Lollapalooza 2009 preview: Bands to see

No matter how hard you try, it’s near impossible to see all the bands you want to see at Lollapalooza. Between acts that play simultaneously at different stages and the occasional need to stray from the music to get food and drink or just take a breather from the mobs, it’s inevitable you’ll miss some music you’ll probably end up kicking yourself for later. I find that heading into each day of the fest with around six sets you want to see is probably a realistic goal. With that in mind, here are six acts each day I recommend highlighting on your Lolla schedule.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 7

- Hockey (11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m., PlayStation Stage) – I’m not sure if anyone gets to Lolla quite this early, but if you find yourself overly eager to get the party started you’d do well to check out Portland’s Hockey, who do 80s-inspired dance-rock quite well.

- The Gaslight Anthem (2-3 p.m., South Stage) – This New Jersey outfit’s poppy, anthemic punk is tailor made for a summer music festival setting and should help get the blood pumping for a Lolla-filled weekend. Plus, the last time the band played Chicago - at the Bottom Lounge in April - they seemed a bit off, so hopefully their set will give fans the chance to see them in prime condition.

- Heartless Bastards (3-4 p.m., Vitamin Water Stage) – The meaty, no-nonsense garage rock of this Ohio-grown band hits like a ton of bricks, thanks mostly to front woman Erika Wennerstrom’s throaty power vocals and straight-up guitar work.

- Fleet Foxes (5-6 p.m., PlayStation Stage) – For some reason, I wasn’t thrilled with this much-lauded Sub Pop band’s set at Pitchfork Fest 2008, even though everyone else seemed to think it was the best thing ever. They make my list of this year’s Lolla picks because I’m ready and willing to give their revered “baroque pop” another chance.

Andrew Bird (Photo by Cameron Wittig)

- Andrew Bird (7-8:15 p.m., PlayStation Stage) – Almost everyone on the planet seems to think Mr. Bird is the bee’s knees, raving about his live performances in particular. Perfect example: Bird’s pre-Lolla August 6 show at Schubas goes on sale this past Tuesday. Show sells out in under a minute. Yes, there's a reason people go crazy over the man’s atmospheric, whistle-laden folk pop, and his Lolla set will undoubtedly be a big hit.

- Kings of Leon (8:15-10 p.m., Budweiser Stage) – Even though there seems to be a widespread, ongoing, inexplicable fascination with seasoned synth-poppers Depeche Mode - who are playing opposite Kings of Leon on the South Stage – I can’t bring myself to get onboard. Maybe I just don’t have a good enough grasp on the band to appreciate them. Whatever the case, Kings of Leon is my pick for Friday night’s headliner. I’ve never been as enthralled with the Kings as many seem to be, but their latest record is pretty damn good as far as arena rock goes.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 8

- Ezra Furman & the Harpoons (11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., PlayStation Stage) – Kicking off day two on the fest’s main stage is the quirky, clever and eclectic folk rock of New York’s Ezra Furman & the Harpoons – a great way to begin Saturday if you plan to arrive before lunchtime.

- Los Campesinos! (2:30-3:30 p.m., Budweiser Stage) – Indie pop out of Cardiff, Wales that’s up-tempo, charming and exuberant. If music festivals are all about having fun, then this seven-piece should deliver in spades.

- Chairlift (3:30-4:30 p.m., Citi Stage) – You know that iPod commercial song, right? The one with that peppy ditty about doing handstands and headstands and being permanently black and blue. True, songs being plastered all over advertisements tend to make them less appealing, but it’s somewhat forgivable when the material is great. That tune, “Bruises,” comes courtesy of this Brooklyn trio, who it turns out have much else to love on their breakthrough record Does You Inspire You, and should deliver a great set.

- Arctic Monkeys (4:30-5:30 p.m., Budweiser Stage) – While this band’s much-hyped Brit rock never struck me as earth-shattering, it ‘s a solid choice and should do well for a much needed dose of rocking out after Chairlift’s dreamy, mellow fare.

- Glasvegas (5:30-6:30 p.m, Vitamin Water Stage) – Scotland has a history of churning out some excellent bands, and Glasvegas is one of the latest. Their mixture of noise rock and Phil Spector sensibilities works marvelously, as evidenced by songs such as “Geraldine” and “Daddy’s Gone” off their debut, self-titled record.

- Yeah Yeah Yeahs (8:30-10 p.m., Budweiser Stage) – The great thing about seeing the Yeah Yeah Yeahs live is that they don’t just deliver a set of songs, they put on a downright entertaining show. Karen O is one of rock and roll’s most entrancing front women since Siouxsie Sioux or Chrissy Amphlett, and their 2007 Lolla set was one of the highlights of that year’s festival. It’s unfortunate that the Beastie Boys had to cancel, but these New Yorkers are a sound replacement.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 9

- Ra Ra Riot (12:30-1:30 p.m., South Stage) – Likable indie pop-rock. Yes, there’s a lot of that out there, but as their record “The Rhumb Line” proves, New York’s Ra Ra Riot do it better than most.

- The Raveonettes (3:30-4:30 p.m., PlayStation Stage) – Speaking of Phil Spector-inspired noise rock, this Danish duo has been mastering the sound for a while. Their bubblegum, 60s girl group melodies backed by feedback-drenched guitar attack is sure to prove a welcome stop in your Sunday rounds.

- Neko Case (4:30-5:30 p.m., Budweiser Stage) – Case is kind of like Sunday’s version of Andrew Bird. Almost universally-adored, clever folk pop by a respected artist with ties to Chicago. Another one to catch, even if her sound isn’t exactly conducive to a festival setting.

- Passion Pit (5-6 p.m., Citi Stage) – If for some reason Case’s sound isn’t hitting home, you might want to ditch out a bit early to catch this Boston dance-pop act at the Citi Stage. If their LP Manners is any indication, it should be tons of fun. You can download some free stripped-back renditions of tracks from the band via MySpace Music's Transmissions.

