The Daily Choice: Chain and the Gang – Deathbed Confession
I was standing at a bar called The Parkside in Potrero Hill last Saturday night, in a state of befuddlement as Calvin Johnson, sans guitar, silently shook maracas and sang a series of lyrics everybody seemed to be enjoying but myself. I stood and wondered if perhaps, after missing the entire Fresh & Onlys set, I’d thrown my ten dollars in the gutter of waste.
And then, Ian Svenonius and his new band Chain and the Gang stepped on stage, literally tearing through a set of revamped, tweaked, toyed with homages to gospel and chain gang songs that had my foot tapping and my worries dispelled. Svenonius is sort of a legend ’round the indie parts, being a part of The Make-Up (amazing) and a good friend of the aforementioned Calvin Johnson, and seeing him live proved just why. He’s a ball of big haired energy, thrusting the microphone about, screaming, yelling, gently talking – the whole kitten kaboodle. I was shocked and impressed and came home with a fresh copy of their new LP, Down With Liberty … Up With Chains!
I will forsake freedom any day for this good of music.
Chain and the Gang – Deathbed Confession
phil #
fuck the make-up. nation of ulysses is where it’s at. get their albums now! start with “plays pretty for baby” and then hit up “13 point program to destroy america.” many-a-band have ripped off the nation.
a kid who tells on another kid is a dead kid.
ashmatty #
What’s funny is that I didn’t read the post before I listened to the track, so I didn’t even expect it to be awesome, it just was.
My first dabble in booking was at Off the Record in Yakima in the early 90s. In our parking lot. The sticky pavement series. Highlight was NoU with Unwound.