Tag: review

No Way to Relax When Dora Jar is Onstage

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CHICAGO | On Tuesday, October 1st, the wonderful, whimsical, and artistically-sound singer/songwriter Dora Jar returned to Chicago at Lincoln Hall just a few months after her main-stage performance at Lollapalooza. This was the third time I have had the pleasure of seeing her perform; the first time opening for The 1975 at Allstate Arena last year, and the second at the Bud Light stage at Lollapalooza, where I was able to meet her post-performance. Even so, this was the first headline show of Jar’s that I have attended, and my expectations were thoroughly exceeded. Artists rarely enter the scene already authentically themselves throughout their entire body of work. Yet, sure of herself and her sound, Jar flourishes standing before hundreds of people.

During this run of shows, Jar’s promotes her debut album, No Way To Relax When You Are On Fire, released a few weeks prior to the tour’s start. The tour’s title “Behind the Curtain,” comes from a song from her debut of the same name. The song’s chorus aptly states “Together behind the curtain / Pull the lever, lighten the burden / I’m ready for anything now,” which she certainly seems to be. By opening with this song, Jar gently eased the crowd into her avant-garde performance style. On stage, she appears somewhat akin to Lorde circa 2014; frolicking about, speaking to the audience like she is on the same level, making strange noises, and garnering crowd participation—which she happily welcomes. At one point she asked the crowd if they were pirates before leading into her fittingly named song “Cannonball,” meant to emulate the feeling of sailing on the sea. “There is a pirate inside of all of you – and this is for … that” she explained before stomping on the stage and strumming a complex guitar melody.

According to the Harvard Crimson, Jar drew inspiration from Cirque du Soleil shows to bring to her stage to life—a clash of lights, visuals, and dance. This vision, paired with her haunting indie-pop sound soared through Lincoln Hall. As she tore through her debut, which made up ten songs on the setlist, she intermittently played through the hits— “Bumblebee,” a single from 2022 that cemented her spot in the alternative pop world, “Opening” and “Quiver” from 2021’s EP, Digital Meadow, and the crowd-dividing “Scab Song” which was what partially persuaded me to be a recurring listener after seeing her perform last year. 

“Scab Song” is a setlist staple of Jar’s, who explained during the show that she can really tell during this particular song “who gets it and who doesn’t.” It specifically features Jar’s habitual ability to pair the physical act of being human and having a body your soul lives in with the natural world we occupy and the existential feelings we grapple with daily. This theme can be spotted in the lyrics of fan-favorite “Lagoon,” the first verse expressing “My heart is a crustacean / Could you come and crack it open?” and title track “No Way To Relax When You Are On Fire.” 

That song, which came near the end of the setlist, marked a high point of the performance. It begins beautifully with dreamy guitar and soft drums that flow effortlessly into her breathy vocal tone. It keeps the same sentiment as mentioned before—her ability to pair humanness with references to nature. “You’re like a landslide taking me with you” in verse two is quintessential Jar lyricism which is both profound and thought out. Her artistry is effortless in both performance and production. On stage, these words poured out of her—with quirky dance moves to match.

She closed with popular tunes “Multiply” and “Puppet” and told us many times over, “Thank you for making it here on a Tuesday!” Throughout Puppet’s runtime, she screamed, thrashed her limbs about, and ended up in a dog pile with her guitarist and bass player. The song winded her and the audience, purely from the collective effervescence experienced in that moment. She blew us kisses and dashed off stage. It was a fanciful one-hour-long affair that left me wondering if I should catch the train to St. Paul to see the next one. Dora Jar is a once-in-a-lifetime artist with a passion for lyricism and the carefree energy of a great pop star. Make sure to listen to her debut album No Way To Relax When You Are On Fire – your ears will appreciate it.

Concert Review: Sunami at Subterranean

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On the night of October 14th, I set out to Subterranean, one of my favorite Chicago venues, to see Sunami, a hardcore band hailing all the way from San Jose, California. The band had played the night before, and I had already heard some stories from friends. They told me that I was “going to get annihilated,” advised me to “take my piercings out,” and told me that the pit would get super violent, and this was an understatement. After hearing all of this from several people, I decided to watch the show from the balcony above in comfort and safety.

