Our favorite track from last year’s Wilco (The Album) receives the La Blogotheque treatment. Wilco branch out this year, curating the Solid Sound Festival taking place in North Adams, MA over three days. Guitarist Nels Cline recently revealed details that the band will be releasing future albums on their own label.

Buy: Wilco (The Album)

Here are the Wisconsin and Illinois shows we recommend you take in this week. Check them out below and let us know which ones you’ll be attending or ones you think should really make our list. This week there is a plethora of great music going on at Radio Summer Camp in Milwaukee and the Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago. We’ll be bringing back reports from both. Until then, drop a comment and let us know where you’re going and who you’re seeing!

Upcoming Shows:

7/12 – Caribou – Millennium Park (CHICAGO)
7/12 – El Guincho – Jay Pritzker Pavilion (CHICAGO)
7/12 – We Were Promised Jetpacks + Bear Hands – Empty Bottle (CHICAGO)
7/13 – Depedro – Scubas (CHICAGO)
7/14 – Hole – Vic Theatre (Chicago)
7/14 – The Swell Season – Ravinia Festival At Highland Park (Chicago)
7/14 – Liars – High Saloon (MADISON)
7/14 – Old 97′s – Pabst Theater (MILWAUKEE)
7/15 – Frontier Ruckus – Back Porch At House Of Blues (CHICAGO)
7/15 – Neon Indian – Bottom Lounge (CHICAGO)
7/15 – Widespread Panic – Chicago Theatre (CHICAGO)
7/15 – Common Loon – Mike & Molly’s (CHAMPAIGN)
7/15 – Decibully – Concert Cruise (MILWAUKEE)
7/15 – Russian Circles – Cactus Club (MILWAUKEE)
7/15 – Liars – Turner Hall Ballroom (MILWAUKEE)
7/16 – The Hood Internet – Dark Room (CHICAGO)
7/16 – Todd Snider + Samantha Crain – High Noon Saloon (MADISON)
7/16 – Collections of Colonies of Bees + All Tiny Creatures – Cactus Club (MILWAUKEE)
7/16 – Scott Lucas + Trapper Scheopp + Surgeons In Heat – Linneman’s (MILWAUKEE)
7/16 – Band of Horses – The Rave (MILWAUKEE)
7/16 – Lightning Bolt – Bay View American Legion (MILWAUKEE)
7/16 – Cory Chisel And The Wandering Sons – UW Terrace (MADISON)
7/16 – The Daredevil Christopher Wright – Mike & Molly’s (CHAMPAIGN)
7/16 – Radar Bros. – Schubas Tavern (CHICAGO)
7/16 – Southern Culture On The Skids – Double Door (CHICAGO)
7/16 – Titus Andronicus – Subterranean (CHICAGO)
7/16 – Widespread Panic – Chicago Theatre (CHICAGO)
7/16 – Pitchfork Music Festival – Union Park (CHICAGO)
7/17 – Bear In Heaven – Lincoln Hall (CHICAGO)
7/17 – Here We Go Magic – Schubas Tavern (CHICAGO)
7/17 – Codebreaker + The New Loud – Bayview Brewhaus (MILWAUKEE)
7/17 – John Doe + Robbie Fulks w/ Nora O’Connor – Shank Hall (MILWAUKEE)
7/17 – The Goodnight Loving – Linneman’s (MILWAUKEE)
7/17 – Neon Indian – Turner Hall Ballroom (MILWAUKEE)
7/17 – John Hiatt – Barrymore (MADISON)
7/17 – Jon Mueller – Sugar Maple (MILWAUKEE)
7/17 – Samantha Crain + Strand of Oaks + The Loom – Cactus Club (MILWAUKEE)
7/17 – Widespread Panic – Chicago Theatre (CHICAGO)
7/17 – Tom Petty + Drive-By Truckers – United Center (CHICAGO)
7/17 – Pitchfork Music Festival – Union Park (CHICAGO)
7/18 – Radio Summer Camp Backyard BBQ – Cathedral Square Park (MILWAUKEE)
7/18 – The Daredevil Christopher Wright + The Loom + Strand of Oaks – Abbey Pub (CHICAGO)
7/18 – Pitchfork Music Festival – Union Park (CHICAGO)
7/18 – Real Estate + Zola Jesus – Subterranean (CHICAGO)

