Show Review: The Cars at the Riviera Theater, Chicago (May 18, 2011)

Ric Ocasek, The Cars (vocals/guitar)

Photo by Andy Argyrakis

By Jason Duarte

The Cars released its first album in 24 years, Move Like This, on May 10. In support of the new record, they've embarked on a U.S. tour. On May 18, they stopped at the Riviera Theater in Chicago to play a sold-out show. The line was around the corner, but when doors opened, it quickly filled the venue, and the wait wasn't long. I got lucky and scored a ticket for $15 less than face value on Craigslist, because this guy's friend couldn't make it, so I was happy.

Anyway, the show had no openers - just The Cars were set to play at 8 p.m. They took the stage at about 8:15 p.m., the crowd cheered, and they went right into "Good Times Roll" off The Cars' self-titled debut album. Singer/guitarist Ric Ocasek barely said a word or changed his facial expression the entire set, which lasted an hour and a half, to my surprise. He was very stagnant and rooted in his front-and-center position on the stage. In an interview with Cars drummer, David Robinson, he said he quit playing drums in 1987; he had to not only re-learn all the songs, but re-learn how to play drums. It was totally worth it - I couldn't tell at all. There were a few songs they didn't play that I would have liked to hear; "Magic," "It's All I Can Do" and "Drive." I know the late Benjamin Orr is dead, but that didn't stop them from playing "Just What I Needed," which Orr sang. I mean, "Drive" was the band's highest-climbing hit and I'm surprised they didn't play that one. The set was loaded with new songs off Move Like This. They played 60% of the new album, which was cool - but I'd have sacrificed a song or two to hear some of the aforementioned better Cars pop songs.

The crowd was a bit of a letdown, I thought. Most of them were aged 40+, and I assume don't go to shows very often, especially at venues like the Riviera (a total assumption), but it felt that way, sensing their awkwardness. Some sang along to the hits, but there were a lot of uncomfortable and awkward looks being shot around. The woman in front of me had no problem letting loose and having a good time. She was dancing and singing along most of the show and made a cloth banner that read, "Welcome back, Ric," with a little heart dotting the I. Towards the end of the set, she knotted it up and threw it on stage, and it went unacknowledged. I could tell she was a little disappointed that he didn't pick it up. The show was great, but the biggest disappointment was during the hand-claps in "Let's Go;" you know the ones I'm talking about. Maybe a handful of other people and myself did that, while the rest of the audience stood like deer in headlights. I'm not saying I expect every crowd to be way into it, but this is The Cars, people. They haven't released an album for almost as long as I've been alive and they've got a still-huge fanbase - enough to sell out a venue in Chicago at $65/ticket - I would expect people be more active and let loose. I heard some other folks complaining about the audience's lack of energy as well, but I think the older the crowd, the less energy they're going to put into it. Had there been opening bands, I wonder how many people would have stayed late, or showed up for them. Anyway, all in all, it was a great show, just an out-of-my-element type of show. I got to see one of my all-time favorite bands, and despite the rude, drunk guy standing behind me who blamed me for him dropping his phone and the deer-in-headlights dusters, the show was pretty solid. You want the set list from that night? Make an iTunes playlist and re-live it if you didn't get a chance to go.

Setlist:

Good Times Roll

Blue Tip

Since You're Gone

Up and Down

My Best Friend's Girl

Hits Me

Touch and Go

I'm In Touch With Your World

Keep On Knocking

You Might Think

Drag On Forever

Free

I'm Not the One

Sad Song

Heartbeat City

Let's Go

Encore:

Movin' In Stereo

Just What I Needed

You're All I've Got Tonight

Naperville Sun - "Parade To Honor Those Who Served"

By JASON DUARTE For The Sun

On Monday, the Naperville American Legion Post No. 43 and Judd Kendall Post No. 3873 VFW will co-sponsor the city's 92nd annual Memorial Day parade.

"What we do is we honor those who gave their life and service," said co-chairman of the parade committee Terry Jelinek.

A flag-raising ceremony will start the day at City Hall at 8 a.m. honoring those who served in the armed forces.

Before the parade, taps and volley services are scheduled to be held at Veterans Park on Gartner Road at 8:30 a.m., the Burlington Park Doughboy Monument at 8:50, St. Peter %26 Paul Cemetery at 9:15 and at the GAR Monument in Naperville Cemetery at 10.