The show kicked off with four different openers, all hailing from different parts of the country. Sector, from here in Chicago, performed first. I really enjoyed their set, and especially loved their breakdowns. The pit started off a bit spotty, but with some encouragement from the band, it quickly intensified, with a few wrestling moves thrown in as well.

Enervate, a smaller band from Milwaukee, played next and definitely did not disappoint with their stage presence. Their performance energized the crowd, who headbanged along in a very active pit. They had great crowd involvement as well, frequently sharing the microphone with fans.

The third opener, Torena, came all the way from Oxnard, California, and delivered a great set accompanied with a lot of crowd killing. They hyped up the crowd with amazing breakdowns, shifting from fast-paced sections to slower and heavier riffs.

Hailing from Idaho, the final opener, Ingrown, was my favorite set out of all the openers, featuring echoing guitar riffs, some of the best I’ve heard in a while. They consistently kept the crowd’s energy up and even threw drumsticks into the audience mid songs.

After watching all of the opener’s set’s, I heavily anticipated Sunami’s set, and it did not let me down. The crowd was full of excitement, energy, and enthusiasm following the openers. I loved the vocals, instrumentals, and the energy surging through the venue. With my view from the balcony, I could see what looked like a full on fight in the pit, with plenty of crowd killing as well. Sunami’s performance was phenomenal. Their live set sounded even better than their recorded music, packed with more energy. They brought beautiful riffs, amazing vocals, and powerful drumming to the stage. Loud cheers came from the crowd after each song, bringing even more energy into the pit. 

A standout moment of the show was when they played their most popular song “Weak Die First”. You could really feel the energy in the venue as they kicked off the song with the intro. I loved their performance of this song live with amazing vocals and instrumentation, especially with the growl at the end.

Sunami, along with all of the openers, delivered outstanding performances that I highly recommend to any hardcore fans out there. Sunami is embarking on a six-week tour across the U.S. and, if you get the chance, I highly recommend seeing them live.

Concert Review: Sega Bodega at Metro

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On the freezing night of October 13th, singer, songwriter, producer, and DJ Sega Bodega graced the stage at Metro. Walking into the venue, I expected a laid-back, relaxed performance, but I experienced so much more than that. As a longtime fan of Sega Bodega, I had been eagerly awaiting this show for months, and it did not disappoint. Arriving before doors, I was second in line for the show and secured a spot right at the barricade, giving me an incredible view of the entire performance.

The night started off with Cecile Believe, whose set I had also been greatly anticipating. Familiar with only a few of her songs, I still knew her performance would be great, and I was not let down as she delivered a captivating set. Two tracks in particular stood out: “Blink Twice”, a recent release on her new label ambient tweets (founded by Sega Bodega), and “My Forever”, another recent release on SOPHIE’s newly released posthumous self-titled album.

Before Sega Bodega even played any music, his stunning set design immediately blew me away. He stood at center stage encircled by 360-degree light stands that shifted in synchronized movements with each song. This mesmerizing visual experience complemented his outstanding performance. The set flowed seamlessly, shifting between laid-back, atmospheric tracks and high-energy, sonically intricate, danceable tracks. Sega Bodega opened with some of his more relaxed tracks, including “Adulter8″ and “Elk Skin,” both featuring beautifully layered vocals and lush, layered synthesizers. As these songs played, I resonated deeply with the music, as if it were touching my soul.

As the chill part of his set faded, Sega Bodega got into some of his more energetic tracks, including “Effeminacy” (a personal favorite), “Deer Teeth”, and the stunning closer “Kepko”, which beautifully capped off his performance. As he transitioned into these tracks, the energy and atmosphere of the room shifted from serene to lively with the whole room dancing and shaking their heads along to the music. 

Sega Bodega, along with opener Cecile Believe, were both outstanding performers that I highly recommend seeing live. If you have the chance, be sure to catch either of them on their next tour and you will not be disappointed!

