This lineup screams “Midwest Action”. Two great Chicago indie rock acts, Minor Characters & Tall Walker, along with our neighbors to the east, Indiana’s Faux Paw. We couldn’t have asked for a better lineup even if we picked it ourselves.
Hailing from Lafayette, IN, Faux Paw (pronounced: “fäks pô”) have been making music together since 2011 and got the attention of Central Indiana’s self-proclaimed “seventh best indie-rock record label”, Jurassic Pop, in 2012.
They caught our attention recently as well. MWA devotees may remember our FIVE X FIVE interview with the band just last week, where they called their new tunes “…uptempo, rock’n’roll-ier, & riff-ier”. Their album Too Close Is The New Too Far is a strong debut filled with catchy soft-rock tunes reminiscent of alt-country acts like Wilco, but deeply rooted in classic rock tradition at the same time.
Spending much of 2012 in the early formative stages as a band, Tall Walker still managed to turn out a 2-track digital EP via Bandcamp, a few beautifully produced performance videos, and even a commercial for The Metro. What the band may lack in the ways of recorded material they make up for with their live show.
Singer, Guitarist & Chicago transplant, Nick Bays, brings some of his southern charm to the Chicago-based band and has a remarkable set of pipes on him. The band has a deep catalogue of tricks up their sleeves when it comes to playing live and are sure to throw in a few surprises for those that get there early on Friday night.
Minor Characters manage to take cues from the world of psychedelic rock, such as ambient reverb-laden guitars, but present them in a pop format. They don’t not seem to subscribe to one particularly well-defined genre, but instead they achieve a sound that is very much their own.
Reminiscent of Radiohead during some of their quieter moments, and even a bit like Pink Floyd during some of their “spacier” explorations, their list of musical influences must be expansive. With two strong EPs (available through Jurassic Pop) under their belt the band recently began work on their first full length LP in August. They’re a joy to see live, and in my opinion, one of Chicago’s most promising new acts.
We know you have many choices when it comes down to how to spend your Friday night, but we assure you this night of Midwestern indie rock will help start your weekend right.
Doors open at 8:30 pm; Show at 9:00 pm; 21+. Tickets will run you just $10, and you can pick one up here.
Minor Characters Official | Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp
Tall Walker Official | Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp
Faux Paw Official | Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp