Dave Chamberlain

We often preview shows based on a record, rather than previous shows. The flow of new bands, and the nature of the roads they travel makes this an unfortunate compromise, since the live show and the recorded product are two very distinct animals. But, like you, we do eventually see the shows themselves. And we keep score, too:

Clone Defects, July 11 at the Metro: The Clone Defects are the latest in a long line of garage-rock bands getting both press and play, but the only thing they really have going for them is a well-oiled press machine. The Clones are a four-piece punk-angled garage band with tremendously mediocre vocals and riffs that don't even rip anyone off with flair. Way more garage rock bands have way better songs. If you get into this re-tread crap, do yourself a favor and seek out anything by Dead Moon or Sugar Shack--it'll change your life.

Datsuns, July 20 at the Empty Bottle: This crew of Kiwis was the subject of a European record label bidding war before being signed to V2-Europe, and in a nearly unprecedented backflip from the normal routine, the collected singles of the Datsuns actually blow their stage show away. Their description of themselves, "big, dumb rock," is right on target, but it comes off on stage like a cheap Hellacopters--without the gearhead sensibility. The Datsuns are energetic, but built for the (current) mainstream. It wouldn't be crazy to expect another Hives/Vines emergence from the Datsuns, though perhaps on a smaller scale.

Bad Wizard, August 15 at the Empty Bottle: Despite not really warming to the Bad Wizard's debut record, "Free and Easy," I had big expectations for this band so raved about by the Village Voice. Bitter taste followed. Taking a stab at the current trend of amalgamating garage, punk and Southern rock, the Bad Wizard casts a boring spell, somehow managing to be the most milquetoast-flavored metal band ever. Add to that a shameless pop element to the music, and the result is an aspirin-flavored attempt at recreating Orange Goblin, Sheavy, etc. Sucks.

Soundtrack of Our Lives, August 19, Double Door: No doubt this collection of Swedes are hoping--and likely--to follow in the footsteps of fellow vikings the Hives, but from a more hippy-dippy psychedelic angle. This show, marking SooL's Chicago debut, hosted the fullest Double Door I've seen in six months, with a crowd ranging from hipster-yuppie to jaded industry folks. Though the band's performance skills are exceedingly pro-crowd, and the chosen songs displayed good balance between hard and soft, the show left me feeling like I'd eaten a big bowl of water stew. I was full, but it was easily forgotten.

New Alcindors, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, August 24, Double Door: This is a tale of two extremes. First off, for those not into sports, a brief discussion of the moniker chosen by the Pittsburgh-based New Alcindors. Lew Alcindor was the birth name of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the 7-foot Los Angles Laker who scored more points than any basketball player since (including Michael Jordan) and who converted to Islam after his college career at UCLA. With that in mind, while the New Alcindors were playing a groove-free, crap-heavy version of Stax-like R&B, I felt physically offended. For these three no-funk-having yuppies to be on stage, using the name of an African-American icon, and absolutely slaughtering the concepts of soul and R&B, they should have been booed off. It marked a rare occasion where the band on stage was blown away by the interim music (a track by the JBs) immediately after they stopped. Needless to say, the Alcindors' hour-long set was a cruel karmic punishment for a crime I didn't know I committed.

But redemption came when the show's headliner, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, played one of the best shows I've seen in six months. Jones' backing band--seven strong for the majority of the show before adding a percussionist--were the exact opposite of the New Alcindors, playing a snapping, popping, blood-boiling soul revue with two saxes, a bass, guitar, keyboards and trumpet. The three tracks they laid on the audience prior to Jones' appearance on stage were smokin'. Once Jones got on stage, it boiled like a volcano of sweat and R&B. Jones, a little lady with a giant voice and a ton of energy, nailed every song with a vocal conviction I have yet to hear at any rock show, period. Though the band's cover of Janet Jackson's "What Have You Done For Me Lately" falls a little flat on the record, Jones and her boys made it shine on stage. Henry Rollins once said (in so many words) of Jimi Hendrix' "Voodoo Child" performance at Monterey Pop, "If you're not gonna bring it like this, don't even try."

Career mistake of the week:

Take note of the following sentence, taken from the press release accompanying the debut release of local band KremBone: "With the launch of Bonehead, KremBone throws itself into the barren Chicago music scene, hoping to bring the spirit of ambition and self-promotion to an overly stagnant and repetitive arena."

At least they didn't tell me that they'd like to get a review in the Reader.

(2002-08-28)

Also by Dave Chamberlain

Tip of the Week
Jones and her traveling octet the Dap-Kings want to get you shakin' to the sixties-style funk, hard and dirty, sounding more influenced by James Brown than even the Godfather of Soul himself.
(2002-08-21)

Raw Material
This year's Chicago Underground Film Festival features five music films (including the excellent doc, "MC5--A True Testimonial") that come off well.
(2002-08-21)

Rock Tip of the Week
A stranger bill there could not be. Spitting stuttered lyrics over chicken-scratched beats and esoteric noise, New Jersey's Dälek shares common ground with everyone from DJ Spooky to Techno Animal.
(2002-08-14)

Raw Material
Throughout three years, the Cherry Valence earned a reputation for a blistering live show: rotating drummers--sometimes two at a time--multiple lead singers and a sound mixing the best of garage with Southern rock.
(2002-08-14)

RAW MATERIAL
(2002-08-07)

TIP OF THE WEEK
(2002-08-01)

RAW MATERIAL
(2002-08-01)

RAW MATERIAL
(2002-07-25)

RAW MATERIAL
(2002-07-18)

DISCOVERIES
(2002-07-18)

DISCOVERIES
(2002-07-18)

TIP OF THE WEEK
(2002-07-11)

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