Concert Review: Mk.gee at The Vic

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[CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, October 3—]

This past Thursday, I saw one of my favorite up-and-coming artists: Mk.gee, a living legend and musical wizard. Known for his ethereal soundscapes and insane guitar riffs, Mk.gee made Chicago fall under his spell.

Before the show, I decided to scope out The Vic, the venue hosting Mk.gee, and stroll around the area to let my excitement grow. I took some photos, got a coffee, and started to linger around. Standing at the corner of Sheffield and Belmont, I noticed a man walking toward me—casually dressed in a “Monster Jam” graphic tee, basketball shorts, and a pair of Apple Airmaxes.

I didn’t think much of it at first, but as he got closer, something clicked. His effortless stride, the unassuming confidence—this had to be Michael Gordon, aka Mk.gee. I couldn’t believe my eyes. We locked gazes, and for a moment, disbelief and awe left me frozen. I thought there’s no chance that’s him, caught in the surrealness of it all.

Before I could stop myself, I mouthed, “Mike… Mk.gee?” He noticed and crossed the street toward me like it was the most natural thing in the world. I had known about his calm and zen demeanor, so when he approached me, I tried to lock in the same energy. He had this effortless coolness, and I didn’t want to come off too frantic or starstruck.

I told him I was pumped for the show, keeping it casual but genuine. He listened, totally chill, and I could tell he appreciated it. Then, he reached out to shake my hand, and I took it—simple, but it felt huge. He sincerely thanked me for the support, and I felt like I could die happily.

The atmosphere inside the venue was incredibly chill—no rushing, no pushing. The audience was filled with friendly faces, all excited but relaxed, creating the perfect vibe for what was to come. As the lights dimmed, Mk.gee emerged on stage, backlit by a single light, opening with “Dream Police.” His euphoric presence set the tone for an unforgettable evening.

Throughout the night, he played a collection of songs from his latest album, “Two Star and The Dream Police,” as well as his latest single, “Lonely Flight,” and “CZ” from his 2020 album “A Museum of Contradiction.” His stage presence was magnetic—almost indescribable. The way he paired his dreamy lyrics with guitar riffs that seemed to have their own voice made the entire performance feel like a shared experience between the audience and his music.

A standout moment was when he played his most hype track, “DNM,” which has become notorious for being played multiple times at his shows. This performance was no exception—as he played it five times. At one point, Mk.gee picked up the mic stand, grinning, and said, “Whatever you guys want, let’s run it!” before running around the stage and beginning the song again, entirely in sync with the crowd’s energy.

The set was a solid 90 minutes of music that felt intimate yet expansive. After a brief “exit,” Mk.gee returned for an encore that became the night’s highlight. He played four songs in the encore, including another replay of “DNM” and a second round of my favorite, “Candy.” He also played one of his biggest hits, “Alesis,” twice back-to-back, which had the crowd buzzing. Closing his set, he covered Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On,” a song that surprisingly fit the night’s tone.

The combination of Mk.gee’s celestial presence, the magnetic energy he brought to the stage, and the overall vibe of the crowd created something exceptional. It wasn’t just about the music but the shared connection and the immersive atmosphere that made the performance feel unforgettable. Mk.gee’s music possesses a unique ability to transport listeners to an otherworldly realm, and the experience at The Vic is one I will cherish for a long time.

Concert Review: Shabaka’s Meditative Music

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Flowing under red stage lights and in front of a projected art piece, Shabaka, British multi-instrumentalist, jazz-composer and band leader filled the Salt Shed on September 29th with a tranquil atmosphere as part of the Warm Love Cool Dreams music festival in Chicago. 

The multi-genre festival spanned two days. Dedicated to warm, intense music, day one featured musicians like Sextile, a post punk band, and The Jesus Lizard, an American rock band, returning from a performance hiatus since 2018. Shabaka performed on day two of the festival, dedicated to cool, ambient music, headlining with Kelela, a contemporary R&B and electronic musician with angelic vocals, and featuring Sister Nancy, a prominent Jamaican singer. Fusing a plethora of sounds, the festival attracted a wide variety of listeners.

