Well, now you can as Chicago punk-y garage rockers Rabble Rabble have set up a Facebook Vlog, or video blog for you readers on a commodore 64, to keep their hometown fans up to snuff about life on the road.

They’ve already posted two updates from the road including this one from “Buttfuck, Kentucky” (we’re fact checking the accuracy on this locale at this very moment) in which their van ran out of gas. It’s like Spinal Tap, only sadder more indie rock. Check it out after the jump.

No doubt more updates will be posted soon. So if you get down with Rabble Rabble, be sure to keep your eyes peeled here.

Additionally, the band’s tour is leading up to a big homecoming show at the Empty Bottle on Friday, August 13, which is also the record release show for their brand new 12″ LP titled Bangover.

Finally, if you’re reading this from somewhere other than Chicago and want to catch Rabble Rabble, their complete tour dates are below.

Rabble Rabble Summer Tour 2010

Jul 28 – Kung Fu Necktie – Philadelphia, PA
Jul 29 – Pet Cemetery – Baltimore, MD
Jul 30 – Dad’s House – Philadelphia, PA
Jul 31 – Brooklyn Fireproof – Brooklyn, NY
Aug 1 – Mid East (upstairs) – Cambridge, MA
Aug 2 – The Red Door (Hush Hush Music Series) - Portsmouth, NH
Aug 3 – Danger Danger Gallery – Philadelphia, PA
Aug 4 – The Space - Hamden, CT
Aug 5 – Gay Gardens – Boston/Allston, MA
Aug 7 – CoCo 66 – Brooklyn, NY
Aug 8 – Silent Barn – Ridgewood, NY
Aug 10 – Old Glory Studios – Canton, OH
Aug 11 – Menstral Mansion – Cleveland, OH
Aug 13 – EMPTY BOTTLE “BANGOVER” 12″ RECORD RELEASE – Chicago, IL
Aug 22 – Saki Records – Chicago, IL

Sadhu Sadhu | Photo by Meng Yang

2. Did I mention Cool Memories? Welp, Cool Memories also hail from Chicago, a city quickly becoming a beacon for sweet ass psychedelic rock. Cool Memories put the rock at the front so maybe they are rock psych? Either way, they play some fuzzed out shit and throw in Pipers At The Gates Of Dawn-era Pink Floyd medieval psych for the fuck of it. And their name gives writers a lazy cop-out ploy of saying bullcrap like “they’ll leave you with some pretty cool memories”, but I’m neither lazy nor a writer. So there.

3. Nashville’s Forget Cassettes are a two piece fronted by Elizabeth Cameron on vocals and guitar and Donald Schroader on drums. Why did I specify this? No idea except to say that Elizabeth is a front woman to be reckoned with. You’ll think PJ Harvey, and you won’t be wrong in doing this. I also hear, mostly in her guitar playing, a little of the completely unheralded Mary Timony. This is high praise my friends. I’d say you’re going to want to get there on time tonight. If you need to do this ironically so be it. Whatever floats your boat.

9:30 p.m. Monday, 7/26. Empty Bottle. 21+. FREE!!!

SLUTTER | Photo by: Rebecca Everett-Ortiz

So, it appears most everyone came out of last weekend’s Pitchfork Music Festival unscathed. Good job, Chicago! We’ve got an even bigger fest looming on the horizon. Anyway, we certainly had a good time. Make sure you check out all of our Pitchfork Music Festival Coverage from the past week.

Anyway, this weekend the music keeps on rolling here in the Windy City. Things kick off tonight with the all-girl KISS tribute SLUTTER at the Bottom Lounge, then Black Cobra hits the Empty Bottle, the Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival and more!

Let’s get to it, shall we?

FRIDAY, JULY 23

SLUTTER
While you’re busy debating what constitutes a super group, a true Chicago super group will be busy blowing the roof off of the Bottom Lounge. Slutter, the all-female tribute to the legendary rock group KISS, is composed of the fabulous ladies from Chicago rock groups Scotia Widows, The Maybenauts and Wanton Looks. If you love fake blood, ladies in tight black clothes and most importantly the music of KISS, you have no reason to miss Slutter at the Bottom Lounge. (Audrey Leon)

8:00 p.m. Friday, 7/23. Bottom Lounge. 21+ $7.

