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Well hello, October! Nice to see you again. There's no turning back now Chicago. 2011 is a mere three months away. Pretty crazy, right? Luckily for us, this means that the fall concert calendar is heating up, which you can tell by our massive edition of Weekend Diversions.
This weekend, we're highlighting
Primus at the
Congress Theatre,
The Hold Steady at the
Vic,
Local H at the
Beat Kitchen and everything in between.
Let's get to it, shall we?
FRIDAY
THE HOLD STEADY
Near the end of every Hold Steady show, lead singer Craig Finn tells the crowd that "There is so much joy in what we do," and thanks the audience profusely for sharing in the experience. And, unlike many bands that tell you how great it is to be here, Finn is 112% sincere, and watching the band play live, you can tell that they love what they do. Like the Taj Mahal and the Sistine Chapel, you have to see The Hold Steady before you die. Watching Finn go off-mic and yell at the crowd the lyrics he just sang with all his heart is worth the price of admission.
(Andy Kondrat)
7:30 p.m. Friday, 10/1. Vic Theatre. All Ages. $24.
CLOUD NOTHINGS
Cleveland's Cloud Nothings was mostly Dylan Baldi's one man show. Their debut
Turning On is all him and it is quite good bedroom indie. But let me tell you, friends, that he has surrounded himself with a band and when they played the Empty Bottle months ago they not literally knocked my socks off. These kids rock a lot harder live than on album. The electronic sounds of Chicago's
Tirra Lirra, and the Pavement-if-Pavement-were-spooky-like sounds of
House Sounds open.
(Ross Meyerson)
8:00 p.m. Friday, 10/1. Ronny's. 21+. $5.
CHAPTERHOUSE
It will be a shoegaze invasion tonight at Lincoln Hall as British band Chapterhouse hits it’s first North American stage after a 15 year vacation. Straight out of the early 90’s, Chapterhouse ranks up there with the true shoegaze bands like My Bloody Valentine, The Jesus and Mary Chain and Cocteau Twins. With wall-of-sound songs that use clashing guitars, fuzzy vocal harmonies and hard-driving drums, Lincoln Hall goers will need to consider ear plugs. Along with Chapterhouse, ambient electronica creator Ulrich Schnauss and Chicago’s mercilessly loud shoegazers Airiel will play.
(Britni Day)
10:00 p.m. Friday, 10/1. Lincoln Hall. 21+. $16.
SATURDAY
PRIMUS
Break out your tube socks, Chicago. Primus are back in action. Bassist-unlike-any-other Les Claypool has regrouped with Larry LaLonde, one of rock's most underrated guitarists, and original drummer Jay Lane. And when I say "original" drummer, I'm talking 1988. Browsing
their setlists, it looks like the band are playing their mostly heavy stuff on this tour, dubbed "The Oddity Faire", including the rapid metal funk of "Pudding Time" and the epic "Harold Of The Rocks". Joining them for the Chicago stop are
Portugal. The Man and
Split Lip Rayfield. Now let's just hope they put out a new record soon.
(Richard Giraldi)
7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 2. Congress Theatre. All Ages $40.
PERMANENT RECORDS 4TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY
Two reasons that you need to go to this show: 1) It's Permanent Records 4th anniversary. The little record store that could keeps on keeping on. These guys have basically made my Chicago music buying experience what it is. Seriously, I'd be nothing without them. 2)
Moon Duo! The side project of Wooden Shjips that might just be every bit as good as they band from which they spawned is headlining. But there's more. Kansas City's
Umberto will pump out their Goblin like jams, and some ex-Cave members known as
Heater will play their of course weird yet catchy psych rock. Chicago's
Brain Idea open. Did I mention all of these bands have music on Permanent's house label? They do. This. Is. Rad.
(Ross Meyerson)
9:30 p.m. Saturday, 10/2. Empty Bottle. 21+. $5 advanced/$8 door.
BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE
Toronto indie rockers Broken Social Scene will infiltrate the Riviera with the soothing rock sounds of their latest album
Forgiveness Rock Record. If you haven’t check out the catchy tune “Forced to Love.” That looped flute will be stuck in your head for days. If having John McEntire (Tortoise/The Sea and Cake) produce BSS’s album isn’t enough to make the band honorary Chicagoans, then perhaps having Chicago’s own
The Sea and Cake open the show will? Either way this show is going to be EPIC!
(Audrey Leon)
7:30 p.m. Saturday, 10/2. The Riviera. All Ages. $32.35.
LOCAL H
Speaking of EPIC shows, Chicago rockers Local H are returning to the Beat Kitchen to celebrate the venue’s 20th anniversary this Saturday. This show should get fans pumped for the dual release of Local H’s
Awesome Mixtape #1 and
Scott Lucas & the Married Men’s
Absolute Beginners EPs. The last time Local H played Beat Kitchen it was for the band’s seven-night stand, where it played all of its albums and b-sides in their entirety. Surely something special is afoot for this show. Plus it’s free. Who doesn’t like free shows?
(Audrey Leon)
9:00 p.m. Saturday, 10/2. Beat Kitchen. 21+ FREE
NACHTMYSTIUM
Finally, Nachtmystium return to their homeland. They've been out touring behind their absolutely stunning new record
Addicts that
you know all about from my little review. Should be interesting to hear how they mesh these new sounds into their live show. Of course they've not come alone. Chicago's heavy as fuck
Atlas Moth, Florida's psych doom metalheads
Dark Castle, and yet another Chicago death metal band
Kommandant are all coming along for the ride. This. Is. Metal.
(Ross Meyerson)
9:00 p.m. Saturday, 10/2. Reggie's Rock Club. 17+. $13.
THE CATHY SANTONIES
Awesome female rockers? Check. World’s greatest urinal? Check. Looks like the Cathy Santonies are the latest group of Chicago female punk rockers to play The Mutiny in so many weeks. Look for good times ahead with loud and fast abrasive punk rock courtesy of the Cathy Santonies.
(Audrey Leon)
10:00 p.m. Saturday, 10/2. The Mutiny. 21+ FREE
SUNDAY
THE THERMALS
The Thermals are an infectiously catchy outfit that isn't afraid of writing lyrics that can give you pause - the group's masterpiece album The Blood, The Body, The Machine is a pretty damning criticism of organized religion - whose live show is guaranteed to leave you sweaty, exhausted, and euphoric. If you haven't had enough brash yet crisp punk rock in your weekend come Sunday, you can't afford to miss this show. Go find "A Stare Like Yours" off of Fuckin' A on the youtubes or whatever, and then try and convince yourself you don't want to see these guys in action. Impossible.
(Andy Kondrat)
8:00 p.m. October, 10/3. Logan Square Auditorium. All Ages. $15. By Staff \ comments