photos by Tim Griffin

Chicago band Gypsyblood are currently working on the follow-up to 2011's Cold In The Guestway and have scheduled an April 14th headlining show at the Cobra Lounge. Advance tickets are on sale. Hamburglars and Hammerdown will act as main support.

Gypsyblood were one of the many bands featured on our bvChicago stage at Hotel Vegan. Above are two new pictures from the Wednesday (March 14), day party. Check out a full set of all acts (including FIELDED, Maps & Atlases, JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound) HERE.

Gypsyblood song streams and videos below..

Continue reading "Gypsyblood announce show @ Cobra Lounge; here's a few more pics from bvChicago-SXSW"

Fiona Apple @ Lincoln Hall on 3/18/2012 (photo via)

Fiona Apple commenced the first of two sold-out nights at Lincoln Hall on Sunday [March 18] with a murderous shriek. She ended the 50-minute affair in a rare moment of tranquillity, the moody juxtaposition the exclamation point on an absorbingly intense comeback show that witnessed the reclusive singer/pianist hiss, twitch, flail, gulp tea and behave in neurotic fashion, eliminating barriers between performer and music with frightening realism.

The ferocity may owe to the 34-year-old artist's prolonged absence. She hasn't toured in five years and, while an album is allegedly forthcoming in summer, last released a record in 2005. Strangely, her hiatus didn't dim her appeal. Fans greeted two appearances at the recent South By Southwest Music Conference and news of her current five-city trek with a manic enthusiasm that suggested Apple had returned from exile.
[Bob Gendron - Chicago Tribune]

Continue reading "Fiona Apple played Lincoln Hall (does again tonight) - setlist"

photos by Sarah Frankie Linder

Grimes @ the Empty Bottle on 3/14/2012

While our BV Chicago stage at 'Hotel Vegan' and the official BrooklynVegan SXSW showcase at Bar 96 were in full swing (more on 'Hotel Vegan' later), Grimes played a sold out show at Chicago's Empty Bottle on Wednesday, March 14 with support from tour mates Born Gold and local project Ultrademon. A full set of pictures are in this post.

Grimes (aka Claire Boucher) then hightailed it down to Austin, TX for SXSW, playing the Pitchfork official showcase on Thursday night, as well as a few other sets throughout the fest.

If you missed her this time around, as announced, Grimes will be playing at Pitchfork Festival 2012 in Union Park in July. Tickets are still available.

More pictures from the Wednesday night Chicago show, below..

Continue reading "Grimes, Born Gold & Ultrademon @ the Empty Bottle (pics)"

DOWNLOAD: Gauntlet Hair - "My Christ" (MP3)

Gauntlet Hair @ BV-CMJ 2011 (more by Chris La Putt)

Gauntlet Hair, who are currently in Austin, TX for SXSW, have announced a Chicago show taking place at Schubas (where they played during TNK 2012) on April 29. Tickets go on sale TODAY, at noon CST.

The duo's most recent release, My Christ 7", hit stores in January via Dead Oceans. Download its A-side at the top of this post.

All known 2012 tour dates and some videos can be found below.

Continue reading "Gauntlet Hair schedule Chicago show"

Back in April artist David Barnes, brother of Of Montreal frontman Kevin Barnes, released a 128-page art book, What's Weird?, that consists of paintings and drawings from the last 20-years, including album covers and other designs for the band. The book was limited to 3,000 copies. Here's a few words from Polyvinyl, who handled its release:

After 20 years and countless paintings, the idea manifested itself for David Barnes to curate his first book. In his true D.I.Y. style, Barnes personally poured over hundreds of drawings and paintings spanning his career.

He picked and placed each piece to create What's Weird?--a book showcasing over 100 paintings, hundreds of sketches and doodles, and funny, interesting, insightful comments about the pieces written by Barnes--all providing a glimpse into his mind and unique creative process.

Over the past decade, Barnes has developed a cult following drawing portraits of fans in his unique style and achieved widespread recognition for his work as art director for Of Montreal (his brother Kevin's band).

Barnes' visual interpretations of the group's music has been manifested in the form of iconic album covers and theatrical live performances that feature skits along with elaborate stage sets and props.

Of Montreal hit SXSW this week for two performances: their label's showcase on Thursday, March 15 and Under the Radar magazine's day party on the 16th, where they'll play their album The Sunlandic Twins in full for the first time.

All 2012 tour dates, contest details, and some videos, below..

Continue reading "David Barnes released an art book; Of Montreal are playing Metro (win a copy of the book & tix to the show!)"

