Disappears

Annnnnnd, it’s the final Weekend Diversions of 2011. So sad. So, so, so sad. Or is it? Yes, it is. Maybe. Either way, there’s no shortage of rad New Years Eve shows we just have to talk about this weekend. Of course, there’s Disappears at the Bottle or Local H at the Bottom Lounge, but there’s also JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound at Schubas tonight and so much more.

Dig it, y’all.

FRIDAY

JC BROOKS & THE UPTOWN SOUND
New Year’s starts early this weekend with the first of two Uptown Sound shows at Schubas. The soul-punk outfit had a great 2011 with the release of their brand new album Want More. If you’re looking to get down and get funky, then an Uptown Sound gig is the place to be. Let singer JC Brooks serenade you with his rich, smoky vocals while the Uptown Sound lifts you up with some upbeat and bouncy rhythms. Testify! (Audrey Leon)

10:00 p.m. Friday, 12/30. Schubas. 18+ $12.

THE RUNNIES
If you love garage rock but think there’s too much damned guitar, then The Runnies might just be the band for you. The local trio have a loose ’60s garage vibe that’s powered with some sweet organ action. The result officially finds the band dipping into some R&B feelers and rowdy revivals. Which why their recently released record, You Can’t Win, made it on my Top 11 Chicago Records of 2011 list. Headlining the show is Detroit own The Detroit Cobras who bring soulful rock ‘n’ roll antics, and Milwaukee glam rockers Ramma Lamma. (Richard Giraldi)

10:00 p.m. Friday, 12/30. Empty Bottle. 21+. $13.

SATURDAY

DISAPPEARS
Who wouldn’t want to ring in the new year with the best psych-garage rockers around? Disappears return home after one hell of a year that saw them add Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley on drums, the release of a critically acclaimed album(s), hitting the big stage at Lollapalooza, European tours and so much more. And somehow between all of that, they’ve managed to record a new record, Pre Language, which is set to drop in March. Impressive? You bethca. Opening are Bare Mutants (feat. members of The Ponys, The 1900s, Mannequin Men and Derek & The Musicians) who will no doubt impress with their chilled out indie rock, and reverb-heavy garage poppers Outer Minds. (Richard Giraldi)

10:00 p.m. Saturday, 12/31. Empty Bottle. 21+. $25.

LOCAL H
Hard rocking, hard working Chicago duo Local H are hitting the reset button on 2011 by ringing in the new year with what is sure to be a blisting set of hits new and old at the very same venue they played last New Year’s Eve, the Bottom Lounge. Local H are regulars on the Chicago NYE circuit, and having spent a magical evening with the band rocking out with a few hundred of my drunkest friends in 2009, I can safely say Local H’s NYE shows bring the spectacle. This year’s themed event is a tribute to Rush’s 2112 so order up a Molson and wear your best Canadian tuxedo because it’s going to get heavy.
(Audrey Leon)

10:00 p.m. Saturday, 12/31. Bottom Lounge. 21+ $30.

SLUTTER
If four sexy ladies, with demon facepaint, who rock out to the hits of KISS is more your style, then come party with Slutter at Liar’s Club. I’ve had the very fortunate experience of both seeing Slutter at Liar’s Club and being pushed out of the way by Vagene Simmons en route to the stage. So. Clearly, I win. Liar’s Club may be small, but the spectacle is guaranteed to be huge when Slutter are around. Plus there’s an open bar package, which includes admission, available for $50. (Audrey Leon)

9:00 p.m. Saturday, 12/31. Liar’s Club. 21+ $10.

