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 Links / Oberhofer Official Facebook Follow Oberhofer On Twitter Glassnote Records

ACT OUT: This Weekend Catch Troupe--Circus Arts at The Actors Gymnasium

Fall Youth Circus  TICKETS ON SALE NOW!    Our Fall Youth Circus, Troupe, is right around the corner on November 10, 11, 17 & 18, and we'd love to see you there!  Grabbing hold of their destiny, children from an orphanage form a secret society of superheroes to become greater than their past.  Invite your friends and RSVP on facebook or purchase your ticket by clicking the button below.    We hope to see you there! The Actors Gymnasium, 927 Noyes Street, Evanston IL

Highly recommended!   Love circus arts?   Come check out the local talent.   We were seriously blown away by how cool and amazing their show, Lost & Found was last year.   Now we're entirely intrigued by their premise this fall.


ChiIL Live Shows will be there...will YOU?!

Portland Circus Punks, March Fourth LIVE at Martyrs 11-3-12 #HDvideo #showshots

March Fourth (triple stilt walker partner acro!!) LIVE at Martyrs 
Chicago 11-3-12
HD Video by ChiIL Live Shows


November 3rd, it was our great pleasure to check out Portland's Punk Circus Brass....March Fourth back in Chi-town again.   When their big bus pulls into town, a party's sure to break out!   This time was no exception.  

Local boys, Whysowhite, got the crowd warmed up, and March Fourth took it to the next level.   Our favorite freaks got everyone shakin' their booties, screwing their lightbulbs, and having a raucous good time.   

Check back with ChiIL Live Shows like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often.   We'll have loads more mind blowing March Fourth/Martyrs live show clips and a review of their latest album, Magnificent Beast!



March Fourth LIVE at Martyrs, Whysowhite opens, Chicago 11-3-12

The New Folk (Todd Kessler) LIVE at Schubas #HDvideo #showshots

The New Folk (Todd Kessler) LIVE at Schubas 8/27/12   ChiIL Live Shows.com

Chi-Town's own Todd Kessler's been making waves on NBC’s The Voice this season as part of Team CeeLo (@TeeamCeeLo)!  

Back at the end of August, The New Folk rocked Schubas with their CD release party, as part of a the Monday night residency series, and ChiIL Live Shows has exclusive, unreleased stills and HD videos right here.  

Check out our past coverage here.

New Folk celebrated the release of their debut album Sea Fever with an August 2012 “Practice Space Presents:” residency at Schubas, but the story behind The New Folk began in 2005 as Singer/Songwriter Todd Kessler went in to the studio to record his debut album. That album, entitled We Are The MusicMakers, was released in 2006 and with the backing of his original band helped Kessler to make his name and music known in the local Chicago music scene. In 2007 and 2008, in the midst of touring the Midwest, Kessler teamed up with Producer Greg “G-Ball” Magers to record his next two albums, The Veronika EP and Boomerang, only garnering him more praise and recognition on the road and at home. 

 It was while recording The Veronika EP that The New Folk began to take root with the addition of Bob Parlier on Drums, Sam Smiley on Guitar and Graham Burris on Bass. The quartet began playing out in 2008 in support of Boomerang, still under the name of Todd Kessler, but it was during the next two years and the addition of a String section (Elana Hiller and Chris Bauler), a Horn section (David Ben-Porat and Ben Bell Bern) and a second vocalist (Molly Parlier) that the band began to make waves with their signature Alt-Folk-Pop sound. 2009’s double-single release Golden Bird, along with headlining shows at Schubas, Lincoln Hall, Double Door and Millennium Park, solidified the bands place as a respected group in Chicago, and in 2010, the band began playing shows under the name Todd Kessler and the New Folk.

 With over two years, countless shows and a slew of new material, the band, now billed simply as The New Folk, teamed up with producer Manny Sanchez to begin work on their debut album, Sea Fever, in August of 2010. Two years and hundreds of studio hours later later, Sea Fever was released in August under Kessler’s label Wyzguy Records.




