First off – Congratulations to Tim who won last week’s Alejandro Escovedo ticket giveaway!
Bang Bang Slang‘s “Bang on THIS!” song-of-the-day comes from West Palm Beach 2010 indie breakout group Surfer Blood – a familiar band featured on BBS – and their Halfway House performance of a newer, non-Astro Coast song, “I’m Not Ready”. With tomorrow’s double-header performances at Lincoln Hall this will be the 4th time that Surfer Blood has cruised into Chicago this year. Might be more. The last time that BBS caught up with the Surfer Blood dudes was at Pitchfork Fest, where they jammed through a breezy afternoon set to a sweaty group of hundreds, crammed in the corner of the festival grounds. While it still might be a bit crammed at their 7:00 PM NEARLY SOLD OUT LH showtomorrow, tickets to the 10:00 show are still available… and The Drums are opening, so give me a break. Buy a ticket already.
LISTEN: Surfer Blood – “Anchorage “
LISTEN: The Drums – ” Let’s Go Surfing “
If “I’m Not Ready” is a sign of what’s to come with the follow up to 2010’s Astro Coast, then Surfer Blood should have no problem riding out the wave of success they’ve been hanging on over the past year or so. “Ready” captures a similar tone and song structure utilized on Astro Coast – it could’ve very well been slipped onto the tracklist unnoticed, a nice accent and contribution to the already near flawless debut. But as with the rest of the Halfway House recordings for the Surfer Blood session, “Ready” carries an air of maturity for the band as a whole that didn’t exist last Fall when they started to blow up. They’re playing their instruments better than ever before and have made some harmonious changes in their arrangements that have given their songs a bigger, more commanding sound. JP bellows a spot-on Tim Kasher style “Ah-oh-Ah-oh” to end the song – his vocal ability is finally at that level of balance between perfectly imperfect and extremely genuine to favor the sound of his band. We’re loving it.
If BBS had to guess, we’d say that Surfer Blood‘s follow up album follows in the same suit as The Strokes‘ “Room on Fire“. No need to shake up the formula, but a second offering of Astro Coast might just work the best here.
Mickey Melchiondo & BBS Hooligans off the coast of Belmar, NJ 09/10/10
It’s been nearly a month since we braved the open seas with one of our guitar heroes as Co-Captain – Mickey Melchiondo (the one and only Deaner of Ween) – and the experience is one that will hold lasting vibrations of awesomeness for the entire gang that came along on our fishing adventure.
Speaking now as founder of the site, I couldn’t have wrangled up a better group of dudes to bring out to Belmar, NJ. An overdue thanks has to be given to our buddy Yankus who put the wheels in motion, contacted Mickey, kept our asses in check, and solidified plans for the entire thing – thank you, man! After 5 hours of slaying bluefish, sea bass, and striper, shitfaced crushing of endless booze, slamming burritos with fish guts on our hands, and smoking cigs till our boxes were empty, we made it back to the shore with smiles ear to ear and a story to tell for the rest of our lives. If only we didn’t go bar hopping till last call afterwards, make friends with degenerates, and wake up on the grimey, prison floors of the Belmar Motor Lodge… we might have actually remembered the details.
Yes, going on a Brownie Trooptrip with Mickey is as fucking awesome as you would imagine.
The Skylarker II Pirates of Belmar
I thought the only way we could do Mickey, Brownie Troop, Captain Steve, and Billy justice by means of commemorating the trip would be by offering up an account from an expert angler who was on board (and who is of course a devout follower of Boognish). Here’s Contessa’s official fishing report on our time spent aboard the Skylarker II:
“Fishing aboard the Skylarker II was the type of early autumn magic in which wet and salty dreams are made. Admittedly, as the crew of 11 departed the parking lot of the unassuming Belmar Motor Lodge, I wasn’t confident in the success of the coming trip. To call our crew novice would have been an extreme understatement, as the majority of those among us had never fished before; but, what this crew lacked in experience, they made up for with unbridled enthusiasm and copious amounts of Bud Light.
