IPO Chicago: Review & Preview

Each year, when International Pop Overthrow makes its ten-day visit to Chicago, I’m tempted to check out every one of its showcases. The mixed lineup of longtime favorites and previously unfamiliar acts yesterday afternoon at The Abbey Pub was a perfect example of why I feel that way. Certain bands never let me down, while others prove to be a pleasant surprise.

As usual, the crowd for this afternoon IPO gig was noticeably smaller than the after-dark affairs, but there was a friendly vibe as musicians brought along their families. Kids are less inhibited than adults about dancing, and sometimes, they even make good roadies. Most of the bands hung out before and after their sets; providing moral support for the other acts.

While watching 92 Degrees, I had a nagging fear that I had given a wrong impression of them in my previous day’s post, in which I noted that they haven’t released a CD since 1995 and rarely perform out more than once a year. That may be true, but singer-guitarist Steve Steffens, bassist-vocalist Mike Galassini, and drummer Dane Svoboda are hardly relics. They brought an infectious energy to power pop songs like “Money Makes My World Go ‘Round” and “Have You Ever Had Love?” from their recording days, and unveiled some beguiling new tunes like “Melody.” Afterward, the band members told me they were confident they would be releasing a new CD or EP in the near future.

The Abbeys, comprised of Mike Cohen and Jeff Janulis on acoustic guitars and vocals, had a couple of new songs up their sleeves as well. The duo first came together years back, at the suggestion of Graham Elvis of the Elvis Brothers. The Abbeys create spare but melodic arrangements, that combined with their perfect harmonies, hark back to the earliest days of rock and roll. The most obvious comparison is to The Everly Brothers, so it seemed perfectly logical when Cohen and Janulis told me that they’ve been invited down to Atlanta for a recording session to be produced by Edan Everly, son of the legendary Don Everly. In addition to their own material, The Abbeys impressed with a cover of singer-songwriter Sam Phillips’ “I Need Love.”

The Oohs drew from their three CDs during a high-energy performance that emphasized harmony vocals and strong melodies on tunes like “That’s What She Said” and “One Step Closer.” Continuing the afternoon’s trend of introducing new material, they performed three songs they’ve come up with since their last CD, Llamalamp, came out in 2006. Like 92 Degrees and The Abbeys, The Oohs are long time veterans of IPO - Chicago, although amazingly, I had never seen them before. They finished with a spot on rendition of Electric Light Orchestra’s “It’s A Living Thing,” which was dedicated, tongue in cheek, to IPO founder David Bash, who had compared them to ELO in his program notes.

Kerry Tucker, the mysterious artist I had not been able to find via my Internet searches the night before, turned out to be a former member of Einstein’s Sister, a Moline, Illinois band that had recorded three CDs and played IPO - Chicago in the past. Playing only his second gig with his new band, Tucker opened with a slow tune that had me scratching my head about Bash comparing him to Squeeze. The singer-guitarist cut loose with more energetic rock as he went along though, bringing a strong voice to melodic songs with a Midwestern style of Americana. His solo debut comes out this summer.

Aaron Fox & The Reliables played their first IPO gig in 2010, using the occasion as a CD release party for the highly-polished Late Too Soon. Songs from that debut effort sounded even better live Sunday afternoon, thanks to singer-guitarist Fox’s powerhouse vocals and guitarist-vocalist Mike Burns’ ferocious strumming. Fox, Burns, and bassist-vocalist Bob Vodick frequently created airtight harmonies, and closed their set with a pair of promising new songs. Just when it looked like the afternoon’s showcase had come to an end, IPO honcho Bash called an audible, asking Aaron Fox & The Reliables for one more song. The group responded with a sterling cover of The Cars’ “Just What I Needed.”

Tuesday night’s IPO Chicago showcase takes place at Red Line Tap, and kicks off at 7:30 PM.

Daemon Familiar sounds more like the name of a Uriah Heap tribute band, but the trio plays a spare type of rock on satiric songs like “Barnyard” and “Oprah” that’s closer to punk.

