Here are the Wisconsin and Chicago 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’s recommended new releases includes new offerings from The Flaming Lips, Fanfarlo, and Thao With the Get Down Stay Down. All come with our stamp of approval!

Upcoming Wisconsin Shows:

10/13 – Jolie Holland + Matt Bauer – High Noon Saloon, Madison
10/13 – Dinosaur Jr. – Majestic, Madison
10/14 – Rodrigo y Gabriela – Pabst Theater, Milwaukee
10/15 – Rain Machine feat. Kyp Malone (TV On The Radio) – The Annex, Madison
10/16 – Keller Williams – Barrymore, Madison
10/16 – Andrew Bird + Dosh – Pabst Theater, Milwaukee
10/17 – The Constellations/Fever Marlene/The Figureheads – Mad Planet, Milwaukee
10/17 – Andrew Bird (solo) + St. Vincent – Pabst Theater, Milwaukee
10/17 – The Gossip – Majestic Theatre, Madison
10/17 – Mike Doughty – Shank Hall, Milwaukee
10/17 – The Cocksmiths – BBC, Milwaukee
10/18 – Mastodon – Eagles Auditorium, Milwaukee

Upcoming Chicago Shows:

10/16 – Mike Doughty – Lincoln Hall
10/17 – Liam Finn – Lincoln Hall
10/17 – Mastodon – Aragon Ballroom
10/18 – Wilco – UIC Pavilion

Just Announced:

11/7 – Mount Eerie + No Kids + Tara Jane O’Neil – High Noon Saloon, Madison
11/16 – Devendra Banhart – Vic Theatre
11/20 – Brendan Benson – Lincoln Hall
12/31 – Spoon + Jay Reatard – Riverside Theater, Milwaukee
2/20 – Wilco – Overture Hall, Madison

New Releases:

The Flaming Lips – Embryonic, Fanfarlo – Reservoir, Thao With the Get Down Stay Down – Know Better Learn Faster

+Bookmark our Wisconsin and Chicago shows pages for all your concert announcements+

Set List: Signs // Die Die Die // I & Love & You // At the Beach // Bella Donna // Laundry Room // Paranoia in Bb Major // One Line Wonder // Down With A Glistening Shine // Talk on Indolence // Murder in the City // Denouncing November Blue // LOL, LOL // Ballad of Love & Hate // Rollin’ in My Sweet Baby’s Arms (Earl Scruggs cover) // Salina // Kick Drum Heart // Dream Appointed (Another Youngster) // Go to Sleep

Encore: The Perfect Space

It had been a couple years since I’d seen a show at the House of Blues in Chicago. I arrived to the venue in great anticipation, The Avett Brothers had teased some new material from their forthcoming album, I and Love and You when I saw them in Austin a few months back. Since then, I’ve had the chance to hear a few live records and have had the title track on in heavy rotation.

New songs “Laundry Room” and “Kick Drum Heart” embody the charging energy side of the Avett’s, while the evening’s closer, “The Perfect Space,” is as reflective as anything they’ve penned to date. It opens with a reasonable wish, “I wanna have friends that I can trust, that love me for the man I’ve become not the man I was” and ends continues with a heavy ending of “I wanna have pride like my mother has, And not like the kind in the bible that turns you bad.”

The Avett Brothers will leave your legs sore, your voice hoarse, and your memory bank filled with joy. They’re a band that you could drag along a pessimist and I’d bet the Avetts could win them over by the time the curtain goes down. Last night’s crowd was a mixture of the usual suspects: the die-hards, the booze hounds, the hippie chics, the businessman, and many more. The beauty of their live show resides within their ability to seamlessly transfer from rocker to delicate acoustic numbers like “Murder In The City.” If you haven’t bought your ticket for their show at the Barrymore in October, it’s never to early to plan ahead. The show will sell out, so don’t be left out.

Discuss: Drop a comment if you made last night’s show in Chicago. What were your highlights and thoughts on the new material?

Bonus: Scott Avett playing “Greensboro Woman” traveling from Columbus to Covington (6/21/09)

By Jodi Root

It was a very big happy birthday to me last night as I joined countless others in the dance party of 2009 at Uptown’s Aragon Theatre. I celebrated my 26th alongside super goddess Karen O, guitar mastermind Nick Zinner and percussion madman Brian Chase—dancing til I screamed myself hoarse and sweat out every last ounce of life I had left in me. The one and only Yeah Yeah Yeahs kicked off their nation-wide tour in support of It’s Blitz! last evening in Chicago, and you may as well stop reading this review now and just go buy your ticket for the closest stop to your city now—I mean it. God damn incredible.

