Chicago – That pesky Polar Vortex swept in with snow flurries and wind chills Saturday night, but inside The Vic, Wild Cub was warming the audience with its rich tropical sounds and 80s dance beats. This lively indie synth-pop band began in Nashville, during 2011, with the duo of singer-songwriter Keegan DeWitt and multi-instrumentalist Jeremy Bullock. DeWitt left New York and his work composing film scores behind to move south and focus on his music. There he met Bullock. The seasoned musicians eventually expanded their project into a five-piece with bassist Harry West, keyboardist Eric Wilson, and drummer Dabney Morris, and in 2012 officially became Wild Cub. In 2013 the former Best New Bands’ featured artists released their debut Youth, filled with dreamy melodies and funky, new wave inspired beats.
Wild Cub started their set off with “Shapeless.” DeWitt danced around stage, shaking his hips, and leaning in on the points of his shoes, while playing the guitar, like a modern day Elvis Presley. A few songs in, DeWitt quipped, “This is our fourth and final time in Chicago.” He jokingly told the crowd the city seduced him each visit, with its beautiful weather, until today. The dropping temperatures and white powdered streets may have threatened to scare him away, but memories of his first visit brightened his mood. Wild Cub first played Chicago at Lollapalooza in 2013 to a crowd of 5,000 people. People packed the shaded green of the BMI Stage along Lake Shore Drive. Some even climbed trees to watch the fresh new band from high above. It was there in Grant Park that I fell in love with Wild Cub. Their carefree tunes had me and thousands of others dancing the afternoon away.
So, when Wild Cub’s “Thunder Clatter” began playing on the airwaves of Chicago’s 101 WKQX this summer, I was especially excited that this little band from Nashville was beginning to make a name for itself. DeWitt acknowledged the radio station’s love and support before breaking into the song he happily described as popping “into my head the week I met my wife.” With a grin ear to ear, he began to sing, “I see you hidden in the night I found you / I see you separate from the others / Bent crooked in the light around you.” Fans sang along, echoing his lyrics throughout the venue, and thunderous capping filled the room during the chorus, bringing the title to life.
The guys also played “ Jonti,” “Wishing Well,” “Blacktide,” and their latest single “Colour.” Guitars and drums weaved through the room during the energetic set. DeWitt went wild during the finale. He jumped off stage, climbed the barrier, and serenaded those up front during “Summer Fires / Hidden Spells.” When he returned to the stage, he began feverishly beating his drums like a mad man. People whistled in approval. Whistles continued long after Wild Cub left stage through a swell of applause.
Wild Cub is currently on tour with Bleachers. You can stay up to date with Wild Cub’s scheduled performances on facebook. You can also purchase Youth (Mom+Pop Music) on iTunes.
Photos by Sarah Hess
Sarah Hess
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.
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