Lucky Boys Confusion Celebrates 15 Years

By Lizz Kannenberg in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 26, 2012 3:00PM

If you grew up in the Midwest and had a penchant for alternative rock music, chances are you or someone you know was into Lucky Boys Confusion. While still in high school in Naperville and Downers Grove, they forged a unique sound from influences like reggae, punk, hip hop and Britpop and steadily amassed a dedicated following. For the past 15 years, LBC has been one of Chicago's most dependable acts - they'll always play hard, they'll always pack the house and they'll most certainly play host to a rowdy party. Love it or hate it, that's the way they've always done things. They founded a scene and stuck around to watch it grow up.

That may not sound revolutionary, but Lucky Boys Confusion is in the minority in the disposable world of rock music. Very rarely does a group persevere through a decade and a half together in its original incarnation—the same five guys pushing through the early thrill of recognition, the sparkle and shit of a major-label record deal, the flirtation with fame, the fall back to earth, the growing out of it. They did their own thing, held strong against outside influence, and cultivated a fanbase whose members still count their music among the most important of their young adulthood. And most importantly they stayed friends through it all, with only the death of guitarist Joe Sell in May separating them.

Tonight and tomorrow night they'll celebrate 15 years as a band and pay tribute to Joe with two shows at the House of Blues. It might get loud, just the way it should be.

Lucky Boys Confusion plays tonight, Oct. 26, 11 p.m. (17+), and tomorrow night, Oct. 27, 6 p.m. (all ages), at the House of Blues, 329 N. Dearborn.