Care to stalk us this weekend? Search for us around Chicago as we see Subtle, The Lonesome Organist, Eastern Blok, the Andreas Kapsalis Trio, Young Widows, and more. And maybe you’d care to see The Dark Knight with online editor Scott Morrow…
Thursday, November 13
Eastern Blok, Lamajamal @ Darkroom
A pair of Chicago groups with Balkan flair take the stage at Darkroom on Thursday, presenting different levels of cultural influence.
Led by classical guitarist Goran Ivanovic, Eastern Blok swirls bits of the region’s music into accessible jazz passages and melodic guitar work. Lamajamal, on the other hand, takes a more authentic approach to the genre, running through dexterous Gypsy folk tunes.
Friday, November 14
Subtle, Zach Hill @ Empty Bottle
Fronted by the idiosyncratic styles of rappers Adam “Doseone” Drucker and Jeffrey “Jel” Logan, Subtle is an often unclassifiable mixture of hip hop and indie rock.
The group is joined here by Zach Hill and Peer Pressure, which is actually a moniker for the wild, improvisational drummer’s kit. Hill will have a group with in the future, but for his current tour, he’s using his drum set, an iPod, and a laptop to recreate his long-form improv jam “Necromancer.”
Andreas Kapsalis Trio, The Lonesome Organist @ The Morse Theatre
As a globally influenced finger-tapping acoustic guitarist, Andreas Kapsalis is limited only by his imagination. His beautiful, complex arrangements are complemented by percussionists Jamie Gallagher and Darren Garvey, who join Kapsalis here for the trio’s release of Original Scores, its first new album in four years.
The show has an excellent opener in the form of Thrill Jockey one-man band The Lonesome Organist, whose driving rhythms, fearsome organ, and instrumental arsenal are often played simultaneously.
Saturday, November 15
Finally seeing The Dark Knight?
Somehow, online editor Scott Morrow missed his second straight chance to see the new Batman series in the theater. He blew it for Batman Begins, which he has since bought on DVD but has yet to watch, and he’s done it again for The Dark Knight. As much as it pains him to watch it at the cheap theaters, he’s plum out of luck.
Sunday, November 16
Young Widows @ Beat Kitchen
Punishing mid-tempo rock trio Young Widows is back in town to tour on its great new album, Old Wounds, released through Temporary Residence. The group gets a strong opener in the form of metal/jazz crossover artist Bruce Lamont, who heads Yakuza.
Hauschka @ Schubas
With a new album released on the same day as that of Young Widows, German pianist and composer Volker Bertelmann, who goes by Hauschka on record, comes to our town on the same night. His musical foundation is built on a decade of classical studies, but he modernizes his repertoire with home-rigged piano effects, acoustic and electric instruments, and structural influences of electronica and minimalism.