CLAPS-NITETROTTER Session

Illustration Jorge Tapia / Sound Engineering Ian Harris / Text Suburban Legend

CLAPS brought us their Synth laden jams on a rainy, and dreary night in early April. They are one of many cool acts coming from the Guilt Ridden Pop scene in Minneapolis. CLAPS were 3 nice people, who were genuinely bummed they couldn't make it to The Sexy Gay Contest in Weird Town. While listening to these tracks, you could probably draw a conclusion on how much Joy Division these guys listened to at a younger age. To steal a line from a friend, and easily sum up their tunes, " CLAPS IS HOPPIN'. DON'T MISS OUT. " Thanks for listening & Good Nite!
CLAPS "Lost" -NITETROTTER Session by NITETROTTERS1
CLAPS "Game Undone" -NITETROTTER Session by NITETROTTERS1

Featured Video: Teaadora Nikolova - "In Birds Telling"

Zilmrah /0\ - NITETROTTER Session

Illustration Jorge Tapia / Sound Engineering Nathan Gregory / Text Mr. Nitetrotter - May 27, 2010

Zilmrah /0\ just recently visited us here in the midwest. He is a genuine nice guy born and raised in Brooklyn. He also just had his first anonymous conversation with a stranger in a Illinois bathroom stall while on tour with Sinjo Thraw Mash. Later that day he rolled on through to Schwag City on our craziest tracking weekend to date.

His unique use of homemade instrumentation gives his music interesting geometric texture. We love this guy and hope you do too. He will be jamming at NITETROTTER FEST!!! Adios comrades and GOOD NITE

Zilmrah /0\ - "Head Coffin"

Recorded at Schwag City Studios Chicago

Zilmrah /0\ - "Head Coffin" - NITETROTTER Session by NITETROTTER4EVER

Siamese Trees - NITETROTTER Session

Illustration Rose Noble / Sound Engineering Nathan Gregory / Text Mr. Nitetrotter - May 23, 2010

Siamese Trees is two of the Nicks from local Chicago weird rockers Tasteless Transparent. On a full moon evening they came in to Schwag City to record this session. They used exotic American instrumentation including but not limited to a lap steel guitar and clarinet. The peanut gallery in the waiting room loved what they heard. This was truly a magical session. Keep a look out for these guys or their current projects possibly playing at a venue the likes of their home base the Attic or the cardboard city of Mortville in the future.

Enjoy this scrumptious session and GOOD NITE!

Siamese Trees - "X25"
Recorded at Schwag City Studios Chicago

X25 - "Untitled" - NITETROTTER Session by NITETROTTER4EVER

Shrimp epidemic hits the Quad Cities

The recent oil spill in the gulf of Mexico has caused the Quad City shrimp market to boom! Get on the shrimp boat!

ONO...STRDYS COMIN'

SATURDAY MAY TWENTY SECOND
CAMP BELL IN A COUPLE SATURDAYS (MAY22ND) by GGTOLLTEXT

Technoir MA-NITETROTTER Session

Illustration Jorge Tapia / Sound Engineering Ian Harris/ Text Suburban Legend

Justin Vassallo and Colin Green sure know how to take advantage of a drum machine. Technoir MA's rad jams would not sound out of place in your favorite 80's movie. Their Alesis SR-16 driven sounds blew us away at a show in March, as their catchy style of noise-pop oozed influences of a who's who of early indie rock music.Thanks for listening, and Good Nite!

Technoir MA "Sea Legs"- NITETROTTER Session by NITETROTTERS1

Joe Grove - NITETROTTER Session

Illustration Jorge Tapia / Sound Engineering Randy Carter / Text Mr. Nitetrotter - May 20, 2010

Joe Grove is one of Iowa's musical mysteries. He would show up to shows at Mixtapes playing erratic sets both in content and length. Some shows he would cut it short if he "wasn't in the mood". Often he would just disappear not asking for gas money or even saying bye. Meanwhile keeping in mind he lives a few hours away as a transplant in the always interesting Dubuque Iowa. Grove is always on the edge of reality. 

