CHICAGO | If you stepped into Chicago’s Cobra Lounge in the West Town neighborhood on December 4, 2023, you might have wondered if you had mistakenly time traveled to 1995.
Cobra Lounge, perhaps one of the city’s lesser known venues, is a 300 capacity club that specializes in heavy music. The stage is high, the ceiling is low, the lights are dim and the walls and floor are completely stone, brick, and concrete; adding to the grungy analog ambiance of the bands taking the stage.
The show started off with Illusion of Choice, a 4-piece outfit out of Chicago’s DIY scene, who play on bills with bands like Turquoise and Sleepwalk.
Their vocalist offered the audience to come to the stage and grab a piece of chocolate from a box he had received at work, reinforcing the intimacy of the Monday night gig. The band played a set dripping in 90s nostalgia, particularly drawing influences from Weezer’s debut and sophomore releases. The stage banter was punchy and sarcastic, with the vocalist noting, “If everyone in the world stopped using their phones, your life would still suck because you’re a loser.” The anti-mainstream tone of these notes coincided with the bands’ musical influences and their rejection of the mainstream in the 1990s.
Lifeguard, one of Chicago’s most promising up and coming bands, took the stage second. The trio, made up of Isaac Lowenstein on drums, Kai Slater on guitar and vocals and Asher Case on bass and vocals, is still entirely high school aged. Their youth didn’t fool anyone for long though — the group started off their set with a bang, Lowenstein propelling the band forward into a loud track in an odd time signature. Slater played a unique 12-string guitar, powering the band’s loud, fuzzy sound. Slater and Case delivered seamless dual vocals and even synchronized jumps, reminding the crowd that the band had their set down to a science. They rarely even stopped to speak between songs; even when Slater switched guitar, Case and Lowenstein filled the silence with a virtuosic drum and bass solo featuring a creative harmonic riff.
The band’s most recent release is a cover of The Jam’s “In The City,” an homage to their 70s and 80s punk influences, while also incorporating aspects of 90s grunge, 2000s garage rock and experimental and art rock influences like Brian Eno, exemplified in the moments of droning bass and repetitive riffs as the drums kept their ever changing rhythm. Lifeguard’s ability to combine their influences into something new and engaging continues to keep the band on an upward trajectory — not to mention their dedication to their craft.
The show’s headliner, Dazy, hails from Richmond, Virginia, though he mentioned he might enjoy playing Chicago more than his hometown. The solo project of James Goodson, the music of Dazy is like the soundtrack to your favorite coming of age movie, or the music your dad threw on in the car — it’s an unashamed 90s radio rock revival. Accompanied by band members on bass and drums, Goodson put on an energetic performance, playing a Fender Jazzmaster guitar à la Kurt Cobain. Dazy’s music has the catchiness and simplicity of one hit wonders like Chumbawamba and Wheatus, but with more heart and staying power.
One of Dazy’s newest singles, “Pressure Cooker” which was a collaboration with Militarie Gun, is reminiscent of the Breeders’ “Cannonball,” beginning with a noisy and fuzzy bass riff. Additionally, Goodson’s vocal melodies were easy to sing along with, a mark of a good radio hit. Dazy’s set finished with “Out of Body,” off of his 2022 album of the same name, which included a section of gang vocal “na na nas,” a hallmark of 90s hits, like blink-182 and Will Smith.
Dazy, Lifeguard and Illusion of Choice each proved that the 90s rock revival is in full swing, just as each band is beginning to make their mark on the rock music scene.