Chicago 6 Corners: BlackMath and The Gnomes at Empty Bottle, Hideout

BlackMath & The Gnomes: 2 Bands, 2 Nights, 1000 Points of Dark

By A Friend of The Bands, November 17, 2008

At first glance, these two bands are a study in contrasts. If the reverb-heavy BlackMath is the new, ahem, black in local electric rock, then The Gnomes are the standard-bearers of Chicago indie rock with a dash of ear-friendly pop. Yet, BlackMath isn't all grim reaper. And you won't find 1000 points of light in The Gnomes, as their dark tales of stoned rodeo clowns and the miseries of whiskey can attest. Hell, just look at this gnome graphic to the right, designed by the lead singer and songwriter, Andy Larson. Whimsical, but twisted, humor abounds.

November 18 should immerse audiences in 899 tonal shards from BlackMath's ebony prism. BlackMath creates straightforward, loud, synergistic waves of molasses sound with guitars + synths + drum machines + electric cellos. Toss in distorted male/female vocals for good measure. The sum of their parts = dark, well-structured songs. Neither a simple equation, nor simple music by any means, but a sneak listen at their Ukrainian Village practice space yielded pleasurable results for the ears. Thank Mephistopheles, they are making their debut performance Tuesday night as a trio in the loudest sound system in the Wickrainian 'hood, The Empty Bottle. The setting should fit BlackMath's unique songwriting and performance – creating thick, murky drones reminiscent of My Bloody Valentine, with influences from The Cure, OMD, and Siouxsie and the Banshees. The band opens shortly after 9 p.m. with New York's Girls and Chicago's Panda Riot to follow. Wear black.

On Thursday, November 20, at The Hideout, The Gnomes will deliver the catchy melodies that made them a huge hit as last year's closer at the Chicago 6 Corners launch party. Several people have mentioned their solid set to organizers, even reciting lyrics a year later. They're that infectious. Yet what sticks is sometimes a little more sinister – and funnier – than one may first detect. Take the aforementioned "Rodeo Clown" off The Gnomes II (buy it here): "I am high on life and painkillers ... There are skeletons in my closet, some with meat on them still / I got mayhem in my veins, and time to kill / Rodeo Clown ... The only time he's high / Is when the rodeo's around / But when the rodeo leaves town..." The trailing guitar chorus hints things only get shittier for rodeo clowns sans rodeos. The band is currently working on their new album, The Gnomes III, and should debut some of those irreverent songs, as well as fan favorites. They play the middle slot, around 9:45 p.m., between Nervous Fingers and Big Buildings. Wear black – but with a cute red hat.

Opera Cabal

(Photography by Adeline Sides) Opera Cabal, a Chicago based ensemble of performers, presented a multi-media experimental production of opera, music and theater: *USW* | und so weiter | et cetera | and so forth |. The Chicago Premiere was held on February 19, 2010 and February 20, 2010 at Curtiss Hall (Fine Arts Building).

Art in Bronzeville

"Dreams Can Come True", is the guiding theme of the one-day Art exhibit at the South Side Community Art Center on September 20, 2008. The event united artists and patrons to commemorate the 2008 Presidential Election and to show their support of Barack Obama. Photography, by Adeline Sides