While we motored north up the coast, first mate Billy dug in blade-first to a stack of Bunker flats which would make for the chum (and bait) of the evening. By the time Captain Steve found his numbers, whatever lack of confidence I had earlier was quickly trumped by the potent smell of bluefish grease in the air. The first hour of fishing was extremely consistent, offering the crew a mixed bag of 8-15 LBS bluefish, seabass, and even one keeper Striper landed by Tony of New Hope, PA.
The bite slowed down as the tide went slack; which ironically was when things started to heat up. I realized that our other new friend from New Hope had brought a spinning rod with a bag of various metal; the right tools for a methodology of slaying I happen to know a lot about. In no time at all we were all taking turns on the spin-gear; bombing casts deep into the chum-slick, literally hooking mammoth blues on every crank. Artificials ended up out-fishing the bait about 20-1. Thankfully, everybody got their chance to partake in the festivities. All and all, it was an amazing trip in the beauty that is coastal Jerz.” -DC
I couldn’t have summed it up better if I tried. Mainly because I don’t know shit about fishing. Sidenote: No one puked or fell overboard, which was a plus.
The Skylarker II in all its Glory
Billy preparing our chum
A Warm Welcome from Contessa, Biney, & Geoff
Starfish beer
… and then we caught fire and started bagging fish left and right.
OUR CATCHES OF THE DAY
Alex stands proud with Mickey and his Bluefish
Leslie is a boss
A-Trab & Deaner sharing in the glory
Tony's Big 'Ol Striper
Jordon's turn... bloodfest
Hale with his slippery bastard
HANGIN’ WITH MICKEY
The Cash Fan
Mickey & Drew after some serious metal skipping
On the way back to shore...
The Bachelor & Mickey
...AND THE REST OF ‘EM
"Best sleep of my life..."
Gon' get em!
Baine's MONSTER Seabass
Hey... who's that guy?
Geoff crushes some breeters
Mickey Skipping A Lure – Belmar, NJ 09/10/10
BBS will let the pictures do most of the talking on this one. But Mickey really hit the nail on the head with his credo on the Mickey’s Guide Service website: “A fishing trip is the best gift one can receive in my opinion, whether it’s for one person or a huge gathering”. In this case it was a jumbled mess of drunken best buds and the end result was one for the history books, just as we had predicted.
Do yourself a favor and book a trip with Captain Mickey before he wises up and stops taking bastards like us on the water: HERE
Mickey's Guide Service
And OF COURSE we flew all the way back to NYC to see Ween play Central Park the following weekend. What sort of assholes would we be if we flaked on Ween‘s final performance of the summer in one of the sickest park settings they’ve ever played? (FULL SETLIST BELOW)
Ween Plays Central Park 09/17/10
SETLIST
Buckingham Green
She Wanted to Leave
Bananas & Blow
Learnin’ To Live
Transdermal Celebration
Up on the Hill
Take Me Away
Don’t Get Too Close (2 My Fantasy)
Even if You Don’t
Push ‘Th Little Daisies
Sorry Charlie
Voodoo Lady
Happy Colored Marbles
Stallion Pt. 3
Ice Castles
Final Alarm
With My Own Bare Hands
Your Party
Let’s Dance – David Bowie Cover
Touch My Tooter
You Fucked Up
Stroker Ace
Waving My Dick in the Wind
Hey There Fancy Pants
Wayne’s Pet Youngin’
Goin Gets Tough from the Get Go
Johnny on the Spot
The Mollusk
Spinal Meningitis
Mister Would You Please Help My Pony?
Roses are Free
Encore:
Fiesta
Mr. Richard Smoker
Dr. Rock
Hail Boognish
… should Bang Bang Slang grow a pair and just fly out to Colorado for Ween’s Halloween show? We just might.
