The Gold Web
Plenty of local bands can work up a groove, but few give you as much to look at as the Gold Web. The glam-rock quartet put out their self-titled debut album at the end of 2014, though the studio takes of their songs seem to be largely a formality—the Gold Web are meant to be seen onstage. All four members dress like it’s Halloween every time they show their painted faces in one of Chicago’s rock clubs, and like a troupe of Jim Henson creations, these guys don’t make it entirely clear what they’re supposed to be. You’ll see an eagle with giant, glossy black wings playing guitar and singing lead, backed up by . . . an Egyptian god? A juggalo? A sentient disco ball? They play songs about friendship and Chicago pride and unmanned aerial vehicles, and even the song about drones is still kind of about friendship. The Gold Web’s bugged-out, upbeat psych rock makes the perfect off-kilter animating force for their gonzo DIY spectacle.