My goal is to see one show per week. Yes, I might be that annoying friend that just has to tell you about the thing you missed, but I’m also catching every great show in the city of Chicago–with plenty more ahead of me. Welcome to the Chicago Concert Dispatch.
At the time of this show, it is 22 weeks into the year and I have seen 36 shows.
It’s the last day of May, and I’ve decided to end the month on a high note with J.E. Sunde and Dead Horses at Schubas.
J.E. Sunde’s voice is versatile, transforming to fit the mold of the different styles of music he is exploring–everything from psychedelic to folk to jazz to country–while still sounding exactly like himself. The band’s stage presence is subtle, but it is a pleasure of watch them feel the music, moving in ways both measured and calculated to jell the sound. The sound is so good, it’s hard to resist. So, just give in, close your eyes, and sway to their stellar musicianship.
The evening of killer musicians continued with Dead Horses. I was mesmerized by the drummer; he’d use unconventional techniques on his kit, like running the butt of his drumstick along the top of the cymbal to make a ringing, screeching sound. He didn’t, however, outshine Sarah Vos’s ethereal singing. Her performance feels like she is grounded and finding strength from her music, gently stepping out the beat of the music in her bare feet.
The band’s performance makes you feel connected to everyone in the room and even beyond the walls of the venue. Especially when they played “Swinger in the Trees” in the encore, the repetition of “there is always hope” lifted my heart and brought tears to my eyes. Bringing those feelings to the surface is a special talent.
J.E. Sunde Official | Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram
Dead Horses Official | Facebook | Instagram
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