Soft Targets

Softies Last Stand

2012-01-10T11:21:00.000-08:00

Soft Targets will be playing our last show Saturday, January 14 @ Pancho's, 2200 N. California in Logan Square (underneath the Blue Line California stop). Show starts and 9pm and will include live performances by acts like Party Downers and Arsenal Road.

Soft T's would like to thank everyone for their support over the last 7+ years. We do have some unfinished business in the form of unreleased music to take care of in 2012, so visit soft-targets.com or roostercow.com for news on our upcoming cassette-only release. The Rise & Fall of Soft Targets (7" a-sides, b-sides, alternate versions and outtakes) as well as our full-length record which should be available for download sometime this year!

Soft Targets Cassette Release

2011-12-13T09:32:00.000-08:00

At long last, the Soft Targets cassette EP, The Rise & Fall of Soft Targets is in production. Thanks to Cassetty and the folks at Cassette Pet, this colorful cassette should be out in early 2012, just in time (we hope!)for the release show on Saturday, January 14th @ Pancho's in Logan Square, Chicago with Arsenal Road and Party Downers. Comprised of seven inch singles, outtakes, and alternate versions, this nine song piece of rolling plastic history is sure to be fun for kids of all ages!

Soft Targets @ Beat Kitchen * Split 7" in Local Stores

2011-09-19T10:29:00.000-07:00

Soft Targets on the Razor & Di Show, WLUW 4/11

Check out Soft Targets, Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ Beat Kitchen, 2100 W Belmont with Reg Shrader's alternate band Sentinels, also Warhellride and Board of Governors share the bill. Don't miss this exciting event!!!

Soft Targets/The Mediums split 7" available from RoosterCow Records or in Chicago @ Permanent Records, Laurie's Planet of Sound and Reckless Records (all locations)

Soft Targets Split 7" & Record Release Show

2011-07-21T14:06:00.000-07:00

Just in time for summer, the Soft Targets/Mediums split 7" is complete. Super Artist, Mike Dixon whipped up the Softie's side with a Zombiefied Stones tribute and Mediums guitarist Adam Smith knocked out the pyramidically-inspired flipside. A hand-painted cover wraps wonderfully around this gorgeous piece of colored limted edition vinyl. Links up soon for Paypal purchases and our minions will be getting copies to local Chicago record stores soon. Check out the release show, Friday, August 12 @ Memories Bar, 4358 N. Cicero in Portage Park, Chicago. The Mediums won't be on the bill, unfortunately but bands called The Uma Thurmans and Bill Ura Dik will be!

Thanks for the (Soft Targets LIVE at) Memories (Bar)

2011-05-08T12:30:00.000-07:00

Soft Targets next live performance will be Saturday, May 21 at Memories Bar, located at 4358 N. Cicero Avenue in our beloved Chi. This joint has been described by Soft Targets guitarist, Reg Shrader, as a "hobo stabbing bar." Sound's perfect. Also on the bill: Phantom Works (feat. San Diego transplant, Kris Poulin, he of Chicago recording and sound fame) as well as The Cell Phones and Days Off. So take the night off and come out to the show. FYI: Roostercow is still workin' on the covers for the new Soft Targets/Mediums split 7". Maybe they'll be done in time for the Memories show. Yeah, and maybe a hobo won't get stabbed there. Ha!

Soft Targets Live Events in April

2011-03-28T12:40:00.000-07:00

April will be a busy month for Soft Targets. Catch this power quartet live @ Cal's Liquors (400 S. Wells) on Saturday, April 9th with The City Streets in Madison (from Montreal), Lake Street Dive (from Brooklyn), Somersault from Chicago. The band will also see the release of a RoosterCow split 7" with The Mediums, which should be available in local record shops by month's end. Then on Friday, April 29th tune in your radio to the Razor & Die Show @ 2PM on 88.7 WLUW for a live in-studio performance. Do all that, please.

Upcoming Vinyl Release!

2011-03-02T10:19:00.000-08:00

Hey! We're splitting a platter of technicolor vinyl with red hot Chicago rockers, The Mediums, that should be out in time for Record Store Day (April 16th, 2011). It will certainly be a Zombie Holiday that will have you thinking I am "out of my mind". (That's a hint as to the track titles, just so you know.) Limited edition of 300! Look for it on RoosterCow Records!

