CURRENT -
FESTIVAL COVERAGE -
2009 (70 reviews) -
2008 (28 reviews) -
2007 (27 reviews) -
2006 (14 reviews)
Schubas Tavern . Chicago, IL
Reviewed by Vivian Hua on 09/25
Tagged 2009 avant-garde chairlift electronic experimental female vocalists hawaii bands indie electronic indie pop indie rock john maus lo-fi micachu micachu and the shapes new york bands pop rough trade records self-released uk bands
John Maus creates the type of experimental electronic dance music that you'd expect to find in basements throughout the
country. It's crafted for a spazzy niche market, and most people would probably hate it. Yet, it can be amusing to watch, and though his addition to Chairlift's tour was a strange one, his set was entertaining. He performed a wriggling set, mainly from the ground, and rocked out like a sweaty metalhead. But because of the highly distorted output on his microphone, the sound you'd expect to hear differed greatly from the actual sound, creating a rather surreal quality. Again, though, the music was quite difficult to truly get into, as he only lightly touched upon any contemporary semblance of beat and structure.
Micachu and the Shapes took the stage next, and they came highly recommended to me. Fronted by 21-year-old frontwoman Mica Levi, Micachu and the Shapes is a three-person project featuring three equally talented and non-disposable members. Levi played a mean guitar, full of discord, and sings each song with a raw yet completely controlled quality. Drummer Marc Pell pounded on the drums with fury, making sure to experiment and solo where appropriate. My favorite member of all, though, is synth-master and occasional drummer, Raisa Khan. Her synths were absolutely remarkable -- creative and percussive, less melodic than they were delightfully structural. She played a mean cowbell and wine bottle, too. But Micachu and the Shapes are not for everyone, as evidenced by one particularly belligerent douchebag who approached Khan after the show, saying, "What was that? The set? That wasn't music. I didn't pay to get my ear pissed into."
Douchebaggery aside, musicians will respect Micachu and the Shapes on their use of discord and their ability to utilize instrumentation in creative ways, but it's simply not for everyone.
When Chairlift finally took the stage, the crowd was more than ready. As evidenced by the aforementioned douchebag, I must
say that the worst thing about Chairlift is Chairlift fans. This is not an opinion formed from this one-off occasion.
Since the trio has gained mass popularity with their song, "Bruises," I've come to notice that a lot of Chairlift fans are
either clueless fans who only know a couple songs or fairweather fans who love the band only in their poppy, '80s
throwback stages and fail to respect their other material. For me, it is actually when Chairlift deviates from traditional
pop structures that they seem the most comfortable on stage, and therefore, are the most enjoyable.
They played a solid set, running through favorites from
Planet Health with a respectable amount of intensity. Guitarist Aaron Pfenning seemed mysterious onstage, as always, with his hair covering half his face and his guitarwork relying on dramatically long, drawn-out notes or finger-picked notes. Drummer and bassist Patrick Wimberly swapped instruments frequently, barely visible when behind the drums but a joyfully bouncy gnome when playing the bass. Opener John Maus stepped in temporarily as keyboardist, but he probably pulled down the overall vibe, as he seemed disenchanted and bored the entire time. Finally, vocalist and keyboardist Caroline Polachek topped it all off, as she always does, with a welcome feminine energy. After all, the lady is an absolute vixen; she can rock a Dickies jumpsuit and make even that look sexy. Add that to her hippie-like twirling and dancing, and the result is a positive one.
To bring it all back, the band closed out their set (prior to the encore) with "Bruises" and made a free-form effort towards more experimental territory. It was probably the moment of their set where they most seemed to enjoy themselves, and it was good to see them play around a little bit more. Chairlift don't really blow anyone out of the water with their live performances or anything, but they are certainly a solid band that put on solid shows. I do feel like they would be even better if they'd just let themselves go a little bit more, but time will tell if this is a possibility.
what do you think?
have you ever actually listened to john maus' music? if you have you would know that there definitely is a structure to his songs.
@RedefineFan324... hadn't actually listened to his music before, as this show was my first introduction to him. from the show, it seemed like there wasn't MUCH structure. maybe there is, but it is a show review, after all :)