Art Brut @ Green Music Fest 8/15/9

This band has a serious crush on Chicago. Since last winter, by my off-the-top-of-my-head count, you could have seen Art Brut play in Chicago no fewer than 9 times (including 5 straight nights at Schubas). Personally, this was the 4th time I've seen them since November. And they admit it. Singer/frontman/cad Eddie Argos opened the show by saying that Art Brut has just moved to Chicago since they play here so often. 

I've reviewed this band's live shows before (including in this blog), so I won't repeat what I've said before as everything still applies. This is a great live act, a middling recorded act, and a blast to be near. 100% energy all the time, tongue-in-cheek self-aggrandizing, and an observable passion for performance is Art Brut. That you can see them almost a dozen times a year 'round these parts and still consistently draw capacity crowds is testimony to their appeal.

This was also the inaugural Green Music Festival, held at Eckhart Park in West Town. I only went one of the two days, but the crowd was very small, the green-theme tenuous at best, the entry cost way too high, and the food offerings dismal. Still, the beer selection was well above average for a music fest, the sound quality was good (save a blown microphone on the bassist's amp during Art Brut's set) and the quality of acts was relatively strong (I was happy to see Elsinore included, friends of mine and underrated-but-soon-to-be-popular up-and-comers). Plus, since Lollapalooza was just 6 days prior, I can see why people might not have shown up. Hopefully next year it'll be moved back a few weeks and the cost will be cut in half (or at least the "Green" theme will be more observable). Then, we might have yet another strong music festival on our hands. 

Value/Cost = $13/15 = 87% = B

Tapes N Tapes @ Green Music Fest 8/15/9

I think it's been about a year since I've seen Tapes 'n Tapes live, and this show was a little disappointing - not their fault. Walk It Off is a great album, and made my best-of 2008, so I was anticipating seeing them live. I was hoping for an intimate club show, but I either didn't pay attention when they were here on tour, or was busy, so this was the only option available to me. What a disappointment. The very small Green Music Festival crowd evidently was there only for headliner Art Brut, because most people were sitting on their hands (literally). TnT were putting in their all, giving forth a quality performance and trying to make the most of it, but clearly even they realized what was happening - the crowd wasn't with them, and though polite, provided zero fan buzz. It wound up being a lackluster show, and the whole time I couldn't help think that had I seen the same performance at Subterranean with a receptive crowd, this might have been a highlight show of 2009.

Value/Cost = $9/15 = 60% = D