THE FAINT
Omaha is probably the last place on Earth from which you’d expect a dance/punk group to spawn, but regardless of origin the Faint spit out beats so infectious that even the most hardened of detached hipsters cannot help but sway with arms folded tightly against their chest. No one will blame you if you skip the CTA and dance your way to the Metro to see the Faint support their 2008 album Fasciinatiion. (Audrey Leon)

8:00 p.m. Friday, 7/23. Metro. 18+ $21.

MILWAUKEE AVENUE ARTS FESTIVAL
Not sick of festivals yet? Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival is offering up 30 curated art exhibitions, performance artists, and most importantly music, music, music. Folk rockers Tom Schraeder & His Ego and Psych-rockers Apteka will appear on the Magic Hat main stage, located at Milwaukee and Logan, on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Retro-rockers White Mystery will destroy the Cole’s Bar stage, located at Belden and Milwaukee, on Sunday. There will literally be something for everyone at Milwaukee Avenue Arts Fest. Think of it as your training course for Wicker Park next weekend as you practice dodging baby strollers and other concert goers. (Audrey Leon)

4:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m., Friday, 7/23. 12:00 p.m – 11:00 p.m., Saturday, 7/24. 11:30 a.m. – 11:00 p.m., Sunday, 7/25. 2250 – 2850 N. Milwaukee Ave. All Ages.

SATURDAY, JULY 24

BLACK COBRA
You’ve got plenty of info by now on San Francisco’s Black Cobra. I reviewed their latest, Chronomega, which made my 10 best albums of 2009. They also opened up for High On Fire at the Lincoln Hall. They are just plain rad. Rhode Island’s Howl know their way around a riff. A little on the doom-y side of things it’s just one fat chugging riff after another. Columbus, Ohio’s Struck By Lightning add a little touch of hardcore into their assault whilst opener, Chicago’s Hunters hide a little Southern rock into theirs. All in all an epic night for those of you in search of the perfect riff. (Ross Meyerson)

9:00 p.m. Saturday, 7/24. Empty Bottle. 21+. $12.

SUNDAY, JULY 25

LEGIONS OF RAUM
Oh shit, it’s a battle of the bands at Reggie’s, metal style. Chicago’s Legions Of Raum headline with their bruising progressive death metal. Fuck it, it’s a genre in need of being invented so you’re welcome. The Southside’s Darkfall bring the deep throated vocal stylings with them. From the dark and scary Netherlands comes Warmouth who, oddly enough, employ the cookie monster as lead singer. Within Vast Forms hail from the epicenter of all things metal, Tinley Park, Illinois and damn if they just don’t sound like the musical equivalent to a nervous breakdown. Surrender The Masses, Sable Beldam, Evil Roma, and Tiny Miles And The Big Kids round out this ridiculously long line up. Let the battle begin. (Ross Meyerson)

3:00 p.m. Sunday, 7/25. Reggies. All Ages. $10 advanced/$12 doors.

ZOROASTER

2. Savannah’s Black Tusk will garner Mastodon references just for their place of origin although their art work is way more Baroness than Mastodon. Musically? Well unlike Zoroaster, Black Tusk are in a rush to get somewhere. Big fat dirty southern fried riffage chugs along underneath hardcore vocal stylings. There, I just used stylings when describing metal. I’ll mark that off my bucket list. Something good is happening in Georgia these days and metalheads are reaping the rewards. Also, Black Tusk is a rad name.

3. Florida is swampy like Georgia, right? Georgia is swampy? My geography is lacking it’s true. Well, Florida’s Dark Castle are not an 80’s Disney film with puppets. No sir. They are down tempo metal for certain. For the uninitiated, sometimes doom metal falls down and can’t get up. That’s down tempo. Dark Castle struggle to their feet from time to time but for the most part refuse to get up. This is an analogy? A compliment for sure. Metal has many ways of crushing your skull. This show exhibits 2 1/2 of them. Wear a damn helmet.