His music is uncompromising and one never knows what to expect when encountering his live show. Sometimes he is crazily dancing on metal spoons connected to contact mics on a victorian footstool or he is aurally attacking the crowd with his beautifully violent sonic repertoire.  We really don't know what this guy is up to, but whatever it is we like it.

Now, we give you the man with the plan straight from the Iowa Underground in the future, the one and only Mr. Joe Grove! GOOD NITE COMRADES!!!

Joe Grove - "Session One" and "Session Two"

Recorded with BASSment field equipment at Joe Grove HQ  Dubuque Iowa

Joe Grove - "Session One" - NITETROTTER by NITETROTTER4EVER

Joe Grove - "Session Two" - NITETROTTER Session by NITETROTTER4EVER

Long Day... - NITETROTTER Session

Illustration Jorge Tapia / Sound Engineering Josh Bohnsack / Text & Interview by Suburban Legend - May 20th, 2010

Long Day... also known as Josh Bohnsack, has been around the QC music scene for what seems like most of his young life. He has been going to shows not just to support his scene, but also playing at them for a while now. We first met up with him at a charity show, and have been digging his heartfelt acoustic jams since. Thanks for listening, and Good Nite!

Long Day... Interview


What bands got you into music?


Initially it was KISS. I saw them when I was 7 and loved it. I still keep them near and dear to my heart.


When did you first start writing and playing?

I started playing when I was 12 or so, but didn't get serious until I was 14, when I really started to love acoustic music. I wrote a lot of Brand New-esque material back then.


What was the first show (DIY) you went to, and where was it?


Goodbye Anabelle Lee, If These Walls Could Scream, Farewell Cadence, and Led By Last played at Quad City Live in Davenport. My first real experience with local music and the hardcore scene.


What are you into listening now, and does it influence your music at all?


At this very moment I'm listening to Lightspeed Champion. He is an amazingly underrated New York artist. He toured with Bright Eyes, which is why I started listening to him. I love his style and have thought about trying out his vocal patterns (almost like an accent). I've yet to get it, but now that I'm thinking about it, I might give it a try. Plus every single song he's written is pure gold


Was your decision on where you went to school (University of Iowa) effected at all by the type of music scene there?


Iowa City has always had a strong music scene, and any type of culture. It definitely was a variable in my choice. Shows there always have a decent attendance and even the smallest audiences are courteous, which I haven't really found anywhere else I've played.


Where are your favorite places to play shows these days?


In Iowa City, I love to play at Gabe's, The Mill, and Yacht Club. The venue owners have treated me royally. Mixtapes (East Moline,Il) is always going to be my favorite though. It's where I had my first "real" solo show, and that's a bond you can't break.


How did you find out about NITETROTTER?


I used to download ***trotter sessions frequently, but wasn't pleased with their attitude towards my request of a session, so when I saw one of my friends "liked" NITEROTTER on Facebook, I checked it out and loved the ideals behind it.


Is there anything you would like to share with the fans of NITETROTTER?

Anything Kurt Vonnegut says is the truth.

Thanks for you time Josh, see you soon hopefully.

Recorded @ Mayflower Hall on the Campus of University of Iowa by John Bohnsack
Long Day...-NITETROTTER Session Intro by NITETROTTERS1
Long Day "Floods"-NITETROTTER Session by NITETROTTERS1
Long Day... "Untitled"-NITETROTTER Session by NITETROTTERS1
Long Day... "Pursuit of Happiness"- NITETROTTER Session by NITETROTTERS1
Long Day... -NITETROTTER Session Outro by NITETROTTERS1

Paradise For Parasites - NITETROTTER Session

Illustration Jorge Tapia / Sound Engineering Nathan Gregory / Text Mr. Nitetrotter - May 19, 2010

From the banks of the Rock River in Cleveland Illinois all the way to Atlanta. Paradise for Parasites is the solo project of Adam Cartana, also known as the East Moline area king of the 180.

He was up here in Chicago right in the eye of the storm during that crazy tracking marathon we had a few weeks back. He would come stay at Schwag City at night and go to a Psychology conference downtown during the day. Adam is NITETROTTER's hero.