Lou Reed

- Lou Reed (6:30-7:30 p.m., Budweiser Stage) – I’m not really sure what to expect from Reed’s set, but his legendary status and back catalog makes him a must-see regardless of what he plays. Lolla always seems to skimp on any acts that were in the spotlight before the 90s, so you have to catch them when you can.

- The Killers (8:30-10 p.m., South Stage) – This one was tough. I suppose opposing headliners Jane’s Addiction have a sort of legendary status in the alt-rock world, and yes, the glitzy Las Vegas new-new wavers are overexposed and can come off as self-important, but in the end they win out for this slot because they’re simply much more fun.

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More Lollapalooza 2009 articles:

- Gluten-free food options at Lollapalooza

- Free Lollapalooza music sampler and iPhone app

- Lollapalooza Last Band Standing Remix Contest

1,000 free songs at Reverbnation.com

Free music alert! Reverbnation.com and Microsoft are currently offering 1,000 songs for free download here.

There are some Chicago artists in the mix, including Box of Baby Birds, Labrador Dali, Ether Drift Theory, Bitterson, The White Tie Affair and more.

The downloads are no-strings-attached and are offered in both mp3 and m4a formats. If you're up for sifting through the many pages of artists included in the offer, there's bound to be some great new stuff to discover.

Pixies to bring 'Doolittle' tour to Chicago

myspace.com/pixies

The Pixies recently announced plans to tour in celebration of the 20th anniversary of their classic 1989 sophomore LP, Doolittle, and now the band have revealed specific U.S. dates. Thankfully, there's two Chicago gigs on tap, set for Friday, November 20 and Saturday, November 21 at the Aragon Ballroom.

The performances will feature all of the 15 songs from Doolittle - including classics such as "Debaser," "Wave of Mutilation," "Gouge Away," "Monkey Gone to Heaven" and "Here Comes Your Man" - in addition to related B sides such as "Weird at My School," "Dancing the Manta Ray" and "Bailey's Walk" as well as other "surprises."

According to the announcement on the band's MySpace page, tickets to the Chicago shows will go on sale September 12.

Free Lollapalooza warm-up show with Passion Pit and Chairlift

Chairlift

Want to prepare for Lollapalooza with some free live music from two of this year's buzz bands? Then head over to the Apple Store at 679 North Michigan Avenue on Thursday, August 6 for a no-charge Lolla warm-up show featuring Passion Pit and Chairlift. Chairlift will play at 6 p.m. and Passion Pit will follow at 7 p.m.

Both bands are scheduled to perform at the festival that weekend, with Chairlift slated for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and Passion Pit for Sunday at 5 p.m. If you'll be otherwise occupied during their sets in Grant Park, the Apple Store gig is the perfect opportunity to check them out.

Brooklyn's Chairlift have attracted widespread attention with their dreamy synth-pop, propelled by the impressive vocals of front woman Caroline Polachek. It hasn't hurt that their song "Bruises" has been featured in ads for Apple's iPod Nano.

Boston-based Passion Pit kicked off after the unlikely success of an EP, Chunk of Change, which was recorded as a Valentine's Day gift for singer-songwriter Michael Angelakos's girlfriend. Since then, the band have kept the momentum going by bringing their electro-indie pop sound to a full LP, Manners.

Click here for more information on the Apple Store gig.

Review: Grand Duchy at Wicker Park Fest

Grand Duchy topped off day one of Wicker Park Fest Saturday night with a headlining slot on the North Stage. Unfortunately, the performance was a bit marred by technical difficulties, with sound check issues keeping the show from starting on time and forcing the band to cut the set a bit short to be done by 10 p.m. Even so, husband and wife duo Black Francis and Violet Clark, along with Jason Carter on drums and a very pregnant keyboardist named Silver Sorensen (you don't see a lot of pregnant women on stage at rock and roll shows, it was pretty awesome), delivered a very enjoyable set of their new wave-inspired rock.

The band played seven out of the nine songs on their debut album, Petits Fours, with highlights being the pulsing, intense "Long Song," the melodic pop gem "Ermesinde" and the incredibly catchy single, "Lovesick." Clark's girlish, expressive voice is well suited for this sort of material and sounds great paired with her husband's. It's too bad time didn't allow them to play "Black Suit," which is the only track on the LP that finds Black Francis making full use of his familiar scream-singing, but for being able to catch a thoroughly fun set on a beautiful July night for only $5, who can complain?

The setlist went something like this:

Come on Over to My House
A Strange Day (Cure cover)
Threshold Apprehension (Black Francis solo track)
Lovesick
Ermesinde
The Long Song
Fort Wayne
Break the Angels
Volcano!

Here are some more photos from the show:

Q&A with The Changes

Our friend Chris over at DailyBeatz.com has posted a fun little Q&A with Darren Spitzer, front man of Chicago band The Changes. Chris wins the award for most randomly awesome interview question of the year with "Who would win in a fight between The Changes and Serena Williams?"

Find out the answer to this and other burning questions here.

Wicker Park Fest this weekend

Up next in Chicago's always plentiful supply of summer music festivals is Wicker Park Fest, set for this weekend, July 25 and 26 on N. Milwaukee Ave., between W. North Ave. and N. Wood St. Per usual, there's plenty of music worth checking out at each of the fest's three stages. Here are some of the highlights:

SATURDAY, JULY 25

North Stage

- Grand Duchy (9 p.m.) - Comprised of Pixies front man Frank Black and his wife Violet Clark, Grand Duchy play melodic, alluring indie rock with clear nods to new wave and synth-pop. The duo's debut LP, Petits Fours, features quite possibly some of the most accessible material in Black's career.

- Vampire Hands (4:35 p.m.) - Ambient pysch-rock out of Minneosta. Songs such as "No Fun" and "Invisible Stairs" sound both experimental and accessible, and should provide the ideal soundtrack to a lazy July afternoon.

Center Stage

- Treaty of Paris (8 p.m.) - Homegrown, radio-ready pop/rock.

- Cavashawn (4:30 p.m.) - Another local band focused on catchy guitar riffs, singalong choruses and all-around accessibility. Think Weezer meets Cheap Trick.

