Evanston's Whole Foods indulges our breakfast meat cravings

 Eisley delivers with a tight and impressive performance



It’s always a nice surprise when opening bands perform in order of greatness. Such was the case at Park West on Friday night for Eisley’s headlining show. Before the show, I was unsure of what to expect from the opening bands as I’d never experienced either one of them before. Within the first few songs of Vedera’s set, I saw promising talent that complimented some strong songwriting and vibrant personalities. Yet once they started playing songs that they claimed are from their new EP, I felt like I was witnessing a knock-off of Sixpence None The Richer . . . and believe me, that is not a good thing. 


Shortly after that was over, The Myriad took the stage. Once again, I had no idea what to expect, and since Vedera sounded somewhat similar to Eisley, albeit in a very muddled down and distilled manner, it was easy to imagine this band being more of the same. That was quite an unfair assumption on my part as The Myriad was truly a spectacle all in their own right. It’d be easy to say that The Myriad embodied the theatric delivery of a band like Ours and the undeniable talent of Muse, but in their defense, they were very much their own band and their own style. Their entire set was very entertaining and at times, hypnotizing, as the songs played out like stories, complete with big dramatic endings. It was a tough act to follow, but if anyone could pull it off, Eisley could.



Opening with “Go Away,” a song from their newest album, Eisley sounded even tighter than when I’d seen them last year. It seemed that all the touring they had done had turned them into a well-oiled machine. Throughout the set, they didn’t focus on any one album to cull material from, which seemed like a good move since most of the crowd cheered for classics from their old days like “Lady of the Woods” and “Mr. Pine.” They also played a few songs from their Like The Actors EP (“Sun Feet” and the title track), which was released in December. The only letdown came in the middle of “I Could Be There For You.” On the record, the song crescendos to otherworldly heights with the vocals layered so intensely that you’d swear the whole band was singing. Performed live, only guitarist/vocalist Sherri DuPree sang that section and it was a bit of a disappointment. 



Between a few songs, Sherri felt the urge to tell the crowd that Chicago really is their favorite city to play in – and while a lot of bands say that, it sounded genuine coming from them. It was truly evident in their impressive performance and desire to please the crowd with a well balanced setlist. Even if Chicago isn’t Eisley’s actual favorite city to play in, I think it’d be safe to say that Chicago would still welcome them back with open arms in the future. - Neil Miller, Jr.

Nine Inch Nails
The Slip
Rating: 4/5 stars



Mr. Reznor has gotten mighty ambitious since his departure from Interscope Records. For a man who used to put an album out every five years or so, to have four new albums (five, if you count the Year Zero Remixed album) in only three years is just unheard of. So when does he start to sound monotonous? When will his new material begin to sound bloated? Not just yet. Just released on NIN’s official website at 2 this morning, The Slip is a fitting album with the rest of Reznor’s oeuvre. Equipped with even heavier guitar distortion (most likely owed to the return of former guitarist, Robin Finck) and more computerized beats than before, this record is a heady step forward from the entirely instrumental Ghosts I-IV. While Ghosts was a veritable eye of the storm after the chaos of Year Zero, The Slip throws you right back into the destruction and calamity we’re used to hearing from Reznor. And what would a Nine Inch Nails album be without hooks? Never fear, pop fanatics, TR has retained his catchiness in songs like the lead single “Discipline,” and “Head Down,” which is easily the highlight of the album with its complex drum loop and beautifully frail vocal delivery. A strange serenity occurs towards the end of the album in the form of “Lights In The Sky” and “Corona Radiata,” which, with their piano-based sound (and lack of vocals in the case of the latter track), seem like outtakes from The Fragile. But when an album as texturally layered and complex as this comes along as a free gift from a musical madman like Reznor, it makes more sense to embrace it than to question it . . . and when it’s this good, that won’t be too difficult to do. - Neil Miller, Jr.

Nine Inch Nails will be performing at Lollapalooza.

Looptopia comes back for a second year of late-night art celebrations

by Diana Bae

The Loop will shed its business-only attitude this weekend to show off its more artsy, fun, party-till-the-break-of-dawn side -- literally. The second annual, 14 hour-long Looptopia will start at 5 p.m. Friday and last until past the first light of the next day, finishing at 7 a.m. Saturday.

This year, the event will feature about 150 programs at around 40 different venues from the Chicago River to Congress Parkway and Clark Street to Columbus Drive. Festivities will include art, architecture, theater and dance performances. “It’s an arts and cultural celebration of today’s Loop,” says Ty Tabing, executive director of the Chicago Loop Alliance, which is organizing the event.

According to Tabing, today’s Loop is a different Loop than of the past generations. “It’s more vibrant after work now,” he says. “It’s a dynamic area and it will continue to be.” Due to the new nature of the area, Looptopia has been able to find a welcome place among Chicagoans. “We’ve been fortunate enough that the art community has embraced us,” Tabing says.

