AK1200, Pinebender, The Polkaholics, David Vandervelde & The Moonstation House Ban
AK1200
Back in college I had a crazy Persian friend who used to drive around campus and the greater Los Angeles area bumping drum ‘n’ bass super loud from his silver BMW. He used to pull up to the sidewalk next to me and say something to the effect of, “Sup brah! Where da bitches at?”, but I could never understand him because the bass from his car was so damn loud. One day I asked him what he was listening to and he handed me an AK1200 mix. I went back to my dorm and proceeded to blow my speakers and my own mind simultaneously. Aggressive, heavy, layered and thick…AK1200 (Dave Minner) is the real deal. Hailing from Florida and spinning since 1989, AK was one of the first Americans to contribute to the mostly U.K.-centric drum ‘n’ bass and jungle scenes. It’s hard to find a live jungle act anywhere these days, let alone in America, so don’t skip out on this one. (Appearing with Phantom 45 and Doctor Groo at Smartbar on Feb. 1) –text: Billy Kenefick
PINEBENDER
The Chicago trio Pinebender expertly blends together noise and melody until the two are virtually indistinguishable. Playing loudly and slowly, the band ekes all kinds of dissonance from their amplifiers, rattling paint off the walls to leave behind beautiful patterns that simply need a bit of coaxing to appear. There’s something jazzy and improvisational about this trio which makes their sound very honest. There’s a definite structure, but it’s still raw enough to feel like it could go off in a darker direction at any time — and often does. With this blend of melody and noisy aggression in mind, it makes the listener realize that if you’re not allowed to be the same person you are at work as you are at home, something’s lacking. On their latest full-length Nine to Wolf (Lovitt Records), Pinebender show us nothing’s lacking in their camp. (Appearing with the Retribution Gospel Choir and Artsy Golfer at Empty Bottle on Feb. 2) –text: Brendan Dabkowski
THE POLKAHOLICS
“Hot as a grilled kielbasa and crunchy as a potato pancake,” the music of The Polkaholics sears traditional Bohemian/Czech dance music with the spirit and intensity of punk rock. In their 10th year as a band, it seems as if founding guitarist/vocalist Dandy Don Hedeker, bassist Jolly James Wallace and drummer Action Jackson Wilson have never stopped partying. They’ve rocked just about every venue Chi-town has to offer, from Fireside Bowl and The Baby Doll Polka Club (RIP) to House of Blues and the Chicago Cultural Center. The Polkaholics have kept the ball rollin’ through the new year with their self-released, brilliantly titled CD, Polka Uber Alles. With new burners like “Beer, Broads and Brats”, “Polka Your Troubles Away” and “Let’s Kill Two Beers With One Stein”, you’ll want nothing more than to follow their advice and get your demented polka on like never before. (Appearing at Quenchers on Feb. 3) –text: Mike Scales
DAVID VANDERVELDE & THE MOONSTATION HOUSE BAND
In a refreshing air of individuality, David Vandervelde’s music doesn’t slap its listeners in the face with influences. Instead it consistently delivers a sound completely sure of itself — a funky, mellow blend of rock tunes wrapped up in a neat (but not overproduced) package. No matter what decade you grew up in, these ’70s-esque creations with a modern twist conjure up the soundtrack to that time in life where you’re old enough to feel like an adult but young enough to run around unburdened. Think being blown away by summer love, but not of the entirely innocent variety. Think lying on a hillside getting high under the stars. Vandervelde’s voice has a quality that’s hard to pinpoint, but is nevertheless magnetic and The Moonstation House Band’s instrumentation matches it perfectly. Vandervelde’s first full-length album couldn’t be more delightful. This is the emergence of something good. Real good. (Appearing at Schubas on Feb. 3) –text: Jen Fischer–photo: Matthew Kanable
