This Friday, a compilation titled Godspeed… A Tribute to Pierre Kezdy will be released, with 100% of profits donated directly to the family of the late Naked Raygun bassist. The album features Hot Water Music, Face to Face, J. Robbins, Swingin’ Utters, The Methadones, Josh Caterer of Smoking Popes, and others, all contributing their own renditions of Naked Raygun songs. Kezdy sadly passed away from cancer in October of 2020 and this tribute album consists of cover songs from artists who were influenced and inspired by Naked Raygun.
Continue Reading…The inaugural T1 Fest will take place on Friday, November 8th and Saturday, November 9th at The Forge in Joliet, IL. All proceeds from the shows will go to the JDRF, (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) to assist in their fight against type 1 diabetes. Organizer Jim Costanzo felt compelled to establish the event after his family was affected by the disease. He explained, “My nephew Joey was diagnosed at the age of three and like so many others, we had no understanding of it, but we quickly learned that this is a very serious illness.” He continued, “Working with the JDRF to learn what lied ahead for him, we saw so many families that were not able to handle the financial burden of providing care for their child. We have since made it a goal to raise as much money as possible to assist the JDRF in their mission to raise awareness and find a cure for type 1 diabetes.”
Costanzo cited his experiences growing up in Chicago’s punk scene as motivation for coordinating this fest. When reflecting on those times, he said “What we found was a community, a scene where even as teenagers we could make a difference. Whether it was playing shows against racism or gathering coats for the homeless, we saw that through music change was possible. One day we were discussing ideas on how we could do our part and we thought it would be great to put on a benefit show like back in the day.”
After setting his idea in motion, Costanzo was able to assemble a lineup that features numerous noteworthy acts. Friday night is headlined by Flatfoot 56 with support from Brendan Kelly, (The Lawrence Arms/Wandering Birds) The Brokedowns, and Andrew Thomas. Saturday’s festivities begin at 3:30 PM, with the following bands playing: The Smoking Popes, The Lillingtons, 88 Fingers Louie, Dan Vapid & The Cheats, Vandoliers, Kali Masi, The Reaganomics, and Cap Gun Heroes. Tickets for each individual night are available, as well as weekend passes, and can be purchased here.
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Earlier this month, Smoking Popes released their latest full-length, called Into the Agony. We recently met up with lead guitarist Eli Caterer and discussed the new album at length. We spoke about the return of original drummer Mike Felumlee and how his involvement in many ways sparked the band to write new material. We also talked about the manner in which the album was recorded and their desire to capture more of a live feel. In doing so, there are moments on Into the Agony that are suggestive of the Popes’ first two LPs, but at the same time there’s a host of new influences present, including several political songs. Additionally, we addressed their upcoming show with Jawbreaker and Naked Raygun, their November tour dates and more. Continue Reading…
Photos by Katie Hovland
The first day of Riot Fest began somewhat ominously, with cloudy skies and forecasted showers, but after a brief spell of light rain from 1:00 – 2:00 PM, the skies cleared and sunshine remained for the duration of the festival. This was a huge change from the previous two years, where heavy rains and an abundance of mud unfortunately dominated the weekends. This year’s event marked the second time that Riot Fest was held in Douglas Park, and while the grounds proved to be a very adequate space last year, the festival’s organizers did an even better job this time around of maximizing the park’s space. They managed to create an open layout that allowed for easy movement between stages and also minimized excess sound from bleeding into unintended areas. Another positive was the emphasis on local businesses, specifically the beer tents named after establishments like Liar’s Club, Double Door, Cobra Lounge and All Rise Brewing. There were also great local food options, like Reggie’s, Taco In A Bag and others. Despite Riot Fest continuing to grow markedly in size every year, it really doesn’t feel like a giant, corporate-sponsored festival and it definitely hasn’t lost sight of its roots. Loyal attendees return every September to find that the bar has once again been significantly raised and the original spirit of the event still very much intact. Continue Reading…
Asian Man Records – Release Date: 6/10/16
Last month, Asian Man Records celebrated its 20th anniversary and also released a new compilation, titled Asian Man Music for Asian Man People Vol. 2. It features artists on the label’s roster covering other Asian Man bands, and primarily showcases up-and-coming acts. One of the first noteworthy tracks comes from Scotland’s Murderburgers and their cover of the AJJ tune “Self Esteem.” It’s a decidedly pop punk take on the song and is filled with hooks and well-placed backing vocals. If it’s any indication of what’s to come on their upcoming full-length, then fans should certainly be excited for the record’s release this fall. San Francisco’s Great Apes provide a blistering, lightning-fast interpretation of “Last Strike,” originally by Classics of Love. It emphasizes rawness and ferocity despite being precisely arranged, and is yet another example of how talented this seriously underrated band is. Chicago’s Dowsing delivers an inspired and distinctive take on the Alkaline Trio classic “San Francisco,” which is sure to remind old school fans of why they fell in love with the band in the first place. Laura Stevenson selected another renowned Chicago band to cover in Smoking Popes, contributing a compelling, stripped-down interpretation of their fan-favorite “Do Something.” Additional highlights include covers by Kevin Seconds, Modern Baseball, Jeff Rosenstock and Spraynard. This compilation is recommended for those wanting to relive some of their favorite Asian Man memories, as well as those looking to become familiar with several of the label’s emerging and talented bands.