SUNDAY, JULY 26

South Stage

- Company of Thieves (6:25 p.m.) - Playing sophisticated pop fueled by the smooth vocals of Genevieve Schatz, Company of Thieves have quickly become one of the most high profile bands out of Chicago - a fact solidified by their recent appearance on The Carson Daly Show. Check out the tune "Oscar Wilde" to hear why.

- Van Ghost (5:15 p.m.) - Formed in late 2007 by then concert promoter and band manager Michael Berg, Van Ghost have amassed a strong following with their appealing Americana-rock. This performance will mark the release of the band's debut LP, Melodies for Lovers. To learn more, check out my recent Q&A with Berg.

North Stage

- Elvis Perkins in Dearland (9 p.m.) - One listen to the eclectic, affecting folk-rock of this act's new, self-titled record proves that Perkins (the son of actor Anthony Perkins) is a singer-songwriter worth hearing.

- Empires (2:25 p.m.) - Both charging and melodic, this local act's rock is tailor-made for a live festival setting.

Center Stage

- Smoking Popes (8 p.m.) - Undoubtedly one of the most enduring bands to emerge from the '90s local rock scene, these beloved pop-punkers always put on an enjoyable show. They released their latest record, Stay Down, last year.

- The Elms (4 p.m.) - Straight-up Midwestern rock 'n' roll out of Indiana. The band will release a new album, The Great American Midrange, in September.

For the fest's full lineup and additional information, click here.

Vote for your favorite Grape Juice Records t-shirt design

Earlier this month, Chicago's Grape Juice Records launched a contest calling all graphic designers to submit t-shirt designs in honor of the label's upcoming 5th anniversary.

Now that all the entries are in, Grape Juice wants you to help select a winner by voting for your favorite on AlwaysUrban.com up until August 17. The winning design will be revealed live on stage at the label's 5th anniversary part on September 3 at Double Door.

To peruse the entries and cast your vote, click here.

While you're at it, check out this promo video for the contest. It involves nakedness.

Pitchfork Music Festival 2009 in review

By Susan Schomburg

Amid the masses of hipsters with carefully-selected thrift-store t-shirts, cleverly ironic facial hair, and tailored-looking skinny jeans, there were some fine musical offerings at the 2009 Pitchfork Music Festival. Thanks to overcast skies and unseasonably cool weather this past weekend, the fest in Chicago's Union Park was more comfortable than summer festivals in our city tend to be.

FRIDAY (DAY ONE)

Although the weekend lineups dwarfed Friday's concert of just four bands, the Pitchfork people came up with an interesting way to get people in the door for Friday night's show. “Write The Night”—where fans have the ability to vote on their favorite songs to be included in each band's setlist—wound up being a success, with plenty of people in the crowd whooping and cheering when their favorites were played during each band's set.

Although festival opener Tortoise occasionally got solid jazz-funk-rock grooves going, they abruptly killed them with poorly-conceived and clumsily-executed minimalist and avant-noise sound experiments. There were many in the crowd during the set who seemed pleased, but the band left this reviewer unconvinced.

From the start of Yo La Tengo's trippy opening number, through the slinky shoegaze and straightforward rock of the other tunes in their set, the band entertained (and for me, this was when the music festival really started). The band gave an energetic set, and the fans were clearly getting into the swing of things by the end of it. The extended guitar-distortion solo by Ira Kaplan toward the end of the set looked and sounded as if he was trying to make love to his guitar, and in general, the tasteful sound experiments Yo La Tengo engaged in were quite similar, in substance, to what Tortoise was trying to do, but with better results.

“Shut the f*ck up” was the surly greeting to timid audience applause by midlifing frontman David Yow of The Jesus Lizard as the band took the stage Friday at dusk. By far the most entertaining act of the night, The Jesus Lizard are not aging gracefully. Yow's seemingly drunken shape-throwing, stage-diving, crowd-surfing, and inappropriate, innuendo-laced gestures were juvenile and hilarious. The stage persona may have been tongue-in-cheek; at one point in the set, after getting the audience to sing along with him to an acappella rendition of “Michael Row The Boat Ashore,” Yow quipped, “Wow, you're even stupider than I am.” The band came back onstage to do a few songs as an encore, much to the satisfaction of crowd-surfing fans and thrash-dancing children in the audience.

Built to Spill (pitchforkmusicfestival.com)

Day One's final act, Built To Spill, lived up to their headliner status, closing the night with a stunning, virtuosic set of beautiful, folk-influenced indie rock that, like the band's albums, has a vaguely nostalgic feel to it. In all, the evening was satisfying as a stand-alone concert, but hardly worth the “festival” designation.

SATURDAY (DAY TWO)

In spite of myriad sound and setup problems (which caused the B stage to wind up horribly behind schedule by the end of the day), Saturday's main-stage headliners and supporting acts could not hold a candle to the energy and enthusiasm that came from the performers scheduled on the somewhat isolated B stage.

The Dutchess and the Duke played a passionate set of indie folk early on Saturday afternoon. It was visceral and lovely music, and made it worthwhile to get to the festival in time for the early acts. Bowerbirds did a melodic set of breathy indie folk. Inflected with the nasal whine of an accordion, it was beautiful music for a lazy Saturday afternoon. In spite of rain intruding on the start of Wavves' set Saturday afternoon, the duo delivered an upbeat set full of reverb-heavy vocals, jangly garage guitar, and just plain sweet, pulsing drums. Even Lindstrøm performed a surprisingly engaging electronic DJ dance set Saturday evening; his songs had forms, merged one into the next, slowly morphing the danceable grooves during the course of the set.

To my ears, Beirut's music always has a sort of moody, brooding European flavor thanks to an accordion playing waltz and other old-worldy rhythms that make up the band's core pulse. The harmonized brass instruments sound surprisingly delicate, thanks in part to the wheezing of the supporting accordion and the sweetness of the plucked and bowed strings. Like the band's albums, Beirut's live performance on Saturday was acoustically rich; stunning and beautiful, they are the musical equivalent of a knockout, but the festival setting and musicians projected on giant screens seemed far too impersonal a setting to really engage with such intimate-sounding music.