At 10:30, the 76-unit parade will start at West Street and Jackson Avenue and move to Washington Street, go north on Washington Street, east on Jefferson Avenue, north on Brainard Street and west on Van Buren Avenue to Central Park.

"It started in 1917 by the American Legion to honor troops coming back from the first World War and to decorate the graves of the soldiers who fought in the Civil War and the Spanish-American War," said Ron Keller, chairman of the Parade Committee. "It was popular, so they continued it."

About 1929, school kids were included in the parade, as well as school bands, he added.

"When I was in grade school, all the classes marched with their teachers from kindergarten through third grade and most carried flags or flowers," Keller said. "When they got to the cemetery, they put the flags or flowers on the graves of their relatives."

This year's grand marshal will be Rear Adm. Michael J. Browne of the United States Navy.

Browne heard the Naperville Memorial Day parade was a large and patriotic one and, having relatives in the area, wanted to march in the parade, Keller said.

The regular parade marshal is Wayne Fischer and the officer of the day is Priscilla Laubscher; both of whom are American Legion and VFW members, Keller said.

The parade will include veterans riding in cars, a 21-gun honor guard from the Great Lakes Naval Training Station, a float from the Illinois Aviation Museum, a color guard from the University of Illinois, a Humvee from Operation Support Our Troops, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Campfire Girls, school bands, Indian Guides, Little League and various fraternal organizations.

"We always invite military units that are in the area," Jelinek said. "Depending on if they're on deployment, we don't always get them. Politicians are not invited. It's honoring our dead, so we tell them no."

Immediately after the parade at 12:15 p.m., a service will be held at the Community Concert Center at downtown's Central Park, 104 E. Benton Ave. The Naperville Municipal Band will perform patriotic selections and service songs. The day's events will close about 12:45 with a service at Blackhawk Monument including a prayer, rifle volley, taps and the "Star-Spangled Banner."

"Naperville is pretty unique," Keller said. "A lot of towns have a Memorial Day parade, but they don't have the involvement that we do."

Interview with Danny Sage from D Generation

By Chris Carlton

Chris Carlton spoke with Danny Sage, lead guitarist of D-Generation, about his influences, involvement in D-Gen and the band's upcoming shows (hint: Riot Fest)!

Squid Pro Quo: Growing up in New York, you must have seen some pretty amazing bands over the years. What was it like being a part of the NY music scene, and do you have any fond memories?

Danny Sage: "Yeah, I was lucky. I saw The Ramones at The Diplomat in late '77, I think. I was a little kid. But I was so small, I could only see the backdrop. Maybe the top of Joey's head. I left cause I couldn't see anything. I think I stayed for three songs! But I did see a lot of good bands and I knew about a lot of ones I couldn't see. Since New York is kind of the center of everything, they all came through there and there were good fanzines and magazines and record stores! And I liked bands before they got big usually, so I'd get to see them in smaller places, and that's always better. If I didn't live in New York, I wouldn't have gotten that opportunity probably."

SPQ: Who are your musical influences?

DS: "I have a lot of things and people that inspired me: The Beatles, The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, The Clash... Then certain guitar players: Mick Ronson, James Williamson, Jimmy Page, Mick Jones, Steve Jones, James Honeyman Scott, Angus Young... I could go on forever. I also like things that no one ever guesses. I love Joni Mitchell, Captain Beefheart, Django Reinhardt... I like Adele's new record. The first one's great, too."

SPQ: How did you get involved in D Generation?

DS: "I had always played on and off with Jesse (Malin), since we were about 14 or so. I played guitar in Heart Attack, about 1982 or so. We had always talked about making a more rock 'n' roll band with two guitars, a singer, then we finally did in 1991. After a few false starts, it turned into the real D Gen lineup."

SPQ: You must have played some amazing gigs over the years. Where is your all-time favorite place to play/see a gig?

DS: "I always loved Irving Plaza in New York. It's no accident that our show in NYC is there. I always loved seeing bands there, as well as playing there. The first time we played there, we sold it out, and that was a really big deal to us. I love the Glasgow Barrowlands. We did shows there in 1998 with Green Day, and it was amazing. The kids are fucking crazy. Spain is great, there are some other really memorable places. I used to love to play the old Continental in NYC, and CBGB of course. They were always great to us."

