• • Happy 40, Chicago Reader! In celebration of this milestone, Miles Raymer digs deep through the Reader’s music criticism archives.
• • Sun-Times’ Thomas Conner has the full report from Smashing Pumpkins’ Riviera Theatre performance last Friday, which included a bonus reunion of Chicago ’90s shoegazer act, Catherine.
• • Gapers Block reviewed last week’s much anticipated Portishead reunion performance at the Aragon.
• • Deli Chicago interviews local indie-pop outifit The Damn Choir ahead of their trip off to CMJ.
• • Finally, our editor reviewed Odd Future’s rowdy Metro show last Friday for the Chicago Sun-Times.

Smoking Popes

Smoking Popes and Alkaline Trio were celebrating their 20th and 15th anniversaries, respectively, at the first of two sold-out shows at the Metro on Monday evening, and the bands both reflected their relative ages. While the older-brother Popes were mainly content (with notable exceptions) to forego high-octane physical performances in exchange for precision and crispness, the still-rambunctious Trio cranked up the energy, letting the band members’ adroitness on their instruments fade behind the wall of sound. However, the show delivered exactly what the fawning crowd came to see: two superior punk rock bands playing songs that are guaranteed to get you moving—or, in this case, moshing.

There’s no denying that Smoking Popes write great power-punk songs. In 20 years they haven’t lost a step when it comes to creating a live sound that, while as tight as a studio recording, boosts the adrenaline factor up a few notches. The run early in the set of “Can’t Find It,” “Grab Your Heart and Run,” and “No More Smiles” was done at a breakneck pace, yet played with care. Maybe, even, too much care. For much of the set, bassist Matt Caterer struck rockstar poses with one foot on the monitor, did windmills on the bass, and scissor-kicked at the appropriate moments, while the rest of the band rarely came even close to matching his enthusiasm.

Singer/guitarist Josh Caterer occasionally jumped up and down with his brother, but it wasn’t until set-closer “I Know You Love Me” that Josh took off the guitar and interacted with the crowd as a true lead singer, singing to the fans, and having the fans sing back. It was a honest-to-god rock and roll moment from a band that can obviously play to a crowd when it wants to.

The fantastic ending to the set reminded me of when, earlier in the set, Josh dedicated a song to the guy who had tried, unsuccessfully, to start a mosh pit the song prior. But it wasn’t that guy’s fault for not working the floor into a frenzy: the Popes sounded great and you could hear energy, but for the most part lacked the kinetic energy to match. If the band’s presence could have matched the quality of playing, Smoking Popes pick up a whole new contingent of fans that night mesmerized by a perfect set.

Alkaline Trio, however, had no problem revving up a crowd that was hungry for their particular brand of macabre punk. From the opening guitar riff of “Cringe,” it was obvious this was going to be a fast, sweaty hour and a half of music. The Trio ran through 21 songs in that time, including a five song acoustic-guitar based set that the floor still managed to find a way to mosh to (though I suppose it’s almost cheating that one of the songs was “Clavicle,” which could kick your ass even if played on a harp). Throughout the whole set, the band played hard, played fast, and played well.

But here’s something I never thought I’d say: live, a fair amount of Alkaline Trio’s technical prowess is lost. Not by sloppy playing, but instead by an emphasis on punk-rock level loudness. Guitar player Matt Skiba and bassist Dan Andriano are both incredibly talented musicians, and it was only once I realized they were lacking, did I notice that many of their songs, though barreling down the tracks like a hardcore juggernaut, depend on difficult guitar lines, constantly-moving bass parts, and the ability for the band to stop on a dime after down-stroking at 900 times a minute. The band was still doing all these things on Monday night, but the wall of sound made even noticing it a chore.

That being said, it’s impossible not to have your heart race a little faster when the Trio starts into “San Francisco” or “This Could Be Love,” and the pay-off never let you down. Except for the fact that they didn’t play “Radio.” Come on, guys. It’s “Radio.” We DID, however, get an Alkaline Trio/Smoking Popes collaboration of a cover of Violent Femmes’ “I Held Her In My Arms.” Though the song was nothing to write home about, it was great to see two local bands made good playing together on their home turf, celebrating each other’s success.

Both Smoking Popes and Alkaline Trio impressed on Monday night, and I can’t imagine fans of either band leaving disappointed. And for those of us that are fans of both bands, well, this one was pretty damn awesome.  Though, side note: it was kind of creepy seeing the 10- or 11-year-old girl in the front row singing along to every single Alkaline Trio song. This ain’t Raffi, folks. In these songs, Baby Beluga ODs.

Luckily for us, the wait is almost over.