The last song features backing arrangements from the Schwag City house band Space Punk. GOOD NITE!

Paradise for Parasites - "Justice for Troy Davis" "Illinesian Field" "Ataraxia" "Schwag City(featuring the Space Punks of Space Punk)"

Recorded at Schwag City Studios Chicago

Paradise for Parasites - "Justice for Troy Davis" - NITETROTTER Session by NITETROTTER4EVER

Paradise for Parasites - "Illinesian Fields" - NITETROTTER Session by NITETROTTER4EVER

Paradise for Parasites - "Ataraxia" - NITETROTTER Session by NITETROTTER4EVER

Schwag City (feat Space Punk) by NITETROTTER4EVER

Icarus The Owl-NITETROTTER Interview

Interview conducted via E-mail by Merry C.

We met Icarus The Owl at an awesome NITETROTTER show in East Moline,IL. They shared the stage on a beautiful spring night with our friends Victory in Numbers, and Driver Side Impact. Icarus The Owl hails from Portland, Oregon and plays catchy, and at times extremely technical math rock. Icarus The Owl is one of those bands that when you listen their recordings, could either be really entertaining live, or very disappointing, fortunately for everyone that is lucky enough to catch one of their shows, they are the former. Their debut album, The Spotless Mind (can be purchased here) has met extremely mixed reviews, but has garnered much praise among everyday music fans. Unfortunately, due to our session scheduling on the day we met up, they couldn't record with us, so we got a new video, and an interview with guitarist/lead singer Joey Rubenstein instead. Thanks for Reading, and Good Nite.

Who were your biggest influences musically growing up?

Blink 182, The Ataris, Nofx,Rufio, New Found Glory, Strung Out,etc- A lot of the 90's punk music when Epitaph and Fat Wreck ruled the scene. My tastes have changed since then, although I still love those bands.

How did you get together?

Mutual friends and Craiglist!


How do you guys write your music? Is it a collaborative process, or does one band member run the show?

Usually I (Joey) will come up with a song and we will as a band re-work the song and trim the fat. We do a collaborative edit/re-write. I also loop a lot of my guitar riffs so the drummer can find the perfect part for it.


Which of your songs/albums would you recommend to a new fan just starting to listen to your music?

I'd recommend the song "The Extortionist" and the song" Mythomaniac" if the person was mainly into pop music, I'd recommend "Game Of Jenga"


What's your favorite venue to play?

Mixtapes. Duh! ;)


What's your favorite band to tour with?

Lights Out Dancing. They are super fun guys and a really good band.


Any crazy tour stories you want to share?

Tanner was almost raped at a rest stop by a horny trucker. No Joke.


What are you guys listening to right now that everyone else should be?

Thrice, Damiera, and As Tall As Lions.


What are people listening to right now that they shouldn't be?

Monkeys doing it! But really if you get pleasure out of llistening to a band then there is no shame in that- even if it is Creed.


When you guys aren't touring, what do you like to do?

We usually work. But I enjoy playing guitar and writing new song. I love going to the movies as well.


Anything you want to share with the NITETROTTER public?

Check out our album on itunes please! Love you.

Twin Crystals featuring T. Grave - Live NITETROTTER Session

Illustration Jorge Tapia / Sound Engineering Unknown / Text Mr . Nitetrotter - May 19, 2010

We first ran in to Twin Crystals when they played at the Weird East Moline exhibition  last year. They treated the crowd to a reckless set spilling their Canadian weird vibes all over the place. T. Grave is Toby, one of the shadowy figures behind Blessure Grave and formerly the influential Night Wounds. 

This live track was recorded in Arizona earlier this year at Yobs and sent in by Twin Crystals exclusively for NITETROTTER. 

Enjoy this mid aughts no wave masterpiece played by the criminally under exposed Twin Crystals. With the always legend T. Grave on vocals. GOOD NITE!