Shabaka’s hour-long set provided a perfect introduction to the diverse sounds of the rest of the night. Along with Charles Overton on the harp and Austin Williamson on the drums, Shabaka graced the audience with a light-hearted stage presence, overtaking us with the vibrations of his instruments.

Matching the spirit of diverse sound imposed by the festival, Shabaka’s eclectic collection of instruments, specifically flutes, define his eccentric music, especially on his latest album, Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace, which he shared during his set. He introduced the audience to a Mayan drone flute, explaining how the instrument unlocks deeper imaginative capabilities for him due to its under-researched heritage. Shabaka ended his set with the shakuhachi, an ancient Japanese bamboo flute, which he picked up during the 2020 quarantine. Commonly used in Buddhist meditation, the shakuhachi produces a mellow sound, which contributed to the relaxing effect of Shabaka’s music.

The sounds of Shabaka’s flutes enclosed the audience, creating a peaceful crowd of serene smiles and gentle dancing. Melodies echoed through the floor, sending visceral vibrations zipping through the body, instilling bliss throughout the room. Warmed by the stage lighting and Shabaka’s charismatic energy, the set made a wonderful addition to the Warm Love Cool Dreams festival. A prolific creator with imaginative spirit, Shabaka is one to be remembered.

Capturing The Sound of Boundless Space in First Man

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I recently watched First Man, a 2018 dramatic film about astronaut Neil Armstrong and the Apollo 11 moon landing. Starring Ryan Gosling, it’s a big budget movie with great acting, beautiful cinematography, and seamless cgi to make for an immersive viewing experience. The thing that tied it all together for me though, was the soundtrack. Composed by Justin Hurwitz, it certainly bore resemblance to other space movie soundtracks, using hallmark techniques to convey the vastness of outer space. Huge, deep synthesized drones crescendoed along with impending percussive pulses in intense moments of panic, sometimes reinforced by heavy low brass reminiscent of Holst’s The Planets suite. These are all techniques that master film scorer Hans Zimmer uses in films like Interstellar. A Space Odyssey and Star Wars also use some of these in the brass minus the synthesization.

Unlike other space soundtracks I’ve heard, however, Hurwitz added a certain humanness to the score with delicate strings and harp. And unlike some other space movies, First Man is really about humanizing Neil Armstrong, tackling his personal relationships, mental health struggles, and emotions rather than just focusing on scientific, calculated space travel, rockets, and engineering. This brought a really nice balance to the soundtrack as a whole. Hurwitz knew when to employ more traditional space scoring sounds in more traditional space scenes, but also when to shift the sound to soft harp arpeggios, strings and sometimes light upper woodwinds in more intimate moments.

Another touch I loved was the use of theremin in these moments. Theremin is an electronic musical instrument controlled without any physical contact, but rather by interacting with the instrument’s electromagnetic field in two planes to control pitch and volume. It is strongly associated with aliens and space, and while you may not have heard the name, I can almost guarantee you have heard the sound at some point as an alien appeared on screen. However, Hurwitz brilliantly repurposes the theremin in the intimate scenes of the film. He is able to use it softly and delicately to yield a truly beautiful sound that is a far cry from its typical use to convey the weird and bizarre.

While the soundtrack is almost entirely original cinematic music, it does tastefully use one pre-recorded song from 1947 called “Lunar Rhapsody” by Samuel Hoffman. It obviously fits the theme of the film given the title of the song and helps to place the setting back in the early 1960s with its old-timey recording sound. It has no lyrics, but does use vocals in that classic, nostalgic mid-20th century vocal harmony. Despite this, it actually integrates pretty well into the rest of the soundtrack. I wouldn’t be surprised if Hurwitz drew some inspiration from this song for the delicate moments of his composing, with its use of harp and strings. The upper vocals even sound reminiscent of a theremin at times. It is a really beautiful and nostalgic piece and I think it was a great choice for an addition to the soundtrack.

First Man has joined the ranks of my favorite movie soundtracks. It beautifully fits the film, and I applaud Hurwitz. You can stream First Man on Netflix or stream the soundtrack on any music streaming service.

