Wild Belle at the Metro 8/26/16

Back in August I saw my favorite band, Wild Belle, for the 3rd time and it was hands down their BEST performance I've seen so far. I'm not sure what was so different about it but everyone sounded so incredible together and it just felt magical to me. All 3 times that I've seen them have been at the Metro and each time you could see the band improving. I loved every song off their debut album Isles and their newest album Dreamland is not different. You can tell that the band has matured from their first album and I think that they are both incredible! The variety of songs they played at this show spanned both of their records and I thought it was a great mix of songs. My favorite song off of Dreamland is "The One that Got Away." This song honestly floored me the first time I heard it and Natalie's voice is so flawless on it! I think everyone in the audience got chills when she started to sing it- I definitely did! Other standouts include the popular "Throw Down Your Guns" and "Giving Up on You". One of the opening bands for this show was actually Natalie and Elliot's sister's band called "Big Sadie". They are very bluegrass and definitely could fit in at a Nashville honky tonk. It's really cool that genre of music is still around and the audience was really digging it. 

 I like when I can go to a show and not expect to hear the same songs over and over, which is something that this band has successfully been able to accomplish. If you haven't heard any of their music before, I would suggest you listen to the entire Isles album, specifically the song "Keep You". This was by far my favorite show of Wild Belle's that I've seen and I can't wait to see what they'll put out next. Definitely recommend checking them out on their next tour! For more information on Wild Belle, head to www.wildbelle.com/dreamland. You can also check out my previous posts at the following links: 

 http://musicjunkie616.blogspot.com/2016/01/wild-belle-metro-111516.html
http://musicjunkie616.blogspot.com/2013/11/wild-belle-metro-102613.html 

-Ava 

Lollapalooza 2016

This year was my first time going to Lollapalooza since 2011 and I'm so excited to be able to blog about it! I had a good run until I got rained out while watching the Foo Fighters (with water up to my ankles and a crazy lightning storm happening around me), so that was when I decided to take a break for a few years. When I saw that Disclosure and a few other bands that I like were on the lineup this year, I figured I'd give it another try. The first artist I saw was Leon Bridges (he is relatively new and is known for the song "Smooth Sailing") and I had heard great reviews of his live shows. Let me tell you, he did not disappoint. If you love groovy soul music, then you will love Leon Bridges. He also had a very cool outfit on, which in my opinion, always adds a little something to a live performance! 

After completely devouring a slice of pizza and more than one baked good from Momofuku Milk Bar (I FINALLY got to try the desserts I have been seeing for years on my Instagram feed!), I continued to walk around Grant Park and figure out what band I wanted to see next. I chose Two Door Cinema Club, which was a very difficult choice because of how the stages were spaced out and the timing of the bands. I really wanted to see Jane's Addiction again but I was more concerned about not seeing Disclosure later. The main difference between this year and the previous years I had attended Lolla is the INSANE amount of tweens/teenagers! When Two Door Cinema Club started playing their 2011 hit "What You Know", these kids came out of all angles running to the stage, as if the song came out yesterday! It's actually pretty cool that all these kids are going to Lolla now, I would have loved to see people my own age when I started going. Anyways, Two Door Cinema Club was also really good and I discovered that I like a lot of their music.

 By the time their set ended, it was time to start getting ready for Disclosure. Luckily, they were both on the same stage so I didn't even have to move this time AND not one tall person got in my way! That was a huge win for me considering literally every concert I have ever gone to, the tallest/widest human being in the entire world stands right in front of me. I also had my incredible new 21st century Nikon camera to zoom in really close with! Disclosure came on right at 8:30 (another win) and they played until 10. Their show was the best I've seen in awhile and they were even better than when I saw them in 2014 at the Aragon, if that is possible. It blows my mind that 2 English brothers that are so young can come up with such incredibly genius songs themselves! I will always be in awe of them and look forward to their next Chicago show. I was also secretly hoping that Sam Smith would make a surprise cameo like he did at Coachella but no such luck this time. Regardless, the set was fantastic and the crowd was so energetic. They played most of the songs off their first album, Settle, as well as their newest album, Caracal. Nothing honestly beats being able to see one of your favorite bands playing outside on a beautiful summer night, it was truly magical. I'm so glad that I gave Lolla another chance this year, the weather was perfect and I got the closest I had ever gotten to the headlining act. I can't wait to see what bands are on next year's lineup - maybe there will be a Lollapalooza 2017 post!