Twin Crystals featuring T. Grave - "19"

Recorded Live at Yobs in Arizona

Twin Crystals - "19" - Live NITETROTTER Session by NITETROTTER4EVER

Jorge Tapia - NITETROTTER Session

Illustration Rose Noble / Sound Engineering Nathan Gregory / Text Mr. Nitetrotter - May 18, 2010

This session was recorded at the end of a tracking  marathon. It was a long weekend here at Schwag City. Our main Illustrator Jorge Tapia was up in Chicago playing some shows with his band EYES so he decided to fit in a session. 

Jorge is the wearer of many hats, he has a family, two bands, a label, a record store and tattoo shop. Not to mention insane amount of illustrations he has been pumping out for us! Keep on the lookout for more of his work.

Enjoy this hot session and good nite!

Jorge Tapia - "Eva" and "Its USdication, Not MEdication"

Recorded at 5 am at Schwag City Studios Chicago

Jorge Tapia - "Eva" - Nitetrotter Session by NITETROTTER4EVER

Jorge Tapia - "It's USdication, Not MEdication" - Nitetrotter Session by NITETROTTER4EVER

The king of facebook thinks you're a dumb fuck!

Here is a conversation that the main rapebook chode had with a friend. Read more about it here

Zuck: Yeah so if you ever need info about anyone at Harvard

Zuck: Just ask.

Zuck: I have over 4,000 emails, pictures, addresses, SNS

[Redacted Friend's Name]: What? How'd you manage that one?

Zuck: People just submitted it.

Zuck: I don't know why.

Zuck: They "trust me"

Zuck: Dumb fucks

Proud Achievements: A True Story

The Tanks - Live on the Pacific Ocean

Watch this raging video of the Tanks with Joe Ross, the most brutal drummer in Iowa playing live on a boat in the Pacific Ocean. They will be thrashing day 3 of NITETROTTER Fest! We are already working on getting the boat!

We Love The Quad Cities too!(Especially Rock Island)

Everyone from the QC come on down to NITETROTTER Fest this July! Until then enjoy this video of our favorite QC rock band Mondo Drag backing up our favorite rocker Andrew W.K. at our favorite Rock Island Rock Bar! He is jamming his local hit "I Love The Quad Cities" Watch them tear the house down!

Police Chief hates the internet after video of SWAT team killing dog is leaked

Keep in mind that Columbia Missouri is the same town who let some drunk frat boys get away with blindly firing a real full size cannonball in to a residential neighborhood.  The Police Chief's response to the video being leaked is priceless. 

Radley Balko
Reason.com
May 13, 2010

Columbia, Missouri Police Chief Ken Burton is apparently frustrated. At another press conference yesterday, a reporter asked the chief what he has learned from the international attention generated bythe YouTube video of his department’s SWAT team conducting a drug raid last February.

His reply: “I hate the Internet.”

Rock show at Anode Gallery

Rock show at Anode Gallery from Loin Tenderson on Vimeo.

This is a video of a show this February at the Anode Gallery in Pilsen. The order is Jabberjosh, Burger Kingdom, Glass Bricks, and T'Bone. All these bands have already or are scheduled to record Nitetrotter Sessions this year! The last band T'Bone will be at Nitetrotter Fest on Day 3.

I Love You - NITETROTTER Session

Illustration Jorge Tapia / Sound Engineering Nathan Gregory / Text Mr. Nitetrotter - May 13, 2010

The first time we ran in to I Love You was at his November 09 show at Mortville with The Tanks. I Love You put on an energetic live show turning the phased out crowd in to a fucked up dance party. 

Justin has a slew of noteworthy releases on labels like Joyful Noise. He is a serious road dog who has been hard at work touring around the US opening up for great acts along the way. I Love You is somebody we keep hearing more and more about. Make sure to catch him at Bitchpork this year.

We we were excited when he came in to Schwag City. He showed up and threw down just like the bad kid that he is. This session came out great and we couldn't wait to get it out. Enjoy and goodnite!

