Cap’n Jazz at Bottom Lounge, Chicago, IL
From July 18, 2010
By: Derek Walker

It’s been a long time coming for fans of the Kinsellas’ late-80s super group, Cap’n Jazz. Those who weren’t lucky enough to catch the band’s unannounced 20-minute reunion gig in January were treated to not one but two shows at Chicago’s Bottom Lounge, located a convenient block or two away from the Pitchfork Festival grounds in Union Park.

Both shows sold out minutes after they went on sale, which left many hopefuls to turn to E-Bay and Craigslist to acquire a ticket for either of the life-changing shows. Or both. I unfortunately missed the Saturday show, but tried my luck Sunday by hovering around the venue before doors opened, skipping the entirety of Pavement’s set down the street in the process.

I heard from friends who attended the night before the insanity a Cap’n Jazz reunion set provides. I’ve been in crazy, livid crowds before – as recently as Friday night when I caught Modest Mouse – so I sort of knew what to expect. Those expectations were far surpassed when the band tore into its first of 17 songs, “The Sands’ve Turned Purple.” Almost instantaneously, I was thrust frontward into the stage, then pulled back, then – well, you know how a mosh pit works.

The sheer lunacy provided by the guys who make up the band, each of whom is now in the mid-to-late 30s, was unreal. Tim Kinsella, frontman, occasional tambourine slammer and French horn blower, was especially animated. Even for him. Anybody who has attended a show for the defunct/on hiatus Make Believe knows how berserk the guy could be without a guitar in his hands, and Sunday was no different. No microphone stand or fan in the first 10 rows was safe from his constant flailing and many stage dives. One fan got nailed in the teeth with the microphone during “Yes, I Am Talking to You” – which she took like a pro, as she continued to scream her head off.

Midway through the energetic set, Tim tore his shirt off at the behest of the fans, his furry, sweaty chest acting as a Blarney Stone of sorts. Fans young and old, male and female all reached for Kinsella, hoping to touch history in the making. While guitarists Sam Zurick and Victor Villarreal, and bassist Davey von Bohlen were spot-on the entire performance, Mike Kinsella deserves special recognition for his drum work. Rarely, if ever, missing a beat, the ex-American Football and current Owen frontman seemed more at ease behind the kit than he does with the spotlight directly on him.

There was a lot of moshing, as is to be expected at shows like this, and a few overzealous fans leapt up to the stage and started dancing beside Tim Kinsella and playing air guitar next to Villarreal before security pushed them back into the crowd. This didn’t deter the band from strumming through the songs, though. If anything, it only encouraged them to try harder, play louder and give in to their emotions.

Tongues opened the set with a rather disturbing stage act, though not everybody might consider a topless, tattooed girl in a clown mask rolling around on the floor “disturbing.” If you’re reading this and you fall into that lot, rent “It.” Tim Curry stars, it’s pretty great. Tongues played a tight half-hour set which was fairly enjoyable, minus the freaky clown lady – that was just unnecessary. Plague Bringer performed second, and while their sound wasn’t my style, the individual members were thrilled to be there, opening for Cap’n Jazz.

It was a wild night and a great capper on a hectic Pitchfork Festival weekend. While I ended up sacrificing the opportunity to see Pavement, I lucked out and found a spot at Cap’n Jazz’s last show this size in Chicago perhaps ever. The band will be back at Wicker Park Fest later this month, and they will play the Pygmalion Festival in Champaign/Urbana come September. And after that, who knows? Mike is working on his sixth Owen LP, with a tentative release date of spring 2011. Davey is hard at work on the next Maritime record for new label Dangerbird Records, and he hopes to have it out by the beginning of 2011. Victor continues to work on his second solo record, and will be releasing a split 7-inch with math rock band Loose Lips Sink Ships. Tim looks to head back to Joan of Arc, alongside bassist Bobby Burg and drummer Theo Katsauonis. The three are billing themselves the “Joan of Arc Power Trio,” and have plans to release a new full-length in the upcoming months. And Sam is, well, Sam.

Whether or not these next handful of shows are the end of Cap’n Jazz remains to be seen. The reaction from fans, however, has been beyond anything I ever have witnessed, and that alone may lend itself to future reunions or one-off gigs. But then, maybe it will not.

Set list:
1. The Sands’ve Turned Purple
2. Ooh Do I Love You
3. Planet Shh
4. We Are Scientists!
5. Olerud
6. Forget Who We Are
7. Basil’s Kite
8. Little League
9. Oh Messy Life
10. Sergio Valente
11. Tokyo
12. In The Clear
13. Yes, I Am Talking To You
14. Que Suerte!
15. Precious (encore)
16. Take On Me (encore)
17. Puddle Splashers (encore)

Remaining shows for Cap’n Jazz:
July 31, 2010 – Chicago, IL at Wicker Park Fest
August 27, 2010 – San Francisco, CA at Bimbo’s 365
August 28, 2010 – Los Angeles, CA at Echoplex
September 25, 2010 – Urbana, IL at Canopy Club

VISIT CAP’N JAZZ

Written By: Derek Walker
Date: 1/22/10
Venue: Empty Bottle
Location: Chicago, IL
Check out the photos HERE!