The Desperate Club is also a local trio that matches biting lyrics to catchy arrangements, along with some fun harmonies on songs like “The Kids Are NOT All Right.”

The Turnstyles are a power pop band that claims Elvis Costello and Crowded House as influences. Their performance tomorrow night should sound a lot like their latest CD, Live In The Studio, since the recording was done with little overdubbing.

The rowdy Devon Kay & The Solutions mix rap, alt-rock, acoustic guitars, and adventurous vocals in funny songs like “The Pessimist” and “For Julia.”

The Treeshakers bill themselves as Massive Power Pop, and build songs like “Recognition” and “Let’s Hold On!” with raw vocals and ringing guitars.

The quartet Go Time plays a harder-edged style of power pop on its latest CD, Hit It, which I recently reviewed on this blog. I noted that, “The band never loses track of the melody while charging through songs like 'Sudden Death' and 'Wilmette,'" and added that Go Time has pretty much staked out its own territory.

Monday, Monday. Let’s Rock That Day.

Had a great time at the afternoon version of International Pop Overthrow - Chicago today at The Abbey Pub. It was fun checking in with the festival’s founder and benevolent master of ceremonies, David Bash, as well as a number of musicians. I’m hoping to have a review of today’s showcase posted within the next few days. In the meantime, here’s a quick preview of the bands who'll be playing the IPO - Chicago showcase at Red Line Tap tomorrow night.

Personally, I have to like any band that faithfully covers The Hollies' “Look Through Any Window,” which is just one of the catchy pop songs on The Spindles MySpace page. “Prisoner Of War” is another example of the band’s way with harmony vocals and ringing guitars. As an added bonus, drummer Brad Elvis, of The Handcuffs, will be sitting in on two songs (one by The Elvis Brothers, one by The Who) with The Spindles tomorrow night.

The Romeo Flynns, who hail from The Motor City, continue their obsession with melodic songs that evoke the mid-1960s on their latest release, Masque Of Anarchy.

The Milwaukee-based Certain Stars has one member who’s a rabbit, if you go by the photo on their MySpace page. Songs like “You’re A Caution” and “Can U Dig It” take a fun garage rock approach with bratty vocals and hard guitars. They have a new EP titled Wired For Sound.

Milwaukee’s Elusive Parallelograms just might have the most intellectually inclined named of any band playing IPO - Chicago and list quantum physics as a major influence. Their imaginative tunes, such as “No Subject.wma” and “Oscillator” mix acoustic and electric guitars along with altered vocals amidst psychedelic arrangements.

The Chicago quartet Collectors, who recently released the Travelogue EP, play raw but melodic pop, with 1960s style backup vocals.

The youngsters of The Break include bass player Paul Ansani (offspring of Material Issue bassist Ted Ansani) and will likely be playing the cutting edge songs from its latest CD, Welcome To Our Side.

Sunday Will Never Be The Same

Sunday afternoon isn’t generally known as a time to rock out, but tomorrow’s six-band International Pop Overthrow showcase at The Abbey Pub provides a good reason to get out of the house early. Later on, another half dozen bands will keep the day rocking, at Red Line Tap. Note: My previews are based on the schedule found on the IPO - Chicago website, and due to last minute changes, may not be entirely accurate.

The power pop trio 92 Degrees has been involved with International Pop Overthrow almost as long as the festival’s founder David Bash. It was one of three acts (The Idea and The Critics being the other two) that traveled out to Los Angeles for the very first IPO back in 1998. 92 Degrees hasn’t released a CD since its 1995 self-titled feature length CD, and if you don’t catch their gig tomorrow, you’re not likely to see another one until next April. They’ll be playing catchy songs from their debut CD, a few from their earlier vinyl EP, Money Makes The World Go ‘Round, and possibly a few unreleased gems.

Lead singer-guitarist Mike Cohen of The Abbeys has appeared at every IPO - Chicago, and he’ll be performing twice this year. Cohen has a gift for setting catchy melodies and clever lyrics within guitar-driven arrangements, and is also adept at swinging rock-a-billy songs like “Nobody Moves.”