In the blink of an eye and the chug of a beer, we’re nearing the second week of October and BBS has completely dropped the ball on our monthly “Chicago Concert Calendar” post! After catching a mindblowing performance from indie troubador Will Oldham and his band Bonnie “Prince” Billy at Lincoln Hall and experiencing a dance funk house party – that we wouldn’t have anticipated in a million years – from Eels at Metro last week, October has clearly started on a sizzling hot note. November holds some equally hot promise for Chicagoans from acts like Danzig, Dawes, Mike Gordon, Delorean, and The Frames.
But as always, let’s focus on the now and hit you with the pressing dates that matter most (SEE BELOW – dates in bold indicate that BBS will be in attendance:
OCTOBER 2010
10/06: Teenage Fanclub @ Lincoln Hall
10/07: Jimmy Eat World @ Riviera, Stars @ The Vic, Dungen @ Lincoln Hall
10/09: Riverboat Gamblers @ Subterranean, Carl Broemel (of My Morning Jacket) @ Schubas
10/10: Dan Deacon Ensemble @ Logan Square Auditorium
10/11: Belle & Sebastian @ Chicago Theatre(SOLD OUT), AA Bondy @ Schubas, Neon Indian @ Metro, Miike Snow @ Riviera
10/12: Temper Trap @ Metro, Alejandro Escovedo @ Lincoln Hall
10/13: Guided By Voices @ The Vic (SOLD OUT), Walkmen w/ Miniature Tigers @ Metro
10/14: Bell X1 (acoustic) @ Schubas(SOLD OUT), Surfer Blood w/ The Drums (2 shows) @ Lincoln Hall, The New Pornographers w/ Tokyo Police Club @ The Vic
10/15: Sufjan Stevens @ Chicago Theatre (SOLD OUT), Devotchka @ Lincoln Hall, Safari @ Horseshoe, Felice Brothers @ Empty Bottle
10/16: Gorillaz @ UIC Pavillion, Devotchka @ Lincoln Hall, Jason Isbel & The 400 Unit w/ Langhorne Slim @ DoubleDoor, Raekwon @ Logan Square Auditorium
10/18: The Bloody Beetroots @ Lincoln Hall, Joan of Arc @ Empty Bottle
10/19: Band of Horses @ The Vic (SOLD OUT)
10/20: Avi Buffalo @ Schubas, Social Distortion w/ Lucero @ Riviera
10/21: Dr. Dog @ The Vic
10/22: Blonde Redhead @ The Vic, Deerhunter w/ Real Estate @ Metro
10/23: Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses (2 Shows) @ Subterranean(SOLD OUT)
10/25: LCD Soundsystem w/ Hot Chip @ Aragon Ballroom(SOLD OUT)
10/26: LCD Soundsystem w/ Hot Chip @ Riviera
10/27: Two Door Cinema Club @ Lincoln Hall
10/28: Planes Mistaken for Stars @ Subterranean, Black Mountain @ Metro, The Vaselines w/ Dum Dum Girls @ Lincoln Hall
10/29: Bear in Heaven @ Lincoln Hall, Jaill @ Mayne Stage, Born Ruffians @ Empty Bottle
10/30: Bob Dylan & His Band @ Riviera, Dandy Warhols @ The Vic, Soft Pack w/ Kurt Vile @ Empty Bottle, Deer Tick @ Bottom Lounge, Morning Benders @ Lincoln Hall
10/31: Mumford & Sons @ The Vic (SOLD OUT) (Happy Halloween!)
