Gemini Club Impresses At Metro

By Jake Guidry in Arts & Entertainment on Sep 27, 2010 8:20PM

One thing Chicago benefits from is a wealth of talented local bands and DJs. In fact, at times, this can be a cumbersome reality. Week in, week out, the city's calendar is so jammed with good local shows that we hardly get to see a fraction of it. It's a good problem to have and a recent solution was the monthly One Night Stand party last Friday at Metro. Supported by DJ sets from Kid Color, Team Bayside High and Only Children, One Night Stand was headlined by local electro-pop outfit Gemini Club. The night was billed as the official release party for the band's new single, "Ghost". To celebrate, Gemini Club took Metro by storm with a show as good as we've seen them perform.

The trio took the stage, joined by Jonathan Marks of Hey Champ on drums. From the get-go, Gemini Club's sound was tight and lush, filling out each crevice of Metro's wide, elevated space. Lead singer Tom Gavin sounded particularly on-point with a range of vocals that surpassed any other show we'd seen him perform. Chalk it up to artistic progression or shear excitement for the show; whatever it was, it elevated Gemini Club to a level of cohesiveness we were unsure they'd be able to meet. Throughout the night Gemini Club ripped through tunes new and old, including the new single "Ghost", a piece of exciting electro-pop that shows signs of Gemini Club's eventual status as a national talent. Drumming from Marks was an integral element as well; his prowess kept the band's sound tight and precise. Synth and dancey drum patterns permeated the band's entire set and it kept the crowd in a perpetual state of footwork.

It's clear here that Gemini Club are trying to channel Cut Copy, LCD Soundsystem and the like, and while those aspirations may be lofty, we give them credit for giving it a damn good shot. If they keep giving performances like this, they're well on their way.