Drum and keyboards duo Matt and Kim had an infectiously high-energy, big sound that kept the audience going even toward the end of a long day. Again, there were problems with the sound during this B stage act's set: toward the end of the set, Matt's keyboards lost power in the middle of a song; the band kept the rhythm going until they were back in commission. Briefly stealing Matt's microphone, Kim commented “This brings us back to our early days of house parties in Chicago...if somebody knocks a plug out of the wall, you plug that sh*t back in, and keep playing.” Matt and Kim certainly did.

The Black Lips (pitchforkmusicfestival.com)

By far the most satisfying set on Saturday night came in the form of B-stage headliners The Black Lips, who closed the evening with an adrenaline rush. When, at the end of the first song of the set, the guitarist smashes his guitar and throws the pieces to the audience, you know you're in for a fun evening. The Black Lips rock hard the way you've always heard bands did in the old days, before musicians got too polite for their own good and forgot what rock was all about. With a sound that you can relate to on an almost primal level, punctuated with wicked howls from vocal effects pedals, the Black Lips grabbed its audience by the balls and kept them dancing and rocking all night, even encouraging audience members to make festival security “earn their money” by moving in close to the stage (a few even jumped up on stage and danced with the band during the last numbers of the night).

SUNDAY (DAY THREE)

Being familiar with Blitzen Trapper's folky studio sound, I have to admit, I was a bit surprised at their live sound on Sunday afternoon, which had a sort of southern-rock feel to it. It really worked for them, though, and they held the fort on the main stage with some excellent music, including a truly blazing set closer.

A shirtless, slightly psychedelic set awaited the audience at The Killer Whales' performance on the B stage. The drummer got some good beats going, and had plenty of catchy, rhythmic guitar riffs for fans to sink their teeth into. I had certainly hoped that by the third day of the festival, the B stage's sound problems (whatever the cause) would be over, but Women's set proved this to be a false hope. The instruments had a big, booming sound, and you could really feel the pounding of the drums, but the vocal balance was so far off that you couldn't hear the singer at all in the mix, and in general, I just wasn't feeling it with their live set.

The Thermals, on the other hand, played a super-high-energy set on the main stage that reached all the way to the back of the park. Although they performed a few well-chosen covers that generally fit in well with the band's originals, it was the Thermals' own songs like “Pillar of Salt” and “Here's Your Future” that seemed to entertain the audience the most. The Walkmen played a set of intense music with a big sound and a passionate, gut-wrenching quality. The occasional addition of brass to some of the songs added a sweetness to the harmonies, and the performance was, on the whole, an enjoyable set of heartbreaking music.

I have never been particularly impressed by M83's recordings, so I was quite surprised at how engaging their live electronic-influenced set was. They were clearly working hard, and the crowd was clearly digging it. Grizzly Bear had, by their own account, several reasons to celebrate at this year's festival (including their drummer's birthday and having shared their stage at the festival with The Walkmen). Although they, too, had some sound problems (apparently their monitors kept going out), they kept the set going instead of stopping until the issues had been resolved. They played anyway, and well. In particular, the last song of the set was amazing—it was poignant, gorgeous, and had a good groove that got the audience moving.

The Flaming Lips (pitchforkmusicfestival.com)

I had always heard that The Flaming Lips put on a good show, but I honestly had no idea just how good their shows were until I saw them live at Pitchfork. There was a semicircular light/projector screen that illustrated the band's set, even at the very back of the park. The show opened with a video projection of a naked (but artistically blurred thanks to camera and lighting effects) woman who moves around, eventually lying down and opening her legs as a big, flashing tunnel of lights pulsated from between her legs. From a conveniently-placed door at the center of this projector/lightscreen/backdrop, the band members emerged, obviously alluding to birth. Frontman Wayne Coyne was present in his giant inflatable bubble, which was rolled out over the crowd as the band started to play. Confetti, streamers, giant balloons, and spouts of fog punctuated the opening and closing numbers of the band's set, which included women dressed as cats and men dressed as frogs dancing on either side of the stage. After nodding to Pitchfork's status as the “coolest” festival of the year, Coyne checked the crowd's ability to make “animal sounds” at the end of a very long weekend, riding on the shoulders of a man in a big-headed gorilla costume during one number. Although the “Write the Night” concept was primarily for Friday's bands, The Flaming Lips also participated, letting the audience know which number (ranked by popularity) each song they played was (no. 7, no. 12, no. 2, and so on), and trotting out fan favorites, including “Fight Test”, “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots”, “She Don't Use Jelly”, and set closer “Do You Realize”. The Flaming Lips wowed the audience with lush music and visually opulent stage spectacle, closing this year's festival with a very big bang. It was probably good that they were the final act of the festival; I seriously doubt anybody else on this year's lineup could have followed that stage show.

For photos from the festival, click here.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs added to Lollapalooza lineup

Following yesterday's announcement that planned headlining act The Beastie Boys were forced to pull out of Lollapalooza as a result of Adam Yauch's cancer diagnosis, the festival has announced that the Yeah Yeah Yeahs will take the hip-hoppers' place.

Karen O and company previously played Lollapalooza in 2007 and were widely considered one of the highlights of the year. With their most recent release, the glossy, synthy It's Blitz!, making them more popular than ever, there should be plenty of fest-goers pleased with the replacement - even if they were looking forward to seeing the Beasties.

The band is set to play Saturday, August 8 at the fest's Budweiser stage. Click here for more information.

No Beastie Boys at Lollapalooza

myspace.com/beastieboys

Beastie Boys fans who were pumped about seeing the group perform as one of this summer's Lollapalooza headliners are in for disappointing news. According to a video posted on BeastieBoys.com, the band has been forced to cancel the Lollapalooza performance - in addition to all other planned concert dates - because of a cancerous tumor found in singer Adam "MCA" Yauch's left parotid gland.

Fortunately, Yauch said that the cancer was detected early enough that it's expected to be fully treatable with surgery.

