So that’s where we’re headed, on Friday September 28. And you too, if you’re chosen as the lucky winner of two free tickets to see them!

To enter to win, visit our partners at Windy City Weekly (http://windycityweekly.com) and subscribe to receive the weekly newsletter. It’s free, and awesome. If you’re already a subscriber, you’re already entered.

The winner of the two free tickets to see The Avett Brothers at Chicago’s Northerly Island will be chosen in August, and you’ll be notified via email.

Good luck!

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RIP.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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We can’t tell you too much about this Illinois-based band, mostly because their email address doesn’t seem to work, and they are not in a hurry to write about themselves anywhere. So, we’ll just share what we do know.

Half Coyote is not something you hear very often (those who have heard Devil in a Woodpile have a head start). Toy piano, banjo, ukelele…dogs–you’ll find it all here. But don’t think that it’s cartoonish hijinks. Rather, Half Coyote sounds about perfect for a back room, beer- and whiskey-soaked sway, maybe ending with a new friend or a black eye–either seems appropriate. (Hopefully, these guys are on The Hideout’s radar. If not, we’ll try to make that happen.)

We’ve heard a lot of half-baked folk music invade the scene over the last few years. This is not it. Half Coyote is all in. And the more we listen, so are we.

We invite you to have a listen to Finale Rack, below. And you can head to the Half Coyote bandcamp page to hear the rest of their EP, People Clothes (listen to ‘Politics’). Also, check ‘em out on Facebook.

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As I handed over my ticket, I grumbled about the “convenience” charge. Nine dollars–50 cents under half of the cost of the ticket itself. Not really “convenient” for me. We walked in and the crowd was sparse, and there was plenty of seating around the main floor. That’s convenient. We ordered $7 beers. Not so convenient. We picked a good spot, stage right, and found a couple of stools where we could perch for the evening. But there’s a sign taped to these stools. “See Security.”

“Hi. So what’s the story with these stools?”

“Oh hello. Tonight, we’re offering these seats for $20. Or, $30 for two seats.”

“You’re kidding.”

“No.”

“That’s for every seat in the building?”

“Yep.”

What the fuck?

To recap: I paid $18.50 per ticket. Plus, a $9 “convenience” charge for each ticket. For two tickets, that’s $55–$18 of which goes toward my convenience. But you know what’s not convenient? Paying more than the cost of the ticket… to sit down. In the venue you just paid to enter. Where, I’m buying one beer for the cost of a six-pack at the store. Now really, whose convenience am I paying for, exactly?

This is like paying to enter Wrigley field, only to discover that if you want to sit in your seat–the seat you just paid for–it’s going to cost you about the same amount as what’s printed on the ticket. Otherwise, you’re required to stand next to your seat for the next three hours.

I’ve always enjoyed you, House of Blues. I’ve always respected you, and I’ve never much minded your high-priced tickets and libations because you’ve always taken care of me. You’ve always made me feel welcome, and I’ve always left satisfied, sometimes even elated. I’ve always looked forward to coming to visit.

Now?

I feel nickel-and-dimed. I feel duped. You feel cheap. And you’ve cast a toxic black cloud that stinks up the place. Once, you were special. Now, you’re conniving. Greedy. And an all-around asshole.

You blew it.

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It’s free, and by the sounds of the album it’s going to be a lot of fun. And really, Empty Bottle is pretty much always fun.

Below you can listen to “Year of the Rat” from Strange Vibrations.

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This Chicago group is coming off their first tour of select Southern and Midwestern states, spreading the sounds from their latest release, When Darkness Glows. You’ll find some bluegrass and country, spots of jazz, and rock and roll; all accompanied with airy vocals and executed with purposefully loose precision.

Amanda Crumley pieced together Mandy & the Bandits, forming a talented crew of seven musicians, and two special guests including Nick Ascher, who provides an effortless pedal steel. For many bands, such a large group presents problems. Mandy & the Bandits, on the other hand, thrive.

When Darkness Glows showcases Mandy & the Bandits’ versatility, and deep commitment to their own style. Country can be a tough sell around here. But having already played some of Chicago’s best venues (Martyr’s, Uncommon Ground, Jerry’s), we expect Mandy & the Bandits to keep turning heads, and tapping toes.

Have a listen below to Heartless Man.

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That’s a not-so-original way of saying that The Beehive State isn’t exactly like Seattle, or LA when it comes to producing well-known musicians. Not yet.

L’anarchiste is looking to change that, and quickly. The name translates to “the anarchist” — not because this band is a collection of wing nuts with a shed stocked with gas masks and RPGs — but because founder and songwriter Rob LeCheminant feels his music has no specific place.

“I really hate to admit it, but I’m one of those snobs that has every song in iTunes listed as ‘music’ for the genre,” said LeCheminant, in a very good interview with Choose My Music. “I guess I’ll let the listeners decide what they think it is.”

