gothy postpunk/shoegaze a la Lush or Slowdive (with a slinky dash of Siouxsie perhaps"-- Brooklyn Vegan "The Light Eyes EP's "Two Thousands Hands" channeled the dreary romance of Cocteau Twins, but this latest track hews closer to the post-punky rhythms and urgent pacing of the Cure's earlier output." -- Spin “Unleashing waves of dark, melodic rhythms and thudding percussion, SISU inject their warped aesthetic into the mold of ’80s synth-pop, resulting in a something more dense and evocative that still manages to maintain its carefree shimmer." -- Consequence Of Sound "The dark-tinged, hazy shoegaze outfit sees Vu step out from behind the kit as the band's main songwriting force, building upon the Dum Dum Girls pop-base with layers of noise and abrasion." --Impose Magazine "combines mournful jangle pop of lead singer Sandra Vu’s other group Dum Dum Girls’ with some dance-ready goth-pop."--CMJ

ACT OUT: Save The Dates BUYER & CELLAR to Play Broadway Playhouse in April #BroadwayInChicago

THE SMASH HIT COMEDY 

COMES TO CHICAGO APRIL 2014

STARRING MICHAEL URIE

2013 DRAMA DESK AWARD WINNER

“THE MOST TALKED ABOUT NEW COMEDY OF THE SEASON”

-- Ben Brantley, THE NEW YORK TIMES

Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce that the hit off-Broadway comedy BUYER & CELLAR, starring Michael Urie, written by Jonathan Tolins and directed by Stephen Brackett, will play Chicago for a limited engagement beginning April 29, 2014 at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut).  Daryl Roth, Producer of Tony Award-winning “Kinky Boots” along with Darren Bagert, Dan Shaheen and Ted Snowdon, bring this hilarious new comedy to Chicago.

Alex More has a story to tell.  A struggling actor in L.A., Alex takes a job working in the mall in Barbra Streisand's Malibu basement.  One day, the Lady Herself comes downstairs to play.  It feels like real bonding in the basement, but will their relationship ever make it upstairs?  BUYER & CELLAR is an outrageous comedy about the price of fame, the cost of things, and the oddest of odd jobs.

The New York Times critics Ben Brantley and Charles Isherwood recently raved about the play.  Brantley wrote that BUYER & CELLAR is "the most talked about new comedy of the season."  WQXR Radio’s Isherwood called the hit comedy "very funny" and "a tour-de-force performance."

BUYER & CELLAR is the recipient of the 2013 Drama Desk, Clarence Derwent, and Off-Broadway Alliance awards.  Following the play’s world premiere in April 2013 at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, the critics were wowed:

“An irresistible play.  Seriously funny.  The wit and invention of Mr. Tolins’s writing and the immersive storytelling skills of Mr. Urie are such that not only do they spin a sturdy narrative out of this preposterous situation, they actually persuade you to buy into it.” --David Rooney, The New York Times

“Hilarious.  A multidimensional unraveling of our voyeuristic enjoyment of celebrity entitlement.” --Peter Marks, The Washington Post

“Utterly charming and often whacky.  Under the playful and efficient direction of Stephen Brackett, Michael Urie is funny and touching, delivering a winning, sweet performance.  Tolins’s script sparkles with sly humor. --Mark Kennedy, Associated Press.

"Beyond brilliant.  This show will go down like 'butta.'” --Entertainment Weekly

TICKET INFORMATION

BUYER & CELLAR is a special offer to the Broadway In Chicago 2014 Spring Season Subscribers.   Group tickets for 10 or more are now on sale by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710. Individual tickets for BUYER & CELLAR will go on sale at a later date. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com or www.BuyerandCellar.com.

World Music Festival Chicago FREE Admission Sept. 12-22, 2013 City-wide Various Locations

Music Lovers, Grab Your Passports! World Music Festival Chicago FREE Admission * Sept. 12-22, 2013 City-wide * Various Locations The 15th Annual World Music Festival Chicago is September 12-22 featuring more than 70 international performances in venues throughout the City. All performances are FREE admission - in more the 20 venues by acclaimed musicians and groups representing 34 countries from around the globe. Festival highlights include five concerts in Millennium Park, the all-night RagaMala: A Celebration of Indian Classical Music at the Chicago Cultural Center and the Festival au Desert - Caravan for Peace, a group of exiled musicians from Mali touring the United States. For the complete schedule, visit worldmusicfestivalchicago.org.   Public Transportation For travel information, visit transitchicago.com. Parking Park near the music at Millennium Garages, preferred parking partner for the World Music Festival 2013! Garage locations are Millennium Park Garage and Millennium Lakeside Garage at 5 S. Columbus Drive, Grant Park North Garage at 25 N. Michigan Ave. and Grant Park South Garage at 325 S. Michigan Ave. Go to millenniumgarages.com for more info. Park Here. Go Anywhere! Purchase Options: pay at parking location; call 312-616-0600.

REVIEW: Bo Thomas and the Case of the Sky Pirates at Babes With Blades a Must See

We were wowed once again by Babes With Blades' latest, and highly recommend you check out this rockin' world premier.   How can you beat dirigibles, girl knife & gun fights, witty repartee, and orphanage arson?!   This show is aimed at adults but fine for theatre savvy tweens and teens as well.

