Windy City Watch
Oh Chicago, you give us our home, and many great bands. This week Bang! Bang! hit the Watch.
I sometimes take for granted all the good music that Chicago has to offer in any genre. I'll listen to songs, see bands live and then forget about them for a while - only to have them resurface at the right time and remind me just how hard they rock. Such is the case with Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! (yes, with the !'s), they're one of those bands that you constantly find yourself saying, "Oh yeah, they are from Chicago," since their fuzzed up, brash electronic tinged music doesn't really match the bottle of beer, brat and Bears loving stereotype of Chicago. But having a band like Bang! Bang! around ups our cool quota, and brings even the most pretentious music nerd to the dance floor.
Formed four years ago, Bang! Bang! was originally started by duo Gretta Fine and Jackie Flash. They've gained a more powerful sound on their new LP, The Dirt That Makes You Drown, with the addition of drummer Nick Kraska and part-time keyboardist Rachel Shindelman. Bang! Bang! offer up my all time favorite type of music; loud. The type of band you dance to and spill your drink over - glammed up noisy guitars laced with the shrill, yet sexy, voice of Fine. The band reminds me of some of my favorite acts like The Von Bondies or Be Your Own Pet, giving you energetic in your face loud guitar rock. Fine's vocals ooze Le Tigre tinged girl power, while sounding oddly serene and steady - much like Andrea Zollo of Pretty Girls Make Graves fame. To give you a taste of what male vocalist Flash sounds like, I can't describe it any better than the band's own bio, "Jackie rocks like a dirtier Mick Jagger cum Richard Hell, amped up on trucker pills, big city lights and furtive desire." Hands down, the band can bring it in the powerhouse vocals department.
The band just finished up a tour, traveling from Memphis to Brooklyn and back to Chicago. Thankfully, they have two shows here in the Chicago-land area to perk up any winter blahs that maybe creeping into your life. On November 30th, the band plays in Dekalb, IL, and then on December 6th they play a free show with Arks at Darkroom here in Chicago.
They'll also be giving away free copies of their vinyl at the KEXP presented show on the 6th, so it really can't get any better, can it? For more show details check out their website, where you can also download some tracks for free. You can bet your best dancing shoes that you'll find me December 6th with a friend or two, escaping the harsh Chicago winter with a few hours of furious fist pumping and dancing. Chicago may get gray, but with bands like Bang! Bang! keeping the sparkle and glam in my life, I think I may just make it until spring.Posted by Lisa White on Nov 27, 2007 @ 12:00 am
