The RH Cheat Sheet to "Red Bull Sound Select Presents: 30 Days In Chicago"
If you haven’t heard yet, Red Bull Sound Select has put together an incredible month long festival this November celebrating the Chicago music scene and the people who make it great. There is a show out there for everyone. From mainstream darlings like Young Thug and Lil Yachty, to more local homegrown sensations such as Noname or Eryn Allen Kane, we at RH wanted to get in on the fun and compiled all the shows that we wouldn’t miss for the world. All tickets and more info here.
When: Nov 4th
Where: Portage Theater
Who: Fakeshoredrive 10th Anniversary show featuring The Big Tymers, Tee Grizzley and special guests.
Why: It's incredibly hard to last 10 years doing anything, let alone anything in the music business, and then take that a step further when it comes to music blogs. But Andrew Barber and Fakeshoredrive have done it and continue to push Hip Hop music and culture further. We came in the game together, and it's only right that the whole city comes out to celebrate. Celebrating FSD's 10 years in the game is not just a celebration of one website, but of the Chicago Hip Hop community, one that has evolved tremendously in 10 years and done things have not only shifted Chicago, but the music industry as a whole.
When: Nov 9th
Where: Thalia Hall
Who: Kali Uchis, Twelve’Len, Elley Duhe
Why: Colombian-American Singer Kali Uchis has a classic sound, dripped in nostalgia for a lost era. Singing about her personal independence in a slow paced hushed manner she gives off the aura of someone who has it all figured out. This show promises to be a romantic evening, perfect for the lovers in the city.
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When: Nov 16th
Where: Concord Music Hall
Who: Mura Masa, Tennyson, Bonzai
Why: Producer Mura Masa has an eclectic background. Before he ever picked up Ableton Live and started making Electronic/Trap music he grew up playing guitar, bass, piano, & drums while performing in Punk, Gospel, & Hardcore groups. His musical roots set the framework for his diverse and energetic music that makes you feel so alive. This show promises to be a banger and you should expect to get sweaty if you’re in attendance.
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When: Nov 20th
Where: Reggie’s Rock Club
Who: Daniel Caesar, SIR, Cherrie
Why: Canadian Soul and R&B singer Daniel Caesar has been critically acclaimed since the release of his EP “Praise Break” in 2014. Steadily building a fan base through continual EP releases, Caesar is the king of ballads at the moment. His music makes me feel like I’m becoming a better me, learning from all the mistakes and blessings along the way. If you are looking for a spiritual sentimental moment this show is a pretty safe bet for just that.
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When: Nov 21st
Where: Concord Music Hall
Who: Noname, Buddy, The Last Artful, Dodgr
Why: Noname is a hometown hero. A staple in the YOUMedia scene and slam poetry circuit she captured the nations hearts with her verse on Chance The Rappers “Lost” back in 2013. A couple years later she unveiled her debut LP “Telefone”, which was one of the best albums of the last five years. Noname does not make filler music, every sentence she raps is carried with a sense of purpose unmatched by her peers. This show is definitely for the city.
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When: Nov 25th
Where: Space
Who: Kweku Collings, Kamau, Trapo
Why: Evanston native Kweku Collins has had a huge year. From unveiling his second full length project “Grey”, to tearing up SXSW, to his tour with Whitney, he is riding his streak with a full head of steam. This show promises to be a look at the near future of Hip-Hop music with Kweku’s Alternative-Rap ethos being joined by Madison’s Trapo. A fiery MC who isn’t even 20 years old yet but has made Pigeons and Planes “20 Under 20” list 3 years running.
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When: Nov 26th
Where: Lincoln Hall
Who: Zero Fatigue, Smino, Ravyn Lenae, Monte Booker, Bari, Jay2
Why: The Zero Fatigue squad have all enjoyed their own respective successes this past year. Smino became the latest person who wasn’t from Chicago to be adopted as one of the city’s own. Monte Booker is the sultan of swing and makes beats that sound like no other, his mastery of syncopation unrivaled in the scene today. Ravyn Lenae is a masterful vocalist with an airy delivery all her own. All coming together on one bill fans could witness a Voltron effect on the 26th, this will be a squad affair no doubt.
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When: Nov 28th
Where: Chop Shop
Who: Xavier Omar, Jesse Baez, Jake&Papa
Why: Xavier Omar, a smooth singer from San Antonio is one of the more overlooked R&B acts out there. After first hearing his soothing voice on “All I Need” by Noname I was impressed; once I came across his smooth & sexy EP “The Everlasting Wave” I was sold. If you are looking for a romantic evening and some dancing this is the show for you.