Leon Bridges

Two Door Cinema Club

Disclosure

                The famous Crack Pie, Confetti cookie + chocolate chip-cornflake-marshmallow                                    cookie! (If anyone goes to NYC, you MUST make a trip to Milk Bar)

Crack Pie 

Aaaand here's me! 

If anyone has an Lolla stories they'd like to share, feel free to leave me a comment and stay tuned for my next post on one of my favorite bands Wild Belle!

-Ava

The Heirs at JBTV 3.8.16

Last week, my company hosted a post-work event at JBTV Studios, which is a TV studio that was founded by a genius named Jerry Bryant over 30 years ago. More info here: http://jbtvmusic.com/. I had always heard great things about this place but never actually knew much about it. Let me tell you, as a music lover, this place is absolutely AMAZING! There is an endless amount of history on those walls and so many musicians that I admire have walked performed there. All of their live shows are free, which is I am shocked that I didn't know about until recently. They host a balanced mix of both well-known and up-and-coming artists, many are bands I know songs by. The bands that were playing when I went were The Heirs (an LA-based electro-pop sibling duo) and The Big Pink (an English electronic band). This time, I only saw the first band but I plan on attending more shows now that I know they are open to the public and free! The Heirs are a relatively new group, featuring siblings Brandon and Savannah Hudson. I thought they were at least in their early 20's, but further research led me to discover that they are actually teenagers still AND they made it to the semi-finals on America's Got Talent in 2013. They ended up playing a 30 minute set, featuring songs off their EP, Ecliptic. Because the performances are actually taped live, they had a very small amount of room so we had to make a ton of noise so that it sounds like a huge audience on TV, which was a pretty cool experience! I really enjoyed their vibe and had actually heard one of their songs, Love Lockdown, on one of the Starbucks Playlist when I used to work there. I didn't catch all the song names, but I believe they sang all of their EP, my favorite was Ecliptic. Brandon and Savannah's voices couldn't be more perfect together! The entire band is extremely talented, every member clicks together to create something so pure sounding, I loved every minute of this performance and would DEFINITELY see this group again. My next show is Gary Clark Jr at the Riv on April 1st. If anyone has any upcoming shows, leave a comment using the convenient comment box and let me know who you're seeing!

Wild Belle @ the Metro 1/15/16

This past Friday I saw one of my favorite bands, Wild Belle, at the Metro as part of the Tomorrow Never Knows festival. I had previously seen them at this same venue 3 years ago  and was so excited when I found out they were coming back! (The link to my post from that show is: http://musicjunkie616.blogspot.com/2013/11/wild-belle-metro-102613.html) Their sophomore album, Dreamland, is set to be released in April so I have been looking forward to hearing some of their new material. I don't have a set list for this show, but they played all of their debut album Isles, as well as a few new tunes off of Dreamland. They ended up coming on at 11 and the excitement of the crowd was at its peak, which added to the anticipation.

The band is from Barrington, so it was cool to see their family/friends also enjoying the show. I ended up being pretty close to the stage, almost in the same spot as 2013, so I managed to get some good videos. The band always has the best clothes, I want to raid Natalie's closet! Elliot also has awesome clothes, he was wearing a really cool jacket. The thing I love about seeing this band live is that there really are no special effects at all, which is how more shows should be. There aren't many Chicago bands that incorporate the sax in their music, so that is also one of the things that makes Wild Belle so unique, in my opinion. (How could anyone NOT be impressed by Elliot's playing?? He is phenomenal.) The addition of 2 backup singers was a great idea, they added so much to the band's dynamic and they brought some groovy dance moves!