SPQ: D Gen's second album, "No Lunch," was produced by The Cars' Ric Ocasek. What was it like working with Ric?

DS: "Ric was my first choice after a while for "No Lunch". The only other people I might have looked at were Chris Thomas and maybe Bill Price. We met with a lot of people, but they weren't ever considered seriously, and my only other choices were dead people, or people like Jimmy Page. I would put dead guys' names on my list to see if my A&R guy was asleep or not. My first real choice was Ric. I liked the first Weezer album, and I like The Cars, and I was aware that he'd worked with Bad Brains and Suicide, who we all love. He lives in New York, he's really smart and funny, it was a good fit, at least for me, he and I got on well. And I think that's a good record. I learned a lot from Ric."

SPQ: I always looked at D Gen as being one of those great bands that just fell through the cracks and never really caught on the way you should have. Did you feel like that changed a little bit after the band split up? Like people might have said "Ahh, they were pretty damn good! We should have paid more attention to them?"

DS: "Not to sound like we invented fire, but we were the real deal, and it just so happened that the timing was really bad. People were really into Seattle, grunge, etc. and we were the polar opposite of that, on the surface. Things have changed a lot, and a lot of people are hip to what we we're into. Also, New York is somehow glamorous and amazing to everyone now. It wasn't that way till like 10 years ago. Five scruffy idiots from New York? People looked at us like we had horns sticking out of our heads. Now, they get it. Too late!"

SPQ: After the band split, you recorded some solo material. Have those recordings ever been released?

DS: "I was lucky; I moved to L.A. and I met a guy named Phil Jaurigui, who owns Swinghouse Studios in L.A. He was a D Gen fan, he and I became friends and he asked me what my plans were. He eventually let me make a record at his place. I did it in about 2001/2002. But when I finished, I started to meet with people, and it was like whoever would get into it would be fired two weeks later. It was the very beginning of the 'cleaning house' of all the big labels, so I got really disillusioned with the whole thing and just kind of ignored it. So, to this day, it's never been released. Maybe next year! I'm not gonna sweat it. It's so old now, I don't have an attachment to it."

SPQ: With the classic D Gen lineup back, (Danny Sage - guitar, Jesse Malin - vocals, Michael Wildwood - drums, Howie Pyro - bass, Richard Bacchus - guitar) together for a couple upcoming shows in New York (Irving Plaza 9/17) and L.A. (Troubadour 9/24), are there any plans for a full-scale tour or possibly a new album?

DS: "It's hard to say. Everyone has other commitments. We'll see how it goes. Right now, the band is getting along relatively well, and there are a lot of offers so we'll see what happens."

SPQ: Where can people get in touch with the band, get show dates and ticket info? Is there an official D Generation or Danny Sage website you want to plug?

DS: "There is www.dgeneration.us, to get info on the band. It's brand new. There's also a facebook page, but I couldn't tell you which one it is. I guess the one with the least lies on it. Or maybe the one with the most lies. Can't remember."

SPQ: Danny, I want to thank you very much for taking the time to talk with Squid Pro Quo. I, for one, am psyched about having the band back again. I hope we can get you guys back to Chicago after so many years away.

DS: "Thanks. We will be in Chicago for Riot Fest; I think early October. See you then."

Kobanes Japan Tour (Journal) 2009: Sept. 22, 2009

Hiroshima - Kei's parents' home:

The festival that day went great. I don't think we ever fell back asleep after my last entry. I think we went back out to get food. I had a burger, coffee and a hash brown that tasted just like at McDonald's. Anyway, we pull up to Club Goodman and unload our stuff. We moved it down the street to the other venue, where they had three floors, each floor, a very tiny room where the bands played. Very hot. Does It Float? was the first band I saw play and they were awesome. Seventeen Again was great too. The rowdiest band - fuckin' crazy. Jumped into the crowd. I got kicked in the face. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt at all. I got a bunch of free CDs. Stoked to listen to Weezie And The Moelies. I guess they sound like the Kung-Fu Monkeys. So yeah, I had a beer and some convenience store food - sandwich slices with no crust and a pastry. Eddie doesn't have any yen, cause his ATM card doesn't work in these ATMs. So he can only use it at places that accept Visa like convenience stores and stuff.
I was walking back t the club and saw a group of people outside playing Nintendo. Old school Mario Nintendo, so I watched and the girl asked if I wanted to partake, so I did! I finished the level and handed it off. They all went in some building nearby, so I played another level and went back to the club. Kei sold about 20-25 of the new Kobanes CDs ("Japan Invasion") and some T-shirts with the album artwork on them. There was an after-party Sunday night, but we were all too tired and still jet lagged to do anything of the sort. I think I lost a pound in sweat playing in that room. We quickly crashed.

