Showdown at the Convention

May 2008 Issue
Chicago Innerview

by James H. Ewert Jr.

At this point in the presidential primary season it should be safe to say that Illinois Senator Barack Obama is the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, but it’s not. Obama is leading rival New York Senator Hillary Clinton in delegates won and in the popular vote, but despite the numbers, the reality and the fact that there is virtually no way for Clinton to make up either of these deficits, she remains in the race — with the odds of her pulling out looking smaller than ever following her April 22 primary victory in Pennsylvania. While this was a state she was expected to win and while her 10-point victory doesn’t really change the dynamics of a race in which Obama still holds a clear lead, the dirty 6-week campaign leading up to the primary did succeed in weakening Obama and further throwing the nomination and the nominating process into chaos. In the lead-up to the Democratic National Convention this August in Denver, the possibility of Clinton becoming the nominee not only hangs, but ominously looms…

The nightmare scenario that the Democratic National Committee has been fearing for months — a scenario in which neither candidate in this close race has enough pledged delegates to win the nomination, thereby forcing unelected “superdelegates” to make the final decision, is looking a lot like the Supreme Court decision of Bush v. Gore in 2000 — a verdict that helped turn off a generation of voters to politics. With nine more primaries to go in this contest with some states expected to go for Clinton (West Virginia, Kentucky) with others leaning towards Obama (North Carolina, Oregon), the candidates are now laser-focused on the newest battleground state of Indiana and its May 6 primary. Unless Obama can score a big win in the Hoosier State (where late-April polls showed a statistical tie) as well as in North Carolina (which votes the same day and where he holds a big lead), there seems to be no way of imagining Clinton pulling out of the race — and of the Democratic party from tearing itself apart.

What would happen if Obama were to go to the convention this August with a lead in every voting category that counts but were to leave as something other than the Democratic nominee for president? For one, the term “democratic nominee” would instantly become an oxymoron because the nominee was not exactly elected “democratically”, but more importantly the Democratic Party would essentially be telling half of its constituents that their votes take a backseat to aristocratic party politics. What’s more is that a great deal of new voters genuinely energized by Barack Obama and this election season would stay home in November, bitter and regretting their gullible optimism, hope and faith in America.

It’s been an election season of self-discovery for a lot of people so far: Obama and Clinton are learning about themselves and the company they keep, veteran voters are determining how race and gender effect their longstanding views and new voters are getting acquainted with the treacherous underworld of presidential politics. While many of us are hearing new terms that both confound and intrigue — things like “pledged delegates”, “superdelegates”, and “nonbinding caucuses” — many are also realizing for the first time that our election system is not a simple matter of “whoever gets the most votes wins”. All the election terms and realizations have a ring of familiarity, but upon closer inspection seem hauntingly Orwellian. So, before we go any further, let’s get some of the vocabulary terms out of the way.

Pledged Delegate: Some party ass-kisser not capable of holding public office but whose ass-kissing is so good that party leaders throw them a bone. It’s kind of like being the boy who finishes last playing “yummy cookie” with his friends. This poor sap is forced to vote according to the candidate he’s representing.

Superdelegate: A simple definition would be: Some unelected asshole that’s causing a lot of people to become disinterested with the entire political process. A more complex explanation would be: To attain superdelegacy, a party crony must be chosen by his peers in order to receive ordainment into the upper echelon of the party. The process, which is largely unknown to the public, works in pretty much the same way a Pope is selected by the Catholic Church — with smoke-filled rooms, secret envelopes and smoke signals. Some speculate that the initiation is like becoming a saint or pledging for a fraternity. A superdelegate can do whatever he or she likes and are expected to use their money and influence to ensure that the party will not nominate a candidate who will deviate from the norm, make waves or cause too much damage to the status quo.

Party Convention: These conventions are much like any used-car dealer convention or Player Haters Ball — it’s basically a drunken and debauched party where whores are bought quietly in hotel room suites and people do things with each other they never talk about later and probably would rather not remember. Each state has an allotment of delegates based on its Democratic-voting population. About two-thirds of all party delegates are pledged delegates, with their convention votes determined by their state’s primary elections, with the other third unelected superdelegates who can vote for whoever they want. Traditionally it was at these conventions — and not during primary elections — where a nominee would be selected. Voters were largely held out of the nominating process until the 1968 convention in Chicago. This year’s Democratic National Convention will be especially fun and grotesque because it will be the American public’s first glimpse into the incestuous world of party politics in recent history. Because of Denver’s indoor smoking ordinance, there most likely will be no smoke-filled rooms, but lots of booze and prescription drugs instead.

