Q&A: The Wistful Larks

Posted on April 20, 2017 by Jessica Braun Gervais in Music, Q&As and tagged Chicago, Chicago music, listen live and local, live music, local bands, local music, q&a, Rebel Soul Revival, Red Line Tap, rock, rock music, South by Southwest, Stonebelly, SXSW, The Wistful Larks.

Some bands think it’s best to solidify a following in their home city before embarking on a cross-country tour. Other bands find cramming three bandmates, a sound engineer and a considerable amount of musical gear into a van the best way to weed out the weak. The latter explains the mindset of Tony Aguilar, Cody Varga and Steve-o Gonzalez, the trio behind The Wistful Larks, who have recently returned from a twelve city tour less than a year after recording and releasing their debut EP.

Now that they’ve proven they can tolerate each other at each other’s worst, the three are working toward a collection of new goals, including a 6-song EP and more regular shows in their home city of Chicago.

Varga and Aguilar share their story:

Live Review: Laik/Red Jr/American Cosmonaut/The Dead On/Lost But Happy (2/3) @ Double Door

Posted on February 7, 2017 by Jessica Braun Gervais in Live Reviews, Music, Reviews and tagged American Cosmonaut, Chicago, Chicago music, double door, Laik, listen live and local, live music, local bands, local music, Lost But Happy, lreview, New Music, record release show, Red Jr, rock, rock and roll, The Dead On.

Like any great Americanized genre, there is no right way to rock. Thanks to its variety of styles, rock music has grown to include elements of punk, folk, metal, pop and so much more. On Friday, February 3, five local bands came together at Double Door and treated audiences to a few of the many different facets of the legendary sound.

The night started with a bit of twangy grunge brought to listeners by the obsolete sounds of Lost But Happy. While they definitely get an A for energy and a strong instrumental presence, the vocal harmonies were a bit shaky. Their set did end on a high note with the tune “Lost But Happy”; a theme song complete with catchy kazoo lines and a bit of banjo (because you really can’t go wrong with a kazoo and banjo).

Q&A: Tiny Kingdoms

Posted on December 1, 2016 by Jessica Braun Gervais in Music, Q&As and tagged Chicago, Chicago music, listen live and local, live music, local bands, local music, music, q&a, Subterranean, Tiny Kingdoms.

Ever wonder what it takes for a small doughnut shop to be featured in a music video? Apparently it’s nothing more than a catchy name and proximity to a rehearsal space. At least that’s the reasoning behind Tiny Kingdoms featuring Spunky Dunkers in their latest music video for their song “Odds”. (It should be noted that the band did rave about the doughnuts. One member was even so bold as to claim that the breakfast staples surpass all other doughnuts. However, because no one ordered doughnuts at the time of the interview, that information has yet to be verified).

For a song that would make any early 2000s teen swoon, the quirky shop doesn’t appear to be the obvious choice for a video revolving around cults and the turning of innocent young men into dogs. But to better understand the connection between breakfast pastries and black magic, you’d have to get inside the heads of the four boys who birthed these ideas.

Live Review: Golden Boys/ Genome/ Bifunkal (8/3) @ Emporium Arcade Bar

Posted on August 9, 2016 by Jessica Braun Gervais in Live Reviews, Music, Reviews and tagged Bifunkal, Chicago, Chicago artists, Chicago bands, Chicago music, Emporium, funk, funk music, Genome, Golden Boys, listen live and local, live and local, live music, live review, local bands, local music, lreview, Wicker Park.

Wander the streets of Chicago on any given night and it’s never hard to find inspiring live music, especially sounds falling along the spectrum of funk, jazz and blues. This past Wednesday, August 3rd was no exception as three Chicago-based bands took the stage for an exhilarating night of funk at Emporium Arcade Bar in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood.

The night’s festivities opened with Bifunkal, a two-piece group made up of drummer Hershyl Edwards and guitarist/vocalist Jesse Cryderman. The two played a solid mix of lyrical and instrumental tunes. While the vocals were decent, it was Cryderman’s catchy guitar riffs along with the impressive vox bass lines from Edwards that stole the set. For only two musicians, the band was able to project a full sound which was later emphasized by accompanying brass during a handful of tunes.

Show Preview: Wild Skies (12/10)

Posted on December 7, 2015 by Jessica Braun Gervais in Music, Show Previews and tagged Chicago, Dead Horses, live and local music, live music, local bands, Midwest, music, show preview, Subterranean, Wild Skies.

Who: Wild Skies

When: Thursday, December 10th @ 9PM

Where: Subterranean

Price: $10

Brought together by a Craigslist ad in April 2014, Wild Skies balances a blend of lyrical stories and harmonies for a modern pop-twist on traditional folk music. Their songs have an airiness making for an easy listen with strong vocals backed by steady instrumentals. Each piece feels different, yet their simplicity makes allows for cohesiveness when heard as a collection.

The night will also include performances by Dead Horses and Midwest.