SUNDAY

CAINS & ABELS & FRIENDS
Wistful indie poppers The Cains and Abels are taking over The Whistler on New Year’s Day and they’re bringing some friends along. Come out and hear some jams from the group’s 2011 EP The Price is Right. You won’t find Drew Carey or old Bob Barker and their skinny microphones, but you will find lush, heartfelt pop melodies with just a hint of Midwestern twang. Oh, yeah! (Audrey Leon)

9:30 p.m. Sunday, 1/1. The Whistler. 21+ Free!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-8Iav4UbQY

It’s such a great weekend for festivals in Chicago. We’ve got Taste of Randolph occupying the West Loop with the salivating sounds of British rockers The Heavy and Swervedriver as well as local rockers JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound and The 1900s. Not to mention the three-day birthday bash going on at Saki featuring Great Society Mind Destroyers and much, much more.

With so much rock happening there’s really no need to wait. Let’s get on with the show!

FRIDAY

TASTE OF RANDOLPH STREET FESTIVAL
It’s another perfect weekend for a neighborhood summer festival and the 15th annual Taste of Randolph will not disappoint because there are a ton of bands, local and otherwise. Friday night’s headliners are British soul rockers The Heavy (East stage) and Brooklyn video game electro-rockers Anamanaguchi (West stage). Saturday’s highlights include 90s shoegazers Swervedriver as well as tons of local talent including JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound, In Tall Buildings (East), Young Jesus (West) and Hemmingbirds. Sunday’s edition is packed to the gills with other LLP-approved artists like psych-poppers The 1900s, sparkly pop rockers Gold Motel and spacey surf-rockers Merlin Wall, all on the East stage. For only $30 for three days of live music Bob Barker would certainly say the price is right. (Audrey Leon)

5:00 p.m. – 10 p.m. Friday, 6/17; 900 W. Randolph St (between Peoria St and Racine Ave). 12:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Saturday, 6/18 & Sunday, 6/19. All Ages. $10.

SATURDAY

YOURSELF AND THE AIR
Well this show has a nice little pairing of a site favorite and soon to be site favorite. Firstly, the soon to be favorites Yourself and the Air have a little cd release they’d like to share with you. It’s been kicking around awhile but has found a home on Lujo Records. Fans of somber Built To Spill or maybe Modest Mouse will want to check this out. And look, Netherfriends are on the bill. No strangers to the site, Netherfriends continue to pump out music and play for you good folks like the world might end any day now. Opener Conductive Alliance make some pretty cool noise as if their indie rock was floating around in space and picked up by a transistor radio. (Ross Meyerson)

9:00 p.m. Saturday, 6/16. Subterranean. 17+. $10.

RADAR EYES
Well, well, if it ain’t the ol’ Srideo Funtime Birthday Party Celebration. What is that, you ask? Haven’t a clue. But what I can tell you is that Radar Eyes will be bringing their dark, lo-fi brand of garage rock the the festivities. Radar Eyes always come correct with pop hooks buried under rapid guitar strums and driving rhythms. But there’s more band, oh yeah. Also performing are Detroit’s rowdy rabblerousers Terrible Twos, local not-the-sport band Football, the wild and wacky Birthday Suits and Double Bird. Oh, and it’s all free. Killer.

9:00 p.m. Saturday, 6/18. Empty Bottle. 21+. FREE with RSVP (RSVP by emailing rsvp@emptybottle.com)

SANTAH
So, even though Santah released its record White Noise Bed last year (here’s our review to prove it), the band is having its record re-release party tonight seeing how the band was recently signed to No Sleep Records and the album’s getting a national release. Pretty rad! And not only is Santah bringing its alt-pop antics to the Beat Kitchen on Saturday night, but also be sure to check out melodic indie outfit Pet Lions and rhythmic rockers The Names That Spell. Can you dig it? Of course you can.

9:00 p.m. Saturday, 6/18. Beat Kitchen. 17+. $10.