Syl Johnson @ the Bell House in June (BKLYN) (more by Jacob Blickenstaff)

TMZ reports that Chicago soul singer Syl Johnson, who sued Kanye West and Jay-Z in 2011 over the improper use of his song "Different Strokes" in the Watch the Throne track "The Joy," has now reached an out-of-court settlement with the pair of rappers. Additional details have not been made available to the public.

In related news, Jay-Z plays Austin City Limits as part of SXSW TONIGHT.

Syl Johnson's "Different Strokes" and Kanye West/Jay-Z's "The Joy," below..

Continue reading "Kanye West & Jay-Z settle out of court w/ Syl Johnson"

The Hideout's annual South By South West send off party takes place today, featuring over ten Chicago bands that are all headed down to Austin within the next few days.

Kicking off at 1:30PM, the day will look like this:

01:30PM - Paper Thick Walls
02:30PM - Football
03:30PM - Unicycle Loves You
04:30PM - Redgrave
05:30PM - Cains & Abels
06:30PM - Outer Minds
07:30PM - The Waco Brothers
08:30PM - Hollywood Holt
09:30PM - Musikanto
10:30PM - In Tall Buildings
11:30PM - Kids These Days
12:00AM - Saturday Night Dance Party w/ DJ set by Hollywood Holt

The Bottle have a send off of their own, a two-day event dubbed Sausage Fest, which begins at 9PM tonight. Advance tickets are $8 per day or $15 for a full weekend pass.

Speaking of Chicago and SXSW, if you are headed down to Austin: stop by Hotel 'Vegan' on Wednesday, March 14 for a full stage of Chicago bands.

We're excited and pleased to announce BV Chicago's first-ever Austin event, a full stage of Chicago musicians along side TWO MORE BrooklynVegan-programmed stages, at Hotel 'Vegan' (aka Hotel Vegas & Volstead Lounge at1500 E. 6th Street) on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 from noon - 6PM. Hotel Vegan will be runing from Wednesday through Saturday during SXSW Music, and we're excited to be showcasing Chicago bands on one of the three stages, on the first of those four days.

Headlining the BV Chicago stage will be JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound (who just announced a big hometown show at Metro). Also on the bill: Flosstradamus (which one half of, J2K, performed at a recent BV Chicago event) with a special guest, The-Drum (who shared that bill with J2K), Maps & Atlases (who have a new album and big hometown show at Metro + tour coming up), White Mystery, FIELDED, Gypsyblood, and Minor Characters (who have a pre-SXSW show at Schubas).

It looks like this:

Wednesday, March 14, 2012 - bvChicago Stage at Hotel 'Vegan'
12:00PM - Minor Characters
12:35PM - Gypsyblood
01:15PM - FIELDED
02:00PM - White Mystery
02:45PM - Maps & Atlases
03:30PM - The-Drum
04:15PM - Flosstradamus
05:00PM - JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound

Thanks to our backline partners Korg, Vox, and Blackstar Amplification for providing the gear to make this party possible.

And stay tuned for the rest of the "Hotel Vegan" lineups soon!

UPDATE: Here's what another one of the Wednesday stages looks like.

Spoek Mathambo

As mentioned, South African rapper/DJ Spoek Mathambo is set to release his sophomore LP, Father Creeper, on March 13 via Sub Pop Records. Grab the album's lead single "Let Them Talk" via a widget below. Father Creeper is also up for preorder via the label.

Spoek Mathambo has recently added a few more shows to his post-SXSW schedule, including some opening slots for Saul Williams. Mathambo will make his Chicago debut on March 20, acting as main support on Williams' previously announced Bottom Lounge show. Tickets are still available.

All known 2012 tour dates, song stream, and Father Creeper album trailer, below..

Continue reading "Spoek Mathambo adds dates w/ Saul Williams (Btm. Lounge)"

Maps & Atlases @ Lollapalooza 2011 (more by Grant MacAllister)

As previously mentioned, Maps & Atlases' sophomore LP, Beware and Be Grateful, hits stores on April 17 via Barsuk Records. Visit our early-February post to check out the album's cover art, tracklisting, and a stream of its lead single "Winter."

To quote ourselves:

Maps & Atlases will kick off a short string of Midwest dates in March, which takes them down to Austin, TX for SXSW 2012. A two-week European run has been set for April and we can expect a full North American tour in May.

After SXSW as part of their May headlining run, the group will play a big hometown show at Metro on May 11. Tickets go on sale this Saturday (March 3), at noon CST.

A full list of 2012 tour dates can be found below..

Continue reading "Maps & Atlases announce North American tour dates ------- (BVC SXSW & Metro included)"