Youngblood Hawke Ignite Bottom Lounge In Chicago

Chicago – Having never been to a Youngblood Hawke show before, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the six indie rockers. My curiosity peeked when I overheard a young man passionately whisper to his girlfriend, “My blood burns for Youngblood Hawke.” A spark ignited in his eyes and an excited grin spread across his face. Then the lights dimmed. Anticipation spread. The members of Youngblood Hawke quietly walked on stage surrounded by darkness. Alice Katz and Sam Martin began ferociously drumming. Colored lights exploded with each hit, dancing to the beat. Then Simon Katz began wailing on the guitar, and I understood the adrenaline rush of my fellow concertgoer. I felt the music in me.

Youngblood Hawke formed in 2011 when Simon Katz and Sam Martin were on a break from their band Iglu & Hartly. Simon recruited high school pals Tasso Smith and Alice – whom is now his wife – and eventually drummer Nik Hughes and bassist Omar Ahmed. They LA band soon landed a contract with Republic Records and had a radio hit with the single “We Come Running.” Earlier this year they unleashed their new single “Pressure.” Youngblood Hawke performed this “in da club” track and plenty of favorites from their debut album Wake Up at the Bottom Lounge on Saturday night.

After “Rootless,” Martin grabbed his mic and shouted, “Yee-haw! Chicago, how you doing?” The crowd screamed. Hand flailed. Fans were just as energetic as the band. People were jumping around, dancing and singing to “Danny Boy” and “Live & Die.” I’d love to tell you there wasn’t a still body to be found, but I did see a few fuddy-duddies in the back. However, they quickly redeemed themselves when they started feverishly clapping to the beat. When the band played “Stars (Hold On),” the room filled with a shared happiness. People sang, “Oh whoa whoa, oh whoa whoa.” The beautiful harmonizing made for a magical moment.

When the band exited the stage, kids started screaming “encore” and a few attempted to begin a chant with “one more song.” Youngblood Hawke quickly came back for two more. Howls of approval spread through the Bottom Lounge. Martin announced, “This is a new song we wrote with some dudes in Germany.” He was referring to “Wolves,” the infectious dance track they put out with Digitalism. Youngblood Hawke closed the night out with “We Come Running.” The room sang along word for word. Simon Katz pushed his mic out toward the audience. The lyrics boomed: “Headed for the open door /

Tell me what you’re waiting for!” After the final verse, Hughes wildly pounded his drums. Then every member of the band grabbed a pair of drumsticks and joined him for the most amazing finale!

Opener Caught A Ghost was equally as entertaining. The LA based electro-soul band is the brainchild of producer Jesse Nolan. Nolan and actress Tessa Thompson pack a powerful punch with robust and sexy vocals. The band mixes Motown, soul, and blues with indie rock. Caught A Ghost played a fiery set of songs off the debut album Human Nature, including “No Sugar In My Coffee,” and also tested out their newest – and yet to be recorded – song “Victory Lap.” Halfway through their set, Nolan brought his dad Tom Nolan on stage to play a little harmonica on “Relentless.” His eyes filled with pride as he reminisced about the man who introduced him to Motown. After hearing Caught A Ghost, I thank you Mr. Nolan for bringing music into your son’s life!

Both bands were brilliant and are a must to see live. Youngblood Hawke will soon be joining Panic! At The Disco on The Gospel Tour. You’ll find tour dates HERE. Keep an eye out for Caught A Ghost’s upcoming tour dates on facebook. You can purchase Human Nature on iTunes.

Photos by Sarah Hess | SMH IMAGING

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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.