Whether or not one has off on Friday, Thursday night is the official start of the weekend — if only because there are too many good shows to see. One of those includes Chicago quintet Algernon, a psychedelic, jazz-tinged post-rock outfit that hits hard.
Thursday, December 11
Algernon @ Darkroom
Rooted in jazz-tinged post-rock, Chicago quintet Algernon plays Tortoise-style melodies in a psychedelic rock setup (plus vibraphone). Many of the group’s members regularly perform in the city’s experimental jazz scene, and a pair of them play on Sunday with — lo and behold — Tortoise’s drummer, John Hernon (among other noted local musicians — see our post tomorrow morning about Sunday). In fact, Tortoise guitarist and jazz luminary Jeff Parker plays DJ sets at this show.
But that’s not to say that Algernon is Tortoise Jr. The group creates original indie-psych soundscapes, led by songwriter/guitarist Dave Miller. If you’re in Chicago, this show is a nice deal for just $7.