9:30 p.m. Tuesday, 7/6. Empty Bottle. 21+. $12

Hollows (photo by rodger ruzanka)

Happy Independence Day weekend everyone! There might not be any fireworks until Sunday this year, but there’s plenty of explosive music happenings going on around town.

This weekend we’re letting you know about Hollows at Lincoln Hall, The Streets On Fire at the Double Door, Tiny Vipers at the Empty Bottle, Obbityfest 2010 and more!

Let’s get to it, shall we?

Friday

HOLLOWS
If you missed retro-pop quintet Hollows playing at Pritzker Pavillion as the opening act for folk/pop duo She & Him, now you can witness the band in more intimate digs at Lincoln Hall. You do not want to miss the feeling of euphoria derived from group’s sugary sweet songs entering your bloodstream. Chicago art rock duo The Loneliest Monk are headlining. (Audrey Leon)

9:00 p.m. Friday, 7/2. Lincoln Hall. 18+ $10.

CENTAURUS
Chicago’s prog-metal gurus Centaurus have a little celebrating to do. Their debut album, “Pulse” is out and it’s a god damned smorgasbord of styles. Full review to come soon by loud loop press’s aging metal head (that’s me) but for now you can catch them live and, I’m sure, pick up the album for yourself. There’s nothing finer than supporting local music, Opener, the technical and angry Capsized and Sinking hail from Forest Park and sound like it? Is Forest Park a haven for gut wrenching metal? It is now. Have I mentioned how sweet metal heads can be? Such a misunderstood lot. I bet if you went up to either of these bands and said hi they’d be more than grateful. Just saying. Some of the most genuinely nice guys I know play some of the ugliest music you’ve ever heard. But I digress. This show will make your eardrums bleed. That’s what you wanted to hear. (Ross Meyerson)

9:00 p.m. Friday, 7/2. Cobra Lounge. 21+. FREE!!!

WATERSTREET
Subterranean will host the eclectic melody-makers this weekend, starting at 9pm tonight. Check out Chicago’s Waterstreet – who are releasing a new EP Of Gossip in late July, and who play serious rock with unexpected and memorable melodies. Also at Sub-T tonight, Kansas-based The Noise FM turns up the juice with well-layered and rhythmic guitar rock. Karate Coyote, hails from Columbus, Ohio, to promote their new LP release, “Inner Animals,” which displays the group’s energy, catchy hooks and high level of musicianship that creates a unique brand of indie/pop. Also on the bill are one of our Top 10 Chicago Bands To Watch in 2010, The Sweeps. $10 at the door. (Jason Shough)

9:00 p.m. Friday, 7/2. Subterranean. 17+. $10

THE STREETS ON FIRE
If you’re an avid reader of Loud Loop Press, no doubt you saw my review of the latest from The Streets On Fire. While not a huge leap forward from their 2009 debut Hot Weekend, This Is Fancy is a more focused affair that finds the band delving into the occasional psychedelics while still brimming with post-punk urgency. Well tonight’s the official record release party (even though the release date isn’t really until July 20 for This Is Fancy), and there’s no doubt in my mind that their new material will absolutely sizzle in a live setting. Also on tonight’s quad bill is up-and-coming indie rockers Big Science. Don’t miss it! (Richard Giraldi)

9:00 p.m. Friday, 7/2. Double Door. 21+. $10

REMAINDERMEN
In left field, the progressive/indie rock group from Chicago, Remaindermen, plays The Beat Kitchen tonight at 10:30 pm with Brother George. The Remaindermen make fuzzy, straightforward rock propped up with grand piano that can at times make the group sound more low-fi than one would expect of a prog rock group. They’ll be celebrating the release of their new vinyl, Border States on Nowhere Records at tonight’s show. (Jason Shough)

10:00 p.m. Friday, 7/2. The Beat Kitchen. 21+. $8

Saturday

HOSPITAL GARDEN
Alternative rockers Hospital Garden will play their brand of heavy, distortion guitar rock this Saturday at the Empty Bottle. The trio recently released their self-titled debut album back in April and they are not to be missed live. Hospital Garden is one band that somehow manages to sound live the way they sound on record. Props must go to guitarist and frontman Lucas Hollow who incorporates a theremin, radio chatter and a trumpet to recreate some of the magic contained on the record live and in person. Arizona melody-makers (and frequent Local H tour mates) Kinch are headlining. (Audrey Leon)

8:30 p.m. Saturday, 7/3. Empty Bottle. 21+ $8.

