Created in West Philadelphia, electrified, and brought to life, Conversations with Enemies sings songs of love torn apart by death, zombies, and deals with the devil. Described as combining “feel good indie pop” together with surf rock and gypsy folk, Conversations with Enemies are also known for delivering an irrepressibly energetic live set.
Upcoming Events
Thursday, September 16th, 2010 at 10:00 pm
Conversations with Enemies, The Baby Magic
Filed under Live Music
Friday, September 17th, 2010 at 09:30 pm
Whistler Tips
Friday night dance party throw-down featuring a rotating cast of DJs from the greatest radio station in Chicago, CHIRP (Chicago Independent Radio Project). Expect to hear a mix of everything from Soul to Hip Hop to Indie Rock bangers to Pop classics and beyond. It’s that Wooo Woooooooo!!! And we’re bringing it every time.
Filed under DJs
Saturday, September 18th, 2010 at 10:00 pm
True Sounds of Liberty w/ DJs Sarah & Laurent Lebec
A night of punk, glam and power pop — smashes, ravers, hits AND deep cuts! Come liberate your senses and remember the urgency of rock. The Cars, Crass, Cheap Trick, Dead Boys, Television, Kiss, Ramones, Roxy Music, Black Flag, Sweet, T Rex, Badfinger, Boys, Screeching Weasel… All vinyl, all night long.
3rd Saturday of every month
Filed under DJs
Sunday, September 19th, 2010 at 06:00 pm
The Orange Alert Reading Series
The Orange Alert Reading Series is a extension of the arts and culture website What to Wear During an Orange Alert. The series began at the Whistler in November 2008 and has featured some of the top poets and fiction writers from Chicago and around the Midwest. Hosted by Jason Behrends. 3rd Sunday of every month, 6-8pm.
Filed under Readings
Sunday, September 19th, 2010 at 09:00 pm
Lawrence Peters’ Country Throw-Down w/ The Andy Wagner Band
The Andy Wagner Band kicks things off with a set of live music, then Lawrence spins from his enormous collection of vintage country records, throwing down a mix of honky tonk, bluegrass, outlaw, string band, countrypolitan, rockabilly… Favorites plus obscure regional artists. This is the real deal; none of that Nashville pop! Roger Miller, Loretta Lynn, Jimmy Martin, George Jones, Ray Price, Tammy Wynette, Johnny Cash, Bill Monroe, Stonewall Jackson, Melba Montgomery, Stanley Brothers, Hank Williams Senior, and Junior, Wade Mainer, Johnny Paycheck, Warner Mack, Merle Haggard… Fresh goods on the 3rd Sunday of every month!
Monday, September 20th, 2010 at 09:00 pm
CHIRP Radio Benefit w/ The Cathy Santonies, Dumpster Babies, CHIRP DJs
“If I have learned one thing about Chicago, it has a lot of extremely talented females. The Cathy Santonies describe their music as “a subversive mix of riot grrrl and cock rock.” I know what you’re thinking, how is that possible and didn’t the Donnas already do that? Well, the Cathy Santonies do it better; the band has emerged as heir apparent to the throne of such influential women rock groups as Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney.” —Loud Loop Press
Tuesday, September 21st, 2010 at 09:30 pm
Lionlimb, Music for 5 Year Olds
Lionlimb is two sun-soaked southerners bent on beating the windy-city winter with late-night reverie, dreams of spoiled shores and crooked cops and every antique shop stop on I-65. But don’t think too much into it. It’s just rock and roll, no plans to go.
Music for 5 Year Olds has no rules. The musical influences of its three members are vast and the sound of the band is an amalgamation of all these things. The band was conceived by Chicago producer/multi-instrumentalist Anthony Gravino and has evolved to become a unique sounding trio featuring musical virtuoso’s Michael Caskey and Ian Shepherd exploring many different moods and sounds to tell stories of all life, love and death. The band’s music is catchy, sometimes sarcastic and bitter sweet as well as being quite dynamic. Most important of all, IT IS FUN. Music for 5 Year Olds is currently working on their first record at their studio in Chicago and will be playing select shows throughout the Midwest this fall.
Filed under Live Music
Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010 at 10:00 pm
New Now Know How
Tony Barba — Saxophones
Robin Boudreaux — Saxophones
Matt Ulery — Bass
Quin Kirchner — Drums
In the 4 years since his return to his native Chicago, Quin Kirchner has become a ubiquitous drumming force throughout the music scene. In addition to being a member of Michigan/Chicago based Afro-futurists NOMO, Kirchner mans the drum chair in the Chicago improvising groups Lucky 7s, blink., Spilter and ZING! You can also find him contributing to local folk-rock outfit Leaf Bird and Whistler Records’ very own In Tall Buildings. Tonight he leads a quartet through a patchwork of lesser-known jazz material from Thelonious Monk, James Black, Charles Mingus, Andrew Hill and Carla Bley as well as original compositions from members of the group.