I was previously borderline dreading this set. Don’t get me wrong, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are my most beloved band ever—even with my initial reaction of caution to the calmer sounds of It’s Blitz!, I am still 100% devoted to this thrashtastic rock trio—but I am, or at least was, definitely not a fan of The Aragon Theatre. Formerly a ballroom, the acoustics in this hall have always been echoic, with feedback and sound difficulties always mucking up whatever headliner was trying to rock it out. But not last night, oh no. Nothing could stop the rock, the glamour, the almighty beings that hail themselves, “Bigger than the Sound.”

The YYY’s stepped to the stage around 8:45, to thunderous, crazy ass applause. Backed by a giant deep violet glittery spiral, Karen O kept her reputation as indie rock’s most trend-pushing rock gem, rocking some bitchin’ yellow purple zebra tights and a crazy ass eyeball patterned kimono, which transitioned cloth hula hoop accessories, a hoodie and of course, a leotard. Bitch looked hot. Glowing amber lights illuminated through the fog, catching the shimmer of the glitter stage set, as Y shaped confetti shot through the shadows to the crowd. And this was just the beginning.

YYY kicked it off with a gentle, yet epic rendition of It’s Blitz!’s “Runaway.” Gorgeous and intimate, the song served as a perfect calm before the storm—kicking next into Fever to Tell’s raunchy grit theme, “Black Tongue.” Let me tell you, there is nothing more liberating and empowering than screaming “Boy you’re just a stupid bitch and girl you’re just a no good dick,” at the top of your lungs on your birthday. And I was definitely not the only one. The crowd went shitastic as Karen writhed, moaned and screamed. Zinner killed it on the guitar. Shit was sharp.

CONTINUE READING THE YEAH YEAH YEAHS CHICAGO REVIEW —> (more…)

By Jodi Root

I’ve had the joy of catching indie/alt-rock/hip-hop hybrid mastermind Tim Fite everywhere from New York and Austin to Chicago (well, actually that about sums it up), multiple times in the past few years—last night being my fourth encounter in the past year alone. Fite, who’s been touring seemingly non-stop in support of Anti Records’ “Fair Ain’t Fair,” since its release last spring, was back in Chi for the umpteenth time in the past six months –but this time around he was in charge—headlining. I had been getting used to watching Fite’s endearing attempts to win over various crowds as the forever opening act, whether it was Les Claypool, the Watson Twins, or as part of this last year’s Hideout Block Party—but this was the first time the spotlight truly belonged to him and his partner in crime, Dr. Leisure.

The infamous duo took to Schuba’s stage around 11:00; minutes after Fite had brushed past me sporting a navy jumpsuit, stating matter-of-factly to no one in particular, “I gotta pee.” Upon his return, the now bib overall/suit jacket gentleman got the crowd whistling and roaring in approval with the opening “Gone Ain’t Gone” number “I Hope You’re There.” Fite and Leisure kept the masses on their toes, with the forever colorful AV presentations, various crowd interactions and group exercises (literally—“Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes,” as well as the grunting remix of “Itsy Bitsy Spider,” were just a couple of several examples), and everyone was laughing, singing, stomping and cheering. Good vibes were aplenty.

The set itself lasted roughly an hour, staying consistent with every other set list I’ve caught the past year with the exception of a few additions including a new animated short featuring a not so cuddly finger eating koala bear as well as a track I hadn’t heard before, “Take your medicine, take your daughter to work day, it’s her birthday. . .” Catchy, whatever it was. Other regular staples included: “JoJo Bobby, Stab a Motherfucker,” “Big Mistake”—(which received huge crowd appreciation), “The Garden,” “Clothes,” “Line by Line,” and the super catchy “Burn it Down” (see vid above, you may like, dude on the right side of the cam sure did.) Fans swarmed to Fite and Leisure immediately following the set, and the forever humble gentlemen hung around, posing for photos and saying hi to new friends. It was a spectacular evening and I can’t send enough praises or thank-you’s to Fite for the forever good times.

Previously: Tim Fite Interview
Previously: Review: Tim Fite – Lakeshore Theatre, Chicago
Previously: 5 Questions with Tim Fite

Buy: Tim Fite
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Myspace: Tim Fite
MP3: Tim Fite – “I Called For You”