WEEK OF 3/6/20

Elijah Berlow / all 📷 : Aaron Pylinski

The Hungry Brain is a sleepy speakeasy and the perfect setting for laid back folk on a Friday night. As Elijah Berlow and crew warmed up over the soft reggae tones of Peter Tosh playing over the house speakers, the evening’s mood was subtly pouring out like molasses onto the cold Chicago pavement outside. 

Sophie Rae and her accompaniment worked through their sound check with a smooth and delicious lounge act vibe. They went into the sweet sounding “Foster,” with jumpy guitar riffs. For a band who hasn’t played in awhile, they definitely had their shit wired tight from the beginning. 

They played a TOPS cover, “Way to be Loved,” acutely showcasing Rae’s voice and skills on the guitar coupled with the swanky-sounding rhythm guitar and drums that brought the funk out on bass. 

Curious murmurs of bar talk mutely wafted around while Rae strummed away on her guitar. It felt like a page out of American music history, like poetry happening in the midst of everyday life. They closed with “Atlas,” a funky-tronic jam session to grateful applause. 

Elijah Berlow was sporting a full band giving focus to what his paired-down folk can do with a deep accompaniment. Given that, there was still a tiny and beautiful sound coming through. Berlow’s voice brings everything back in a tender and caring way, like a father who is firm yet fair. 

Berlow clearly has a habit of meeting good people in bars, and this was evident in the company he was keeping on stage this evening. Emily Kuhn’s trumpet playing was spot on throughout the entire set adding a brilliant sound to an already passionate repertoire. Alex Ellsworth and his cello joined Elijah Berlow on stage for “Put Out Fires.” Berlow used this opportunity to encourage the audience to perform their civic duty and get out and vote. 

Berlow busted out his banjo, and that boozy drawl one gets from tinkering with down-home folk came rolling in deep folds like tightly woven cotton, something commonplace in his music. He closed with “Little Home” and turned a somewhat sleepy song into an up-tempo singalong. 

This wasn’t enough for the crowd and they coaxed him back on stage to play an encore that began plain and simple with Scott William on the pedal steel guitar, Evan Levine on the bass, Matt Smalligan on drum, and then Will Kryidazis chimed in with the keys. 

Soon enough, though, the band parted the stage with hugs and all was over. “See You Later Alligator” by Bill Haley piped in on the house speakers, and the night faded into quiet oblivion.

-Aaron Pylinski