As mentioned, Heather Smith's Bone & Bell project are set to release their new EP, Organ Fantasies, on May 25 via local label Knife Fight Records. Take a listen to side A of the album, consisting of "Serpentside" and "Colony Is Good For Me" at the bottom of this post. This new set of songs sees Bone & Bell taking more of an ethereal turn than on Loom, with layers of lush vocals and warm organ. The EP is up for preorder in both digital and vinyl formats.

Catch the group's record release show at Schubas on May 25, with support from Adam Faucett and the Tall Grass and The Columbines. Tickets are still available.

New song streams below...

Continue reading "listen to two new Bone & Bell tracks; preorder Organ Fantasies"

Bone & Bell @ The Whistler earlier this month (photo by C.B. Lindsey)

Chicago band Bone & Bell are gearing up for the release of their new EP, Organ Fantasies, which they'll be celebrating with a record release show on May 25 at Schubas. Support will come from Adam Faucett and the Tall Grass and The Columbines, and advance tickets are on sale. 50-limited edition 7"s will be available for sale at the show, featuring original artwork by frontwoman Heather Smith.

Check out the EP's cover art, a show flyer, and some song streams, below...

Continue reading "Bone & Bell schedule EP release show @ Schubas"

photos by Syence Daughtre, words by Rachel Angres

Cate Le Bon @ Schubas

If two young darlings decided not to observe Valentine's Day, they could sneak into the strobe lit hall of Schubas and sway secretly in unison to what could've been the most romantic and intoxicating performance in all of Hal-marketed holiday history.

"Thanks for coming tonight. Does this mean that you are all single?", asked Welsh-native Cate Le Bon. "Does this mean that you are all losers?" she continued, her dark kimono dress matching the long black bangs that cover her eyes like blinders. "It's okay, we are all losers too."

Le Bon bowed her head and began to lightly strum an electric guitar effected with mass amounts of reverb. Organs then chimed in with an eerie Doors-esque "Light My Fire" quality. Le Bon seemed to be channeling a tweaked version of Nico, with more bravado and crunch. The minimalism in each song built to an abbreviated-yet-powerful bridge, with guitar riffs and urgent percussion. She was intoxicating, an enigma with such gusto and etiquette. "Why thank you kindly," said Le Bon in-between songs. Closing out the show, she announced, would be CYRK's two-part summation "Ploughing Out Part 1 & 2.″ Cate Le Bon and co.'s triumphant performance finished with a sense of gratitude that Chicagoans are not accustomed to; the band spoke to any one who approached them with kindness and modesty, kissing their cheeks in parting ways.

Le Bons performance in Chicago, part of a tour that previously hit NYC, was warmly preceded by local four-piece Bone and Bell where followed by Portland-based duo Talkdemonic.

More pictures of the headliner and Talkdemonic (we missed Bone and Bell), below..

Continue reading "Cate Le Bon, Talkdemonic & Bone and Bell played a Valentine's Day Eve show @ Schubas (pics, review)"

Cate Le Bon

As mentioned, Cate Le Bon is coming to Chicago tomorrow night (2/14), to play Schubas with Talkdemonic and Bone and Bell. Tickets are still available and we've also got a pair to give away!

if you've got any doubts, read all the nice things BrooklynVegan's Bill Pearis had to say when Cate just passed through NYC.

Details on how to enter to win two tickets to the Chicago show with all 2012 tour dates, and some videos, below..

Continue reading "win tix to Cate Le Bon, Talkdemonic + Bone & Bell @ Schubas"

Bone & Bell @ Empty Bottle in September (photo by C.B. Lindsey)

Since playing a BV Chicago-presented show in November things have been semi-quiet for Heather Smith and camp Bone & Bell. The band have been busy recording their debut LP and just added a few upcoming performances to their schedule, to showcase new material.

