Elvis Perkins and Dearland

A.A. Bondy

For as long as I can remember, I’ve gone out of town over New Year’s for one reason or another, whether it was to visit friends in Chicago or Miami, to attend a friend’s wedding in Hell Buenos Aires, to see the final Guided By Voices shows at the Metro (while I was living in NYC), or to see The Frames do their annual NYE show in Dublin.

But unless something changes this year, it looks like I’m staying put in the upper midwest. And what’s a music blogger to do other than try to see some bands that night?

Luckily, there’s a ton of interesting Chicago-area (and beyond) options this year, so I figured I’d keep a running list of them here. This is a bit of a work-in-progress, and I’ll add things as I find them. If I’m missing anything, please feel free to drop a comment with info.

As always, my picks in bold. Updates will be in italics.

Chicago-Area (And Beyond) NYE Shows
Aragon: Umphrey’s McGee
Beat Kitchen: Pegboy, Shot Baker
Bottom Lounge: Todd Hembrook & The Hemispheres, Lowdown Brass Band
Congress Theater: Girl Talk
Double Door: Local H, Electric Six
Empty Bottle: Jens Lenkman
House of Blues: Big Head Todd and the Monsters
House of Blues (Back Porch): Urge Overkill
Lincoln Hall: The Fiery Furnaces
Logan Square Auditorium: Crystal Castles (Live and DJ sets), DJ Alex Zelenka
Metro: The Jesus Lizard
Metro (Smart Bar): Santiago
Quenchers Saloon: Tight Phantomz
Reggie’s Music Joint: Supersuckers
Reggie’s Rock Club: The Tossers, Teen Idols, Yakuza, Scott Lucas and His Married Men
Riverside Theater (Milwaukee): Spoon, Jay Reatard
Riviera: Black Keys, Kurt Vile and the Violators
Schubas: Bobby Bare, Jr., David Vandervelde
Subterranean: Margot & The Nuclear So and Sos
The Vic: Pretty Lights

Catfish Haven

I know absolutely nothing about this band other than a few good things I’ve seen on Twitter during M For Montreal. I have to assume that means they’re Canadian. Beyond that, though, I don’t know much… yet.

Great Bloomers on MySpace (which confirms the Canadianism)

By now you know that I’m friends with the guys, and have been helping them out with PR for their excellent new album, in “Love” [buy it here for any price you want over $1!!!]. So you don’t take my word for why you should go to the show.

Instead, you should take the word of the Washington Post’s own Going Out Gurus:

It’s deja vu all over again. Last fall, local trio the Jet Age (listen) released a winner of a concept album filled with fuzzed-out guitars, powerhouse drumming and vintage indie rock hooks. This fall it’s happened again. Just a year after “What Did You Do During the War, Daddy?” the band returns with “in ‘Love,’” and the riffs are just as dynamic, the drumming is just as propulsive and the concept doesn’t feel forced. The band ends its three-week national tour with a CD release show at Comet Ping Pong tonight [ed: Sat. 11/21]. Be sure to grab one of those CDs, because you should have some extra cash; the show is free.

And if that’s not enough, here’s a couple other great reviews that the band has gotten for in “Love”:

Album three is the charm for this D.C. manic-power trio. It’s as lyrically ambitious as 2008’s What Did You Do During the War… [set] to the band’s notable Dinosaur Jr./Ride/Swervedriver/Who grungy-shoegaze/punk-mod-soul-powerpop maelstrom… One could sure have an affair with this blasting, catchy, thoughtful record. (Jack Rabid, The Big Takeover (Issue 65))

and

An impressive shift of gears… . The songs do a beautiful job of detailing a relationship arc and the feelings at each stage of that journey. Plus, it rocks every step of the way, which doesn’t hurt. (DC Rock Club)

So maybe you ought to go see them, eh?

“Days” is the first track from the new album by Sweden’s Sambassadeur, due out on February 10th. You may remember hearing the band on WOXY a few years back, or even from my post on this blog back in 2006.

Sadly, I have yet to hear any Yngwie Malmsteen or Joey Tempest influences, but I’ll withhold judgment until I hear the whole album.

So you can now look back at the various lists I’ve put together on the blog by either clicking the “Best Of Lists” button at the top of the page or by simply clicking here.

One of the things I noticed while looking back at last year’s list was a list of “6 Things I’m Looking Forward to in 2009″. And while not completely embarrassing (50% of it still holds), the other half is pretty, pretty, pretty bad:

6 Things I’m Looking Forward to in 2009
Going through the AFF program — didn’t do it, and now that I live in Chicago, probably won’t
Lost, Season 5 — this one held up – seriously, how good was that last episode?
President Barack Obama — I’m still thrilled about this, but I’m increasingly disillusioned with partisan politics
Terminator Salvation — hahahahahahahaha. I’m an idiot
Wilco, Album #7 — this one breaks my heart. this album was awful. you cannot convince me otherwise
Wussy, Happiness Bleeds — a great, underappreciated (aren’t all Wussy albums underappreciated?) album

So keep an eye out for a few more lists in the next few weeks that, within six months or so, I’m sure we’ll all be able to look back to and laugh at. Or maybe sooner.

Edited to add: I hope I don’t look silly when I list a new Wrens album as something I’m most looking forward to in 2010. Seriously, guys… 2003 to 2010? Jerry told me in 2004 that you had 85 songs ready to go. Don’t make me start referring to the new album as Chinese Democracy

I was a huge fan of the band’s last album, 2007’s Asleep At Heaven’s Gate, and I’m looking forward to hearing what they have in store for us.  According to Under the Radar, the album is going to be “a departure from the band’s typical stylings.” I’m curious to see exactly what that means.

Rogue Wave Tour Dates
3/1 Boston, MA (Paradise Rock Club)
3/2 Brooklyn, NY (Music Hall of Williamsburg)
3/3 New York, NY (Bowery Ballroom)
3/4 Philadelphia, PA (First Unitarian Church Sanctuary)
3/5 Washington, DC (9:30 Club)
3/6 Carrboro, NC (Cat’s Cradle)
3/8 Atlanta, GA (The Loft)
3/9 Nashville, TN (Mercy Lounge)
3/10 Birmingham, AL (Bottletree)
3/13 Orlando, FL (The Social)
3/15 New Orleans, LA (One Eyed Jacks)
3/16 Houston, TX (Warehouse Live)
3/17 Dallas, TX (The Loft)
4/7 Santa Cruz, CA (Rio Theatre)
4/9 Portland, OR (Wonder Ballroom)
4/10 Seattle, WA (Neumo’s)
4/13 Boulder, CO (Fox Theatre)
4/14 Lawrence, KS (The Bottleneck)
4/15 Minneapolis, MN (Fine Line Café)
4/16 Madison, WI (High Noon Saloon)
4/17 Chicago, IL (Lincoln Hall)
4/20 Columbia, MO (Mojo’s)
4/21 Tulsa OK (Bobs at Cain’s)
4/23 Albuquerque, NM (Launchpad)
4/24 Tucson, AZ (Club Congress)
4/27 Solana Beach, CA (Belly Up)
4/29 Los Angeles, CA (El Rey Theatre)
4/30 San Francisco, CA (Fillmore)