Highlights to expect this year include a new venue at the riverfront, where there will be a performance from the New Millennium Orchestra. Tourist favorite “Cloud Gate” (the Bean) will get company in Millennium Park, where the 2016 Olympic Committee will sponsor a sporting-event exhibition. The Chicago Cultural Center will house a large chunk of the festivities as well.

As the 12th hour rolls around, a giant game of hide-and-seek will be played at Millennium Park. At the same time, the Sunrise Breakfast Retrospective will welcome the new morning with breakfast and an unveiling of works created over the course of the night.

The creation of Looptopia started in 2005 with the formation of the CLA. Looking for “new signature events to promote the Loop,” Tabing says he found inspiration abroad. After learning about “White Night” events (all-night cultural festivals) in major cities like Paris and Rome, the group started Chicago’s own version of the international sensation and came up with Looptopia. “It puts us in a good league with international cities,” he says. “It speaks to how international we’ve become.” Last year’s debut attracted more than 200,000 people and Tabing expects that this year, they will meet if not surpass last year’s numbers. In order to perform better crowd control this year, participants will need to get free wristbands at booths during the events to get into venues after midnight.

For more information, visit looptopia.com

New Evanston eatery Union Pizzeria combines food and live music



A new restaurant barely three months old is shaking up the white-bread culinary scene in Evanston. Union Pizzeria is the innovative brainchild of a partnership between real estate developer Craig Golden, former music producer Stuart Rosenberg, musician Dave Spector and Steve Schwartz, owner of Campagnola restaurant located down the street. The unique venture is part dining establishment, part musical venue—ultimately creating a haven for foodies and musicians alike.

Although it's called a pizzeria, Union Pizzeria is far from the old-school idea of a pizza-only, red-and-white checkered tablecloth joint. From the huge full-length windows facing the street and the high, exposed wooden ceilings to the visible brick and plaster purposely left over from the location’s previous incarnation and the colorful, modern lounging area and chic bar, Union is hip and trendy without being inaccessible. “The original vision was a place for coming together—a place where anyone can feel comfortable,” says Heather Behm, manager of operations. “The energy here is infectious and contagious. There’s a great vibe.” Tunes from the Fray and Damien Rice as well as '90s pop classics loudly blare in every direction while patrons enjoy a huge selection of alcoholic beverages, including 50 wines under $50.

In the kitchen is Chef Vince DiBattista, who was brought over from Campagnola. “It’s simple, not fussy food with great ingredients,” Behm says. The quality shows in Union’s surprisingly affordable pizzas and small plates. Standouts include the eggplant caponata, a hearty relish that includes capers and olives, and the meatballs with veal, pork and ricotta that come topped with a tasty tomato jam containing orange flavors, giving the dish a delectable citrusy punch. “It almost tastes homemade—it seems like it was made with love,” says Molly Raisch, a first-time customer.

The atmosphere at Union is sure to get only hipper once the music portion of the place really gets kicked into gear. After a short walk down a hallway, patrons enter a beautiful performance area, on this day set up with elegant black tables and chairs. A brand new recording studio follows, which leads into an exclusive members-only club for musicians. For an annual fee, they have access to the space as well as priority rights to the stage. It's a place for artists that “don’t want to sell their souls to a record label. They can come and practice their passions,” Behm says. She says that although Union takes a very small portion of the artists’ profits, it is quite minimal in comparison to cuts that labels might take.

Performances started in the beginning of April, and those behind the project hope to strengthen the sense of community of the establishment and the surrounding area—as well as inject some energy into Evanston. “It was a needed place for Evanstonians,” Behm says. “It’s a place everyone can come and have fun.” - Diana Bae

Union Pizzeria is located at 1245 Chicago (847-475-2400) in Evanston

U.K. quintet Foals take us on a rockin' nostalgia trip



Foals singer and guitarist Yannis Philippakis has a soft spot for ’90s Chicago technical rock music. With a side nod to Don Caballero, he’s quick to identify local favorites Sweep the Leg Johnny as his favorite band. “I have everything they’ve ever done,” he brags, even tracking down a rare demo that was released in tandem with a zine. “Finally!” I think to myself. It’s refreshing that we at last have evidence that arguably the hardest-working band in Chicago from 1995-2000 has made a positive impact on a younger generation of musicians. Just like Sweep, Foals are quick to be labeled “math rock,” which Philippakis finds “totally bizarre.” He adds, “the British press call [math rock] a new thing because in England, [bands like Sweep] never really integrated.”

Their debut album, Antidotes, is a whirligig of a ride incorporating indie rock, dance punk and impressive technical proficiency to boot. While previous reports have the band shunning the final mix of TV On the Radio’s David Sitek as “too spacey,” Philippakis has nothing but high praise for his work—if not for his production work, then for his personal impact. “I think [TVOTR album] Cookie Mountain is without a doubt one of the best records put out in the last 15 years,” he proudly states. But when it came to the actual recording, Philippakis adds, “it wasn’t about sounds. He challenged our ideas of why we made music. He had a very special and profound effect on our band. We got shook up by him.”

