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MCA’s concert series ‘Face The Strange’ returns in late October

Richard Giraldi — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 17:55:29 +0000

Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago. Photo © MCA Chicago, 2009. Photo by Dan Baldwin.

The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago is once again highlighting some of the windy city’s most exciting music with another round of performances for “Face the Strange: New Music Chicago and Beyond.”

The concert series kicks off on October 25, and runs every fourth Tuesday of the month until April 24 and features the acts performing, “one-hour sets of new music you may not have heard but should.”

“Face The Strange” kicks off on Tuesday, October 25, with a set from locals The Eternals, whose funky art-pop blends together electronic, indie rock and reggae elements.

Other notable performances scheduled include Aleks Eva’s new dark and enchanting project Magic Key (but still listed on the schedule under the old moniker Aleks and the Drummer) on January 24, and the guitar-focused youth ensemble Guitarkestra.

Speaking from someone who saw Disappears at last year’s “Face The Strange” and witnessed a few songs interspersed within long passages of electronic soundscapes and noise, these performances are striking in their ability bring out band’s experimental nature.

Catch all the “Face The Strange” performances on the fourth Tuesday of each month in Puck’s Café at 6 p.m. for free. Check out the complete line-up below.

Face the Strange: New Music Chicago and Beyond Schedule

Oct 25: The Eternals
Nov 22: Ken Camden
Dec 27: Wrekmeister Harmonies: featuring J.R. Robinson, Jef Whitehead, Blake Judd, Sanford Parker and Jamie Fennelly
Jan 24: Aleks and the Drummer
Feb 28: Spectralina
Mar 27: The Spires That In The Sunset Rise
Apr 24: Guitarkestra

Daily Diversion – Magic Key at The Whistler

Audrey Leon — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:00:29 +0000

Magic Key

Three reasons to get your drink on and listen to some fine tunage at the Whistler tonight…

1. Magic is definitely in the air. Local pop songstress Aleks Tomaszewska (formerly of Aleks and the Drummer) will take the Whistler by storm with her dulcet, yet powerful vocals, and edgy-circus music-producing Russian synthesizer under the name of her new outfit Magic Key. Tomaszewska’s art is rhythmically haunting and simultaneously beautiful. Magic Key is dance music at its finest and darkest.

2. Normally when I think of gels, I think of the clear and/or multi-colored sheets that go on top of track lighting fixtures to set the mood at concert venues. Chicago’s Gel Set will certainly paint the atmosphere black and blue from the Whistler stage with its own brand of lo-fi electronic goth pop. The woman (and her keyboard) behind all the dark, minimalist chants and loops is Laura Lulu Callier. While some of Callier’s beats reduce you to fits of light swaying others like “Esta Fiesta Apesta” could get you riled enough to dance.

3. And if you need a third reason, here’s a taste of Magic Key (back when the band was called Aleks and the Drummer) performing at Schubas last September.

10:00 p.m. Thursday, 9/29. The Whistler. 21+ FREE!!!

Daily Diversion – Charlie Deets at the Empty Bottle

Ross Meyerson — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 17:06:42 +0000

Charlie Deets

Three congratulations-workers-you-get-one-day-of-recognition-before-going-back-to-toiling-long-and-hard reasons to brave the wind and hit up the Empty Bottle tonight…

1. It’s labor day. Take the day off, I say. Oh, you already have it off? Well, then head over to the Bottle tonight. After last week’s unexpected $15 show, you can once again save your hard earned money for things like beer because tonight is free. There’s music, too. Chicago’s own Charlie Deets for one. His is electronic filled but with a pop flair. Underneath those bleeps is a singer songwriter tugging at your heartstrings.

2. Aleks Eva is Aleks from Aleks and the Drummer. This might be one of her first solo shows (the Drummer? Maybe another night) but nowhere near her last as her Myspace indicates that this solo thing is a ball rolling downhill of momentum. Join that ball, won’t you?

3. Chicago’s Photo.Sans.Nom is one woman. She’s poppy, no tape loopy, no Middle Eastern. Yep. She seems to be whatever the hell she wants it to be. See what that will be tonight. Probably all of those and more.

9:30 p.m. Monday, 9/6. Empty Bottle. 21+. FREE!!!!

Weekend Diversions

Justin Aier — Fri, 01 May 2009 03:31:15 +0000

Another Friday, another chance to beat the crap out of the workday. What better way to do so than check out these soon-to-be-big (if not already) hometown acts:

Russian Circles

Russian Circles offer powerful, deft instrumental rock. Brings to mind fellow instrumentalists (and Chicagoans), Pelican. With Plague Bringer (industrial/grindcore insanity/awesomeness) and Lichens.

Friday, 5/1 at Bottom Lounge. $12/14

OFFICE

OFFICE = lively pop collective with taut guitars, synth-driven euphoria, and hooks that would have Nick Lowe dancing along to. With The Loyal Divide, Kyle Andrews, The Seedy Seeds, Coltrane Motion.

Sat, 5/2 at Double Door, $18/20.

Aleks and the Drummer

Aleks and the Drummer are an echo-y grimy keyboard/drum duo with an enticing cabaret-pop awareness. Fresh off their recent Dave Sitek-produced EP, the band will likely not disappoint. With Jeremy Jay(breezy, Californian pop), Kristeen Young, Bengal Lancer.

Sat, 5/2 at Empty Bottle, $ 8