Photography by Bobby Talamine Writing and Editing by Fiza Javid Saturday, September 17, 2022 - Douglass Park Welcome back to day two of Riot Fest, where the drinks were flowing, the music was roaring and everyone got an incredible mix of music to truly bask in. I must say, they changed the set up a bit that deserves praise. It used to be that four stages were in four different corners, but Riot Fest decided to change it up a bit. Now the Roots and the Radicals stage are directly next to each other, with the scheduled lined up to make each act go one after another. What a real treat for the fans who don't want to compromise their schedules. The theatrical feeling of watching one band end and another one ready to go at the drop of a hat. I truly believe other festivals need to take notes here, and now those camping out won't go in vain. That being said, there was more room to enjoy some mind blowing music. First up there was Mannequin Pussy, and their presence is never like a mannequin. They set off the day where the riot aspect of the festival becomes a vibe. They played "Control," "Piss Drinker," and "Meatslave" and that gritty aspect is what truly makes rock n roll come to life, no matter the genre. Mannequin Pussy's Marisa Dabice has such a natural energy for indie punk rock, and her showmanship sets her above the rest. It is always incredible to be able to rock out to one incredible woman, not that gender is what stands out, it's their true musical talent, but as a woman it is so cathartic to go from one to another. To be able to go from Mannequin Pussy to Bully? What a treat. Listening to the audience before Bully began, it was clear there was also a real appreciation for seeing women rock out. Let's be real, the genre was genuinely dominated by men for far too long, and while women were on the scene, the image and expectation was still there. The need to exert overt feminine qualities and sexuality. However, women have finally had the ability to showcase their music and talent beyond the expectations of behavior. Bully is the essence of that. Some fans have dubbed her the "female Kurt Cobain" but that would take away the fact that she is on a league of her own, beyond the labels of masculine and feminine. Her raw vocals during "Trying" and Trash" were out of this world, and the crowd truly goes bonkers for her. Joy Formidable. Freaking joy to watch Joy Formidable. With songs like "CSTS" and "Gotta Feed My Dog." They truly bring the rock with an original Welsh attitude that never disappoints. The crowd adored Matt Thomas with his gong, and the music was effortless. It was great to look around and appreciate not just the artists but the effort that fans make to dress up and show out. I imagine the day jobs these individuals must go to, but they always manage to put wear their rock music love on their sleeves. It was great to capture them along with the appreciation of the music. SURFBORT. Holy shit. I read somewhere online that Blondie named this band as a favorite, and that is certainly thanks to the front-woman, Dani Miller, who was hands down the most badass front-woman I've seen in years. During "Dicks in Space" and "Pretty Little Fucker" she truly engaged with the audience like no other. Hear fearlessness as a performer and the fact that she isn't afraid to really get in the face and feel the energy of her fans, is all we can ever ask from an artist. The real connection created with the music, and hers is completely electric, and all punk rock. She is truly carving out punk rock for Brooklyn, and she let Chicago know like no other. I mean, how often can you tell what I mean from pictures alone? Send her to the moon, because she deserves to be seen and heard more. I felt like a proud mom watching Yungblud, because the way in which he matches to give all his energy, and not afraid to be electrically feminine, is truly out of this world. We last caught him at JBTV in his Lolla debut, and that was long before he was shot to stardom. He did it truly with his energy alone, and the only other artist I could compare his particulat animated stage prescence to is Gerard Way. But Yungblud does it for Gen Z, and he does it for the messages in his song and his truly devotion to artistry. His songs are timeless. From the debut of his new song "Mad" to his MGK cover of "I Think I'm OKAY", along with "loner," 'fleabag," "parents," and "The Funeral," it's hard to tell if it is his fanbase or him that is beat on ecstatic energy. The way he emotes through his songs, there is no way in hell Dom is ever faking it. I mean he truly puts the "Dom" in his performance, that is for sure. I could talk about him for hours. The fans definitely love his sex appeal, along with his ability to stand alongside all the female rockers in the line up and come across like he is definitely learning from them too. He praises the balance between feminine and masculine energy in his music, and he is truly doing it for the fans. He just keeps on giving and we'll always be there for it. Last but NEVER the least, Bad Religion and Gogol Bordello. Bad Religion and the true essence of punk rock, considering their natural ability to cover a wide range of social topics but really show how badass they are at doing it. They are venting in musical form. They played "Fuck You," "Suffer," "We're Only Going to Die," "American Jesus" and just a powerful set list that I honestly would have paid top dollar for. Finally, Gogol Bordello. It always feels like that lower deck scene in Titanic, but their Romani grit is the essence of it all. We will always show up for "Start Wearing Purple," "Immigrant Punk," "Wanderlust King" and honestly all their songs. Their music has a way of just making you want to grab a bottle of whisky and become best friends with the person next to you. Needless to say, with all the incredible punk acts, we all went home immensely happy. Until tomorrow, rock on! Fiza Javid - JBTV Music Television
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Photography by Bobby Talamine Writing and Editing by Fiza Javid Friday, September 16, 2022 - Douglass Park When fall begins to kick in, Chicago knows its rock n roll season. The sun was shining and the MCR fans lines the outer entrances of the festival. That feeling alone couldn't have been more exciting. Anticipating their return while catching one of the best lineups to date. First up we had Pale Waves, who began with "Lies", and their charisma and fan base never disappoints. "Television Romance" truly got the crowd going. Their natural goth vibes along with their immersive sound was a a delight, but hands down they deserve a headlining show. Holy Fawn rocked to "Death Stone" and "Death is a Relief" and also put on a killer show. There was genuine anticipation for LS Dunes. The post-hardcore supergroup consisting of members from My Chemical Romance, Coheed and Cambria, Thursday and Circa Survive. With their debut album called "Past Lives" being announced today, Chicago truly got a one in a million opportunity. This season has definitely been a season of debut supergroups, with the band 3rd Secret featuring members from Nirvana, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam coming into the rock scene completely independent, and to imagine a new era of LS Dunes and 3rd Secret is just the moment the industry has been waiting for, and LS Dunes had everyone enamored. Their songs "Bombsquad" "Like Forever" and "2022" were powerful. Their particular electric sound, pounding drums and groovy bass lines are a force to be reckoned with. Anthony Green's vocals were truly electric, and "Permanent Rebellion" was a screaming master piece. More notable acts included: Lucky Boys Confusion, Anberlin, Algiers, Rocket from the Crypt, before we were off to the evening shows. Portugal, the Man, Alkaline Trio, Taking Back Sunday and Marky Ramone's Blitkreig was also in the midst and it was like being a kid in a rock music themed candy store. Anberlin never disappoints, ever. "Godspeed" hits you like a drag race, and the way they bring it into "Feel Good Drag" just goes to show how dynamic and timeless they remain. Portugal, the Man did a cover of "In Bloom" by Nirvana which left everyone over joyed and speechless. It is always great to hear their hits "Modern Jesus" and "Feel is Still" but their showmanship alone and personality has a way of sucking everyone in like a magnet. The crowd was beaming. Last but never least, My Chemical Romance truly put on the show of a life time. Opening with their recent release "The Foundations of Decay" was phenomenal, but I have never seen a crowd of tears before today. Fans traveled from California, London and many more distances for this moment, and when Gerard way stepped out beaming in a dress, head scarf and sunglasses, we couldn't believe it was him. But the moment he takes the mic and his animated charisma kicks in, you know there could never be a front man like him. 30 somethings like me who grew up waiting for this moment, it was incredible to look around and watch a crowd sing along to "Helena," "Ghost of You," "Teenagers," "Black Parade" and truly just immerse themselves in a once in a lifetime moment. The security was pouring water all over the front row, and beyond the music, Gerard did a fantastic job instilling safety into the audience by encouraging everyone to move back and give each other enough space to have a good time. But thanks to MCR and all the incredible acts, that is truly what happened. Is this only day one? Pinch me. Until tomorrow! Fiza Javid - JBTV Music Television Writing and Photography by Bobby Talamine Edited by Fiza Javid Soldier Field - Chicago, IL - 9/3/22 Rammstein's Mind Blowing Juggernaut of a show hits Soldier Field in Chicago Rammstein. Known for their exclusive pyrotechnics. Rammstein. Known for their use of sophisticated production techniques- like replicating an intimidating tower of might on the back side of the stage, looking like something out of a Fritz Lang movie, like "Metropolis", circa late 1920's. Rammstein. Intimidating as always, with a show of force and might to capture their live audience by the throat, even towards the back of the venue, and command you to listen until the very very end. This is fierce stuff folks, if you've never witnessed such a spectacle firsthand. They are push the envelope performers, as they've always been, since I first photographed them back in 1998. Yes, Till Lindemann and the rest of his cohorts in Rammstein have over the years had moments when they've been brazen, in performance rituals and antics, along with imagery and theatrical reenactments of some pretty morbid events, some of which are still in their production to the present day. That statement is in no way a slight on them- in fact, it's just the opposite. To stoke controversy, in my opinion, and have your hand at the ready, with not letting off any tells, a la the game of poker, to provoke, and then unleash the consequential belittlement that you so rightly deserve for questioning anything related to such topics, well, let's just say you're in for a treat. They love that you're upset, and that you haven't done your homework. They know the term firsthand "Contempt prior to investigation". And so they're somewhat insulated from all the bullshit that comes their way, although somewhat aware as well. I bring this up because the slights I hear from fellow reviewers, posts online through social media, with friends I know, amaze me as much as if I were in the band. I'm too tired and too damn busy to throw my thoughts into the mire of bullshit, knowing full well that the best way to speak is though reviews such as this, and let my pictures do the talking. But this kind of show- an outdoor similar to a major festival production made of gargantuan proportions makes you stop in your tracks. There's so many avenues to convey the beauty of it all, even prior to the performance, when the gates open, and you take it all in from the back of the bowl of the stadium you're in. Just watching people's faces time and time again, entering the venue at the 100 level and seeing them soak it all in, let alone the costumes and dress up- all of this never gets old at a Rammstein show. Had to convey this somewhat in my iPhone pictures- a couple sitting comfortably, and she has a bright red mohawk. Or the guy wearing a Nacho Libre mask, hanging out with his buds prior to the show. Let alone the main floor of Soldier Field, and the massive display of a stage to the north, compared to the tiny dots of people slowly filling up the ground floor field before the show. All of this is amazing, almost equal to the actual performance, with a setlist that covers the gamut, some 21 songs in total, including two encores. The last encore- those are the pictures from the performance that were allowed. I could go on in detail of not more coverage, but keeping things simple- I'd rather focus on the beauty of the song "Rammstein" from the second encore, and the use of the sophisticated pyro backpack that Till Lindemann displays in conjunction to the actual song, and the timing of it all. It's a beautiful and shock and awe thing to behold, the immensity of the peacock pyro jutting out in a perfect semi circle. time and time again perfect to the beat of music- let alone the guitar pyro from stage left with Richard Kruspe, and stage right with Paul Landers. The timing between the three of them is impeccable- leaving you with the hairs on your arms standing on end in absolute amazement. I don't want or need to get all technical here- but look at the pictures with Till and that pyro backpack. Can you think of any other band that can pull this off? Can you think of any other band that has the wherewithal to utilize such a display of might and force with such artistic beauty? I believe you can't. And their entire show astounds in similar fashion, from the opening entry music to Handel's "Music for the Royal Fireworks", which rises up the gigantic tower the Rammstein insignia, to the roar of the Chicago crowd. And off we go into opener "Armee der Tristen", the opening song from their latest release- "Zeit", then into "Zick Zack", also from "Zeit". And why not? Their latest album swings and pops and makes you move, especially the title song "Zeit", which has its fair share of eye popping lighting at full display. The whole night was like this, with their iconic numbers in full display of pyro on top of pyro with a little more pyro- "Sehnsucht", "Zeig Dich", "Heirate mich", and "Sonne" in particular. Some pyro so full on you feel the heat like you're on the gas burner yourself popping off the frying pan. It's a sonic sensory overload, but done in the highest order imaginable leaving nothing to the imagination. They're providing the scope of dreams for you, well in advance. So let it be said for the remaining North American dates- East Rutherford on Tuesday, Foxborough on Friday, San Antonio on the 17th, Los Angeles on the 23rd and 24th- you're nuts if you don't witness this spectacle firsthand. Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago Sacred Rose Festival Day Three: Dawes, The Wood Brothers, Hiatus Kaiyote, Maggie Rose & More [Photo]8/28/2022 Photography by Bobby Talamine Writing and Editing by Fiza Javid 8/28/2022 - SeatGeek Stadium - Bridgeview, IL Welcome back to the final day of the Sacred Rose Festival. This day proved that through rain or shine, these jam sessions were not going to stop, and rightfully so! This festival truly earned a reputation of being the most free-spirited festival to date. Here are the highlights: Thank you Sacred Rose for giving us the chance to experience this celebration of jam music. Until next year, Fiza Javid - JBTV Music Television Photography by Bobby Talamine Writing and Editing by Fiza Javid The jam sessions continued on with day two of the Sacred Rose Festival. Here are the photo highlights from this incredible lineup: True music appreciation. Fiza Javid - JBTV Music Television Photography by Bobby Talamine Writing and Editing by Fiza Javid 8/26/22 - SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, IL Welcome to the first annual Sacred Rose Festival. With a trove of guests ready to see jam bands, check out the coolest pins, adorn themselves in tie dye, and more importantly, check out some incredible performers. Here are the notable acts from day one: That's a wrap day one! - JBTV Music Television. Writing and Photography by Bobby Talamine Edited by Fiza Javid No need to be skeptical anything with these guys: Axwell, Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso- otherwise known as Swedish House Mafia. Their set- elaborate as all get out, with the main focus not just on the these three top notch DJ's, but also on their giant ring hovering from above, making their stage and setup the definition of otherworldly. The buildup to the full reveal, with the houselights down, the giant black curtain up- the mix of low end hiss and drones building up to the beats to "Can U Feel It"- makes your pulse pound, that's for sure. So when the curtain drops, and you watch the entire main floor of the United Center instantly go manic- well you know from here on out that tonight you're gonna be in for a sweaty treat. The setlist throughout, to make a point, consists of mashups, like a giant rave in an abandoned warehouse, last minute announcements on when and where kept secret to the last possible moment. A word of mouth event, kept under wraps except for the sophisticated and in the know. Swedish House Mafia have consistently kept this kind of mystique going on for years, relishing in all things underground to some extent, my belief in allowing more freedom to create and experiment without much outside influence to harm the bottom line. Even with their headlining set at Coachella earlier this year, playing what looked like to a 100,000 people or thereabouts- even then, and coming out unscathed after that mega performance, they still hold that mystique of their brand of cool with not much fuss, and laying low. Yes, they are one of the pioneers of house music, along with a taste of sorts in all things progressive, with a constant ear to the ground on backbeats within beats, with not much use for fanfare and extravagance and going over the top with nauseating fills of screeches followed by repeated blips, like some popular DJ's in the know. As much as their sonic weave holds captivating sound structures, it's in their genes and sauce to present things loudly and defiantly, but with not much use of jagged stops and starts. They know how to meld songs together, keep the dance-floor moving, allowing occasionally for the subtle breaks, a moment to catch your breath, followed by more sweaty dancing as one on the main-floor (name your building). Put it this way- they know how to read a crowd, they know how to read a room. And the budget for such a production such as this- can't even begin to fathom that. This is some serious EDM / Sci Fi level stuff- lighting mixed with angled staging, and prominent use of pyro mixed within a PA that leaves an indelible thump through your chest, whether you be in the mezzanine level, back of the house, or main floor. My goal in this review with Swedish House Mafia is to cover this spectacle from all angles, including the specs of putting together a production such as this. After editing down my photos for this review, spent most of the day after scouring the internet on anything whatsoever to guide me in the dealings and tech background on this overall production. After a few hours of this- found