ChiIL Live Shows HD Video--Holes in the Floor, The New Folk (Todd Kessler) LIVE at Schubas 8/27/12

*Apologies for missing a bit of the beginnings of some of the tracks.   I was originally just going to splice shorter bits in to a video interview, but there have been so many requests for the whole songs I decided to run them intact.




Todd Kessler covers Radiohead's High and Dry & performs his own new track, Intangible, with The New Folk LIVE at Schubas 8/27/12  
ChiIL Live Shows HD Video

Listen to Todd between songs, talking about L.A. and his recent foray into national TV.   He's on NBC’s The Voice this season on Team CeeLo (@TeeamCeeLo).




Dear Lover, The New Folk LIVE at Schubas 8/27/
ChiIL Live Shows HD Video


We'll have live videos of 3 more live songs from The New Folk coming soon, so check back with ChiIL Live Shows like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often.

Want to hear more Todd Kessler &/or The New Folk?   Check out their main site here.

March Fourth Band News & Tour Dates

We just had the great pleasure of checkin' out March Fourth at Martyrs on Saturday night.   Highly recommended.   Do NOT miss them live if they're heading your way.   We'll have loads of original show HD footage, stills and our review of their latest album, Magnificent Beast.  


Check back with ChiIL Mama & ChiIL Live Shows like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often.

Greetings from the road! The first week or so of this tour was super fun but a little chilly, especially since we discovered the main cabin heater of the bus was broken (hey, the AC worked great all summer!) We just got the heater fixed in Chicago yesterday on our day off though, so things are going to be toasty on the road from here on out. We hear it gets quite cold at the Bear Creek Music Festival, despite being in Florida. Then we'll be making our way up the east coast, where we hope to bring a little joy to the storm victims. Speaking of Sandy, we're raising funds for the American Red Cross relief efforts. Through the month of November, 100% of Bandcamp downloads of "Gospel" go to support victims of Superstorm Sandy. Thanks for your generous donations! Today is the first Monday in November, which means tomorrow is election day and it's time toVOTE! In Oregon our vote-by-mail system allowed many of us to vote from the comfort of our tour bus, but we know the rest of you might have to work a little harder to cast your ballot, so THANK YOU!!! (BTW, did you know March 4th was the date the US Constitution went into effect?) We're pretty thankful to have the opportunity to travel this country and meet so many amazing people along the way. Will we see you soon? Check out our website calendar or our list of tour dates below and catch us on the road near you. .  M4 in the news Listen Up Denver (show review and photos) Reverb (photos) Recent Videos Gothic Theater (Denver) Martyr's (Chicago) JOY NOW Open House After two successful years as a summer camp, we're launching an after school program in January. Join us for a FREE open house and play day for parents and prospective students!  Joy Now Open House Sunday, NOV 18 1-3:30pm St David of Wales Church, 2800 SE Harrison St. Portland, OR 97214 For more information visit our facebook event page. Joy Now FUNraiser Help us raise scholarship dollars at Joy Now's 2nd Annual FUNraiser Thursday, DEC 6th 6-10pm at the Alberta Rose Theater. GET TICKETS NOW  ALL AGES / $25 - $50 (Limited number of low income/student tix avail at door day of show and through contacting us) Featuring a stunning night of music, dance and performance with Vagabond Opera, DJ GlobalRuckus, and more.  The Joy Now Arts Project empowers, excites and engages youth through music and performance arts-centered programs, taught by members of the M4th Marching Band.  Fall Tour Dates 11/5 St. Louis, MO  Old Rock House 11/8-9 Live Oak, FL  Bear Creek Festival 11/10 Tampa, FL Skippers Smokehouse 11/11 Atlanta, GA Smiths Olde Bar 11/13Charlotte, NC Neighborhood Theatre 11/14 Arlington, VA Artisphere 11/15  Harrisburg, PA Abbey Bar 11/16  Baltimore, MD  8 x 10 11/17 Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Bowl 11/18 Stamford, CT UBS Parade   11/18 Pawtucket, RI The Met **NEW** 12/8 Austin, TX Club DeVille   12/9 Dallas, TX Trees   12/12 Albuquerque, NM Dirty Bourbon 12/13 Tucson, AZ Rialto Theater   12/14 Phoenix, AZ Crescent Ballroom   12/15 Flagstaff, AZ Orpheum Theater   12/16 Los Angeles, CA Echoplex   12/31 Portland, OR New Year's Eve March Fourth Marching Band 534 SE Oak Portland, Oregon 97214

Mayan End Of The World?

