Go To There: May 1 - 6

By Gene Wagendorf III 

GOAT

Wednesday, May 1st: Scott Lucas & the Married Men, T'Bone at Empty Bottle (9pm, 21+, $10)
Local H frontman Scott Lucas brings a stripped-down version of the Married Men to the Bottle on Wednesday, presumably for a set heavy on tunes from last year's excellent Blood Half Moon. Also playing is local trio T'Bone, whose 70s-meets-math rock is as slapstick as it is epic.

Thursday, May 2nd: GOAT at Empty Bottle (9:30pm, 21+, $10)
GOAT is what happens when musicians use the internet to access sounds from all across the globe. Hailing from "a very remote village called Korpolombolo in deepest darkest Sweden," the band draws from the likes of Fela Kuti, Velvet Underground, Black Sabbath, gypsy rock, psych and medieval folk. The resulting jams are groovy, mesmerizing and playfully mysterious. While the band has built up a tongue-in-cheek mythology about their origins, there's nothing cryptic or make-believe about their debut LP, World Music. Advance tickets are sold out, but the Bottle is releasing a limited number at the door. If you're interested in the combined seductive powers of magic and rock n' roll, you'll be down there trying to score a ticket.

Friday, May 3rd: Get Up With The Get Downs at Mayne Stage (9pm, 18+, $10 advance/$15 door)
Mayne Stage is celebrating James Brown's birthday in the best way possible- by bringing in Chicago's premier James Brown cover band for what should be a wild set. I don't normally use this space to suggest people see cover bands, but that's just how fucking good Get Up With The Get Downs are. Frontman Izzy Price comes as close as possible to matching the vocal ecstasy and impossible swagger of "The Hardest Working Man In Show Business," and his band has a reputation for turning every space they play into a sweaty, orgasmic dance-floor.

Saturday, May 4th: Secret Colours, Sister Crystals and Kangaroo at FeelTrip (10pm, 18+, $5 advance/$7 door)
Psychedelic rockers Secret Colours headline FeelTrip's 2nd Annual Cuatro De Mayo Party with support from dream pop act Sister Crystals and glam punks Kangaroo. While Sister Crystals have home-court advantage (they're actually on FeelTrip Records), all three bands are local and all three know how to jam. The hosts will be whipping up margaritas to keep the crowd cool, but even so, I'd leave the pancho at home. This borderline private event at FeelTrip HQ should sell out before the weekend, so get your tickets fast.

Sunday, May 5th: Vamos at Double Door (8pm, 21+, $7)
A pretty slow music night is saved by Vamos, the local punks responsible for March's Heatwave. The EP is filled with the kind of rusty, frenetic tunes that'll pop your eardrums and leave you in need of a Tetanus shot. That record is available as a "name your price" download on bandcamp, which means you'll have plenty of time to learn all the words before Sunday.

Monday, May 6th: Street Gnar at Big Forever (8pm, $5, all ages)
Lexington, Kentucky's Street Gnar got it right in describing themselves as "reverb stonewashed loner pop." The group's penchant for warbling synths and cool repetition is reminiscent of no-wave icons Suicide, but Street Gnar's playfully fuzzy riffs and Buddy Holly enthusiasm pull the group into lighter territory. No "punk rock time" for this one, so show up at 8.