Bad Copy

Hump day shows are the best because screw going to work the next day, I’m gonna party. Well I originally started my Wednesday night watching TV on the couch, up until I got approval for coverage for this show at the eleventh hour. I rushed my ass to Lincoln Hall in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, only to find a super long line of people wrapped around the building. Keep in mind the doors to the show were open over an hour by now, I guess it was just my luck. They were doing security pat downs in the alleyway with giant black TSA metal detector wands. Felt like I was going to Ozzfest or like this was some crazy festival shit. I guess it’s better to be safe than sorry, but come on, this place usually hosts folk artists and indie bands.

So I fucked up by getting to this show at the last minute. I missed the opening band Smut entirely, which I was bummed about. But I assure you they probably sounded just as dreamy and pleasant as you would hear on their recordings. While they were ending their set, I was probably looking for parking. Ugh!

I finally got through the doors and into the show as Culture Abuse was on their fourth song “Bee Kind to the Bugs” from their latest album Bay Dream on Epitaph Records. The room was filled with people making it difficult to push through to the stage, but I made it because this band is worth seeing up close and personal. I wasn’t going to miss my chance on taking at least one or two decent pictures of their set. They had an entourage of people on the stage carrying posters on sticks with spray painted smiley faces and some that said ‘Culture City.’ Funny enough the last time I saw Culture Abuse was with Nothing on a tour two years ago; it was their first time playing Chicago. I remember the kids were going ape shit, stage diving left and right. This time seemed a little more tame but it still was such a warm, fuzzy feeling good time.

They are definitely a band that is much harder sounding live than what you take from listening to their albums. When they began playing a hand full of songs from their first full length album Peach, I found myself submerged in a crowd of bodies screaming along to the words. The singer David Kelling doesn’t hold anything back including playful squeaks and shrieks into the microphone. He always has a smile on his face. I love bands that don’t particularly take themselves serious. They are always fun band to see live.

It’s been a little over a year since I last saw Nothing.  Every time I had seem them up until now their singer and guitarist,  Domenic Palermo, has been three sheets to the wind wasted. I literally once saw him fall asleep onstage for a solid 30 seconds during the middle of one of their sets a few years ago. You never know what’s to be expected when you see Nothing. I really like what I have heard so far from their latest album, Dance on the Blacktop on Relapse Records, so I am stoked to hear how these songs sound live.

They came out and hit it pretty hard. Like a sonic wall of sound smacking you in the face. It was beautiful. I adored every minute of it. They are still carrying the torch of their dreamy pop and shoegaze sound with these newer songs. I really liked hearing my favorites from the new album, “You Wind Me Up” and “Us/We/Are.” At one point, they had a guest guitarist perform the song “Vertigo Flowers,” where Domenic Palermo came out on the floor to sing the song while wearing a fucking creepy nun mask, almost similar to the mask you see on their latest album cover art work. Speaking of guest appearances, Doyle Martin from Cloakroom came out to sing and perform the deep cut song “Spell” with the band. It was a great performance from start to finish. I am so happy I got off my ass to catch this show. I would have definitely regretted missing it.

Check out the pictures from the show below and be sure check back for more awesomeness.