SUNDAY

SAKI BIRTHDAY BASH
Logan Square record shop SAKI hasn’t been with us for very long but just by doing what a record store should do: providing a great selection, having friendly staff and – oh yeah – hosting a ton of a killer in-stores, SAKI has built a special place in Chicago’s music-loving hearts and minds. And it’s first birthday celebration is nothing short of a trip to Good Time Island. The fun kicks off on Friday night with a performance by acoustic folk rockers Last Kind Words, but Sunday’s festivities will feature great performances by post-punk rockers Tiger Bones, garage rockers Heavy Times and experimental psych-rockers Great Society Mind Destroyers as well as DJ Sets by Drag City’s Rian Murphy and CHIRP Radio’s Caitlin Lavin. Yes, indeed, it will be a trip to Good Time Island. (Audrey Leon)

1:00 p.m. Sunday, 6/19. Saki (3716 W Fullerton Ave). All Ages. Free!

While this signing may not stack up to say, Derrick Rose signing with the Bulls, it is vaguely similar in that both the band and the label are straight products of Chicago. And that’s always a good thing, right?

Anyway, if you’re new to JC Brooks & The Uptown sound, then you obviously don’t get out much. Their punky take on classic soul and Motown has kept Chicagoans groovin’ for more than four years. Plus, you’ve probably seen their funky cover of Wilco’s “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart,” which has caught of the attention of Wilco main man Jeff Tweedy himself and even new Mayor Emanuel (the band played his inauguration concert).

JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound are set to release their Bloodshot Records debut, titled Want More, this fall. This Summer, however, they’re hitting the road. Check out their complete tour dates, including a stop at Chicago’s Taste Of Randolph Festival in two weeks, after the jump.

JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound:

Thursday June 16 – Ravinia, Highland Park, IL
8pm, opening for Robert Plant & the Band of Joy

Yet another sign of summer, despite Chicago’s foray into November-like Fall temperatures, is the announcement of the Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival’s musical lineup.

The three-day street festival kicks off Friday, July 29 and ends Sunday, July 31, along North Milwaukee between California and Kimball Avenues in Logan Square. The Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival includes two stages chocked full of local artists, including four of our 11 Chicago Bands to Watch in 2011.

The main stage will be ruled by groovy soul rockers JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound on Friday. Brother and sister fuzz rockers White Mystery headline on Saturday and dance rock mash-up masters The Hood Internet follow suit on Sunday night.

Cole’s stage, located at the south end of the festival along Milwaukee and Belden Avenues, turns up the rock-and-roll ferocity with several local psych-rockers on Friday night including The Great Society Mind Destroyers and headliners Rabble Rabble.

More acts will likely be announced, but you can get the full festival lineup after the jump.

Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival Main Stage

Friday, 7/29

6:00 p.m. Furious Frank
7:30 p.m. Los Vicios de Papa
9:00 p.m. JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound

Saturday, 7/30

3:00 p.m. Rafter
4:30 p.m. This Is Cinema
6:00 p.m. Hollows
7:30 p.m. The Arrivals
9:00 p.m. White Mystery

Sunday, 7/31

2:00 p.m. Black Bear Combo
3:30 p.m. Beaba Do Samba
5:00 p.m. Papo Santiago
6:30 p.m. Sidewalk Chalk
8:00 p.m. The Hood Internet

Cole’s Stage

Friday, 7/29

6:00 p.m. The Great Society Mind Destroyers
7:00 p.m. Secret Colours
8:00 p.m. Panda Riot
9:00 p.m. Outer Minds
10:00 p.m. Rabble Rabble

Saturday, 7/30

7:30 p.m. Soft Speaker
9:30 p.m. The Eternals

Sunday, 7/31

Cafe Mustache Presents
8:00 p.m. Tyler Jon Tyler
9:00 p.m. Netherfriends

The coming-of-age tale, penned by Stew and adapted by local theater company Bailiwick Chicago, is centered on a young man (Uptown Sound lead singer Jayson Brooks) breaking away from family and friends and strutting out on his own.

Per the play’s website:

PASSING STRANGE is a daring new musical that takes audiences on a journey across boundaries of place, identity and theatrical convention. Loaded with soulful lyrics and overflowing with passion, the show takes us from black, middle-class America to Amsterdam, Berlin and beyond on a journey towards personal and artistic authenticity.

The musical also stars fellow Uptown Sound members Billy Bungeroth, David Keller, Kevin Marks and Ben Taylor, in what is probably the most important role: backing band.