"About two months ago I started feeling this little lump in my throat, like if you have swollen glands or a cold. I didn't really think of it as anything," Yauch said in the video. "The good news is that they did scans on my hold body and it's only localized in this one area and it's not in a place that affects my voice. It's a bit of a setback and a pain in the ass, but it's something that's very treatable."

The Beastie Boys were slated to headline the festival on Saturday, August 8. They were also set to play an August 6 show at Congress Theater.

Lollapalooza promoters are expected to comment on the situation later today.

Q&A: Van Ghost

Photo by Adam George

Although local Americana-rock band Van Ghost isn't officially releasing their debut record until their July 26 performance at Wicker Park Fest, there’s a good chance you’ve seen their name before. Coming together in late 2007 - when then concert promoter and band manager Michael Berg got the itch to revisit his musical past after a friend asked him to play a song at her wedding - the band have already played high profile gigs at the likes of Metro, SXSW and Rothbury Festival, and have scored favorable press in and out of the city.

Over a year in the making, the debut LP, Melodies for Lovers, is bound to propel the band even further into the spotlight. In anticipation of the release and Wicker Park Fest performance, Berg took some time out to talk about the record, Van Ghost’s experiences so far and what’s in store for the future.

Van Ghost has a pretty non-traditional background as far as bands go, with you coming from the business side of music where you worked as a manager and promoter. How do you think this has impacted the band so far? Do you feel that it’s given you a unique experience?

Well, non-traditional is a good way to say it, but there are ways in which it has both helped and hindered the project. One of the ways it has helped is by offering a greater understanding of the intricacies of the business, which has assisted us in not getting ripped off by promoters or clubs at our live shows. It also led to a very artist-friendly and fair record deal with our label, Split Red Records. The relationships that I have been building and nurturing over the past decade have led to people more warmly embracing what I am doing, which has helped to get a foot in the door in certain places. Amongst our peer bands in the city and the industry at large, some might not think that it's fair that we have been presented some of the opportunities we've had to support more established bands live and perform at some regional festivals as such an upstart band, which is what leads to how it has hindered us. It has been harder to prove our credibility in some cases because of my background. The thing is, this is really what I should have been doing the whole time. It is my passion and the most fulfilling thing I've ever done with my life.

Tell us about the process of creating Melodies for Lovers. Did you have a clear vision going into the studio or did most of the ideas come together along the way?

The process of creating Melodies for Lovers was an amazing experience. We had several of the ideas going into it and executed most of them in line with the vision. Dan Wean, an original member of the band, engineered and co-produced the record with me. He was an integral part to the creation of it. Without him there would have been no record, literally. Of course, there were some ideas that came to be along the way, like the addition of Allie Kral of Cornmeal on violin, Ari Levi on cello and Chicago jazzer Frank Catalano on saxophone for a few tracks. The end of the track “Wednesday” came together on the fly with special guest Billy O'Neill of Oh My God. The instrumental intro track “It All Leads Here” also came together on the fly in the studio, but most of the tracks were ready to go by the time we started tracking them. We also wanted to have Sean O'Keefe mix the record, and he ended up doing it for us. Sean is one of the best engineers, mixers and producers from Chicago, and a great friend of ours.

If you had to pick a few songs off the record you’d most want people to hear, which ones would they be and why?

“Summer Promise” is the single. It is just the most meaningful track pertaining to the craziest time in my life when the shit hit the fan and you find out who really has your back, what you're made of and how to overcome adversity. Other notable tracks are “Do It for You,” “Wednesday,” “Everyday Music,” and “Coliseum.” A classic combo of songs for us has always been the tandem of “Hurry Up” and “On the Way Home” in the alt-country, Southern rock vein.

You’ve cited bands such as Wilco and Ryan Adams and the Cardinals as major influences – and those definitely come through in the music – but who or what would people be most surprised to learn inspires the band?

Classic rock is definitely a major influence. Bands like Pink Floyd, Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Stones and The Grateful Dead. Plus, many of the people that have played with us have a jazz background. Bands who have recently inspired me, but certainly do not come through in the music, are Fleet Foxes, Andrew Bird, Bon Iver, Iron & Wine, Blitzen Trapper, and MGMT. Haters need not apply, but I am a big Phish fan as well as a fan of electronic music. Music and other random things that inspire an artist on a daily basis can come in all different shapes, forms and sizes, and I am the most open-minded I've ever been in my life to all different styles of music. I'll take inspiration from anything I can, as anyone really should. It doesn't have to just be musically.

What do you think Van Ghost brings to the Chicago music scene that sets you apart from others bands?

I think Chicago has a great scene, especially for live music. We want to be a band that puts on good live shows, but also makes great records. The art of recording is our greatest goal. What we are trying to do is create songs that are poppy but not cheesy, that have good energy and come from a real place lyrically. We want to make solid Americana-rock. The city doesn't have very many Americana rock bands. We have acts that specialize in alt-country, jam bands, indie rock, electronica, blues, funk, jazz, singer-songwriters, and hip-hop. We are trying to stand out as an Americana-rock band. Not to say that there aren't any already, but that is just where we want to fit into the puzzle of Chicago bands and where we think we can add something special.

The band has already played some pretty high profile gigs, including sets at Metro, Double Door and Rothbury Festival. Is there a show that stands out as best or most memorable so far, and why?

The best sets we have ever played were at SXSW in Austin – because it was the tightest - our debut show at Metro - because it had that magical first show vibe - and the solo acoustic performance at Rothbury a few weeks ago. It was the greatest setting any artist could ever want to perform in. Surrounded by an ocean of trees in the most beautiful forest you have ever seen by day, that turned into a psychedelic wonderland by night. The crowd was responsive and really open-minded to my material. It was definitely an honor to perform at an event with the likes of The Dead, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, The Black Crowes, and Damien Marley, among several other notable living legends.

What can people expect from a Van Ghost show?

People can expect a singer-songwriter set of material rocked out by talented musicians that can solo and play like a tight unit. I am the least accredited musician in the band so I rely on them to help me execute the vision of my material and make the songs sound the best that they can. The band does that well and I love them for it. We have fun playing together and we hope that transcends into the crowd’s experience while watching us. I am excited to get back to some full band shows after a few months of doing acoustic solo and duo gigs. I think there is going to be a rebirth of synergy from taking a few months off to prepare for this next chapter of Van Ghost.