YAWN have recently announced Open Season, their debut full-length record, which will drop on Tuesday, August 30.

You can hear and download Open Season’s debut single, “Acid,” in all its twisted rhythm and mind-bending glory right now at Sterogum.com.

YAWN are also hitting the road beginning in late September with Mates Of States and brings them to Metro Chicago on Friday, September 30.

Find the complete tracklist for Open Season and all the Mates Of States/YAWN tour dates after the jump.

Open Season Tracklisting<
Keep Up
YumYum
Acid
Gasoline
Sing Low
Never Knew
Magician
Astral Observatory
Candle
Indigo
Rainy Days

YAWN Tour Dates With Mates Of State

*w/ Suckers
#w/ Other Lives

Don’t let this dreary, fickle weather ruin what is lined up to be a fantastic weekend for live music. The city is alive with the sound of wailing guitars and synths.

We’re excitedly chattering about a bevy of shows large and small, from everyone’s favorite – basement gigs – to Neon Marshmallow Fest occupying the Empty Bottle.

Let’s get to it, shall we?

FRIDAY

SOFT SPEAKER
If you’re a fan of the electric guitar, you’re a fan of Soft Speaker. The band’s latest, I’ll Tend Your Garden (reviewed by our own Ross Meyerson here), is a ferocious axe attack chock full of Neil Young-like abusive solos and chunky Dinosaur Jr.-esque riffage. Also set to rock your face tonight are Chicago’s bluesy, alt-country outfit Whisker Music and straight from New Orleans, the rootsy sounds of Jake La Botz. (Richard Giraldi)

9:00 p.m. Friday, 6/10. Cole’s. 21+. FREE!

NEON MARSHMALLOW FESTIVAL
If you saw our interview with Neon Marshmallow Fest creators Dan Smith and Matt Kimmel than you know the Chicago-based experimental music festival returns this weekend. This year’s edition is slimmed down to three days worth of eclectic rock, trance, free jazz and other not easily categorized noise-making groups. Prepare to get your minds blown within the confines of the Empty Bottle’s tiny walls with creator of the synthesizer Morton Subotnik, Chicago synth machine Beau Wanzer, and Brooklyn trancers Oneohtrix Point Never, just to name a few. Neon Marshmallow is an experience not to be missed. (Audrey Leon)

6:00 p.m. Friday, 6/10; 6:00 p.m. Saturday, 6/11; 6:00 p.m. Sunday, 6/12. Empty Bottle. 21+ $25 (single-day) & $70 (three-day passes).

>>RADIANT DEVICES<<
There are so many elements present in Radiant Devices’ music that seeing it live may be the only way to truly appreciate it. The duo, consisting of Mojdeh Stoakley and Fyodor Sakhnovski, use unusual items such as satellite dishes and propane tanks to pad its more traditional rhythm section. Stoakley uses her own spoken word over a complex mixture of jazz, ambient beats and pure hard rock. You can’t miss this. (Audrey Leon)

9:00 p.m. Friday, 6/10. The Mutiny. 21+ Free!

SATURDAY

OUTER MINDS
Chicago’s Outer Minds are perhaps the perfect garage pop band. Their Plustapes release, lovingly reviewed by Ross Meyerson, stands out with its catchy melodies in between the crunchy, reverbed guitars and eerie keyboards. If you like your music raw but with hooks that can be sing alongs, you’ll probably want to check them out. But that’s not all. I’ve already given a 350-word reason why you need to watch local psych-bluers Vee Dee in a live setting, and Mannequin Men will also be on hand rock you with their chugging indie rock as well. A three-fer for the ages. (Richard Giraldi)

9:00 p.m. Saturday, 6/11. Pancho’s. 21+ $5.

THE ANTLERS
In 2009, The Antlers pulled off the near impossible by making a record, Hospice, that is both cripplingly depressing and addicting at the same time. They’re back in Chicago this weekend touring with their new record, Burst Apart, which while lacking the sheer weight of their first offering, finds the band expanding the basis of its sound to incorporate more electronic elements. Live, The Antlers bring new life to their melancholic setlist, with each song being equally epic and cathartic. This will be the biggest intimate show you go to all year, and it shouldn’t be missed. (Andy Kondrat)

8:00 p.m. Saturday, 6/11. Metro. 18+ $18.

