Five shows this weekend

Friday, August 29

Southeast Engine at Hideout - This is another band that falls into the "indie folk" category, which can seem pretty oversaturated, but quality songwriting and an operatic rock edge makes them stand out as a worthwhile discovery. They play with Cains & Abels and Sytches. More info and tickets.

Saturday, August 30

Soft Targets at Bottom Lounge - These locals are a self-described "power quartet" that includes former members of Seam and Reagan National Crash Diet. Also with the Titmice, Papillion and Mr Russia. More info and tickets.

Don Caballero at Subterranean - A pretty highly touted instrumental math rock band, for those who dig that sort of thing. Ponytail will also play. More info and tickets.

Sunday, August 31

Aimee Mann and Squeeze at Ravinia - Celebrated singer-songwriter and former 'Til Tuesday leader Mann recently released her latest offering, "@#%&*! Smilers," to consistently positive reviews. She'll join classic new wave pop band Squeeze at Ravinia Sunday night. It should be a great show, as both have a knack for combining pop hooks with thoughtfulness and wit. More info and tickets.

Delta Spirit at Schubas - This band hails from San Diego and plays an ear-catching "hybrid of rock and northern soul." Chicago's Death Ships also plays. More info and tickets.

PC Magazine's top undiscovered music sites of 2008

PC Magazine recently published a list of the "Top 100 Undiscovered Web sites of 2008," and it includes a variety of music-related sites. Of the suggested sites, I'm partial to Wolfgang's Vault, which offers both streaming and downloadable live concert recordings from the past and present. It even includes live recordings by current Chicago bands such as Sybris, The 1900s and Office. Here's the full list of the highlighted music sites:

Create Digital Music - "A webzine for digital music making. Includes product reviews and announcements, music-production tips and an active community offering helpful music-making advice."

Muxtape - "Lets users build playlists out of MP3s they upload. Share your hand-crafted mixtapes with friends, or listen to others' from the Mixtape homepage." Currently unavailable as they "sort out a problem with the RIAA." Try OpenTape instead.

RadioTime - "Lets you tune in to the online streams of terrestrial radio stations, whether they're in your neighborhood or across the country."

Songza - "A search engine that gives you easy access to streamable MP3s across the Web. Enter a song or artist, and Songza serves it up for free."

TheSixtyOne - "Discover, download and upload new music, as well as build playlists of streaming tunes online. Utilizes a Digg-style approach to finding music and a game format that transforms listening to new music into a fun, massively multiplayer adventure."

WolfGang’s Vault - "One of the largest collection of live concert recordings and music memorabilia. Grants free streaming access to vintage recordings of thousands of live shows by rock legends like Clapton, Hendrix and The Who."

The next best thing to live?

I receive quite a few e-mails that inform me about bands playing live around town, but today I got a new one - an e-mail telling me about a band not playing live.

Instead, the message detailed a "virtual concert experience" in which bands tour hi-definition, life-sized video screenings of recent live performances at venues across the country. One such band is The String Cheese Incident, which fans will be able to watch - not in the flesh, but via a screening of a recent three-hour and twenty-minute live show - at Joe's Bar on 940 W. Weed Street on Thursday, September 11. Tickets are $10.

Virtual Venues Network is behind the virtual tour, which includes screenings in 60 cities through mid-October.

"With the recent overhaul of the recorded music industry and an increased emphasis on touring, artists are looking for new ways to reach their fans," VVN CEO Michael Horne said. "Virtual Venues Network provides a controlled environment where the artist can deliver a quality performance directly to midsize clubs and college venues and get paid for every show. It's the next best thing to live; it's life size, on stage with great sound, cold beer and a dance floor."

The performances aren't available on DVD, online, or anywhere else, so this seems like a unique way for fans in areas that bands tend to skip over while touring to be able to get the next best thing to a proper live show.

What do you think? Would you go to see a "virtual concert"?