Quenchin' It

2011-01-20T14:04:00.000-08:00

Sure it will be cold and miserable outside on Saturday, February 26th, but you can't stay inside all winter long, yah bum. You need to get out of the house and check out Soft Targets @ Quencher's Saloon (Western & Fullerton). $5 suggested donation. Also on the bill Eric Howell's Greatest Hitch and the Kevin Lee Band

Why Soft Targets Love Pancho's

2011-01-09T14:10:00.000-08:00

1) $2 High Life's
2) Laser lights
3) Vito
4) Pancho
5) Mofungo? Mo' everything!

Soft Targets are Grunge?

2010-12-21T09:57:00.000-08:00

I don't think Mr. Forstneger listened beyond the first song. That is the only explanation for this review, but we appreciate it just the same. From the Illinois Entertainer:

More Mudhoney than Mooney Suzuki, Soft Targets push their sloppy garage rock like they stole it and don’t give a fuck. Above The Arctic Circle wears its early-’90s stylistic contrivances like a faded T-shirt, indifferent to how ratty it looks or how much of its smell sneaks in. The band’s take-it-or-leave-it approach keeps it from waffling on the modernize-it fence, and the absence of Jesus Christ poses reminds us that there were bits of the Seattle movement worth returning to. (www.roostercow.com)–Steve Forstneger

Sandwich Rock!

2010-12-14T16:57:00.000-08:00

Pancho's is the new Ronny's? Fair enough. Come check out the first Soft Targets show of 2011: Saturday, January 8th at Pancho's, 2200 N California Avenue in Logan Square. Enjoy some spicy Cuban food and some hot rock and roll. Soft Targets are whipping up a brand new set for ya'll before we head into the studio to record those songs later in the month. Also on the bill, Via Verso and Heavy Bombers.

This other time at band camp...

2010-12-09T08:54:00.000-08:00

2009's "Don't Put Out" full-length CD is now available for download from the Band Camp site. Buy the entire album or purchase individual songs! More Soft Targets albums coming to Band Camp soon.

Go to camp!

This one time at band camp...

2010-11-18T10:39:00.000-08:00

‎"Above the Arctic Circle" is now available for download from the Band Camp site. Buy the entire album or purchase individual songs! More Soft Targets albums coming to Band Camp soon.

Go to camp!

Soft Targets CD Release Show Update

2010-10-22T10:55:00.000-07:00

I know you were already planning on coming out to The Mutiny on Thursday, November 11th (Veteran's Day) for the release show for "Above the Arctic Circle," but now you'll get the added bonus of seeing Phantom Works and The Sentinels as well. And it's still free. That's the Mutiny, 2428 N. Western, where Bucktown meets Logan Square (and gets in a fight that nobody wins).

Also, HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ROOSTERCOW RECORDS!!!

Soft Targets bass player, Daniel P. Kiss, Esq.

Above the Arctic Circle

2010-09-15T21:35:00.000-07:00

Soft Targets fourth full-length record, Above the Arctic Circle is scheduled for an October 7th release on RoosterCow Records. To celebrate this historic event, we are playing a show at The Mutiny (2824 N. Western Ave, ChIll) on November 11th. We're working on the line-up as we speak, but regardless of whatever amazing and talented band(s) plays with us that night, this will be a FREE show. There will also be FREE copies of the new CD available (while supplies last--this is a limited edition run of 300 copies) and FREE stuff from our back catalog will be available and maybe some buttons and stuff.

So think about that.

Soft Targets Above the Arctic Circle

2010-07-04T13:35:00.000-07:00

After several months of recording and mixing business, the new Soft Targets full-length has advanced forward a giant step and is ready for mastering. The ten song disc is our fourth LP and we think it's pretty damn good. The cover art and the rest of production should be completed this summer so again, we're looking at a fall release. Thanks to Kris Poulin for engineering duties and thanks Jenny Runde who took the album cover photo (and the one above)

We hope to see you at our release show. Happy Fourth of July, Americans!

Soft Targets @ The Mutiny

2010-03-30T10:03:00.000-07:00

Soft Targets return to The Mutiny to celebrate singer/guitarist Chris Auman's 40th Birthday (holy shit!). As old as this relic is, Auman still knows how to bring the rock. Or does he? Come out and see for yourselves. Mean Ohio are also on the bill as are Extra Special Guests TBA & the TBDs (wink, wink) who play your favorite punk rock songs from the '70s and beyond. That's Friday, April 23rd, 9pm. 2428 N. Western. No cover!

