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UPCOMING Monday 30 Facets Multimedia presents 'Maxwell Street Blues', 8:00 p.m.
Chicago's legendary Maxwell Street was home to an open-air market that thrived for decades. It was there that the Chicago blues was born as African-American street musicians, who had fled the rural South for the city, played regularly on the dirty corners, empty lots, and broken sidewalks. Together, they hammered out a hard-driving, electrified sound that influenced the world.
Says Facets' Susan Doll: 'Maxwell Street Blues' is part of a series of Chicago-based documentaries that Facets is restoring. The films represent a loosely knit 'movement' from the 1960s to 1980s in which documentary flourished in the city.' The night of the screening Ms. Doll will 'offer some background on this era and why these films are important, especially in regard to the city's place in film history. I will also talk about the connection between Maxwell Street and the history of blues music.' The event is free and BYOB. Now available from the AV page: XYZR_KX, recorded live at Transistor. Sound by Dominic Armstrong of KAM Instruments. On Friday night, December 16, 2011 Transistor welcomed the premiere screening of VISIONS OF ASTROPOLIS, with a live music performance by XYZR_KX.
Beach Sloth calls the 'giddiness' of some of the tracks on Secession in Astropolis 'positively infectious. XYZR_KX has created a crisp, happy little album.' The Illinois Entertainer considers the album 'Essential lo-fi bliss for anyone sick of cloying emo lyrics and cut-up juxtaposition.' Now available from the AV page: Backwords, recorded live at Transistor, 10-30-11. Sound by Dominic Armstrong of KAM Instruments.
Based out of Brooklyn, Backwords is rooted in city grit but rides the concrete waves with a cowboy's heart. The band is a regular fixture of the New York City scene and has played countless gigs over the last three years at venues and spaces such as Mercury Lounge, Cake Shop, Glasslands, Sycamore, Cameo Gallery, The American Folk Art Museum, and more. They have played official showcases at 2009 and 2010's CMJ Festivals as well as 2010's Northside Festival and were recently named a 'Top 10 Emerging Artist' in the 'Alt-Folk' category by The Deli Magazine NYC. Backwords has toured the United States extensively in the past few years from NYC to LA and has played with such bands as: These United States, Le Loup, Freelance Whales, Dinosaur Feathers, Darwin Deez, Warpaint, Pepi Ginsberg, Tiny Animals, Country Mice, The Beets, Shark?, The Old Ceremony, The Deep Dark Woods, Craft Spells, Hosannas, Spirit Family Reunion, Turbo Fruits, Pujol, Radical Dads.
The band is currently working on a fourth and oh-so-glorious new record -- to be completed early 2012. See more photos of their Transistor session. Also see: photos by HC Greenwell. Now available from the AV page: Jenny Gillespie with Shahzad Ismaily, recorded live at Transistor, 10-23-11. Sound by Dominic Armstrong of KAM Instruments.
After a few years as a poetry graduate student in Austin, TX, where she recorded the alt-country EP 'Love and Ammunition,' Jenny moved to Chicago where she formed a band and recorded her first full-length, self-produced album, Light Year (listen) at Electrical Audio in Chicago in 2009. Driven by delicate piano and off-kilter guitar tunings, Light Year garnered comparisons to Bon Iver and Feist; her song 'Hummingbirds' won Jenny a spot as a 2009 Williamsburg Songwriting Competition finalist. In fall 2010, Jenny reconnected with Darwin Smith who had mixed 'Light Year' and they embarked on a two-month-long recording session for her second album, Kindred (listen).
Now available from the AV page: Beaten by Yuri, recorded live at Transistor, 10-16-11. Sound by Dominic Armstrong of KAM Instruments.