It was Foals that did the shaking at Subterranean last Saturday, April 26. Taking the stage and getting into their preferred horseshoe formation (Philippakis faces stage left instead of the crowd), I immediately thought of that old early ’90s dare-I-say-sure-why-not-dare-say “emo” trick of facing backwards during the set, the practice of shunning stages, the tortured soul who can’t bear to see people’s faces. Hell, we’ve all been there, or maybe most of us have. I didn’t find it offensive one bit, as Foals did an excellent job of engaging those in attendance. I instead found it completely nostalgic. In a good way. I was standing next to Chris Daly of Sweep the Leg Johnny, and he felt it too.

They cruised through new single “Red Sox Pugie,” and just killed it during “Cassius” and my favorite track on Antidotes, opener “The French Open.” Songs like “Electric Bloom” actually sounded better live, as Philippakis played extra percussion and sang the hooky chorus, “It’s just another hospital” along with the sweating, adoring front row. “We try and set off reciprocal energy from the crowd,” he explained earlier, and when I asked if they improvised at all on stage, he replied, “depends how well it’s going.”

Things are going really well for Foals: They're on the last leg of their first U.S. tour, heading to Japan, doing the European festival circuit, and then back to Chicago for Lollapalooza. Get ready for an explosive live show and if you’re old enough (har har) and maybe a nice dose of that good, ol' time “remember when"? - Bob Nanna

It’s Not Easy Being Green: Green Apple Festival Celebrates Earth Day

photograph by Cindy Barrymore

In the clear spring sky, the sun shone brightly on the majestic lion. As he stretched and sunned himself on the perfectly placed boulder, lazily glancing at his surroundings, I found myself wondering if this king had any awareness of what had become of his kingdom. I’m often conflicted at zoos. On the one hand is the feeling of pity for the displaced animals relegated to their makeshift habitats, and mild indignation at humanity for creating such a façade. On the other is the knowledge that this lion could instead be starving to death in its natural setting, or facing death at the hands of a poacher, so perhaps the zoo may very well be the ideal kingdom after all.

This particular dichotomy is not all that uncommon, to be sure, but it was likely overlooked on Sunday, April 20 th, at Lincoln Park Zoo. Though the lions were relegated to the background, the zoo was an appropriate setting for the third annual Green Apple Festival. Together with the Earth Day Network they presented a free day of music and eco-awareness exhibits as part of a national, eight-city push to draw attention to climate change and the human impact on the environment. Speakers included freshly-shaven Bears QB; Kyle Orton, a few corporate sponsors; and Senator Dick Durbin, a staunch environmental activist who gave a rousing speech displaying his passion for the topic. Musicians included Meshell Ndegeocello, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and headliners Three (comprised of Grateful Dead drummer, Bill Kreutzmann; Allman Brothers bassist, Oteil Burbridge; and Max Creek guitarist, Scott Murawski).

Given the combination of an outdoor Earth Day festival and live performances from jam bands (not to mention the date conveniently being 4/20), the crowd was comprised primarily of…hmmm…what’s the word? Oh, right: hippies. Our friend the lion had a clear view of tie-dyed tees, white kids with dreadlocks, and hacky-sackers, all noodling for the Earth, and a whiff of the crisp, late-April air was filled with patchouli, body odor, and other recognizable scents associated with hippies and the aforementioned date. Unsuspecting zoo-goers gingerly steered their strollers through the crowd, and headed to less perilous territories such as the Lion House or the Bear Habitat.

Wandering among the festival’s exhibits I was incessantly handed flyers promoting products or events designed to fight climate change. Wisely, most were made from recycled paper. Chase Bank definitely won the award for greenest flyer, as the entire thing was manufactured from seeds – in fact, it came with instructions to plant the card in soil and watch its wildflowers bloom. Unfortunately, despite the sponsors being clever enough to at least display the “printed-on-recycled-paper” logos on their flyers, many ended up strewn along the ground. And the zoo itself continued to sell water in plastic bottles, and trashcans were far more accessible than recycling containers.

This new paradox sits rather nicely next to my earlier dichotomy. As I cynically sift through my collection of business cards and flyers (not to mention my 14 laser-printed pages of press material), I have hope that the other attendees will also recycle or reuse. I have hope that zoo groundskeepers sorted the litter that remained, rather than dumping it all into the same trashcan. I have hope that the call for change not only rang true, but also inspired people to action. I have hope that my skepticism for the corporate sponsors is unfounded. And I have hope that the lion’s kingdom can be saved by the same human hands that have been pushing it towards extinction. -Jason Horine