“Passing Strange” starts previews on April 21-23 and runs from April 25 to May 29. Tickets for the preview are $10 for general admission, $20 for reserved seating, $5 for students. Regular run tickets range from $25-35 and $15 for students.

The Chicago Center for the Performing Arts is located at 777 N. Green St., just off of Chicago Avenue. More information on tickets, performance schedules, and the cast and crew can be found at BailiwickChicago.com.

Chicago Mixtape Madness

Casey Meehan thinks you need more Chicago musicians in your aural diet.

Meehan, the man behind the digital distribution service Rock Proper, which has released albums by Jay Bennett and Jonny Rumble, will launch his latest project Chicago Mixtape on Monday, Feb. 14, to show Chicagoans exactly what they’ve been missing.

The aim of Chicago Mixtape is simple: to expose you to great local artists by delivering free weekly mixes straight to your inbox. Sign up at the project’s Facebook page now and receive its first mix before the official launch, which includes unreleased tracks by Oh My God and JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound, as well as other tracks by Ornery Little Darlings and Meehan’s own musical outlet Jitney.

If free music mixes aren’t enough to entice you, perhaps free concert tickets might? After signing up for Chicago Mixtape’s mailing list, take a screen capture of you sharing about Chicago Mixtape on your Facebook page to be entered to win tickets. So what are you waiting for?

Local artists that are interested in being featured in an upcoming Chicago Mixtape series can submit using the form located here.

1. Tonight is the ninth annual Letters To Santa benefit at Chicago’s Second City. The 24-hour long event, which begins at 7 p.m., features not only improv performances from hilarious second city cast members and some of the top local musicians, but more importantly, it raises money for disenfranchised Chicago families on Xmas day. Really, what’s one night of sleep when you can be highly entertained for a great cause?

2. Ah, the music lineup. Yes, this year will feature undoubtedly great performances from Wilco main man Jeff Tweedy, JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound, Joan Of Arc, Robbie Fulks and so much more. Here’s the full music schedule:

* 8pm Jeff Tweedy
* 10:30pm Groupon’s founder Andrew Mason & Steve Albini
* 12am JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound
* 2am Joan Of Arc
* 5am Jeff Parker
* 7:30am Sally Timms & Jon Langford
* 10am Pro Wrestler Colt Cabana
* 1pm Robbie Fulks
* 3pm Bill “Sweet Pea” Callahan
* 5pm The Blisters

3. Buying a ticket isn’t the only way to contribute. Prizes will be raffled off, and there will even be awesome auctions featuring items such as SNL tickets with a personal tour from SNL cast member Fred Armisen, a lifetime pass for two to live events at Lincoln Hall, a day in the studio with Steve Albini and more! Also, if you really have to work tonight and tomorrow, you can watch the show AND donate via paypal at Letterstosantachicago.com. So rad. So very rad. Do it, Chicago!

7:00 p.m. Tuesday, 12/14 – Wedesday, 12/15. The Second City e.t.c. Theatre (located at 1608 N Wells). All ages. $15. (Tickets will be available at the door only from 6pm on Tuesday December 14 throughout the event.)

Since the M in MTV stopped standing for Music ages ago, musicians have decidedly taken to the Internet when releasing music videos. Sites such as YouTube or Vimeo have opened the doors for bands who wouldn’t have even received airplay back during MTV’s heyday to create their own music videos, which can be seen by hundreds or thousands at the click of a button.

Chicago’s massive music scene features quite a few acts that still see the music video as a prominent art form. There were literally hundreds of music videos from local bands and artists released last year. Therefore, we decided to comb through the footage and choose 10 videos that struck us visually and sonically. This is Loud Loop Press’ Top 10 Local Music Videos Of 2010…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UGlwopNvKg

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipU9_hLNAec

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSlA7x98Yfw

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgxnWHQAkYM

www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1LW1k7AIg0

www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE9gh4COMdI

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