This Wolf can’t think of many bands ballsy enough to turn their first show into their debut release, but Chicago drone trio Kwaidan is doing just that! It probably helps that all three members have lots of experience: drummer Mike Weis plays in ambient trio Zelienople, synth-noise dude Neil Jendon cofounded 90s alt-rock band Catherine, and guitarist Andre Foisy is in Locrian. On Tue 3/20 their December set at Rogers Park’s Impala Gallery will become the inaugural release on Accidental Guest, the new cassette label of Fan Death cofounder Sean Gray. Kwaidan play their second show Mon 3/26 at the Empty Bottle.
Progressive juke-rap group BBU recently debuted a video for “The Hood,” the GLC-assisted tune off their excellent new bell hooks mix tape. The clip has some great shots of our fair city and an intro where BBU’s Richard “Epic” Wallace makes some strange purchases at a Humboldt Park corner store. His choices, like BBU’s music, turn out to be a form of political commentary. “I didn’t plan on getting anything from the store, but when I was shooting the scene it clicked that there is no access to fresh foods in the hood—all we got is ramen noodles, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, white tees, and nickel candy that used to cost a penny,” Wallace says. “So when I walked around the store, that’s what I grabbed.”
Tuneful three-lady/one-dude punks Swimsuit Addition are one of our favorite newish local bands, partly because they make our job so darned easy. After all, their Facebook page provides so many great descriptions: “cheerleader grunge,” “shimmy-punk,” “kindercunt,” “candy thrash.” We don’t know exactly what that means . . . but we couldn’t agree more! Anyway, a few weeks back they dropped their $5 debut EP, Kittyhawk, via Bandcamp, and it’s the catchiest thing to hit this town since the Spanish flu in 1918. You can see them at the Spaceship in Pilsen on Fri 3/23 at 7 PM.
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