[caption id="attachment_16321" align="alignleft" width="250" caption="rabble rabble"][/caption]Three phenomenal reasons to get "psyched" up at the Empty Bottle tonight... 1. Any time Chicago psych-punks Rabble Rabble play the Empty Bottle is a time you want to be around. Within those special four walls the band truly comes alive, leaping off the record with explosive precision. The beats are bigger, the guitar solos border on out of control and the banter is pure gold. Come by and see why Rabble Rabble made our 11 Chicago Bands to Watch in 2011 list. WATCH: "Doubt It" 2. I really can't say enough wonderful things about garage punks Heavy Times. LLP head honcho Richard Giraldi called Jacker an "absolute banger." And I couldn't agree more. Heavy Times doesn't always need you to hear what they're doing, but bubbling below all that roaring fuzz are some blissful melodies that make you want to dance, sing and knock out a few concertgoers. (note: don't actually knock anyone out). LISTEN: "Skull Hair" 3. Opening tonight's headbanger is Chicago's own Lionlimb. Back in 2010 our old buddy Ross Meyerson was left impressed by the band's four-song 7-inch Lacerations. Lionlimb craft some quirky laidback rockers that are lightly seasoned with Midwestern twangy and pop. Rock out with a stalk of wheat hanging out of your mouth. LISTEN: "Here He Come" 9:30 p.m. Monday, 4/30. Empty Bottle. 21+ FREE!!! By Audrey Leon  \  comments

Chicago orchestral poppers Canasta are celebrating 10 years of making sweet music together. But along the way they have made a few thought-provoking videos with high production values. The fourth single from The Fakeout, the Tease and the Breather, "Becoming You," features Canasta's dulcet melodies backing scenes of frontman Matt Priest laying on a table covered in red cloth and surrounded by masked individuals. Eventually he's transported to a white room with the rest of his bandmates. I'm not sure how Priest ended up in this precarious position, but I'm sure there's a metaphor in there somewhere. Canasta will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its first show with a gig at Schubas on Saturday, June 2. By Audrey Leon  \  comments

[caption id="attachment_25418" align="alignleft" width="250" caption="absolutely not"][/caption]Three "absolutely hell yes" reasons to get to Subterranean tonight... 1. Chicago's glamtastic garage rockers Absolutely Not impress with their spastic punk rhythms, scratchy vocals and highly-charged new-wave synth play. The band's 2012 album Extended pumps up the danceable grooves while breaking out plenty of tasty guitar riffs. Don't be surprised if Absolutely Not causes everyone to break out into uncontrollable fits of dancing. LISTEN: "I Don't Want To get Married on a JumboTron" 2. It feels like it was just yesterday we were talking about melodic rockers Swimsuit Addition. Well, we can't rave enough about these lovely ladies who rattle off perky surf-inspired alt-rock with such ease. If you like the Pixies or the Breeders, chances are you'll dig Swimsuit Addition as much as we do. LISTEN: "Cartoon Paper Cup." 3. Also appearing tonight are garage rockers Dumpster Babies. The group sparkles with plenty of fuzzy guitars, howling vocals, and jangly beats. Opening the show tonight are Chicago experimental rock duo Hot Garbage. The bio section on their Facebook page may suggest they are in fact the some-how-still-alive Phil Anselmo of Pantera and Down fame, but in actuality, Hot Garbage are two dudes who play simple, but sinister drum and keyboard jams that burrows into your head like a gopher. Looks like it's up to Bill Murray to stop them. LISTEN: "Stepchild Lanterns" 8:00 p.m. Thursday, 4/26. Subterranean. 21+ $8. By Audrey Leon  \  comments

[caption id="attachment_26557" align="alignleft" width="245" caption="The Limbos"][/caption]Three reasons to shout "everything's coming up Milhouse" and run over to Beat Kitchen tonight... 1. Chicago quartet The Limbos clearly worship at the altar of alternative rock. The band takes heavily from groups like Weezer and Pavement, which in turn were heavily influenced by the Pixies. The Limbos fashion a jolly good time out from tracks that feature obscured sing-talking, quirky lyrics along with thick basslines, rumbling guitars and even a trumpet. Why? Because, why not? The Limbos are the love child ska should have had with indie rock. LISTEN: "South Dakota Drag Queen" 2. Hard rockers Sequoia have everything you need located right in one band. Sequoia's music shimmers with delicate pop sensibility, but roars with plenty of heavy, rugged riffs and beats. The songs off 2011's Couple Two Tree contain a bit of old Stone Temple Pilots and Foo Fighters flavor, emitting insanely catchy pop rhythms that are equally matched by fierce intensity. LISTEN: "Bitter" 3. Soulful math rockers Radiant Republic take one of tonight's early spots. The band balances endearing vocals over simmering guitar flourishes. Opening the show are grungy alt-rockers Eraserhead. The band specializes in speedy guitar licks and plenty of ferocious grinding rhythms. LISTEN: "Drop in the Bucket" 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, 4/25. Beat Kitchen. 21+ $8. By Audrey Leon  \  comments

We LOVE the smell of commerce in the morning. And this Saturday is the day all record nerds plan their Spring around: Record Store Day 2012. We highlighted all the sick happenings in our Guide to Record Store Day yesterday, but this weekend still belongs to the night. We're talking about The Cell Phones at The Burlington, Cool Devices at Township, The Luck of Eden Hall at Red Line Tap and more. Can you dig it?