nothing to help in the search. Could be because the shows are just getting started, with a few sporadic dates already in the books since coming to Chicago- having only played in Miami, New York, Toronto and Montreal. Would love to know the goings on in making such an elaborate production of this kind- and the overall design aesthetic. For a music hound like me, it's well worth investigating such things, having seen countless shows over the years, and witnessing firsthand time and time again that when a band or artist puts a lot of thought into a satisfying production, such as what I just witnessed, it's well worth documenting and writing about the splendor of it all. Keep in mind the Chicago crowd as well- when the doors opened for the show, about two hours before the opening act- it was sparse in and around the United Center. Even the house photographer for the United Center, a guy I've known for years made a note of this- he said he was told to try and get some pictures of the GA main-floor crowd lined up along the south face outside of the United Center. He said he only counted ten people waiting in line before the doors opened. As odd as that sounds- was nothing like that at all by the time Swedish House Mafia took to the stage- from my vantage point from back of the house- the United Center was packed, form 300 level down to main-floor. So all the sophisticates in the know knew to arrive, but arrive when ready to arrive. And as far as the setlist- again, the definition of a rave mashup- a rave mashup done for an outright party. From their opener "Can U Feel It"- mashed with "It Gets Better / Greyhound", and followed with more "Can U Feel It", followed by their heavy hitter of a song "Miami 2 Ibiza", which was reworked and amped up for dancefloor approval, followed by "Can U Feel It" yet again, to keep the crowd amped up, and then a remix of "Sacrifice"- the whole night was like this with SHM, twists and turns working from a heavy duty catalog, reworked and reimagined for the 2020's and all things "HOUSE', all things "RAVE", some 28 songs in total, ending with the blast beats to "Don't You Worry Child / For You / Save the World" - which of course ended all things in style, with a true Swedish House Mafia mashup on top of a mashup. This was a show with Swedish House Mafia flexing their muscles, establishing yet again their prominence and dominance in all things EDM Progressive House, a show that lets you know they know how to fill big rooms, and how to play to big rooms. If anything, I'll close with this- Swedish House Mafia embraced a sprawling set, with a sprawling production, making the United Center look like one big gigantic house party, no angle left unattended with poor sight lines. No matter where you were for this show- you felt invited and that you belong- not uninvited. That says lots in my book- taking to heart the complexity of your production, and making it for inclusion, not exclusion. Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago Photography by Bobby Talamine Writing and Editing by Fiza Javid Grant Park - July 31, 2022 Please don't wake me up when Lollapalooza ends. Or pinch me, because it was truly one worth thinking about for many years to come. The unpredictability and true ode to both Indi and renowned artistry made this year a true beacon for music lovers, and this had to have been the best weather Chicago had seen in many years. Green Day and J-Hope fans swept the crowd, with a wide variety of attendees in either K-Pop styled outfits with glowing BTS light torches and fans, or a sea of green hair and Green Day shirts. With BTS and Green Day both being incredible JBTV Alumni, both with their own main stage, it was clear that any fan that wanted to catch both was in for some serious running across the park. First up on this final day, which means every artist has to pack a punch, was the one and only Horsegirl. Hailing from Chicago, after their self release "Forecast," the music world forecasted a serious jump in their career. Taking on a Lolla stage was cake for them. They opened with "Ballroom Dance Scene" which was a sway-with-your-partner or a relaxing way to start a set, and an excellent way to introduce them to potentially new ears. Who wouldn't want to start off their festival day with some garage pop? The crowd then wanted Hannah Wants. Her unpredictable mixes kept the crowd at the edge of euphoria, as it was clear that the crowd wanted to dance but not get rid of all their energy right away. Hannah Wants had a spectacular light show with her name strong on the backdrop as she truly shined. The same can certainly be said for Goth Babe and James Hype. Contrary to the belief that may have arrived from the name, Goth Babe offered California, beach vibes, almost leaning toward a "Milky Chance" sound, which was cathartic. He rocked his white bucket hat and truly played with the audience in the most fun way. James Hype lived up to his name, who definitely shined for his "hypefans" as he calls his most notable followers. His trance style and ability to utilize samples in a way that doesn't take away from the original, nor does it get drowned out into a mix-mesh, is a perfect combination to send fans into a state of pure bliss. He is the perfect mixer for anyone who wants to dance or simply vibe. For Lolla fans, this was precisely the sound they needed on their final day to just jam out. If you truly wanted to be torn between head banging into oblivion without looking up, or looking up in awe for the entire time, Måneskin was your cup-of-tea, or really your ticket to a real buzz. This Rome based band showed the audience just how badass Italy can be. They opened with "ZITTI E BUONI" and "IN NOME DEL PADRE" along with having a cover of "I Wanna Be Your Dog." They were the essence of rock n roll. With vocalist Damiano David, bassist Victoria De Angelis, guitarist Thomas Raggi, and drummer Ethan Torchio, it was not just their music but their persona that showcased them beyond classic rock, but glam rock. Victoria came out with red flare pants and red star pasties, while Thomas sported shiny black flare pants and a shiny pink top. Their immensely cool clothing added to the fashionable aesthetic that we would not only appreciate from an Italy, but the fact that this was a powerful, and rare Italian rock band with a truly rugged sound and in your face sense of energy and clothes, the crowd truly adored them. Everyone was bouncing around in unison, and Måneskin continued to give them more with every new song played. Just goes to show, you gotta be bold to be able to take on Lolla day four, and this band beyond owned their title. Beach Bunny was perfect for anyone reeling from Måneskin, as their sound was truly comforting. They rocked out at the Coinbase stage, offering a groovy base, as well as groovy bass. From "Weeds" to "April" and "Colorblind" they were amazing. Beach Bunny hails from Chicago and is notable for becoming TikTok famous with "Prom Queen," so by the time that song hit, all the phones came out. It is apparent that they have a gravitational presence for social media app surfing music fans, which at this point was just about everyone. Even Bob Odenkirk is known for praising them, and at Lollapalooza, they were the perfect chill vibe for a wiped out crowd. Banks, banks, banks. She has us beggin for thread, every single time. From "Waiting Game" to "Fuck with Myself" she always comes out with a sound that is perfect mix of transcendence and pure confidence. Sporting a black lace corseted top, and black flare pants, with the most incredible, veiled dancers, she worked through the stage dancing and giving the audience fierce eye contact. Her voice is all magic, and the moment "Waiting Game" hit, the audience was half screaming with some crying faces. She is a deeply loved artist, with music that hits such an emotional pang, with a stage presence that doesn't stop giving in the entertainment department. Banks is unique because she knows she doesn't need the look or the dancers, and she could carry a Lollapalooza completely with her voice alone, but she always manages to go above and beyond with every single performance. Lollapalooza day four needed a chance to dance and reminisce, and Banks is the star for the bill to truly bring that excitement. Honestly I would love to see her on the main stage, and just like Dua Lipa owned it, Banks is truly a shining beacon of artistry. Some notable mentions include The Kid Laroi, Charli XCX, Denzel Curry and of course Green Day. This was an incredibly tough choice for shows, and Green Day is a band where it is damn near impossible to get a ticket. So for Lollapalooza to deliver us some Green Day on the same day as Charli Denzel or Kid Laroi, we must have been praying for ages. Charli XCX came out with a motorcycle style bathing suit with a slitted leather skirt. She performed the iconic Icona Pop "I Love It" that every festival fan needs, and she was magnificent. From her gyrating dance moves, she shines like Madonna and Lady Gaga, but is a truly unique, modern pop star. She had a meditative head bang and laid down on the stage, like she was on a cloud. Every single second of her performance was gold. Perry Farrell's Porno for Pyros was absolutely a show stopped. They are rugged, grungy, melancholy and just perfect. During their set they brought Billy Corgan on stage to perform "WHEN THE LEVEE BREAKS" BY LED ZEPPELIN. And this rock loving audience was going bonkers for it. From "Cursed Male" to "Cursed Female" to "Tahitian Moon" which was certainly a great way to bring in the beautiful summer moon, as Farrell mentioned himself, they weren't just the perfect pre-show to Green Day, but they were the show. Perry not only walked in like he owned the place (I'm not the first one to make that joke, but it is purely a compliment) and he truly owned the stage. We couldn't be more grateful for him and the music. Later on at the Bud Light Stage, he came out with Lori Lightfoot to announce 10 more years of Lollapalooza, and honestly, they may need to add another zero to that number. Green Day played through all their incredible hits, while allowing the audience to sing along to "Bohemian Rhapsody" among other fun songs to sing to. However, the craziest moment was when they GAVE AWAY A GUITAR to an audience member who played three chords on stage. The young lady named Abbie, who was a fan through and through, was called for this moment, and proceeded to rock out in the best way possible as the audience chanted her name. Green Day's "Holiday" and "Basket Case" among their early hits, along with their cover of a Kiss song, was truly the greatest way to end the night for any fans who camped out at the T-Mobile stage. J-Hope was and is unstoppable. With his devoted fans awaiting his arrival since 11am at the Bud Light Stage, there was definitely an air of suspense on what he would do. How would he set himself apart from BTS? Would the fans accept it? The moment he came out, the orbs were glowing through the field and screaming ensued. There was a bit of poetry to introduce "MORE" and "Pandora's Box" but the moment he came out, he showcased his ability as a solo icon. Truth of the matter is, J-Hope can do absolutely anything, and not only would it fuel love for BTS, but also draw appreciation for any one of BTS's members. He came out with a pure grunge look, with a pure love for rap in his heart. His rap style was clean and effortless, and the show was the perfect mix of dance, rap, and entertainment. He did include one BTS song which was "Dynamite" and his ability to showcase Korean rap, while also throwing in an INCREDIBLE cover of "Chicken Noodle Soup," with a backdrop of canned soup graphics and the most talented kids on stage. Becky G came out for this song and the roars were deafening. J-Hope is an artist, an icon, and doesn't need any marketing. His stage presence and star power carries him, and while BTS is legendary, J-Hope is a new chapter, who is exceeding expectations. J-Hope and Green Day. I can't think of a better way to treat music lovers than this. Chicago has definitely dealt with a tumultuous year, and Lollapalooza always manages to create a space for a wide array of old and new artists, diverse genres, and a place all ages to enjoy. Who else could you have gotten to see Metallica, J-Hope, Green Day, Dua Lipa, J-Cole, Machine Gun Kelly, and a sea of the most talented artists in the same bill? Perry Farrell and Lori Lightfoot have cemented its continued place in Chicago history and the hearts of forever devoted Lolla fans. With love and appreciation, until next year - Fiza Javid - JBTV Music Television Perry Farrell, Lollapalooza, 2022, Green Day, Charli XCX, Denzell Curry, J-Hope, BTS, Lori Lightfoot, Porno for PyrosPhotography by Bobby Talamine Writing by Fiza Javid Grant Park - July 30, 2022 As festival goers were reeling from the disco themed vibe of day two, day three offered a wide array of artists, both renowned and new. It was interesting to see the migration from Bud Light to T-Mobile on a constant basis. I must say, hip-hop and EDM took the day this day, along with some notable alternative rock with a mix of indie-pop. First up was CRAWLERS, with Holly Minto on vocals and trumpet, Amy Woodall on lead guitar, Liv Kettle on bass guitar and Harry Breen drums. This university united troupe were the perfect mix to start the day. They offered such a unique mix of sounds, and Holly's vocal range was mind boggling. They opened with "MONROE" and I felt like I was getting the Hole concert I always wanted, because their renegade style definitely reminded fans of the cavalier attitude that Courtney Love made famous. But when they hit the song "Fuck Me," they went right for the punch, with Holly's addictive, mature vocals, reminiscent of early Fiona Apple. They play every single song from the heart, and they touch on touchy subjects ranging from alcohol abuse to body dysmorphia, and the honesty was the perfect bit of appreciation for their first chance at the Lolla stage. Alexander Glantz aka Alexander 23 from Deerfield, IL, opened acapella. Sporting a kurta, he was a comforting presence on stage. He opened with "Cosplay" and "Girl," which along with the other songs, are the perfect songs to have on repeat during a road trip, or dancing with a significant other. His music definitely gives off pop vibes similar to Olivia Rodrigo, but he truly stands out by owning his particularly powerful, feminine vocal style. The audience genuinely was fawning for him once he did "Since U Been Gone" which is enough to get anyone screaming alone. What a show man! Scores of cheerleaders came out to support Pom Pom Squad. Hailing from Brooklyn, fronted by Mia Berrin, this indie/grunge tribe provided the ultimate chill-bit-rugged comforting sound. Their sound almost feelings like being in the hallways of high school again at the end of a senior year, with the angst powering through the effortless guitar and drums. Opening with "LUX" was the power riff intensity to wake everyone up, and Mia's vocals have this fast-paced, feminine touch, with powerful screams and singing mixed, it was impossible to not have fun. "Lux," "Drunk Voicemail," belongs up there with the Seattle grunge scene, and I'm pretty sure this crowd wanted to break things to this music, or drive fast. Pom Pom Squad may have a cheerleader style name, with their signature outfits shining on stage, but their sound makes them turn into the quarterback, powering through a goal line. By the time we got "Heavy, Heavy," we were grooooving. Other amazing artists from this day included Meet Me at the Altar, who TRULY rocked out with "Now or Never" which is beyond worth checking out. Her yellow braided hair flipped through the stage like a colorful masterpiece. Also, Coin, and Surf Mesa, Lil Durk, who was absolutely nuts opening with "AHHH HA." This is a song to get any Chicago party started, and the beat is an absolute mood. He beamed with a smile and everyone was wildin out like no other. Other notable songs included "Backdoor," "Turkey Season" and he closed with "Blocklist" among others. Surf Mesa was the first artist of the day to get the EDM vibes going, whose hit "Ily (I love you baby)," featuring Emilee, was the dance-pop hit of the summer of 2021, but its a mix that will certainly carry his career into beautiful places. It covers Frankie Valli's "I Love You Baby" which is a timeless classic, but for the Lolla stage, it was the ultimate festival song. This song along with "Somewhere" and "Another Life" felt like such a gift for these young festival teens especially, who came decked out in elaborate glitter outfits and braided hair. They came for music like this, to just get lost into. Surf Mesa was a straightforward artist, and he delivers like no other. A maaaajor throwback came in the form of Dashboard Confessional, and I confess, I was losing my mind with joy. Their music brought everyone back to 2002's MTV Unplugged version of "Hands Down" and other notable places in which we have found their music in the past. This was their closing song and it was so perfect. They are one of the few older artists to hit the Lolla stage this year, alongside Green Day and Metallica of course, which is not a bad group to be part of. The nostalgia hit right away when they began with "Brilliant Dance" and the emo tears pushed through as though they were held back this whole time. What an absolute treat, and this audience was genuinely grateful to finally experience them. IDLES, IDLES, IDLES. I am still reeling, speechless from this band. Joe Talbot, Adam Devonshire, Mark Bowen, Lee Kiernan, and Jon Beavis. What an absolutely show-shopping performance from a rock band that the Bud Light stage needed for this fine Saturday. There seriously must have been a nod to a powerful feminine reckoning and a Kelly Clarkson reference this day, because just like Alexander 23, they covered "Since U Been Gone." Never in a million year did I ever think I'd see two incredible artists provide two unique renditions of this popular song, but from Idles, who are a group of truly lumberjack, rugged men, even with one of the members rocking a dress like no other, it was probably the greatest cover I've ever seen in my life time. And they did NOT stop there. They came out swinging....with Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You." Look, we KNEW this was going to be a good show, and we were definitely looking forward to "Never Fight a Man with a Perm," but it was clear that after they played Metro, post-Metallica on Thursday night, they were on fire for Saturday. They had so much fun on stage, and the way they engage with the audience was like no other. We absolutely demand more of them in the future. Ahhhhh so many incredible artists though. Mariah the Scientist and Turnstile were the go-to's right before Kaskade. Mariah the Scientist was the one R&B artist we managed to find for this day, and her song "Revenge" was a colorful, vocal masterpiece. She could manage a crowd with her voice alone and that is exactly what she did. Turnstile may have been the only hardcore-punk band, and their major treats were definitely "MYSTERY" and "BLACKOUT." When he got on stage, it was almost impossible to comprehend what Brendan Yates would do, but once his scream hits, its an uplifting rage-fest, which is a rare combination. They are danceable as a hardcore band, which, again, is a rare combination! But this crowd jumped to every drum beat and head banged to their hearts desire. While we did get to vibe to J-Cole, whose