Filed under Live Music
Thursday, September 23rd, 2010 at 10:00 pm
Dozens, Angie Mattson
“Now this, James Murphy, is how you hit a high note: take a frazzled crossbreed of jazz and space-rock, add some smoky licks cool as Bryan Ferry’s white suit, set every song on a pollution-free beach, and instruct all participant to go snorkeling with Peter Fonda. That’s what it feels Chicago trio the DOZENS have done with their debut EP, which comes across as part Doors, part diving bell, and part divers breathing in laughing gas in its mix of rock-sea hypnosis… “ —Coke Machine Glow
ANGIE MATTSON is an American singer/songwriter often described as Alternative Americana. Her voice is as dusty and mesmerizing as it gets and her lyrics are dark and imagistic. Mattson grew up in an industrial town on Lake Michigan, before one day deciding to skip town for warmer temperatures. She taught herself to play guitar on a sailboat bound for South America. Since then her songs have been on FOX, ABC, LOGO and IFC and she has toured nationally and opened for the likes of Suzanne Vega, Uh Huh Her, Shawn Mullins, and more. Her new LP Skeleton Arm (2010) is gritty and angelic with sharp lyrics and haunting, unique production. Angie currently resides in the Highland Park area of Los Angeles.
Filed under Live Music
Friday, September 24th, 2010 at 09:30 pm
Whistler Soul & Funk Party
Soul and funk music is rooted in Chicago. The music and all its forms, from the R&B-tinged early 1960s through the stepper-friendly early-1980s, is central to the city’s music history. The artists were here, the business certainly was here, and the records are still here, meant to be played and shared on nights like these.
The Whistler’s monthly soul party is curated by Jay Wells and features new guest DJs for each installment, with a rotating cast of fans and collectors (amateurs and professionals), all friends via DJing funk and soul records. The Whistler Soul & Funk Party — 4th Friday of every month.
Filed under DJs
Saturday, September 25th, 2010 at 08:00 pm
Glad Cloud: Ambient Music Series
Glad Cloud celebrates the rich landscape of Chicago musicians working with ambient music, be it acoustic, electric, or both. Curated by Benjamin Mjolsness, the series provides an opportunity for ambient artists to colour the air, walls, and liquids of the Whistler in a deliberately non-intrusive manner. Visitors enjoy their cocktails and companions while the music envelops the room around them; performing artists are able to work on new approaches to their music. 8-10pm.
Performing Sept. 25th: Steven Hess
Filed under Live Music
Sunday, September 26th, 2010 at 09:30 pm
Clip Art, Susie Asado
Broken By Design is the debut EP from Clip Art, the musical vehicle of Chicago-based songwriter Andy Rosenstein. In the fall of 2008, the one-time public radio producer was underwhelmed by his career and looking for alternatives. He started to spend his nights recording at a friend’s studio space, and he applied to a graduate program in editing at a film school in Los Angeles. In June 2009 the EP was nearly done, when he received his acceptance letter. With only a month until orientation, he had to make a decision: move to LA and devote himself to becoming an editor, or finish his EP and pursue music.
“Fans of pop music rejoice. Chicago’s Clip Art are here to pull that dirtiest of dirty words out of the trash heap of history and restore it to its rightful place.” —Loud Loop Press
“The crowning jewel of the five-song EP is the first track, an upbeat rocker called “Dead Letter” with an effortlessly wonderful chorus that grabs you almost instantly. Deeper in, “I Was Gone,” “Better” and the title track are exercises in heartfelt soul-pop calling to mind greats such as Elvis Costello, Squeeze and Aimee Mann… “Dead Letter” alone would make Broken by Design highly recommended summer listening for any fan of indie pop or power pop. The fact that there are four other excellent tunes on the EP is just icing on the cake.” —Chicago Examiner
Filed under Live Music
Tuesday, September 28th, 2010 at 09:30 pm
Relaxation Record, The Plastic Council
The brainchild of Jim Dorling (Town & Country, DRMWPN), Relaxation Record plays meditative long-form songs with unconventional and ever-changing instrumentation. They are nearing completion on their first proper record.
Jim Dorling (DRMWPN, Town and Country)
Dan Mohr (DRMWPN, Box of Baby Birds, The Matt Focht Band, Jeff Harms, Oweihops, New Piety)
Sam Wagster (DRMWPN, The Fruitbats, Azita, Jeff Harms, The Lanterns, Baby Alright, Dragon&Jones)
Adam Vida (DRMWPN, Singer, US Maple)
Richard Sims (Dragon & Jones, Richard Sims)
Zak Prekop (Hooray!)
Filed under Live Music
Saturday, October 02nd, 2010 at 10:00 pm
DJ Plastic Crimewave
All 45s of acid rock, bubblegum, french pop, krautrock, fuzz funk, 70s one-hit wonders, astral folk, garage rock, danceable groovers, sweaty soul, hard boogie, psych-pop and more.
Filed under DJs