As if picking a candidate wasn’t hard enough, Democrats will also have to make a decision on the fate of convention delegates from Florida and Michigan, whose delegates have been stripped of their voting rights at the convention because their states explicitly violated party rules by holding their primary elections too early.

For a majority party coming off big wins in the 2006 mid-term elections and facing a crumbling, homosexually-repressed and panicking Republican Party, it really is too bad that the Democratic Party will be too busy bickering about bureaucratic details to capitalize on this once-in-a-generation opportunity. The presidency is basically being handed to the Democrats and they are missing the forest for the trees. If there were sane people in charge, they might be looking ahead to the congressional races and trying to increase their party’s majority in the House and Senate. Instead they seem to be more interested in fighting with each other than against John McCain and the specter of another Republican in the White House. Will the Dems finally get their shit together and pick a candidate before both of their candidates are too damaged to win the general election? The answer to that question could determine who is elected president this November.

CI Political File #007

Kate Nash, Ladyhawk, Neva Dinova, The Nightwatchman

KATE NASH
Don’t you just love it when the media decides who you should like? The “chosen one” of the moment is British songstress Kate Nash. See her, keyboard and all, as a bumper between “The Hills” and “The Real World” on MTV. Read all about her in Rolling Stone as one of the “artists to watch.” It’s tough to know whether Kate Nash is a press-propagated hype doll or the real deal. But, before we fall off the cliff into condescension and disbelief, dig this: she knows Billy Bragg. Nash is even set to release a single with the working class hero, so her hipster bona fides are intact. And, to top it all off, her rise was originally driven by four songs posted on a simple MySpace page. All in all, it should be safe for the cool kids to like Kate Nash…at least until “Grey’s Anatomy” comes calling. (Appearing at the Vic on May 2) –text: Tim Slowikowski

LADYHAWK
Ladyhawk is one of those strange, classic-rock sounding indie bands that combine the stinging croon of a drunkenly-go-it-alone lead singer (Duffy Driediger) with the haunting force of Southern rock to blend new lyrics with old sounds — creating somewhat of a classic-indie hybrid. Using poignantly evocative lyrics, Driediger elevates the band’s common guitar-driven songs to a genuinely personal level that sets Ladyhawk apart from other new-school old-style rockers like the Black Keys and Black Mountain. At certain points in the Vancouver quartet’s latest album, Shots (Jagjaguwar), Driediger seems to actually morph in and out of a body that at times seems possessed by Neil Young or Crazyhorse. Each Ladyhawk performance is sure to include balls-to-the-wall rock and roll, beer drinking and the sensitive passion of a highly emotional introvert coming out of his shell…with a little help from the liquid courage. (Appearing with The Little Ones and Neva Dinova at Schubas on May 1) –text: James H. Ewert Jr.–photo: Toby Bannister

NEVA DINOVA
Neva Dinova and Bright Eyes are friends, collaborators, Saddle Creek labelmates and fellow Omaha natives. During a recent Bright Eyes Chicago Theatre performance, Conor Oberst treated fans to “Spring Cleaning,” the highlight from their shared EP One Jug Of Wine, Two Vessels, which he admittedly butchered. Oberst is not to blame, however. Few singers can manage to match the drone of Neva Dinova frontman Jake Bellows and make it appealing, and even fewer are able to write such beautiful, dark, yet uplifting lyrics about a pregnant friend: “Seeing her now makes me want to live.” The band is currently touring their third LP, a fresh batch of songs not unlike the preceding work (which is a good thing). The new disc highlight, “Squirrels,” evokes a Bill Callahan/Smog feel, peaks during Bellows’ poetic opening verse, and is held together with a powerful unassuming percussion tastefully laced with an intriguing and shifting sound production. (Appearing with Ladyhawk and The Little Ones at Schubas on May 1) –text: Joseph O’Fallon

