Jonny & The Shorrbirds, and Orange Line

The Abbey in Irving Park hosts live music most nights of the week.  I have begun to develop a strong trend of never reviewing headliners at shows with multiple bands, and tonight is no different.  I'm never disappointed by the bands that come out of Chicago, and it's another example of the hidden talent in our City.  The Abbey is a great space for indie rock artists.  Its walls are covered in flyers from previous bands and its upstairs and downstairs spaces are great for sitting and enjoying a drink or watching the show.

The Tuesday night crowd was mainly band groupies, the bands who were on the roster but not on the stage, and a few music enthusiasts.  Jonny & The Shorrbirds opened the show.  This band had a nice blend of acoustic folk and rock.  The lead player, Johnny, is from Chicago and is currently studying music at USC.  His music was acoustic guitar driven, even with the band setting.  Their sound was balanced and accessible to the listener, and the lyrics were showcased.  It was clear that the music was being performed by the writer, because the different parts weren't being lost in a solo, and the words were just as emphasized as the music.  This artist has a lot of interesting things on his roster, charity events, an EP, music for film, and work with Warner Bro.'s Company.  Chicago is still the heart of his music, and he's doing a lot of creative work with it.


Orange Line describes itself as an alt/psych/space rock band.  In addition to original music, both instrumental and vocal-driven, they covered ILOVEMAKONNEN's Tuesday. . .on a Tuesday.  It was a clever nod to pop culture with their own twist.  They flavored their sound with a heavy synth and guitar pedals.  The band was tight and the music was really full.  There were some moments where the synth overwhelmed the room.  I could see that guitar parts were being lost in the overall sound.  Besides some balance issues, the music was great.  The band's best song that night was the instrumental.  It was emotional, the band was totally in sync, and they took a lot of liberties with their sounds.  The crowd loved it.

The Abbey is another classic Chicago indie venue.  The vibe, the lighting, and the setup are very similar to other rock bars in the city.  The classic format of open floor with a bar at the back, tables on the sides, and a balcony with seating upstairs works well for smaller band shows.  The blue, red, and white lights shine on every stage I've seen, and create a chill vibe for the music.  However, I would like to see a club with a more unique character.  Take what works for every other space but make it better.  Regardless, I liked the feel.  It does rock bar right, and I'll be back for more shows.