Five shows this weekend

Friday, August 22

Great Lake Swimmers at Schubas - Indie folk out of Canada worth hearing. Ambient, melodic stuff. Laura Gibson also plays. More info and tickets.

Soul Asylum at Lincoln Park Zoo - I'm not sure how many people have this band on their musical radar these days, but it doesn't really matter because they rock. Songs such as "Black Gold" and the classic "Runaway Train" still sound great. And now you can hear them in a zoo. Pat McGee Band opens. More info and tickets.

The Faint at the Vic - These dance rockers from Omaha deliver plenty of energy and lighting tricks on stage. With Jaguar Love and Genghis Tron. More info and tickets.

Saturday, August 23

Empires at Beat Kitchen - This is a local act that recently released "Howl," a record full of driving, straightforward rock fit to please many. Also with Paper Rival. More info and tickets.

Bang! Bang! at the Empty Bottle - Another home-grown band, Bang! Bang! plays jerky dance punk with new wave quirks and a mix of male and female vocals. This is the release show for their latest CD, "The Industry EP." Walking Bicycles and The Strange Young Lovers will also play. More info and tickets.

The 1900s - Everybody's Got a Collection (vinyl single)

It's appropriate that the 1900s have followed up their debut LP, 2007's "Cold & Kind," with a vinyl single. The band's 60s-styled folk pop is tailor made for the nostalgic land of wax and turntables, where the occasional crack or pop somehow makes it sound even better.

The new 7", pressed on groovy white vinyl and available through Parasol, features the sweeping "Everybody's Got a Collection" on the A side and "Age of Metals" - the gloomiest thing the band has done to date - on the B side. While the latter has not previously been heard, a slightly different version of "Collection" circulated around the Internet last year upon the release of "Cold & Kind." It's hard to understand why the track was left off the album, as it's one of the strongest and most accessible songs in the band's catalog.

Although the 1900s have more than one main vocalist, Edward Anderson is at the helm on both tracks here. Anderson has a smooth, light voice that is a perfect fit for the kind of breezy and bittersweet fare present on the A side. The song is at its most powerful when he sings the chorus, which includes the excellent lines, "Everybody's got a collection I know that they wouldn't sell, they just leave it on their shelves/And everybody's got a confession I know that they'd never tell, they just keep it to themselves."

Listen to a sample from the 45 and pick up a copy for $3.50 on parasol.com.

Raven Music Fest this weekend

Just when you think summer music festivals are finally over, another one pops up to ensure you have plenty of new music to discover. This time its Raven Music Fest, which is set for this Saturday and Sunday in Ravenswood's Chase Park on the 4700 block of North Clark Street between Lawrence and Leland. "The Raven" is being billed as "Chicago's newest festival," and through its requested $5 donations aims to help rebuild and enhance areas of the park. Here's a rundown of the live music scheduled for both days on two stages:

Saturday, August 16

Tapes 'n Tapes (9 p.m.)

White Rabbits (8 p.m.)

Chin Up Chin Up (7 p.m.)

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin (6 p.m.)

Tulsa (5 p.m.)

pINK dEViL (4 p.m.)

Thomas Pace (2 p.m.)

Deanna Devore (1 p.m.)

Typhanie Monique Trio (12 p.m.)

Sunday, August 17

The M's (7 p.m.)

Dirty on Purpose (6 p.m.)

Bound Stems (5 p.m.)

Detholz! (4 p.m.)

Jukebox the Ghost (3 p.m.)

Gooey (2 p.m.)

Paper Airplane Pilots (1:15 p.m.)

Ash Avenue (1 p.m.)

Chris Bryan (12 p.m.)

Bands on Twitter, part 2

I recently posted about the current social networking phenomenon that is Twitter, and how some Chicago musicians are using it for promotion. Today, I saw (thanks, Avant/Chicago) an article by Wired blogger Scott Thill about how some nationally-known musicians are using the site for similar purposes, and how bad a job they (or, more likely their publicists) are doing when it comes to connecting with fans through the tool.