My tweens sat front row for an extra adrenaline rush and both loved the show!   In Raven Theatre's intimate space, the knife play literally happens within arm's reach of the audience.   This awesome period piece has so many of our favorite elements... cool fight choreography, smart, strong women, clever writing and a quirky plot.   If you haven't checked it out, go already.

Check out our prior coverage here including all the pertinent show details.

Must close Saturday, 9/21...    Don't miss BWBTC's Production of Eric Simon's Bo Thomas and the Case of the Sky Pirates!   "If there were a Jeff Award for Most Adorable Production this should win." - The Dueling Critics "The fights are, as one expects with the Babes, top-notch stuff (JKChoreograpy - the team of Jay Burckhardt and Kim Fukawa - provided the violence design), and Schemmel's Bo is a saucy delight as a pastiche female Philip Marlowe." - Chicago Tribune Come see what the buzz is about! TICKETS ON SALE NOW At the Raven Theatre, West Stage 6157 N. Clark St., Chicago (Lot parking / easy street parking)  Use this link for more information.  For special pricing and events during the show run, please visit our website. BWB Photo 2: Megan Schemmel,  Kelly Yacono  Swords for Rusty Broads (& Gents) - Presenting Neo-Commedia! Saturday 9/14, 11am-5:30pm At the Prop Thtr, 3502 N. Elston, 60618 In preparation for our upcoming production of L'Imbecile (see below for more details!), we're offering a workshop in the fight style we'll be using in the show. For more information and to register, check out our website. Announcing Auditions for the Spring 2014 World Premiere of L'Imbecile  By Aaron Adair   A decadent, gender-twisted take on Giuseppe Verdi's opera Rigoletto.    Wed 9/25 and Thu 9/26, 2013 6:30-10pm (Invited Callbacks to take place Sat 9/28, 10am - 5pm) Non-Equity.  Male and Female roles are available All Ethnicities, All Ages are invited to audition.  Experience in stage combat, Commedia, and other physical work a plus. Auditions will be held by APPOINTMENT ONLY in the City Lit rehearsal room (1020 W. Bryn Mawr, 3rd floor)   Please prepare 1 monologue, no longer than 2 minutes, classical or other heightened language, comic preferred For an appointment contact spark@babeswithblades.org. Fighting Words Our 2013 new plays development series continues!  Want to be a part of the creative process? Please join us for the public readings of these exciting new plays and give your input. Patchwork Drifter by Jennifer L. Mickelson* Reading #2 + fight: 9/29, 1pm at Profiles Alley Stage (4147 N. Broadway, Chicago)    ...and the winner of Joining Sword & Pen 2013-14:  Witch Slap by Jeff Goode Reading #1: 10/27, 1pm at Profiles Alley Stage (4147 N. Broadway, Chicago)  Reading #2 + fight: 12/8, 1pm at Profiles Alley Stage (4147 N. Broadway, Chicago) Want to know more about Fighting Words?  Go here. Check Out These Babes Dawn Alden and Kathrynne Wolf can be seen on the new web series, "Dark Age" - http://www.darkage.tv.    Brooke Elliot is starring in Lifetime's Drop Dead Diva as Jane/Deb. Check it out!  Amy Harmon, Morgan Manasa and Mary Ann Bowman will be appearing in an enhanced staged reading of 180 Degree Rule by M.E.H. Lewis and fellow Babe Barbara Lhota, presented by Pride Films & Plays on Saturday, September 14 at 7pm at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted. Lisa Herceg will appear as Det. Jules Rossi in Stage Left Theatre's production of Barbara Lhota's Warped at Theatre Wit, 1229 W. Belmont.  Previews are 9/4 and 9/5; opens 9/6 and runs Thursdays - Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm through 10/6.  For tickets and more information: http://stagelefttheatre.com/.     Kimberly Logan is appearing in All American at Redtwist Theatre, which closes 9/9 (performances are Saturday at 3:00pm and Sunday/Monday at 7:30pm). Industry tickets available for every show at the door ($10). Elizabeth MacDougald is appearing for one more weekend in Idle Muse Theatre Company's production of Enchanted April, running through 9/8 at Rivendell Theatre, 5779 N. Ridge.  For tickets: http://idlemuse.org/ Megan Schemmel is currently kicking butt, taking names, and solving crime as the titled character of BWBTC's production of Bo Thomas And The Case of The Sky Pirates. In addition, Wolf Point Media's web series premiered its pilot episode of The Scarlet Line on August 31, where Megan plays 'Naomi', the crime-fighting-scarlet gone vigilante. Fighting crime is in the blood, but flipping sides is where the fun's at!  Calling all active & emeritus Babes: please keep us up-to-date on your activities! Email notgonnalie@babeswithblades.org about a listing in the Babes With Blades BroadSheet! Fabulous Women (and Friends) At Work   Valerie Meachum stars in period horror short Witchfinder, which screened at the Dragon*Con Film Festival on September 1 and will also be shown at the Halloween Horror Picture Show in Tampa on September 28.  Is your organization providing opportunities for women in theatre or film? Want the Babes to promote your work? Email postal@BabesWithBlades.org about a listing in the Babes With Blades BroadSheet!