TINY VIPERS
Seattle’s Tiny Vipers are just one lady, Jesy Fortino. And she is in no rush to get anywhere. If there’s such thing as a minimalist Low, Tiny Vipers would be that. Slowly riding along on guitar and Jesy’s voice elongating most words, Tiny Vipers’s songs possess a dark and menacing vibe. You’d be inclined to call this folk but you’d be pigeonholing. Here comes the weird reference point: There’s the same Northwest creepiness of nature in Jesy’s songs as in fellow Northwesterners Wolves In The Throne Room. Yep. Deal with that. Chicago’s The Spend are Chicago’s Matt Shaw. His acoustic ditties are cut from the Mark Kozelek cloth with reverb and other found sounds adding an air of other worldliness. You should pay attention. What better way to spend the 4th than feeling small and fragile? You’ve got your whole like to BBQ and blow off your fingers. (Ross Meyerson)

9:30 p.m. Sunday, 7/4. Empty Bottle. 21+. $8.

OBBITYFEST
Do you love local music? Do you love free vegan food? Well then, do I have a concert for you! Obbityfest 2010 — the brainchild from those unusual psychedelic rockers The Earth Program — is a smorgasbord of bands, food, friends and fun (BFFF ™). In addition to performances by The Earth Program, Rabble Rabble and Animal City, you can also witness the unbridled fury of Rodeo! They are the next big thing to hit Chicago since Blagojevich’s golden senate seat (™). Get the full lineup and schedule here.

3:00 p.m. Saturday, 7/3. ToyShop. 21+. $8.

Maps & Atlases (Photo by Drew Reynolds)

Hey Chicago! Once again: Thanks so much for voting for us for in the Chicago Reader’s Best Of Chicago 2010 Reader’s Poll. WE WON! Oh yeah!

You can celebrate in our name at plenty of show this weekend including three chances to catch Maps and Atlases, My Gold Mask at the Hideout, The Melvins at the Double Door and more!

Let’s get to it, shall we?

Friday

THE MELVINS
Buzz Osbourne and his frizzy mountain of fro-like curly hair will invade the Double Door with his band the Melvins on Friday night in support of their 19th album The Bride Screamed Murder. If you are anything like me you obsessed over anything and everything even remotely connected to Nirvana when you were 12. You took pride in listening to the less famous bands in the “scene” like Mudhoney and, of course, the Melvins. The Melvins were (and are) widely known for their menacing, sludge-filled riffs that influenced a host of bands including Tool and Boris. The first 50 people with tickets to Friday’s show gain admittance to what can only be described as a battle royale, Melvins vs. the Double Door staff in a hardcore game of…wiffleball. Rock ’n’ roll! (Audrey Leon)

8 p.m. Friday, 6/25. Double Door. 21+ $25.

Saturday

MAPS AND ATLASES
Their debut album, Perch Patchwork, comes out June 29th but Chicago’s Maps And Atlases are getting out there anyways for to play tunes for you. First stop, Chicago Ave.’s Permanent Records for a little free in-store. Local indie band plays local indie record store. It’s like I-Tunes doesn’t even exist. At least for one day. If you’re looking for something more formal – or just work late – their official release party will be at the Subterranean later that evening. Brooklyn’s very Brooklyn-y Fang Island open. My mom never said if you can’t say something nice don’t say anything at all. But I heard it somewhere. (Ross Meyerson)

5:00 p.m. Saturday, 6/26. Permanent Records. All Ages. Free!
Doors 9:00 p.m./Show 10:00 p.m. Saturday, 6/26. Subterranean. 17+. $12.

