Evangelicals and Headlights warm up a snowy Chicago night
March 7, 2008, at Schubas
By Amy Formanski
Published: March 10th, 2008 | 5:40pm
Defying the Chicago snowfall, Evangelicals and Headlights ignited a bout of spring fever inside Schubas Tavern. Like a whimsical dream, Evangelicals took the stage with their mics covered in flowing scarves, surrounded in a fog of dry ice. In this hazy dreamland, the echo of Josh Jones' vocals and the swirling '60s-like synthesizers made them sound like a surfer band, while the quick-paced new wave pop melody of "Skeleton Man" recalled early-'80s Cure.
They then shape-shifted from the bastard sons of the Replacements into a goofy shoegaze band. Just after easing into the more low-key personae, "Paperback Suicide" from the new album The Evening Decends (Dead Oceans) brought an agressive rock riff. A minute later, they added wind chimes, as their sonic style — along with the band members' fashion — twisted all over the place. Bassist Kyle Davis paired a Mikey Mouse T-shirt with an embroidered black cape, while the others opted for indie-boy T-shirts and baggy jeans. Their shaggy haircuts pegged them as California dudes, even though they actually hail from Oklahoma.
Evangelicals' eccentricity created a fun atmosphere, but a little focus would have helped the audience to connect the dots. The zaniness eventually wore thin, but Evangelicals' retro echoes put Schubas' church-like acoustics to good use.
In between bands, fans shivered outside, forced out into a swirling snowstorm by the city's recent ban of smoking in all public places, but once Headlights took the stage, folks returned for more melodic fun. The band gleefully bopped around, seeming as comfortable onstage as they would've been back in the farmhouse in Champaign, Illinois, where they recorded their new album, Some Racing, Some Stopping (Polyvinyl).
Clapping their hands, the band members launched into "Market Girl," with a sound warm and fuzzy enough to thaw the cold evening with its jangly acousitc guitar, addictive "wo-ho-oh" chorus, and lyric about the Fourth of July. Erin Fein's raspy-yet-gentle voice added another layer of texture to the group's pared-down pop songs. Like Evangelicals, they're almost like rollicking shoegazers, but Headlights offered catchy songs with intriguing lyrics, minus the silliness of their tour-mates.
Fein's soft voice combined with guitarist's Tristan Wright's higher register produced harmonies filled the room, aided by the venue's supreme acoustics, and the crowd shook their tails. Two guys behind me snickered as the crowd cheered for "the one song they knew," the single "Cherry Tulips." Is it so bad for a band to get recognition for a good song? Although I didn't dig the inebriated audience members' smug 'tude, it was odd that people danced manically with their hands in the air to such mellow music. But who can blame the crowd for catching spring fever a bit early? It's been a long F-ing winter.
Issue #35
Comments
Please login to be able to comment on this article.
more