Smile Politely

The Overture: January 22-27

WHAT: Doug Buchanan, John Coppess, William Decker

WHERE: The Clark Bar (free)

WHEN: Tuesday, January 22nd at 7 p.m.

Another week at the Clark Bar with singer songwriters offering up the best of what they’ve got. A few familiar faces this week with Doug Buchanan, John Coppess, and William Decker. Should be enough acoustic folk to last you until next week from this trio.
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WHAT: The Great Cover Up

WHERE: The Highdive

WHEN: Tuesday, January 22nd at 9 p.m. and Thursday, January 24th at 9 p.m.

The Great Cover Up is regrouping after a weekend full of great acts covering their favorites. Some highlights of last weekend’s shows could be Curb Service covering Notorious B.I.G., or Mike Ingram & his band covered Europe, amongst many others who performed. Definitely recommend getting out there to at least one night of shows this week, offered on Tuesday and Thursday. Here are the lineups for those shows and set order (latest to earliest):

Tuesday’s Lineup:

That’s No Moon
Evil Tents
The Chemicals
The Stars They Beckon
Electric Bitters
Megan Johns
Morgan Orion

Thursday’s Lineup:

The Dirty Feathers
Scurvine 
Grandkids 
Sonny Stubble
Isaac Arms
Anna Karenina/Anna Karina
Lady Pilots

Evil Tents covering Beck’s “Lost Cause”

The Dirty Feathers + Kayla Brown covering The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter”
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WHAT: The Soul Rebels, The Duke of Uke and His Novelty Orchestra

WHERE: The Canopy Club ($10 advance/$12 door)

WHEN: Wednesday, January 23rd at 8 p.m.

A New Orleans brass band showdown at Canopy Club on Wednesday with The Soul Rebels and locals Duke of Uke and His Novelty Orchestra. Check out a track from Soul Rebel’s newest record, Unlock Your Mind, below entitled “504.”

[[mp3 soul_rebels_504]]
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WHAT: Company of Thieves, Von Grey

WHERE: The Canopy Club ($11 advance/$13 door)

WHEN: Thursday, January 24th at 6:30 p.m.

Chicago’s Company of Thieves are back in town supporting their newest record, which came out last year, Running From A Gamble. Perhaps it wasn’t as warmly recieved as their debut album, featuring their standout track “Oscar Wilde” (streaming below), but worth a few listens nonetheless. 

[[mp3 company_of_thieves_oscar_wilde]]

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WHAT: Baauer, Team Bayside High, Miss A, DJ Mellow

WHERE: The Canopy Club ($13 advance/$15 door)

WHEN: Thursday, January 24th at 10:30 p.m.

Twenty-three year-old Harry Rodrigues, aka Baauer, invades Canopy Club with a handful of other acts later in the week. A lot of club bangers under this guy’s belt thus far, so it should fill Canopy with a serious amout of beats. Bring your drugs, kids. Here’s Baauer’s collaboration with Just Blaze called “Higher.”

[[mp3 baauer_just_blaze_higher]]

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WHAT: Jenny Owen Youngs, Megan Johns

WHERE: The Highdive ($12)

WHEN: Friday, January 25th at 7:30 p.m.

The charming Jenny Owen Youngs is in town supporting her new record from last year, An Unwavering Band of Light, which you can stream for free over at her Bandcamp page, or stream “Your Apartment” below to get an idea of what you’re in for. We’ll have an interview with Young later in the week. Supporting is local acoustic singer-songwriter in Megan Johns.

[[mp3 jenny_owen_youngs_your_apartment]]
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WHAT: Motes, Moritat, Little Lies

WHERE: Mike ‘N Molly’s ($5)

WHEN: Friday, January 25th at 9 p.m. 

Local noise rockers Motes are coming off a pretty solid 2012 with their Feel the Summer’s Heat EP, featuring one of the best local tracks of the year “Should.” You can stream that track below. Chicago’s Moritat are back in town after visiting Mike ‘N Molly’s last year. Their new record was produced by the same man who helped out with New Ruins’ This Life Is Not Ours To Keep in Brian Deck (Modest Mouse, Iron & Wine). Interesting stuff worth listening to if you’re interested in this show. Opening things up is local band Little Lies.

 

[[mp3 motes_should]]
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WHAT: Finer Feelings, Decadents, Cody & The Gateway Drugs

WHERE: Cowboy Monkey ($5)

WHEN: Friday, January 25th at 9 p.m.

Finer Feelings put out their debut self-titled EP at the end of last year, which you can stream over at their Bandcamp or download at the price of your choice. You can listen to “Big Top” below as well. A full-local bill features rockers Decadents and Cody & The Gateway Drugs.

[[mp3 finer_feelings_big_top]]

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EDITOR’S PICK: RAMONA FALLS, MILLE NOMI
Mike ‘N Molly’s ($10) — Saturday, January 26th at 8 p.m.

 The next installment of our Smile Politely Show Series is going down this weekend with an act we’re really excited about. We’re pretty pleased for a lot of these shows that are in our series, but especially this one. Ramona Falls put out a pretty stellar sophomore record last year, in the midst of Brent Knopf leaving his previous project Menomena, entitled Prophet. If you haven’t heard it yet, do yourself a favor and go listen right now. We’re not kidding. Supporting is local act Mille Nomi. We’ll have a full interview with Knopf later this week to get you prepared for this show. Stream a highlight (one of many) off of Prophet below in “Spore.”

[[mp3 ramona_falls_spore]]

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WHAT: JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound, Sun Stereo, Positive Vibr8tions, DJ Tim Williams

WHERE: The Canopy Club ($8)

WHEN: Saturday, January 26th at 9 p.m.

J.C. Brooks & The Uptown Sound released Want More at the end of last year and are bringing their live show back to C-U after playing the Highdive. Joel Gillespie did a preview of their show the last time they were in town, which you can check out here. The lineup features some locals in synth-pop outfit Sun Stereo and a few DJs. Check out the J.C. Brooks track “Sister Ray Charles” streaming below.

[[mp3 jc_brooks_sister_ray_charles]]

Executive Editor

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