Recorded in 2004, BBY's debut release, Time For Eugenics, was a lo-fi mishmash of soft ballads and scarcely audible indulgences in pop and ambiance. Their followup, GERTA, proved to be an ambitious artistic statement, featuring a vigorous flair for production and songwriting BBY had only hinted at previously. Heralded as 'the weirdest album of 2007,' by Whisperin' and Hollerin' magazine, the album fetched many glowing reviews. GERTA's recording sessions and supporting performances were filmed for the RockuMockery short film, 'The Business of Making Dreams Come True.' BBY continues to record and perform as a trio throughout Chicago (with Jay Tallungan of Apetrax Studios). They are currently finishing two albums (one an 'ovary-busting, rock explosion,' and the other a 'luscious, folk-tinged java squirt for curing hash hangovers'), plus numerous music videos, all set to be released soon! See more photos of their Transistor session. Now available from the AV page: Dreamers of the Ghetto, recorded live at Transistor, 10-14-11. Sound by Dominic Armstrong of KAM Instruments. It was a night of firsts: the first session recording we've done in our new location, the first full-band performance in our new location, and the first time we've had a band play Transistor whose album had been reviewed (positively) by Pitchfork the same day!
Says the band: 'Our dreams run wild and unchecked. The voyage we are on is never-ending. With romance in our hearts and fire in our guts we incite love and violence in listeners far and wide. Let us be the Sirens in your ears. Welcome to our world - stay.' See more photos of their Transistor session. ...............................................................Now available from the AV page: The Ladybug Transistor at Transistor, an in-store performance recorded 7-10-11. Sound by Dominic Armstrong of KAM Instruments. 
Since the 1990s, The Ladybug Transistor has created formalist pop-rock albums with a dreamy, articulate sound that spans decades and genres. Anchored by Gary Olson's organizing vision and restrained baritone, their music boasts intricate arrangements and soaring melodies that are at once modern and timeless. This band's narrative holds a rich history of heartfelt collaboration, tireless devotion, quiet and outspoken romance, new arrivals, unexpected departures, achy break-ups and unspeakable loss. They have become agile at adjustment.
The resulting effort is their new release, 'Clutching Stems,' a lush collection of potent refrains and brought-to-one's-knees ballads. Set to an invigorated soundtrack of wave-pop arrangements, the songs detail stories of humbling heartbreak, profound longing, undoing distress, nagging regret and coming-of-age awakenings. Olson's lyrics express an overarching search to find one's voice in the face of moments that knock the wind and words right out of a person. This new line-up has found a distinct voice that honors diverse influences and the band's own precedent sound. 'Clutching Stems' assuredly underlines that while love can tear things apart, it can also capably mend them back together once again. Bio courtesy of Merge Records. See more photos of their Transistor session. Now available from the AV page: Chicago garage/psych quartet Via Verso and solo ambient guitarist mitre (aka Scott Richardson) live at Transistor, 7-9-11. Sound by Dominic Armstrong of KAM Instruments with Janna McCluskey.
mitre (aka Scott Richardson) has been recording and performing solo ambient guitar music for the past decade. He has released several albums and EPs on Australia's Dreamland Recordings and has drawn comparisons to such drone luminaries as Windy & Carl, Fripp & Eno, Stars of the Lid, and Popol Vuh. His newest collection is the self-released CD 'fatigued at the outrage factory.' ...............................................................................
Now available from the AV page: The Sunday Session with Jon Langford Sunday night June 19th Transistor and Transistor Radio presented a special event with Jon Langford reading from his new book, 'Skull Orchard Revisited,' and playing selections from the 'lost' album. Following the performance, Transistor co-owner Rani Woolpert interviewed Jon. Sound by Dominic Armstrong of KAM Instruments. 
Jon Langford is best known for the music he creates
with the Mekons and the Waco Brothers, but he's also
gained increasing acclaim for his visual art over the
past decade. Nashville Radio, his first book + CD of
paintings, writing and music (Verse Chorus Press,
2005) was a sprawling, jam-packed collection full of
punk energy. For this book, Langford has created a
highly personal portrait of Wales, where he was born
and raised.
The starting point was his long unobtainable album 'Skull Orchard.' For the CD available exclusively with this book, Langford returned to those lost recordings and radically revised them, enlisting as his accomplices the Burlington Welsh Male Chorus, who contribute a unique warmth to the material. Three new tracks have been added, making 18 in all.  Langford illustrated his lyrics for 'Skull Orchard,' at
once autobiographical and fanciful, in a set of 'song
paintings' created especially for this book, which
also includes much more artwork, an A to Z of South
Walian culture and history (both personal and general)
by Jon's brother, and acclaimed science fiction writer,
David Langford, photographs by their father, Denis
Langford, and Jon's first published story, a witty,
dystopian tale about a whale and a dolphin.