After the official release of Melodies for Lovers at Wicker Park Fest, what’s next for the band?

We are going on an East Coast tour and then coming back to the Midwest to play a few more regional festivals and gear up to continue our touring efforts in support of the record into the fall. We are going to start an AAA and college radio campaign and are putting the finishing touches on the new material to start to prepare for recording the follow-up record with Justin Eibanks in Nashville this fall. This is an exciting time for myself and the band, and we are eager to see what life throws our way next.

***

Van Ghost will play Wicker Park Fest's South Stage on Sunday, July 26 at 5:15 p.m. Click here for more information.

New, free music from Jonny Rumble

This week local band Jonny Rumble launched a new single, “Cox Road,” and they’re offering it along with another new track, “Opportunities,” for free download via Last.fm. “Cox Road” finds the band expanding on their punk and garage rock leanings with a slow-burning groove, while “Opportunities” picks up the pace with a driving beat and catchy chorus.

The two songs come off the heels of another pair of recently-released free downloads from the group – “Courtney’s Basement” and “To Foolishness” - which are still available here.

According to the band, these songs are a sneak preview of their forthcoming EP, scheduled for release this fall. The EP fill follow-up their 2008 full-length, Almost Dead, and will include tracks from these singles as well as still-unreleased material.

If you like what you hear, check out Jonny Rumble live on Sunday, July 26 at Schubas (with Austin band Electric Touch). The band is also set to play the Route 66 Cadillac Music Fest in Countryside on Saturday, July 25.

Shows this weekend

Yo La Tengo

Friday, July 17

- Built to Spill, The Jesus Lizard, Yo La Tengo and Tortoise at Pitchfork Music Fest - The first day of Pitchfork Fest in Union Park features "Set Lists by Request," with each band's song list tailored based on fan requests. Saturday tickets to the fest are sold out, but at the time of publication there are still Friday tickets available. 5 p.m., $35. More info and tickets.

- The Depreciation Guild at Hideout - Shoegazers from Brooklyn with a sound that references the hazy dream pop of bands such as Cocteau Twins and Lush as well as the fuzzed out aggression of My Bloody Valentne, all on an 8-bit electro base. Also with Coltrane Motion. 10 p.m., $8, 21 and over. More info and tickets.

Saturday, July 18

- Cymbals Eat Guitars, Sybris, Unicycle Loves You and Midstates & the Choir of Ghosts at Bottom Lounge - Official Pitchfork Fest after party. 8 p.m., $10, 21 and over. More info and tickets.

- Plants and Animals at Schubas - This Canadian indie rock band released their debut album, Parc Avenue, last year. Also with Generationals and Stranger Waves. 7 p.m., $29. More info and tickets.

Sunday, July 19

- Blitzen Trapper at Empty Bottle - The experimental indie folk of this Portland, Oregon-based band has earned them widespread critical acclaim - their latest full-length, Furr, took the number 13 spot on Rolling Stone's "Best 50 Albums of 2008" list. Also with Loch Lomond. 9:30 p.m. $15, 21 and over.More info and tickets.

Battle of the Bands at Harry Caray's

Chicago bands, want the chance to win $1,000 and a chance to open a show at the House of Blues?

Then enter the Harry Caray's Tavern Battle of the Bands competition, which is now accepting submissions until July 24. To submit, send an audio sample and contact information (including a MySpace site link, if applicable) to bands@harrycarays.com.

Five bands will be selected to play Harry Caray's, one every Thursday from August 6 to September 3, and at the end of each night guests will rate the performance on a scale of 1 to 4. The winning band will take home a grand, a second show at Harry Caray's on September 10 and the chance to open at House of Blues.

Gidgets Ga Ga - 'The Big Bong Fiasco'

With a band name like Gidgets Ga Ga and an equally off-the-wall album title, The Big Bong Fiasco, you might not expect to hear straightforward, classicist rock from this local trio, but that’s exactly what you'll hear on their new record. Describing themselves as sounding something like “The Replacements getting jumped by The Beatles and The Monkees, then molested by The Who and Nirvana,” Mick Flores (lead guitar and vocals), Zac Zidron (bass) and Larry Beers (drums) are all about catchy choruses, crunchy guitar riffs and DIY energy that owe equally to 60s garage rock and 70s power pop with a bit of 90s grunge thrown in for good measure. Just listen to opening track, “Beki” – which is the sort of song so instantly accessible that it remains firmly implanted in your head after only one listen – and you’ll get a good idea of the band’s mission statement. That cut might be the album’s strongest, but keep listening and you’ll find much more that's worthy of repeat plays. The galloping guitar and downright charming, Fab Four melody of “Dreamer” would appeal to any sucker for an old-fashioned, three-minute pop song, while “Streetwalker” rocks with abandon , “Belmont” has a smoky, grungey allure and “Hit by a Train” serves up an irresistible jangle. While many other bands on the scene seem fixed on chamber pop, alt-country and indie folk, The Big Bong Fiasco is solid proof that Gidgets Ga Ga are a band determined to keep the old school Midwestern power pop of bands such as Material Issue, Cheap Trick, Pezband and Shoes alive and well.

The Big Bong Fiasco is available here.

Lollapalooza festival map released

Lollapalooza's still a month away, but it's not too early to figure out your plan of attack at the fest by checking out the newly-released festival map along with the schedule of performances.

To help you prepare even more, download this free music sampler of bands playing the fest.

If you still need tickets, three-day and single-day passes are available here.

This weekend: West Fest

West Town’s annual street fair, West Fest, returns this weekend and will offer festgoers the chance to see some top-notch music acts. Head over to Chicago Ave. and Damen Saturday, July 11 and Sunday, July 12 to to take in two full days of eclectic live performances, which, unlike many of the city's music fests, put a strong emphasis on homegrown acts. Local H and Red Red Meat will headline, and there’s plenty of other excellent Chicago bands on tap that will make it worth arriving early. Here’s a rundown of the lineup:

Saturday, July 11

8:30: Local H – Chicago’s perpetual alternative rockers are still going strong, as evidenced by their most recent release, 2008’s Twelve Angry Months.