WOVEN BONES
Austin’s Woven Bones are roaming in support of their freaky new album, “In and Out and Back Again”. If you haven’t heard, they play a driving garage oriented mind-fuck kind of rock ‘n’ roll. The kind that small children might run and hide from. Some adults, too. Red Mass come from Canada. I think one of their singers is Drakula. I’m fairly certain, actually. Chicago’s Mickey and Radar Eyes round of the bill. The former are the musically equivalent to the Wacky Races and the latter devotees of Joy Division. Prepare to be freaked out, man.

9:00 p.m. Saturday, 6/26. Empty Bottle. 21+. $8.

MY GOLD MASK
Chicago’s mighty art-rockin’ duo (I think any band that’s opened for the New Pornographers have earned the right to be called ‘mighty’) return to the Hideout on Saturday night. Loud Loop and My Gold Mask have a long history dating back to, uh, February at which time we posted an extensive interview with Gretta and Jack. Oh, but the best news about the show? According to the band’s Twitter, they’ve been hard at work on new songs and a new cover. If it’s half as good as their cover of Betty Davis Eyes, then we’re in luck! (Richard Giraldi)

8:30 p.m. Friday, 6/25. The Hideout. 21+. $8 advance/$10 at the door.

THE CATHY SANTONIES
If I have learned one thing about Chicago, it has a lot of extremely talented females. The Cathy Santonies describe their music as “a subversive mix of riot grrrl and cock rock.” I know what you’re thinking, how is that possible and didn’t the Donnas already do that? Well, the Cathy Santonies do it better; the band has emerged as heir apparent to the throne of such influential women rock groups as Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney. If you don’t believe me, check out the track “Warrior” from its new EP I’m Yr Friend! I’m Yr Revolution!. Want another reason to come out to this show? Mud Queens of Chicago are the main event. Rock and mud wrestling… what could go wrong? Plus the lovely ladies from Wanton Looks will be ripping shit up with their brand of fearsome power-punk. (Audrey Leon)

7 p.m. Saturday, 6/26. Reggie’s Rock Club. 17+ $10.

Sunday

GREEN MUSIC FEST
So you missed Maps and Atlases on Saturday at both their in store and at the Subterranean – fear not! You can catch them again at Green Music Fest on Sunday, June 27. Other acts set to perform at the only Chicago street fest with an eco-friendly vendor village are Fang Island and Cloud Cult on Sunday, or get there on Saturday night for the Wailers! And don’t forget – there’s free bike parking! (Richard Giraldi)

Noon – 10 p.m. Saturday, 6/26 & Sunday, 6/27. Chicago Ave. between Ashland and Noble. All Ages. $5.

Chicago’s largest festival unleashed their aftershow lineup this morning, which for some is even more important than the festival lineup. Here’s the rundown of who you can catch around town this August 5 – 8.

First up, on Thursday, August 5, you can catch the New Pornographers and the Dodos will rock the Metro, Devo and the Dirty Projectors will work their magic at the Congress Threatre, Slightly Stoopid and Collie Buddz hit up the House Of Blues, Cymbals Eat Guitars and Young Galaxy take over Schubas and, finally, Big Pink with The Smith Westerns and Night Gallery will be at Lincoln Hall.

Now for Friday, August 6. The big aftershow on Friday night is the Dare2Dream benefit concert at the House Of Blues featuring those polarizing psych-dance rockers MGMT. All the proceeds from this show will go to People’s Music School in an effort to bring funding and awareness to music education.

As for the rest of your Friday night, you can check out Cut Copy with Dragonette at the Metro, The Walkmen and Warpaint at the Double Door, Edward Sharpe & Magnetic Zeros and Freelance Whales at Lincoln Hall, Wild Beasts at the Empty Bottle or Rogue Wave with Gamble House at Schubas.

