Last Minute Plans: John Roeser Avenue At The Empty Bottle

By Sarah Cobarrubias in Arts & Entertainment on Jan 26, 2010 7:40PM

Chicago garage-rock band John Roeser Avenue isn’t named after the Honorary John C. Roeser Ave. that takes up the 3200 West block of North, they’re named after the band’s lead man, John Roeser. Maybe you’ve seen him around Chicago in one of his former outfits, like Electric Airlines, Big Buildings, Fast Product, Power Wagon or Silver Rocket Band. He’s proven himself an experienced indie veteran, though JRA hasn’t been very active lately. But you can catch Roeser and his band tonight at our beloved Empty Bottle.

You can expect to hear some songs from their first full length album, On Manitou Island/In Hot Dog City, released in September 2009. It’s made up of fairly simple compositions delivered with the standard set of instruments - guitar, bass, drums and keyboard. But Roeser’s warbly, discordant vocals and masterful guitar picking give the band its unique sound. And we like that many of their songs are about famous historical figures, like “Rasputin,” a slow, humorously melodramatic piece that claims “Rasputin’s got the cure” and “Napoleon,” which is perhaps the album’s strongest track. Even “Reformation Blues” urges Martin Luther to “leave those peasants alone.”

They have a simple sound, and that’s why we like them. These guys aren't flashy or pretentious, but rather humble and understated. When you see them in person, you’ll find that Roeser and his backup band are just a bunch of nice - genuinely dweeby - guys. And you’ll probably want to get drinks with them afterward and talk about history and politics.

John Roeser Avenue Plays Tonight, January 26, at The Empty Bottle, 1035 N Western, 9:30pm, $3 advance, $5 at the door, 21+