What's so good?
By Joshua Mellin | September 27th, 2011
Nestled along the river, in between a land of desolate factories, sits a little dive bar equipped with a simple wooden stage, complete with white Christmas lights twinkling overhead year round and an ever-present green sign over the stage. The Hideout Inn is a cozy institution of Chicago rock.
Whether its seeing a friend’s band, catching Iron & Wine play a secret show, or listening to Jeff Tweedy recite lyrics to Black Eyed Peas songs, the little venue is a music lover’s mecca, and it seems everyone who visits comes away with lifelong memories.
A springboard for countless musicians, some of whom got their start behind the bar (like Neko Case & Kelly Hogan, who were once bartenders), or on the stage, over the years this quaint location has become a behemoth of the local music scene which continue to launch countless careers and host legendary artists, as this weekend’s 15th annual block party showcased a mix of both up-and-coming artists and bonafide legends.
Utilizing the adjacent parking lot normally used to house the cities garbage truck fleet, The Hideout fostered an incredible atmosphere. Along with a slew of delicious food trucks, there was ample supply of delicious craft beers.
Hideout President Tim Tuten cultivates a place where, like he explained, you can bring an instrument (which got one in for free) and start a band, and maybe end up on MTV… “not that we care about MTV,” but more importantly it’s a place where everyone benefits. Literally, the proceeds from the block party always go to support local charities, this year funds went to support the Rock For Kids Andrew Bird Scholarship Fund for public school students and Literacy Works Chicago.
Check out the gallery of photos:
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"Andrew Bird - Bein' Green (The Muppets Cover) (French Version)"
A block party veteran, Bird's home base played host to his 2008 music video for "
Fitz & Dizzyspells" shot the evening he premiered his album
Noble Beast. Playing a full band set along with drummer Dosh, his looping violin painted elegant textures atop the invocative morphemic imagery of his lyrics. There is nothing more enjoyable than witnessing a fully formed artist, with a definitive vision, perform their craft, and that's exactly what Andrew Bird and the rest of those who graced the Hideout's stage brought to the Block Party.
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"Mavis Staples - You Are Not Alone"
It's always a pleasure and an honor to watch Mavis do her thing. I cannot reiterate this enough: Mavis is an original Woodstock performer, here on her home turf: this is where, in 2009, she recorded her grammy nominated live album "Hope At The Hideout," and they rolled out the red carpet for her, presenting her with the royal treatment, complete with her own throne. Joined by Andrew Bird, Mavis along with her band covered The Band's "The Weight."
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Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
"Jon Langford Feat. Neko Case - Stay A Little Longer (Live at SXSW 1999)"
One of the founders of country punk, the original drummer of The Mekons, Langford is a multifaceted artist whose paintings appear on bottles for the Dogfish Head Brewery. A board member for the
Rock for Kids, an organization that provides music education to underserved children, in many ways Langford has become a father figure within the Chicago music community.
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Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
"Booker T. Jones - Everything Is Everything (Lauryn Hill Cover)"
A solid bluesman is just what the mid-afternoon called for. A lifetime achievement grammy award winner and rock and roll hall-of-famer, Booker T. Jones hails from the home of the blues: Memphis, Tennessee. By the time he began high school, Booker was already considered a professional musician. A musical prodigy who had already mastered the oboe, trombone, saxophone, and piano, he served as the organist at his local church. The highlight of sunny set was a well envisioned cover off his newest release 2011's "The Road from Memphis," a take on Lauryn Hill's "Everything Is Everything," sample the cover, featuring Questlove on drums.
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Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
"Kids These Days - Summerscent"
Another fine example of the high quality music being cultivated at the Hideout, KTD are on the constant upswing. Stock full of talent and potential, they win over every crowd they play. Whether its the on the street at SXSW, or
Questlove or even
Jay-Z, it was no different Saturday. You would be hard pressed to find someone who attends one of their shows and isn't an instant fan. Stylistcally there's something for everyone, with elements of hip hop, prog rock, jazz, and a fantastic horn section.
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Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
"White Mystery - Take A Walk"
Speaking of MTV, that's just where Hideout and Indie Shuffle favorites White Mystery's idea for "
Birthday Party" landed last week. The Hideout was the first venue the White Stripes played in Chicago, and when that legendary duo called it quits earlier this year, they stated, "The White Stripes belong to you now and you can do with it whatever you want," and a band like White Mystery represents what they may have meant by that. Although the Stripes comparisons are unavoidable, (trust me, I've tried) White Mystery differ in some key respects. Francis' drumming is much more succinct while Alex's vocals trend towards an echoing lost age of psychedelia. An undeniably enjoyable live act, their recent album "Blood & Venom" does well to capture their primal live sound.
Download from:
IndieShuffle (right click save as)
Note: In many cases we can't share a track for free. So, we either link to sites that can, or provide purchase links (e.g., iTunes).
Joshua is a staff writer and photographer at Indie Shuffle, reviewing albums, live concerts and music festivals.
Favorite bands include Wilco, the White Stripes, the ...learn more →
