Two More for Me (Part II)

So on Saturday night, I went to see Figurines at Beat Kitchen. It was a pretty late show, 10:30, and guess who still managed to be late? Tardiness seems to be my only talent. Anway, the show was held by Chicago Innerview magazine, as a sort of Post-Intonation Fest Bash. I don't think the 3 bands played at Intonation. Since I was late, I missed all but 1 1/2 songs of the first band, The Modern Temper, but I liked what I heard, so I will research them more. Here's a pic: Next up was by far the most energetic act I have seen thus far, called Skybox. I have no clue how to describe their music. I guess it is safe to say rock, country,disco, blues, the Charleston?, probably some jazz/soul, etc. And it works. These 5 guys have great stage presence. I'm not sure I would have given them a chance if I just heard the songs once. I probably would have thought it was too experimental for me. But since I was so entertained by their live show, I went back to their myspace and I think it is safe to say the music is eccentric but hugely catchy-riffic ("Various Kitchen Utensils" a 3.8 on my scale), so I am glad I know who they are. A photo (see the bongos!): Finally, Figurines were on. As you can see, nobody was really adamant about being in the front row, so when Figurines came on, I took some initiative and stood in the front row, kind of where that kid in the blue shirt is. I don't think I have made it to the front before, just because all the other shows I've been to were a lot more crowded. I don't think there were more than 50 audience members for this show.What a shame. Now I can tell my grandkids that I stood in the front row of a Figurines concert. I am pretty sure they will be famous in no time.
I enjoyed the set thoroughly. They played almost a lot of the songs off their second album, Skeleton, plus some from the first album, Shake a Mountain. I was a little sad that they skipped some of my favorites. They were the headliners (their record label Morningside's site said that this was their first US headlining show, which makes it even more awesome for me), but I think they had been openers on the rest of the tour, so the setlist must've been short for those shows, and they just didn't expand it for this show. However, they played my 3 most favorite songs in a row, so my head was ready to explode from the excitement. I'll have a video and set list later. They don't talk much in between songs, lots of "Thank you"'s. Their harmonies were as great live as on the albums. I sang along with everything, probably did a little head bopping and feet moving, otherwise known as "dancing."
After the show, I first went back to the merch table. The only things for sale were the album (which I already have from SonicStage) and a t-shirt. I would have loved to get the t-shirt but it was white, which I don't wear. White only makes chubby Indian girls look darker and chubbier, plus there's that whole widow thing. But they did have free posters and postcards, so I took those. I forgot to check out the merch of the other bands, woops. Anyway, I told myself that I had to be brave, so I went to the front and waited behind 2 girls that were getting their pic w/ the drummer. When it was my turn, I said "Hi, could you sign this?" and handed him the poster. The drummer, Volde, was such a sweetheart. He asked me if I wanted the other guys to sign it too, and then he actually went and got them! Who does that? What a nice fellow. So all 4 guys (Claus-guitar, Mads-bass, Christian-vox/guitar) signed the poster, and I made sure to thank everybody. They seemed a little bit shy even. Then another man, I'm guessing their tour manager, saw my camera and asked "Do you want a picture?" and I said "Sure!" and then I heard him say something to Christian about how they have to show love to "early adopters" and I thought, yep, that's definitely me. So he took a pic of me and the lead singer. Thanks, tour manager! I am not sure any other show will ever beat this one for me. I am so glad I went. Here are some photos:

Volde

Christian

Mads

Claus

Figurines

Volde reminds me of a werewolf

That's all I have for now. I hope I can edit down all of the clips from the last two concerts into two videos, by the end of this summer. Right now, I only plan on going to the Taste of Chicago, on the 4th (lord, will it be crowded), just to see Ray Davies...and have some food. I don't know a lot about the former lead singer of The Kinks, except that he is mentioned as an influence to basically every single singer/songwriter I have ever read an interview of (damn prepositions), so I am pretty sure I won't regret seeing him live. Supposedly, OK Go will be at the Woodfield Mall in Schaumberg, IL on the 8th. I am wary of this though, it seems way too good to be true. I can't find anything else confirming their appearance there, aside from it being listed on the band's website. It would take me 1 1/2 hours to get there by public transportation (my bane,or maybe the instrument of my tardiness talents). I think it would be worth it. I have never been inside this behemoth of a mall. And I have never seen OK Go, whom I have been listening to since before my junior year of high school. Two birds, one stone? Plus, I need new sneakers for the fall. Sure, Michigan and State are only like 15 minutes away from my apt., but...I need to justify 1 1/2 hours. Sigh.

