Mazes play last show w/ Hotel Brotherhood at Hideout on 7/2

Mazes, a kick-ass Chicago band, will be playing their last show for a while at the Hideout (1354 W Wabansia) due to members leaving for other projects out of state. They will be playing with Hotel Brotherhood tomorrow night (Friday, 7/2.)

You should come for two reasons. #1. The music will be awesome. #2. This is simply the place to be this Friday. You know, everyone who is anyone will be there. Just saying.

photo – Jeanine O’Toole

SONNENZIMMER'S Nick Butcher in Post No Bills

Our favorite Chicago music writer Peter Margasak writes about Homeroom collaborator Nick Butcher’s music in his excellent Post No Bills blog at the Chicago Reader.

Everything Is Changing

This Saturday, 6/26, the Paper Crane will host an art exhibition called ‘Everything Is Changing.’ The show will feature the work of Heather Chontos, Leslie Carlson and Dee Clements.

The show will be open from 6-9pm and the Paper Crane is located 2846 W. North Avenue (door is on Francisco.) In addition to the great art we guarantee you will see, there will also be free drinks available.

The Books and Via Tania

Don’t worry about the rain. Come out for an awesome free concert at Millennium Park with The Books and Via Tania

Via Tania features Homeroom friend Charles Rumback on drums, and Via Tania’s voice is a beautiful as her songs are haunting. They go on at 7:30 at the Pritzker Pavillion. Also, Whitney Johnson is performing with The Books, so you might as well just enjoy the whole show.

Fred Anderson

Our thoughts are with Fred Anderson, one of the city’s great tenor saxophone players and a pillar of the Chicago Jazz community who has been in the hospital since Sunday. Fred founded and continues to run the Velvet Lounge, one of the finest and most well-respected locations for Chicago music. While a visit to the Velvet is never a bad idea, please consider a trip this week as a show of support for Fred.

Scream into the Abyss at On a Mountain Top

Our buddy (and logo designer) Alex Fuller is always at it. His latest creation is a new social media site that matches his minimalist sensibilities: onamountaintop.com. In Alex’s own words:

“I do not enjoy most social media platforms. They seem more like popularity contests than anything else. I only say that because I have less than 200 friends on Faceplace. That’s why I developed onamountaintop.com with developer, Noah Bernsohn. At it’s most basic form, I believe social media is a dialogue. Onamountaintop.com allows users to say whatever it is they want to say with no accounts, no friends and no poking. Once the user’s entry fades to white, their words are gone forever. Just as one’s voice echoes into the valley from a mountain top. I know, it’s pure poetry.”

Via The Post Family.

Singer Songwriter Dates Set for Fall Semester

The first dates of Homeroom’s fall semester are set. Our Songwriter Showcase and Open Mic will continue at Elastic Arts on 9/10, 10/8, 11/12 and 12/10. This time around, we’re picking a different host for each night and asking them to choose the features. Josh Dumas of Notes and Scratches, Roy Ivy of the Tuh Duhs, Annie Reese of Rock Falls and Eric Ziegenhagen all agreed to host.

It’s only June and we’re already getting excited. Check out Roy Ivy’s performance from February for a little taste.

Love Raid w/ Death Ships, Will Phalen & The Stereo Addicts, and Emblems

Love Raid is a rock trio made of Homeroom folks Justin Petertil, Seth Vanek and Gerard Barreto. Justin’s song subvert and stretch pop music with subtle turns of phrase and melody.

They will be playing Thursday, at the Subterranean (2011 W North Ave) with Death Ships, Will Phalen & the Stereo Addicts, and Emblems. The rock starts at 7:30, so grab a quick dinner and come out for some fun.

Photo by Thea Nichols.