Ending the summer in style with the Record Company and Steepwater Band
Lots of adventures and great music with great people
The Record Company lead singer Chris Vos didn’t talk much during his band’s performance at the Castle Theater in Bloomington, but he did say something that stuck with me.
He was addressing how to support a band when most music is now streamed and not sold as a physical copy like an album, tape or CD.
“The first thing you can do is come and and support them, and you’re here so you’re doing that — thank you,” Vos said. “The other thing you can do is tell someone who respects your opinion that you liked what you heard.”
That’s exactly what I hope I’m doing with this Substack1. In my nine months writing this, I’ve been searching for exactly what it is, and I know one thing I want out of it is to shine a spotlight on the bands I love, and especially the ones that are lesser known.
I also want to entertain by telling you about the people I meet and witness, and — of course — about the dumb shit I do.
Here’s a look at the two shows I attended last week to end a memorable spring/summer concert season2:
The Steepwater Band, Lakeview East Festival of the Arts (Chicago)
My sixth time seeing the Steepwater Band was special because my wife Liz and son Sully attended with me.
Steepwater drummer Joe Winters always asks why Liz doesn’t come to the shows and I like to give her shit about it when I get home. Steepwater doesn’t exactly fit in her musical tastes, though one night on a drive home from a date night she mentioned that she particularly enjoyed “The Stars Look Good Tonight,” which is a Steepwater Band song from 2010. I’d scanned Steepwater’s upcoming shows and, with this one taking place at an art festival, felt like that would be a good fit for Liz. And I figured since my mom, daughter and daughter’s boyfriend had all seen Steepwater and met some combination of the guys and Joe’s wife/all-around awesome person Angela3, I’d take along Sully so he could get the Steepwater experience, too.
We booked parking beforehand and got there early enough to walk around the art exhibits — there were over 120 booths, many with some really high-quality art. Liz ended up liking a piece well enough to buy it.
Soon it was time for the band to start and we took a spot in the middle — near the stage but not too close. Angela warned Liz before they began that the band is loud, which I had never really considered, but it’s true — you have to play at a certain volume to achieve the guitar tones Steepwater is going for. But I’ve also never considered them obnoxiously loud, and they weren’t on this night. Vocals could have been turned up a hair, but that’s nitpicking — the band always sounds great and did again. Their consistent excellence over six shows in a variety of different venues and circumstances is a testament to both the band’s professionalism and also talent.
The setlist was a smart one for the audience — mostly stuff from the new albums mixed with the “hits” and some really cool covers like the Rolling Stones’ “Sway,” Derek and the Dominoes’ “Tell the Truth” and Tom Petty’s “Honey Bee.” I had messaged Joe that I hoped they could play “The Stars Look Good Tonight” and was surprised and honored when Steepwater singer/guitarist Jeff Massey announced they were doing the song for a friend of theirs, Justin Conn.
After recovering from the initial embarrassment that comes with being singled out in a crowd, I tried not to become overcome with emotion — how cool was that?! I don’t know why the Steepwater Band doesn’t have a fan base that fills stadiums — I can’t explain all the the idiosyncrasies of the music industry that keep bands as good as Steepwater from wider airplay.
But I know they have at least one fan for life. Even if they were dickheads, I’d love their music — they’re a great band. But that they happen to be four exceptionally cool people — five when keyboardist Chris Grove is there like he was at this event — is a hell of a bonus.
After the show we chatted with Jeff, Joe and Angela, then said our goodbyes to wrap up what had been to that point a perfect night.
And that was the end of the perfection. From there, it got weird.
Post-show problems
Look, we’re not FROM Chicago, but it’s not like Liz and I aren’t well-traveled. Liz lived in for Chicago for awhile while she went to college and also lived in Atlanta, and I’m no stranger to driving in cities.
But this is a true downstate yokels’ story:
We decided we’d pick a Shake Shack to hit before we left the city — it would be quick, everyone could agree on it and it’s decent. We drove to the nearest one near Wrigley but couldn’t find parking.
We started driving south and decided we’d call and order ahead to a Shake Shack near downtown. But as we got nearer to the location, we were suddenly part of a large group of cars all with Mexican flags hanging out the windows. Some of the cars had loud music playing and many were honking their horns in celebration.
It turned out they were celebrating Mexican Independence Day, and in particular the El Grito Festival, which returned after a 10-year hiatus. In response, Chicago officials decided to close off downtown.
As we followed the Apple Map directions and it was telling us to turn, we found that the road was blocked by police at every intersection that led into downtown. Siri couldn’t seem to find a way in and neither could we. It became apparent we weren’t going to be able to get to Shake Shack, but they wouldn’t answer the phone for us to cancel our order, so now we’re STILL in the midst of a dispute with them because they charged Liz’s card.