THE NIGHTWATCHMAN
If every good man had an alter ego, Tom Morello (a.k.a. The Nightwatchman) — the artist of the people, the defender of human rights, the black Robin Hood of the 21st century music industry — ranks right up there with a cape-wearing super friend. If he weren’t busy enough with Audioslave and Rage Against the Machine fame, Morello rekindled his passion for political activism and commentary rock by first playing small coffeehouses before making musical contributions to Michael Moore films — in which Morello and Moore’s cynical view of an America in which the rich get richer, the middle class is disappearing and the government secretly spies on its citizens are very much in the same vein. Compared to Dylan, Springsteen, and Guthrie, the Nightwatchman project soon spawned an unforeseen debut album in 2007 and the current “Justice ‘08” tour — with a second release planned for later this year. (Appearing with Ben Harper, Perry Farrell and Boots Riley at the Park West on May 1) –text: Jyn Radakovits–photo: Sean Ricigliano

Cut Copy, Film School, Joe Pug, Robyn

CUT COPY
We’re not even halfway through the year, but Australian trio Cut Copy’s new record, In Ghost Colours, will find its place on the “Best of 2008″ year-end honor roll. Following up on 2004’s new wave-y Bright Like Neon Love, Ghost embodies everything that is good about electronic music. Influences from Italo disco to krautrock run the gamut on indie dance tracks like “Hearts on Fire” and “Lights and Music”. “Strangers in the Wind” slowly builds to become an anthemic soundtrack for the summer: “Run to the lights of the city / Moments passing and we’ll be there”. Formed in 2001, singer Dan Whitford released the glitchy I Thought of Numbers EP by himself and eventually added the two other members. Live, Cut Copy has been compared to party monster Girl Talk. Australia may be known for importing Men at Work, Kylie Minogue, and the Avalanches, but Cut Copy surmounts them all. (Appearing with Black Kids for two shows at the Abbey Pub on May 7) –text: Garin Pirnia

FILM SCHOOL
You could probably listen to Film School’s latest album, Hideout, while reading a book. It’s got that passive listening, singing-to-you-from-the-loudspeakers-while-you-get-a-beer-at-an-outdoor-music-festival distance. Led by singer/guitarist Krayg Burton since 1998, this San Francisco-based group has seen members come and go seamlessly enough to maintain a cohesive and inoffensive sound. Burton’s vocals, occasionally paired with those of Lorelei Plotczyk, fit politely into the landscape of Film School’s reverbed guitar riffs. Aside from the reflective and melancholic repertoire, tracks like “Plots And Plans” and “What I Meant To Say” are driven by brassy little synth lines that supply some energy to the album — while the album’s hit, “Two Kinds”, is built around a sweetly whiney guitar hook. In general, Film School continues to rest comfortably in the world of dream pop where the guitars are wayward, the drums are reliable, and the girls sound pretty when they say “ooh.” (Appearing with Airiel and Urbanites at Schubas on May 7) –text: Elissa Pociask–photo: Peter Ellenby

JOE PUG
There’s a moment during a December 1965 press conference when a particularly snarky Bob Dylan described himself as neither a poet nor a singer, but instead as a “song and dance man.” The throng of reporters burst into laughter — maybe it was genuine, maybe it was nervous — but the assembled media didn’t push the subject when the legendary performer refused to elaborate on his answer. Months earlier, a much more cynical Dylan lambasted a Time magazine correspondent for trying to label his music. Never one to mince phrases, the iconic wordsmith defensively challenged those who called his music “folk.” At virtually the same age as Dylan during those well-documented outbursts, Chicago’s Joe Pug is not that kind of 20-something songwriter. His earthy, acoustic tales embody the storytelling that Dylan was trying so hard to demolish. And by embracing rather than lambasting the folk rock genre, there’s a warmth to Pug’s music that is self-actualized but not self-absorbed. (Appearing with Skybox and Helen Money for the late show at Schubas on May 3) –text: Derek Wright

ROBYN
Since starting out in the ‘90s at the age of 16, Robyn (née Robin Miriam Carlsson) has become something of an international star. 1994’s electro-pop Robyn Is Here was her first record while singles “Do You Know (What It Takes)” and “Show Me Love” were big hits in the U.S. In 1999, she released her sophomore record, My Truth, which was not released in the U.S. Neither was her 2005 self-titled record, as her label reportedly felt that she wasn’t ‘commercial enough’ for an American audience. Continuing to be a sensation in Sweden and overseas, her career gained enough momentum to allow her to form her own label, Konichiwa Bitches. Finally, three years later, Robyn sees the light of day in the U.S. Last year, she contributed backing vocals to Britney Spears’ “Pieces of Me” and the heartbreak anthem “With Every Heartbeat.” Instead of following the downward spiral route of Ms. Spears, Robyn has retained her creative integrity on the way up — and is no longer Sweden’s best-kept secret. (Appearing at the Park West on May 7) –text: Garin Pirnia