ORANGE GOBLIN
Britain’s biker doom metalers Orange Goblin come a-calling. Kind of the Molly Hatchet of doom these guys will draw you in with their rad name and radder album covers. Then you’ll hear their music and not really get the connection. But there’s tons of goodness here. For instance, Nachtmystium, whose “Addicts: Black Meddle Part 2″ is still confusing and blowing my mind. Bible Of The Devil have been putting their Thin Lizzy meets Iron Maiden stamp on Chicago’s music scene for over a decade now. Meanwhile, Buried At Sea sound much more like what Orange Goblin would seem to sound like. Slow, chugging doom riffs, lumbering drums, excruciating vocals. That’s an Orange Goblin, damn it. But it’s also the sound of being buried at sea. So get there early is what I’m saying. (Ross Meyerson)

9:00 p.m. Saturday, 6/11. Double Door. 21+. $18-$20.

RODEO
Three oh-wait-I-don’t-have-to-do-three-reasons-for-weekend-diversions reasons to not go on with this bit. Basement show, em effers! Check out some local talent in the friendly confines of a venue you’ve never been to. Why there’s editor in chief Richard Giraldi’s Rodeo still riding high from the release of their debut EP, “Sarcastic Summer”. You like guitars, and you love the 90′s. You love Rodeo. Swimsuit Addition will be there too. We’re still hanging around the 90′s as Swimsuit Addition channel your favorite RRRiot GRRRLLS (spelling?) and add a little surf rock because they can. The Automatic Lovers bring a dirty garage ethic to their snotty punk rock. They’ll be bashing their instruments as well. Last but not least is one of my favorites, Merlin Wall, who bring the nerd to tonight’s festivities. I’m still digging “Crushing From Afar” and eagerly await some new tunes. Be cool. (Ross Meyerson)

7:00 p.m. Saturday, 6/11. 1542 N. Oakley. All Ages. $3 donation if you can.

SUNDAY

THE CATHY SANTONIES
It’s fair to say that we here at Loud Loop love women who rock. There’s just something about that raw passionate energy bursting forth and breaking away from all societal norms. So it kind of goes without saying that we think the Cathy Santonies rock pretty damn hard. We’ve seen them play the tiniest, but loudest, hole in the dark (The Mutiny), but now the quartet is headed back to the Double Door’s spacious and well lit stage. Don’t miss this show. (Audrey Leon)

9:00 p.m. Sunday, 6/12. Double Door. 21+ $5.

All’s well that ends well. Sure, it rained all week, but it’s nice and sunny outside with just a tiny nip in the air. Naturally, that means it is time to party down while we still can. This weekend, especially, is a doozy. There are so many great shows that it is almost impossible to choose among them.

Some of the shows we’re all abuzz over are Gypsyblood at Liar’s Club, Dead Milkmen at Congress Theater and Local H at the Metro. Let’s hop to it, Chicago…

FRIDAY

SOFT SPEAKER
Our own Ross Meyerson practically gushed over Soft Speaker’s debut album I’ll Tend Your Garden. The album is chock full of songs that are simply put, a mish mash of grungey guitar riffs and smoky psychedelic and brit rock influence with a dab of Thom Yorke-ness. The net result is a brilliant first release by the Logan Square quartet. Also on hand this evening are the ghostly 60s girl-group throwback Hollows, scratchy-voiced pop rockers Michael Lux and the Bad Sons (who will have free copies of its debut ep Neat Repeater available) and jangly experimental rockers Dozens. Talk about getting more bang for your buck. (Audrey Leon)

9:00 p.m. Friday, 4/29. Subterranean. 21+ $8.

MOGWAI
The instrumental onslaught that is Mogwai keeps chugging along, with the band having released yet another album of soft-loud awesomeness with the best title we’ve seen this year: Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will. Live, the band does something extremely difficult to pull off: though possibly the loudest show you’ll see this year, the technical wizardry of the band is never drowned out. A Mogwai show always has the potentiol of making your top ten shows of all time (Coachella 2006), and I’d have to imagine that seeing them at the Metro is going to be a mind-blowing and ear-numbing experience. (Andy Kondrat)

9:00 p.m. Friday, 4/29. Metro 18+ $25.

GYPSYBLOOD
Locals Gypsyblood have been generating quite a bit of buzz lately with their debut record Cold In The Guestway, what with it’s guitar-heavy, occasionally early ’90s vibe. But let’s not get it twisted, Gypsyblood are their own band as they add in touches of playfulness and humor that some of those alt-90′s bands simply whiffed on. Seeing how tonight’s Liars Club (Yes, THAT Liars Club) show is Gypsybloods’ record release for their debut, they’ve invited along labelmates Cast Spells, who are the folk-pop side project of Maps & Atlases crooner Dave Davison. Opening is a Loud Loop favorite Radar Eyes, who always impress with their dark psych-garage tunes. If you miss this, you will regret it dearly. Yes, that’s a threat. Get over it, crybaby. (Richard Giraldi)

9:00 p.m. Friday, 4/29. Liar’s Club. 21+. FREE!