The first upcoming show will be this Friday (2/3) at The ACE Bar, where they'll open up for Shiloh and Chasing Shade. Tickets are still available. Next up is the previously announced Cate Le Bon show at Schubas on Valentine's Day (2/14), which they were just added to and also features Talkdemonic. Tickets are still available for that show too. The final show on their current schedule is at Quenchers on March 3rd, opening up for Whales and Minutes. Advanced tickets will not be offered; the venue has a suggested donation of $5. Make an effort to catch at least one of their excellent, upcoming live shows

While we wait for the debut LP, you can stream Bone & Bell's 2010 EP Loom, below..

Continue reading "Bone & Bell schedule shows, like V-Day w/ Cate Le Bon"

photos by Josh Darr

Poliça @ Schubas 11/08/2011

On Tuesday night (11/8), Poliça and Bone & Bell played the very first BV Chicago-presents show, at Schubas. Thanks to all who stopped by.

Poliça (pronounced: po-lisa), as you might know, are a fairly new project fronted by Channy Casselle of Gayngs (and formerly Roma Di Luna). We caught their set at one of the BV CMJ day parties at Public Assembly, and had to ask them to come to our city for a show. Thankfully, they accepted, and impressed in Chicago as well!

Their debut LP (which they played most of on Tuesday night) should be out early next year, and skirts the line between haunting-R&B and intricate indie rock. Aside from Casselle's powerful voice, the band also consists of two drummers, a bassist, and some samples. The four members sync up wonderfully live and delivered a thrilling headlining set.

Though unfortunately we don't have any pictures to share of them, locals Bone & Bell kicked off the night. The main outlet of singer-songwriter and front woman Heather Smith self-released an EP titled Loom in 2010. You can actually download the whole thing for FREE via their website. Stay tuned for a full length album to hit stores in 2012.

If you missed the show: Poliça will play Schubas again as part of Tomorrow Never Knows, supporting Chairlift.

Head below to view more pictures of Poliça's Tuesday set (with some from soundcheck too)...

Continue reading "Polica & Bone & Bell @ a BV Chicago show @ Schubas (pics)"

tUnE-yArDs @ Pitchfork Festival 2011 (more by Josh Darr)

today in Chicago
* Indigo Girls @ the Vic
* Ace Frehley @ House of Blues
* Michael Kaeshammer @ SPACE
* Scott Miller, Vince Cook @ Schubas
* Brain Idea, Ryley Walker @ Empty Bottle
* tUnE-yArDs, Pat Jordache @ Lincoln Hall
* Blockhead, DJ Cam @ Kinetic Playground
* The Airborne Toxic Event, Mona @ the Riv
* AM & Shawn Lee, Peggy Sue @ Subterranean
* Jeff Kimmel Quartet, DJ Mitch Cocanig @ Hideout
* Andreas Kapsalis, Goran Ivanovic @ The Whistler
* The Front Bottoms, Magic Milk, Brother George @ Beat Kitchen
* Norman Toronto, Ashen Figure, The Mood, Will Phalen @ Double Door
* Red City Radio, The Sky We Scrape, Counterpunch, Gunners Daughter @ Panchos

Telekinesis have a new video for "Country Lane." Check it out below.

Chromeo played Fallon last night (11/8), with Solange Knowles. Video below.

Thanks to everyone that came out to see Polica and Bone & Bell last night! Stay tuned for a full recap.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Wednesday?"

Poliça @ Public Assembly for BV-CMJ 2011 (more by Amanda Hatfield)

today in Chicago
* BoB @ the Mid
* Indigo Girls @ the Vic
* Can.Ky.Ree, Cloudbirds @ Hideout
* AA Bondy, Gold Leaves @ Lincoln Hall
* Poliça, Bone & Bell @ Schubas (Late Show)
* Toby Lightman, Ryan Jeffrey, Jeremiah Higgins @ Martyrs
* Rachael Yamagata, Mike Viola @ Logan Square Auditorium
* Go Long Mule, Ivory Coats, Rachel McClusky @ Schubas (Early Show)
* Flesh Panthers, Magic Milk, Tiny Manatee @ Cobra Lounge (Free Show)
* Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter, Buffalo Killers @ Empty Bottle (Free Show)

Polça and Bone & Bell will play a BV Chicago sponsored late show at Schubas tonight (11/8). Tickets are still available, more event info HERE.