ACT OUT: Victory Gardens Appropriate On Sale This Friday and Resident Theater Teatro Vista's White Tie Ball Now Playing #ticketdiscount

APPROPRIATE ON SALE Appropriate will officially go on sale to the general public this Friday at 12:00pm. Don't miss this world premiere production directed by critically acclaimed director Gary Griffin (Sunday in the Park with George and Follies at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre). Be one of the first audiences to see Appropriate before it reaches New York's Signature Theatre later in this winter! Here at ChiIL Live Shows we adored the finely crafted, visually stunning Sunday in the Park with George at Chicago Shakespeare and had fun playing with the "living mural" in the lobby too!  We've been consistently impressed with the world class offerings at Victory Gardens over the years and 2013-14 is shaping up to be an exciting season.   Last night we were impressed with Teatro Vista's opening night of White Tie Ball.   We're happy to pass along what Victory Gardens has to offer. Recognize anyone? Co-World Premiere with Actor's Theatre of Louisville's Humana Festival APPROPRIATE by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins directed by Gary Griffin Nov. 8 - Dec. 8, 2013 TICKET ON SALE FRIDAY 20% OFF RESIDENT THEATER OFFER VG's inaugural Resident Theater season begins this week! Teatro Vista (co-producers of The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity) present the world premiere of White Tie Ball by Chicago playwright Martín Zimmerman. You may remember Martín's play 7 Spots on the Sun that was workshopped at VG's IGNITION New Play Festival in 2012. 20% discount to any performances of White Tie Ball with code "VICTORY." This discount is good until Monday the 16th.  Victory Gardens Subscribers receive 20% off all Resident Theater performances- visit our website to purchase a Subscription today. Come experience the first of many Resident Theater productions at our Lincoln Avenue space this year! Sideshow Theatre is another Resident Theater with a show opening this week, their production of 9 Circles is running until October 6 at the DCASE Storefront Theatre. A full calendar of resident performances is available on our website. TEATRO VISTA presents: WHITE TIE BALL by Martin Zimmerman directed by Edward Torres Sept. 6 - Oct. 13, 2013 SIDESHOW THEATRE presents 9 CIRCLES by Bill Cain directed by Marti Lyons Aug. 29 - Oct. 6, 2013 Through our Resident Theater Program, Victory Gardens aims to share our resources to incubate and nurture existing storefront theaters in Chicago. During their residency, Victory Gardens will give each company a physical and artistic home to further its art, develop its audience base and fully realize the next phases of its own organizational plan.

Bad Things Self-Titled Debut Album Now To Be Released October 29th On Warner Bros. Records #streamingsingle

LA rock band Bad Things - that consists of front man/lead singer Davis LeDuke, bass player Jared Palomar, guitarist Anthony Sanudo, drummer Lena Zawaideh and lead guitarist Shaun White, well known for snowboarding and skateboarding - will release their debut, self-titled album October 29th on Warner Bros. Records (iTunes Pre-Order Link). The record was produced by Rob Schnapf (Beck, Elliot Smith, The Vines). Did you catch Bad Things on stage at Lollapalooza 2013?!   Check 'em out. Bad Things covering Iggy And The Stooges' "Search And Destroy" Live Video From Lollapalooza They also rocked the Kidzapalooza with Perry Farrell.  Click here to Listen To The First Single, "Anybody"  The lead single "Anybody, " a "chugging rock anthem heavy with choirboy backing harmonies" according to Rolling Stone, is now for sale at iTunes and streaming on YouTube and Soundcloud.  iTunes Pre-Order Link http://bit.ly/1eaH5Ml Bad Things recently wrapped a North American tour of the country that included festival stops at Lollapalooza in Chicago and Osheaga Festival in Montreal. Rembert Browne of Grantland wrote a compelling, in depth feature on the band after being blown away by what he'd seen at Lolla. "I watched a band put on a surprisingly great show, causing a crowd to go from embarrassingly sparse to filled but skeptical to convinced by the end" remarked Browne about the band's headlining performance Saturday night, filling in the spot vacated by Death Grips. "I truly didn't know what to do with what I'd just seen, because I'd yet to accept the reality that a band featuring White pulled a substitute teacher move for Death Grips and did not fall on its face. But I wanted to know more. So I chatted with the band." Reports from Osheaga were equally as impressive. Canadian media outlet Dose.ca awarded Bad Things with the #1 Most Surprising Moment of the festival, raving about their performance. "Google 'Bad Things' and you'll be inundated with articles that start with the words 'Shaun White's band...,' which is totally misleading, considering how much more there is to these guys" says Dose. "They have great original material and the kind of solid musicianship and stage presence you'd expect from a group that's been playing together for years." Bad Things are confirmed for a November 2nd performance at Voodoo Festival in New Orleans. More tour news to be announced in the near future. Official Website: http://www.badthings.net/  YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/badthings  Twitter: https://twitter.com/badthings  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/badthings