We woke up early around 6 or 7 a.m. Kei was back, I guess he only stayed out after dropping us off from 10:30 to midnight. He doesn't drink or anything, which is good in some ways, especially for us. He's the only driver we have. He's a "tax man." His mother's a protestant Christian and his dad is a Buddhist. Interesting mix. Kei said he has not yet found a religion but someday hopes to. I guess I can empathize with that, having also been raised with no religion. We left Hotel Kamatsu for a little bit and got McDonald's. I ate the cheapest thing, a sausage breakfast sandwich. Only 190 yen! Like $2.20? Afterward, I got some lemon-flavored 8% ABV drink and in Japan, it's legal to drink in the car as long as you're not the one driving. So that was cool. The drive from Tokyo to Narita was a long one. About 8 or 9 hours because there was so much traffic, plus getting gas here off the highway takes like an hour because there are so many cars in line for it.
So we stopped. I had a burger, fries and a soda, which I think was diet...I got Kei two burgers and a Coke. Came to 970 yen. I guess we passed up Mt. Fuji, but it was hazy, so we couldn't see it. He said on the way back, we'll check it out. I hope we get to see a lot of cool stuff.
Anyway, we got to Memory Pops in Nagoya. The first band, Navigations came about 4 hours father than we did to play first of five bands. Crazy. hey were good though. It was fun to hear a Queers cover of "I Only Drink Bud" and a Sloppy Seconds cover in Japanese. I think they were amused by us singing along in English too. I guess music really is the universal language. Sense of Identity played too, they were pretty cool. The Because was also pretty good. Nice too.
About 30 people were rocking out to us. A bunch singing along too, which is strange to see. I think Kei is our biggest fan though. They love pop punk out here. Some girl was wearing a patch on her hat that said "I Read Zines" so I went out to Kei's car and grabbed some Squid Pro Quos to give to her, even though I know she didn't read English. But hey, what the hell, she might know someone who can and at least she can listen to the CD.
After the show, I was asked to autograph three CDs, something I've never done before. Two were in silver autograph pen ink even! I guess now it's official - we're rock stars. Haha. I grabbed five pot stickers for 100 yen and 5 dumplings for 100 yen and a chocolate cookie thing too. It was sustaining. Nice of the convenient store to microwave them for me. From Nagoya, we drove straight to Hiroshima. Actually, we stopped once for gas. And Kei's girl cigarettes that he says smell like raspberries. Pretty funny. The car was really uncomfortable. My legs were tired and my neck and back hurt. We stopped near Kei's parents' home and I bought rice crackers, a corn dog and some traditional Japanese sake. Have yet to try the sake though. Anyways at last night's show, Kei was surprised we did "Surfin' Bird" and "Have You Ever Seen The Rain." Did them last, in opposite order. I went to a small grocery store before the show and bought two cans of 6% ABV oolong tea. At first, it was disgusting drinking fermented tea. Some guy traded me his tall boy of beer for it, so that was nice. Then I had one more, and it wasn't so bad after that first one. The guitars really weren't too distorted at this show, which made us sound weird. But it was fun. The venue was full of American '50s nostalgia. Memory Pops. Pretty cool. So anyway, we got to Kei's parents' home. His mom laid out bed mat things and stuff for us, which was really nice. I gotta remember to give his folks some chocolates. I wanted to get Jenny something at the convenient store - it's like a card, really beautiful though, meaning "Happiness and Pleasure" but I held off because I want to get her something nicer than a card. Perhaps kimono PJs? I want some too. So yeah, I'll figure out something. My suitcase is only so big. It's a carry on. Later today, we're playing at Okayama, Japan! I can't wait to see yet another city in this awesome country. Then tomorrow, we play Hiroshima! Then sightseeing. I want to see temples, go in hot springs, get some souvenir-shopping done...I want to see more and not just sleep. But now, I must sleep. It's almost 8 a.m. Not running on much. Plus I took two sleep aids Eric gave me. Mark's fuckin' snoring is countering their effects though. Eddie's typing either (This is all taken from paper, if you didn't figure that out already, that's why it's being typed out now!). Anyways, more to come soon!