We dig the multicultural, magical, celebratory spin here.   Amid so much recent devastation from hurricane Sandy, the Mayan prophecy about the end times imminently coming next month, is being bandied about again with a new ferocity.   Whether you're a skeptic who has seen too many end of the world predictions finish with an anticlimactic day after, or whether you're a fervent believer, it's great to finally hear a positive spin on the Mayan predictions for December 2012.   This concert sounds amazing and we can't wait to check it out.

It’s not the end of the world, but a turn of the wheel. December 21, 2012 marks the beginning of a new era according to the Mayan calendar, that mathematically elegant achievement that has been misread by doomsayers worldwide, and means the end of one of the cycles of the Mayan calendar, the b’ak’tun (approximately 394 solar years)and the Sones de México Ensemble is ready to celebrate! On Saturday, December 1st, 2012 Sones de México will join the worldwide celebrations that are being held as far away as Guatamala and South Eastern Mexico with their own musical interpretation of the end of the 13th, 394 year cycle that started over 1500 years ago!

Sones de México Ensemble, 13 B'ak'tun: Full Tour Schedule  12/01/2012, Sat Chicago, IL Mayne Stage 1328 W. Morse Ave. Show: 7:00 pm & 10:00 pm  Tickets on sale November 1 Advance General Admission = $20 Day of Show General Admission = $25 VIP guaranteed seat = $35 Under 18 = $15 Groups of 10 or more = $15 per person Boxoffice: (773) 381-4551 or maynestage.com $5 valet parking available. Ask about dinner packages.

