With thanks to Mr. Sienko!
A lamb is not made of bread, an Axolotl is not a fish but lives in water, and The Skaters do not own skateboards...what can this mean?
Clockwise from upper left: Lambsbread, Axolotl, Skaters, C. Spencer Yeh. It's a respectable hike to anywhere from the AV-Aerie (2000 W. Fulton), but that works to its advantage sometimes. The end-of-the-world feel of its west loop location isolates the events, preventing easy escape hatches to a bar or convenience store for smokes. You're here for the duration; please do not remove your seatbelt until the ride has come to a complete stop.
This land-of-neverland location works well for the four out-of-town guests appearing there on Friday (9 p.m., $5 donation, not BYOB, so bring $$$s for beer), each of whom finds it fun to take you, sonically speaking, to the furthest edge of town, and drive off, laughing as you disappear into a pinpoint in the rearview mirror.
- California's The Skaters (who derive their name not from skateboarding, but from a poem by Edward Blunden...or Emerson, or Tennyson, or something with an "en" sound at the end of their name) utilize hand drums, wood flutes, and delay pedals (not to mention their squibbly throats) to conjure the missing two hours of recordings NOT released by Amon Duul I from their marathon six hour trip/jam, all painful LSD hangover and anguish;
- Axolotl is Karl Bauer, and though he originally came on to replace Ohio-based Emeralds (whose equipment is too fried to perform just now, thank you), the lineup continues to mutate, as now there is talk of Baltimorean Bauer teaming up with Afternoon Penis, a solo project from one of the guys in Double Leopards as the duo Coatmagnets. Confused yet? No? Well, then explain it to me, cuz I'm lost! Anyway, check samples on Myspace for more info - sounds like good, rich droning soundscape, probably controlled by some sort of mixing device.
- Lambsbread, who previously claimed to be broken up, are once again taking their fast, aggressive free-noise-improv (don't call it "hardcore punk" please) out of Ohio and into our fair state. Expect a majestic mess that you yourself will have to clean up later.
- C. Spencer Yeh is billing himself under his own name, suggesting that the focus will be on his solo violin playing and complex vocal airstreams, rather than the incantory horror of his "band" project, Burning Star Core (which itself can be anywhere from one to four members in size). Fresh off his mention in the new "33 and 1/3" book about Throbbing Gristle's 20 Jazz Funk Greats!
Local support includes free improv guitar/perc/drum duo Binges and superhuman(e) sludge metal from Animal Law.
- Chris S.
