The Ponys
3/31/07
Logan Square Auditorium
Chicago
I love The Ponys. For years living in this city, I would see fliers lying around for their shows and previous albums like Laced With Romance and for some reason, I was unable to embrace them or to see their full potential. A couple of months ago, I was able to see them headline a night of the Tomorrow Never Knows festival at Schubas Tavern and suddenly everything clicked. The Ponys are tight and independent garage rock but they are more than that…they are Chicago.
They began on a real positive note before the show had even began. Lead singer Jered Gummere announced that this wasn’t really a record release show for their new stellar album Turn the Lights Out which marks the first release the band has put out on Matador. No, we had been mistaken because this was really a release party. He immediately began to hand out boxes of party poppers to the audience and the spirit of their set began.
Now, I’ve really gotten into quite a few songs from Turn the Lights Out but I have to say that listening to the album pales somewhat in comparison to their live performance, that brings a real sense of magic amongst their dark rock. Jered did a great job of keeping the band together while going back and forth between guitar and keyboards while Melissa Elias stayed for the most part in the back of the stage playing her bass, her lovely hair blowing all around her to give the audience only short glimpses of her beauty. If there was one thing I would change about the Ponys, it would be that they should really use her more in terms of her vocals. The feminine presence is one thing that makes the Ponys unique and when she contributes to the backup vocals, it’s a real treat. Brian Case (also of the Chicago based band 90 Day Men) brought out some of the great guitar rifts while Nathan Jerde’s drumming couldn’t have been more accurate-he didn’t miss a beat. It was easy to immerse yourself in the sound as they delved into track after track. And, in the end, the leftover scene proved Jered Gummere’s beginning words to be true with the lavishly adorned stage decked out in left over confetti, streamers, and silly string. Leftovers from one of the best parties ever. Let’s hope for a glorious future of possibilities for The Ponys. You can catch them at Sunday’s Pitchfork Music Festival. Let’s support our own talent Chicago and give them a warm welcome back home when they return to us from what looks like to be a rather extensive North American tour.
Listen to their songs on myspace
View the complete photo set with The Black Lips and Mannequin Men on flickr
click more to see tour dates…if you live outside of Chicago, experience and share in some Ponys love!
pr 6 2007 8:00P
Grand Emporium W/ Deerhunter Kansas City, Missouri
Apr 7 2007 8:00P
Larimer Lounge w/ Deerhunter DENVER, Colorado
Apr 8 2007 8:00P
Urban Lounge w/ Deerhunter SLC, Utah
Apr 10 2007 8:00P
Neumos w/ Deerhunter Seattle, Washington
Apr 11 2007 9:00P
Richards on Richards w/ Deerhunter Vancouver, British Columbia
Apr 12 2007 8:00P
Dante’s w/ Deerhunter Portland, Oregon
Apr 13 2007 8:00P
12 Galaxies w/ Deerhunter San Francisco, California
Apr 14 2007 8:00P
The Echo w/ Deerhunter Los Angeles, California
Apr 15 2007 9:00P
Beauty Bar w/ Deerhunter San Diego, California
Apr 16 2007 9:00P
Modified Arts w/ Deerhunter Phoenix, Arizona
Apr 18 2007 9:00P
Emos w/ Deerhunter Austin, Texas
Apr 20 2007 9:00P
The Basement w/ Deerhunter Nashville, Tennessee
Apr 21 2007 9:00P
The Billiken Club w/ Deerhunter St. Louis, Missouri
Apr 22 2007 9:00P
Grog Shop w/ Deerhunter Cleveland, Ohio
May 4 2007 9:00P
7th Street Entry Minneapolis, Minnesota
May 5 2007 9:00P
Mad Planet Milwaukee, Wisconsin