Basia Bulat, DeVotchKa, El Perro del Mar, The Heavy

BASIA BULAT
There’s just something about Basia Bulat’s voice. It almost shimmers, if sounds were capable of such a thing. When she sings, there’s often a delicate vibration in her stream of light, dreamy vocals. Impulsively, you search for similarities…The Cranberries’ Delores O’Roidan? Joni Mitchell perhaps? But then, in another track her pitch is lower, maybe a little more powerful…Lauryn Hill? Shakira? Whomever the Canadian songstress may be compared with, she (or he) should be flattered. Britain’s Rough Trade label released Bulat’s debut album in 2007, but the U.S. was treated to it only just this year. Oh, My Darling showcases her forcefully gentle style amidst strings, piano and percussion. Highlights include the almost Andrew Bird-like composition of “Snakes and Ladders,” the lovely and romantic “Little Waltz” and the lively, folk-rock “In the Night.” With catchy songs that don’t run together into a bland sameness, she’s definitely an artist worthy of your attention. (Appearing with DeVotchKa at the Vic on May 9) –text: Jen Fischer–photo: Bobby Bulat

DEVOTCHKA
The four intriguing souls who comprise DeVotchKa read more like characters in a piece of classic literature than modern-day musicians. Collectively, their backgrounds involve a Civil War re-creationist band, Lithuanian polka musicians, an arranged Sicilian gypsy marriage, a Mexican rehab center and classical music training. Together, the quartet creates tragic but lively songs blending indie, polka, flamenco, a smattering of Spanish lyrics, dramatic tempo changes, quirky instruments and then some. Too edgy to be labeled ‘world music’, DeVotchKa’s sound is so counterintuitive that, initially, you may reject it. But then it lures you in — and suddenly you’re obsessed. DeVotchKa caught their first break with a touring burlesque group, then caught another when they scored the Academy Award-winning film Little Miss Sunshine. After more than a decade, they’re at last gaining much-deserved recognition. Their latest album, A Mad & Faithful Telling (Anti), spins musical tales that captivate the spirit as well as any literary masterpiece. (Appearing with Basia Bulat at the Vic on May 9) –text: Jen Fischer

EL PERRO DEL MAR
The waltz-y, sweater-wearing sweatery indie-pop darling Sarah Assbring is the sole member of El Perro Del Mar. Her music has an occasional trumpet flair but generally takes a backseat to her smooth, saddened, and constrained voice that varies only slightly. Without Sarah’s lyrics, however, the music is nothing better than pleasant. The combination between her helpless tone and her prophetic, cautionary lyrics is what separates El Perro Del Mar from the dozens of other great Swedish indie bands. Despite doo-wop throwbacks and songs about candy, it’s hard to even call her pop. Then again, her lyrical structure is about as formatted as the commercial hip-hop formula. The new 12-track disc, From The Valley To The Stars, is based on one catchy line of advice per song (“don’t cast away your inner island” is one such example) repeated and varied masterfully. The show is a likely sell-out and likely to be unlike almost any touring act you’ll see. (Appearing with Lykke Li at Schubas on May 12) –text: Joseph O’Fallon–photo: Johanna Hedborg

THE HEAVY
The Heavy is a 5-piece hip hop-influenced rock band from the United Kingdom with solid undertones of old-school R&B and funk. Claiming a spot on Counter Records, the indie band (comprised of four men and one woman) sports a lead singer who sounds like a tainted blend of Prince and Curtis Mayfield with drawbacks to ’50s-style R&B and soul vocals. Influenced largely by The Stooges, the band brags retro, grimy and energetic songs. One of their featured tracks, “Coleen”, sounds like a ’70s theme of high-pitched, sexy verses with redundant horns and loud background beats — while the album’s final 7-minute track, “Who Needs the Sunshine?”, offers up poetic, romantic lyrics and a dragging guitar riff before unexpectedly switching to freestyle guitar and rap. With their latest release, Great Vengeance & Furious Fire, The Heavy promises “filthy fucking beats”, which they seem quite capable of delivering. (Appearing with Life During Wartime DJs at darkroom on May 9) –text: Jackie Bernardo