Baby’s First Stars – Anastasia Coope at Constellation 

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It’s funny– the moment I was presented with the opportunity to cover a show at Constellation, I immediately jumped at it. I am a musician with an interest in new/experimental musics, so I’ve been told time and time again that Constellation is the place for me. At some point, whenever a person asked me if I’ve been, I just lied and said ‘yes’ to spare myself the theatrics surrounding the fact the I, the king of experimental (according to my non-musician friends), had never even stepped foot in its perimeter. Needless to say, I was beyond ready to change my attendance status from “slacking” to “in the know.” Now, I am a color of letdown, itching for more. 

You walk through a semi-seedy door in a long brick building and enter a dimly lit world dominated by North Side hipsters. When I say everyone in the building had a carabiner on their jeans, I mean everyone had one (myself included). About 15 minutes before showtime, my own keys jingled with each step as I made my way over to the bar where I ordered a house special Moscow Mule. It was awesome, by the way. My dad, who joined me on this excursion, ordered a Manhattan, which he enjoyed. I tried it myself, but I’m not big a fan of whiskey, so I made my obligatory stank face before returning to my summery mule to wash away the dark liquor. 

We took our drinks into the performance hall and sat close to the door facing what we assumed to be the front of the stage. The seats were positioned in rows, raised on lightly inclined risers. It was exactly like that of an old theatre. With a massive, dimly lit stage, it felt as if I was preparing to watch some kind of immersive theatre experience. Given the sheer size of the stage compared to the amount of seating, I was a little shocked when the first performing group, Amaya Peña & their band, took up so little physical space.  

Whenever I am going to experience something that I am unfamiliar with, I like to do so completely blindly. No research before the show begins. Because of this, I had no idea that the music I was going to hear that night was closer to indie rock than the usual experimental jazz realm that I’ve been told Constellation typically lives in. I suppose I was looking so far down the barrel of a jammed gun trying to avoid having expectations that I shot myself in the face with expectations regardless. Amaya Peña was fun and cute, and they seemed charmingly nervous to be up in front of a crowd. The second guitarist and violinist stood out most to me during this set, both adding interesting details to songs I feel like I’ve heard before, despite never actually having heard their music. I am interested to see where they go next as they develop their sound and stage personalities. 

One notable thing that I observed was how quickly the audience thinned out between sets. It was obvious that a larger portion of the room’s visitors were friends of Amaya Peña, but it put a semi-sour taste in my mouth when only about 1/3 of them returned for the second set. Despite trying to not have preconceptions about what I am about to see, I am left to wonder if the next set was something worth missing? Do these disappearing patrons know something I don’t? 

Turns out, no, they do not. Moon Diagrams is an electronic solo project by Moses Archuleta of the band Deerhunter. A small table is positioned in the center of the stage, and the lights turn completely black as a video begins to play on the massive projector screen behind him. One thing about me is that I love multimedia performances. Audio and visual? Sign me up. The videos we saw before us were deeply edited clips of trees and skies, likely shot on an iPhone, though I am not able to say for sure. The music was noisy and granulated, which was a substantial change from the opening act. I liked that I was able to sit back and get lost in the visuals, but I was occasionally brought out of my trance by the change of a song or a menacing rumble in the floor. This set walked the line between ambient, lo-fi, and harsh noise, which I could absolutely appreciate. Part of me wished that I was able to fully lose myself in the sauce, but in the end, I enjoyed the art that was being made right in front of me. 

The final set of the night, Anastasia Coope, utilized another set change and another audience rotation. Some left, some entered for the first time, while others were returning from a long break at the bar. I hate to be so observant, but I do feel that every detail contributes to the experience. The final setup was perhaps the most minimalist of the evening—a single guitar, a microphone, and a MacBook on a small table positioned next to some kind of mixer or effects station. Her voice is a mixture of Joan Baez and Diane Cluck, while haunting your heartstrings with unique songwriting. Anastasia Coope has a stylistic taste for maneuvering her voice around a single guitar chord, while also using singular lines repetitively until you really hear every single word. The lyrics seemed lonely, and I felt like I was the only person in the world able to change that. I was locked in. Sold, Anastasia. Amid my trance, out cries an aspect of the environment that I had forgotten about since my entrance—the dreadful carabiner, absolutely pregnant with keys just begging to be known. In the middle of a song, nonetheless. One person gets up to leave, then at least four more, all with noisy key chains, whispering to each other between steps. Honestly, they all could have waited 45 more seconds until the song was over to make an exit, but I guess choices like this are always made in haste. After the song of the brass/nickel/steel, it took me at least three more songs to get back into the groove. In the end, I really enjoyed what Ms. Coope had to share with us in that room. 