I could tell that there were a lot of new fans in the audience because some of them didn't even know about Wild Belle, but I'm sure they definitely became fans after Friday night's show. I also noticed that compared to their show in 2013, there were a lot more people and a lot less room to move around. In the time since their first album came out, they have been gaining press in commercials, movies and publications so maybe that is why more people came out to see them. Regardless, I am glad that more people are discovering them because they truly are a unique and incredible group. I will never get tired of seeing them and that's something I can't say for most bands I've seen. To find out more information about Wild Belle, check out http://www.wildbelle.com/music and be on the lookout for their upcoming album, Dreamland, in April!

MCA Primetime 10.2.15

Back in October, I attended an after-hours event called MCA Primetime at the Museum of Contemporary Art titled Vibes. The event was mainly a celebration of various artists from the Chicago area and featured artwork for sale, musical performances and various food vendors. I didn't get a chance to check out the artwork but from what I researched, it looked pretty cool! The food vendors were from the local area and included Parson's Chicken & Fish, Thank You and Tiki Bar Lost Lake. I also had never been to this museum and was always interested in going to it but never got around to it! It's a pretty cool place, this a lot of unique artwork and exhibits. If you've never been to this museum and enjoy art, definitely check this place out! I personally would have liked to see more of the museum while I was there but I'll just have to come back. I am a big fan of the band Wild Belle and mainly attended this event because Elliot Bergman and some of the members of Wild Bell were performing. They did not disappoint and were so good even though it was such a cold and windy night! I even got to meet Elliot, which honestly made my entire night because I'd been wanting to meet him for awhile. He is the NICEST guy! I was picked to be an extra in Wild Belle's new video for Giving Up On You a few months back and I couldn't make it which was a bummer but I'm really glad I got to meet him anyways! I also met the other band members, they were also extremely nice and laid back. This was a little different than the normal performance with Wild Belle because Natalie (Elliot's sister and the lead singer for the group) wasn't a part of this event so it was mainly instrumental with some vocals sang by a backup singer for Wild Belle. She was PHENOMONAL and had the coolest dress on ever. Elliot makes these really cool hand-made bells and I was blown away at how beautiful they were in person. This performance was relatively short because they were the first performance of the night and it took place outside the museum while we were waiting to get in. After their set, I made my way into the museum to check out the other events (ie the food vendors). The lines for the food were the longest lines ever and it took almost an hour to get my tiny (yet delicious) Parson's Chicken sandwich and amazingly good hush puppies. Seriously, if you live in Chicago haven't had Parson's yet, it's a must! I wouldn't wait in line an hour for it ever again but it was very good. After quickly eating my food before the frigid air blew it out of my hands, I left the museum. There is another event like this one coming up in February that I MIGHT try to go to granted it's not below 0 outside. While I did enjoy this event, some things could have run a little smoother, mainly the food situation. The amount of people (1,200) compared the amount of food vendors (3) was not a good combination. Maybe they didn't expect that many people but I hope next time for everyone's sake that they have more than 3 food vendors. I will definitely be coming to this museum another time because the exhibits were pretty interesting. If you'd like to learn more about the particular event that I attended, more information can be found at this link: https://mcachicago.org/Calendar/2015/10/Prime-Time-Vibes






Hand-made bells-so cool.






Elliot and I!

Back from a brief hiatus...

Hello!

