WEEK OF 11/29/2019

Ganser / 📷 : Kyle Land

Blackout Wednesday (aka, the night before Thanksgiving, according to industry workers) came this year with an incredible local lineup at The Empty Bottle that was not to be missed. A double record release sandwich from meaty Salvation and cool as a cucumber Luggage, with a NO MEN and Ganser exterior that was as intense and crunchy as expected. Food references aside, (yes that was cheesy as fuck, oh man- another food pun . . . groan!) In all seriousness, if you missed this epic evening of ear-shattering entertainment, we hope how you were spending your Thanksgiving Eve was worth leaving this one on the table, because these four bands ripped the roof off the good ol’ EB in inspiring fashion. 

Fresh off the release of Hell Was Full So We Came Back, the raw might of NO MEN was on display to open the night. The pure fury of Pursley (vocals, drums) leading the rhythmic charge was a sight to behold, bellowing through the tunes as if life depended on that next lyric, DB ripped apart his six string bass-strung guitar with abandon, and Eric H. drove the boat of rock right up the audience’s ass with his furious kit work. For four years, this seething machine of noise rock fury has been killing it each and every show. With a fresh set of songs to pick apart your brain, these three are coming for the crown of zealous anger and intense showmanship. When not at the mic, Pursley attacked the toms with abandon as they gelled to form a musical bond tight enough to throw a hammer through your psyche. 

Bringing it down a notch in sonic exploitation without sacrificing intensity, Luggage was the next to grace the stage with their coiled, patient rhythms and grinding chord progressions. The stage lights dimmed to night levels as the trio of Michael Vallera (vocals, guitar), Michael John Grant (bass), and Luca Cimarusti (drums) ripped through possibly all of new record Shift, over the course of their hypnotically dark set. Possibly due to losing track of all time and place as the tunes took off down the tunnel of sonic suggestion that grabbed ‘hold and never let go ‘til the bass faded, Cimarusti’s last snare strike dissipated, and Vallera’s distortion-soaked chords that had so delicately wrapped around the cerebral cortex fell away, once again revealing three humans and their sweat-soaked instruments.

The theme developed as an evening of trios when powerful Salvation descended on the eager crowd with a deep and mighty roar from Victor Riley’s bass, and Jason Sipe’s wonderous howl erupted into the air. As the two reached into their primordial cores to bring on the sonic pain, the cool and collected Santiago Gurerrero built the foundation for their chaos with his composed drumming. Their new record Year of the Fly is an absolute burner, and they wasted no time in throwing everything they had at the wall as each and every song stuck with a shiver. Riley’s energy was infectious as he flung his bass about with each boundless pulse, and Sipe twisted the feedback-heavy riffs into infectious balls of pure adrenaline. Clearly they rehearse in a circle- one unit of noise perfection- as they turned to Gurerrero on numerous occasions, musically bonding with each other through the chaos of their reign.

Shattering the construct of the trio night, headliner quartet Ganser took up the mantle with their usual resolve and closed out the night with an intensely inspired set of gems. You Must Be New Here is not even a month old, but the songs already feel like old friends, as Nadia Garofalo (bass , vocals) intensely chants “watch it all fall down” on the title track, or Alicia Gaines (keys, vocals) rattle through “Act Natural” with a powerful reminder to be yourself no matter the pressure. While Charlie Landsman (guitar) calmly flings his distorted chords throughout and Brian Cundiff (drums) solidifies it all with perfectly metronomic kit action. Throwing some old favorites and new tunes into the mix, these Chicago noisey New Wave heros brought the night to a climax as Garofalo’s impassioned stage antics rivaled NO MEN’s Pursley and tied the evening up with a thematic bow of self-empowerment. 

Perfect motivation to head out into the world for a holiday celebrating family, togetherness, and the historical decemation of the First Nations. (Hey, it’s the truth. What did you think, we would let a Thanksgiving reference go by without being honest about it...sheesh.)  Happy Holidays to all, but don’t fool yourself...                     

-Kyle Land

NO MEN are playing Ian’s Party- always the first big local festival of the year, on January 3rd - 5th. Early bird weekend passes on sale now for $40!