It is remarkable to consider how much goes into a person’s thoughts on a particular experience. How I was feeling earlier in the day, recent life events, how hungry I was, and what I was looking to get out of the evening all played a role in how I developed my opinions on what went down. I am excited to visit Constellation again soon, hopefully to see jazz or something more obscure. I absolutely enjoyed my time on this visit, but subversive expectations seemed to be holding me back. Next time, I will go back with a full stomach and a clear mind, and hopefully all my troubles will wash away. 

The Greeting Committee: Charting Queer Territories

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Formed 10 years ago, The Greeting Committee quickly became popular as a self-identifying indie-rock band. Their popularity is notable for releasing sounds that fuel listeners’ inner (or obvious) queer euphoria. Current members Addie, Pierce, Noah, and Micah and other contributing artists owe their success to personalities on the KRBZ Alternative radio station in Kansas City, Missouri. Since being featured on the radio station, their EP ‘Hands Down’ now has 33 million listens on Spotify alone. Entering The Bottom Lounge venue on July 24th, 2024 was quick as staff led attendees to the opener, Toledo, an indie-rock duo. Daniel and Jordan produced energizing sounds and personality, this made the perfect appetizer for TGC. They often spoke to the crowd and established good vibes and gratitude for their Chicago fanbase. 

The Greeting Committee’s entrance was mesmerizing. It wasn’t until the second or third song when the front rows could no longer see the end of the crowd as the space became packed. The diverse audience energy and band’s ecstatic start to songs was appealing to people of any age. Their hype stage presence can be comparable to bands The Ramones and Foster the People. TGC’s polished transitions and musical versatility added a variety of raw sound as members changed instruments often, allowing each musician to shine individually. TGC’s new album, ‘Everyone’s Gone and I know I’m the Cause’ released June 2024, making this their third studio album and comprised most of the set-list, with special mentions to their single ‘Can I Leave Me Too?’ and a cover of ‘Birds of a Feather’ by Billie Eilish. Each song flawlessly flowed into one another as many ended with the lyrics sung back at the musicians. While crowd and artist conversation was limited due to the amount of back to back jams on their set-list, crowd interaction was not neglected. Founding members, Addie and Pierce, both entered the crowd during different songs which heightened crowd intimacy. The memorable experience of this show was bound to leave attendees feeling glassy-eyed with a smile, as did I.

Thank you to Radio DePaul for this opportunity and the wonderful artists and staff that allowed this to happen.

All photos by Emma Higgins

A Glimpse into Ryan Beatty’s Calico Tour at Thalia Hall

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CHICAGO | Ryan Beatty, a Central California native and former YouTube cover-era heartthrob, touched down (or rather, parked) at Thalia Hall in Pilsen, on March 4, an oddly calm, humid and warm evening in the city after traveling from Toronto. Hundreds of people lined the block on Allport Street, anticipating having their heartstrings pulled by Beatty’s third and highly acclaimed studio album Calico, live and in concert. 

The album immediately establishes two central themes: California and loneliness in its melancholic opener “Ribbons.” Beatty brings the same soulful and sad, yet eternally grateful vein to the stage that the song elicits – “It’s out of my hands / What can I tell you / I’m not losing it / I’m just having a laugh.” Most likely uncoincidentally, this song is also the show opener. He is doing what he loves after a career start that left him feeling empty and out of his own body. In 2011, Beatty was deemed “The next Justin Bieber” by J-14, which should have made any aspiring popstar at the time absolutely elated, but to Beatty, it was simply not him. In 2016, he came out as gay and decided he would make music that challenged everything the public thought they knew about him. 

