If I was in Chicago tonight, this is where I'd be going

photo via Subinev

Indianapolis natives Margot and the Nuclear So and So's are giving back to their new home city by playing some old and and new songs FOR FREE tonight. Hopefully this stripped down version just includes Richard, the violinist, the percussionist, and the pianist. I imagine it might end up sounding like a Daytrotter session, which is never a bad thing. I've heard Neva Dinova is pretty good too, but haven't listened yet.

From Margot's myspace:
Tonight, Wednesday March 25th, Richard and some fellow margot's will be getting together at the inconvenience art space/venue to play some old songs, as well as some songs from the new record. They will be joined on this special day by their friends, "the whispertown 2000" and Jake Bellows (of Neva Dinova). You may remember that Margot toured with Whispertown long ago during the elected tour. Wanna re-live those memories? Of course you do. And we want to see you there. It's a small intimate space and it should make for a very special, one of a kind evening. The show is free (although a donation to help the touring band is appreciated), and it is open to all ages.

3036 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL
Doors at 6 Pm
Music at 7 pm!

"Obaaaama, Obaaaama."- Wesley Willis

Print courtesy of Obey Giant

The New York Times asked people to submit one word to describe how they were feeling after Barack Obama won the election. Most of the responses were "hopeful," "relieved," and variants of "ecstatic." A few people wrote "scared." I fall into the "relieved" camp, as I hardly knew anybody who voted for Bush the last two elections, and knew even fewer who were happy with the way things are right now. Knowing I was surrounded by ignorance, but not being able to see it to confront it, was an unsettling feeling.

While I wish the state of our country didn't have to become this terrible for things to get better, I'm extremely happy this change happened. Voters were able to look past rhetoric and residual prejudices still in our country to give Obama what was once a dream - a deserved chance at righting our ship's stern - and give the rest of us jaded Americans some hope.

Now for the less serious, but more relevant (at least to this blog's purposes) part. While watching Obama's rally in Chicago's Grant Park, seeing the city so united reminded me of the Bulls' three-peat so many years ago. I felt like the old Bulls' announcer needed to announce Obama in stretched syllables over the Bulls' theme music. "From Chicago, at 6 feet 1 inch and (~) 180 pounds... Baaarack Obaaaaaaaaama!"


Meanwhile, in reality, after Obama was projected as the President-elect, The National's somber "Fake Empire" played loudly and clearly. The song's lyrics "We're half-awake/ in a fake empire" hardly seemed appropriate in comparison with the magnitude of the event. But, the band's inclusion was not that out of left-field, as they raised $10,000 for the Obama campaign through selling t-shirts. They also and played a free show with The Breeders in the politically contentious city of Cincinnati, replete with buses to take people to vote early. Previously, at the Democratic National Convention, "Fake Empire" played during a film about Obama.

Sort of ridiculous, when you consider that "Mr. November" would have been much more appropriate and inspiring, minus the swearing and the white part. "I'm the new blue blood/ I'm the great white hope/...I won't fuck us over, I'm Mr. November."


Even more ridiculously, this Wesley Willis song implanted itself in my head, because i could see "O-bam-a" easily replaced over "Nir-van-a."


Willis, also a Chicagoan, unfortunately died in 2003, so he (obvs) wasn't able to pull for his song's inclusion at the rally. Maybe someone will cover it in four years. Hopefully.

"... and the Chicago Cubs will beat every team in the league"- The Mountain Goats

I love Cubs fans. Say what you will about their fickle flightiness, but what other team's fans start making World Series championship claims before the playoffs have even begun? Cubs fans have season aspirations higher than Alfonso Soriano's paycheck, even though they are oft accused of drinking the "this year is the year" Kool-aid too fervently.

Great art is sometimes born out of frustration, and the Cubbie's 100-year drought serves as perfect fodder for musicians. Hopefully artists have some positive inspiration after this week's events. After Lee helped push the Milwaukee Brewers further back in the division during the 12-inning showdown yesterday, the Cubs stand a chance to clinch the division (for the second year in a row!) if they beat the Cardinals today, and if the Brewers lose.

Derrick Lee, 1st baseman for the Cubs,
1st place in my heart

Original pic from Clear Channel :(

Thankfully, I have two songs to listen to depending on the outcome of the season.

If the Cubs do well, I will listen to Eddie Vedder's wistful "Go All the Way," which he wrote per Ernie Bank's request. Vedder's narcissism aside, that's pretty cool he listened to Bank's request and created this sing-along.



Vedder's pretentiousness still seeps through in that he wants to release a recorded version of this song on "souvenir 45's." Can something be a souvenir before a historic event has happened? I guess if he says so.

If the Cubs lose, being a typical fan, I will blame it on some outside, probably mystical force, and then listen to The Mountain Goats' melancholy and sarcastic "Cubs in Five."



Though I much prefer the Goats' song to Vedder's, I hope to be singing "Go, Cubs, Go" followed by "Go All the Way" in October.