Springfield, Illinois quartet The Oohs have released two CDs of power pop music augmented with Beatlesque harmonies. “Pretty” even starts out with the riff from “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”

The online IPO - Chicago schedule now lists Kerry Tucker in the slot my notes from earlier research showed as belonging to the Detroit band The Wall Clocks. I couldn’t find a Kerry Tucker musician on the web, so unfortunately I have nothing to write.

Aaron Fox And The Reliables made a strong impression with a pair of shows at last year’s IPO - Chicago, as well as with the tuneful songs on their debut CD, Late Too Soon. In a review on my blog, I stated, “The quartet’s melodic blend of acoustic and electric instruments definitely taps into a Midwestern tradition that includes Spooner, The Bodeans, and Thrift Store Halo.”

The final slot for the afternoon showcase is listed as a TBA on the online schedule.

Singer-guitarist Mike Cohen will make the commute from The Abbey to Red Line Tap to kick things off for the evening set with his newest ensemble, Pop Dollys. As with The Abbeys, the melodies are strong, while his lyrics, particularly on the Leona Helmsley-inspired number “Like A Hurricane,” have a definite satiric bite.

The Hurtin Kind puts an emphasis on guitar for melodic rock songs like “Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day.” I couldn’t find a website for Telstar, so I’ll bow to David Bash’s description of them in last year’s program as a “warm combination of power pop and Americana.” I also couldn’t find any info on The Reunion. Lead vocalist-guitarist Lauretta Tagli gives the melodic rock songs by The PowWows a similar sound to The Indigo Girls.

I first came across the four woman band The Wanton Looks while researching a show they were doing with The Handcuffs and The Maybenauts. I still haven’t seen them live, but the songs and videos on their ReverbNation page certainly make a good impression. They’ll be wrapping up a full day’s worth of International Pop Overthrow.

Slumgullion #58

Photo from Double Door website.

Golde Record. There’s always a lot to do in the Chicago area, but this weekend will be particularly busy. Saturday is Record Store Day, which not only means loads of vinyl treasures to sort through, but also some interesting in-store performances. For example, Candy Golde, a new band comprised of Nicholas Tremulis, Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick, John Stirratt from Wilco and The Autumn Defense, Rick Rizzo of 11th Dream Day, and Mark Greenberg of 11th Dream Day and Cocktails, has gigs at Laurie’s Planet Of Sound on Lincoln Avenue at 1:00 PM, and at the Reckless Records store on Milwaukee Avenue at 3:00 PM. The band’s self-titled five-song debut, which includes a cover of Paul Simon’s “Boy In The Bubble,” will be released on May10th. They have a gig at the Double Door on April 29th.

International Pop Overload. Also, in addition to the seven bands playing tonight at The Abbey Pub as part of International Pop Overthrow - Chicago (see yesterday’s post for descriptions), there are 25 bands playing within four showcases on Saturday and Sunday. The first three showcases are at The Abbey Pub, and the fourth is at the Red Line Tap.

Since I don’t have enough time or space to describe all of them, I’ll just list the line-ups for tomorrow’s gigs, with the artists I’m familiar with and would recommend, in bold type. The others acts are ones that I’m not familiar with, or couldn’t find on the web. The daytime showcase features Missing The Point, AM: PM, Freetoed, The Injured Parties, They All Have Legs, and Cyclesomething. Later in the evening, also at The Abbey, there will be performances by Julia Klee, Audrey Ryan, Rabbit Children, Graham Elvis, Million Yen, Colin Gowel & The Lonely Bones, and Kaiserkeller. Actually, I’ve never seen Kaiserkeller, but I’ve been hearing good things about their 1960s style power pop.

I’ll try to post a preview of Sunday’s lineups tomorrow, but in case I don’t, here’s a heads up: Pretty much the entire schedule at The Abbey, starting with 92 Degrees, will delight power pop fans, and the showcase at Red Line Tap, particularly Pop Dollys, The Hurtin Kind, and The Wanton Looks, is also one of the festival’s best.

