Keeping It Local

By Scott Smith in Arts & Entertainment on May 26, 2005 3:39PM

Chicagoist loves it when the underdog perseveres under their own terms. We also love bands with an honest attitude that reflects their music instead of overshadowing their output. For both of these reasons we enthusiastically throw our support behind local rockers Local H.

Local H rose high upon the shoulders of the fratboy-approved alternative nation based on the success of their early singly "Bound For The Floor" but they really cemented their position amongst this esprit de corps with the largely unplayable upon the radio "High-Fiving MF." They toured the world. They opened for Silverchair. Unlike most other bands the follow-up album was even better than the breakthrough disc. Like most other bands, though, the public could've cared less and the spotlight Local H had been enjoying didn't so much fade as it was just abruptly shut off.

Most groups would throw in the towel after this. At the very least most groups would try to craft songs similar to the tunes that got them the spotlight in the first place. Local H leader Scott Lucas took the road less traveled though and concentrated on just producing album after solid album and touring as much as he could.

While the blue-collar regularity of Local H's albums is respectable, the real gem is their live show. Lucas and drummer Brian St. Clair dominate the stage and occasionally make way for a little auxiliary tambourine or guitar. For the most part it's a two-man show with a guitar-drums approach that is a ferocious display of just how much havoc two dedicated individuals can wreak on an adoring populace.

The band has made a sort of tradition in recent years of playing on the Sunday of every Memorial Day weekend at Double Door and this year is no exception. To add a twist to this arrangement this year the show will be fueled entirely from audience requests that will be collected and tallied before the band hits the stage, so look for this to have

Image: Jeff Kroll

Thanks, Tankboy!