Two More for Me (Part I)

So I've decided this is the summer of concerts. Every time I open a newspaper or check a website-there's another band I want to see that is coming to Chicago. Thank God, some of the shows are 21+. Normally, I would complain, but this is a good thing because it forces me to back down from going to those. whew. And I'm not going to any of the great festivals this summer. I could have gone to Intonation, but I really don't think I would've been comfortable going by myself for 2 whole days, when I think it is bad enough for 3 hours. Plus I only really listened to maybe 4 or 5 of the acts. The Pitchfork fest and Lollapalooza, coincidentally, both occur AFTER I am done with summer school and my housing contract is up, and hence I have nowhere to stay in Chicago. Oh well, maybe next year. I'm too cheap to go to Lolla, especially since I'm not earning money. This past Wed., I went to the We Are Scientists concert at the Metro. I arrived later than I wanted to, but still about 15 minutes before start time. I got off the bus and started walking towards the Metro, looking down as usual. Then I heard a voice that I thought sounded familiar and when I looked up I saw Keith, the lead singer/guitarist, and Chris, the bassist!! They were talking to two girls, right there on the sidewalk. I'm surprised I didn't shriek or something. I wanted to stop and talk to them so badly, like get an autograph or picture, but I thought it would have been terribly rude of me to interrupt the conversation, so I just walked past them. I was an inch away, wow. The first band up is called Au Revoir Simone. They are 3 women, who play keyboards, tamborines, and assorted sound machines, of which I do not know the name. I liked them a lot, compared to most other girl "rock" bands, whom I won't even bother mentioning. The only song I had listened to, before the concert, was called 'Hurricanes.' All three girls share vocals, and they stand in the same line when they play, like a united front. Pretty cool. They have kind of a bohemian sense about them. Maybe I am wrong. I don't know anything about fashion,obviously. Here are a few (as always, low-quality) pics:As you can see, I was probably in the 7th or so row. The thing I hate about the Metro is the pushiness of it. I don't listen to moshing bands for a reason. I think I am pretty claustrophobic, and I hate being pushed or touched, but this is what happens at the Metro. Sure, I like to stand closer to the stage, but I'd rather find a way to sneak closer myself, than be forced. For the second act, I had snuck up to maybe the 5th row, but by the time WAS came out, I had been squished into the 3rd row. I still like the Metro for its architecture, and this time I didn't see a single smoker. This may have been because it was an all-ages show (you could tell it was all-ages because of the squealy groups of teenagers). However, when I came outside, I still smelled slightly of smoke, so I am pretty sure that ban hasn't taken effect at the Metro yet. Less than 2 years to go, yea! Sure, I'll be done with college, but I am pretty sure I will still be in Chicago, so the ban works for me. Next up was The Double, from New York (all the bands were from New York). The only song I can remember them playing is called "Idiocy." These guys also use a lot of keyboards, but have your 'traditional' instruments, as well. I liked their set, but for some reason, the music on their myspace doesn't seem like the same music that they played at the concert, but for that one song. I probably wasn't paying close enough attention. My feet had started to hurt by then. I had asked my mum to get me earplugs, but she got the kind for swimming. I am pretty sure they kept no noise out at all. Aside from money and time spent, the other reason I need to slow down with the concerts is because of my hearing, which is very precious to me. Anyway, back to the band. Here are some photos: Finally, We Are Scientists came out. They played almost all of the songs off of 'With Love and Squalor,' except maybe 2, plus several older songs. I sang along and even found myself bobbing my head and moving my feet a little, which is my version of dancing. It was a lot of fun. They had some witty banter in between songs, a few mishaps even, but in the end, the show rocked. Here are some pics, which were not helped by the damn smoke machine they insisted on having: I was definitely closer to the stage than what the pics indicate. I was smack dab in the middle of the 3rd row. The lights at the Metro would shine out over the audience (too often I say, kind of blinding), so I wonder if I was seen, by either Michael (drums) or Keith. Chris was off too far off to the right.Everyone screamed for an encore, to no avail. I figured it wouldn't happen. Ted Leo is the only encore I have seen so far, one reason he is so dear to my heart. After the show, I was tempted to buy some merchandise, especially a t-shirt. But one shirt was a really light cream color, the other one was a perfect gray, but it had the hand of a lady smoking something, so of course I am not going to get it, and the third one was a good navy blue, but every single person was buying it, so I am pretty sure they wouldn't have had my size left by the time I got out of the cue. I did stand outside the Metro, with just about everybody else, waiting for them to come out, but that also was to no avail. It's ok, I guess, they are pretty major now. It would take them forever to sign stuff and take pictures. I should have come to the show way early, damn me and my lateness. But the evil-looking security guards yelled at all of us to go away, after like 20 minutes,using some unnecessary foul language. It's not like it was a freakin Limp Bizkit? concert, nobody would've argued with them or run a muck, so there was no need for rudeness. But something interesting did happen while I was waiting. I saw a couple of guys leave the Metro store, after buying some merch, I assume. Well, technically the first thing I saw was one of the guy's T-shirt, since he was so freaking tall, then I saw his face. He looked so familiar! Then I saw the third guy and I definitely recognized him. And believe it or not, I said "Hey, do you work for Threadless?" And he replied "yeah", and then one of his buddies came back and said "hey, you got recognized!" and then I had nothing else to say, so they left. Hehe. Threadless is based in Chicago, which is the only reason my brain put 2 and 2 together. It's not really like they were celebrities. I haven't the faintest clue what their names are or anything. I just really want the Bunnies shirt, and that Summer shirt, maybe for my birthday? What was exciting to me about this whole episode was not that I saw the guys, but that I actually had enough nerve to speak up and say something to them. Yea for me! Ok, I am going to put together a video and set list of the WAS part of the concert later on. Part II, which will come soon, is all about The Figurines concert I went to yesterday.