BANG BANG SLANG’s Top 3 Concert Picks – OCTOBER:
1.) LCD SOUNDSYSTEM w/ HOT CHIP @ Aragon Ballroom, October 25
LISTEN: LCD Soundsystem – “Losing My Edge”
2.) RYAN BINGHAM & THE DEAD HORSES @ Subterranean, October 23
LISTEN: Ryan Bingham – “Dylan’s Hard Rain”
3.) CARL BROEMEL (of My Morning Jacket) @ Schubas, October 9
LISTEN: Carl Broemel – “Heaven Knows”
Our next round of shows will resume tomorrow with Jimmy Eat World‘s stop at Riviera. We’ve been fans of these Tuscon indie/pop innovators for well over a decade now, having last seen them on their Bleed American tour, appropriately on September 10, 2001 – right before they pulled that album title from their modus operandi. So it’s been practically 10 years since we’ve checked em out and seeing them live again should be as comforting as a big bowl of mac ‘n cheese. All in all – Chicago venues have stepped their game up for October and there’s too much for us to even digest at this point… it’s overwhelming. Good work booking/talent/promo managers!
Again, congratulations to Jonathan who will be at Lincoln Hall‘s Teenage Fanclub show tonight! Alejandro Escovedo ticket giveaway winners will be announced at 12:00 PM on Friday 10/08… Keep the entries coming – we’ve got a ton so far.
Anyone going to Jimmy Eat World on Thursday or any other shows highlighted in bold? Let us know and BBSwill buy you a beer – as usual – on us… FOR FREE!
Alejandro Escovedo & The Sensitive Boys stop by Lincoln Hall next Tuesday!
He’s come a long way since his time in the ’70’s with punk rock pioneers The Nuns. A long way. Alejandro Escovedo is the quintessential “somehow still flying under the radar” prodigal musician – a talent that has tasted a wide spectrum of genres, mastered them, collaborated with many of the greats, and established a healthy discography as a solo artist over the last two decades. Plus, he was a central collaborator with BBS’ favorite singer/songwriter, Ryan Adams, during Whiskeytown‘s “Stranger’s Almanac” sessions. (I would cut off my pinky to see some of those Bloodshot Records shows from the late 90’s…ugh) A man who No Depression hailed as their “Artist of the Decade” is coming to our beloved Lincoln Hall next Tuesday 10/12.
… and Bang Bang Slang has a pair of tickets to give away to the show!
Another artist that helps lessen BBS‘ longing for the South and bring back our fondness for Alt-Country to the Midwest, Escovedo‘s Chicago tour date is his first in a while and should be whiskey soaked glory.
Congratulations to Jonathan and Ashley for taking away last week’s pair of tickets to Teenage Fanclub‘s 2 night stand at Lincoln Hall beginning tonight! Have fun!!!
FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN – send an email to bangbangslangblog@gmail.com or get at @bangbangslang on Twitter! (Please include your full name)
If you’re dumb enough to actually believe this then you don’t deserve to be a Beatles fan… or even a Gaga fan for that matter. But the vocal and instrumental edits are fairly impressive.
Somewhere Lennon is smoking a cigarette in disgust, but it’s definitely worth a Monday laugh. Enjoy…
And we’re BACK… Riding off last week’s grueling concert calendar, things are looking much slower for the coming days in early October – but the few punches that this week packs live music wise are strong. Bang Bang Slang will be hittin’ up the Riviera to see our boyhood heroes Jimmy Eat World on Thursday and then heading to a much anticipated October concert highlight with My Morning Jacket guitarist Carl Broemel playing Schubas on Saturday, his first solo tour ever. We’ve got our full Dean Ween fishing trip post coming this week (finally) and some From The Archives entries that we’re excited to drop.
Last week BBS introduced you to a rising hip hop great from Gary, Indiana who spits the raw truth – Freddie Gibbs. Since then we’ve reignited our respect and admiration for Gangsta Gibbs and have been spinning his shit more or less nonstop… on the streets, in our cribs, even at the office. After copping his “Str8 Killa” EP (his first legit studio effort in forever) over the weekend, BBS thought we’d continue to spread some love for Gibbs on the site and drop his “Str8 Killa No Filla” MIXTAPE, which he threw out to his fanbase for free just days before the studio release hits stores. Now that’s gangsta.