FRIDAY

BLOODIEST Bloodiest might just be Chicago's most interesting metal band. The eight-piece is comprised of a number of local scene veterans (including Bruce Lamont of Yakuza, Jered Gummere of FOOTBALL/Bare Mutants and ex-members of ATOMBOMBPOCKETKNIFE to name a few). Their 2011 Relapse debut, Descent, touches not just on heavy riffs but also ambience and orchestral rock. As our former scribe Ross Meyerson wrote in his review of the LP back a year ago (which is being released on vinyl tonight), Descent is "One of the most creative and diverse ones to come along in quite some time." Opening are heavy riffers Planetsexploder and drone rockers Winters In Osaka. (Richard Girald) 10:00 p.m. Friday, 4/20. The Empty Bottle. 21+. $10. THE CELL PHONES Unless you've been under a rock, you may have heard that The Cell Phones are one of our 12 Bands to Watch this year. The dance punk trio will light a small fire inside your dance pants with hard and fast beats that pound like Peter Gabriel wielding a sledgehammer. It's outta sight. Alt-rockers Sissy Mena and pop rock trio Safeword will open. Plus the whole she-bang tonight is presented by locals Grape Juice Records. (Audrey Leon) 8:00 p.m. Friday, 4/20. The Burlington. 21+ $5. SHORT WALK To steal a line from Wayne's World, Short Walk is not just a clever name. No, these Milwaukee thrash-punks keep everything concise, doling out "fuck yous" at a break-neck speed. Also appearing tonight are LLP House band and depraved sludge-poppers Rodeo and local death metal-ers Quingo. Mobile, Alabama's Roman Gabriel Todd will headline. (Audrey Leon) 8:00 p.m. Friday, 4/20. The Crown Tap Room. 21+ $5.co

SATURDAY

COOL DEVICES Save the drama for yo mama. Chicago's Cool Devices burn pure punk intensity while incorporating synths, jangly guitar and plenty of swirling reverb. Also appearing tonight are Philly's Psychic Teens. Set your phasers to stun because the group, who will also appear at Permanent earlier in the day, specialize a mouthwatering mashup of Nine Inch Nails-inspired doom rock and dreamy shoegaze. The end result is a heavy, grunge-like concoction that is too good to pass up. 10:00 p.m. Saturday, 4/21. Township. 21+ $5.

SUNDAY

THE LUCK OF EDEN HALL Catch Chicago rockers The Luck of Eden Hall jam some sweet jangly, 60s-inspired psychedelic grooves as a part of the 11th Annual International Pop Overthrow Festival. The band just released a limited edition vinyl through UK label Fruits De Mer. The fest begins early Sunday afternoon and even includes local power poppers The Artist Formerly Known as Vince in its multi-band lineup. Also be sure to catch Luck of Eden hall at noon on Saturday as a part of Vintage Vinyl's (Evanston) Record Store Day festivities. (Audrey Leon) 1:00 p.m. Sunday, 4/22. Red Line Tap. All Ages. $10. By Staff  \  comments

[caption id="attachment_26483" align="alignleft" width="221" caption="Tanlines"][/caption] Three reasons to ride the buzz train all the way down to the Empty Bottle tonight... 1. Brooklyn duo Tanlines have garnered acclaim from outlets like The New York Times and Pitchfork for their mix of dance pop that is largely reminiscent of good old 80s synth wave. But that's not where this story ends. No, Tanlines go the Vampire Weekend route adding some tropical flavor into the mix with the help of computerized beats. The end result is a collision of lush synth pop and warm island rhythms that should have you swaying on the dancefloor. WATCH: "All of Me" 2. More Brooklyn beats, you say? Look no further than Rewards, the synth pop project of Chairlift co-founder Aaron Pfenning. The compositions Pfenning creates are dreamy with plenty of chirping, bubbling atmospherics and just a bit of vibrating electro-beats added in for good measure. Pfenning's voice is dark, but oh so silky smooth even against the luscious backdrop of Solange Knowles' playful melodies on their duet "Equal Dreams." Listen: "Equal Dreams" 3. Representing Chicago tonight are The Field Auxiliary. The experimental outfit differ largely from the other two aforementioned acts due to its penchant for twinkling power pop that borders on the light side of psychedelic. However, the band pumps up the dreamy pop quotient with plenty of spacey orchestrals and roaring harmonies. LISTEN: "Will For Food Split Infinitives" 9:30 p.m. Thursday, 4/19. Empty Bottle. 21+ $10. By Audrey Leon  \  comments

[caption id="attachment_26452" align="alignleft" width="250" caption="Houtakker"][/caption]Three reasons to put down your gin-soaked gummie bears and head over to the Whistler tonight... 1. Houtakker (Dutch for Lumberjack) is the new project by Pet Lions' synth-smith and guitarist Joseph Murphy. Houtakker strikes a mellow chord with its minimalist, sun-aged 60's pop style. Murphy's influence on Pet Lions is evident on each lingering guitar note and cathedral-esque organ groove in Houtakker's repertoire. LISTEN: "Hush-a-Lala" 2. Local rockers The Sweats, led by Coleman Brice the name sake of Cole's Bar, will open tonight's shindig with some soulful jams that transport the listener back to the time when old school 70s rock and roll was king. The Sweats play the same kind of blues-infused rock that one might expect Three Dog Night to rattle off with a certain kind of southern charm. LISTEN: "Moving in Today" 3. Since there's only two bands this evening, please enjoy this colorfully lit video for Houtakker's track "Endless Skies." 10:00 p.m. Wednesday, 4/18. The Whistler. 21+ Free. By Audrey Leon  \  2 comments