Reeling In The Years. The people at The Second Disc have more news about the Hollies CD boxed set titled The Clarke, Hicks, & Nash Years, which is being released on May 9th in the U.K., and a short time later Stateside. Subtitled The Complete Hollies: April 1963 - October 1968, this set will have ten previously unreleased tracks, including seven live songs from a 1968 concert in London. The other three newcomers are tracks that were recorded in French. According to The Second Disc, the 159-track The Clarke, Hicks, & Nash Years will sell for 17.93 pounds, or 29.50 in American cash, although Amazon currently lists it for pre-order at $49.12.

Harmonious War. Round Two of The Peace Fest Battle Of The Bands takes place tonight at Silvie’s Lounge, with Root Cause, The Hidden Dangers, Mama Dempsey, Sam Gray, Mark Hetzel, and Moon Cat involved in the musical fray. Silvie’s Lounge is located at 1902 W. Irving in Chicago. The winner of the competition will secure a time slot at Peace Fest 2011, which will be held on the weekend of June 17th through 19th at 1700 Stockton Drive in Chicago.

It’s All Right Ma, I’m Only Aging. Black Forest had success with its John Lennon birthday bash last October, and now the theatre group is planning on lighting 70 candles for legendary troubadour Bob Dylan on May 21st at Cafe Mozart in Evanston. As with the Lennon tribute, BF founders James Moeller and Carla Hayden aim to present a variety of musical acts. So far, they’ve lined up musicians Chris Bock, John Dalton, Mr. Mo, Joe Lapsley, and Tim Duggan. Hayden plans to tackle “Positively 4th Street” and “Masters Of War,” while Moeller will do “Cold Iron Bounds,” “Love Sick,” and “Knocking On Heaven’s Door.” Tina Teske, from the Famous In The Future comedy group, is slated to sing “Forever Young.” Bob Dylan’s Birthday Bash! will run from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. Cafe Mozart is located at 600 Davis Street. This might be the only tribute concert where even I could sing better than the artist being honored. Just kidding, Mr. Zimmerman.

Kuehnert Is A Punk Rocker. Stephanie Kuehnert, author of the rock and roll fueled novels I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone and Ballads of Suburbia, will be conducting a one-night class titled Digging Into Character at StoryStudio on Chicago’s north side this May 17th from 6:30 to 9:30 PM. The author will be discussing character development and setting, as well as methods for finding an agent and getting published. The fee for the class is $50 for non-members, $45 for members.

What If All The Good Times Came Back? Rolling Stone writer Andy Greene states that Ray Davies told the magazine in a recent interview that he’ll be chatting with bro Dave next week about the possibility of a Kinks reunion.

S.P.A.C.E. Cowboys. Alt-rock/Country band Dolly Varden has a show coming up with the similarly inclined Anna Fermin’s Trigger Gospel at S.P.A.C.E. in Evanston on April 23rd.

Friday On My Mind: International Pop Overthrow

International Pop Overthrow - Chicago moves into its first weekend of 2011 with a seven-band line-up at The Abbey Pub tomorrow night.

Magatha Trysty, a co-ed quartet led by the guitarist-vocalist Christopher Bevard and his wife Catherine on keyboards and vocals, is back for its second year of playing catchy pop with fun girl-guy vocal interplay. The band has released an impressive three-song CD and is working toward recording a full-length effort.

Suzy Brack & The New Jack Lords create a party atmosphere with high energy rock on songs like “Who’s Your Boyfriend,” while “Red Headed Gals” finds them mixing in a bit of rockabilly swing. They’re veterans of IPO and the Chicago club scene in general.

It’s only natural that the guys from Swinger (couldn't find a website for them, but I have one of their CDs from a few years back) have notched several IPO appearances, since their melodic tunes about the joys and frustrations of romance are grounded in pure power pop sensibilities.

With a name like This Magazine Is Haunted, it’s a safe assumption that this four-piece band has a sense of humor. Songs like “Fight The Spider Of Love” and “The Czar Of Ohio” bear that out, but they feature catchy melodies and harmonies as well. These guys are also IPO veterans.