7:00: Mucca Pazza – Self-described as a “circus punk marching band,” this 30-piece plays everything from TV theme show covers to their takes on classical pieces. They have released two albums, A Little Marching Band (2006) and Plays Well Together (2008).

5:45: Liquid Soul – A jazz-funk-rap fusion act that’s been going strong since 1994.

4:30: Caos

3:15: Coupleskate – This all-girl indie rock band recently released their debut LP, Don’t Scare the Horses.

2:00: Peacekeeper – This band moved from New Orleans to Chicago in 2008, and brought with them a unique sound that references everything from Americana to indie pop to Southern rock. They describe their music as “gentleman rock,” refusing to fall into any of indie rock’s PBR-drenched clichés. Click here for a review of the band’s recently released debut album, Fireworks.

12:45: Fluid Minds – Eclectic rock that’s been featured on ESPN, Cartoon Network and various local radio stations.

Sunday, July 12

8:45: Red Red Meat – These blues-influenced alt-rockers gained notoriety on the Chicago music scene in the ‘90s, but have seldom performed in recent years. Their West Fest set will be one in just a handful of 2009 shows.

7:45: The Aluminum Group – A longtime staple of Chicago chamber pop, these two brothers released their most recent album, Little Happyness, in 2008.

6:45: Richard Edwards of Margot & The Nuclear So and So's with Brian Deck - Deck, a member of Red Red Meat, will join So and So's bandleader Edwards for a set. Edwards recently announced that Deck, who produced the So and So's last two records, will be the drummer in his new side project, Vegetables.

5:45 The 1900s – One of the most notable bands on the current Chicago music scene, having released an acclaimed LP of charming folk pop, Cold & Kind, and two strong EPs, Plume Delivery and Medium High, via Parasol Records. The band is currently working on a new sophomore full-length.

4:45: The Vulgar Boatmen - A classic roots pop band best known for the albums You and Your Sister (1989), Please Panic (1992) and Opposite Sex (1995).

3:30: Freak Easy - Locals that perform both original material and covers of songs by bands such as Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin and The Beatles.

2:15: Sex Fist - A bluegrass act self-described as featuring "high-energy, hard-driving picking and angelic harmony singing."

1:00: Ian Torres Big Band - Local jazz/swing troupe playing original compositions and fresh arrangements.

The fest will also feature DJ sets at the BassByThePound Dj Stage (Chicago & Wood):

Saturday

8: 30: Dj Craze

7:30: Million $$ Mano

6:30: DJ Zebo

5:45: Mark Gertz

5:00: Willy Joy

4:00: Dj MTM

3:00: Justin Reed

Sunday

8:30: Derrick Carter

7:30: Diz

6:30: John Mork of TSR

5:45: The Beat Giants

5:00: John BID Simmons

4:00: Striz

Design a shirt for Grape Juice Records, win sweet prizes

Chicago's own Grape Juice Records, home to bands such as The Minneapolis Henrys, The Butcher's Boy and Linus, is calling all graphic designers to submit t-shirt designs in celebration of turning 5-years-old in September.

The winner will take home a bunch of nifty prizes, including:

--$200 cash!
--Free one-year Zip Car membership and $100 worth of Zip Car driving! ($175 value)
--$100 AlwaysUrban.com gift certificate!
--Huge selection of CD's from the Grape Juice Records catalog! ($50 value)
--A printed version of your shirt presented to you at the 5th anniversary show!
--Recognition as a total bad-ass in all the post-contest press releases and advertising!

Anyone interested can submit a design here before the July 17 deadline.

Once all submissions are in, fans of the label will vote until August 17 on AlwaysUrban.com to crown a winning design, to be unveiled at Grape Juice's September 3 fifth anniversary party at Double Door.

Q&A: A Lull

It takes only one listen to A Lull's debut single, "Skinny Fingers," to make it clear that the local trio of Nigel Dennis, Mike Brown and Todd Miller have a very good thing going. The band create dreamy, mesmerizing indie pop that's both unconventional and accessible, filled with just enough subtle hooks to draw you in and leave you wanting more.

A Lull have recently released their debut EP, are now working on a full-length album and will embark on an out-of-state tour later this month. Before they leave town, though, you can check them out Friday, July 3 at Beat Kitchen and Thursday, July 16 at Bottom Lounge.

As the band gear up for a busy summer, Miller took time out to fill us in on more about A Lull's background, current projects and future plans:

To start with the basics, how and when did A Lull come together?

Nigel and myself were in a band for many, many years when we were younger and when that ended, we were looking to start something new. In 2006, we bought a used Apple iBook G4 and ProTools and we set up shop in my basement. We bought a drum kit and just put all of the rest of our collective instruments in one place and began experimenting with them. We were interested in pulling back, possibly not using guitars, for example, in parts when the two of us would have normally used guitars in the past. Back then, it was a lot of trial and error. We outgrew the processor of the iBook and we became sick and tired of updating ProTools drivers, so we upgraded computers and began using Garage Band to record. We moved from the basement to a practice space, spent more time experimenting, writing songs and discarding them because they weren't quite what we thought we were going for.

Mike had been a good friend of ours for many years. Nigel and I both knew that if we were ever going to add another person to the writing that we had then been doing for almost a year, it would be Mike. At the time he was attending school in Boston, so he began recording parts in his apartment and sending them to us to add into songs that we were working on back in Chicago. Eventually Mike moved back to Chicago and we began writing collaboratively in the same room. We continued this for another long period of many months, and then, last December, we decided to begin playing in live settings. Now, after six months of playing live, we've just released Ice Cream Bones and are working on writing new material for our upcoming full-length album, Confetti, and are trying to play as much as possible around Chicago and other cities.

Tell us about the inspiration behind the Ice Cream Bones EP and what you set out to get across in the music. What can people unfamiliar with the band expect?

