Little Daylight Brightens Up The Bottom Lounge

Chicago – My Friday night was simply fabulous. The weather was finally nice enough to walk around in a t-shirt, it was the start of spring break (Lemme get an “Amen,” fellow teacher friends!), and most importantly, I soaked up the vibrant, heady electro-pop of Little Daylight. I walked into the Bottom Lounge smiling ear-to-ear, ready to see this 80s-loving trio, who recently discussed their love of The Dark Crystal in an interview with me, and left grinning even more intensely. New Yorkers Nikki Taylor, Matt Lewkowicz, and Eric Zeiler may have become known for their sweet remixes – their most recent being Sky Ferreira’s “You’re Not the One” – but their EP Tunnel Vision verified they’re talented enough to create catchy, pulsating tunes of their own. In preparation for the summer time release of the LP Hello Memory, Little Daylight has been touring with Flagship and Terraplane Sun. Together these three bands created a musical trifecta on the rightfully dubbed Three of Clubs Tour.

Little Daylight began their set with “Restart” and quickly kicked off a mini dance party. Everyone in the room was grooving to the beats, especially those kids upfront who had a little fun with Molly. If you were there, you know whom I’m referring to. As I watched Nikki bounce around the stage and shake her star shaped tambourine, I had this vision of Jem powerfully owning the stage, embodying girl power. Come to think of it, I’m pretty sure I have a Jem and the Holograms tape in box somewhere that’s titled “Glitter and Gold.” Anyway, perhaps not the best comparison, as Nikki is the only woman in the band, but nonetheless, their music brightened up the dark, dank club and filled me with excitement and vigor.

The band performed a handful of new songs. One of which was “Mona Lisa.” Nikki Taylor said it was written about a good friend’s ex-girlfriend, who was a real bitch. Hey, she said it! Nikki sang, “You’re chasing a love you’ll never get. She’s playing your heart just a little bit.” I could not get this song out of my head. I’m betting it’ll be on their upcoming release Hello Memory, so I’m sure it’ll be stuck in my head all summer. Which is a good thing, of course! For some songs, like “No One Else But You,” these guys did some pretty impressive synchronized clapping and snapping. Nikki, Matt, and Eric definitely brought their mighty beats and cunning lyrics to life. I’m sure these three will soon be headlining much larger venues, turning clubs into massive, energetic dance parties. This teacher gives Little Daylight an A+!

Flagship opened the night with a boatload of energy and plenty of smiles. Right from the start, this sextet filled the room with emotion and applause. Flagship hails from Charlotte, North Carolina, so perhaps it’s in their Southern nature to make everyone feel comfortable and at home. The ease in which they performed was remarkable; having not known better, I’d say they were a seasoned rock band that has spent decades on the road, playing way too many stages to count. These dudes are destined to be rock stars. They released their eponymous debut album last fall and have been touring heavy in support of it. With their Southern charm and powerhouses like “Break the Sky,” these guys are bound for much success.

Cali rockers Terraplane Sun closed the night out with their bluesy and soulful rock. These five guys from sunny Venice look like The Doors reincarnated. Well, okay now, just imagine The Doors with a fifth member, and then you’ll see what I’m talking about. Many of their tantalizing songs feature mandolin, steel lap guitar, accordion, trombone, and harmonica. Their EP Ya Never Know effortlessly melds So-Cal pop, funk, Motown, country, folk and classic rock. They ended the evening with their fun and catchy single “Get Me Golden.” Lead singer Ben Rothbard said, “We’re gonna get freaky on this one!” They sure did. The crowd was clapping and shaking it to the beat while singing, “I got a plan in the palm of my hand to get me rolling.” Before the guys rolled off stage, drummer Lyle Riddle knocked his kit over and Ben screamed into the mic, “Abadee-abadee-abadee-that’s all, folks!”

Little Daylight, Flagship, and Terraplane Sun will be traveling the U.S. on the Three of Clubs Tour through April. Little Daylight will also be playing Firefly in June. Be sure to also keep an eye out for Little Daylight’s Hello Memory this summer and Terraplane Sun’s Generation Blues in July. You can purchase Flagship 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.