today in Chicago
* On An On, A Lull, Taught Abroad @ Schubas
* Brokeback, The Father Costume @ The Burlington
* Mr. Gnome, Soft Speaker, Aktar Aktar @ Beat Kitchen
* Mr. Rudy Day, Catherine Irwin, Rachel Ries @ Hideout
* W. Kamau Bell, Janine Brito @ Lincoln Hall (Early Show)
* Galactic Inmate, Rollo Tomasi, Cool Devices @ Township
* Maritime, Low Cut Connie, Wedding Dress @ Empty Bottle
* How To Dress Well, Beacon, Grades @ Co-Prosperity Sphere
* Coffin Pricks, Broken Prayers, Pillow Talk, Distract @ The Mousetrap
* Claude Vonstroke, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (DJ set) @ The Mid
* Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit, Communist Daughter @ Lincoln Hall (Late Show)

Coffin Pricks play their final show tonight at The Mousetrap. Don't be stupid.

Mr. Gnome, Soft Speaker, and Aktar Aktar play the Beat Kitchen.

How To Dress Well, Beacon, and Grades play the Co-Prosperity Sphere.

Happy night 7 of Hanukkah!

Grizzly Bear played "Yet Again" on Letterman earlier this week. Check out the footage below.

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What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Friday (Hanukkah night 7)?"

Coffin Pricks @ Metro last weekend (more by Zach Pollack)

Chicago punks Coffin Pricks are breaking up after about a year-and-a-half together as a band. They just recently played Metro with Titus Andronicus and Ceremony, and will play their final show at the Mousetrap on December 14. Broken Prayer, Pillow Talk, and Distract are also on the bill, and admission will be $6 at the door.

Bummer. We'll miss you, Coffin Pricks.

A couple of song streams and the flyer for their farewell show are below...

Continue reading "Coffin Pricks are calling it quits, playing a farewell show at the Mousetrap"

photos by Zach Pollack

Titus Andronicus // crowd surfer at Metro on 11.25.2012

On Sunday night (11/25) Titus Andronicus came through Chicago in support of their recently released LP, Local Business, with tourmates Ceremony. Chicago's Coffin Pricks were also on the bill, and we've got more pictures of all three acts at the bottom of this post. Were you there at Metro on Sunday night? What did you think?

More pictures from the 11/25 show at Metro continue below...

Continue reading "Titus Andronicus, Ceremony & Coffin Pricks played Metro (pics)"

International math rock outfit Bellini are currently tracking their fourth album at Electrical Audio with Steve Albini. The LP will eventually hit stores via Temporary Residence Limited, who handled the release of 2005's Small Stones and 2009's The Precious Prize of Gravity.

Bellini, who are comprised of members of Girls Against Boys, Soulside, Don Caballero, and Uzeda, will also be playing a couple of Chicago shows this week. They'll headline Quenchers on Friday (9/7) and Saturday night (9/8), with different openers on each. IfIHadAHiFi and Fake Limbs will act as main support on Friday, while Bottomless Pit and Coffin Pricks will get things started on Saturday. Admission is donation-based. The group have also said that they'll be touring the world in support of their new album, so stay tuned for details on that.

Stream Bellini's most recent LP, The Precious Prize of Gravity, in its entirety below...

Continue reading "Bellini recording new album, playing two shows at Quenchers this weekend"

Coffin Pricks' Group Home Haircut LP

Chicago punks Coffin Pricks are set to welcome their debut EP, Group Home Haircut, on May 15 via Stationary (Heart) Records. The three-track EP was recorded by Mike Lust at Phantom Manor Studios and features cover art by Tortoise's John Herndon. Take a listen to the album's title track and check out its cover art/tracklisting at the bottom of this post. Purchase Group Home Haircut via Stationary (Heart) Records' webstore.

Coffin Pricks' next Chicago show is this Thursday (May 17), at Subterranean, serving as both their and Hollows' record release show. Radar Eyes and Summer Girlfriends are also on the bill, and advance tickets are on sale. The four-piece recently played an Epitonic Saki Session and you can stream/download their 10-track live set HERE.

Song stream and album info below...

Continue reading "Coffin Pricks releasing 'Group Home Haircut,' playing Sub-t w/ Hollows on Thursday"

Joan of Arc @ Metro in February (more by Grant MacAllister)

Susan Stursberg, owner of Gold Star Bar, was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She needs help to raise money for her medical expenses and the local music community have stepped in to do their part.

On April 22, Joan of Arc, Coffin Pricks, Bailiff, The Ragtones, and DJ Bobby Conn will play a benefit concert for Susan at the Double Door. Tickets go on sale this Saturday (March 31), at noon CST.

Speaking of Saturday, there's a fundraising event taking place that night at the Gold Star. As part of a silent auction, you could head home on Saturday with Bears/Cubs/Sox/Fire tickets, VIP passes to the 2012 Pitchfork Festival, a Shellac Friends LP, an autographed limited edition GWAR poster, and more.

You can track the fundraising process (which is 91% complete!) HERE.

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In related news, Bobby Conn has his own show at the Empty Bottle on May 25 with Starring. Tickets go on sale this Friday (March 30), at 10AM CST.

DOWNLOAD: Nones - "Wife Meat" (MP3)

Nones @ HoZac Blackout Fest 2011 (photo by Robert Loerzel)

Chicago psych-punk outfit Nones are set to headline Logan Square's The Burlington bar on January 19th. The four-piece fronted by singer/saxophonist Brandon Bayles pack quite a punch. Their first 7" for HoZac, Space Load, is available for purchase via Permanent Records (online and in-store). Their second 7" is currently only available as part of HoZac's Hookup Klub Round 3, a 7" subscription service. Download a song of theirs called "Wife Meat" at the top of this post and/or stream it below. Stream some more songs via their Facebook. Locals Coffin Pricks will act as main support.

Sea and Cake (who recently played the Empty Bottle) frontman Sam Prekop is also playing The Burlington, the following night (1/20), when he opens for Cleared and Expo 70.

Song streams, below..

Continue reading "Nones and Coffin Pricks to play The Burlington, Sam Prekop too"

Mannequin Men LP

Chicago garage rockers Mannequin Men are set to release their new self-titled LP on November 8th via Addenda Records. You can stream clips of each song on the 12-track album over at their site. The album was recorded at the Key Club Recording Co. in Michigan by production duo Bill Skibbe/Jessica Ruffins, who also did the recent Jacuzzi Boys and The Kills records. The first 150-vinyl copies of the self-titled LP will come in "beer colored" wax. Though it's about two and a half weeks too early, hopefully they'll have the album for sale tonight (10/29) when they play the Empty Bottle.

Football will headline, leaving Mannequin Men with the second slot. Coffin Pricks and then Outer Minds will kick off the night. Tickets are still available.

Head below for the album's tracklisting.

Continue reading "Mannequin Men to release new LP, playing Empty Bottle tonight w/ Football, Outer Minds, & Coffin Pricks"