Gotta Have You

Date: 29 October 2010

Venue: Space

Guests: Carmen

Tickets: $20

I was first introduced to The Weepies in the spring of 2010, after my friend Meg mentioned they seemed up my alley. I was immediately hooked once "Gotta Have You" found its way onto our iPod during a trip to Vancouver. Wikipedia says it best, describing this California-based band as "subtly intoxicating folk pop". They recently started a family, and cut their touring dates down drastically to fit this new lifestyle. When I found out they were playing in Chicago when I would be there for a course for work, I wouldn't let a sold out show stand in my way. After  an added adventure of getting horrendously lost in the rental car on the way (Chicago Ave stops and starts all OVER Chicago... I ended up paying 30$ in roaming so my phone could get us back on course). Thankfully, there were two shows, and we were an hour early for the late show. Once there, through patience and some mild eyelash batting, my good sported coworker Carmen and I sneaked in to the small back room where the show was playing just in time.

The Weepies:

Fantastic set. The band started off dressed up as "The Creepies", although slowly, one by one, in a last man standing type challenge, costumes were shed to reveal the band. (I would like to say that quite a few audience members really were in the Halloween mood! I love how enthusiastic Chicagoans are!)

 

Set List:

Please Speak Well of Me

Hideaway

Can't Go Back Now

I Was Made for Sunny Days

Orbiting

Riga Girls

Gotta Have You

Painting by Chagall

Hard to Please

Nobody Knows Me at All

Be My Thrill

Citywide Rodeo

Hope Tomorrow

Antarctica

World Spins Madly On

Just Blue

Not a Lullaby

When You Go Away

Love Doesn't Last

I really love the variety of the music as the songs switch between Deb and Steve on lead vocals. They are so sweet and complementarity to each other, vocally and on stage.  They prefaced the songs with cute stories (how "When You Go Away" was written for their son, how upset he gets when playing peek-a-boo, or how "Riga Girls" was inspired by email spam). If you ever have a chance, these two put on a wonderfully balanced set. Fun fact: Can't Go Back Now was used by Obama during his 2008 Presidential run. I guess the Chicago connection comes full circle.