I Love You - "Live at Schwag City"

Recorded at Schwag City Studios Chicago

I Love You- Live at Schwag City - NITETROTTER Session by NITETROTTER4EVER

Into it. Over it. - Earth Trotter

This post is for all our Globe Trotters out there. Our friend Evan (Into it. Over it.) will be traveling across Europe for the next month with Chicago's Grown Ups (Big Scary Monsters Rec) If you happen to be out in about in these countries this summer, check out these rad bands.
May 14 Great Escape Fesival – Brighton, United Kingdom
May 15 Goblets – Southampton, United Kingdom
May 16 Boileroom (matinee show) – Guildford, United Kingdom
May 16 The Fighting Cock (evening show) – Kingston, United Kingdom
May 17 Catch – London, United Kingdom
May 18 Big Blue Coffee Shop – Derby, United Kingdom
May 19 Royal Park Cellars – Leeds, United Kingdom
May 20 Tiger Lounge – Manchester, United Kingdom
May 21 The Chameleon Arts Cafe – Nottingham, United Kingdom
May 22 Clwb Ifor Bach – Cardiff, United Kingdom
May 23 The Flapper – Birmingham, United Kingdom
May 24 The Social – London, UK
May 25 Le Pixi – Paris, France
May 29 Iduna – Drachten, Netherlands
May 30 Jugendhaus – Rosswein, Germany
June 1 Imbir – Krakow, Poland
June 2 Conni – Dresden, Germany
June 3 Fluc – Vienna, Austria
June 4 Habes Club – Strakonice, Czech Republic
June 5 Kreativfabrik – Wiesbaden, Germany
June 7 AZ – Aachen, AZ
June 8 Cafe Schlachthaus – Dornbirn, Austria
June 9 Leoncavallo – Milan, Italy
June 10 O’bundies – Marseille, France
June 11 – H – Titud Fest – Vidreres, Spain
June 13 – Apartment Show – Rennes, France

Live Review: Ramona Gonzalez and Bitchin Bajas at Mortville

Text Mr. Nitetrotter - May 13, 2010 

I nitetrotted over to this show with a comrade at our usual lateness of about two hours. Ramona Gonzalez of Nite Jewel was playing so we had to go. Bitchin Bajas is Cooper from Cave's solo project which also sounded interesting. It also wasn't at a dumb bar but rather at the always fun Mortville in Little Village. I didn't have a chance to catch the name of the band before Ramona who set up and played for over an hour if not more(the reason we had to walk home two miles in the rain because the Pink Line only runs until 1). 

I walked in to the show and it was the first time I had been to Mortville with their new spring decor. They have a very open free flowing beach party thing going on that is very cool. Mortville changes how the space is set up about every four or so months. At the moment it is my favorite warehouse venue in Chicago. They always get an interesting stream of people.

So we missed probably two bands and the first band we saw was ok they had some some mildly crucial jams. You could just tell the drummer was probably a guitar player, and they switched around on instruments which is very hard to pull off well. The girl singing had a great voice that reminded me of a early Patty Smyth or something. They just played too long. It wasn't their fault they probably did bring a lot of people but sometimes you just got to pull the plug! 

Ramona was up and I didn't know what to expect. I had only heard the Nite Jewel material with other players and more beat centric. This was spaced out songs just her and a synth with sparse drum machine accompaniment. A lot of it seemed to be based around cleverly simple psychedelic melodies and dream like vocal lines. She had an echo effect on her voice that wasn't overdone. Much of this sounded like creepy mall music from Mars, which is awesome. I think a some people came to hear her play dance music or were just their to party. The room was split between chit peaknuckling party goers and people up front paying extremely close attention. I wish it was louder but I feel like I was watching a unforgettable secret concert in a room of talking drunk people. The best part of the set was that she pulled the plug. She didn't drag on but instead she left us all hanging on for more. I am always one to appreciate that. I would rather be left wanting more instead of less.

Up next was Bitchin Bajas. He started out right away with quoting a riff from his band Cave's repertoire but that made it exciting. I was impressed by this set. His heavy psychedelic kraut esque riffage was exactly what the doctor ordered as we split for our hike through the pouring rain back to Pilsen. 

Right before we left I had to ask Ramona a question. I went up and asked her what she thought of R Stevie Moore. She said she loved his music, I didn't ask her more about it but it was peace of mind for the nite.

Good times at Mortville.