Tim Kinsella is a tough guy to pin down. For the past two years he’s been hard at work forging a legacy under the Joan of Arc moniker, but sporadically, he has branched out and tried his hand at other projects, the latest being the 18-song, 41-member compilation album, “Joan of Arc Presents: Don’t Mind Control.”

The record, passable in quality and certainly worthy of a few listens, lent itself to its own special three-plus hour talent showcase, officially recognized as the Joan of Arc Variety Show. Eleven of the 18 bands that contributed to the album performed Friday night, with sets ranging from one to four songs. Every band was given a 15-minute window with which to perform, with most taking advantage of the full time allotment.

It was only fitting that the night started with Tim Kinsella, who appears twice on the compilation. Alongside drummer and Joan of Arc alum Ryan Rapsys, Kinsella played two songs under the Euphone name: “Friend in Common,” off the record, and one making use of the spoken word. The latter was among the more bizarre sights and sounds of the night. Why? Imagine this: Tim Kinsella is naked, wearing nothing but a grizzly beard and a curly blond wig. He is tripping on mushrooms, trying to record a song, but in the heat of that moment gets tangled up with some obnoxiously loud construction workers who won’t shut the hell up. Let that sink into your brain’s wrinkles for a second. Just a second. Yeah. How’s that for a mental image?

Tim’s spoken word has always been a bit, well, “out there.” Thankfully, hearing the guy shriek “YEAH, YOU COME UP HERE AND SUCK MY DICK, MOTHERFUCKER!” to a make believe group of city workers had its place at this show — because, truth told, this show was pretty out there too.

Fans had their attention diverted to the back of the room near the soundboard after Euphone departed. In a turn for the surreal, Pillars and Tongues played beneath the lime green and blue lighting of the sound area, completely unplugged from any instruments. Attention waned after the first handful of minutes, and even the uproariously funny interpretive dancer stopped dead in the midst of his best “Pants on the Ground” routine, which seemed to loop from the time he had arrived to the middle of Pillars and Tongues’ first song. It wasn’t that the trio was boring, but the dim lighting and virtually nonexistent acoustics turned what could have been a solid couple of songs into a plodding 10 or 15 minutes.

The Zoo Wheel, featuring the wonderful, underrated playing of Liz Payne, took the stage briefly after Pillars and Tongues closed up shop at the opposite end of the room. To an anxious, chatty crowd, the three musicians dominated the early portion of the night with a standout performance. Payne and her backup offer nothing in terms of energy or raw power, but they don’t necessarily need to, because The Zoo Wheel isn’t about blowing the pants off you — they’re about reminding you you’re still wearing pants, and why. That doesn’t make a lot of sense right now, but let it settle for a few minutes, it’ll come.

A 15-minute break was announced around 10:35 p.m. which enabled the next few acts to set up. Between sets, a disc jockey spun 7-inch records, local coffee roasters poured patrons free cups of “Joan of Arc Afternoons Mourning Blend” java at the merch table and fans hopeful of catching a glimpse at the rumored Cap’n Jazz reunion lined the outside doors. After grabbing some coffee, grabbing a drink at the bar, or grabbing a drink at the bar to put into the coffee, the crowd slowly migrated back to the main stage, where the digital glitchiness of Litesalive had taken over. Working straight from his MacBook, one-third of contemporary Joan of Arc’s guitarist trifecta Todd Mattei took a seat behind a dusty card table and got to work. Mattei’s songs are choppy bits of electronic poetry, which he dubs “Survival sci-fi music” on his MySpace page. Not for everyone, there was some notable stirring among audience members — whether that stirring was a nervous apprehension for the Cap’n Jazz rumor to come to life or a general apathy toward the survival sci-fi genre itself is unknown.

The venue became increasingly jammed around 11 p.m., when the next two back-to-back acts started. First was A Tundra, which is made up of Don Francis, current Joan of Arc drummer Theo Katsaounis and The Zoo Wheel’s Liz Payne. Full of energy, the three entertained the evolving crowd until it was Jeremy Boyle’s turn. According to the master of ceremonies — who was dressed like a modern day Monty Hall and had his own hokey theme music to boot — Boyle had flown in from Pittsburgh to play the show. A commendable feat, no doubt, but it was outdone by a number of fans who had traveled from all across the country not to play, but to attend. Some music fans’ dedication know no bounds.

Boyle’s set concluded at 11:15 p.m. and another intermission period followed. Cue the DJs. Cue the coffee roasters. Cue the last gathering of people hopeful at getting a peek of Cap’n Jazz. After 15 minutes of schmoozing over the beans and dumping as much free “Don’t Mind Control” merchandise into one’s handbag as humanly possible, round three began. Next up: Disappears, featuring Matt Clark.