Thinking Back On Insubordination Fest: Day 1, Friday - MAIN STAGE

I FUCKIN' MISSED HOUSE BOAT. One of the bands that I really really wanted to see that weekend, I missed because I was still at my hotel and lost track of time. I wanted to get a shirt but then would feel like a moron cause it's like "hey, I'm wearing a shirt of a band that I like but have never seen or heard their music before (except for a couple of MySpace songs." But there were many more awesome bands to see that day - I felt better pretty quickly.
The Unlovables were amazing - I had never really heard anything by them before I saw them, so I was just kind of in awe during their whole set. Since then, I they are one of those bands you listen to for like a month straight. And I rarely do that with bands anymore. They struck me as amazing though, so I was really glad I was introduced to them live.

The Unlovables


Le Volume Etait Au Maximum played the main stage - they are a French band from Canada, eh? They were awesome though, even though I couldn't understand a goddamn word they were saying. Really good synth-pop punk. Kinda simiar to The Epoxies and stuff like that only a dude sings and not a chick.

Le Volume Etait Au Maximum


Underground Railroad To Candyland has also been growing on me since Insub. It's Todd C. from Toys That Kill/F.Y.P and another guy from Toys That Kill basically playing a little more obscure music with a couple of different dudes. They're really catchy though (in a non-pop punk way even!) and are really entertaining. I always am amused by the backup vocalist guy when I see them. His face reminds me of John Belushi's and all he does is jump up and down and sing stretched out vowels to the ends of lines in the song. In sunglasses. It's pretty awesome but they all fit together and make something really good.

Underground Railroad To Candyland


The Copyrights played really well. It was weird seeing them with a shitload of people going nuts for them cause they play Chicago like every other weekend and it's great but people don't go ape shit for their set all the time. But they did play really really well and it was cool seeing them somewhere else for once.

The Copyrights


Pansy Division was an experience. Never saw them before. Joel from MTX plays with them as the only straight guy in the band. Man, were they flamboyant. But they were good, I liked their stuff. A little more preachy and out there than stuff I like, but it wasn't bad.

Pansy Division


The Steinways were one of the few bands I basically came to see. I had heard it was supposedly their last show before calling it quits and I wanted to see them at least once. And I did! And it was fuckin' awesome! They did a big finish with "Carrie Goldberg" and that was that. They played amazingly and to me, they are one of those bands that every song on their album is a "hit," so to speak. All catchy, all fun and all good in my book. I was really happy that I got to see them.

The Steinways


Boris The Sprinkler was fucking weird. I liked them, but damn. I think Reverend Norb is a little fixated on anal sex. I don't know too much about the guy or his band, but I kind of wish I did so I knew what they were all about, so to speak. At one point, he was holding a sign that read, "UFO UFO." I ended up getting that sign after the threw it out into the crowd. It currently sits pinned to my wall - a nice souvenir from the fest. They were entertaining as fuck though. They also must have gotten a sweet discount on toilet paper because they brought shitloads of it to throw into the crowd, which the crowd then reciprocated (nooooo, really?) and it was pretty awesome.

Boris The Sprinkler




The Dead Milkmen. They were the biggest reason for me to attend this festival. Moreso than probably all the other bands combined. The Dead Milkmen were a band I grew up listening to in high school with my best friend while we cruised around, singing along to songs like "Taking Retards To The Zoo" and "Bitchin' Camaro" while we fucked up people's cars, mailboxes and garbage cans in the wee hours of morn." The Dead Milkmen were not only an awesome band, but a band I thought was hilarious. Especially during a time when the "music to listen to" was all this over-serious bullshit (has it ever changed?). Seeing The Dead Milkmen made me feel like I was 16 again, driving around subdivisions and neighborhoods being a moron. Which felt really good, actually. Really liberating. Anyways, I got right up there and got to sing along with Rodney at one point just for a split second, which made my night. Man, was it awesome.

The Dead Milkmen