Happy Ending: Sones de México Ensemble Celebrates Sonic Renewal and the Real Meaning of the Mayan Calendar with 13 B’ak’tun  Live December performance and new recording of groundbreaking original piece by innovative Mexican roots explorers This turning point will spark celebrations in Mayan communities throughout the Americas, and has inspired a new concert program and composition by Sones de México Ensemble.  The Chicago-based, deeply rooted yet powerfully creative ensemble draws on traditional Mexican and Mayan rhythms and percussion instruments—along with hints of serialism and prog rock—to mark the end of 13 B’ak’tun, and a new start for us all. Sones shines a radical light on the spirit, sounds, and intriguingly complex numerical relationships evoked by the start of this next, long era by Mayan count. With a new composition—fourteen parts long, to honor each b’ak’tun since the creation—and a dynamic stage show, the group promises to reveal the beauty and revelry of this momentous, misunderstood event. The celebration begins in Chicago on December 1, 2012, at Mayne Stage, when Sones will premiere 13 B’ak’tun and present a wide ranging variety of other carefully executed, high energy pieces to welcome the new Mayan era. (For tickets and info, see maynestage.com or call Ticketweb at 866.468-3401). Sones de México has frequently turned over new leaves in its nearly two decades together. The group has covered Woody Guthrie and Led Zeppelin using traditional Mexican instruments. It has worked closely with Chinese artists as part of Yoyo Ma’s Silk Road Project (“Caravan”), joined Garrison Keillor on A Prairie Home Companion, and taught algebra to public school children through a clever method that uses traditional Mexican music composition. Yet 13 B’ak’tun and the composition as its heart are a bold move for the ensemble. Beginning with 13 counts of silence to honor zero and the creation, the piece, composed by Dies and developed in collaboration with the group, uses a different time signature for each section, one that corresponds to the section’s number (thus, 2 B’ak’tun is in 2/4 time). In addition to exploring odd meters and unusual time signatures, the piece weaves traditional forms and instruments, like reed flutes, Mayan marimbas, the gorgeously resonant Mayan bubalek (gourd water drum) into a structure built with the fascinating complexity of a contemporary classical work and the rollicking rhythmic panache of a good prog rock song. “Originally I created the framework with the 14 sections with the different time signatures,” explains the band’s co-founder, composer, and bass player Juan Dies. “Some members of the group have recently experienced a loss or other important changes in their lives that I feel have contributed to some distancing among us. I wanted this song to be part of a healing process, a renewal, just like a snake shedding its old skin to emerge transformed at the other end. Early in the process, I called for ideas from my band mates, and at first, these were a little disjointed, pulling in different directions, but then they began to align themselves. For example, our music director Victor Pichardo recommended that I create a unifying theme to bring it all together, and I wrote a 13-note pentatonic theme.” This pentatonic theme unites the diverse sections; it works forwards, backwards or upside down, returning and retreating, changing and reversing much like the intricate numerical relationships and unique intersections of the Mayan calendar’s many interlocking cycles. The piece, like the group’s work in general, offers a chance to reflect on the cultures and streams that have flowed together to form Mexico’s musical heritage: the sounds of diverse indigenous groups, African forms and beats, European harmonic ideas and instruments that have converged and interacted to spark Mexico’s many genres and styles. “This last b’ak’tun, a period representing the last four centuries or so, has seen conquest, revolution, voluntary an involuntary migration from around the world, everything from the fall of the Mayan and Aztec empires, the rise of a nation, globalization and the influence of Hollywood,” muses Dies, “and it has all impacted Mexican music. This composition and this new concert program give us a chance to consider that, to look back and reflect and to open new roads to travel the road ahead.” Highlighting the uniqueness and intellectual depth of Mexico’s traditions, while bringing them into delightfully new contexts, comes naturally to Sones. As part of the new program, the group will explore using robotic lighting, black lights, haze, fluorescence and other stage effects to accent the transitional, eerie, yet joyful vibe of this watershed moment. Thoughtful use of dance, percussion preludes—including a new Aztec drum overture written by band member Zacbe Pichardo for this occasion,“Origenes Ancestrales” (Ancestral Origins); jazz standards (a danzón arrangement of “Green Dolphin Street”); Western symphonic music (a vibrant folk arrangement of J. P. Moncayo’s “Huapango” by Victor Pichardo); and the full palette of indigenous Mexican sounds will bring the real significance of the b’ak’tun to life. “The b’ak’tun journey for us has sprung from a need to renovate, to reinvent ourselves, after years of working together, of achieving some success and meeting some challenges as a team,” Dies notes. “We wanted to do something new and exciting, and really offer the audience something entertaining and engaging. So we are adding a compelling visual experience to the musical dimension that we are known for. This is a big experiment for us, part of the bigger experimental streak we’ve always had, along with our love for the tradition of Mexican son.”

March Fourth LIVE at Martyrs, Chicago #photofeature

March Fourth LIVE at Martyrs 6/8/12 by ChiIL Live Shows 

It's a date....a command....a rockin' Portland band!

Sure you THOUGHT this Saturday was November 3rd, but it's really March Fourth.  



Portland's rockin' circus punk marching band will be back at Martyrs again THIS Saturday night.  



Highly recommended!    We adore these guys and their lively, high energy show.   Must see.

the What-Where-When on this show:

• Artist: MarchFourth Marching Band
• Tour: “Magnificent Beast” Tour 2012
• Date: Saturday, November 3rd 2012
• Time: 9:00pm
• City: Chicago, IL
• Venue: Martyrs
• Address: 3855 N Lincoln Ave
• Country: US
• Admission: $15
• Age restrictions: No Minors
• Notes: Doors at 7:00 pm. Whysowhite opens the show at 9:00 pm.
• Add to Google Calendar | Download iCal

Check back with ChiIL Live Shows like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often!   We'll have loads of live March Fourth HD video footage and more fun stills edited and up soon! 

Check out our past March Fourth coverage here.

Click here for the band's main site.