Show Review: Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas, St. Paul and the Broken Bones

Jessica Hernandez and The Deltas were one of the highlights of Riot Fest 2014 for me. They played on the smaller stage and I thought they were terrific. When I heard they were opening for St. Paul and the Broken Bones on Halloween night, I was sold.

JH came out in a skirt and some amazing checkerboard tights, complimented by tin foil antennae. The rest of her band were also each wearing dresses. Of course, every other member of the band is male, but it’s Halloween and they didn’t have time to find costumes, according to JH.

JH is a terrific performer and has a powerhouse voice. She also knows how to have fun on stage and even gave a shout out to the Chris Farley costume, which probably was the best of the night. They played a terrific set, then got out of the way, which is what you want an opener to do.

I didn’t really know what to expect from St. Paul and the Broken Bones. I was really there to see JH and SPBB were a bit of a bonus in my mind. Not so for the crowd, though. The Vogue was sold out and it was clear they were thrilled to see this band.

Several older folks were in the audience also, surprisingly. By older, I mean people in their sixties or seventies. One older gentleman got really drunk and fell into the tables in the balcony towards the end of the night. He seemed ok but that old guy probably had a bad day on Saturday.

SPBB were also a terrific live band. They all wore costumes also, with the lead singer wearing some Heath Ledger Joker-style makeup. They were high energy and tight throughout. The bonus for me: Radiohead and David Bowie covers. Nice!

Some bands just know how to perform live. Indianapolis was lucky to have two bands play The Vogue on Halloween that really understand how to play a crowd.

Next up: Peelander Z at Radio Radio on November 14! Can’t wait for this one. If you like to have fun, this is a can’t-miss show. See you there!

Riot Fest Chicago Review

Riot Fest 2013 was a terrific experience. The VIP sections were great and provided clear sight-lines of the stages, the crowds were full but manageable, the layout really worked well and the performances were legendary. I discovered Surfer Blood and achieved a lifelong dream of seeing the Replacements. Rancid was everything I had hoped they would be live and the weekend was packed with other amazing sets.

So I really looked forward to 2014. There wasn’t anyone on the schedule that matched the Replacements, but really, who could? I was looking forward to Social Distortion, The Hold Steady, Jane’s Addiction, Wu-Tang Clan and Metric, among others. Just as much, I was looking forward to discovering some new bands I hadn’t heard before.

So how was Riot Fest 2014? Well, it was ok. Friday was just awful. Freezing cold, lots of rain, and a confusing layout made it difficult to get around. While many of the problems would have been significantly improved with better weather, the festival organizers didn’t help much. The whole park was a giant mudpit and paved walkways were actually fenced off for some strange reason. That said, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears got the festival off to a strong start.

Friday

• Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears
• Stiff Little Fingers
• Gwar
• The Hotelier
• The Offspring
• Jane’s Addiction

As I said, Friday was just miserable in every way. The Hotelier were good. The Offspring and Jane’s Addiction both sounded very good, although we were nowhere close for either, stuck in a crowded mess.

Saturday

• The Pizza Underground
• The Picturebooks
• The Orwells
• Buzzcocks
• Television
• Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas
• Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
• Wu-Tang Clan
• Metric
• Flaming Lips
• The National

Saturday was easily my favorite day. Although it was still terribly muddy, I was dressed better for the conditions and the bands were better, too. The Picturebooks were probably the surprise of the festival for me. I loved their set. A bucket-list performance from Television, while not life-changing, was enjoyable to see. Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas were perhaps my favorite performance of the whole weekend. Metric reminded me why I am still in love with Emily Haines. I had the best location I’ve ever had for The National and they were terrific, as always.

Sunday

• Chumped
• Laura Stevenson
• Front Bottoms
• Team Spirit
• The Hold Steady
• Andrew W.K.
• Naked Raygun
• Modern Baseball
• Social Distortion
• Primus
• Weezer

Sunday was a little uneven in terms of catching terrific bands. I had missed The Hold Steady recently in Indy and desperately wanted to see them. They were easily my favorite set of the day, in large part because they played most of ‘Boys and Girls in America‘. Andrew W.K., not surprisingly, still likes to party. Naked Raygun played a terrific set, marred only by the aging losers who insisted on filming themselves with their Iphones while moshing.

All in all, it was a decent weekend, although not nearly up to the standards of 2013. The VIP tickets, which helped make last year so awesome, were a complete ripoff this year. The layout seemed poorly designed, crowd control and waste management was almost nonexistent, and the mud was horrendous. The weather and mud I can deal with but I hope the organizers address some issues. I’m on the fence about returning so we’ll see what happens next year.

The National at Chicago Theatre

If you don’t know about The National, you’re missing out on arguably the best band in the world right now. They’ve just wrapped up a killer 4 night stint at the Chicago Theatre, where I was lucky enough to attend the third of these shows.

It’s pointless to try to describe the experience. If you were there it was spectacular; if you weren’t, I can’t communicate it to you. Just know this: The National are absolutely a must-see no matter your musical taste. They are amazing performers, artists and musicians. They are your new favorite band.

Listen to songs from Thursday night’s setlist. Imagine your own crowd noise:

http://rd.io/x/QShvITPW1M4/

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Further Reading:

• Review: The National – Chicago Theater: Rarities Abound On Night 3 in Chicago
• The Barn Presents: Review of Friday’s Show
• Chicago Tribune: Review: The National at the Chicago Theatre

Watch This: Future Islands

I had never heard of the band Future Islands before. I’m guessing you haven’t either. Odds are, outside of reading this post you never will. They’re not going to be U2 or even The National. They are a band making music because they love it and have something they want to say.

All of which makes me very, very happy they landed an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman. Not only did this band I’d never heard of make an appearance, they made the most of it. Weeks later, people (like me) are still buzzing about this performance.

It’s hypnotic, exciting, fun and passionate. It’s also a great song. More than anything though, it shows someone just going for it, seizing the moment and not caring if he looks silly or cool. He’s desperate to make you understand what he’s saying. It’s an actual performance in a time when so many are more concerned with looking cool than being passionate.

The other thing I loved about this is Letterman’s enthusiasm. This is a man that does not suffer fools gladly (see his interviews with Paris Hilton, John McCain and Lindsay Lohan, for example). His interviews can be contentious if you’re not bringing anything to the table. Likewise, if you bring something interesting or exciting, Letterman will be sure his affection is communicated to the audience on your behalf. Just listen to his joy at the end of this song:

“I’ll take all of that you’ve got! That was WONDERFUL!” -David Letterman

It’s clear he had a terrific time watching Future Islands. You can bet it won’t be their last time on the show.

Watch the YouTube video above. I’ve seen it about twenty times now; I’m addicted to it. That’s the power of music, of performance. Nice job, Future Islands. You made the most of your moment!

Further Reading:

• IndyWeek.com: Future Islands’ international star is rising, but their roots run back to North Carolina 
• The Guardian: My mind has been blown by Future Islands on Letterman
• Past Magazine: Future Islands: Catharsis Goes Viral
• Spin Magazine: Dance Like No One’s Watching: Future Islands Break Out On Their Own Terms