Empty Out Your Wallet
By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 6, 2006 3:00PM
For this week’s edition of Empty Out Your Wallet we’ve decided to primarily point you to smaller shows whose tickets are already available for purchase, plus one surprise. We’re always on the side of the little guy (and / or gal) and believe that they are deserving of your pre-show guaranteed dollars as well.
Decemberists
Alasdair Roberts
The Decemberists are this year’s Death Cab For Cutie with a better background in literature and seamanship. We were blown away by their appearance at last year’s Intonation Festival when we were sure they were going to suck. Boy were we off on that one! On sale now.
Riviera Theatre, Nov. 11, 7:30 p.m., $22.50, All Ages
Jay Bennett
Death Ships
We are unashamadely from the camp that believes Wilco lost the plot when they let Jay Bennett go. Their subsequent albums have been too full of Tweedy and too barren of any sense of the enjoyable experimentalism of Bennett. Bennett hasn’t appeared live in Chicago all that much in recent years so this is a chance you probably shouldn’t pass up. Tickets on sale now.
FitzGerald’s, Oct. 18, 8:30 p.m., $10, 21+
Frisbie
Andy Pratt
We love Frisbie even though they’ve taken us on a rollercoaster ride line-up-wise and spent too many years performing as a stripped down duo instead of utilizing their powerhouse full band combo. Steve and Liam are THE voices of Chicago’s power-pop underground and any time we’re offered a chance to catch them rocking out, you’ll see us elbowing our way to the front. Tickets on sale now.
Schubas, Nov. 17, 10:00 p.m., $10.00, 21+
Headlights
Canada
Skeletons & The Girl Faced Boys
The Beauty Shop
Caleb Engstrom
Headlights craft a woozy haze of rock that manages to knit itself back together before blowing itself apart. It is also a well-known fact that we are suckers for bands dually fronted by male and female vocals wrapped around solid songs, and headlights delivers with both fists on this front. No need to actually BUY tickets since the durned show is FREE!.
Empty Bottle, Nov. 20, 9:00 p.m., !! FREE !!, 21+
My Morning Jacket
The Slip
We once had the misfortune of booking The Slip to play at a club we were running at the time and almost fell asleep a number of times during their set. Unfortunately, the hippies still like them, so they seem to manage to keep touring. Bummer. My Morning Jacket lies at the opposite end of the spectrum, though, and we love them. We can particularly recommend their live show for it’s exuberant power, even if it means holding our noses above the patchouli whilst elbowing a few hippies in the head. On sale 10 a.m. Saturday.
Riviera Theatre, Nov. 24, 7:30 p.m., $24.00, All Ages