Friday, October 17
An Albatross, DMBQ @ Abbey Pub
Psychedelic circus-metal stalwarts An Albatross play at Chicago’s Abbey Pub in advance of headliners DMBQ, a Japanese throwback rock group that kicks out long-form psych jams. For the record, An Albatross’ new album, The An Albatross Family Album, owns it.
Music editor Jamie Ludwig and online editor Scott Morrow will both be in attendance, so be sure heckle them if you see their perty mugs. Avant-garde indie group Pit er Pat also performs.
Against Me! @ The Riviera
Political punks Against Me! rock one of the city’s main small-to-medium venues with Ted Leo & The Pharmacists just 17 days before the general election. Our money is on a night full of emotionally charged anthems and political shout outs.
Vast Aire, Qwel @ Subterranean
Former Cannibal Ox rapper Vast Aire continues the solo life in support of his second such album, Deuces Wild, and he gets quality local openers in the forms of MCs Seel Fresh and Qwel. This promises to be one of the month’s better hip-hop shows.
Saturday, October 18
Man Man, Tim Fite @ Bottom Lounge
Saturday is Scott’s mega day. First, he gets to see peerless folk rapper Tim Fite and manic freak rockers Man Man in the early evening (thank the gods for two performances!). Fite’s most recent album, Fair Ain’t Fair, focused more on pretty melodies than hardcore rhymes, but it was also borne of depression. Make sure to read our interview with Tim Fite if you missed it.
There are not enough words for the Man Man experience. If you live in Chicago and haven’t seen the group’s all-white-clothing-and-face-paint routine, you have a pair of opportunities for initiation. Man Man’s newest album, Rabbit Habbits, is its finest collection of tunes yet.
Ten-year high-school reunion!
After Tim Fite and Man Man, Scott will whisk himself to his 10-year high-school reunion, where he may or may not shun the party’s “no jeans” request. He’ll also do his best to get hammered on Shirley Temples.
Genghis Tron @ Beat Kitchen
Scott’s night ends with the matchless electro-metal manipulation of Genghis Tron. The trio’s incomparable blend of IDM, grind, ambient, and doom sounds is pulled off remarkably well for not having a drummer; instead, drum samples are weighted to sound live. Board Up the House, the group’s February full-length, is a serious contender for this year’s list of top-ten favorites.
Sunday, October 19
RTX CD release party @ Kuma’s Corner
If you’re a music fan in Chicago, chances are that you’ve eaten at Kuma’s – where else can you order a burger (animal or vegetable style) named after metal bands? Former Royal Trux vocalist Jennifer Herrema has a CD release show with RTX here this Sunday, providing the tunes to wash down that greasy goodness.
Unless someone puts out something that kicks my ass in the next two and a half months, I can already say with no reservations that Board Up The House will top my favorite album list.