I have been away from this blog for quite a few months due to lack of concert activity BUT I am in the process of posting my reviews on some recently released songs. I also saw that 21 people from Russia viewed my blog the other day so I must still be relevant at least in some part of the world! A lot has happened in my life the past few months that is not related to music. I started my first real post-college job a few weeks ago and it's going really well! *insert thumbs up here* In music-related news, I did not attend Lolla this year but am considering ending my 4 year hiatus and attending next year//purchasing a VIP ticket. I have awhile to think about it, but have researched it a bit and it really has some amazing perks including catered meals and drinks, air conditioned bathrooms (basically worth it right there if you ask me), special designated areas to view the stages and mini-spa treatments. It is pretty pricey (this year cost about $1,800 for one person) but given that it includes all of the things I mentioned above for the entire weekend and a 3-day pass, the price makes sense. We'll see if I still feel this way in a few months! In terms of concerts, I'm super bummed that Ed Sheeran is coming in the middle of the week and in Tinley Park of all places next month. I remember seeing him featured on VH1's You Oughta Know about 4 years ago when nobody knew who he was yet in the States. Then, I researched his past concerts and of course he played at the Riv in 2012 which would've been AMAZING to see. He truly is a very talented songwriter, it blows my mind that it's literally just him and a guitar on stage. Anyways, if anyone has been/are going to to any shows or have any new music they recommend, feel free to drop me a comment in the handy comment box below this post. I need new material to blog about so any and all suggestions will be listened to. :) I hope you all are having a fabulous summer and stay tuned for a new post in the coming days!

-Ava

Fitz & the Tantrums at The Riviera. 11.22.14

I am so happy that I get to write about Fitz & the Tantrums, I've been wanting to see them for awhile and every time they came to Chicago something else came up so finally see them live was something I have been looking forward to. They are such an energetic band and put on an incredible show! The band originated in LA and has 6 members, all of them are fantastic musicians. The lead singer is Michael Fitzpatrick (Fitz), singer Noelle Scaggs (lead singer of the soul-band The Rebirth, incredible voice), Joe Karnes on bass, James King (AMAZING saxophone, flute and keyboard player),  keyboard player Jeremy Ruzumna and drummer John Wicks. I honestly love all of their songs and was very happy with the set list from this show! They performed a mix of songs from their first album Pickin' up the Pieces and their newest album More Than Just A Dream. Fan favorites include The Walker, Out of my League, Moneygrabber, and their new single Fool's Gold. This show was at the Riv, which was awesome because it's a great venue. I chose to sit in the balcony for this show and it ended up being the best choice even though the TALLEST woman I have ever seen ended up sitting in front of me.....I've said it before many times in previous posts and unfortunately this show wasn't any different. Even when I'm sitting in the balcony the tallest person in the planet sits in front of me. Every. Single. Time. Not to mention, she was with a group of equally annoying people that were literally looked like they stepped out of the 1950's. Anyways, other than being slightly annoyed at them the concert itself was everything I thought it would be. The opening band, Big Data, was just okay in my opinion. I'm not too familiar with their music but they do have a song out called Dangerous that has been featured lately in TV shows and played frequently on the radio. I never usually like the opening act at any show, so it wasn't surprising that I wasn't blown away by them but I could see them becoming fairly popular. Fitz and the Tantrums had a really cool setup and the effects were outstanding. There's a heart that is on the cover of More than Just a Dream that they use for their live shows and during the show they had one that lit up differently with each song. So cool! Also, they gave everyone free bracelets that light up every time you clap, so naturally I took 8 of them (shhhhh). I thought this was an amazing concept and if I were ever in a band I would definitely give everyone bracelets like that! If you enjoy upbeat, groovy music you've gotta put Fitz and the Tantrums on your must-see concert list.  I've honestly never seen a band with so much energy! I know I'll be seeing them again because they come to Chicago all the time and I really enjoyed their show. I hope you enjoy my song clips! I have additional videos on my Youtube channel so if you'd like to see more, check it out! The next show I'll be posting on is coming up in February and I'll be seeing one of my favorite British artists, Ben Howard, at the Vic. Until next time!

(As you can see, the annoying woman in front of me wouldn't stop waving her hand around so I was trying to film around it...)