The Walters, Cullen Omori And The Symposium: A Chicago Trifecta

The Walters-by Sarah Hess

Chicago – Good things come in threes. We’ve got three-day weekends, the Chicago Bulls’ three-peat, the original Star Wars trilogy, three-ply toilet paper. Okay, okay, maybe not that last one, but it’s all good because we have another threesome add for the list. Friday night Chicago saw the perfect musical trinity. Three local acts came together at one of Chicago’s finest venues for three hours of fantastic music. The Walters (shown above) and The Symposium joined Cullen Omori for his first solo show since the split of Smith Westerns, the band he and his brother started when they were just teenagers and inspired other local bands like The Orwells and Twin Peaks.

While the men of those bands weren’t in attendance (The Orwells were off to New York to play a Converse Rubber Tracks show and Twin Peaks were playing a Feeltrip Records show), there were plenty of fans in attendance. The Walters had the loudest fans of the night. The five-piece – comprised of Luke Olson (lead vocals, guitar), Walter Kosner (lead guitar), Michael Tirabassi (vocals, guitar, keys), Danny Wells (bass), and Charlie Ekhaus (drums) – has developed a loyal local following, in part thanks to Mario Cuomo of The Orwells, who has championed them on social media and introduced the band to his label Canvasback, but mainly due to their fabulous music and captivating live performance. I first discovered The Walters last year thanks to my friend Juan, from Chicago band Junkee Girl. He sent me a link to their EP Songs For Dads. Being someone who grew up listening to The Beach Boys, I immediately fell in love with their 60s inspired rock. 

I had been wanting to see The Walters live for some time, but the stars never aliened. That is, until this Friday night, the night before Halloween. In celebration of All Hallows Eve, the guys dressed in pajama onesies with baby bibs, a nod to the illustration from their latest single “Goodbye Baby.” Frontman Luke Olson was the mommy of the bunch, in his rhinestone botox shirt, and like a good mother, he ran that stage like a boss! Olson worked the room, dancing around, leaning into the crowd, crawling around, and jumping up and down. People sang along to old songs, such as “New Girl (Tom’s Song),” “I Love You So,” and “Old Friend,” and newer stuff, including their Canvasback single “Hunk Beach” and even unreleased tracks like “City Blues,” a testimony to their devoted fanbase. Though it remains rather local at this point, I wouldn’t be surprised to see it grow soon. The Walters just played CMJ in New York City. I’m assuming they’ll also play SXSW this Spring, in Austin. The Walters ended their set with “Monster Mash,” making smiles spread throughout the room. 

After The Walters’ captivating performance, Cullen Omori took the stage with his band. Omori is a beloved member of the Chicago music scene, but since playing his final Smith Westerns show last year, he’s been M.I.A. I was at that show. Cullen and his brother Cameron performed without Max Kakacek and Julien Ehrlich (who have went on to form Whitney), adding drummer Mathew Roberts and multi-instrumentalist Adam Gil. Those two men have continued to work with Cullen Omori on his new project. The very project he alluded to at the final Smith Westerns show. The same project that has been whispered about since he signed with Sub Pop Records. Omori remained mum when asked about the project, but he let out a few little hints throughout his performance. Omori said the songs he was playing were in a particular order, hinting at a track listing for his upcoming album. He also referred to one song as something that could be considered a single. The catchy tune showed off his knack for writing solid pop songs. Despite never hearing the song before, people swayed along and a few sang even the sweet chorus, “You taste like cinnamon.”

Cullen Omori by Sarah Hess

Omori noted the awkwardness of playing a show with all new material and thanked those in the room for coming, saying he had never attended a show where he hadn’t heard any of the headliner’s music, so he was genuinely impressed with the turn out. People cheered. Clearly the love the Chicago music scene holds for Omori far outweighs that detail. The vibe in the room was that of being witness to something special, and indeed we were. We were the first crowd to hear his solo work. Of course his family and friends – many of whom were in the audience – and people at his label have surely heard his music, but not the rest of us. Music that at times sounded like The Smith Westerns, The Beatles, and The Beach Boys, filled with lush guitars, synths, and keys. Most surprising though were the occasional songs that sounded similar to Portugal. The Man. In a recent interview with the Chicago Reader, Omori spoke about his new work, saying he “wanted the vocals to be way out in front—more like pop music.” He also said, “In Smith Westerns it was always Max’s guitar and my vocals weaving in and out together. I always really wanted to focus on choruses that were catchier and making everything very earwormy.” I’d say he succeeded. 

Elmhurst band The Symposium also performed and started the night out with a raucous set. These guys are also friends of The Orwells, being from the same hometown and all. (For all you non-Chicagoans, Elmhurst is a Chicago suburb.) The two bands also share some of the same fans, hence the craziness that ensued. The Symposium had guys and girls moshing around, falling all over the floor to their mix of garage rock, punk, and psychedelic pop. Drugs, The Symposium’s 2014 EP, earned the band comparisons to The Unicorns and The Strokes. (Take a listen to “Trees,” and you’ll see why!) The Symposium played plenty of songs off Drugs, including “Tony Stark” and “Half Life.” 

Symposium by Sarah Hess

Drugs caught the ears of many in the Chicago music scene, and it has begun to attract attention outside the Windy City. Like The Walters, The Symposium also performed at CMJ. NME caught their act and wrote, “With all the great new bands coming out of Chicago it’s gotta be hard to be the best, but The Symposium might be it.” The guys have been writing and recording new songs; a likely sign a full-length is in the works. Can’t wait to see what 2016 has in store for The Symposium!

Omori’s solo debut is set for release in 2016. You can keep up with Cullen Omori on Twitter. You can also follow The Walters and The Symposium on the tweet box, and hit up iTunes for some tunes from The Walters.

Photos by Sarah Hess for BestNewBands.com

 

Sarah Hess

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.
Sarah Hess

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