Just Announced:

8/3 – The Portland Cello Project – High Saloon (MADISON)
8/13 – Admiral Radley + Guests – Lincoln Hall (CHICAGO)
8/16 – Stone Temple Pilots + Cage the Elephant + Fang Island – The Rave (MILWAUKEE)
9/11 – Mondo Lucha Wrestling / Variety Show – Turner Hall Ballroom (MILWAUKEE)
9/20 – Land of Talk – Lincoln Hall (CHICAGO)
9/22 – Of Montreal + Janelle Monáe – Canopy Club (URBANA, IL)
9/23 – Tokyo Police Club – Turner Hall Ballroom (MILWAUKEE)
9/29 – The Strange Boys + Gentleman Jesse and His Men – Cactus Club (MILWAUKEE)
9/29 – Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy Lincoln Hall 7pm (CHICAGO)
9/29 – Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy Lincoln Hall 10pm (CHICAGO)
10/7 – Dungen + The Entrance Band – Lincoln Hall (CHICAGO)
10/22 – Dr. Dog + Here We Go Magic – Turner Hall Ballroom (MILWAUKEE)

+Bookmark our upcoming shows page for all your concert announcements+

By Jeff Kollath

640 miles. 11 hours in a car. 1.1 million mosquitoes. 1 bottle of Maker’s Mark.

Sometimes you go to incredible lengths to see a band, and when the Avett Brothers announced they would be playing at Big Top Chautaqua this summer, we knew we had to make the might trek north. Our efforts paid off in spades with an absolutely tremendous show on Friday night. Having seen the Avetts four times in the last 15 months, I have seen a band progress from the original three-piece, to the expanded four piece with inimitable Joe Kwon on cello, to a full-blown, five-piece rock band complete with a hired gun on drums. Despite these changes, what makes Scott, Seth, and Bob so special still remains – heartfelt, dramatic songs of loss and love, undeniable passion and effort, among other traits – as well as complete and total devotion from their fanbase. I have never seen a band that feeds off the energy of the crowd, and vice versa, like the Avett Brothers. From the opening notes of the second song, “January Wedding” through the screaming singalong of “I am a breathing time machine” during the “Laundry Room” closer, band and crowd were as one. The venue may have had something to do with it. Big Top Chautaqua is a big blue tent and the base of a ski hill. You can play frisbee and drink a beer just outside the tent. The audience was by far the most diverse I’ve seen at an Avetts show, with newborns bouncing on their parents knees and grandparents clapping in time on the fringes, giving plenty of room to the youngsters to jump, shout, yell, and dance. Most of the audience sits in rehabbed church pews, making it feel like part revival, part church picnic, and part family reunion. The band picked up on the vibe, with Scott remarking at one point “this is just like home,” later amending it after “The Perfect Space” by adding, “actually, this is A LOT louder than home.”

The band moved between the folk-thrash of “The Fall,” “Wanted Man,” and “Rollin’ In My Sweet Baby’s Arms,” older trio songs like “Colorshow” (receiving a dramatic, slightly remixed full band treatment) and “Shame,” and nine tracks off their latest record, delighting most despite the weighty subject matter. As someone that historically puts setlist ahead of performance, I could complain about ending the show with five out of the last six from the latest record (save for the Roger Miller cover shown above), but they were played with such emotion and intensity that you could not help but be moved. The band left the stage soaked, trumphant, and flattered at the reception from the capacity crowd. After shows, particularly the hot ones, I love to look at people’s faces as they leave the venue. At Avett Brothers shows, I see expressions that I don’t see anywhere else. There is joy, there is contentment, and yes, there is drunkenness, but there is also something behind that happiness, These songs stick with you – their lyrics come from places we have all been – and there is a lot of reflection and introspection going on that walk between the venue and the car. There are lyrics that always get me, and haunt me for hours afterwards, but that is all part of it, and that is why I, and an ever-growing mass of people, love this band.

