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AA Bondy came through Chicago this weekend in support of Elvis Perkins in Dearland. I’d seen Elvis a couple of times around the city but had yet to catch AA Bondy. While his live sound was pared down to just three members, his voice really stole the show and sounded just a powerful as on his recordings.

Both the crowd and the show itself were surprisingly low key for a Saturday night on Lincoln avenue but it was perfect setup for AA to showcase his brand of Americana. Much of the material came from his most recent release When the Devil’s Loose (which I recommend) including the best track on the album “I Can See the Pines Are Dancing” in which he brought out a number of the guys from Dearland including Elvis to accompany him.

AA Bondy joined on stage by Elvis Perkins in Dearland

Back to back nights – The Walkmen and White Rabbits. While I love the intimacy and sound quality of Schubas, I will say Lincoln Hall is a better place to snap photos. At Schubas you can get close, but you can’t really get a whole lot else. That being said Lincoln Hall still seems to be working out some sound issues. From the floor there was a general agreement between Dan, Matt, Aaron and me that the sound was off. It didn’t help that The Walkmen were a bit more sauced than the previous night (or at least appeared so).

As with the night before, White Rabbits opened the show and again the people I was with thought they (White Rabbits) put on a better performance. I would argue against such sentiment. Both nights The Walkmen busted out a slew of new and unreleased tunes while White Rabbits played almost exclusively from their two existing albums. Not that they weren’t playing great – I just have a soft spot for The Walkmen even on a bad night.

White Rabbits from the balcony

White Rabbits with 2" shutter speed

White Rabbits and the crowd

Hamilton Leithauser belting out

The Walkmen and the horns playing Louisiana

From the balcony

We took a break from the music for a bit around the middle of The Walkmen set. Matt was on a rant (as he's prone to doing) against The Walkmen performance so far. No one said he was easy to please.

Aaron snapped a pic of the brothers

The Walkmen returned to Schubas for a Wednesday night show before moving over to Lincoln Hall for a two night run on Thursday and Friday. While this show could have played out as a low key warm up for the following two shows, it didn’t. Hamilton came out with more of his trademark howl then I’d ever seen, perhaps even too much. Used selectively it really helps to emphasize and empower certain material or lyrics but when overused it quickly fades into hairband wailing.

That being said, it was another great outing from the Walkmen. They played at least four new songs that will hopefully show up on their forthcoming (and untitled) album which is slated for release in the Spring of 2010.

White Rabbits opened up for The Walkmen

Hamilton Leithauser belting out some vocals

Fanfarlo finally rolled through Chicago for first time on Monday and put on a great show before a sold out crowd at Schubas. They had just arrived stateside from France to kickoff their first full US tour and although they were a bit jet lagged, the performance suffered none. They pulled most of the material from their recent album Reservoir which was released back in the spring. They move westward now out to California and if you have the opportunity to see them I recommend it.

Vocalist Simon Balthazar

Cathy Lucas on the violin

The crowd at a very packed Schubas

Some gear on the stage post performance

I did the unthinkable; I skipped out on the Urban Initiatives Halloween bash this year. Instead Anna and I ventured up north to Marissa and Lep’s Halloween party at their new house in Milwaukee.

Lep and Dustin. Dustin's mom handmade his costume

Lep and Anna with Niles

Pat Glynn wearing his sister's shorts. I told him once his balls drop he won't be able to wear this anymore.

I'm a cowboy, Lep's a 70's baller. Building a fire in Lep's new place.

Dustin took a number of these photos. He's more obnoxious with his camera than I am with mine.

Cowboy and Cowgirl

Anna and Niles the next morning.

Niles strikes a pose

On the road the next day I was feeling a bit banged up from the night before but I was saved by a pit stop at the world famous Mars Cheese Castle in Kenosha. It was a slice of heaven from the Promised Land.

Outside the Mars Cheese Castle

Oh the glorious cheese.

Oh the sausage.

Anna posing with the life size cow inside the Castle o' Cheese.