Weekend Vinyl’s version of power pop is a little more sedate than other practitioners, with harmony vocals and a touch of folk rock.

Watershed, the Columbus, Ohio band led by vocalist-guitarist Colin Gawel, performs songs that range from the close-to-punk energy of "Black Concert T Shirt" to the more commercial fare of "Obvious" and "Superior."

I was one of several critics who praised Skip Work, the recent effort from Archie Powell & The Exports. My review in the Illinois Entertainer compared the group to Fountains Of Wayne, but with an added dose of slacker angst. Some of Powell’s catchy songs poke fun at the lifestyle of aspiring rockers.

IPO Opening Day Line-Up

My International Pop Overthrow - Chicago preview, which includes comments from promoter David Bash and six participating musicians, can be found online at the Illinois Entertainer.

International Pop Overthrow opens a 10-day stand in Chicago tomorrow night with an all-local showcase at The Abbey Pub on Chicago’s northwest side.

The Queue has the honor of being the first band out of the starting block for this year’s IPO - Chicago. Its British Invasion style pop is fronted by vocalist-guitarists Sean Michael and James Marshall Duich, who excel at creating harmonies. The band should have copies of its new EP Turn It Up Turn Me On for sale.

The co-ed duo Nelken plays easy-going melodic rock with a touch of folk. Wes Lambert and Cyndy Fike create intricate vocal interplay, particularly on the fun “Supermodel.”

The ambitious Panoramic & True is led by singer-guitarist John Lennox, and frequently fields as many as eight players onstage to create its catchy indie rock. Songs like “Body And Mind” mix guitars and violins within energetic arrangements.

Common Shiner performs acoustic mainstream rock on tuneful songs like “Faith And I” and “Over The Rhine (And Out Of My Mind).”

The Luck Of Eden Hall is an adventurous outfit that can meld psychedelic elements within hard-hitting rock on “This Weather’s Better For Velvet Clothes” or take a dreamier approach on the lush “Silly Girl.”

The Elements of Style will close out the first night of IPO - Chicago 2011 with songs that artfully mix shimmering and frenetic guitar playing. This aptly-named band specializes in melodic songs like “When I Close My Eyes.” and “Rock & Roll Is Dead.”

20-20 Vision

Material Issue bassist Ted Ansani dropped in on the WXRT show Local Anesthetic this past Sunday to chat with Richard Milne about the 20th Anniversary Edition of International Pop Overthrow the album, as well as Ansani’s upcoming Material re-Issue gig at International Pop Overthrow the festival. Ansani and his fellow Ish member, drummer Mike Zelenko, will be joined by singer-guitarist Phil Angotti in the role once held by the late Jim Ellison.

Local Anesthetic, a weekly program that casts a spotlight on up and coming Chicago music acts, is celebrating its 20th anniversary as well, and Milne has served as its host for that entire time. He has always come across as an avid supporter and fair-minded critic of the local scene.

Minutes before speaking with Ansani, Milne played a Local Anesthetic interview he had done with all three members of Material Issue, back in May, 1991. It was eerie but interesting to hear Ellison speak, as he explained his belief that it takes a lot of hard work to succeed as a band. The archive clip also included the trio performing a live, acoustic version of “Loneliest Heart That Beats,” which hadn’t been released yet at that time.

Returning to the present day, Milne conceded that some of the XRT air staff had expressed doubts about the upcoming re-Issue gig, but that he had assured them Phil Angotti was a talented musician. Ansani agreed that the singer-guitarist was up to the challenge.

“He’s been doing his homework,” Ansani told Milne. “He’s picking up many of the nuances that Jim had. He’s really nailing it vocally, and with his guitar work.”

Ansani, who has pursued a variety of projects since the demise of Material Issue, including the entertaining Throttle & Pistons CD with the Ted Ansani Project, said there are no plans to record new Material Issue songs. He, Zelenko, and Angotti will play the entire International Pop Overthrow at the re-Issue performance, which will be at The Abbey Pub on April 23rd, plus a few tracks from later albums.