Chicago Crowd Surfer provides a glimpse into the Chicago music scene with all sorts of content. Featuring interviews, premieres, show experiences, and album reviews from Chicago artists and acts touring through our deep scene and storied city.

Added Today: Erin Delaney of Daymaker sat down with Kyle for an in depth interview ahead of their support set for Free Snacks at their Album Release Party this Saturday! Mick Reed hit up the double metal headliner of Exhumed and Gatecreeper at The Empty Bottle, and Kyle witnessed a legendary Black Wedenesday show with four of Chicago’s finest rockers all celebrating the holiday eve. It’s all inside!!

Get a Load of: Fran returned to The Hideout for The Private Picture release party and Tina Mead was there for it all! Last week was a huge Chicago music drop and we have reviews of the new Free Snacks, Luggage, Salvation, Junius Paul, Health&Beauty and more! Plus an interview with the organizers of next weeks Forever Deaf Fest at Cobra Lounge and Beat Kitchen!

Check Out: We caught up on all the New Releases from the last month and a ton of Fresh Tracks for your listening pleasure Chicago! Take a spin with new tracks from NNAMDI, Engine Summer, Sex No Babies, Beach Bunny, Deep Fayed, and so many more in the Fresh Tracks Section and take a gander at all the New Releases from upcoming touring acts!

Keep Seeing Live Music!

Coming soon . . . Tune in later this week for more reviews of local music and an article on the killer lineup at Lincoln Hall last Saturday!

Daymaker

“The hard work that you put into something you love is enough of a satisfaction, but we really wrote this music for people to hold in their hearts. For when life is grinding you down. I hope that’s how it’s hitting, and the fact that people are actually listening at all is amazing. I hope that it’s helping people survive, or find a way to get through a day.” - Erin Delaney

—> READ THE INTERVIEW <—

Forever Deaf Fest

“Marketing Metal is pretty straightforward. Put it in people’s faces, in people’s hands, and make sure they know about it on social media and on the streets. Forever Deaf Fest is all about that Chicago attitude of doing it right and doing it yourself.

—> READ THE INTERVIEW <—

⬐ SHOWS ⬎

Ganser / 📷 : Kyle Land

Blackout Wednesday 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 . . . 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.

Read more —>

Exhumed / 📷 : Mick Reed

Now that Chicago is firmly in the grips of winter, Front did the metal devotees of our fair city another solid by conjuring a hot wave of west and soutwestern death metal to defrost are ears and warm our rotten hearts, making it just that much easier to survive another deadly snow season in the corridors of the concrete meat locker we call home.

Read more —>

Fran / 📷 : Tina Mead

Walking over from the Red Line is part of my ritual of going to The Hideout. Especially on a cold dark Saturday night. It is just far enough that when those strings of lights come into view, I can’t help but smile. My people are close at hand. Usually I’m there early enough that there are just a few people, but for Fran, even before the doors were open, it was cozy warm from the bodies packed into the bar. Everyone was there to celebrate and catch up. 

Read more —>

Windy City Crash Pop Fest / 📷 : Mark Morrissey

Co-Prosperity Sphere, nestled away in the heart of Bridgeport, one of Chicago’s lone hold outs not infiltrated by transplants and stills holds on to the nostalgia of a true Chicago neighborhood. Co-Prosperity serves as a multipurpose use space as an art gallery, radio station, and music venue. All three were working in unison during the event as the radio station continued their regular broadcast, art pieces still hung on the walls allowing the audience to peruse during set breaks, and then of course the main attraction, the bands playing Windy City Crash Pop Fest.

Read more —>

Lawrence Peters Outfit / 📷 : Tina Mead

Three Chicago bands that traverse honky tonk, country, and bluegrass at The Hideout was a good weekend warmup. Especially when my plans included the Bloodshot 25th Anniversary shindig for the following night.

Read more —>

Black Midi / 📷 : Tina Mead

Black Midi's music was equal parts hard core and noise jazz. Over the course of the year (this is my third time seeing them in 2019) they have become more and more in tune with each other. Improvising and jamming out the songs into now much longer forms. Watching them decide where to go and how to get there was engaging. They pulled back and returned, just when you thought they had moved into a new song they brought the thread back, often harder than ever.

Read more —>

Djunah / 📷 : Kyle Land

An electric and intense evening of Chicago music awaited the revelers who had come out to celebrate local duo Djunah’s record release. Known for their eclectic programming, The Empty Bottle had lined up two disparate yet sonically connected acts to open the festivities, and they brought their A game to the party.

Read more —>

Claire and the Bears / 📷 : Kyle Land

Rushing over to G-Man Tavern straight from Ganser’s powerhouse set at Record Breakers was a tale of two environments, the already libatious party taking place inside G-Man’s side bar venue after sets from Lauren Anderson and Impulsive Hearts (apologies to those great artists for missing their sets) was a stark difference.

Read more —>

Ganser / 📷 : Kyle Land

In-store shows are always a treat: surrounded by the scent of vinyl, the musk of aged sleeves, and the magic of years old, much loved music, is the perfect environment for a release show. Ganser’s EP release for You Must Be New Here last Saturday at Record Breakers was one of these particularly enjoyable evenings. A small crowd braved the early fall cold, filing into the no frills store along the stretch of yet to gentrified Milwaukee Ave. that borders Avondale and Logan Square to enjoy the post punk swagger of Ganser and the swirling math rock of opener The Knees.

Read more —>

NEWS & NOTES

Check out V.V. Lightbody’s newest video and make sure to hit Lincoln Hall for an excellent Thanksgiving weekend show, where she’s in the middle of a Tasha and Bunny sandwich!!! Tix $15

Some readers may be wondering why we’ve been running behind lately. We swear its for good reason. This week we welcomed our latest Crowd Surfer into the fold. Eliot James Land was born November 14th! Please be patient with us as we adjust to our new life as parents. We hope to still continue to bring you all the Chicago music scene has to offer, while raising this little rocker!

• We extend our deepest sympathies and heartfelt thoughts to all who knew and loved Michael Clawson. A founding member of Deeper, Michael was a special musician and friend to many. He will be missed. We send love to everyone that Michael touched in life.

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Check out this week’s Recommended Shows

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See you at the show Chicago!