STRFKR @ Lincoln Hall in 2011 (more by Grant MacAllister)

Portland-based outfit STRFKR (Starfucker) are set to welcome their new LP, Miracle Mile, on February 19 via Polyvinyl Records. You can take a listen to the album's opening track/lead single "While I'm Alive" at the bottom of this post. Miracle Mile's cover art and tracklist are also below.

STRFKR will be going on a spring US tour in support of Miracle Mile with opening act Blackbird Blackbird. That tour hits Chicago on March 19 for a performance at Metro. Tickets go on sale this Friday (12/7) at noon CST.

All STRFKR tour dates, Miracle Mile info., and a stream of "While I'm Alive" are below...

Continue reading "STRFKR releasing 'Miracle Mile,' touring, playing Metro"

Beirut's Zach Condon @ Lollapalooza 2011 (more by Grant MacAllister)

today in Chicago
* DJ Tim Kinsella @ The Burlington
* Yo Majesty, Shunda K @ The Whistler
* Ha Ha Tonka @ Cubby Bear (Free Show)
* Beirut, Laetitia Sadier @ Congress Theater
* Starfucker, Beat Connection @ Lincoln Hall CANCELED
* The Low Anthem, Sleepy Sun @ Empty Bottle
* Grieves, Budo, Prof, The Mc Type @ Subterranean
* Evergrey, Sabatron, Powerglove, Blackguard, The Absence, Diamond Plate @ Reggie's

UPDATE: Starfucker have canceled their show at Lincoln Hall tonight. They will still play tomorrow (9/27), and all tickets from tonight's show will be honored.

The Dum Dum Girls have a new video for "Bedroom Eyes." Check it out below.

Radiohead play, and chat with Colbert tonight (10:30PM CST).

What else?

Continue reading "What's going on Monday?"

Gillian Welch is playing the Vic on July 22nd.
Tickets go on sale Saturday, at 10AM CST.

The Chris Robinson Brotherhood are playing Lincoln Hall on July 28th.
Tickets go on sale tomorrow, at 10AM CST.

The Ettes, Heavy Cream, and Hans Condor are playing Schubas on August 10th.
Tickets go on sale tomorrow, at noon CST.

Tim Kasher is playing Schubas on August 18th.
Tickets go on sale tomorrow, at noon CST.

Two Gallants are playing Schubas on September 7th.
Tickets go on sale tomorrow, at noon CST.

Brahms are playing Schubas on September 8th.
Tickets go on sale tomorrow, at noon CST.

Tapes 'n Tapes are playing Lincoln Hall on September 16th.
Tickets go on sale tomorrow, at noon CST.

As previously mentioned, The Horrors will be playing Lincoln Hall on September 25th.
Tickets go on sale tomorrow, at noon CST.

Starfucker are playing both September 26th & 27th at Lincoln Hall.
Tickets go on sale tomorrow, at noon CST (for both).

Starfucker @ Lincoln Hall in April (more by Grant MacAllister)

Starfucker has just announced another round of tour dates including a performance at the Pygmalion Music Festival, and back to back headlining shows at Lincoln Hall.

Their pair of Lincoln Hall shows take place on September 26th & 27th.
Tickets go on sale Friday, June 17th at noon CST.

September will mark their second, and third shows at Lincoln Hall this year.
Below you can view some pictures from their April 12th performance at the venue.

In addition to those photographs, we have all announced 2011 tour dates.
According to the band's twitter, there's even "more to come!!"