The article, amusingly titled "Are Music Tweets Mostly for Twits?," cites R.E.M. as a prime example.

"One would expect an artist as plugged in as Michael Stipe to check in once in a while with some penetrating insights, but no," Thill writes. "All the fans get are reviews and set lists for live shows or, even worse, updates on what songs are undergoing soundchecks. Fascinating."

That doesn't seem so bad. Interpol, Snoop Dogg, The Maccabees and Roots Manuva get called out for much more offensive Twitter practices, including overly promotional Tweets and nonexistent updates.

According to Thill, Snoop's Twitter feed has read like this on more than one occasion: "'The Adventures of Tha Blue Carpet Treatment is in stores NOW! Show your support for Tha Bigg Snoop Dogg and pick up your copy at Wal-Mart.'"

It seems most of the local bands I am following on Twitter have much better "Twetiquette." I can actually see myself going to a show or picking up a record based on a casual exchange with a cool band on the site. I can't, however, see myself running to Wal-Mart to buy Snoop Dogg's latest creation because his Twitter feed told me to do so multiple times.

Still, I've only found a handful of local bands on the site, which surprises me considering how quickly most bands flocked to MySpace when it got really popular. Do you think Twitter is more useful for big name acts or smaller, local bands? Neither? Still trying to figure out what Twitter is?

Perfect your summer playlist, Chicago style

The bad news: summer is flying by. The good news: we still have over a month left, and what better way to hang on to the sunshine than to create a playlist of some of the greatest summery tunes to ever come out of the Windy City? Besides, it's a universal fact that making themed playlists can add up to three years on to your life. Not really, but it sure is fun. Here are a few of my picks - both old and new - for the perfect "hanging on to summer, Chicago style" playlist:

Material Issue - "What Girls Want" - When you think of rock in the early 1990s, "summery" probably isn't the first word that comes to mind, but luckily there were a few bright spots - such as Chicago's Material Issue - amidst all the grunge. The band ended tragically after three albums with the suicide of lead singer Jim Ellison, but this track is just one of the many examples of how great they were while they lasted.

Office - "Oh My" - I promise, this is the last time I'll mention Office this month. Maybe. As discussed in my Lollapalooza and West Fest posts, Office is one of my favorite local bands around right now, and you should require no further proof as to why than this song and video. As any prime candidate for a summer power pop playlist should be, this track is under three minutes and instantly catchy, not to mention the video is hilarious.

Frisbie - "SFB" - Great Chicago power pop lives on with these guys, and this is one of their finest songs.

Shoes - "Too Late" - People rarely seem to discuss pre-1990s Chicago bands, which is a shame because there were some fantastic ones such as 60s-inspired power poppers Shoes. If you ask me, any summer-themed Chicago playlist would be incomplete without them, particularly this sweet tune of theirs.

Smashing Pumpkins - "Today" - The Pumpkins are much less of an obvious summer choice, but this song and video have always reminded me of a hot August day. Admittedly, maybe it's because I will forever think of Billy Corgan driving an ice cream truck around town when I hear it.

Smoking Popes - "I Know You Love Me" - If the perfect summer tune needs a chorus you can scream along to, this is definitely a front runner for the best.

Braam - "Blackout" - These local rock 'n' roll brothers have been around for a while, but I recently discovered them and their excellent Badfinger-esque sound with the release of their latest album, "Damn the Dream Killers." This track from the record quickly became one of my favorites of the summer, even though lyrically it's far from summery, which just means you'll also be able to use it on your fall mix.

Cheap Trick - "I Want You to Want Me" - It would be a crime to leave this classic off.

The 1900s - "Georgia" - Another of my favorite current local bands, the 1900s play breezy (yet lyrically-compelling) folk-pop. Here's one of their breeziest.

