ANDREW MCMAHON IN THE WILDERNESS

BY AMANDA SANCHEZ

You may immediately recognize this guy’s name, as he is also the former head of Jack’s Mannequin and Something Corporate. But do you recognize his sound? These days, McMahon has emerged from the wilderness in order to deliver catchy songs to his ever-growing fan base, packaged with nice beats and inoffensive piano melodies. Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness released its self-titled album in 2014 and is set to birth a tasty follow-up this winter. In addition to the obligatory live rendition of must-hear hits like “Cecilia and the Satellite,” McMahon’s shows are consistently impressive and thoroughly entertaining.

WITH NIGHT RIOTS
7:30 PM LISTEN
$58+ TICKETS 

ALLAH-LAS

BY KAREN HEERINGA

Allah-Las is a Los Angeles-based band taking full advantage of the knowledge that most people love the beach and would rather be there right about now. Playing up their sundrenched ‘60s vibe to maximum effect, tonally the band sounds like some sand might have gotten into the 8-track recorder, giving them a slightly fuzzy sound that really plays up their warm, suntan lotion-infused garage rock aesthetic. It’s lazy, but not slow. It’s upbeat, but relaxed. This music was clearly not created in winter, but rather embraces creativity the same way one sheds their clothes as the days get warmer.

WITH THE BABE RAINBOW
8 PM LISTEN
$20 TICKETS

ALL THEM WITCHES

BY LISA MROCK

All Them Witches are heavy on the psychedelics, huge on Robby Staebler’s drums, gigantic on Ben McLeod’s guitar and bass, massive on Allan Van Cleave’s keystrokes, and gargantuan on Charles Michael Parks Jr.’s virulent vocals. In other words, their sound is big. Though they are surprisingly light on the witchcraft, the magic lies in their music’s ambience which creates something to the effect of what it might be like if you ever find yourself lost in the Tennessee backwoods and start to hear music. Their latest album Sleeping Through the War offers a more revved-up pace, if the third track “Bruce Lee” is any indication. Sleeping through the next four years may sound like a good idea, but you should catch them live before the next war starts.

9 PM LISTEN
$15 TICKETS

CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah’s 2005 self-titled release almost broke the blogosphere with instant breathless acclaim from pretty much every indie media outlet on Earth to big-time musicians like David Bowie and David Byrne, who you might even be so lucky as to spot in the crowd at one of their early shows. The band’s upbeat indie rock sound and pleadingly melodic vocals became signatures of the group, which reached the peak of its success with that debut. Over the past 10 years, it’s been largely downhill as the band has seen anniversary tours, lineup changes and eventually the paring down of members to its one original, Alec Ounsworth. But that doesn’t mean CYHSY isn’t still enjoying the ride. On the eve of the new Clap Your Hands Say Yeah album The Tourist, Chicago INNERVIEW hit up Ounsworth with some burning questions about the new album, the band’s living room tours, and what’s next.