(Oh, and I know you’re reading this, Polyvinyl. That free button, sticker and Tetsuo 7-inch you were handing out Friday night? Good stuff. And, yes, I feel your awesome Chambana record label deserves its own paragraph because of the free shit you gave me, and many others. No, no, don’t argue it; you deserved to be thanked.)

There was a certain uniqueness to Disappears, the band’s sound echoing something of a former generation. The jumpy guitars, the washed out vocals, the stage presence, all of it was overwhelming and the perfect lead-in to “Local Cover Band” (nee: Cap’n Jazz), which came on a little after midnight.

It was go time for Tim Kinsella and his former bandmates, ready or not. The visual of the “sold out” sign taped to the Bottle’s glass door must’ve put a quiver in his belly. He’s played the Empty Bottle numerous times, and done Chicago as much, if not more than a local musician trying to earn a quick buck, but rarely do his shows sell out.

The prospect of a Cap’n Jazz reunion has been talked about for years. Those talks heated up early last month, but nothing was “official” until the five members showed up on stage together. Nay, it wasn’t official until they showed up on stage together, picked up their respective instruments and actually played a full song. Or, say, four. Those in attendance, as well as the names peppering the guest list, put a lot of faith in the rumors to snag the pre-sale tickets hours before doors opened. And they put a lot of faith in Kinsella, who organized and supervised the entire spectacle. The obvious question: Could he handle it?

Pacing back and forth, Tim appeared worried. Normally one to handle pre-show jitters head-on, it was rather worrisome to see the guy flustered and flighty. But the other band members shared that feeling. Before the four-song set, guitarist Victor Villarreal confirmed appearances. Was he worried, maybe a little scared? You betcha. Sipping the tea out of his travel thermos, Villarreal expressed doubts that the people in the room would even know who he and his bandmates were. He then said the most nervous one was probably Tim, who, standing five feet away, kept pacing and scanning the room for the next acts.

But he was the next act. With Mike, his brother, Sam Zurick, Davey von Bohlen and Villarreal, Tim slow-crawled to the stage and set up what little gear he needed to, while his old pals did the same. No one expected it beforehand and no one expected it while it was happening, but it happened. Cap’n Jazz, playing under the meta pseudonym Local Cover Band, was back. Keeping pace for the rest of the night, the group adhered to the 15-minute time limit, not before pumping out four of its most beloved tracks. The building almost crumbled under the weight of nostalgic tremor upon the first few licks of opening song, “Little League.” From there, the band played “Oh Messy Life,” “We Are Scientists” and “Que Suerte!” to a floor full of pleased ears and cell phone camera-toting kids who were a mere 3 or 4 when the band formed (I was 2).

Is it apropos for Cap’n Jazz to come back for its 15 minutes of fame by literally coming back for only 15 minutes? Yes and no. “Yes,” because everyone in the band looked like they were having fun playing the old parts for a brand new age of consumer, and “no” because the now-reunited five-piece might be planning on sticking around a little longer than originally planned. Davey von Bohlen stuck around until the show ended, and chatted with fans about the possibility of more shows somewhere down the line. He said that door is now open, as everyone had a good time and enjoyed themselves — but that juicy tidbit of geek-worthy intel comes with a catch, and that is as follows: “[A reunion tour] would have to be this year.” So, full-scale Cap’n Jazz reunion to close out the summer, after Pitchfork and Lollapalooza? Sounds good to me.

Cap’n Jazz leaving for the night meant a good deal of people leaving for the night, as well. That’s a shame considering how many good bands were left, like Josh Abrams, Birthmark (Nate Kinsella), Vacations and Slick Conditions. Notably, it is surprising how in control Nate Kinsella was of his three-song set. Rarely a live performer with his solo gig, one of the last times he did a show for Birthmark was at Schubas in September 2008. Rife with sound problems and a miniature squabble between he and the sound guy, the show fell victim to (unfortunate, unforeseen, likely unfair) circumstance. Now, a year and a few months later, Birthmark was back in Chicago and allowed a proper go at it. It wasn’t redemption-worthy, but it was nice to see things go so well for the guy known as “Nice Guy Nate” to his friends.

Kurt Niesman of Slick Conditions closed out the show with a concise, jolty one-hitter. Those who had stayed till the very end were a little sleepy headed, but still as focused and appreciative as they were three hours earlier when the show started. The was a small rumor floating about that the members of Cap’n Jazz were going to come out after Niesman’s song and treat the remaining in attendance to a short Owls set, but it wasn’t meant to be. Perhaps they’re saving that for another day, at another show of another variety. Four-song reunion? Nah. Too soon.

VISIT Joan of Arc
BUY Joan of Arc Presents: Don’t Mind Control
LISTEN Joan of Arc Presents: Don’t Mind Control Variety Show, in full!

(Special thanks to reader Justin for recording the duration of Friday’s show with his trusty iPhone.)

Photos By: Derek Walker
Date: 1/22/10
Venue: Empty Bottle
Location: Chicago, IL
Read the review HERE!