CHICD: Gazebo Effect, Luke Henry and the Honey Bears, and Futurebirds - 9/1

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 35 weeks into the year and I have seen 87 shows.

Looking at the stage, it wasn’t hard to figure out it was going to be a guitar heavy lineup. There were three rows of four amps. Seriously. If you are into guitar, did you miss out on this one!

Gazebo Effect kicked off the night with music that walks the line between mellow and heavy. There were three guitarists, and they all traded off on solos and rhythm at some point. The bassist switched to guitar for a song, so he got some licks in, too. I liked how lead singer, Jaime, bounced with the music; the rhythm rocked his whole body. Really worked for the almost reggae sound they dabbled into. But the true standout for me was the guitarist, Ray. He was so happy, almost like he was amazed at his luck to be playing for us. The best moments came from when Ray and Eric joined forces in some gorgeous guitarmonies. I couldn’t get enough of that.

<a href="http://gazeboeffect.bandcamp.com/album/turtle-rock">Turtle Rock by Gazebo Effect</a>

If Gazebo Effect bounced, Luke Henry and the Honey Bears swayed. Much of their sound conveyed steamy languid nights. The slide guitar felt more surfer than country. I really liked the smooth soul quality of Luke’s voice and the way he looked confidently into the audience. It was clear that he was in control of this performance, and his band brought happy vibes to the performance. It was the fourth song, “Picture Show”, when the band really seemed to jell together into a rockin’ fun time.

<a href="http://lukehenrytunes.bandcamp.com/album/hunnybear-vol-i">& Hunnybear Vol. I by Luke Henry</a>

Futurebirds brought a southern sense of hospitality to rock ‘n’ roll. They toasted the audience, gave them high fives, and pointed right back at the guys singing and pointing along to the music. It felt like we were watching a group of friends jam out on the porch. It was laid back and fun AF, like good rock ‘n’ roll in the hay. Three vocalists meant we got a good variety in tone and harmonies. It also meant not one person was chained to the microphone, which gave Daniel and Carter room to be performative hams, in a confident relaxed way. If they saw you holding up a camera, they gave you something worth taking a picture of. It was a lot of fun to watch.