Jon will be touring with his Skull Orchard band
throughout 2011 to support this release; his art will be
on display at galleries in various cities over the course
of the year.
Jon Langford was born in Newport, Wales, and studied fine art at Leeds University. He is a founding member of legendary punk band the Mekons, art-metal power trio the Three Johns, and militant hard-country rockers the Waco Brothers. Since moving to Chicago in 1992 he has exhibited his paintings and etchings extensively, designed covers for albums by Hank Williams and Buddy Guy, toured his spokenword multimedia performance, The Executioner's Last Songs, and in 2005 published a collection of his paintings, writings and music under the title Nashville Radio. His most recent album is 'Old Devils' (2010) and out on Bloodshot Records. Background text and book photo courtesy of Bloodshot Records. Orange stage photos by Transistor. .............................................................Now available from the AV page: audio of Dan Zapruder's Friday night set here at Transistor (May 27). Sound by Dominic Armstrong of KAM Instruments with Janna McCluskey.
Now available from the AV page: audio of two outstanding sets by ambient electronic artist Wes Imel and industrial duo Casual Encounter (May 20). Sound by KAM Instruments' Dominic Armstrong.
Now available from the AV page: a special Sunday Session with Julian Dawson. Sound by KAM Instruments' Dominic Armstrong.
If you read the liner notes of any one of hundreds of classic albums recorded in the '60s, '70s and '80s, the name Nicky Hopkins appears again and again. Hopkins' incredible piano playing can be heard on classic albums and singles by The Beatles (solo and collectively), The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Who and many more. He played at Woodstock with Jefferson Airplane and at the Royal Albert Hall with Art Garfunkel. Julian Dawson met Nicky Hopkins at South By Southwest in 1994, wrote and recorded with him that summer, and mourned with the rest of the music world when Hopkins died at age 50 in September 1994. Now, after 12 years of writing and research and 130 interviews (including with Keith Richards, Pete Townsend, Ray Davies, Steve Miller and Peter Frampton), comes the American launch of the biography. In this special-event 'Sunday Session,' Julian read excepts from the book and performed a few songs associated with Nicky Hopkins. Then Transistor co-owner Rani Woolpert interviewed Julian on her arts interview 'The Roundtable.' Brian Bonanno of eco-Andersonville was also a guest on this week's show. Music releases available from Transistor Sound, both FREE 
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This documentary captures the tail end of the last great era of blues music on Maxwell Street. Artists like Arvella Gray, Jim Brewer, John Henry David, Coot Venson, Floyd Jones, and Carrie Robinson may look a little worse for the wear as they play among the rubble of Maxwell Street on their beat-up instruments, but their raw, hard-hitting, and gritty music defines the essence of the Windy City. New York gave birth to the smooth sounds of Tin Pan Alley, New Orleans struts its up-tempo jazz, and Nashville relaxes to the twang of country, but the Chicago blues will hit you where you live.
XYZR_KX is Jon Monteverde, Chicago-based indie-rock/electro-pop wunderguy. With this project, Monteverde redefines the boundaries of the traditional pop song by simultaneously incorporating hushed vocals, serrated guitars, and chaotic beats. 
Backwords blends modern psychedelics with folk rock, '60s pop and a myriad other sonic surprises. Like a bluebird fluttering through the prairie, Backwords delivers gentle, lazy melodies that stick to the tongue and cannot be forgotten. And like a hawk nesting atop a New York skyscraper, there is a fury — a swooping darker underside that Backwords explores at the drop of a wooden nickel. It is and is not quite The Beach Boys meeting Daniel Johnston meeting The Velvet Underground meeting Wilco.
On Quilt, the band's most recent release, the trio mixes the classic instrumentation of guitar, bass, drums and keys with everything from toy flutes and banjos to accordions and clips of obscure field recordings. The heartfelt lead vocals offer a story-teller's tone of simple, honest warmth while the backing harmonies and good old-fashioned gang vox deeply layer the sound. Twelve tracks of solid gold tunes and unfussy production make it a record that goes great with an old turntable and a pair of bulky headphone. Enjoy!