We still didn’t have any food and were still stuck in the middle of tens of thousands of cars … and I had to pee.
At first it seemed fine — we’d get the food and then I’d worry about it. But when that didn’t happen and as we crawled through traffic back to our exit, I began to feel panicky. I REALLY had to go. It was becoming miserable.
By the time we finally got out of the traffic and on to the road we needed to be on, I knew my time was short. Liz said she thought there would start being some gas stations in a few more exits — that’s not what I needed to hear. I quickly made the first exit I saw and began looking for ANYWHERE to pull over and make this happen. Liz noted a turnoff and I took it, got out of the car, found a sign to step behind and … sweet relief.
But soon came the feeling — I’m exposed. Is anyone looking? I scanned around and saw some cars going by the street to the West of where I was standing, but they didn’t seem concerned with me. I looked to the East and … realized I was standing right outside Guaranteed Rate Field — where the White Sox play. I was in what appeared to be a service entrance. At that moment, if a police officer had rolled up and turned his lights on, I wouldn’t have cared — at least it was over.
I got back in the car and apologized to Liz and Sully, who were more delicate with my feelings than they needed to be, but it made me smile. Liz said she didn’t even look. Sully said I was behind a sign so he couldn’t see anything.
We got back on the road and, once we were out of the city, found a Culver’s a few minutes before it closed — I felt like I deserved the double butterburger after that.
— With Liz and Sully, Sept. 15
The Record Company (with Kiely Connell), The Castle Theater, Bloomington
People always say, “You have to see (insert band) live.” And I normally take that with a grain of salt. If I don’t like the music on the record, I’m probably not going to like the band live.
And I did like the music I heard on the Record Company’s studio releases when concert buddy Shawn first turned me on to them when this show was announced a few months ago — they remind me of about 60 percent Black Keys and 40 percent swing band. I found it to be good background music to put on while I was working.
But I didn’t expect to love this band as much live as I did. Vos danced, ran around the stage, swung the mic around by its cord and played his guitar with exaggerated motion to accentuate big riffs. There was an intensity to their show that, along with the big crowd gathered at a great venue in the Castle, made this a major contender for the best I've seen this year.
While Vos demanded much of the attention, bass player Alex Stiff was also captivating, standing at the far left toward the front of the stage laying a groove, along with drummer Marc Cazorla, that was the heart of the band’s sound. The highlight of the show is when Stiff traded his bass for an acoustic, and he and Vos performed a three-song acoustic interlude that showed the band is much more than your average power trio.
I met Shawn for the first time at a Marc Ford/Steepwater Band show just a little over a year ago and this was already the NINTH show we’ve seen together. He’s become a good friend and we’re just a fit personality-wise. Our fellow State of Amorica podcast friends started calling our adventures, “ShawnConnery.”
After some quick catching up and watching the beginning of opener Kiely Connell’s set from the bar area, we found a spot on the rail before the pit filled up and watched the rest of Connell’s set.
The Record Company’s show is loud — it commanded the audience’s attention. Connell — from nearby Crown Point, Indiana — is a lone singer/acoustic guitarist. She has a powerful voice, but she was forced to perform over a chatty audience for her set.
— With Shawn, Sept. 18
Extra photos/videos
I did a shit job taking photos at the Steepwater show — I wanted to take photos with Liz and Sully with the Steepwater guys and Angela, but got caught up in the moment. But below are some shots and videos I got from both shows.
Big changes are coming to this Substack in coming months, including a re-branding and a new format for many of my concert reviews. But the focus will remain the music I love and my interactions with it, be it through going to live shows or through listening to new music, books, documentaries, etc. And my goal will be to make you feel something — like good music does.
This was the end of a memorable spring/summer concert season during which I saw 34-plus different bands at 15 shows. I saw both Steepwater Band and Blackberry Smoke twice, plus Duane Betts solo and as part of the Allman Betts Band. I also saw all-time legends the Rolling Stones, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, John Fogerty, George Thorogood and John Mellencamp. And, I got to meet former Black Crowes drummer Steve Gorman after seeing his band, the Bag Men.
I hesitate to call Angela “Joe’s wife” because she’s so much more than that — she’s a friend. But, when I introduced her to Sully — for context purposes — I explained to him that she was Joe’s wife. She laughed and responded, “That’s how I’m known — Joe’s wife. It’s OK, they know me at work!” Later I apologized and told her she could call me “Liz’s husband.”
Music is awesome, which I somehow forgot, but then remembered
Some people are really good at knowing who they are. They develop identities young and perfect it as they go
Want to get into the Steepwater Band? Listen to this podcast episode
The Steepwater Band is the most under-appreciated rock n’ roll band of this century.
Look Dad, I’m playing your guitar!
I was sitting in another room on my phone when I heard a familiar sound.