Three blue-skies-giving-way-to-possible-thunderstorms reasons to come here for weather reports AND to pump up your high tops and skate on over to the Empty Bottle this evening…

1. Chicago’s Dorian Taj seem perfectly content playing straight forward indie with a little nod to power pop. This could sound like a criticism, but in this day and age of every indie band looking to mine another genre to make themselves stand out, it’s nice to hear a band stick to their guns. Songs, you know, are often a good enough place to start.

2. Are you a drummer? Says on their Myspace page that Chicago’s The Interiors are looking. Maybe a little schmoozing is in order? If not you might just go and listen to their earnest brand of indie. Yep, another band sticking to the old school script of less is more.

3. All Chicago all the time. The Ragtones reside in our beautiful city as well. They may employ keys but they don’t stray too far from the other two bands on the bill. And they have a song called “Peaceful Stoner”, so that’s cool. Three bands, three reasons. A night of Chicago’s finest indie rock without preciousness. And, wait, free? Yes sir. Free Free Free.

9:30 p.m. Monday, 5/3. Empty Bottle. 21+. FREE!!!