Continue reading "Starfucker announce fall tour dates, playing Pygmalion & two nights @ Lincoln Hall"

words by Rebecca Hirschman, photos by Grant MacAllister

I entered Lincoln Hall at 9:00PM, and was immediately struck by the room-shaking bass pumping out of the speakers. This, was my introduction to the Seattle's "Tropical Trip Pop" group, Champagne Champagne. The ensemble is composed of three members, rappers "Pearl Dragon" and "Sir Thomas Gray" along with DJ Gajamagic (aka Mark Gadjahar), described as the bands only producer and multi-instrumentalist. Both Pearl Dragon and Sir Thomas Gray applied stage antics such as climbing the speakers, to amp up the crowd. Pearl Dragon ventured into the crowd, but not exactly to crowd surf as much as to "crowd walk" until he fell to the ground and continued to dance within the audience. Between the band's chants of "Champagne! Champagne!" to which the crowd gladly echoed with enthusiasm, Pearl Dragon asked the audience which song they wanted to hear next. When a member of the crowd screamed, "Starfucker!" (Not to be confused with the band, Champagne Champagne also has their own song titled "Starfucker"), he responded with "That one's actually coming up next! We just put our black minds together!" As the group's set ended they brought back their chants, this time screaming "Starfucker! Starfucker!"

Starfucker, or STRFKR-the band's "family friendly" option for their unconventional title, took the stage at 9:45. They kicked off with "Hungry Ghost" complimented by the voice of British philosopher Alan Watts, who often appears on their tracks. The band then moved into "Mystery Cloud", followed by "Astoria" all tracks off of their newest LP Reptilians, released March 8th via Polyvinyl Records. One thing in particular that makes Starfucker so notable is the fact that all members of the band are multi-instrumentalists. They chose to use these skills to their advantage, switching roles throughout the set.

The ensemble recently put together what they call a "mixtape, mash-up CD" featuring samples of artists like Lil' Jon and the Ying Yang Twins, Gucci Mane, and Lil' Wayne. They performed one of these tracks for us, and the sound of Ryan Biornstad's synthesized, high-pitched voice was reminiscent to that of Dan Deacon's. The band once again captured the audience when they inquired, "Chicago! What's up?" followed with "We fucking love your city! We're so happy to be here!" To which the crowd responded with a loud chorus of cheers as the band dove into their most widely known song "Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second", named after youtuber "hiimrawn". The song featured four of the members singing in unison, over the instrumentals you would've recently heard playing in Target's "Pink Pepto" commercial.

Returning to Reptilians, to play "Mona Vegas" although they were advised against it, as founding member Josh Hodges claimed, "it didn't sound very good earlier..." With four members manning keyboards, and Biornstad applying lipstick (to compliment his blue eye shadow) while singing, it appeared that playing the track was the right decision. "Boy Toy" was next, featuring a well-executed three-part harmony, bringing us back to Jupiter, the bands debut EP. "Millions" followed, as all members of the band banged their drumsticks on any and all available instruments within close vicinity.

Their set ended with "Quality Time" prefaced with, "This song is dedicated to Chris. He made a video for it and it's our last song." The video being referenced is not in fact an official Starfucker video, rather it was created by Chris Michael Berkmeier, a Chicago-based writer/director who apparently made the video "just to do it". Back on stage for a well-deserved encore, the band played three more songs including a cover of Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", which previously appeared on Jupiter. The grand finale of the show saw the return of Champagne Champagne to the stage, and total chaos as Ryan Biornstad, Pearl Dragon, and Sir Thomas Gray jumped on top of speakers, dove into the crowd, ran through it, and ended an already exciting show with a bang.

Champagne Champagne will remain on tour with Starfucker until April 28th, after which Starfucker will head off to Europe for the remainder of their spring tour.

You can view more of Grant's photos, Starfucker's setlist, and Chris Berkmeier's video for "Quality Time" below.

Continue reading "Starfucker, and Champagne Champagne played Lincoln Hall (pics, setlist)"

Starfucker

today in Chicago
* Rush @ United Center
* Brendan James, Matt White @ SPACE
* The Civil Wars, White Dress @ Schubas
* Starfucker, Champagne Champagne @ Lincoln Hall
* Moon Furies, Geographers, Ayhmnsa @ Empty Bottle
* The Super Friends, Caleb Pepp, Cody J. @ Double Door
* Elephant Gun, Benyaro, Scony Mack, King Apathy @ Subterranean

What else?