ISSUE #73 / August 22, 2019

Ryley Walker / all 📷 : MVM

All musical artists are destined to outgrow their homes if they are to make it big. So to then, must Chicago Crowd Surfer take its first steps out of the comforting bosom of Chicago and venture into strange and distant lands. This first, shaky step came in the form of a two man road trip to the far off land of Michigan. Watervliet (not a typo, not Watervilet) played host to the first iteration of Arcfest, at the Arclight Brewing Company. The festival, the brainchild of Dream Version drummer,  Michael Kunik and the Arclight founder, was conceived as a simultaneous festival and celebration of the brewery’s Soursmash Red Raspberry Sour (a brief note on the beer in question from this, a music website: its good, you should drink it). The Soursmash Red joins several others in the Soursmash collection alongside a surprisingly long roster of tasty beverages for such a young brewery. While any number of festivals crop up every year, Arcfest has two features that give it a decided edge over the competition. The first is, the aforementioned Arclight brewery itself. Not only an excellent source of high quality beers, but a space tailor made for good times. The festival grounds occupy the back of the brewery with a big open field, bordered by a dense perimeter of trees, and every lawn game you would hope to find, creating a sense that this is the best backyard in Michigan. The second standout of this festival, is a steady supply of quality music sourced mainly out of Chicago.

COWBOY JESUS AND THE SUGAR BUMS

A great way to inspire the next generation of musicians is give them opportunities to perform in front of crowds and get the great feeling of being on stage and having the culmination of your practicing pay off. It is even better when you can perform at a festival like ArcFest where bands that have made it further along in their musical careers than you can give listen to you and give tips. Cowboy Jesus and the Sugar Bums showed off their musical inspirations and treated the early fest goers to Allman Brothers and Cage the Elephant covers along with some original tunes of their own. The talented youngsters are one the right path to making it as musicians. The Baby Magic joked during their set that were jealous of CJATSB for having parents that set them on the right path from a young age. Everyone was jealous of these young kids having a basis of understanding of music and a very young age.  -MVM

THE BABY MAGIC

The experimental, pop, new wave duo that also acted as a stand up comedy group in between songs kept the crowd engaged. Playing songs off of Rent a Place in Hell, The Baby Magic has an energetic feel that will get you moving. Down to two pieces instead of their normal three, the brainchild of Mary Beth Brennan had no problem filling the sound. Brennan announces the song title as “Frank Sinatra” and then smirks and says “yea it doesn't have anything to do with Frank Sinatra.” This is the perfect way to still get everyone to intently listen and ponder the lyrics and wonder how did she come with Frank Sinatra from these lines.  -MVM

DREAM VERSION

Continuing the Chicago bands theme, Dream Version brought a tight indie rock set to ArcFest. You can not be the promoter of the fest and add your band unless you are really good. Dream Version’s Michael Kunik found time amidst of running around greeting bands as they arrived, helping set up the stage, co-hosting the fest, to drum an awesome set. The group’s song “Bathwater” was the highlight of the performance, sounding like Sonic Youth inspired, it is the song that encapsulates the sound of Dream Version. Always a great leg up on other bands is when your lead singer’s voice can go along with all different types of rock that you want to try out. Alec Jensen does just this and makes your group that more versatile when it comes to making music. -MVM

WILD PINK

The lone, non-Chicago band making a stop at ArcFest, Wild Pink, hailing from New York, brought their atmospheric indie rock to the part of the afternoon when you have finished eating lunch and want to sit back in a lounge chair and sip on a tasty beverage that Arclight was providing. The New Yorkers fit perfectly into the laid-back vibe of Michigan, where you just take things at your own pace. The group lofted through their performance and whisked you away; next thing you know, they are walking off the stage and you are left feeling like, don’t go, I love this feeling of euphoria that has currently washed over me! -MVM

DEHD

Dehd has become a fixture of the Chicago scene, and this three-piece has been written about extensively in this very publication. That said, they are poised to, not so much venture timidly beyond Chicago, but careen wildly into the stratosphere and beyond. At this point it’s getting exhausting to keep prophisising the impending takeover by Dehd, but with a set that featured a number of tracks off the band’s forthcoming album, it’s as apparent as ever that they are the next big thing. The first element that captured the audience was the controlled chaos in the form of dueling vocals between Emily Kempf, Ne-Hi alum, Jason Balla. What took them over the edge however, in Watervliet and beyond, is the storm between Balla on guitar and Kempf on bass, alongside the impossibly-precise Eric Mcgrady on drums. Dehd is simultaneously cacophonous and seemingly mathematically exact which gives each song a breathless and ferocious energy that melts time (and faces) without ever being inaccessible. Dehd will be at Thalia Hall, August 30th. Go pay that $15, you goons. -BBO

RYLEY WALKER

The once Chicago resident via Rockford who now resides in New York, capped off an overall wonderful day of beer and music. After a short rain delay, Walker and his band mates took to the stage. Walker, easily one of the best current guitar players, whether he is finger picking or strumming along, he is playing inspired. As quick of player that he is, he is quick with the witty responses in between songs that always gets a laugh out of the crowd. Performing songs off his most recent album, Deafman Glance, Walker could of just jammed out with his band and we would have been content to listen to them play as we would be to hear Deafman Glance.  -MVM