Watch 10 minutes of Sigur Ros' new film INNI via the band's Facebook. Catch one of the two screenings that Lincoln Hall are hosting on the film's November 15th release date.

Boxer Joe Frazier passed away yesterday (11/7), at the age of 67. His early death can be attributed to an ongoing battle with liver cancer. RIP Joe.

What else?

Still Corners @ BV CMJ 2011 Thursday day party (more by Bryan Bruchman)

today in Chicago
* Joe Bonamassa @ Chicago Theatre
* Stolen Silver, Go Long Mule @ Hideout
* Smokers Club Tour @ Congress Theater
* Lydia, Speak, Austin Gibbs @ Beat Kitchen
* Catacombz, Verma, Wume @ Ultra Lounge
* Ed Askew, The Glorious Vapors @ Darkroom
* Metronomy, Class Actress, Kid Color @ Lincoln Hall
* Still Corners, Ganglians, The Tiny Fireflies @ Schubas
* Thrice, La Dispute, Moving Mountains, O'Brother @ Metro
* Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Gauntlet Hair, Yawn @ Empty Bottle
* This Is England, DJ Elia of The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir @ The Whistler
* Secret Colours, The Vacant Lots, Troubadour Dali, Radar Eyes @ Subterranean
* Warbringer, Lazarus A.D., Landmine Marathon, Diamond Plate, Witchbanger @ Reggie's

Purchase tickets to our first-ever BV Chicago Presents show with Polica and Bone & Bell.

The A.V. Club pick apart what Wye Oak's "Holy Holy" means in their new video series titled One Track Mind. Check it out below.

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Thursday?"

photos by Amanda Hatfield

Polica @ a BrooklynVegan CMJ day party at Public Assembly

Polica, the fairly new project of Channy Casselle of Gayngs, made their mark during CMJ at our Saturday day party at Public Assembly. As Andrew Sacher wrote:

Channy danced breezily on stage as she belted out her intricate vocals with an on-stage presence ambitious enough to fill arenas, let alone the back room of Public Assembly.

The entire room swayed along to the lush instrumentation provided by two drummers, samples, and a bassist. In fact, we loved them so much we've asked them to come to Chicago and they accepted! Polica will head out on tour with Centro-Matic starting on November 10th in Kansas City, MO, and we're thrilled to announce that they'll visit Chicago two days earlier (Tuesday, November 8th) for the very first BV Chicago Presents show at Schubas! Doors are at 10PM, and you'll be treated to an opening set from Bone & Bell. Tickets are just $8, and are on sale now.

A show flyer designed by Matthew Scheer, more dates, two streamable tracks (including one that features Bon Iver's Mike Noyce), and a new set of pictures from Polica's set at our party in NY, below...

Continue reading "Polica touring, add last minute Chicago show! (BV Chicago presents) ----- dates & pics from their BVCMJ show too"

As previously mentioned, the inaugural year of Chicago's Brilliant Corners of Popular Amusements is set to take place from September 16 - 18 in Eckhart Park.

The three-day festival will feature sets from Bill Callahan, School of Seven Bells, Shellac, and many more spread across its three stages. There will be circus performers too. Full lineup is below.

One of the stages dubbed Birdhouse Stage, is 100% FREE...

The Birdhouse Outdoor Stage will feature an eclectic sampling of the many musical styles flourishing within the Chicago scene. From world music, to indie rock, to Louisiana brass, the Birdhouse Stage offers the unique opportunity for audiences to experience the wealth of talent happening in Chicago's music scene. Check out the artists and times below, and come sample and support some of the best sounds emerging from our own backyard.

Highlights include Bone and Bell on Saturday (9/17), plus Hollows and Cloudbirds on Sunday (9/18). Tickets for this killer event (for the not free stuff) are still on sale. Full lineup with set times below...

Continue reading "Brilliant Corners of Popular Amusements full lineup -- free Birdhouse Stage included"