Texas cops retaliate against maverick Kopbuster Barry Cooper

KEEP ON TROTTING BARRY

Live Review: Ono at the Museum of Contemporary Art

Text Mr. Nitetrotter  - May 12, 2010

Yesterday I had the opportunity to catch Chicago 80's noise punk legends Ono at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.  If you haven't heard of them they were played with bands like Naked Raygun back in the 80s to mixed results, they were also labelmates of the Birthday Party and Flipper. You can buy their original LP Machines That Kill People for approximately 300 dollars on Ebay.

This was my third time catching Ono live. The other two times were in completely different settings of diy punk shows with the average crowd. This on the other hand was in the fancy cafe of the Museum right off of the Magnificent Mile.  I walked in a little late following the dark noise to see Ono frontman in a white gown and headdress performing a unique dance with a hundred yuppies paying complete attention. He freely roamed the room and even went outside the windows via a few loops around the revolving door to change dresses. He looked these people in the eye and was dead serious. The crowd was all sipping overpriced drinks as if they just got off their jobs in the loop stopping by at the museum for free Tuesdays. 

The show was part of a series of concerts with art displayed by Plastic Crime(Steve Krakow) who is the man behind the Secret History of Chicago Music comic strip series in the Chicago Reader among other amazing pyschedelic activities. He did well by picking out Ono to play this.

Each time I have seen Ono it has been totally different but always satisfying. This was the darkest and most fucked up I have witnessed them. It was also the most heavy, it sounded great in that room. The music backing up Travis' performance art is reminiscent of throbbing Gristle or something like that with their own flavor. You can tell there is a definite Chicago R&B influence and I can't get over the African Spiritual style of singing Travis does in the songs. He is 62 and still killing it! He is my favorite cross dressing front man EVER! If you have a chance to see them make sure you do it. They are certainly one of the Chicago's best kept secrets. 

Mondo Drag is rocking in Rock Island

Check out this video Jonny Bee Videos posted of our favorite QC rock band Mondo Drag at our favorite QC rock bar. Mondo Drag just had a new album come out on Alive.

Featured track: GG Tolltext

Our buddy GG Tolltext the keeper of Camp Bell on the south side sent us this track that features quite a few songs. Catch GG at Nitetrotter Fest. Enjoy and good nite!
FibProsody by GGTOLLTEXT

Plastic Crimewave and the Secret History of Chicago Music

Catch his art and some ONO tomorrow night at the Contemporary Art Museum in Chicago. It is part of a show displaying Steve's art and some of the musicians he features in the Secret History of Chicago Music which you can find in the Reader or sunday nights on Wgn Radio.

Meester Magpie - Live at Dr. Who's Warehouse of Ideas

Catch him at day 3 of NItetrotter Fest!

RYAT-Live NITETROTTER Session

Here is a video from our friends RYAT Recorded Live @ NITETROTTER Studios in East Moline,IL.

NITETROTTER Session-Lost Apparitions

Illustration Jorge Tapia/Sound Engineering Ian Harris/Text Suburban Legend

Lost Apparitions are some weird kids from somewhere in Iowa.There's a kick back, like a mule, kids freaking out that there's nothing they'll be able to do to not wind up like their old man or their mom. It's a wrestling match between old comforts and startlingly new revelations that creeps into their inquisitive head first and most often when such things happen.But this is the band's casa, a point of familiarity, where its sunny psychedelia comes home and usually stays in to roost. They refuse to find their little rabbit holes to duck into and just obsess and study and develop.They are the chronicles of whispers that flow from such deep recesses of a soul and a mind that just don't know what to do with them. It's as if we are witnessing the end of it all and the breathing is becoming thinner, we're not capable of cracking our eyes open much more and we're just seeing what's gonna happen next. Thanks for reading this asinine convoluted bullshit, & Good Nite.
Hey Zeus-Lost Appartions NITETROTTER Session by NITETROTTERS

Centaur Noir - "Fuck You Guyses Team"

El is a Sound of Joy Live

Check out this sweet live video of El is a Sound of Joy in Chicago, IL done by visual artist Ben Kolak

el is a sound of joy from Ben Kolak on Vimeo.