When it comes down to it, LeCheminant is a tinkerer, and one of those people who finds inspiration faster than he can translate it into music. But music is being made.

While we have a strong distaste for comparisons (and it seems entirely anti-L’anarchiste), it feels a bit necessary here. We’ll be quick about it: Sufjan Stevens, Andrew Bird (minus the whistling), and Bon Iver all apply here.

So far, L’anarchiste has released just their first EP (recorded in LeCheminant’s basement, naturally) but new songs are already being written and recorded. We can’t wait for more. This is a very new band, and few such fledgling groups accomplish such depth and complexity so quickly.

Below, you’ll get a taste with “Stony.” You can hear the rest of the EP on bandcamp.

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Nick Shattell wanted to do things his way. He didn’t want to shape his vision to someone else’s whims. He didn’t want to focus on booking as many shows as possible, and he didn’t want to pander to record labels. He wanted to focus on his own songwriting. So, in 2006, he created not an Airplane. After a few spells of couch hopping before settling in Modesto, it seems that Shattell is finally getting his way.

“This is actually my fourth release,” he said. “And while the other three feel more like demos that got progressively better, I learned a lot through the process of making them, outgrowing them, and deciphering what I could have done better, or worse even. Not to mention, the more time you spend alone in front of a microphone, the more the awkwardness fades away and you can actually reach some level of comfort.”

It’s that level of comfort and desire for growth that has led to the pure, organic sound of not an Airplane. It also leads to some interesting — and nontraditional — choices, like releasing an album that contains exactly two songs. “Speak In” clocks in at just over 16 minutes in length, while “Speak Out” is just a hair under 14 minutes. But if you’re expecting long, meandering, and drawn out snooze fests, you won’t find it here. Shattell proves himself to be quite an expert in composition. Although, my feeling is that he didn’t set out to compose much of anything. He just wrote what he wanted. And that’s what it sounds like, too. There’s nothing careful or reserved about this album. And it’s damn good.

It Could Just Be This Place is a showcase of Shattell’s songwriting, backed by a talented group that fuses rock, folk, and bluegrass. The songs center around central themes but bear the messages through a series of twists and turns. It rocks, it rolls, and it delivers.

The band is currently touring around their native California, and plans to release another album late this year. Also, they are working on “Speak Out – The Movie.” Below, you can check out “Speak In – The Movie.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

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It’s these chance meetings that usually lead to something enigmatic and enduring. Kaitlyn’s background in classical piano and blues guitar ran alongside a lifelong passion for The Beatles and Muddy Waters. Diana’s lifelong vocal training coincided with a love for country music … and house. But they stand very close together when it comes to obsessions with guitar, distortion, and Jack White.

Sound interesting?

Ketchum Kerhart’s EP, Good Luck Sleeping, shows clear talent on a very strong debut with some of the catchiest new hooks we’ve come across in some time. But don’t get that confused with some kind of sugar-coated pop bullshit. Something tells me you don’t want to toy around with these two. Ever heard that saying, “Hell hath no fury…?”

Take, for instance, this little snippet from the song “Ton of Bricks.”

I hope you can’t sleep at night
Cause you’re so full of regrets
I hope when you think of me
You’ll realize why I left
Hope it hits you like a ton of bricks
That you’re a piece of shit…

It’s not all unabashed fury, though. You’ll even find some thoughtful, pained titles, like “Letters from a Stranger.” But I’ll play it safe and mind my manners.

So here you go, below is “Hard to Forget.” Appropriate, because it won’t be the last time you hear it, or anything else from Ketchum Kerhart. Diana’s fridge-cleaning days are over.

Head to their website then click through to hear more.

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One night — December 4, 1956 — four legends in the making came together and made history. Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash converged on historic Sun Records Studios in Memphis for the first and only time, while Sam Phillips recorded what came to be the Million Dollar Quartet — a once-in-a-lifetime, impromptu jam session that will never be equaled.

Million Dollar Quartet is an absolute must-see show for any music fan. The extremely talented cast tells the story of that amazing night through live performances of some of the most important songs of rock and roll’s infancy, including “Blue Suede Shoes”, “Great Balls of Fire”, and “Folsom Prison Blues.”

Enter to win now by subscribing to Windy City Weekly, and tell a friend (who you wouldn’t mind sitting next to) to increase your chances of winning! The winner will be announced in the January 12 edition of Windy City Weekly.

A big thanks to Broadway in Chicago for providing this evening of unparalleled entertainment!

*Upon winning, a voucher for two tickets to a Wednesday, Thursday or Sunday evening performance of Million Dollar Quartet will be emailed to the winner, with instructions on how to redeem. The voucher is good between January 25 – February 23, 2012, excluding February 12, 2012.

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