May or May Not - "Bike" - I've been loving this band's quirky, slightly psychedelic pop songs for years, and their 2007 release, "A Kaleidoscope of Egos," is a truly amazing record. This track is from an earlier EP and lots of fun. I have no words to describe the video clip, but the song is infectious.

Wilco - "What Light" - To close things off, a joyous track from one of the city's most celebrated bands.

Ten things I learned at Lollapalooza

After three sold out days, the most hyped and crowded Lollapalooza since the festival moved into Chicago in 2005 is over. With a whole year to wait until the next one, it's a bit too early to begin speculating about what's in store for '09. In the meantime, here are 10 things I learned at Lolla '08:

1. As it turns out, the Universe doesn't require every second during Lollapalooza's run to be mind-numbingly hot. Sure, it had its sweltering moments, but for at least part of the fest the weather couldn't have been more beautiful. It had to happen eventually.

2. There's no shortage of idiotic behavior in the world, and a good portion of it was present during Rage Against the Machine's set. See here for more details.

3. You never know who's going to take the leap into the wacky world of children's music. This was evidenced by The Get Up Kids frontman Matt Pryor performing at Kidzapalooa with his kid-friendly band The Terrible Twos. Material covered important issues affecting today's young'uns, such as only wanting to eat food that's bad for your tummy ("Pizza & Chocolate Milk").

4. Lupe Fiasco is pretty awesome, even if you're not into hip-hop.

5. Lolla's bringin' the twang. As I walked through the park Saturday afternoon and heard the sounds of country music I momentarily thought I was hallucinating. Then I realized that unlike usual, it wasn't nearly hot enough for that. It was actually country artist Dierks Bentley playing. Did I miss it in past years, or was this the first time the fest has been countrified (if only for an hour)?

6. More people are smoking pot, or at least bringing it to music festivals. I think I still have a second hand high.

7. Some performers don't know when to end a song. Jamie Lidell, for example. Although the British soul singer has an excellent voice, some of his electro-tinged tunes lasted so long that I could have walked to the opposite end of the park and back before they were over.

8. The Flaming Lips put out a movie. It's called "Christmas on Mars" and - surprise, surprise - it's about space. It was being screened in a spaceship-like apparatus. I halfway expected Perry Farrell to emerge and ask to be taken to my leader.

9. The fest is still plagued by the problem of sound from one stage bleeding into another's. With so much music in one area it's an understandable issue, but must be nerve-racking for the bands. Listening to Booka Shade meshed with MGMT seemed like the soundtrack to some bizarre nightmare.

10. If you put up a store that boldly says "Obama" and sells various Obama-themed merchandise in a huge festival, people will flock to it. But it still won't make Obama appear to introduce a headliner.

Lollapalooza: Five bands to see each day

I honestly think I am the only person in the world who is not completely infatuated with this year's Lollapalooza lineup. Still, being a music fanatic in Chicago, Lollapalooza has developed a grip on my soul and there's no way I could skip it. Plus, all things considered, this is a lineup constructed to please the masses, and there's no doubt it will result in what most will deem the best Lollapalooza ever. Our resident festivals examiner has dubbed it "a schedule made of gold," and has posted his fine picks here. I, on the other hand, am calling it "a schedule so popular that it will result in me unwillingly rubbing sweaty flesh with even more inebriated strangers than last year," but didn't think that would go over too well in the title of this post.

That being said, here are five bands for each day of the fest I think you'd do well to see, assuming you're willing to haul it from stage to stage between sets:

Friday, August 1

Rogue Wave, 1:15-2:15 p.m., MySpace Stage - Some respectable indie rock to get the afternoon going.

Louis XIV, 3:15-4 p.m., Citi Stage - This band's gritty, bluesy glam rock is a lot of fun, and comes off even better live than on CD.

Mates of State, 5:15-6:15 p.m., MySpace Stage - Beautiful indie pop by a husband-wife team. Sweet.