The songs on the EP were actually the first ones that we had which were in the most advanced state of doneness. We had initially been writing solely for an eventual full-length release, and at some point along the way, we decided that it would be a good idea to get something out for people to download or hold on a physical CD or whatever. The EP started as a sort of a digital single, with "Skinny Fingers" as what would be the "A-Side" and "Little Echoes" as what would be the "B-Side." Then, when Lujo Records pressed the EP, we were encouraged to put a few more songs on it, to make it more worth a buyer's money. I think that the inspiration behind all of the songs is to tell simple stories of the human condition, themes like love, friendship, betrayal, death, things that everyone deals with. We feel that this is accomplished in songs on the EP such as "Little Echoes," which is about two boys becoming blood brothers or in ""White/Gold," which is about an old friend who has sort of faded in and out of our lives. I think that listeners can expect to hear little things as well as big things. We think that these songs are best listened to through headphones, which is when many of the intricacies are revealed. When writing these songs, we were doing our best to write interesting pop songs. We want anyone to be able to enjoy them, but we also wanted them to be intriguing at the same time.

If you could get people to listen to just one of your songs to become familiar with the band, which would it be?

"Skinny Fingers,” just because it shows a lot of range, in my opinion. We practiced restraint in the recording of that song, where there is a lot of room for everything to breathe in parts, but then, near the middle of the song, we also show that we can bring some volume and texture by opening things up a bit. Also, I think it's catchy, and hopefully, that person would like it and listen to more.

Do you feel living, writing and playing in Chicago has had a noticeable impact on your music? If so, how?

Chicago is definitely an amazing city and I think we all feel grateful that our parents picked the suburbs of this city as places to live and grow families. We were driving up to see shows at Fireside Bowl and Metro as soon as we were old enough to drive and before that, we were finding friends who were old enough to drive. For as long as I remember, I've always had opportunities to see phenomenal bands playing all of the time, all around the city and its surrounding area. Those kinds of experiences have to have had powerful impacts on the music that we write, and those kinds of experiences possibly wouldn't have existed if our parents had lived in rural settings where the music scenes were not nearly as vibrant as it was in Chicago for our formative years.

Are there any Chicago-based musicians - past or present - that influence your music?

Tortoise is definitely a band that we admire and have admired for many years. They're a band that define Chicago, in my opinion. There's something about driving through this city at night, with Tortoise playing through the car speakers. It's like everything just feels right and together. I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we also have a great deal of respect for all of the Blues music that has come out of Chicago - Buddy Guy and many others. I think that Blues are directly related to that idea of making music about the human condition, and that influence can definitely be traced back there.

After looking around on your website, it’s clear you guys put a lot of effort into connecting with fans and potential fans in many ways, from a regularly-updated blog to Twitter to a video clip on YouTube. What impact has getting the word out through social media had on the band and why do you think it’s important?

I think it's important because all of those things that you mentioned are definitely resources that are there to be used. Why not use them and try to reach as many people as we can? But, more importantly than any of that, I really like all of these things, especially the blog and the Twitter feed, because it gives people the opportunity to observe the band on a daily basis. I think it's interesting to check a band's website and to see that they're recording and to see a couple of pictures of how they're doing it. I just think that the typical format of a website with a bio and contact information or a MySpace page that has a couple of audio samples and live dates leaves a lot to be desired. Of course, we have that stuff too, and if that's the only information that people are looking for, then it's there for them, but if anybody is interested in seeing a little bit more, then there are resources for them too. Now, as for the question of the effectiveness of any of those things, I think that the jury is still out. We're just getting our feet wet and figuring out what works and what doesn't. The video clip was awesome and pretty successful, but that's more attributed to the fact that Nigel did it and he really knocked it out of the park. It's awesome.

By now you have quite a few shows under your belt, including sets at Schubas, Empty Bottle, Abbey pub and others. Is there one show that stands out to you so far, and if so, why?

Definitely. I can't speak for everyone, but I think that the first show, at Reggie's, was really cool because there was a pretty good turnout for a blizzardy night and it was just really cool to see these songs that we'd only heard in recording playback and on our iPods and computers come to fruition in a live setting and actually work. Empty Bottle was really cool because it was the best sounding show we've played so far. Schuba's was really great because we feel at home there. We love just spending time there and seeing bands there and to have the opportunity to play in this place that we love so much was a thrill.

As you get ready to head off on an East Coast tour in mid-July, what are you most hoping for from the experience? Have you played much outside Chicago before?

At this point, we've only played a handful of shows outside of Chicago. I really think that we are going into this tour with realistic expectations. Most of us have toured before in different bands and we know that it's rough, but the main priority is building a tour resume, something that a potential booking agency can look at and know that we are serious about actually making this happen. That said, though, this is the most legit tour any of us have ever done. We are playing real venues, not VFWs or garages, and we are playing in cool cities with vibrant music scenes, with some really cool local bands, so we're hoping that it will be the best that it can be.

What’s next for A Lull after the summer tour? When can we expect the full-length, Confetti?

The writing is coming along nicely, a little bit slowly though with all of the shows that we have been playing, and we are really happy with what we've gotten so far. We're also planning a tour south, to Texas, in August and are planning to do a week or two in each of the coming months though the end of the year.

How can people find out more?

We are playing on Friday, July 3 at Beat Kitchen with Pterodactyl, a band from Brooklyn, NY, and Brilliant Pebbles, a band from Chicago. We're encouraging everyone to skip the fireworks at the Taste of Chicago because who needs that? There millions of people, there's tons of sweat, there are mosquitoes that carry deadly diseases, last year there were gun fights. I just think that it would be a much happier choice to come out to the Beat Kitchen at 10:30 p.m. instead. Like I mentioned before, we are all over the Internet. We have a website and a blog as well as accounts on Twitter, Myspace, Facebook, Vimeo and YouTube. Thank you so, so, so, very, very much!

Website: www.alull.com
Blog: www.alull.com/icecreambones
Twitter: www.twitter.com/alull
Myspace: www.myspace.com/alullmusic
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/A-Lull/10429245892
Vimeo: www.vimeo.com/alull
YouTube: www.youtube.com/alullmusic