Saturday, August 7, is huge for aftershows as The National and The Antlers descend upon the House Of Blues, The Black Keys and the Morning Benders hit up the Metro, Minus The Bear and Miniature Tigers will be at the Double Door, Blitzen Trapper and Avi Buffalo rock Lincoln Hall, The Soft Pack and Royal Bangs will rumble Schubas, Wavves and Harlem conquer the Empty Bottle, Gogol Bordello can be found at the Subterranean and Hot Chip will be at the Congress Theatre with friends Rusko, Steve Porter, Ancient Astronauts and Perry Farrell.

Lollapalooza Sunday, August 8, features French pop heavy hitters Phoenix with Toro Y Moi at the House of Blues and, finally, HEALTH and locals Chandeliers will rock Reggie’s Rock Club.

Tickets to all of these shows go on sale Friday, June 25, at 10 a.m. Be there!

JEFF The Brotherhood

2. Fellow Nashvaudvillians, Natural Child, also enjoy the joys of rock ‘n’ roll, albeit with more of a 50’s Sonics vibe. wo things about this: it’s good and, damn, did the Sonics rock or what? Like, in 2010 if you play like the Sonics you still sound just rocking as shit. That’s a legacy right there. Natural Child do it up right, too. Hats of to you, Natural Child.

3. Chicago is also represented of course. Rabble Rabble – a site favorite – give you another chance to catch their manic psychedelic freak outs in a live setting. Why wouldn’t you? And Fellow Chicagopudlians, State Champion, offer up a little contrast by keeping things slow. Slow is the new fast. Except when fast is the new fast. And heavy never goes out of style. Free. The show is Free!!!!

9:00 p.m. Monday, 6/21. Empty Bottle. 21+. $FREE!!!!!!!!!!

Once again the mighty West Fest will not only be host to many wonderful bands (more on that later), but will also feature local restaurants selling their goods, a Kid Fest for all the hipster’s little ones, and – it being Chicago Ave. – Pet Fest as well.

As for the music, Empty Bottle Presents is doing the heavy lifting and a partial line-up has leaked out. Previous years have had some pretty rad bands including Urge Overkill, Red Red Meat, Meat Puppets, Local H, and the Ponys. So far, this year’s main stage includes site favorites and fellow Chicagoans YAWN, Toronto’s fucked up Fucked Up, Brooklyn’s Small Black, and Scotland’s We Were Promised Jetpacks. Not a bad partial list.

But, wait, there’s more. There’s a DJ stage as well, brought to you by BassbythePound, for those of you in stiff-billed caps. DJ’s will be DJ’ing from 4:00 p.m. till 10:00 p.m. daily with Sunday’s headliner being none other than Chicago’s own mega-superstar Derrick Carter. As always, a $5 donation is gladly accepted and show times run from noon till 10:00 p.m. each day. More bands to be announced shortly, but you can find the full lineup (Thanks to commenter Hanif for filling in the blanks!) below:

THE MAIN STAGE (at Chicago & Damen):

Booked by Empty Bottle Presents “Bringing Music to Chicago for over 18 years”

Saturday, July 10th
1:00pm YAWN
2:30pm Beach Fossils
4:00pm Bloodiest
5:30pm Class Actress
7:00pm F’d Up
8:30pm Mr. Jonathan Toubin

Sunday, July 11th
1:00pm Caroline Smith & The Goodnight Sleeps
2:30pm Light Pollution
4:00pm Dominique Young Unique
5:30pm The Life and Times
7:00pm Small Black
8:30pm We Were Promised Jetpacks

DJ STAGE (at Chicago & Wood):

Booked by BassbythePound

Saturday, July 10th
3 – 4pm Justin Reed
4 – 6:30 Intel & Pickel
6:30 – 7:30 Mark Gertz & Miguel Martin DWD Tag-team set
7:30 – 8:30 DJ Zebo
8:30 – 10 The Rapture DJ’s

Sunday, July 11th
4 – 5pm Striz
5 – 5:45pm John BID Simmons
5:45 – 6:30 The Beat Giants
6:30 – 7:30 John Mork
7:30 – 8:30 Diz
8:30 – 10 Derrick Carter