I've Seen The Future And It Is Now

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 10, 2005 4:04PM

Rarely does Chicagoist get so excited that we are tempted to abusive superlatives but The Futureheads is one of those bands that severely tests our self-restraint. There’s a whole crop of bands copping that XTC/Jam/post-punk pop thing but few of them have the conviction that courses through this foursome from England who write incredibly dense pop songs that speed by in blasts of sonic euphoria. On-stage the group operates as a single unit, tight to the point of bursting, yet multi-layered in both their instrumental and vocal approaches.

It’s kind of like watching four guys simultaneously stick their fingers into one electrical socket. It’s wondrous, really.

They’ve been slowly building up their crowds in Chicago by working their way through the usual litany of smaller clubs like The Empty Bottle and Double Door, so tonight is sort of like their crowning achievement as they headline Metro. Chicagoist believes in bands paying their dues and getting to where they are through hard work rather than hype and mediocre musicianship, so we tend to fall head over heels over bands that generate hype through hard work and stunning songs. Did that make sense? Sorry, as I said we do tend to get a little overexcited about these lads. Hell, we’re actually willing (nay, excited I say!) to attend an all-ages event where the headliner will be hitting the stage well before nightfall. Let’s just say it takes a very special band to motivate us to do something like that.

So don’t miss The Futureheads tonight at Metro. The show kicks off at 7:00 so that should give you just enough time to grab a bite to eat after work before heading over to see the band.