RECAP: Black Flag Kids' Show at Reggie's Guest Post by Mr. Singer

Here at ChiIL Mama we know kids and parents rock. Your craving for live music and your concert lovin' life doesn't end, just 'cause you create a life. So, we were super stoked when Black Flag announced an early, all ages show for kids (not teens... little punk kin with parents) before their adult gig at Reggies Rock Club in Chicago a few weeks back! We promoted it for months, then as luck would have it, we were out of town on a travel shoot when the show went down. Happily, we have a guest post by Neil Firstenleit (AKA: Mr. Singer, a well loved Chicago kindie musician and former long haired punk). Here's his sweet recap.

WHAT?!?! A free Black Flag show 

for kids, awesome!

by N. Firstenleit

A few weeks back, at this time, I was psyched up, standing in line at Chicago’s south-side rock club Reggie’s to see Black Flag for my first time. I have been rocking out to Black Flag since I was in grade school thanks to my older brothers and Greg Ginn’s unique style of fast, raw riffage makes him one of my favorite guitarist! Crazy thing is, this was a kids’ show! I went with a couple friends, Lilli 5 years old and her dad Jef, the Sharp Cookies’ Videographer.

The line consisted of mostly tattooed grownups and their youngsters. It was an interesting line to be in. The kid in front of us was entertaining us with a funny face puckering sound he called “fish fats”. These kids were sharing an authentic rock experience with their folks. Adults without children were being turned away until the later show. The doorman let me in with Lilli and Jef. Several families made it to the show, I was expecting it to reach capacity being a free Black Flag show and all, but it ended up being a very comfortable turn out. 

The bar had free hotdogs & pop for the kids before the show. While Lilli had a bite, I checked out the concert Ts. Most of the art was from their album covers by artist Raymond Pettibon. MY WAR has a knife in the hand of a puppeteer, SLIP IT IN has a nun hanging on to a hairy leg and JEALOUS AGAIN has a pistol-toting cheerleader. I got Everything Went Black, a menacing image of hedge clippers in a pair of clenched hands, the most kid friendly one they had. 

The band hit the stage and everyone was ready to rock! They played the sing-a-long classics: Rise Above, Louie Louie, Six Pack (singer said it was about baby formula) and TV Party (the kids added their favorite shows: Sponge Bob, Adventure Time and Uncle Grandpa). Greg leaned over and reminded singer Mike V not to say F*%& and he didn’t.

The volume was definitely kid friendly, which was great for the kids, but it left me wanting to hear them cranked up! The vocalist and the drummer seemed to be holding back, which is cool for the eardrums, but not for the raw power. Greg Ginn’s guitar (and theremin) playing was still pretty awesome to see live at whatever volume! I guess that’s why people pay for the later show. If I had, I would have also seen Robby Krieger of the Doors jamming with Black Flag! Would have been worth the $20 for sure.

After the show the band came out and talked with the kids. When I asked Greg Ginn about the choice to do a kids’ show and he said Reggie’s asked them to do it and they thought, why not? It was his first time playing a kids' show and he wished his 7 & 9 year old children would have been there. Lilli, Jef and I were definitely glad we were there!

Miss 'em at Reggies or just can't get enough?!

Check 'em out LIVE 7/18 at Brauerhouse in Lombard, IL. for $14 (this one's 18+).

ChiIL Out With ChiIL Mama's Sunday North Coast Music Fest Recap #Photo Filled Feature #NCMF @northcoastfest

Here are ChiIL Live Shows' Shots of Sunday at North Coast Music Festival 2012. 







Sunday highlights were Chi-town's own Mathien, pictured below.

Mathien even got the "shreddy shirt boy" sighting  seal of approval!

We really dug seeing Rebirth Brass Band from New Orleans again this year (we also shot them opening for Dumpstaphunk at the after party at Bottom Lounge Sunday night).  

Official NCMF After Party Rebirth Brass Band, Dumpstaphunk, Lou Dooben, DJ RC

Even security got in on the squirt gun fun

We also checked out the vendors including the Chevy street team.   I told them I'd just won a week loan of an Inferno Orange Camaro SS and they said, "What are you doing HERE, girl?!   You should be out driving that convertible!!!!!"

We did see a number of families and kids Sunday.

More highlights were Van Ghost, Big Boi and Pretty Lights.













The Van Ghost girls, and Jennifer Hartswick (Trey Anastasio Band) in particular, just killed it with their stellar vocals and horns.    

And of course the creative, costumed crowd.

 

 We wanna see a band named SLUTHAT next year.....   Whose with me?!

It was great to see familiar faces from the music industry/press world/blogosphere like Michael Berge, Michael Raspatello, Amy Ravit Korin (AKA:  Interactive Amy) and August Forte!

We hit the fest early Sunday afternoon with the plan to shoot most of Mathien's 2:30 set, then hit IndigoSky.   Unfortunately the media/photo pass SNAFU screwed up our shoot schedule again.    With no separate press entrance, I had to wait behind hundreds of festival goers to even get in, and then security gave me a hassle again about bringing in my gear.    

Year 1 we had lanyards/all access.   Year two we had a photo pit wrist band which wasn't ideal, but passable.   This year, we were approved for two media credentials, but someone had the brilliant idea that GA tickets would suffice.

We were unable to shoot Friday at all, since security wouldn't let me in with my pro-camera gear and I had nothing to prove I really had press clearance.    I tried for over an hour to get someone on the walkie to get me in with my gear, and finally left in disgust.  I'd taken the el down and couldn't very well just ditch thousands of dollars in cameras outside the gate.   We were bummed not to catch King Khan & the Shrines,  Knife Party and STS9.

Later that night I e-mailed all my contacts on the fest production end and they assured me I had clearance to bring in a camera as press and that the gate fiasco was a mistake.   Yet we had the same issue again Sunday with security and were held up at the gate so long we missed shooting all of IndigoSky and just caught Mathian's final song after literally running across to the far side of the fest.

Saturday went smoothly, aside from wasting shoot time in a mass of GA at the main gate and long lines for basics like portalets and water.  Every other major music fest we cover has a press area with free water and uncrowded toilets so press can work more efficiently.  It's a no brainer really.  Lollapalooza's press lounge is great, with a plentiful water and iced tea, private toilets, chairs for interviews, a free happy hour, swag, and more.    Unless things change for the better, this may be the last time we take the time to cover North Coast.   They seemed bent on making it as hard as possible for me to do my job and get good coverage for our readers!

Sunday I was fortunate enough to run into friends I shoot and review loads of shows for year round, who were able to escort me back stage to get some shots.    

Then I ran into one of the NCMF producers I've known for years, who FINALLY kicked me a guest wristband.    I still couldn't get any pit photos like we usually run here, but it was a big improvement over nothing.     Check out our extensive NCMF 2011 coverage where I shot pit photos from dawn to dusk every day of the fest.



That said, we'll be shooting stills again and catching Mathian's whole  at Reggies Rock Club this Saturday.   Come on out and check 'em out.   They're excellent.   Mathien's on at 7pm sharp, so come early.   ALL AGES.

Here's the scoop:

SAT SEP 08, 20126:30pm Doors/ All Ages/ $13 - $15 dos Click here for Reggies main site and more info

TRIBAL SEEDS
From San Diego, California, award-winning reggae group Tribal Seeds have become known for their spiritually driven, refreshing rock vibe they have infused with the roots style of reggae music.         BALLYHOO!
A rock band with punk energy and pop, reggae grooves, Baltimore’s BALLYHOO! are a fun, fan-loving powerhouse.  MATHIEN  Till next year NCMF....