In March of this year, Chicago’s Textbook collaborated with Paper + Plastick for the release of their album called On the B-Side. Containing 16 tracks in total, the record features songs from Textbook’s entire catalog and serves as a celebration of the band’s 15th anniversary. We recently spoke with singer/guitarist Dave Lysien and bassist Rick Uncapher to discuss the album in detail. We talked about how they teamed with Paper + Plastick, as well as the distinctive format that the record’s available on. We also conversed about the band’s experiences touring the UK, some of their favorite memories from the last 15 years, future plans and more. Be sure to check out a video for the song “Just One of Those Things” after the interview. Continue Reading…
Next month, The Falcon is set to release its first album in nearly a decade. We met up with singer/guitarist Brendan Kelly at the GMan Tavern to discuss the record in detail. We talked about the band’s new guitarist, Dave Hause, and how his contributions helped to shape the album’s sound. Original members Dan Andriano, (Alkaline Trio) and Neil Hennessy, (The Lawrence Arms) are of course still onboard for the ride. We also spoke about how the record was written, what it was like recording with Dan Tinkler at Atlas Studios and how the album’s cover came to be. Additionally, we conversed about the record’s dark lyrical content and how it mirrors the style of the music. Longtime fans will be eager to find the band exploring new sounds, but at the same time retaining the characteristics that they’re best known for. By all accounts, Gather Up The Chaps finds The Falcon sounding very much revitalized and ready for take-off. Continue Reading…
Jackson Mud is a newly-formed blues band that’s fronted by Smoking Popes singer/guitarist Josh Caterer. Their lineup also includes bassist Ray Somera, keyboardist Renaldo DeSouza and drummer David Benkert. Last month, they released their debut EP via Artistic Integrity Records, called Down Time Blues. We spoke with Caterer and discussed how the EP was written and recorded, as well as what some of its songs are about. We also talked about his early exposure to the blues, how Jackson Mud formed, the origin of the band’s name and more. Continue Reading…
The Bigger Empty traces its origins back to 2007, when Mike Felumlee, (current/founding Smoking Popes drummer, former Alkaline Trio drummer) began playing solo shows. He called upon some friends to assist him in playing live, and after a few years of playing shows together they’d grown to become more of an actual band than a solo project. As of last year, they started calling themselves The Bigger Empty, with a lineup consisting of Felumlee on vocals/guitar, guitarist Jim Steinkraus, bassist Reuben Baird and drummer Kevin Baschen. When asked as to what inspired the band’s name, Felumlee said “We have a song called ‘The Bigger Empty’ about my dog that runs away quite frequently. It’s about him going out into the world and discovering that it’s really not that great out there and he’d rather be back home. We loved that song title, so we decided to use it as our name. The lyrics and title were written by our friend Brian Birkland. I team up with him a lot when I’m stumped on writing lyrics.”
This Saturday, 7/25, The Bigger Empty is playing Subterranean with Spitalfield and Daniel Wade. The show starts at 6:00 PM, is 17+ and costs $17. They’ll have copies of their debut EP available at the show, though it officially comes out on 8/08 via Artistic Integrity Records. The EP is called vs. The Cloud and was recorded at bassist Baird’s studio, Chicago Sound Lab. Check out a song from the record below, called “My Great Escape.”
[audio:http://www.jadedinchicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/ESCAPE.mp3|titles= “My Great Escape”]
Treasure Fleet just released its third full-length LP, entitled The Sun Machine, via Recess Records. We talked with bassist/singer Neil Hennessy about how the album was written, its recording process and more. The record also serves as the soundtrack to a sci-fi film of the same name, which the band created as well. We discussed with Hennessy about the inspiration for these projects and how they managed to combine the two to form a unified vision. Without question, The Sun Machine is Treasure Fleet’s most ambitious and accomplished project to date. Its influences range from power pop and progressive rock to old Twilight Zone episodes and beyond, resulting in a truly unique endeavor. Check out a song from The Sun Machine after the interview, called “The View from Mt. Olympus.” Continue Reading…
The Treasure Fleet is a new Chicago band that consists of Isaac Thotz and Dave Merriman of The Arrivals, Neil Hennessy of The Lawrence Arms and Smoking Popes, Eli Caterer of Smoking Popes and Mike Oberlin of Sass Dragons. We spoke with Isaac and Neil and talked in detail about how the band formed, their unique sound, their upcoming album for Recess Records and more. Continue Reading…