This Saturday: Yourself and the Air, Santah, Taste of Randolph + more

By Andrew Hertzberg

Yourself and the Air

Oh, summer. My least favorite season. If it’s not excruciatingly hot, then I have to worry about which of about five things I want to do on any given night. They’re all gonna be gold, and sometimes it’s a perfect storm of amazing events. This Saturday seems to be one of those magical nights, especially for music. Too. Many. Options. Here are a few of what is sure to be choice local acts:

Subterranean

Give the boys in Yourself and the Air a warm welcome back after their recent tour and celebrate the release of their new album. The fact that they covered Modest Mouse the last time I saw them may only buoy the comparisons, but there are plenty of worse bands to sound like. Opening it up is wunderkind / travel agent / chair-avoiding Netherfriends in all their mid-fi bastard psych-pop glory. Get here before Shawn wanders off to Sheboygan or Arkansas or Mars. Playing first is Conductive Alliance, whose mathy sound is an intellectual assault as much as a sonic one (9 PM, $10, 17+). 

Beat Kitchen

Don’t tell me you’re that greedy and want to go to two record release shows. Really? You know what? Fine. Ok, ok, White Noise Bed has been out for a while, but Santah's debut is just so damn good that a rerelease show is beyond necessary. And if you can get Pet Lions to open? Well that’s a mighty fine addition too (as they have some recent album release celebratin’ to do themselves) (9 PM, $10, 17+).
 

Taste of Randolph Street

Don’t want to wait until the evening to party? Randolph Street has you covered. Besides a slew of what is sure to be fantastic menu options (that is Restaurant Row after all), they sort of nailed it with music too. There’s the always eclectic In Tall Buildings, the funk master and soul jammer JC Brooks with his Uptown Sound, the African sounds of the Occidental Brothers Dance Band International, and indie rock of Hemmingbirds. Check the full schedule on Metromix (opens at noon, $10, all ages).

Empty Bottle

Maybe something with a bit more noise and edge is what you’re looking for. As usual, the Bottle’s got you covered. Particularly of note is Football. I caught their Chicago debut at Quencher’s last month and although the set was abbr. it was mostly because they like to get to the point. Headlining is Detriot’s Terrible Twos who add a CBGB’s sound to the night. Opening it up are locals Radar Eyes, who have raised more than an eyebrow or two in this city. Also playing are Birthday Suites and Double Bird, both making the trip from Minnesota (9PM, free with RSVP or $8, 21+).

Damn it. Didn’t even have a chance to mention the saki records birthday party. Shit, and there’s a multi-themed party at Streetside with performances from Jams Dean and Vamos? Somebody clone me.