crowd was absolutely willing to fight for the front-row experience, Kaskade offered a cathartic release from anyone looking for a break from the hip-hop that was dominating the main stage. The rap music this year has been absolutely phenomenal, and Big Sean even had a pregnant Jhene Aiko come out, and it was truly beautiful to see this couple on stage for everyone to appreciate. "No Role Modelz" was a cherry on top. Tomorrow X was like there was no tomorrow. Considering this is the day prior to J-Hope hitting the stage, we were truly ready for them. Also known as TXT, Yeonjun, Soobin, Beomgyu, Taehyun and HueningKai truly showed how they are "Good Boys Gone Bad" with the ultimate Korean boy-band experience. They were almost cinematic on their presence, and the crowd was in a frenzy. Their edgy attitudes were leaving the front row fans just in pure shock. Lollapalooza was due for a true Korean music experience and TXT were perfection. But Kaskade, was BEAMING. Literally. He gave a spectacular light show to "Eyes," "Raining" and once "4 AM" hit, its almost as though time did not exist. This was perfect for the Perry stage, and this audience could have stayed with him all night. What a spectacular and diverse Saturday. We couldn't be more excited for Green Day and Charli XCX tomorrow, thats for sure. Fiza Javid - JBTV Music Television Photography by Bobby Talamine Writing by Fiza Javid Grant Park - July 29, 2022 Lollapalooza day two, still reeling from the incredible acts of day one, went from metal themed to disco in a groovy heartbeat. There were so many incredible acts to cover, and while not everyone could be photographed, the impression they made deems your favorite pair of headphones and genuine appreciation. Could not have thought of a better way to start this review than to give accolades to Taipei Houston. While it is true that they are Lars Ulrich's kids, holy rock n roll they certainly caught an original rock bug of their own. While they inherited a deep rooted talent from their father, which I could see from the drumming style of Myles Ulrich, it was their charisma and originality that blew the audience's hair back. While the pair have only just released their debut single "As the Sun Sets," a few days and they showcase the showmanship and talent of a band that has toured for decades. Layne Ulrich, the band's frontman and bassist, has a truly distinctive voice. He was doing what many front men have not done, which is rock a bass. Sure we can also put Paul McCartney and Thundercat in that list, but Layne is quickly settling into that family like its a walk in the park, alongside looping to add extra dynamic effect. It is almost as though their live set could ease into a mixed record in a matter of minutes. Myles is already making a name for himself as a machine of a drummer, with Layne stating that Myles is also a skilled guitarist. They played songs their single word titled songs "Respector," "Jellybean," and "Welder," but they may be the only band with a full noise cover of Eleanor Rigby. This is the edge that the Beatles may have always craved for, but if only the Beatles were raised by one of the most legendary metal drummers in music history. Wet leg had a massive crowd upon arrival. They began with Lord of the Rings score induced entrance. This British indi-rock duo, whose hit song "Chaise Lung" hit 3 million streams which truly set their career on a powerful trajectory. Lollapalooza was graced with the first taste on U.S. grounds. “We’re called Wet Leg, and this is our first festival in the states" they said, as they played through uniquely titled songs "I Want to be Abducted (By a UFO)." Well we were abducted by your sound, and along with Taipei Houston, they truly deserve the main stage. Their eclectic sound, their doll-like presence is simple enough, and their music is lively. Next, I managed to catch Gata at the BMI stage, who is widely known as the hype man for Lil Dicky on the popular Hulu series "Dave." However, Dave has allowed himself to showcase his presence and musical abilities that not that many artists get the opportunity to do. Not only was it apparent that Lollapalooza festival goers have a Hulu subscription, but that they are definitely in it to watch him. The show aside, he has managed to carve artistry out of equally authentic acting chops. He just got off doing a film with Machine Gun Kelly in "Good Mourning", and Lollapalooza was the perfect opportunity for him to showcase his musical abilities, and he delivered MAJOR fun. “It’s my first time at Lollapalooza, I’m really geeked out. Being an artist has been a dream of mine for a long time, so I appreciate you all showing out.” His audience members included notable band The Untold. Another audience member started a “Gata” chant, as Gata's team threw inflatable alligators into the audience. “Life can get real sometimes, so this song is called real life.” With the lyrics, “I’m stressed, I’m blessed,” we couldn't think of a better mantra for the times we are living in. He humbly showcased his appreciation for the audience while he also provided a moment of silence for Highland Park victims. All in all, this crowd adored him so much that he did a second set at the Toyota stage. JBTV Alumni the Regrettes shined at the Tito's stage, with originals and a cover of Lily Allen's "Smile." They have a particular way of having so much fun on stage, that their energy is intoxicating and addictive to watch. When their songs like "Dress Up," Monday," or "Rosy," played, their punk sound and Los Angeles attitude shined through. Lollapalooza offered a wide-variety of talented British artists, so seeing artists like the Regrettes continue to make their mark, particularly in a genre that is seldom discussed these days, is its own joy. They had the audience dancing like no other. Lydia, Genessa, Brooke and Drew, we love you. The dance moves then made way for head banging as Royal Blood took the stage. Everyone took notice of a massive gong on stage, and did not know what to expect, or how they may manage to fit that into a song. They game our like renegades, with a Hard British rock sound, and a crowd screaming to "Lights Out" which was certainly their powerful hit of their set, alongside, "Boilermaker" and Little Monster." Mike Kerr held down the vocals and bass with his wayfarers, and he looked as cool as ever. But the real kicker came in the form of the drummer, Ben Thatcher, taking swigs out of a bottle of Patron, giving the audience the most perfect "drum solo of life" (as referenced by Aqua Teen Hunger Force for LIFE CHANGING drum solos), while then led to a countdown. "FIVE-Four-Three-two-one...." *gong smash* and the crowd just became a roar of joy. Loud noise and rugged excitement is what Lollapalooza is all about. I gotttttta talk more about Glass Animals. We all were a little relieved that they couldn't throw their signature pineapple into the audience, but hands down, Lollapalooza has never seen an artist have more fun on stage than Dave Bayley. “Lollapalooza is always the best one,” he said to the crowd, who was just losing it. Their music is almost like a trance, as you don't realize how quickly time as gone by when they perform, because songs like "Deja Vu" just beg to be danced to. The crowd was damn near praying to have more space to spin-dance and jam out the way he gets to on stage, but watching him may have been enough. The Chicago sun, while it was mostly chill weather throughout the day, suddenly began to beat down some serious heat during this set, and Dave was definitely one to mention it, but its almost like mother nature wanted the perfect transition into the song "Heatwaves." Rest assured, his cool attitude made it worth sweating bullets and the heart pounding to. Before I mention the primary artists that JBTV covered, I gotta talk about Machine Gun Kelly achieving the rock star status he has been fighting for on the Bud Light main stage. While his performance referenced the hate he gets as an artist, from his switch from rap to rock, the question of his ability to play guitar, and whatever other insults have been thrown his way, he managed to squash all of it with his persona alone. He doesn't need to be a virtuoso, he has some of the most talent artists on stage alongside him, one being his childhood friend as his keyboard player, who excited the audience with a quick nod to "Still Dre" by Dr. Dre. It was the outfit changes, the appearance of Avril Lavigne, and the moment where he "Creed at the MTV Movie Awards" CLIMBED THE SOUND STAGE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AUDIENCE to perform for the entire audience, where he truly won any skeptical minds over. Beyond that moment, it was the moment that he had an outfit change, covered the eyes of his drummer, all while casually smoking a cigarette that was when he achieved the rock star status that Travis Barker described of him. While some may like it or not, he IS the rock star of today's generation, while still being the 90s kid at heart who truly understands what it was like to grow up with the first real wave of emo-punk rock. He is managing to do this while adding the controversial flare that existed predominately in the 80s, with the inability to predict what he might do next. I must say though I am amazed that he does not include his original rap song "Till I Die" or "Breaking News." If he burst out into any of those songs, there is no doubt that Chicago would have absolutely lost it. He did have a brief moment where he fast-rapped enough to, in my honest opinion, blow Eminem out of the water. I am a die hard Eminem fan, but MGK deserves way more credit for being the wildly talented freestyle rapper that he is, and there are hints in his rock persona that point to this, particularly in his swag. MGK, for the love of god, we love the "I'm a rockstar" situation he has going, but he can rap like no other, and its about time he stopped throwing that image away. He has managed to break into multi-genre audiences, while scoring the fans of Megan Fox, so as far as music goes, he might as well strut where his musical talent is, along with bopping the audience into "Tickets to My Downfall." Everyone knows he can act too, and while he continues to be an image, he needs to embrace where his respect is, and the respect can only come from the music. He put on an unforgettable show at Lollapalooza and people should be jealous if they missed this one. I caught major moments of Dua Lipa, who was a walking star. Her skin tight glimmering body suit, as she cat-walked through the stage, was a power move. Her disco-style "Nostalgia" hits may seem on the nose, but she provides an anthem for women and girls of all ages. With "New Rules" and "Levitating" it almost feels like everyone is back in the 70s disco era, while simultaneously experiencing 80s nostalgia. It was a true gift for many of the crowd to close the night feeling as though they were at the Grammys. "Boys will be boys, but girls will be women" were the lyrics this audience danced to, as Dua also announced how important it is to support women during the tumultuous times in America. Rest assured, she provided the perfect cathartic escape, paradoxically. Finally the major highlights go to Girl in Red and Rezz. Girl in Red was definitely the opposite of Dua in stage presence, and she come out with "You Stupid Bitch" which was so perfectly edgy, She was so direct in her style, and with songs like "Did You Come?" and "Serotonin" she gave the audience less persona and more authenticity in terms of a "this is my music, and you don't need to know anything more from me to love me" perspective. Well they loved her, and she will go far. Rezz was the DJ set of a lifetime. Mentored by Dead Mau5, Rezz came out with a cryptic backdrop that stated "They will understand, they will communicate in the same way." Which made the front row a little scared, but also curious if we were about to be abducted. This Canadian DJ has the look of the "Limbo" video games series, which is so freaking exciting, and then the music blasts in your face. The opening song "Menace" was electric, with a backdrop that looked like it was hacked. Rezz paced the stage looking like a cartoon silhouette. The songs "Edge" and "Hypocurrency" had everyone on the edge of insanity, and it was the most mind blowing way to finish out Friday night. I couldn't be more excited for the rest of the weekend. Until then, Fiza Javid - JBTV Music Television Lollapalooza 2022Photography by Bobby Talamine Writing and Editing by Fiza Javid Grant Park - July 28, 2022 Metallic makeup and a Metallica shirts, we’re here for it Lollapalooza Day One! Troves of festival goers arrived while being handed free reusable “Prince: the Immersive Experience” water bottles near the entrance. While there were no expectation of a Prince impersonator, a mix of old and new artists were on the agenda for many to discover and appreciate. Emmy Meli was first on JBTV’s list at the Coinbase stage, and I must say, while the pressure may be high for the larger acts to put on an unforgettable show stopper, the pressure of being first up on one of the prominent stages is may have artists sweating bullets as it may be the first impression of first time Lolla visitors. Rest assured Emmy Meli deserves an Emmy and potentially a Grammy for being the performer that she is. Her melodic voice, and the incredible range of notes she hits in the prospect of delivering one line, particularly in "I Am Woman" was unlike anything that had ever hit a Lolla stage before. Devon Karpf of Underscores was next, and they were remarkable in their ability to cover a wide variety of genres and cover of one of Lollapalooza, and JBTV’s most memorable guest. They covered No Doubt's "Hella Good," Avril Lavigne's "Sk8er Boi" and Williams Crook's "Drive it Like You Stole It." However, it was their originals like "Everybody's Dead!" and "Trustfall!" that were booming the audience with a backdrop of 90s computer games while she playfully danced and sang to the audience. This HTML Hyperpop musical perspective expands the horizons of what future music could hold. With the mix of meme culture melting into more avenues, it did not surprise me that the audience enjoyed this switch into a "We're in the middle of nowhere” clip of Squidward, because we gotta feed that need for another meme somewhere. It’s incredible how Lollapalooza evolves with the times and responses to generations of new audiences. Underscores was a playful reminder of the current evolution being witnessed among the musical acts of this generation. They certainly created more excitement for the upcoming day. As I walked over to catch the Last Dinosaurs, as they were already performing on the Bud Light stage, I was amazed to find an actual temporary Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant right by the Buckingham Fountain. Not nearly a typical setup for a smaller festival, but Lollapalooza truly delivers. The Buckingham fountain is the nucleus of the entire event, and a marketplace for Lolla merchandise, cell phone charging, supply buying (for anyone like me who forgot to bring a pair of sunglasses on a genuinely hot day). It was nice to grab some jerky while I was at it. While I destroyed a piece of jerky, I removed my sunglasses in pure Alan Grant style when I beholded Last Dinosaurs. If only Grant was a rock music enthusiast. I could tell this band was not only made for 90s kids and the new "20s" kids. The right audience who loves a good mention of anything dinosaur related, but more importantly, an effortlessly talented, down to earth band who lets the music speak for itself. Lead singer Sean Caskey, who was rockin it with his blonde hair, truly owned the crowd with "Andy." His voice has a California accent hidden in there somewhere which just makes their sound more beachy, but was fitting considering they are an Australian band. Their crisp guitar work, uplifting, danceable sound, almost leaning toward disco vibes. You could see the disco attitude in the dance moves of the audience. But the chorus switch into hard riffing alternative. Their dynamic sound mixed perfectly with the cool lakefront. “So we got an album coming out, From Mexico with Love.” Sean then pulled out a gorgeous electric guitar. “One of you guys could win this guitar.” That’s a line to make anyone go extinct. I couldn’t catch the type of guitar it was but it certainly didn’t look cheap. These guys are one to compete with. In a sea of computers, they come out with pure musicianship and a lot of love to give. Next up was Sam Fender, who is an artist who managed to get the crowd going before even stepping on stage. The audience began singing one of his songs in unision as they chanted his name just minutes before his appearance was scheduled to begin. That was until an airport-style announcement blasted through the intercoms to inform the audience that of a slight delay, but that he would be there soon. Thankfully it was only enough to make a couple people boo, but everyone else continued on with a sea of “olllaaayyyyyy”, damn near chanting like it was a soccer game. I think it’s time Sam moved up the bill if this is truly how dedicated his fan base it. Just when they thought he was late, it seemed at first assumption that he was teasing the crowd, as they noticed him standing near the back entrance of the stage, which just the promise of his appearance was consequential, because the crowd was suddenly a screaming pit. He came out to announce that while they sort out their technical difficulties, he would play the crowd some tunes. “Let’s go!” *clap-clap, clapclapclap* While he tuned his guitar. “Is there a chance we are going to get this stuff working?” He said, reckoning to the backstage area. He began performing "Dancing in the Dark" by Bruce Springsteen to hold everyone over. His voice resonated with such purity and grace, and while it calmed everyone down, it the set of we ultimately doomed. Unfortunately Sam Fender was 30 minutes past his start time, and we were not able to catch the set. I guess Sam will have to make it up to these Lolla fans next time around. After scoring a hot dog with Bobby, we worked our way to the Wombats. The Wombats are JBTV Alumni, and Jerry genuinely has a special place in his heart for them, as their music played during his life-saving surgery when he had stage four cancer. They never disappoint. When life gives them lemons, they write songs about them. They performed “I Brought A Lemon to a Knife Fight.” “I'm going to sing a song about my favorite fruit," said Matthew Murphy. And they were truly playful the whole way through. Other notable songs were certainly "Pink Lemonade" and Method to the Madness." I would love to get into detail about every artist covered, but notable mentions included: Still Woozy, whose "Lucy" and Whoopie" songs were definitely the balanced, subtle vibe, and transcending musical experience that a ton of new ears got a chance to grasp. 