Cold Softies Warm Up in the Studio

2010-02-02T13:33:00.000-08:00

Soft Targets spent the cold wintery month of January recording with Kris Poulin, as is our custom. We got the basic tracks for 12 songs done and we'll be finishing them up over the next couple of months. A new CD should be out in the fall of 2010 and there are rumors of a cassette-only release as well. If these rumors are true, which we will neither confirm nor deny, then this cassette would likely feature b-sides, outtakes and previously unreleased songs...allegedly. Anyway, happy belated New Year. Piece.

Reg at Radio One (WLUW Loyola), Summer 2009.

Soft Targets on Pure Hype!

2009-10-08T13:24:00.000-07:00

This is our third trip to the South Side and the U of C campus to play on the long-running "Pure Hype" radio program. A live set will be followed by an interview. So tune in to 88.5 on your FM dial on Friday, October 9th from 9 to 10:30pm.

Listen live!

CD Release Show Update!

2009-09-11T10:01:00.000-07:00

SOFT TARGETS RELEASE SHOW NEWS

The line-up for Soft Targets Don't Put Out CD release show will be as follows:

Hey Zeus
The Gnomes
Last Fast Action

and then Soft Targets will throw down some songs from the new disc (Read the first review here) as well as some oldies. Come to the show and get your own FREE copy.

Saturday, September 19th, 9PM

Bottom Lounge
1375 W Lake St
Chicago, IL 60616
312-666-6775

See you there.

VOTE!!!

You can still vote for Soft Targets in the Deli Mag readers poll, so why don't you?

Don't Put Out CD Release Events

2009-08-21T07:36:00.000-07:00

ST ON THE RADIO

Soft Targets new CD, Don't Put Out (RoosterCow) is being released next month and we've got a few events planned to celebrate. First up: Soft Targets will be recording a live set and an interview to air Thursday, Sept. 3 (6-10pm) on "Radio One," WLUW 88.7. Tune in or listen live on-line.

From the WLUW website:
88.7-Independent Community Radio broadcasts at 100 watts of power from atop Mertz Hall on the campus of Loyola University Chicago in Rogers Park. The coverage area extends from Lake Michigan west to the Tri-state Tollway, and from northern suburbs like Highland Park south to North Avenue.

SOFT TARGETS LIVE

And then, the big event: Saturday, Sept. 19 @ 9pm, Soft Targets live at the Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake Street. Free CDs! Free buttons! So far, our buddies Hey Zues are on the bill with other bands TBD.

NEW CD

The ten tracks that compose Don’t Put Out were recorded by engineer Kris Poulin (Pinback, Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Smog) at Armitage Shanks in Logan Square during the early winter months of 2009. This disc features all the Soft Targets trademarks; there’s the short bursts of punk rock energy on “When the Apocalypse Comes,” and “Idiot Clause” (a song sung by new drummer Chris Negrete). And there are longer sonic stretches too, as on the disc opener “Figure it Out” and the slightly eerie “Some Days.” Reg Shrader takes on vocals for a cover of “Frustration” by the psychedelic garage band, Mystic Tide, featuring some manic guitar work from Adam Scott (The Peelers, The Mediums). Don’t Put Out ends big with “Big Cats” getting a little help from former Soft Target bassist/vocalist, Tina Finch.

Thanks for tuning in. We hope to see you at a show soon.

Why Soft Targets Love Quenchers

2009-08-07T13:00:00.000-07:00

1) Quencher bucks
2) Breathtaking views of Fullerton & Western
3) Tater Tot Pizza
4) Millions of beer choices
5) They actually pay bands

Why Soft Targets Love the Mutiny

2009-08-04T09:04:00.000-07:00

1) Ed
2) Rhonda
3) The Super Mug aka The Growler (1 qt. of beer!)
4) There's never a cover
5) Home of the World's Largest Urinal

Back to the Quench

2009-06-28T14:36:00.000-07:00

Soft Targets get pretty thirsty in the sweltering summer months in Chicago, and when that happens we like to book a show at Quencher's, 2401 N Western Ave (corner of Western and Fullerton). And that's exactly what we did for Thursday, August 6, 9pm, with Slick Conditions (featuring Leroy Bach & Elliot Dicks)

Soft Targets @ The Beat Kitchen

2009-05-07T09:45:00.000-07:00

Soft Targets @ The Beat Kitchen Wednesday, May 20th with Moshi Moshi Kaiju and Lemmy Caution, That's the BK @ 2100 West Belmont. Show starts at 9pm.