In 2018, his debut album Boy in Jeans was released, followed by his sophomore album Dreaming of David in early 2020. While he is proud of how each album is its own specific identity, Beatty is most proud of Calico, which he wrote as a well-rounded late-twenty-something living in Los Angeles, reclaiming his childhood life. Born in Clovis, California, where everyone wears cowboy boots and drives trucks—Beatty thought that he could never be like those people as he always felt out of place. This latest project sees Beatty falling into a sort of avant-garde country sound and he even currently drives a truck. He is clad in blue jeans and cowboy boots during every performance and has a fan-favorite lyric “Chewing licorice in your cowboy blues.” He’s managed to go full melancholic, indie cowboy. 

I honestly had no idea what demographic to expect in the crowd, given Beatty’s childhood popularity, his time spent with hip-hop boy band BROCKHAMPTON and his current music style. But as 7 PM swiftly approached, I had the pleasure of speaking with two long-time Beatty fans who were first in the general admission line, Lilly and Kevin. Kevin spoke highly of Beatty, noting that he is “[his] favorite vocalist” and that he connects most with how he “conveys such emotion and depth, not only with his sound but also with his lyrics,” especially through Calico, where listeners can “feel everything he has to say.” Lilly first listened to “Powerslide” from Beatty’s first project, and appreciates his “raw talent” that his recent work displays. I found that most fans casually enjoyed his work through BROCKHAMPTON and early projects and stayed because of Calico. I also met with Sophia, a fan since Beatty’s earliest days who sat before the show in seats lining the venue’s general admission floor, observing the buzzing scene. Although she’s drawn to all that Beatty has to offer, it’s Calico that specifically was “the first time [she] actually [got] the visceral feeling of his songs.” 

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Beatty’s show began promptly, as he has no opener for this tour — it is simply himself, accompanied by his band which includes two guitarists, a pianist, two synth players (one who doubles as a bassist), and a drummer. The show opened with an instrumental cover of Sufjan Stevens’ “Death with Dignity” on piano — which in hindsight may have been an ode to Stevens’ connection to the city of Chicago. Beatty took the crowd through the entirety of Calico, standing only during the emotionally charged ballads “Bright Red,” “Bruises Off The Peach” and “White Teeth” which served as his pseudo-closer. But for the greater part of the show, Beatty sat with his eyes closed, on a stool; as if he were trying to remain at the same level of the sunken pit. It added to the sensitive nature repertoire of his songs, as well as the integrity placed behind their meanings. 

He feels these songs wholly and wants his audience to feel the same. Amongst the seated songs was a mashup of “Haircut” and “Powerslide” from his first album that included an untitled song he wrote while on this tour in Boston that he just recently added to the setlist at the show before Chicago. The song notes his thoughts during the tour, by including lyrics like “California cries / while I’m in Massachusetts / thinking of you tonight.” He often says how grateful he is to be able to do what he does, and that even though his eyes are closed, he appreciates the crowd “singing loudly + listening quietly” and “catch[es] glimpses of it all.” 

Every arrangement was embellished with vocal runs, a testament to the true vocalist he is. The slide guitar solos and sweeping piano melodies soared over a quietly choral crowd, while the use of brushes by his drummer added to the intimacy of the performance — just loud enough to be heard, but not enough to overpower. My favorite song performed was “Casino” off of Dreaming of David. There is something so wonderful about hearing a song for the first time at a live performance. I took a short video of the song to send to my mother at home (she is in California, which connects me even more to Beatty in a way), and that 36-second clip has replayed in my mind ever since. He closed with Calico’s closing song “Little Faith” for which he also stood and at the end of the song’s 4-minute run, the band stopped playing, leaving the paired vocals of Beatty and his onlookers ringing through Thalia Hall’s beautiful interior. (He did note during the show both the “beautiful crowd” and the “beautiful room”).A person sitting on a chair with headphones on Description automatically generated

When leaving the show, I was greeted by a warm thunderstorm and Ryan Beatty himself, leaving for his next location. Both were like the cherry on top of a perfect show. Never have I felt like the crowd at a show embodied the artist as much as Beatty’s did. No crowd has been so attentive, so kind, so engulfed by what this blossoming artist has to offer, and I am so grateful to have experienced the unusual delicacy that Beatty has brought to both the stage and to the listener. I feel very moved by witnessing this performance, and if you have not done so already, have a listen to Ryan Beatty’s Calico – it is life changing. 