100 Gecs, who came out powerfully with "Hey Big Man." Their wizard-like outfits and theatrical appearance couples with the down-to-earth feel of their rock-pop feel was a major jam. Remi Wolf with "Disco Man", Lorna Shore with "Cursed to Die" (which was such a great pre-curser before Metallica), Black Coffee with the DJ set in "Flava" are other notable mentions that I wish I could go more into detail for. Hung out at the Hulu motel for some A/C, they has some couches, music and swag. It was the perfect pick-me-up before heading back to the Bud Light Stage for Tove Lo. Tove Lo was an absolute goddess. Songs “Bikini Girl," "Cool Girl," "Disco Tits," and ofcourse the crowd favorite, "Stay High." She’s the pop star of this generation. She came out in an all jean iconic outfit, that also had "Madonna from 'Hung Up" vibes. The jean bottoms were cheeky, which allowed for more free expression for her dance moves, as she wiggled for a screaming audience of fan girls and fan boys alike. Her gogo boots also added extra flair. It felt like the perfect club setting as she also played a new song. Then during "Talking Body" she slowly pulls the string on her top and flashed the audience quickly. Tove truly embodied not only an uncanny ability to sing genuinely, but while maintaining a sexually free spirit of her own. The backdrop of her performance included cartoon breasts, booty, and vaginal symbols, which I imagine was also a way to further celebrate herself as well as other women in the audience. She also had a clip of herself cat walking toward the audience as it sang in sync with her singing to the audience, which was immensely dynamic. Tove, we absolutely adore you. Still, the true power house performers of the night were certainly Metallica and Caroline Polachek. Metallica was at the T-Mobile Stage to close out the night, and they embodied the rock level rage that had been missing from Lollapalooza in such a long time, but it probably only felt that way because there is truly no other band like Metallica. They played their classics like "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and "Enter Sandman" while also surprising the audience with the b-side from "St. Anger." Metallica always manages to make the audience feel like family. As they are 41 years strong, their true love of their craft and their fans reigns true. James Hetfield made sure to handle the subject matter with genuine care as he discussed how their music may also deal with the topic of suicide. He was sure to mention that it is vital to speak to a friend if anyone in the audience is struggling with those thoughts. He effortlessly includes these truly caring moments, while managing to riff like a true rock god. Lars handled the drums like he ages backwards, and their talent is *chefs kiss*. They are legends for a reason. Caroline Polachek was absolutely perfect for closing the Bud Light Stage. She opened for Dua Lipa in February, and considering Dua will be in Lollapalooza during this weekend, it was great to see Caroline score a prominent stage. Caroline was a siren in modern day form, and the peaks she hit with her voice, as well as her connection with the audience, was legendary. "Ocean of Tears" is where her voice carries her across the stage like a mythical figure. "Breathless," "Sunset," and "Bunny is a Rider" were genuine favorites. Lollapalooza 2022 day one will certainly be difficult to top, and while the weekend is just getting started, the memories of this day are already one to get festival-goers excited for many years to come. Until tomorrow, this is Fiza with JBTV Music Television at Lollapalooza. Lollapalooza 2022, Metallica, Tove Lo, The Wombats, Emmy Meli, 100 Gecs, Last Dinosaurs, Sam Fender, UnderscoresPhotography by Bobby Talamine Writing and Editing by Fiza Javid 7/22/22 - Lincoln Hall Venue, Chicago If there is anything crazier than the realization of a free show, it's a free show to someone who would very well have the capability of selling out a massive venue. This artist in question is Taylor Bennett, who may have started as being well known for being the younger brother of Chance the Rapper, but is very quickly making a name for himself as not just a talented rapper, but a multi-genre, bisexual artist with an ear for music, a mind for business and a heart of gold. From start to finish, Taylor's show not only showcased the genuine character an artist that he is, but the ways in which an intellectual mind and business mind can come together to create a ground-breaking show that opens the floor for true Chicago artistry. Taylor, being an artist from the south-side of Chicago, gathered a group of incredibly talented openers as well: Cassius Tae, Recoechi, Baha Banks and Chanelle Tru, who all came together to showcase the spirit of south side, west side, east side talent, and powerhouse music voices that shine through these neighborhoods. These artists are the very essence of the Chicago music scene. Prior to the show, Jerry Bryant arrived along with JBTV's on staff local Aussie and Cameraman Wesley Nott, and JBTV photographer Bobby Talamine, at Lincoln Hall to interview Taylor. Together they had an exclusive interview with Taylor as well as caught the action of the sound check. To the surprise of the crew, JBTV Alumni Tom Higgenson of Plain White T's showed up and joined Taylor on stage to do some sound checking as well, which hinted a very unexpected live performance. The soundcheck alone was a testament to Taylor's hard work the dedication. He kept a watchful eye on all the logistics, timing, as well as the overall feel of the show. Taylor had a street team promoting the event at Pitchfork leading up to this day, and they were prepared to sound check all the way until the minute before doors. Hell, Taylor was even doing push-ups while the sound check was going on. Each performer was set to showcase one song to give the audience a taste. First up was Cassius Tae, and if you haven't checked out his music video "WAVERUNNER" you're in for it. His poetic and illustrative lyrics in that song came to life on the stage. We caught the 'sound waves' running, with the hard snare beat, through the audience. This drove the crowd into the right vibe to get the party started. Chanelle Tru was up next, and the moment her song started, we were hit with strong rock and R&B vibes, which is seldom showcased, but perfect for the theme that Taylor hints with his music. She was the perfect opener, and a show stopper. Sporting army pants with a white bandeau top and voluminous hair, she was bossed up to make sure the sound check was solid, and her voice was truly powerful. Check out "Complicated" by her and Black Wealth Media Group, and you will already know that in a trailblazing song and she’s an en pointe dancer to match it. I must add, the turn out for this crowd was so strong, that it even got the support of managers and artists alike from the Chicago music scene. Among this included the manager of another up-and-coming rapper Brandon Musa who came out as a big fan of Chanelle Tru. Baha Banks said "TAKE ME TO THE BANK" and truly came out making a name for herself. She is one of the powerful voices that we need for women in hip hop, and I know I don’t even need to bring gender into it. She came out with her backup dancers and their choreography was truly in line and got the crowd into a frenzy. Her beat, her flow, her effortless confidence, and the way she tied her dance moves into the twerk session of her dancers, who did splits and turned their body in ways that I did not think was possible in such a constricted space. If you check out her video "Top 5ive," you already know she means business. "They put us in the cages for what they made legal, that shit a scam." These words came from, Recoechi who began his set with incredible spoken word about the life of the streets that definitely reminded the room just how necessary these shows are. At the end of the day, the showcase was a testament to the talent that comes through the usually grim picture painted of Chicago neighborhoods. Recoechi's words highlighted that the hardship of growing up in parts of Chicago is still a stark reality that many people in Chicago have to endure, but the way in which these realities get channeled into the poetry and music, that is how these hardships turn into something powerful enough to impact change. Recoechi is an effortless flow of a narrative rapper, with a crisp and masculine voice, particularly in his song "Want that Feelin." It was a gift to hear his voice reverberate through the audience as a reminder of how important these events are. Recoechi's song was a powerful note to end the opening act with, and it switched over to a DJ set by DJ Preme and DJ Mike, two master mixers involved with 107.5 WGCI. Together they kept the audience dancing, feeling like they are at an exclusive house party event. One of the highlights of this set was the tribute to Juice WRLD, who DJ Mike used to tour with, along with more tributes to late and great artists like XXXTENACION, and a regular tribute to Travis Scott's music. The mix of rock and rap in the audience seemed to really push through, and the DJ set was when the party really got started. The room felt like it was bouncing. DJ Mike also through in a Chicago footwork, West Side, South Side ode, which was started by 9pm. Chicago twerk music is always a classic, like "Bounce and Break your Back" but its hard not to think of Perkulator or K-Swiss if you grew up hearing this as a regular Chicagoan, no matter which neighborhood you were in. When Taylor's set began at 9:30, the crowd was definitely restless, but watching the bassist and the guitarist get settled on stage was the cue for some audience members to start pushing to the front. The classic rock graphics shined on the projection screen, with TV screens, vinyls, an animated Taylor, and a 3D car. There was a feel that this was meant to be in a larger stadium venue. “I wanted the show to be free because there used to be a free show every week," said Taylor, in classic, humble fashion. It made the show that much better. His bassist, who is the music director of Taylor's newly released project "Coming of Age" began grooving, as the drummer and guitarist also contributed to the genre switch from rap openers to a rock audience. As I looked over to the audience, I noticed a mix of audience members bobbing their hands like it was a rap show, while the other half was ready to mosh. Taylor was rocking a shiny TBG, diamond encrusted chain, but again, his humility is what made the vibe right. He opened with "Broad Shoulders" and "Kick Back" before introducing his album. Major highlights were definitely "Favorite Colors," "Fall Short," and "Today." By 10pm the crowd was chanting his name. He even pulled out a trampoline for his second song, which allowed him to jump along with the audience. "I am an independent artist, and we've been here with the street team, and its beautiful to realize it all still works. We did Good Morning America, Kelly Clarkson, Sirius Vibe, we've been moving man" prior to the start of the album intro. After a couple songs he made a PSA before "Today." "Mental health is so important and it is something we don't talk about enough. The song I am about to perform is described to be the perfect day versus what be going on. I would like to do this song for you guys, it's very special to me." The audience put one hand up and truly showed their appreciation. By mid show and the crowd was hollering, Tom Higgenson jumps onto the stage to a screaming audience. No one anticipated the timing at all, and Tom is aging backwards. Tom sang part of "Today" with him and no one knew what to expect. When the song ended, that was when Taylor asked Tom to perform "Hey There Delilah." "Are you guys ready to sing Hey There Delilah with Tom Higgenson?" Genre switch again! But the audience lived for it, and everyone knew the words to every bit of that song. Taylor performed "Don't Wait Up," "Be Yourself," "Dancing in the Rain," "Sunset Falls" the album outro and closed with "Easy Outside." I'd say by this point half the audience lost their voice and had an absolute blast. As for myself, I feel lucky to have had the first listen of this album live, and if you have a chance to check out Taylor Bennett when he returns to Chicago, whether you are a rock or rap fan, he truly has something for everyone. Be sure to check out the exclusive JBTV interview with Jerry Bryant and Taylor Bennett soon! Full marathons of JBTV will be on VPODTV on Fridays and Saturdays from midnight-2am. Until next time, this is Fiza with JBTV Music Television. Taylor BennettComing of AgeWriting and Photography by Bobby Talamine Edited by Fiza Javid For Day Three of all things Pitchfork 2022- Have to say yet again Pitchfork knows how to blend things eclectic, and following some kind of theme (in my opinion), making usually the final day a somewhat "chill" event in regards to the bookings. All fine and dandy- it's music and performing artists covering the map globally, and musical styles and fashion reflecting that mood. Two things happened when I arrived early before the gates even opened- first- while prepping and getting my gear together for the interview session with Elia Einhorn of Pitchfork with none other than George Clinton, inside the press tent was another interview happening with Xenia Rubinos, a unique artist and multi instrumentalist whose heritage covers the map from Cuban and Puerto Rican descent, reflecting passion and conviction to performance, so I heard with her interviewer. And on her right arm, she was wearing a bright fire engine red up to her elbow glove, with half of it reflected with a mirror. Cool as all get out, even for an interview at noon. All that did was amp up my curiosity for her set at the Blue Stage later in the afternoon- which by the way, was a performance with some hiccups tech wise before her show, and then more than made up during her show, with saran wrap coverings, musicians shrouded in white veils when setting up onstage, and Xenia herself knowing full well how to use props to full effect, such as a bright red cloth, which horizontally from stage left to stage right, acted as a barrier from her desires of trying to reach out to her audience, and yet held back by the barrier of cloth. For such an intimate stage, a maximum use to full effect of making this performance so memorable, even at 5:30 in the afternoon. And then of course the said interview session with Elia and George Clinton, which in and of itself was so intriguing and informative and downright fun to be a part of. These two cats- Elia and George- God bless the both of them- for maintaining the spirit of music discovery, and acting as wise old souls who still have that bit of kid in them. Plusses throughout Day Three, From the hypnotic meditations with L' Rain, let alone intricate musicianship and compositions that are delicate, and yet complex, reflecting the chill mood throughout for Day Three. This mood persists, as eclectic as all get out, from Chicago rapper Noname, looking ever so confident in her delivery and relaxed mood- even stopping her set for a bit to let paramedics come in the main floor grounds in front of her stage to attend to a patron in need of hydration. Noname speaks volumes in care and judgement, reflected also in her writings and delivery- ever keeping front and center that the message can still be delivered with a modicum of understanding and empathy combined. Same holds true for singer / songwriter Kaina, also hailing from Chicago, with her soft and savory voice and gentle vibe, even on an overcast day. And even the experimental hip hop group of Injury Reserve- even though their beats and message are a bit more amped than the other artists performing on Day Three- their mood is not all crazed indifference- their message is still strong, but just more with a dialed down delivery, which is memorable in my opinion. And of course there's Earl Sweatshirt, equally fitting the overall mood of the day, a bit late to start his set, and stopping after the second song to take in the gigantic mud pit from the rains stage right / audience left. He didn't rush things- he needed some time to take that all in, the mud covered crowd, the mud covered lawn in that section of real estate. He's again chill as all get out, with a message that runs deep, but with no big splash and amped up attitude. Makes you stand and pay attention- Earl's words are equally important to the overall presentation. And again, same holds true with Toro Y Moi, who certainly knows how to pivot in musical direction, let alone taste in clothing reflecting whichever mood he's in. A vibe for Pitchfork and performance? Looking like he could easily fit in with Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak of Silk Sonic, what with the chill and sophisticated instrumentation, let alone a suit and coloring that looks like he came out of the late seventies. This by no means is a knock- it's just a reflection on songwriting and attitude that in my opinion reflects inspirations that encompass chill wave, with dollops of ambient electronica thrown in for good measure. And then off we go to catch Welsh musician Cate Le Bon's set who has eclectic and sophisticated style sense, along with her keen songwriting and performance productions aesthetics, which she certainly knows a thing or two about, to match her moods and tastes. She's a riveting to watch kind of performer, and equally astounding musician as well. A very underrated guitar player in my opinion, with a sense of when and where to strike a single chord that's suspenseful and yet so heartfelt. One of the best performances from Day Three. Followed at last with the headliner The Roots- a band that knows a thing or two about all things "Late night party", even on a Sunday evening in Union Park Chicago. They can fill a stage with musicianship, that's for sure, even when doing house band duties with Jimmy Fallon on late night NBC. Too many musicians to name here, and you already know most of them anyway. If you don't - start discovering. Can't think of another band that can bash out "Jungle Boogie" from Kool & the Gang, and make it their own, then trail blaze off in another direction with "Got My Mind Made Up" from 2Pac, and also make it their own. That's the definition of bad ass folks. Their own songs- and cover songs...they have their hearts in the right place. Doesn't matter. They have musical knowledge that expands outwards to the great beyond. What a day, for all things Day Three of Pitchfork- all plusses, all of the above. The minuses? Just the rain man. Even a soaking drizzle off and on in the late afternoon on Sunday puts a damper on things. But that's not Pitchfork's fault. It is what is. But covering camera gear off an on, let alone your person...just slows everything down a bit. Having said that- no matter. It's a chill kinda day and evening anyway. Loved receiving the Pitchfork text at the end of the evening stating "That's a wrap folks! Looking forward to seeing everyone at Pitchfork 2023!". Guess what- I am too. Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago Writing and Photography By Bobby Talamine Edited by Fiza Javid Yes, you heard that right, when covering Day Two of all things Pitchfork Music Festival '22- No methodical order of recaps of bands, from first to last or last to first. And yes one more time: Mitski was undeniably a transformational kinda show, headliner on Day Two well noted. We'll get to Mitski in a moment. However, so was The Armed- A hardcore / thrash punk / metalcore (throw more definitions here) collective from Detroit, Michigan. Their set, which began wholeheartedly around 2:45pm, stayed in my head for the rest of the day, up to writing this recap. Yeah- they were THAT GOOD. To the point of staying around to catch their full and unhinged set- which if you can take a wild guess, is impossible festival wise, what with so much to cover and such. Stayed I did. I mean sweet baby Jesus....these hooligans know how to throw a party and maximize the Blue Stage with every inch of real estate utilized by what seemed like 12 band members (maybe more). Lost count amidst the deep sea of fog machines making even fellow photographers disappear in the pit, it was that thick. It's like every bit of their production is thought out full throttle. And the songs- all armed with hellfire and hellbent for interaction sweat. From "ALL FUTURES', to "Night City Aliens", to "AN ITERATION", and then "A LIFE SO WONDERFUL"- (most songs written out on their setlist in capital letters for maximum effect)- well even a pleasant title for a song which is volatile as the rest, with a clear path to unhinged destruction. Now supposedly the band loves to confuse, to remain somewhat anonymous with various band members throttled in and out of the band accordingly, just to shake things up and embrace all things "misconstrued". Well fine by me. There is a central core of members apparently, to try to keep some semblance of order through the chaos, which again, diving deep into this takes away from the actual memorable punishment that I witnessed, whether it be repetitive stage diving, body surfing, singing your lungs out from the pit and subwoofer risers, or even throwing your heavy duty microphone stand into the stage constantly, or whatever. Technically, all of that doesn't matter, because it's obvious to me that the band pow wow prior to performing has to be something of a group huddle with words like 'Fun, but unhinged chaos is the order of the day", followed by lots and lots of fog. So this shows once again, Pitchfork knows a thing or two to blast away on all things "guitar orientated", for Day Two. Worked up a sweat writing that segment, and reliving the tapes in my head. Not to knock the other acts worth noting- but "all over the map' serves a purpose- but yet how to convey the before and afters of Day Two without building up to The Armed? In my opinion, next to impossible. However, bands like The Linda Lindas deserve notice, with their fun indie punk kinda style, even with bassist Eloise Wong done up with cat whiskers, and a bright turquoise shirt, with the other band members dressed uniquely different reflecting personalities, but as a whole, embracing their brand of "damn good fun". Or how about Dry Cleaning in the late afternoon, with Florence Shaw's narrations mixing ever so nicely with her bandmates- through an eleven song set, ending with the blistering "Scratchcard Lanyard", with Florence maintaining her composure like always, while her bandmates are drowning in scathed feedback bansheeness. Or how about the hypnotic sounds and visuals and fashions and makeup with Yeule, a performer with unclassifiable cyber dimensions interspersed with mixes of trance ambient, glitch pop, or even a bit of light hearted goth. First thing I thought of with Yeule was how she would fit in nicely on the main floor of the Metro, dancing away to all things "Nocturna", courtesy of Scary Lady Sarah. And then there's Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast on the Red Stage at 7:30 ish, making great use of the stage, along with her flowers embraced gong front and center, with hypnotic bashes to said gong during opener "Paprika", and the crowd just eating it up- and eating up her entire set frankly, even with the appearance of Jeff Tweedy, sharing vocal duties to "Kokomo, IN", along with "Jesus, Etc", a Wilco cover. So charming to hear how much Michelle adores Jeff and his unique singing / songwriting. A wonderful set, with Japanese Breakfast. And of course there's LOW, fronted by Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker, who know a thing or two about "blended distortion", followed by walls of feedback mixed through guitar pedals. Look no further than their latest release- "Hey What", and the opening track which also opened their set- "White Horses". That song can go on for hours in my opinion, the beauty of distorted melody, followed by walls of sound and sustained and distained notes with hypnotic counterpoint vocals, fighting to be heard amidst the crushing sound. The stuff of genius, which never ever gets old. We can't forget Magdalena Bay, the sophisticated and sincere as all get out synth pop duo consisting of Mica Tenenbaum and Matthew Lewin, who know a thing or two about set production embracing all things "middle eighties", all the way down to pajama onesies with assorted hues of off blue and off pink ish colors. Let this by no means take away from their sophisticated songwriting and sound palettes- they are ever so crafty in blasting out melodies, to the likes of "Chaeri" in particular. All you had to do was look around the grounds of the Red Stage- virtually everyone was dancing in place from beginning to end. And of course the Danish band Iceage, who with frontman Elias Ronnenfelt know how to present a song or two unabashed, even while performing after The Armed had been done earlier. They sound cool, they look ultra cool, they play ever so cool, through a set consisting of nuggets such as "Dear Saint Cecillia", and "Vendetta", or even "Thieves Like Us". Well done fellas- embracing all things noise rock and post punk or whatever- doesn't matter, subgenres be damned with these guys, which is a good thing. As for CupcakKe- she commands, ladies and gentlemen. A packed crowd in the early afternoon via the Red Stage, with raps and discussions on all things "vagina this", "vagina that", amongst other necessary expletives. She knows a thing or two about this, rapping with the occasional wicked smile, and demanding your undivided attention. As for headliner Mitski- HOLY SHIT. The buildup to her performance- the crowd- her audience, ate it up. They ate up everything- her occasional leg kicks, the witnessing of her knee pads under her dress, her fits and starts moves, acting out whichever song, from opener "Love Me More", into "Working for the Knife" in particular, with fictitious thrashes to her arms bringing out yelps and screams and hollers from her faithful audience, and into "I Will" a slow burn of a song with ultra cool hypnotically ladened synths. Her entire set- from delicate to unabashed- the audience ate it up, even sharing lyrics out loud most of the night, riveted to her every move and nuance. Mitski's the real deal- putting thought and care into everything production wise, even on a minimal scale, to reflect the moods of Mitski, with no distractions. In my opinion, not many artists can pull that off, without showing weaknesses and spotty issues. Not the case with Mitski, who lives and breathes her world, and clearly knows how to share it with the rest of us. Going to go down as one of the best performances of the year, on year end lists- it was that amazing- that good- that memorable. Here's to Pitchfork- knocking Day Two out of the park yet again. Bobby Talamaine - JBTV Music Television Chicago Writing and Photography by Bobby Talamine Edited by Fiza Javid Rain. Off and on Rain. Sometimes persistent and heavier kind of rain, followed by a lighter version of that. And this scenario played out off an on up until Jason Pierce of Spiritualized and his set later in the early evening. Rain is not a friend to photographers. You literally have to cover everything, just to at least keep picture taking manageable to some extent, let alone your person. But there's lots to be grateful for- you're not alone in this latest edition of the Pitchfork Music Festival, and by all accounts, the demeanor of said fellow photographers and fellow writers is glass half full, not glass half empty. So we're going to start from the bottom up to the headliner The National, giving you a brief account of the festivities, and bands of note. Have to start off with SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE- A band revered not just by fellow music hounds, but also fellow bands and artists as well. They can cover lots of ground when performing live- morphing into way so cool post punk territory one minute, then veer into experimental noise the next. And also while not sounding the least bit fake- it's clear their hearts in all this is in the right place when attempting all of these genres of music with a set that left me intently focused for most of their set before having to vanish off to catch some of Monaleo at the Blue Stage. Which yet again, you have to give the fine folks at Pitchfork a round of applause to book meaningful bands early in the schedule, year in and year out, making each and every day attending Pitchfork a real treat. As far as Monaleo- a late edition to replace Tkay Maidza- She's honest- I'll give her that. Nervous veering out to soak in the audience in attendance before she even plays her first song, taking some deep breaths, then doing her best to command the stage, prancing about to her major hit "Beating Down Yo Block", amongst others. Even at an early age, she knows how to come out of the gates swinging, even with a persistent rain taking hold. Up next is Wiki, a rapper and record producer hailing from New York City, with an attitude that comes off laissez faire- but in reality is anything but. And the crowd for Wiki- pretty impressive, even amongst the raindrops, performing at 3:30 in the afternoon. Up next is Spelling, which is actually Tia Cabral- an experimental pop musician from Oakland California, who embraces a wide variety of musical tastes, as evidenced with serious background vocalists, let alone a crafty band to flush out her progressive and electronic leanings, done with great taste, and a dark fashion sense to boot. Then off I go to dry off a bit, regain my composure, and head back to the Blue Stage to catch a bit of Camp Cope's set- an Australian alternative rock trio fronted by fearless Georgia Maq McDonald- and as a trio, know how to swing for the fences with a steady and sturdy best of indie, mixed with a bit of punk thrown in for good measure. And that voice from Georgia Maq- can go full throttle at a moment's notice. Then a breather between rain drops to get my senses back, and off to Tierra Whack- a rapper from Philadelphia, who even though felt somewhat uncomfortable performing in the rain, made it clear she was having a hard time dialing down her performance without slipping and sliding on the Red Stage- to the point where the Pitchfork crew periodically came out to weegee the rain off the stage as best they could. But perform she does, to the point of stopping sporadically to announce birthday wishes from stage left to stage right. Clearly Tierra Whack is an inspired gal- and motivated no matter what the circumstances mother nature throws at you. Now comes one of the highlights for me for the day- Parquet Courts from New York City- a band that has played Pitchfork before, and a band that knows how to squeeze out noise pop mixed with electronic noise followed by feedback mixed with disdained vocal with nary a weak link in the bunch. And the crowd in attendance knows this too- veering off into demented land, courtesy of Andrew Savage, who can talk over anything sound wise, followed by brief yelps of what the fucks. As much as they can be contained a bit between whichever song, they also can at a moments notice unleash the hounds when provoked, especially with heavy hitter songs in your catalog such as "Stoned and Starving". Songs such as this never get old, including newer material such as "Plant Life", which is in the mold of straightforward Parquet Courts. Then comes Dawn Richard, hailing from New Orleans, with red blazing hair down to "here", and with a fashion sense that is sophisticated nasty, as well as her performance, with two backup dancers that push the envelope with moves, even on such a minimal stage in yet more rain. As far as Jason Pierce and his band Spiritualized- although minimal photographers allowed- listened to some of his set from the audience, and like past years when performing in Chicago, he still sits down when performing, and plays as best he can, what with all of his health issues the poor guy has faced over the years. To even see him walk out onto the stage is a treat in itself, let alone start off with "Hey Jane", into "She Kissed Me (It Felt Like a Hit)', which is improvising daydream / intense kind of stuff. Finally back to the Blue Stage, to catch the multi-faceted Amber Mark, who knows how to command a stage and swing to sophisticated R&B, and all around catchy alternative R&B. And finally we hit the headliner of Day One- The National, a band to this very day have set the mark with unabashed sincerity and honesty, with a songcraft that holds up without sounding and feeling dated. And that says lots, between the Dessner brothers and the Devendorf brothers, fronted by Matt Berninger. Yes, they have a sophisticated LED backdrop and specialized lighting kind of show- but it says something altogether when you can turn your head away from the stage and look out at the large audience, and soak in a song such as the heartfelt "I Need My Girl", and visualize your own personal scope of things music wise, personal feelings wise- not performance wise. It's magical songwriting, done with thought in mind, like most of The National's songs, with words and imagery that make you disappear and forget and immerse- like reading a captivating novel, and you don't want to be disturbed. Opening with their standards "Don't Swallow the Cap", into "Mistaken for Strangers", and then of course "Bloodbuzz Ohio"- how's that for a one/ two/ three punch! 17 songs in total, and then before you know it, the show is over. Nothing like dark and heartfelt melancholy on a Saturday night, especially after a day of on and off rain followed by misty humidity. Have to say Day One of Pitchfork 2022 was memorable- all positives (rain included) - not negatives. Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago Writing and Photography by Bobby Talamine Edited by Fiza Javid And so here we are at the Chicago Theatre, the glorious and iconic marquee all lit up on all sides- emblazoned for all to see, and giddy with excitement thereof: "Jam Presents Puscifer- This Saturday July 2". And the crowd, already lined up since 10 am apparently. Found that odd, since it's a reserved seating kind of theatre. So when I arrived, I had to ask. It turns out that every date of this Existential Reckoning Tour, a unique one of a kind poster is made for the event, somewhere in the neighborhood of around fifty total. But the line- has to be close to three hundred or so and an hour before doors open, stretching south on State Street to the alley, and then going east to Wabash. Just goes to show yet again, like anything Tool related merch wise, is equal with all things Puscifer merch wise- a rabid fan base that devours anything and everything Maynard related. And with Puscifer, there's a lot to take in that's downright funny, that's downright macabre, that's downright sophisticated cabaret production wise, along with smidgeons of absurdist theatre thrown in for good measure. It technically starts in my opinion for the promotion for said Existential Reckoning Tour 2022- at the bottom of the scheduled date announcements with this little bit of news: "PREPARE TO BE PROBED", with of course the prehistoric- ish alien pencil and ink illustration added in for good measure. That should give you lots of intel right then and there. And if you need to cut to the chase on absurdist comedy from a legit photographer's perspective- yes, having covered Tool since their inception, let alone A Perfect Circle and on and on, you get to know the photo policies like the back of your hand. But it became downright comical a half of the way through their first song of the night- "Bread and Circus", when both Maynard (aka Special Agent Dick Merkin) and Carina Round stop in their tracks and yell "Spam! Spam! Spam!"- and point to one individual in particular, which is code word for banned cell phone usage, which leads to eviction from the venue. All this did was incite a couple patrons around my purview, pointing to me and yelling the same thing, as if to pounce because of my camera gear and photography taking, although authorized, and with clear as the present day photo pass. Had to show that pass what seemed like multiple times to anyone and everyone for that two songs allotted, which is not a complaint really, it just goes to show how the audience follows said rules from said band, and everyone please act accordingly. Enough of that though, as funny as it was- bottom line from that to the actual show, there's a lot of comedy to go around, courtesy of Special Agent Dick Merkin, on the scene as always, seeking out extraterrestrials, who are apparently living among us, mostly hybrid celebrity related, with mutant offspring mixed together to make the likes of Justin Bieber, Wendy O Williams, and so on. The videos with Agent Merkin offhandedly and matter of factly explaining said macabre extraterrestrials, with Max Headroom video glitches thrown in for good measure are as funny as all get out- With matter- of- fact statements such as they have discovered and "identified a hidden mobile cloning facility that is alien owned and operated, and which appears to be run by a combination of genetic engineers, public relation biologists, booking agents and oh so smug social media influencers, all extraterrestrial in nature. The purpose of the clones is still a mystery, but it appears that the aliens are either downright duplicating and or replacing red carpet celebrities that have been deemed mediocre or without outdated fashion sensibilities". So you see when you have too much time on your hands, and you morph into other characters and offshoots of your wicked man when your main occupation is on a bit of a vacation? You write about the absurdity of it all, exposing what we all know, if you're the occasional watcher of anything B related daytime TV, or "Entertainment Tonight", "Access Hollywood", or even Tucker Carlson related- that all of it is worthy of lampooning, and twisting to your point of view for putting on a show. And a show it is, sophisticated for such an intimate theatre such as the Chicago Theatre, with good use of scaffolding, giant sized LED screens stage left and stage right, with lighting to add a moody punch to the whole affair. And the core Puscifer force, backing up Agent Merkin, along with Carina Round, you have Mat Mitchell, on guitar. bass and keyboards, and of course Josh Moreau on bass, and Gunnar Olsen on drums. The band is tight, aloof, going about their business without much visible emotion, acting as the "Men in Black" to the "Man in Black". The themes abound, clearly obvious and visible, but done with a fans point of view, to prompt further discussion and evidentiary dialog on all things "Maynard", and can you decipher "Maynard", which apparently you can, and you can't. Which is the whole point I guess- living in this day and age, and easy access to conspiracy theories, let alone anything "Q" related, makes you take note of the dimwitted, and write about the dimwitted. And no one better than Maynard knows how to instinctively skewer that at his beck and call, making note of anyone in a position of elected power- "If I only had a brain", whistling like the tin man from the Wizard of Oz, and the buffoon of a senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin. So yes, there's plenty of fodder on a daily basis to chew on, especially if you're an entertainer of the level of a Maynard- a guy who knows how to perform and immerse himself in multiple characters, with a bit of modern day George Carlin thrown in for good measure. All of it makes sense to some extent, provoking your devoted audience and fan base to essentially take a deep dive into investigating further the deciphering of all the "DaVinci Code" like antics from said wicked showman / comedian. The setlist- covered entirely "Existential Reckoning", with plenty of fodder in Maynard's other alter character, Billy D, and all things "V is for Vagina", and "Conditions of my Parole", let alone "Money Shot". Some seventeen songs in total, all done with no skimping, or let's say "no spam involved". All rich, all fresh and clean. Have to say it's not wayward with Maynard. The comedy- the theatrics- the swinging the hips like an old man movements- the downright 1950's aliens in three piece suits- all of it makes absurdist sense, for absurdist comedy, for the absurdist world we find ourselves in. So when we get close to the time of the end of the world, and we all have to "tribe up" Mad Max style, and I'm alive and have to seek out a guy like Maynard and profess that I belong with said tribe, I've got my speech ready. It involves a modicum of comedy, along with existential gunplay, followed by a dash of wisdom with an "I don't care" kind of attitude. That- and know how to multi- task at a moment's notice. Let's go forward please. Until then- embrace the absurdist comedy ever present in the day and now, with guys like Maynard, and bands like Puscifer. Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago Live Review: FAILURE - Wild Type Droid, North American Tour - Bottom Lounge - Chicago- Fri 7/1/227/5/2022 Writing and Photography by Bobby Talamine Edited by Fiza Javid You can tell that this show with Failure, this current tour with Failure is going to be a treat on a couple of accounts- First, with the setlist- some 19 songs in total, opening with "Submarines", from their latest release "Wild Type Droid"- a song with like most of Failure's catalog- based on untrammeled observations and exposed detriment, followed by dusting yourself off, and trying to get on approaching life with a glass half full. I know that says lots- but welcome to a life lived during the time of a great band such as Failure. Will dig deep a bit more on all things "setlist" in a minute- But now onto the second bit of news- which is their merchandise, and the amount of care they show to their fans. The Bottom Lounge has a long hallway to the east side of the main room, and one side of the wall is devoted to merch, the other side is the posters of the future Bottom Lounge show announcements. As far as the show announcements- I had to come to the venue earlier for soundcheck, just to see firsthand the layout of all three on the main stage, and the configuration of the band layout in relation to the pit and audience, to seek out the the sweet spot in advance to get a decent shot of all three along with separate shots of Greg, Kellii and Ken. Not much room to work with pit wise- and knowing their devoted audience, didn't want to make things difficult there as well. But once the sweet spot was found- all was good to handle the confines of an intimate venue such as the Bottom Lounge. So I saw upon entering the Bottom Lounge four Failure posters of tonight's show- one along the hallway by the merch, two others in the men's bathrooms, and the last one by the main door entrance by the restaurant dining area. All four were long gone by the time the doors opened for the show. But their merch- well let's just say there's lots and lots of Failure merch catering to the rabid Failure Fan. And the line for Failure merch was quite extensive, even during their performance, which should tell you lots. So yes- it's beyond refreshing to see them perform live again, and rekindle in my soul the beauty of muscular tracks written from all angles and various themes of all kinds of subject matter. Again- sorry fro the long displays of fitting into one sentence what you dearly love about a band such as Failure, and try not to get all discombobulated. But for those in the know, the new friends you easily make while waiting for one of your favorite bands to go on, and talking with people for a couple hours of distinct dissection of "Failure this- Failure that"- well, you'd get the gist. New songs, old songs- it doesn't matter. It's all Failure worthy good. Of course they save the sweet stuff for the encore- six songs in total, but you can't help but feel the glow of good listening yet again to "Segue 3" into "The Nurse Who Loved Me" into "Another Space Song" into "Stuck on You" yet again. Those four beasts never get old. But then followed up by "Heliotrpic", and closing with "Daylight"- all of which come from their brilliant release "Fantastic Planet"- such a whiz bang smack to the back of your head to realize just how majestic this all is - everything Failure- nothing but Failure. Of course "Fantastic Planet" is incomparable, and withstood the test of time, and maintained all relished revelry from die hards and fellow musicians both insanely popular, and ones up and coming. That's why you take note of the thirty minute opening documentary before their show, and listening intently to the likes of Hayley Williams, Maynard James Keenan, Butch Vig, Tommy Lee and the like. They talk about all things Failure with such honesty- such sincerity. You can hear it in the tone of their voices, the deep regard, like a true fan, of what they hold dear to Failure, and what they've created over the years. It's the kind of thing that tugs at your heartstrings, to see them kick things around yet again, survive all that's been thrown at them and still create on their own terms, and only when they're ready. Their fans well know this inside and out. At the Bottom Lounge, their fans came from all over, and also have been going to multiple shows throughout this tour, dozens of fans had told me. So it's clear that from all perspectives that this whole deal was going to be memorable, and a show to compare to all the others you've seen over the years, with not many mistakes, if there's mistakes at all. And as for songs that are new (and newer) from "Wild Type Droid", let alone "The Heart Is a Monster" and also "In The Future Your Body Will Be The Furthest Thing From Your Mind"- all three well represented setlist wise- all three represented pleasantly performance wise, what with "Atom City Queen" and "Counterfeit Sky" taking hold, along with "Force Fed Rainbow being on point, and all things Failure. And as for Greg, Kellii and of course Ken- a big thank you- if for anything in this ultra weird day and age, the true definition of perseverance. Damn do I love this band. Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago Photography by Bobby Talamine (IG @btalamine) & Tony P (IG @tonypphotos) Writing by Fiza Javid (IG @xxfizax) Day One, Grant Park. June 25, 2022 As the weekend approached, no one anticipated that we would wake up to post Roe America. The anger and shock was a catalyst and reminder of precisely what Pride was always meant to represent: unity, acceptance, love and an inherent fight for the freedom to choose, be it your partner or the ability to decide when to have a child. While last year’s festival was a celebration of pride alongside surviving a plague, this year brought on another earth-shaking perspective. Festival goers of the annual Pride in the Park Festival kick-started the weekend to not only celebrate, but to also remind themselves that the celebration itself was now more necessary than ever. It might seem like an illogical statement. That is no way partying and celebrating could solve anything, but the opposite is true. We are living in a country where there are people in positions of power who want more than anything to silence these prideful celebratory exclamations and to drown them out. Perhaps we are fighting fire with fun. This message certainly reverberated through the two days, through the voices of artists and political leaders alike. The actual act of protest remained behind a subliminal curtain, ready to be unveiled. The real stars of Pride in the park eagerly prepared behind the actual curtain, ready to excite us all, as we waited with gratitude in our hearts. Saturday was kicked off with DJ Avi Sic, who played dance/electronic mixes with hits like Britney Spears, house music. A light crowd arrived to get the party started early. The eagerness was up this year, and while last year there was an issue with rain, the rain is merely an afterthought as the drizzle did not dampen the movement. It was also immediately apparent that House season was kicked into gear. With both Drake and Beyoncé releasing their new album and single, respectively, it is clear that it is being pushed for summer popularity. However, House is truly where the indi artists shine, particularly artists like Spencer Brown. I caught Bobby jumping on to the stage to capture Spencer Brown where I caught some candid shots. Spencer was effortless and let the music do all the talking, while he held down the beats and projections of overhead shots of landscapes, geometric shapes and ocean clips. Spencer is known for not only being signed by Avicii, but for his collab with Deadmau5 and Above & Beyond, and this LA native truly set the tone for the future of electronic music. No one would anticipate such a lax electronic dance session would transition into an electrifying drag show. Both days were incredibly led by DJ Dom Brown, known for being part of the team that hosted Porn and Chicken, which were Monday night ragers at Chicago’s club Mid. Shea coulee came out with an announcement, right before Dusty Bahls came out caffeinated with four lovely dancers in silver set outfits. The crowd went absolutely bonkers when they began with the iconic Bring it On performance. The tone was truly set and was incredible throughout. All hail queen Sasha Love came out with 4 leashed men and brought the provocative touch the show needed, and she performed a slow, distressed jam of Beyoncé’s “Crazy in Love” which turned into the real choreography of the original “Crazy in Love''. Sasha’s Beyonce theme was such a joy to witness, with the real, necessary crowd favorite being her ode to “Run the World.” Sasha Love shined with six backup dancers! “There is no other festival in this park besides Lollapalooza, and We get to hold his park down for Pride!” she said. The headlining performer was the one and only Monet X Change, who was the season 4 winner of Ru Paul’s Drag Race, and currently in Ru Paul’s All Stars edition. “I’m gonna werk for Chicago tonight bitch!” she said. Shea coulee and I should have been on the top!” She transitioned into a reggae mix, “I grew up on that shit I love reggae music.” She spoke about the current issues affecting the country, “We need to affect change and this is a March” which led to the incredible performance of her song “March.” “We aren’t asking for charity much too late for formalities.” This is definitely what Pride is all about. That was when a “special guest” was called to the stage, aka the leader that should treat us like special guests. As much as there has been a lot of criticism of Lori Lightfoot throughout Chicago in the past year, with many calling her “clout chasing” throughout Twitter, this was truly a moment she did not deserve judgement. She IS the leader to speak for the risk of the Supreme Court attack on LGBTQ+ issues. Lori Lightfoot came out screaming “Fuck Clarence Thomas! We will fight! Today we have pride but tomorrow we fight! We are a welcoming city who has justice for all, but we are never going backwards! We need to vote, voting matters! Voting is what got us to 2016, and we need to fight to make sure our rights are secured, and our democracy.” It was the essence of that speech that was followed by Saucy Santana’s drag performance that embodied the energy of the festival. It did not feel like another day, another year in Chicago music. The crowd was still light at this point, but the excitement and activism was still palpable. As much as I want to really exemplify the artists, it is vital that I say that the audience shined equally, and the Dom Brown Members definitely made sure to recognize that. Members of the crowd were then chosen to come on stage for a little twerk session. Tommy hawk gets the crowd all excited right as day one was prepared to be knocked out of the park by The Chainsmokers and Joel Corry. Alex and Drew made sure to have their voices heard, declaring “their bodies, their choice!“ and “equality now” which definitely was more validating. It was genuinely great to see powerful artists recognize their voices as voting Americans, fighting for the rights of all Americans, while simultaneously entertaining us. While it might seem like both perspectives should stay separate, and that it further blurs the lines between our leaders and our entertainers, these artists do have a platform to speak and influence as the country continues to make tumultuous turns. It is also nice to hear these words and then feel the tension dissipate with the music. The Chainsmokers played new music, which will absolutely be the highlight of their year. They talked about how by a sudden shift of luck, their 2019 Lollapalooza performance went from being a 2PM show to a 7PM, which is a major difference in terms of crowd reaction as far as Lolla goes. They attributed their song “Roses” to the Chicago crowd as they were greeted with warm energy. More songs included “Don’t Let Me Down” and “Closer” which were undeniably beautiful. Joel Corry ended the night with a powerful electronic club punch to all the faces of the audience, and as I had to head out of the festival, I did not miss a beat. I could hear his music all the way into Lake Shore Drive. Ultimately, the love, the kindness, the gratitude, the all around feeling of unity that does not always show up in everyday life, was what made day one truly memorable. These are unprecedented times, and these are the moments that need to be grasped. Pride exemplified that and more. From the individuals who put the festival together, to the attendees, from all sexualities, genders and backgrounds, are living proof that we are not as divided as they want us to be, and depending on the corners in which we look, we may just find that unity at a local festival that deserves a hell of a lot more love. I don’t doubt that Pride in the Park will continue to grow every year until it hits Lolla levels or more. Day Two, Grant Park. June 26, 2022 While day one allowed everyone to blow off some steam and come together to showcase Pride and protest on not only the news of the week (unapologetically) Day two began as a more relaxed feel, as festival goers have already had a chance to familiarize themselves with the events attractions. This could also be due to the record numbers at the Pride parade, that were not yet at the festival. Still, people were taking in all the incredible offerings, which included a FREE hair styling booth provided by Dyson, which would probably cost at least $100 if it was a trip to the salon. There was not an excuse to have a bad hair day here. I decided to give the booth a swing and it was totally worth it. I tames my mane, and ran head forward to the main stage, which I was truly not ready for what was to come. This name. Moore Kismet. Remember that. “I am a 17 year old and unapologetically non-binary!” They were an absolutely powerful force on stage! Their colorful jumpsuit and beaded colorful hair turned your eyes into the nucleus of the stage, and the energy was truly out of this world. Moore was truly the star of the party, and the only artist capable of getting the crowd into headlining energy at the beginning of the day. The energy they brought, and managed to get the few early comers to truly not regret their decisions of being early arrivals and missing the parade. Moore is going to be unstoppable, just you wait. I’m getting Avicii success level vibes here. Next was Ms. Rebecca Black, and if you were a millenial in 2009, you certainly remember who she is. I had no clue what to expect. I just remember the fact that she not only was declared as having the “worst song in the world” at a mere 13 years old, but also the highest watched video in YouTube history at the time, as the site was in its infancy. I’ll be honest, I had some jokes in my mind about knowing Rebecca black was next, as the video itself changed the course of her career forever. That video was so strange to ears that it was once the center of a lyrical conspiracy claiming it was about the Kennedy assassination. “Wait….is that REBECCA BLACK?” I heard someone say. “Everyday is a good fucking day to be gay, am I RIGHT?” Rebecca black came out as an absolute show stopper. Wearing a skin tight black top with an image of bare breasts, her confidence was absolutely dominating. She danced, she gave the audience fierce eye contact and was truly lost in the moment of her performance, I never knew she was so dominant and commanding in her persona, and such a natural dancer. “I want to ask you all a question, how many of you have ever been told you were the bad guy? That you fucked someone up? Don’t lie to me Chicago, don’t LIE.” Which broke into her next song, “Don’t Lie.” She also sang a cover of La Roux’s “Bulletproof.” Very fitting choice! Rebecca truly is unstoppable, the way she took ownership of the ridicule and transformed into a Hyper-Pop diva that deserves the attention in a more positive light. She’s a Rihanna level pop star at heart, and she danced and beamed with an iconic smile that may be the only aspect of her that reminds us that she is the same individual from that viral video. Her smile is absolutely recognizable, but “Friday” did nothing to showcase who she truly was as a performer. THIS Rebecca black, she should be up there with Lady Gaga. “Who wants to be my girlfriend?” She said, and also introduced her drummer who is a Chicago native. We then watched her go into the sidelines as an audio track played through a news story restating what happened with the “Friday” song. I could see her panting in the sidelines, and I kept thinking, “Is she going to do it?” Well she definitely did, and she remixed it. She ran out into the stage to the Hyper-Pop mix and threw some kicks and dance moves at the audience as she sang through the song, with the new version of the video playing behind her, showing her with a long braided pony-tail, a skin tight black latex suit and brief twerks. Okay, this was the moment she became a queen. The audience adored it and sang along with her, because lets be real, everyone learned the words. It was the perfect level of excitement to bring on the drag show. The legendary “House of Coulee” was ready to shine, as the crowd screamed the names of and donned fans for Shea Couleé, Kenzi Couleé, Mimi Marks, Luci Ami, Bambi-Banks Couleé, and Khloe Couleé. Move aside Kardashians! Shea came out with a full band, colorful hair, green and blue, chained up jumpsuit with the sides cut off. She played her song “Cocky” with fans screaming “We love you Shea!” “This is my first pride in 3 years, what is the tea? I’m so happy to be back, I’m so happy to be black. Here is the new new.” she said. She was a true pop princess and not one song was lip sung by her. She sang through everything, danced and was beaming. Mimi Marks came out in a draping white gown that unveiled a shining fitted shimmer gown, and another leotard underneath, with backup dancers. Her heartfelt performance was enough to bring anyone to tears of joy. “10s across the board!” Dom stated from the side. Bringing all the Pose fans to their invisible seats. Kenzi Couleé went full Gaga as she opened with Bad