Born in Springfield, Illinois in 1980, Jenny Gillespie first picked up her mother's Martin guitar at 13 after years of classical piano study. Falling in love with the music of Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen and Nanci Griffith, Jenny embarked on a path of writing and performing her own folk music. Though her style has expanded from straightforward folk to atmospheric dream pop, themes of intimacy, family, spiritual searching in a broken world, and connection with nature have always permeated the stories in her songs. 
Her new album, Belita, due out in early 2012, was produced by Shahzad Ismaily (Bonnie Prince Billy, Jolie Holland, Lou Reed), featuring vocals by Sam Amidon, guitar by Marc Ribot (Tom Waits, Elvis Costello) and percussion by Jim White (PJ Harvey, Cat Power). Says Gillespie, 'The sound of the record brings out my purest musical impulses, my folk and classical roots, my world music and musical theater influences, and unifies them all with an intricate, warm and heady sound that I can only describe as 'acoustic paintings.' Some of the songs sound like electronica, but they are all played on acoustic instruments. And there's an openness and spaciousness to some of the songs that I have long defied...just me and a piano, just me and a doubled acoustic guitar.' 
Shahzad Ismaily was born to Pakistani immigrant parents and grew up in a wholly bicultural household. While he holds a master's degree in biochemistry from Arizona State University, he is a largely self-taught composer and musician, having mastered the electric and double bass, guitar, banjo, accordion, flute, drums, various percussion instruments and various analog synthesizers and drum machines. Ismaily has recorded or performed with an incredibly diverse assemblage of musicians, including Laurie Anderson and Lou Reed, Tom Waits, Jolie Holland, Laura Veirs, Bonnie Prince Billy, Faun Fables, Secret Chiefs 3, John Zorn, Elysian Fields, Shelley Hirsch, Niobe, Will Oldham, Nels Cline, Mike Doughty (of Soul Coughing), Graham Haynes, David Krakauer, and Billy Martin (of Medeski Martin and Wood). He has also composed regularly for dance and theater, including for Min Tanaka, the Frankfurt Ballet and the East River Commedia. Recently he composed the score for the critically acclaimed movie Frozen River, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. He was also an artist in residence at the Headlands Center for the Arts in San Francisco, CA in 2008. Currently based in New York, Ismaily has studied music extensively in Pakistan, India, Turkey, Mexico, Santiago, Japan, Indonesia, Morocco and Iceland.
Beaten By Yuri is a musical duo comprised of multi-instrumentalists Kevin Golden and Jarod Facknitz. Formed near Detroit in 2003, the band gained a cult following for its unpredictable live shows and eclectic song catalog.
In 2007, the untimely passing of their beloved drummer San Fadyl left members Olson, Kyle Forester and Julia Rydholm at an unimaginable loss, struggling with a prevailing sense of 'What now?' At a time where moving forward felt possibly impossible, the band quietly gathered new recruits (Mark Dzula, Eric Farber, Michael O'Neill) and embarked on writing a new album with the memory of San squarely in mind.
Via Verso is a garage/psych/experimental band from Chicago. Comprised of former members of The Drapes, Ticklepenny, The Mudtoys, and Wickerman -- to name a few -- Via Verso is currently blowing their own fragile eggshell minds with songs and soundscapes that recall such landmark bands as 13th Floor Elevators, Spacemen 3, My Bloody Valentine, Tom Waits, Built to Spill, Gram Parsons and Television. Their sound is comparable to listening to a garage rock record found in a thrift store using an old hubcap and a sewing needle for a turntable. They use rare vintage instruments and often make their own effects pedals to achieve a sound that is truly unique. They have been writing and recording songs at Lucky6 studio at a frantic pace and have been playing gigs regularly.
The first of three planned releases, 'Bedroom Skyline,' is available on iTunes and Amazon.com -- dreamy psychedelic mantras interjected with Kinks/Skip Spence-influenced songs. A follow-up is in the finishing stages, looking for a summer release this year.
Now available from the 
Says New City: 'Jon Langford has grit in his voice and melody in his
soul. [He's] a punk-rock pioneer, a troubadour for our times, a visual artist of uncommon skill, a singersongwriter who writes with the authority of having lived a life rather than just having imagined it.'
Primitive, creepy and as cold as a lab table, 
Sunday night May 8 Transistor welcomed British singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer and author