Another Concert for Me

So I went to the MOMN show at the Beat Kitchen on May 30th. Sleep Out was playing also (the 2 bands share a band member), as well as another band I knew some songs of, The Friendly Lens. There was also a band called Signsedso, whom I did not know. I was tired before I even got there, and in another one of my worry-wart modes about classes, so I wasn't as excited as the first time I saw the bands. But they all did a fine job. Signsedso was more hard rock compared to the other bands, but nothing I couldn't handle, pretty good stuff. In general, it seemed more relaxed than the last show. There were no ties to be seen. MOMN played a ton of new stuff, so I was sad that I only knew the words to a few of the songs. But I did like the new material. Sleep Out was good,I think I am liking their music more and more each time I see them. And I enjoyed the Friendly Lens, they are funny. I had a good time, but I was distracted. It just sucks that I do Everything and go Everywhere by myself, and look like a loser, just standing there alone. I don't talk to new people. I am painfully shy, and equally unapproachable. Seriously, rarely do people approach me. I don't think I walk around with a scowl on my face... Maybe my smile looks like a scowl, I don't know. And I am pretty sure it doesn't help my situation when every single person is drinking or smoking but me. Oh, my third most favorite thing about concerts (with the music at #1, seeing the bands at #2) is, after getting to my apt, ripping off my clothes and leaping into the shower in a desperate attempt to wash the smoke smell off my skin and hair. Did you know that second-hand smoke not only irritates your throat, but makes your eyes burn? I only learned this at the concert. Back to whatever I was saying before. If I have to choose between looking like a loser or staying cooped up for the rest of eternity, I guess I would choose the former. Anyway, I will post my Sevens lists soon, I promise. I just have a limited memory and I have to research my past ;) Oh, I want to make a recommendation, since I haven't made one in months, and that was the whole purpose of the blog! Silly me. I think you all should check out Figurines. I believe they will become famous (here) at any time now. They are a crazy Danish band, with pretty good videos, and catchy-riffic(3-4's people!) songs. I can't get the chorus of "I Remember" out of my head, and the middle of the song reminds me of the music of a certain youngster Norwegian songster. So please, click on the link and watch the video for this song. I hope you enjoy...