Photo Credit: Audrey Leon

Local electro-rockers Prairie Cartel celebrated the release of their debut album Where Did All My People Go with a gig at the brand new Lincoln Hall. The 45-minute set included such notable tracks as “Homicide” and the single “No Light Escapes Here.”

For a band that is still in its relative infancy – Prairie Cartel came about in 2005 – it hosts such seasoned Chicago rock veterans as Scott Lucas (Local H) on guitar and keyboards, Blake Smith (Caviar, Fig Dish) on vocals and guitar and Mike Willison (Caviar, Fig Dish) on bass. This is why it is surprising and maybe even refreshing to see the band members work out the kinks live on stage, even if it causes Smith some vexation.

Shortly after Lucas rushed over to the keyboard on Smith’s right side to play the intro to “Cracktown,” a bass-thumping ode to the Uptown neighborhood, bassist Willison asked to start the song over.

Photo Credit: Audrey Leon

Probably sensing the ensuing drama, Lucas retreated into the darkness to stand by an amp. An annoyed Smith refused saying, “That’s not rock and roll!” However, several voices in the crowd disagreed and shouted for the band to continue; Smith begrudgingly gave the song another go.

The re-start was not the only hiccup of the night. Later into the set, Lucas broke a guitar string as he took over lead vocals on “Homicide.” Lucas, however, did not skip a beat and soldiered through the rest of the set without changing guitars or strings.

Photo Credit: Audrey Leon

The track “Jump Like Chemicals” is one of the strongest songs off of Where Did All My People Go and it holds up extremely well live. It is hard to listen to this song without your feet and head reacting to each pulsating beat. Prairie Cartel closed out the night with the remix of Local H’s “Fuck Yeah That Wide.”

As trite and as cliche as this sounds, a Prairie Cartel live show is a lot like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get. Blemishes and all, you may still be pleased with what you find.