That's what church should be like.

"I just find the communal experience of a rock concert, or any type of music performance, achieves a kind of transcendence that I associate with spirituality. It's the closest thing to what I think people expect church to be like. Or maybe just what I've always thought church should be...You lose yourself, and at the same time come to the realization or understanding that you're part of something bigger than yourself." -Jeff Tweedy (of Wilco)

There are various reasons that people attend concerts - some go to dance, some to be entertained, some because they got free tickets, and others because they're curious to see their favorite musicians live. I go for all of those reasons and more, but mainly I go because of what Mr. Tweedy was talking about in the above passage taken from an interview he gave to the A.V. Club. During a concert in Portland, Tweedy told the audience, "At a show you feel yourself being in a room full of people with all of their hearts beating, and all of their thoughts and feelings, and you’re a part of it. You’re not just you; you’re a part of a group of people in a really beautiful way. It's wonderful. It's joyous." Indeed it is.

Living in Chicago, my biggest dilemma surrounding the music scene is deciding who to see. There are virtually endless options. It's almost impossible for a week to pass without learning of a show I'm interested in attending. Boo hoo, I know. Therefore, for my first blog, I thought I'd put together a brief list of some of the best concerts I've seen in the last few months. If you're unfamiliar with any of the artists below, I strongly encourage you to check them out.

Yo La Tengo at the Vic





St. Vincent at the Metro





Miike Snow at the Metro





Phantogram at Lincoln Hall





The Antlers at Lincoln Hall





Bill Callahan at the Hideout





Flying Lotus at the Aragon





Atoms for Peace at the Aragon