All photos taken by Abby Thompson.

Melodies & Mozzarella: The Perfect Playlist for Chicago Pies

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CHICAGO | Growing up in Michigan, two things are taught to you from a very early age; number one is win or (more likely) lose, you must always root for the Detroit Lions. Two is that Detroit-style pizza is superior to all others. Given that the state’s loyalty to the Lions has yet to pay off with a Super Bowl appearance, it is fair to say these teachings may have some minor flaws. When I first arrived in the Windy City, I didn’t give Chicago pizza the time of day. Some may call my lack of interest naive, but almost four years later, I see it as downright foolish. I’m happy to say that I have since reformed and I am a certified Chicago pizza enthusiast. So, given my shared love of Radio DePaul and Chicago slices, I present to you my list of all of the Chicago pizza places I’ve tried as songs about Chicago. 

Gino’s East

With a cheese pull guaranteed to get your mouth to water, it’s no surprise that Gino’s East is beloved by so many. Although I wish the deep dish was a little crispier, Gino’s saving grace is its flavorful sauce. Plus, its Mag Mile location makes it feel like an extra Chicago-y experience. Because of this, the comfort you’ll feel after Gino’s East can be further relished by putting on “To Chicago” by Ciaran Lavery. Just watch out for tourists and you’ll be in store for a wonderful meal. 

Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria

It is with a heavy heart that I must admit that I don’t understand the hype of Lou Malnati’s. It may be controversial to say, but for me, a good deep dish is all about the sauce… and the time I went, the sauce was not saucing. It wasn’t justlacking in flavor, but also simply mediocre and bland. I genuinely do respect Lou Malnati’s and all the passionate rants people go on about how it’s the best, but like howSurjan Stevens said in his song “Chicago,” I just get sick of hearing it sometimes.

Homeslice

Come on, I couldn’t talk about pizza as a DePaulian without mentioning Homeslice. Is it very Instagram-able in a way that makes me slightly uncomfortable? Yes, totally. Is it also…. delish? Yes, totally. Much like the song that is blowing up on all of our feeds right now, Homeslice is the beloved song “End of Beginning” by DePaul’s very own Djo. 

Professor Pizza

Just thinking about Professor Pizza’s dollop of whipped ricotta plagues my stomach with hunger. With toppings like shaved garlic and braised leeks, it’s a pinkies up kind of pizza that’ll make you want to waltz. Professor Pizza is a little slice of romance that can be summed up by “Ghost of Chicago” by Noah Floersch. 

Giordano’s

Even though you’ll be absolutely stuffed to the brim after a slice or two, you cannot go wrong with Giordano’s famous stuffed pizza. It’s the type of pizza that makes me feel lucky to live in a place that strives to push the socially accepted cheese-per-slice boundary. Complete with dramatic stomach rumblings of indigestion and a long trip to the bathroom, the feeling after a Giordano’s visit sounds like “Chicago” by Flipturn. 

Pequod’s Pizza

Pequod’s made me fall in love with Chicago-style pizza. From the caramelized crust to the crispy yet airy cheesy edges, a slice at Pequod’s is a masterful bite of pure bliss.  Full of Chicago references and a cheerful hook that will make you want to skip to the El, the euphoric feeling that Pequod’s Pizza brings is best summed up by “Angels” by Chance the Rapper —- because let’s face it…, Pequod’s is truly so magical that you feel like you died and went to heaven with the angels. 

There are still loads of slices in Chicago for my taste buds to explore, but I can say with full confidence that Chicago pizza makes my heart sing. Well, not quite as much as Jet’s Famous Ranch does…. But that’s a joy only made in Mich. Suck it, Chicago ranch.