The Antlers Silence Chicago

Chicago – An extremely tall man stood in front of me, wearing a handmade pair of antlers; his cardboard creation flapped as he gushed about his favorite band- The Antlers (of course). While he and his friends surmised what songs the Brooklyn band might perform at the sold out Lincoln Hall show, another fan chimed in, “Do you think they’re going to blow up now?” Most certainly yes: Pitchfork recently cited the Antlers as “one of the most interesting indie rock bands working” today.

Peter Silberman began composing music in 2006. After several years working as a solo artist, he turned his beloved Antlers into a trio, adding multi-instrumentalist Darby Cicci and drummer Michael Lerner. They released the critically acclaimed Hospice in 2009 and garnered a cult following. Burst Apart followed in 2011, bringing more attention to the band with radio play, festival gigs, and TV spots. Last month they released the highly anticipated Familiars (ANTI-). In true Antlers fashion, it was recorded, produced, and engineered by the trio at their very own Antlercorp studio. However, this time around, they brought in Chris Coady (Grizzly Bear & Future Islands) to mix the album, aiding in Familiars’ jazzy, Motown feel. This past Sunday night in Chicago, The Antlers played a sampling of all three albums – heavy in Familiarstunes of course – and wowed the crowd into silence.

After much anticipation, The Antlers walked onto the stage, greeted by cheers. Silberman and his band – who were joined by a fourth musician on keys and horns – brought Familiars to life, starting with “Palace,” before playing “Doppelgänger” and “Hotel.” Blue and purple lights blanketed the band, while cages made of roped bulbs glowed at the rear of the stage. One concertgoer proclaimed, “They look like floating jellyfish!” Aside from a few muttered observations here and there, the crowd bopped along in silence, mouths hung open. Between Silberman’s beautiful voice, the sexy horns, and flawless percussion, The Antlers induced a mellow sonic high. Silberman took notice of the tight-lipped venue and whispered, “It’s so quiet.” Laughter briefly broke the silence.

The band continued to awe with Hospice oldies “Kettering,” “Sylvia,” and “Epilogue.” They also tossed in “Drift Drive” off the EP Undersea, which hardcore fans were ecstatic to hear. Silberman started it off rocky, playing in the wrong key, before stopping and saying, “Hold on, it’s Sunday night, we gotta do this right.” Cicci quipped that for a minute he thought they were playing another song. They tried it again; this time Cicci fumbled. Third time was a charm- the packed room swayed back and forth, smiles spread, and the stage suddenly lit red as a smoke machine billowed. Despite the hiccup, the band played like a well-oiled machine.

The Antlers stepped off stage after “Refuge” but returned for an encore after what seemed like an eternity. Silberman walked up to his mic, pointed to the guy with the cardboard antlers, and said: “I want to give a shout-out to this kid up here with the antlers. He’s been wearing them all fucking night. That takes courage!” The audience clapped and cheered. Cicci pulled out his phone and snapped a photo. They then got down to business, ending the night with “Don’t Want Love” and “Putting the Dog to Sleep” from Burst Apart.The room finally went wild. People close to the stage began jumping up and down, screaming lyrics at the top of their lungs. No one wanted the night to end.

This was my first time seeing The Antlers live, and it will not be my last. Peter Silberman’s lyrics, composition, and vocal range are so well balanced that it would be hard to imagine him as anything other than a future star.

The Antlers will be touring extensively in support of Familiars. Tour dates can be found on their facebook page. Familiars is available for purchase on iTunes.

(Photos by Sarah Hess: smhimaging.com)

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Sarah Hess

At the age of six, Sarah Hess discovered True Blue by Madonna. This resulted in her spending hours in front of the bathroom mirror with a hairbrush microphone, belting out "La Isla Bonita" off key. Her love for music only intensified over the years thanks to her parents; her mother exposed Sarah to The Jackson Five and had her hustling to the Bee Gees, while her father would play her albums like 'Pet Sounds' and 'Some Girls' from start to finish, during which he'd lecture on and on about the history of rock & roll. Sarah would eventually stumble upon rap and hip-hop, then punk and alternative, and fall madly in love with Jeff Buckley and film photography.

After attending The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Sarah went on to study education at Dominican University, earning a degree in history. When not teaching, writing, or taking in a show, she is most likely to be found with a camera to her eye or hanging out in a darkroom.

You can follow Sarah Hess on twitter at @Sarahhasanh and view her music photography on her website: smhimaging.com.