Setlist: Skin and Bones / January Wedding / The Fall / Paranoia in Bb Major / Wanted Man / The Perfect Space / Shame / At the Beach / Colorshow / Pretty Girl at the Airport / Pretty Girl from Mathews / Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise / Rollin’ In My Sweet Baby’s Arms / Kick Drum Heart / Murder in the City / And It Spread / Tin Man / Slight Figure of Speech / I and Love and You / Encore: Where Are All the Average People? / Laundry Room

Buy: The Avett Brothers – I and Love and You

[update: Phosphorescent Van, Gear Recovered by NYPD]

Last night, after an amazing show at Pier 54 in New York City, Phosphorescent’s rental van -along with all of their equipment – was stolen from outside a residence in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Last night’s show was the first night of their scheduled six-weeks US Tour. Among the stolen items was Matthew Houck’s custom, irreplaceable 1955 Gibson ES-125 guitar, vintage amplifiers, and a vintage pedal steel with losses totaling around $40,000. If anyone has ANY information or leads on what might have happened, or if you see any of this gear in pawn shops, on Craigslist, etc, please call the NY Police Department, Vector Management, or anyone you think might be able to help recover this gear. The van rental company is insured – they are covered for their van and are therefore not greatly concerned with recovering it. Phosphorescent DOES care though, greatly, about recovering any of this gear possible, and about right now figuring out how to rally up and make this US Tour happen. Anything anyone can do to help would be simply amazing. We have set up a Paypal account for anyone wishing to donate funds to help replace gear – anything helps. We will be sending updates about the upcoming tour dates ASAP. Thanks in advance for any goodwill and assistance and thank you for your support over the years.

Help the band with a paypal donation in any amount to the following address: phosphorescentgearfund@gmail.com

Phosphorescent will play Mad Planet in Milwaukee on Wednesday, August 4th and the Empty Bottle in Chicago on Thursday, August 5th. J. Tillman opens the Milwaukee show.

MP3: Phosphorescent – “The Mermaid Parade”
MP3: Phosphorescent – “It’s Hard To Be Humble (When You’re From Alabama)”
++
Buy: Phosphorescent – Here’s to Taking It Easy

We’re teamed up with Harmon Drive to showcase some of our favorite bands in Chicago next weekend. Obviously, the city is swarming with stuff to do with Pitchfork going down and all, but we thought you might wish to seek refuge in the air conditioning and get out of the sun for a little while.

Join us at the Abbey Pub on Sunday, July 18th for sets from The Loom, Strand of Oaks, The Daredevil Christopher Wright, Benjamin Ezra and Cains and Abels. Tickets are $8 in Advance or $10 at the door. See you soon Chicago.

Hands down my favorite musical discovery of 2010 has been Michigan’s Breathe Owl Breathe. Their show at the Cactus Club last month was something so special and set in course one of the best weeks I’ve had all year. I was thrilled to hear their gorgeous forthcoming album, Magic Central, will be released September 28th on Home Tapes. Mark those calendars please!

The band is on tour, check the dates below and please seize the chance to see them live. You won’t forget it. Tour dates and MP3 below for you to get your ear’s around what’s to come.

Breathe Owl Breathe Tour Dates:

Thu. July 8 – Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center
Thu. July 15 – Sitka, Alaska @ Home Skillet Festival
Sun. July 25 – Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern w/ LAKE
Thu. July 29 – Davis, CA @ Sophia’s Thai Kitchen
Sat. July 31 – Big Sur, CA @ Henry Miller Library w/ Fruit Bats
Mon. Aug. 2 – Costa Mesa, CA @ Detroit Bar w/ Fruit Bats
Tue. Aug. 3 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah w/ Fruit Bats
Fri. Aug. 6 – Sun. Aug. 8 – Portland, OR @ Pickathon
Fri. Sep. 10 – Raleigh, NC @ Friend Island
Sat. Sep. 18 – Sun. Sep. 19 – Lake City, MI @ Harvest Gathering
Fri. Oct. 8 – Bloomington, IN @ Bishops
Sat. Oct. 9 – Richmond, IN @ Earlham College

MP3: Breathe Owl Breathe – “Own Stunts”
Video: Breathe Owl Breathe – “Own Stunts”