FIELDED
There’s nothing simple about the one-woman band Fielded. The only instrument Lindsay Powell, who is also vocalist for Ga’an, really needs is her voice. Powell uses synths and samples to twist and manipulate her voice into a rhythm section for haunting ambient pop stylings. To see her music recreated live is well worth the relatively small price of admission. Psych-rockers Verma and Zath, the metal side project of Ga’an drummer Seth Sher, will also appear. (Audrey Leon)

10:00 p.m. Friday, 4/29. The Hideout. 21+ $8.

SATURDAY

BATTLES
Battles’ first full-length album Mirrored is kind of, well, the best thing ever (hitting No. 3 on my top ten albums of last decade). The live show, as well, was beyond stellar. There might not even be a word in the English language to describe how good their shows were. Since that record was released, however, guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist Tyondai Braxton has left the band, and Battles’ new record, Glass Drop, is sure to be divisive–the Loud Loop staff has already started drawing lines in the sand over it. The questions, then, are these: will the live show still be phenomenal? Can they play tracks off of Mirrored? Will the lack of guest vocalists live help or hinder the band? There’s only one way to find out the answers to all these questions, and just to sate your curiosity will be worth the price of admission. (Andy Kondrat)

10:00 p.m. Saturday, 4/30. Lincoln Hall. 18+. SOLD OUT.

DEAD MILKMEN
I’ll just go ahead and put this bluntly: The Dead Milkmen is the most essential inessential band I can think of. That is to say, these guys blur the already-sometimes-hazy line between punk rock and novelty, with song titles off my favorite record of theirs – Beelzebubba – including “Born to Love Volcanoes,” “Sri Lanka Sex Hotel,” and “Bleach Boys.” Either in spite of, or because of, the silliness inherent to some of the band’s songs, combined with the actual real punk rock music they produce, this show is guaranteed to be nothing short of a blast. Revered local punks The Lawrence Arms will also appear. (Andy Kondrat)

7:30 p.m. Saturday, 4/30. Congress Theater. All Ages. $18.

MANNEQUIN MEN
According to the Chicago Tribune, locals the Mannequin Men play “math rock, punk, metal, free jazz”. Huh. Well, isn’t that interesting. Here we were all along thinking they played jangly, garage rock with folky hooks. Boy, aren’t our faces red? Anyway, we’re still awaiting their next batch of tunes to get an official release. Maybe that’s where the free jazz shows up? Either way, we’re excited. And so should you for the opportunity to see the band positively wreck it at the Empty Bottle with local indie poppers Sleep Kitty ands E+.

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

SUNDAY

LOCAL H
Who doesn’t love a good homecoming? The members of Local H (Scott Lucas and Brian St. Clair) have been traversing the US, supporting of its recent “greatest hits” collection from the band’s Island Records years (i.e. The 1990s). Sunday, the hard rocking duo finally come home to Chicago’s majestic Metro. The 90s were a magical decade and Local H were produced many a great album, but if you are jonesing to hear 1996’s uber popular “Bound for the Floor,” you’re finally in luck. So c’mon and feel the nostalgia. (Audrey Leon)

7:00 p.m. Sunday, 5/1. Metro. All Ages. $15.

TIM KINSELLA & FRIENDS
Tim Kinsella, the mastermind behind such Chicago institutions as Cap’n Jazz, Joan of Arc and many more, is bringing his indie rock prowess to the Whistler stage with some friends. The friends? Why it’s John Herndon from Tortoise, Theo Katsaounis from Joan of Arc and A Tundra, and Donny Malhmeister, also from A Tundra. The Whistler’s website describes the evening as a “duel” between a “double duo,” but no word on just who will duel to the death. Electro rockers Relay Beken will open the festivities. (Audrey Leon)

9:30 p.m. Sunday, 5/1. The Whistler. 21+ FREE

Light Pollution

The big weekend is upon us and, boy, is it a doozy. Saturday is the fourth edition of Record Store Day and, yes, we’re excited. There will be music booming from every corner and crevice all over town and that doesn’t even account for our many revered venues. Check out our Record Store Day guide for all that good in-store information, featuring your favorite local bands like Tyler Jon Tyler, Ornery Little Darlings, the 1900s and more.

All that RSD excitement aside, in this edition of Weekend Diversions, we’re talking up Mike Watt at Schubas, Hollus at the Double Door, and the big, big, big RSD post-party at Bottom Lounge featuring Light Pollution, among many, many others. Let’s get to it.

FRIDAY