Great photos of Wooden Satellites performing with Winter Gloves and Young Galaxy by Drew Allegre.
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Chris Darby, as seen all over Chicago! Read the article here.
Chris Darby got an awesome write up, and from the sound of it, a spot on the cover of this weeks Redeye magazine in Chicago. The publication is associated with the Chicago Tribune. Here’s what they had to say about Chris:
Chris Darby of Portage Park has held a lot of titles: carpenter, bike messenger, busboy; but the one that’s earned him the most recognition is folk musician.
The singer-guitarist formed the band Them Damn Kids in La Grange nine years ago with friend Rolland Gairroes, whom he met in college in Missouri a few years before.
Darby says his lyrics and sound are rooted in his own “working class” experiences. They’re heavily influenced by his folk peers in Chicago and states he’s visited in the Midwest during his tours, making his connection to the genre an easy fit.
“It seemed to come up naturally, I guess. There wasn’t really a plan,” said Darby, 30, who considers lyric-based tunes to be folk music.
Darby’s new plan is to tour the Midwest for six weeks this summer with a stop June 10 at the Red Line Tap in Rogers Park as part of a three-day songwriter festival. Them Damn Kids, which produced four full-length albums known for their hushed vocals, is on hiatus, so he’s a solo artist now.
Over the years, he’s performed 400 shows in 30 states, including a residency at Uncommon Ground in Lakeview, and hosted songwriter showcases for local folk musicians and those on tour.
As he’s toured the country, Darby’s met musicians at shows and through friends of friends, who’ve lent him a couch to crash on. He’s returned the favor by giving touring artists a place to stay and gas money.
Darby said he’s felt comfortable relying on others because he belongs to a tight musician network.
“It’s pretty safe,” Darby said. “If someone seems like a loose cannon, I just sleep in my car.”
Darby admitted the lengths that he goes to for other musicians is “pretty extensive,” but he praised Chicago’s folk population as “really communal. People are interested in what other people are doing and willing to help each other out.”
Read the full article here. Congrats, Chris!
Wooden Satellites had their LP release show last night in Fort Wayne for Let’s Make Crimes and the album is getting rave reviews…
Wooden Satellites have always been good, it’s just that this time they hit it out of the park. - Ben Larson, Fort Wayne Reader
You can read more of Ben’s article here.
Just wanted to point out that Greg Locke’s Kickstarter initiative to fund festival entry costs for his film Holler and the Moan, about our very own Lee Miles, has succeeded in raising all the money it needed.
“With a prolonged stint in Them Damn Kids on his resume, Chris Darby’s initial solo effort, Road Songs, is a concise, four-song EP of varied acoustic folk. There’s a hint of Celtic melody in “Thursday’s Child,” and American bluegrass peeks through the dusty, windswept “Night To Night.” The instrumentation lends a soft, cottony weight to these songs — a warbling bass rumbles with patient authority as harmonica and a gracefully plucked guitar line skips in lilting counterpoint in “Road Song.” — Patrick Conlan’s review of Road Songs.
(Source: illinoisentertainer.com)
Sixty Years War Collective is presenting a series of Mixtapes, showcasing great independent artists who are not necessarily associated with the collective. Each month, one member of the collective will pick ten of their favorite independent musicians and bands. The first one was compiled by Chris Darby. You can check it out here.
Some great photos of Wooden Satellites performing at Down The Line 5 this past weekend over at Joel Faurote’s flickr photostream. Definitely check it out. Also make sure to mark your calendar’s for March 11th, which is the updated release date of the Satellites new album, Let’s Make Crimes.
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Don’t miss Wooden Satellites this Saturday, February 19th, performing songs by The Cure at Down The Line 5! Tickets available via Ticketmaster.
See the first screening of Holler and the Moan in Fort Wayne on February 25th! Details here.
Holler and the Moan, directed by Greg Locke, is a feature length documentary about the life and almost dying times of Lee Miles. Dig it.
(Source: leemiles)
On February 11th, Wooden Satellites will be hosting a vinyl release show at The Brass Rail in Fort Wayne, Indiana in honor of their new full length LP, Let’s Make Crimes. Make sure to head over to their website for more details and check out the event page if you’re planning on attending!
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