Ghost Media

Newsflash: Tom Petty is Cool

Yes, kids.....as I've admitted before, I think Tom Petty's music is irrefutably cool. On a personal level, apparently he's a pretty cool cat as well.  As Page Six reports , Petty is letting the Red Hot Chili Peppers off the hook for cribbing their new single off of Petty's "Last Dance With Mary Jane".  The Chili Peppers, who are currently fighting Aerosmith for the "should have went away a long time ago" title, were exposed on radio and endless websites having stolen not only the exact melody for "Dani Califorinia" from the song, but even the lyrical themes.  Many radio stations have overlapped the two songs, and the similarity is laughable.  Refreshingly, though, Petty had this to say to Rolling Stone about the incident:

  "I seriously doubt that there is any negative intent there. And a lot of rock 'n' roll songs sound alike. Ask Chuck Berry. The Strokes took 'American Girl' [for their song 'Last Nite'], and I saw an interview with them where they actually admitted it. That made me laugh out loud. I was like, 'OK, good for you' . . . If someone took my song note for note and stole it maliciously, then maybe [I'd sue]. But I don't believe in lawsuits much. I think there are enough frivolous law suits in this country without people fighting over pop songs."

Summer of Bliss in Chicago Continues Tonight: Seu Jorge and Amadou & Mariam Free at Millenium Park

While the big festivals are garnering all the attention, little gems like tonight are almost beyond belief.  Brazil's Seu Jorge is playing for free tonight at Millenium Park, and if that isn't enough for you, the soulful Malian duo Amadou & Mariam are also on the bill.  Seeing as either one of these artists would easily command a $30 ticket at Hothouse, that seems like a pretty goddamn good deal.  Add in a 75 degree day and the pristine sound of the outdoor venue, and you're coming awfully close to perfection. 

Beirut Announces Chicago Show

Beirut, the band that seemingly has the entire city of New York in a froth,  will be playing a show August 19th at The Empty Bottle as part of a short summer tour.   Brooklyn Vegan has an interview with Zach and Jason from the band.   I'd get tickets for this one early if you have any intention of attending.

Lollapalooza Will Be Sleater Kinney's Final Show

Forgive me for not being able to muster up the energy for an Intonation post, but the festival didn't do much for me this year.  It was an woefully undiverse lineup that leaned heavily toward hip hop....which on a personal level just ain't my cup o' tea.  Plus I woke up at 4pm on Sunday with a savage hangover due largely to the Figurines/Skybox/Modern Temper afterparty that Chicago Innerview Magazine threw on Satruday night.  Perhaps more accurately, it was due to the after-after party that occured at Underbar with all the guys from Figurines and Skybox along with unreasonable amounts of liquor.  Can't win em all, I suppose.

The upside is that I have plenty o' festivals to make it up......and Lollapalooza just got an added twist, with Sleater Kinney announcing that they are breaking up , and that their last show will be in the lush grounds of Grant Park.  OK.....so as to not incite the "bloggers stretch the facts" crowd, they are going on "indefinite hiatus"....but they also said that there "are no plans for future tours or recordings", so judge for yourself.  Anyway, it will make for a special show at Lollapalooza, and I'm looking forward to it. UPDATE: The band has added a show August 11th in their hometown of Portland, Oregon, so Lollapalooza won't be the last show after all.

Pitchfork Interviews Figurines

Danish rockers and Chicago Innerview Magazine Intonation Afterparty headliners get the Pitchfork treatment today with a feature interview with the band's Christian Hjelm and Claus Johansen.  Check it out HERE. Get tickets for the afterparty HERE.

Gnarls Barkley v. Sonic Youth: Lollapalooza Schedule Announced

Well, there are some tough choices to make, but ain't that what it's all about?  Check out the hour by hour schedule of Lollapalooza HERE.

Live Preview: Figurines Saturday At Beat Kitchen

Well, now that the US World Cup Soccer team is about to be ousted by a country the size of Illinois, there's not much to look forward to in the way of sports.  But music?  Hell, children.....we've got music.  Saturday night after Intonation will bring the Figurines to town, playing a late show at Beat Kitchen.  If you haven't had a chance to check out their excellent new record "Skeleton", here are a couple tracks to whet your appetite.  See this earlier post to see what critics are sayinig about the record.

Download "The Wonder" from Skeleton

Radiohead on Sound Opinions Saturday

While you're all sipping malt beverages getting ready to head out to CI, turn the dial to Chicago Public Radio (91.5 on your FM dial....) to this weeks edition of Sound Opinions .  The show will feature Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis interviewing Radiohead, and the band will be playing some tracks live in the studio. 

Wicker Park Summer Fest Set Times Released

The weekend of July 22nd and 23rd brings yet another chapter in Chicago's music festival extravaganza.  Wicker Park Summer Fest sets up camp on Damen south of North Avenue with two stages worth of music, including Robert Walters with Karl Denson, The Gris Gris, Chris Berry and Panjea, The Starlight Mints, The Hidden Cameras, and Walter Meego.  Two mystery "special guests" are scheduled in the headlining slots each night, so keep an eye out for something interesting being announced.  The festival is booked jointly by the folks at Subterranean and Silver Wrapper .  For the complete schedule click the "Continue Reading" link below.

Figurines Playing Chicago Innerview Magazine's Intonation After-Party

Well, Intonation Festival week has finally arrived, and if that's not enough to get you hyped, our friends at Chicago Innerview Magazine have put together a hell of an afterparty at Beat Kitchen Saturday night.  Everyone's favorite Danes The Figurines will be headlining the show, giving Chicago it's first chance to hear what all the buzz is about.  In case you've been living in a cave, this will get you up to speed:

“Cutting-edge rock buffs who've already moved past Arctic Monkeys, The Subways, and every other next big UK rock thing should keep on moving across the channel to Denmark, to start the cult of Figurines. The Danish band's fantastic second album, Skeleton, is the stuff indie-rock fantasies are built on, with a gripping, theatrical sound that's like a hybrid of early Built To Spill and pre-Soft Bulletin Flaming Lips, adorned with pieces of the old Neil Young albums that inspired those bands in the first place.”—The Onion A/V Club

 “8.3 out of 10” “The almost unthinkably hooky "The Wonder"….one of the sharpest indie rock songs of the young year so far.”-- Pitchfork Media

 “Critic’s Choice”—The New York Times

 “At high tangled-jangle speed …..these Danes sound a bit like Franz Ferdinand but much closer to a first-album Strokes.”—Rolling Stone

“Scandinavia, bless its heart, has stepped up to the plate and kindly exported their finest indie-rock band, Figurines.”—Spin Magazine

But wait, music fans.....that ain't all.  Also on the bill are the inimitable Skybox   (see my earlier posts about them here and here ) and Chicago's own  The Modern Temper .  That, my friends, is  a serious night of music.  Some come on out and enjoy it.  The Modern Temper will get things started at 10:30pm, so you'll have plenty of time to make the trek from Union Park.  You can pick up tickets HERE.

Figurines MySpace Page
Skybox MySpace Page
The Modern Temper MySpace Page