The Raconteurs, 6:15-7:45 p.m., Bud Light Stage - Jack White, Brendan Benson and company have played Lolla before, but with two songwriters so great they're worth seeing again.

Radiohead, 8 p.m., AT&T Stage - Somehow I have never been able to get too excited over Radiohead's records, but I've seen them live and there's no doubt they put on a fantastic show. The band canceled plans for a pre-Lolla warm-up show at the Chicago Theatre because frontman Thom Yorke has been feeling under the weather, so let's hope he is in good form for the big night.

Saturday, August 2

The Postelles, 12:30-1:15 p.m., BMI Stage - "New York City's The Postelles are what you get when you mix Franki Valli and the Four Seasons with The Strokes." How can you not want to see that?

Foals, 2:15-3 p.m., Citi Stage - There's been a lot of hype surrounding this British band's debut album, so it will be good to see how they measure up live.

MGMT, 3:30-4:30 p.m., MySpace Stage - Catchy-psychedelic-indie-electro-pop. Whew.

Lupe Fiasco, 6:30-7:30 p.m., AT&T Stage - Chicago's own hip-hop hero. Well, aside from that other guy. If you're only going to see one act of this genre, choose him.

Wilco, 8:30 p.m., Bud Light Stage - I know people are pumped about Rage Against the Machine, who are playing at the same time. If you're like me, though, and never really got the appeal, Wilco is hands-down the winning choice for the final time slot on Saturday.

Sunday, August 3

Office, 11:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m., Playstation 3 Stage - Go see this band. I repeat, go see this band. They are one of the finest that Chicago has to offer, and yours truly can't get enough of their new wave-influenced pop ditties. Unfortunately, they are coming on earlier in the day so anyone who isn't at the fest from the start of the day will probably miss out. But trust me, they are a good reason to get there early.

The Whigs, 1:15-2:15 p.m., MySpace Stage - More indie rock fun.

Gnarls Barkley, 6:15-7:15 p.m., AT&T Stage - Here's another repeat offender that is still worth checking out. Their neo-soul act always entertains.

The National, 7:15-8:15 p.m., Playstation 3 Stage - The festival's final dose of indie rock fun, except more serious.

Nine Inch Nails, 8:15 p.m., Bud Light Stage - For a variety of reasons, Kanye West's previous Lolla performance was one of the most annoying concert experiences of my life. That's one of the reasons I'm advocating NIN over Kanye. Not to mention Trent Reznor puts on a pretty good show.

HELICOPTERS - Sizing Up the Distance

Local trio Helicopters specializ

e in electro-infused indie pop that brings to mind an array of bands spanning everything from Death Cab for Cutie to Duran Duran. Their sound has won them a devoted following, which led to a Last Band Standing slot at last year's Lollapalooza. The band - comprised of Jason Caldeira, Brian Fifield and Dave Moran - released its second LP, "Sizing Up the Distance," late last month.

The album is a satisfying listen, but one that you have to dive into a few times before all of its charms and subtleties fully reveal themselves. Beginning with "Emergency," which quietly snakes along for a while before transforming into a full-fledged springy pop tune, the CD moves into more challenging fare such as the six-minute-long "Getting Out of Town" and the shifty sounds of "Iran."

The real standouts, though, are a bit more straightforward. They include the melodic, slightly Shins-like "Headlights," the unapologetically dancey "Still Silhouettes" and "White Lily No Soul," a nod to the dancier side of 80s new wave that sounds like it was written for Simon Le Bon. Even with these more outright quailities, the music maintains a restrained, thoughtful feel that stays consistent with the overall mood of the record.

"Sizing Up the Distance" is a perfect backdrop for more mellow, introspective moments, when you really want to get lost in the sounds and textures of songs, but at the same time it's not without playfulness and pop sensibilities that will keep you coming back for repeated listens.