Romance, and to add to the talented house, she came out with a violin! She played through the songs beautifully on violin as the track played above. I had a moment to check out Circuit Mom dancing their hearts out before Daya came on. Daya, known for her hits alongside being the iconic Chainsmokers “Don’t Let Me Down” voice of her own song, was the perfect pre-headline the day after The Chainsmokers. She sang her hits “Hide Away” and “Don’t Let Me Down” but also unveiled a new song coming out on Wednesday July 6th entitled, “Love You When You Are Gone,” which is definitely one to look out for. “Are you ready for the gayest song I’ve ever written?” before performing “Bad Girl.” She took a moment, post song, to give a speech on the Roe decision and her experience of coming out: “It’s hard to be American or proud to be an American, when they don’t seem to respect us as women, queer women, trans women. It’s hard not to feel powerless but we need to give ourselves permission to feel those feelings, but we don’t need to feel completely powerless. This community is embracing and warm. I experienced that when I came out a few years ago. It’s been the best family and community since. What we have they can’t take away from us, it’s what they don’t have, it's what we have. It’s what we will always have as long as we support each other and build one another up. I am committed to that and I hope you are too. Let’s me louder than ever and let’s me stronger than ever, and let’s get these old fucks out of the office. Abort the court.” She ended her performance carrying a Pride flag and was near tears embracing the crowd. Daya, you are a true gem. After her performance there was a beautiful video tribute to Richard Pfeiffer and Tim Fry, two notable historical figures in Chicago’s Gay History. Dusty called to the audience to rejoice Tim, who was in the audience and supported Richard for 40 years when he had cancer. It was a perfect note to remind the audience just how far the Pride celebration has come and to honor the history that often is left invisible. The night closed out with Alesso, who brought in a bass heavy jam session that had the audience reverberating. The pyro was hot and the set was hotter. He kept a space theme going as it felt like a very Sci-Fi, EDM show with intense drops. From songs like “Heroes” to “Falling” with imagery of two genderless human beings kissing, it was a chef’s kiss to the end of Pride in the Park Chicago, 2022. The audience walked out overjoyed into a dark reality as there were religious protestors greeting them, attempting to start fights. That did not matter, and they were brushed off. They can not and will not take the liberties away from these music loving, and honorable individuals. Pride in the Park needs to keep growing, and Chicago Pride is here to stay. Until next year, with endless gratitude and love, Fiza Javid - JBTV Music Television. Writing and Photography by Bobby Talamine Edited by Fiza Javid German electronic pioneers Kraftwerk return to North America for their immersive 3D concerts with a stop at the Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom in Chicago. Bringing together their sophisticated electronic music with performance art is quite the accomplishment, considering how easily this whole thing could go sideways without the right equipment, the right budget, the right people to man the controls (both onstage performance wise, and also at front of house as well). We all know that Kraftwerk's music speaks for itself, and can sustain longevity without added fanfare. But what if you think big, as obviously sole survivor Ralf Hutter of Kraftwerk must've done? Well the visuals, 3D or otherwise should overwhelm, so that's why you have a white backdrop that's gargantuan, that can easily absorb the bright and colorful hues from the 3D projectors up in the balcony at the back of the house. So let me tell you now that this works on many levels, from the first song- "Numbers / Computer World / Computer World 2", to their last song- "Non Stop / Boom Boom Tschak / Music Non Stop". Even their display on center stage, four clean podium standing synthesizers and samples, from right to left, all even, and centered, with the giant white backdrop directly behind. Simplicity in design, production wise, with no fuss and clutter. And the audio- the PA was top notch, immersing you in their mechanical world, specifically with musical nuggets such as "The Man- Machine", "It's More Fun to Compute / Home Computer", let alone more popular electronic tidbits such as the innocent "Autobahn", and "Trans- Europe Express / Metal on Metal / Azbug". These songs may come off simple, but like any musical genre, simple is not as easy as it sounds to create songwriting wise, and hold you captivated, and have you hum specific identifiable refrains on repeat- you know, like the good ear worms, not the nauseating ear worms. Kraftwerk were to originally bring this sophisticated production to our shores back in 2020, but like most shows in the books at the time - derailed by the pandemic reared its ugly head, coinciding with the group's 50 year anniversary. So when you wait, and hunker down during Covid 19, you know full well that you're gonna come out the other end, somewhat unscathed, and enjoy the finer things when given the chance- such as witnessing Kraftwerk perform live and in person yet again. Having seen many incarnations of Kraftwerk over the years, even now with one soul survivor remaining, that being lead singer and keyboardist Ralf Hutter- have to say how much I enjoy how Ralf pivots accordingly to the times we are in, modifying songs to fit a mood, whether it be "Autobahn" of course, or even the conscientious "Geiger Counter / Radioactivity", with visuals of names such as Chernobyl and Fukushima (amongst others) keeping you immersed in such disasters, and the consequences that they bring. It's refreshing to see their music changing to the times, without being outright reconstructions, and the visuals related like minimalistic filmstrips of current thought and meaning brought on by fresh and new technology. That's the beauty with bands such as Kraftwerk- you don't have to be dated, or stuck in a rut to perform- you obviously have technology on your side, and you either do your best to adapt, or whither and die in the vines. So throughout their set, it's a constant sonic push and pull, done with subtlety in thought- not meant to bash you over the head with shocks to the system, but the exact opposite- the trance inducing music speaks for itself, and immerses you on a level to embrace the visuals, without giving much thought to the four men standing behind their synthesizer pedestals. And when you think about it- how keen in observation from the men in Kraftwerk to immerse themselves in the production, the whole concept being as one. It's shows like these that leave an indelible mark in your head- groundbreaking yet again, witnessing guys in their seventies who still come off as anything but. So yes- their setlist, their production, their visuals, the setting at the majestic interior of the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago- all of it- a total work of art. For the remaining dates- heading a bit east, then west, ending their tour in early July in Vancouver - a definite must see. Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago Writing and Photography by Bobby Talamine Edited by Fiza Javid Prior to the sold out show with Orville Peck at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago, you make note to cover the crowd and the Riviera marquee for a bit, knowing full well that the faithful will turn out in droves, all adorned up western style, and some going even further with the anonymous and sophisticated fringe masks similar to what Orville wears while performing. To the faithful, it's a big deal to get all dolled up, Orville Peck style. It's fascinating to watch and photograph, experiencing first hand the energy it brings to an event and performance on the scale of Orville Peck, and his meteoric rise witnessed firsthand over the past few years. And here we are, with Orville and his band celebrating his latest release "Bronco", which came out back in early April, and now on the road supporting the release on his "Bronco Tour" of North America. Orville starts the show off with "Daytona Sand", the first song and first released single off of "Bronco", bathed in various hues of blue. and even though in sophisticated cowboy fashion from head to toe, which you expect, down to his cowboy boots and ten gallon hat- had no idea of just how sophisticated his getup was until he ripped into the second song of the evening- the punchy and resentful "Turn to Hate", and the stage bathed now in white light. Now you can see Orville's outfit in all of its glory- all turquoise, with a bit more added turquoise, and done up in true cowboy splendor. I bring this up as a case in point separate from just talking about the songs from the setlist outright- there's a lot going on with Orville Peck and his desire to always put on a show (no matter the venue) that is unforgettable, and leave your worries behind at the door. It's amazing to watch Peck's musical growth, as a singer / songwriter, and also as a confident performer, becoming more and more fearless, and even a bit more unruly, if you can believe that. Even if you want to remain anonymous, hiding a bit behind your fringe masks, the haters will still come, one by one, to belittle you and let you know directly and indirectly some modicum of contempt. A guy like Orville takes this to heart, brushing off some of the criticism, that being his vocal timbres and range, which uncovers a bit of Roy Orbison a bit of Morrissey, and blessed as well with a deep baritone that conveys a sense of loss and repression when the timing is just right. He writes songs about pain and loss, because he's experienced firsthand multiple times his fair share of pain and loss. And to top it off, with the wide spread acclaim he received from his first album, "Pony", back in 2019, which was embraced not just by true country fans, but also the indie and alternative crowd- Like most artists new to the game- how do you follow that up without the dreaded "Sophomore Slump" hanging over your head? Well if you're a guy like Orville Peck, I believe you rest up a bit, take some deep breaths, and reconfigure anew, and take some risks with some wide ranging ideas, since you know full well that you have an awesome band that's been with you through thick and thin, and they have your back. I mean I guess you have to answer a simple question: What makes you want to be a songwriter anyway? I believe every take on every album is going to be different, just from shared life experiences and simply living, and proving to yourself your worth and validation. That, and don't be fake, and try not to be hard on yourself. I feel that Orville, with each and every passing turn through life, is asking these kind of questions. Maybe the mask will come off somewhere down the road, maybe not. But laying out the groundwork anonymously for a career in your chosen genre (and genres) of music- to allow you to flourish and shine with polished singing and songwriting should help to bear fruit for years to come. The point to all of this is to convey just how much I get the impression that he truly cares, and takes all of this to heart, even with downtime during a pandemic. So in regards to the making of "Bronco", and touring on the strength of these songs, you can tell from the outset that they are therapeutic to some extent, getting out of a depression, re- finding your voice, making sense of another bad relationship- kinda like keeping a diary of tragic mistakes and bad behavior, and how to correct past behavior. Songwriting to that extent, I'm sure truly helps you get out to the other side. And what makes you whole again? Taking out these new songs for a spin on the road. You've witnessed now the aforementioned "Daytona Sand", and you also get to hear "The Curse of the Blackened Eye", followed by "Lafayette", and also "C'mon Baby Cry", "Any Turn", along with "Kalahari Down", amongst others. And it looks from my vantage point throughout the entire show, from the pit by the stage, to the back of the house, that Orville is enjoying himself immensely, even on a hot Wednesday night in the sauna known as the Riviera Theatre. And that turquoise outfit ain't coming off until the end of the show. You gotta love and admire a guy like Orville Peck, always approaching live performance with sincerity, and coming from an authentic place- haters be damned. Having witnessed Orville so far come through Chicago- first at the intimate Lincoln Hall, then at Lollapalooza last year in the blazing sun, up to the present day on his Bronco Tour, he still proceeds on that plane, pouring his heart out to his faithful fans, approaching everything with deliberate honesty. So refreshing to see and witness live with Orville yet again. Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago Writing and Photography by Bobby Talamine Edited by Fiza Javid Deftones and Gojira bring the heat to a chilly Friday night at the Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island in Chicago. Yes- with a slight wind chill, it still ended up being cold once the sun had set just off the shore of Lake Michigan. And both Gojira, and also Deftones, just tore away with incendiary setlists that made the ground shake and your chest feel the mighty thump from the low end- from both bands. Headliners Deftones, fronted by the ever still so volatile Chino Moreno, entering the stage to the music of "Pimpf", from Depeche Mode- a slice of cool instrumental music from their album "Music for the Masses"- Maybe as homage to the recently (and tragically) departed Fletch from Depeche- if that was the case, as always, Chino and Deftones, their heart is certainly in the right place. But once fitted onstage, they blast away with the opening track of their most recent release- "Genesis", from "Ohms", a blistering attack in essence on a discussion of rebirth and renewal. A song meant to go for the throat. And how poignant to open with "Genesis", a song when released, back in September of 2020, with so much uncertainty, and the inevitable postponement of their summer tour in 2020. Might as well come out of the gates embracing what you love, and missing so much what you love. Their set was riveting throughout, with sophisticated lighting worthy of your most accomplished EDM artists- yes- that kind of vibe, with striking vertical strobes, and a triangular, or diamond shaped lighting rig conveying hues that washed over the background vertical white backdrops. worthy of your attention to match the onslaught of heaviness from the band. To hear the trailblazing "Rocket Skates" into "Prayers / Triangles", and with Chino singing with such full force, like his life depends on this moment in time- gives you chills. Most of the main floor within earshot of me was feeling the same vibe, looking around to confirm that we were all in agreement with what we were witnessing- a band coming at you full force, and with deep rooted passion. The intensity didn't lapse one bit throughout their set, ending up with some 19 songs in total, three of which, for their encore, all blistering indictments as well, with "Lotion". into "Engine No. 9", and closing with "7 Words". After that, with ringing in your ears, and a cold sweat on your body from top to bottom, you couldn't help but feel a brotherhood with them, jamming their hearts out to the bitter end. Same could be said for the mighty Gojira- a band that equally pummeled the crowd right out of the gates, opening with "Born for one Thing"- the opening track to their critically acclaimed latest release back in April of 2021- "Fortitude". This album- I mean holy shit. No wonder it made everyone's- I mean EVERYONE'S top ten lists from last year. Not a weak link in the bunch, with the Duplantier brothers outdoing themselves yet again with conscientious metal which is downright breathtaking in might and thought. Four songs in total, played by Gojira from their latest release, interspersed with heavy hitters from their equally cool back catalog, By the end of "Born for one Thing", a gigantic moshpit had broken out, and basically all involved maintained their huge chunk of real estate in front of the stage throughout to the end of their set. Joe Duplantier on vocals and guitar, and his brother Mario on drums, both equally convey intensity followed by passion, and might, not ones to dress fancy or rock star ish- more like everyday blue collar, which for me, just transcends perfectly into their honesty and approach into offbeat and rapid fire musicianship. Again, from my vantage point, even after finishing the first three songs from the pit, everyone on the asphalt in front of the stage audience wise, was in on the action, fists pumped in the air, trying their best to match the intensity of the band, enthusiastically embracing the energy, with the foot on the gas with no letup. Even the breather of an hour or so between sets was met with jovial enthusiasm by one and all, with huge smiles on everyone's faces. Man oh man - was this a show or what? What way to start off Memorial Day Weekend in Chicago. Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago Writing and Photography by Bobby Talamine Edited by Fiza Javid I was forewarned about this show in advance, from fellow rock n' roll photographers, fellow music writers, and from music hound friends who've seen them perform live over the past few years. And before their show at the Logan Square Auditorium, in the midst of their current North American Tour, I did my own investigating of them performing live on various social media platforms, and other sources. And yes- Amy Taylor is the definition of volatile, no matter if the show is indoors at an intimate venue, or outdoors at whichever festival, whether they're headlining, or whether they're opening, or lined up in the middle. It just doesn't matter. I could imagine this further, considering their set at Logan Square Auditorium was a setlist consisting of 20 songs bulldozed through, with no brakes, all songs incendiary, even with the attempt of a couple slower tunes (which for all intent and purposes were still full on Ramones style). No breathers- just punishers. My point is this- you're at a festival, in the middle of a band pow wow- your set is approximately 30 to 40 minutes in length. Can only imagine that huddle- what to include songwise, what not to include. I assume, by what I've witnessed prior to their show here in Chicago on a Saturday night, that the shorter the setlist, the more they feel they want to be remembered. Big wide grins throughout- smoking the audience and critics alike with bazooka songs like "Guided By Angels", and "I'm Not a Loser", into "Don't Need a Cunt (Like You to Love Me), and so on. In the huddle, you are all in agreement that the next 30 to 40 minutes should be a bludgeoning. And then off you go. So yeah- a seasoned photographer like me, up in age, wonders what to expect in an older and rather charming and yet antiquated building such as the Logan Square Auditorium, with no pit barricade, audience up to the lip of the stage, plus Amy Taylor working the crowd into a nutty frenzy on a warm Saturday night in Chicago...better suck it up dude- and get to know your neighbors. Not that they would have your back or anything, but just have some sanity knowing in your little pocket of real estate for the show, that we will try to manage, And by all means, it wasn't all that bad. Yes- the show was barnstorm intensity throughout, with a mix of young and old in attendance, and most of the moshing and body surfing was female related believe it or not, including the stage diving. And depending on the the song, even when standing still, you could feel yourself swaying a bit- up and down- left and right, from the floor beams below you holding forth from the rumble of the crowd. So yes, it was that kind of exhilarating show, brought forth by a powerful front woman, who although dresses sexy, uses tight fashion, such as short shorts, and a crocheted crop top, more as a gymnast, than full on gratification. Her clothes choices strike me as body armor, knowing full well the sex appeal, and yet for concise physical movement, brought on by anger (name whichever tune), and bandmates that are protective- all of this adds up to unleashing of the hounds and work up a mighty sweat, 30 seconds into the first song selection called "Snakes". and just don't let up from there whatsoever. And you have to have a tight rhythm section to sustain the freight train, that being steady bass provided by Gus Romer, and of course a consistent and heavy backbeat provided by Bryce Wilson. The undercarriage in a band like Amyl & The Sniffers has to sustain low end / backbeat punishment, and has to be consistent. Think about fellow Australians AC/DC for instance- that astounding band relies on the same- awesome drums / bass / rhythm guitar. Angus dwells in over the top because of what backs him up. And even though The Sniffers don't have (or need to have), or don't want a rhythm guitarist, they do just fine with lead from Dec Martens. So most likely friendships and brotherhood and bonding first, followed by rock band, followed by fearlessness and brashness, and mistakes are ok- it's part of the game, part of the rough edged angst that we have to fight through. And the development over the past few years- the payoff- a levitational blessing to witness live, and also to survive after the end. Refreshing though and through. And with Amy Taylor- this is a workout. There's lots to discuss. There's some disdain with the current state of affairs we as humans find ourselves in, and her observations are incendiary (obviously), and there's plenty of writing material to grow into that with this band. So coming full circle- you need a reckoning to witness live, more often than not. You need a rude / brash / riotous / working class roots band to come along more often than not to kick you in the nuts and wake you up. Yes- to wake you up out of your mamby pamby doldrums- yell a little bit- pretend yet again that your a 23 year old trapped in a 65 year old body. So yeah- Amy Taylor, Dec Martens, Gus Romer, Bryce Wilson of Amyl and the Sniffers- you're my heroes. And no matter the occasion going forward, consider me a soldier- and I have your back. Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago Writing and Photography by Bobby Talamine Edited by Fiza Javid What to expect at a Mastodon show: Lots and lots of sophisticated lasers. Lots and lots of sophisticated lighting. Lots and lots of heavy duty PA. Lots and lots of sophisticated and know your instruments musicianship. | could go on and on about this- equally both with Mastodon and Opeth, who are co- headlining this North American Tour. However, with so much to say in a concise review- your head spins in reviewing notes from the show, and to state what's relevant without sounding like a tech nerd or a gear nerd. But how can you not veer into that territory when witnessing firsthand yet again a schooling on bravado musicianship from both bands, let alone embracing sophisticated musicianship that leaves you in awe, not wanting either band to leave the stage so soon, to play on through the night until the whole Riviera Theatre implodes. Seriously- it was that kind of show. And in the back of your head, you kinda of already knew this weeks ago, and even going through the doors of the venue prior to the first note. Just look at the opening number from Mastodon to give you an idea of shock and awe: "Pain With an Anchor", from their latest release- "Hushed and Grim". A song sung with such heartfelt content from drummer Brann Dailor, and shared vocal duties from bassist Troy Sanders. You know it's heavy lyric wise, emphasizing the pain of what Mastodon has experienced the past couple years, with the passing of their former manager Nick John. If you're in the know- that was tough. Incredibly painful. Hard to fathom, let alone figure out the "Where do we go from here"- and how to proceed- let alone the timing of it all, and defining grief. All of this needs to be said clearly, in my opinion, simply because when coming out the other end, and carrying all that wait, their songs, their catalog take on greater meaning- greater depth. So Mastodon does proceed, to the delight and gratefulness of their fans, with a swagger and a fight for the ages, and with such honesty and no bullshit- no covering up of anything. And so off we go into "Crystal Skull", into "Megalodon", into "The Crux". This should give you an idea of musical punishment of the good kind- relentless and uncompromising, 14 songs blistering in total, ending with your ears and cranium burning with "Blood and Thunder". And even though their setlist was heavy on "Hushed and Grim"- some six songs total- the album is equal and then some to their mighty back catalog, worthy of display. And who am I to judge? Overall- they're ready to go with a rejuvenated mission of performance and embracing touring, which they clearly still hold so dear. So thankful for them, and coming out the other end with their spirit still intact. I can say the same for Opeth as well- another stellar band who's had their fair share of personnel changes, and still massively influential and admired by their peers, let alone their fans who've stuck with them form the days of the mid nineties. Anchored solidly by longtime member Mikael Arkefeldt, and Fredrik Arkesson, the two guitar attack of blistering musicianship leaves you always trying to figure out the what- the fucks, and comprehension after the fact. And they make it look so easy, which leaves you with even more questions- just how nonchalant they are, or at least appear to be, time and time again. Opening with "Hjartat vet van handen gor", a song with blistering twists and staggering turns, with acoustic interludes to catch a breath, and then the unleashing of the hounds for the ever so mighty "Ghost of Perdition", equal in might to dark metal / black metal, and yet heavy on acoustic interludes equal in scope for stellar singing / songwriting. Not a weak link in the bunch, some eight songs in total, ending with the heavy hitter "Deliverance". Oh how I've missed these guys, and what they bring to table music wise, time and time again. So to come full circle- here you have two bands that share a common DNA and gene pool of upper echelon technically un-categorizable musicianship and songwriting- true to their roots, true to their influences. Have to say, even with openers Khemmis, from Denver Colorado, all three bands were punctuated with a display of might and a sonic onslaught of epic proportions. Try saying that fast three times.... Yeah- it was THAT kind of show. Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago Writing and Photography by: Bobby Talamine Edited by: Fiza Javid Riviera Theatre Chicago - Thursday 3/31/22 A live review without a script. A live review without pre- planned notes or researching. Not that there needs to be- Rock n' Roll- especially "Industrial Strength" rock n' roll, when performed live, only has a setlist somewhat as a guide, along with the occasional mix samples to kind of keep things on track. This show- with Ministry, along with openers Melvins and Corrosion of Conformity, has been weighing heavily on my mind since last Thursday, vacating the Riviera at shows end, heavily in sweat, only to find a parking ticket on my car. And I don't care. That parking ticket was not in any way gonna dampen my mood, and make the drive home ugly. But man - what I witnessed and photographed, both form the pit and also the back of the house was so refreshing and mind bogglingly audio pummeling awesome. Lost count how many body surfers I saw- all shapes and sizes, some guys looking linebacker size- some 250 pounds and up. And from my vantage point, Al looked like the supportive referee- noticing with side glances said bodysurfers if they floated past his way, with an occasional nod, but no thumbs up for approval. Back in the early days of Ministry shows, Revolting Cocks shows- this was all too common, even with Al sometimes getting in on the action, depending on mood, and various chemical substances. So yes- this show was amped to eleven, what with celebrating "The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste"- with plenty of offerings from that release, opening with "Breathe", a testament for being alive and getting off your ass, along with "Burning Inside", "Thieves", and of course the heavy hitter "So What". Mind you, we have a new release to contend with as well- "Moral Hygiene", which was released back in October of 2021, and finally now getting the time to play some of these songs live, such as "Alert Level", "Good Trouble", (which both were played during the encore), along with the Iggy Pop cover, "Search & Destroy", which closed out the show. Let alone "Just One Fix", and the juggernaut from 1000 Homo DJ's- the Black Sabbath cover of "Supernaut". Yeah- it was that kind of evening. Bearing witness to days of old, brought to the present day sounding refreshing and new. This is not a complacent Al Jourgensen at all. This is an Al Jourgensen who has come out from the shit and crap on a personal level of the past, with more fire, more urgency, more of a guy tackling life than I ever seen him. This goes back to his performance at Chicago's Open Air back in July of 2016, to the present day, with all four shows and tours I've seen of him up to the show at the Riviera with Al in full battle form, working his songs up to a lather of fright and might. You really really want him to succeed, to create, to dive deep into his catalog and make them sound like they were meant to be played when originally created, mistakes, and warts and all. And he does, at least from what I've witnessed. Part of that is also owed to Jourgensen's band as well, picking players that can push the envelope and bring the heavy artillery: with Paul D'Amour on bass, Cesar Soto on guitars, Monte Pittman on guitars, Roy Mayorga on drums, and John Bechdel manning the keyboards and samples. This band is good. Really good. And this band allows Al the freedom to thrive and focus on what's needed most- a renegade preacher with lots and lots to say- and not worry about band miscues. If you're a seasoned Al Jourgensen and overall Ministry observer- you know these things are important, and again, you want to see Al so desperately succeed, and look like he's enjoying life- enjoying the moment. And again from my vantage points throughout the show- from the opener "Breathe", until his last breath with the closer "Search & Destroy"- he does. A Ministry show and tour to represent of this caliber does not go unnoticed, and ranks up there in my mind with shows from way back at Medusa's. It was that good. As for Melvins- with the mighty Buzz Osborne front and center, along with Dale Crover on all things drums, and ever the showman Steven Shane McDonald on bass- these guys, even though opening along with Corrosion of Conformity, opened with the theme from "Sanford and Son", (which was awesome / laugh out loud funny), and then proceeded to trailblaze through a set with some 12 songs total from their entire weave- opening with a guitar swirl of feedback punch from Buzz with "The Kicking Machine", into "It's Shoved", and then the gargantuan sludge / grunge of "Anaconda". Now that's a three song intro into a set concrete pounder. And for a three piece, playing with all this might front and center, and watching over the proceedings is the character Endora, from the TV sitcom of the '60's, "Bewitched" - which when you think of it, plays a major part of casting wicked spells over the masses and band. Such is the case with Melvins, standup / knock you off your feet performance always, but also with a dollop of sly authenticated humor. What you gotta love with all things Buzz Osborne and Melvins, is that their heart and musical catalog of influences are all over the place, picking up on mashing up of punk, and yet a deep desire to bring in some doom, ala Black Sabbath. "Evil New War God", or even the song "Honeybucket"...c'mon man- you're not alive if you're not headbanging the shit out of those two nuggets. Like I said- they have a 12 song setlist- nothing mamby pamby throughout. Melvins save the set and coming up for air after they've long left the stage. Same holds true for Corrosion of Comformity- another band that's stayed tried and true and survived the test of time, knowing and embracing loud, with some more loud, followed by punishing feedback when needed. Have been a huge fan of Pepper Keenan and his band for years. Such a great triple bill of unique bands, proud of their genres, each bringing something unique and memorable to the party. And a party it was on a Thursday night in Chicago Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago Writing and Photography by Bobby Talamine Edited by Fiza Javid Sat 3/19/22 Sparks. Ron and Russell Mael. Entities only to the themselves. As indie as indie gets. And in regards to reviewing anything about them performance wise, especially after well over 50 years of being a band- you have to start there to understand all things in their world wise view on things and sustaining the utmost in creativity. To start- look at the buildup to this show at the Copernicus Center in Chicago, let alone the announcement of their North American tour back in late 2021. Nothing but a conscious craziness in dialog between excited and rabid fans, doing their best to convert the peeps out there still not in the know. Look online as well as how they love to self promote whichever city they're playing in on whichever night of performing: The day before Chicago they were in Minneapolis / St Paul- at the St Paul Fitzgerald Center. I assume Russell took the photo of his brother Ron, standing in front of a window with a little sign that said "Being weird is just a side effect of being awesome". That about sums it up- at least a little bit. As for the day of Chicago's show- the brothers I assume were at some truck stop off of 94 (or something similar), past breakfast, and sitting in a diner reading the Chicago dailies- Russell with the Tribune, Ron with the Sun Times- stating simply "Chicago! See you tonight at the Copernicus Center!" And it's been like this for the whole tour so far- a brief caption on the city they're in, with some of the level of excitedness, with a modicum of detachment. I bring this up because again, Ron and Russell are a world unto themselves, creating and performing, with no outside influence on being pressured into professional change to match the current times of whatever. Just look at the their setlist as an example: 23 songs (including the encore) that are all over the map- Songs about Edith Piaf. Songs about Igor Stravinsky Songs about Shopping Malls. Songs about interpretations if given the chance of singing "My Way". Songs about music that you can dance to. Or even songs about a town that's not big enough for the both of us. So let's say you're a fledgling band that us strapped for cash. That you need outside help to sustain the delusional dream of being popular rock stars, and don't want to give up the delusional dream. And the outside help has opinions on how to proceed- to make you amazingly popular. I have questions: first and foremost- To what extent? To sustain what exactly? To be "One and Done"? I could go on. Just look at the songs and what they're about above as examples. Would outside influence entertain any possibility of being in a studio and convincing said short sighted knuckleheads that "Me and my brother dig this song we wrote about Edith Piaf" - or any of the others? I say no- that it would be troublesome, most likely relegated to a later collection of the hits (whatever they are) and B sides. How disgusting to even dream of such a thing regarding the Mael brothers. So here they are- doing things their way, and still around to embrace their solid fans who've been with them through thick and thin, and want to support and cherish their creativity every which way. And from 2021 to the present- has been two solid years for them creativity wise, what with the beautiful film musical "Annette", and the equally awesome documentary which came out last year on them titled "The Sparks Brothers"- (A must see, by the way), a terrific album released back in 2020 titled "A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip", let alone this insanely popular by all accounts North American Tour. So- Sparks are still relevant, and at this point, need no explaining to the unknowable. Have no time for people who think they've heard of the band, back when they released "Kimono My House" in '74, with the release of the song "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us", and then jumped ship a couple years later. Guess what? Your loss. It's my belief that Ron and Russell can write a captivating song about anything- I mean anything. Not just the songs mentioned above in this review as examples- there's plenty plenty more. If say, they were locked in a padded cell for 48 hours- food and drink pushed forth from the flap below, they could still produce, only if they were allowed scraps of paper to compose something, let alone lyric wise. Their minds would be abuzz equally to being free of said padded cell. They obviously don't need much pushing and prodding to create- when they're ready, they're really ready. Which makes this tour, with a stop in Chicago, that much more special. No offense to the last time they came through town which back in 2013 at Lincoln Hall - a great show, cabaret wise. But it was just the two of them. No band to speak of. And yes- Russell utilized the stage as he always does, and you left Lincoln Hall refreshed. But now to the present day, with a full band on tour? Drums included? That's my kinda Sparks. A Sparks with lots of sparks- amped and elevated with dignified strobe lighting, brothers still front and center. A Sparks which opened with "So May We Start"- an energetic and whipped up to a froth kind of a tune from their musical "Annette", and then off to the races with "Angst in my Pants", into "Tips for Teens". The setlist covered the gamut, down to the closing before encore with "This Town Ain't Big Enough for Both of Us"- as electrifying and trailblazing as back in the day of the early seventies. I mean sheesh! They still both hav zip. They both still know how to zig and zag, even with Ron taking his turn at interpretive dance to the quirky beat, leveling the Copernicus crowd with shouts of encouragement and excited-ness. None of this ever gets old with the Mael brothers. May they continue with their swanky cabaret / chamber / unclassifiable upper echelon kind of pop, or whatever you want to call it. More Sparks please. Not less Sparks going forward. Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago |
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