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[Video] Moody Good: "MusicBx" (Feat. Eryn Allen Kane)
Moody Good is the English producer, formerly a part of production team 16Bit that helped craft Bjork's 2011 album, Biophilia responsible for the latest track to come out of the always popping UK dance music scene with his track, "Musicbx" that came complete with a visual rendering today with a premier on NME.com. The video traces what seems like one man's stumbling post-trip experience as he wanders, looking for something and finding a lot of what he doesn't need. Vocals for the track are supplied by one of our artists to watch out of Chicago, Eryn Allen Kane, who shows her full flexibility with this latest offering by taking a step outside the soul/r&b vibes that she has been linked to thus far. She continues to impress as she heads toward her own album release soon. Moody Good keeps the song going and lays out a solid canvas from which Kane can work with his expert production and playfulness throughout. Check out the full video for the song, streaming now below.
Chicago Acts to Look Out For in 2014
Photo by Bobby Reys
Chicago has been on lately. The Second City has always been known as a musical city and the current rate at which it has produced talent as of late is only adding to that legacy. As festival lineups roll out as we transition into Spring, it has become common to find a Chicago act, if not several, on the list. For this reason, we decided to put together a list of up and coming artists from Chicago that we expect to fully blossom throughout 2014. We added numbers, but there's no real order as far as rankings, just a collection of musical acts from the city that deserve a spotlight. Last year, Chance The Rapper, Chief Keef and a host of hip-hop artists dominated music headlines as a pipeline was established in the Midwest. There is plenty in the city that isn't rap music too though, and we made sure to highlight everyone. Take some time to flip through the next batch of stars to rise out of Chicago.
[Songs Of The Day] 1/28/14 (Feat. CHVRCHES, Rittz, Inventions, Aaliyah and more)
As the majority of the country turned to an icicle, the hits kept coming and we got the latest song releases compiled in one spot here for today's songs of the day.
Leading things off today is Detroit native and Chicago resident Eryn Allen Kane, who continued to show off the sinewy vocals displayed in her last single "Hollow" as she jumps on a track with UK dance artist Moody Good for the thumping track, "Music Box". Inventions teamed up with an eclectic group of musicians in Explosions in the Sky and Eluvium Members to create a sonically gratifying song in "Entity" while one of our RH First Look artists from 2013, Jay Dot Rain, discusses the intricacies of soul food on his latest offering, "Grits N' Gravy". Rittz, Jackie Chain, Scotty ATL, and RaRa got the south on today with a rousing remix of "Pimpin Man" and CHVRCHES did some tinkering of their own, covering "Bela Lugosi’s Dead" by Bauhaus. Aside from that, Chicago's own Murph Watkins continued to prove he's in line to pop from Chicago with "All Is Fair" and Banks brings us his latest in "Brain".
Rittz, Jackie Chain, Scotty ATL, and RaRa "Pimpin' Mane" (Remix)
CHVRCHES "Bela Lugosi’s Dead" (Bauhaus Cover)
Mr. Carmack "Stoke It, Baby" (Aaliyah "Rock The Boat" Mix)
BANKS "BRAIN"
Murph Watkins "All Is Fair"
Jay Dot Rain "Grits N' Gravy"
[RH First Glance] Eryn Allen Kane: "Hollow"
If you've been really paying attention to RubyHornet and the Midwest music scene, you may have heard of Eryn Allen Kane. If not, you'll most definitely remember her once you have. The 23 year old singer/songwriter has spent the past year quietly working on her debut project in the annals of Chicago's Fox & The Mule studios. With the project nearly ready and slated for a Spring release, Kane and co. decided to release this video for "Hollow", a vocal avant-garde piece, inspired by expressionist paintings and shot by the talented Austin Vesely. According to Kane, the piece came together naturally; "Robbie Mueller and I were just messing around but I eventually came up with a solid melody using original lyrics, as well as lyrics from two of my favorite jazz songs," said Kane. "I went home, played it back and recorded the melody into my computer. I don't know how to play the guitar so I just sang the guitar riffs. Then I vocally arranged the rest of the back vocals to make it sound like a full song. One night we decided to record it at the studio and it ended up sounding pretty cool so we figured we'd put it out as some what of a teaser for the rest of my project and not a single." Teaser indeed, the track and accompanying video certainly create suspense heading into Kane's full project, which according to her will share a minimalist approach with "Hollow" but with more variety and instrumentation.
This is not Vesely and Kane's first time working together either, having previously collaborated on the Vesely-directed short film "Sex Tape Day" that garnered over 15,000 views in a week and made it to the front page of Funny Or Die. The idea for "Hollow" came from a video in which actors are painted to resemble expressionist artworks. "We picked up some paint, headed back to his house, listened to led zeppelin and shot a video," explained Kane. "We both knew exactly what we wanted which made this pretty easy. We make a good team. He's the man." Check out the video below for yourself and keep it locked to Ruby Hornet for the latest from Eryn Allen Kane.
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