Deerhunter plays new material off their latest, "Halcyon Digest", at their Chicago Urban Outfitter Secret Generator concert
Bradford Cox braved the cold and led a brief, but killer set
With a groundbreaking, much hyped album release right around the corner for Deerhunter, it made sense that they would want to test out some new tracks on a select few before embarking on their Fall tour. Why not play an impromptu afternoon set on a freezing afternoon in Chicago. Why not squish a stage between two massive pillars underneath the Kennedy bridge overpass and have a live test run of some new material. And offer this to your fanbase for free. Sure.
I guess bands play secret shows all the time – Arcade Fire playing Montreal’s Notman House before “The Suburbs” dropped or The Strokes playing Camden’s Dingwalls under the alias “Venison” before their reunion shows – but often the devoted fans of these bands fall to the wayside and it’s really special when all the stars align and you have that right place/right time opportunity to make it to one. Bang Bang Slang luckily had an opportunity to attend Deerhunter‘s contribution to the ongoing Urban Outfitters “Secret Generator Series” and it was a special treat to get a taste of these new album jams before the band officially hit the road for Fall tour.
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Deerhunter took off into the Halcyon Digest track “Desire Lines” to open their set and as the band transitioned with ease and atmospheric sound looping from song to song, by show’s end they had given the crowd a well-balanced smattering of tracks from their entire discography. Bradford Cox made it clear from the get go – this performance would be the first time that this Athens 4-piece would be playing select tracks off of Halcyon ever, so this was not only the first time that fans of the band were hearing these songs live, it was the same for the band hearing them in an actual live concert setting too. The concert lasted a little over an hour with 13 songs comprising the setlist and I think everyone in attendance would agree that the standout jam from the performance was their set-ender, “Nothing Ever Happened“. For the opportunity to hear that song again live alone, BBS will be atMetroin October when Deerhunter returns to Chi-city. Other highlights included a fan-requested “Saved By Old Times“, a perfect “Rainwater Cassette Exchange“, and all Halcyon material played sounded seamlessly smooth for a first run.
Considering the gusty cold winds, shitty overcast conditions, and that distracting couple that was jawing their blue-painted faces off spinning on molly (you know who I’m talking about), Deerhunter made the best of what would have otherwise been a craptastic Saturday Chicago afternoon and brought some kick ass entertainment to a lucky gathering of hundreds. Lucky us.
SETLIST 09/25/10
1.) Desire Lines
2.) Hazel St.
3.) Don’t Cry
4.) Revival
5.) Rainwater Cassette Exchange
6.) Memory Boy
7.) Never Stops
8.) Helicopter
9.) Fountain Stars
10.) Famous Last Words
11.) Saved By Old Times
12.) He Would Have Laughed
13.) Nothing Ever Happened
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Deerhunter FALL TOUR DATES
10/1: Variety Playhouse – Atlanta, GA 10/9: Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, NC 10/10: Canal Club – Richmond, VA 10/12: 9:30 Club – Washington, D.C. 10/15: Webster Hall – New York, NY 10/16: Royale Nightclub – Boston, MA 10/17: La Tulipe – Montreal, QC 10/19: Opera House – Toronto, ON 10/20: Magic Stick – Detroit, MI 10/21: Beachland Ballroom – Cleveland, OH 10/22: Metro – Chicago, IL 10/23: Fine Line – Minneapolis, MN 10/26: Commodore – Vancouver, WA 10/27: Showbox – Seattle, WA 10/28: Wonder Ballroom – Portland, OR 10/29: Great American – Sanfrancisco, CA 10/30: Slim’s – Sanfrancisco, CA 11/1: Fonda – Los Angeles, CA 11/3: Clubhouse – Phoenix, AZ 11/5: Granada – Dallas, TX 11/7: Fun Fun Fun Fest – Austin, TX 11/8: House of Blues – New Orleans, LA 11/9: Bottletree – Birmingham, AL 11/10: Exit Inn – Nashville, TN
Bang Bang Slang 