#vans house parties
VANS HOUSE PARTIES | JULIEN BAKER
Memphis, Tennessee’s Julien Baker took the stage last night at House of Vans Chicago. The 23-year-old singer-songwriter has been a breath of fresh air to the indie rock world, with her powerful anthems of self regret and resilience.
Discovering a talent for music at a young age Baker began to write her own songs while attending Middle Tennessee State University; studying audio engineering and Literature. In 2015 Julien released her first collection of songs in DIY fashion via Soundcloud. The LP, Sprained Ankle was later re-released with 6131 Records and received love from virtually every indie outlet, from NPR to Nylon. Julien’s songs addressed her struggles with addiction and depression in a shockingly open way. Sprained Ankle connected with listeners, charting on Billboard’s Heatseekers.
Her most recent LP, Turn Out The Lights continues to tell the raw struggles of someone trying to find their way. Baker also found a community with singer/songwriters Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus forming boygenius in 2018.
Grab tickets to see Julien Baker live this summer here.
Photos: Daniel Boczarski
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We caught up with Julien Baker just before she went on stage at House of Vans Chicago last night for our third Vans House Parties show of the summer. Check out the Vans Instagram Story today for a little Q&A.
Photos: Daniel Boczarski
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VANS HOUSE PARTIES | WYE OAK
House of Vans Chicago welcomed indie rockers, Wye Oak to this week’s Vans House Parties. Wye Oak made up of Andy Stack and Jenn Wasner, got their start in the Baltimore underground scene back in 2006. The duo played all over town building an audience and independently released their debut album If Children in 2007. All that hard work paid off, and in 2008 Wye Oak landed a record deal with indie darling Merge Records. Merge re-released If Children and the band got working on new music.
Despite being a duo at the forefront, Stack, and Wasner take advantage of all their talents incorporating drums, keys, guitars, vocals and bass, and sometimes friends to help round out the set. Their sound is layered pulling in influences from rock, folk and dream pop. Earlier this year they released a one-off single “Evergreen” that examines the plight of self-doubt and depression. Wasner sings, “Tell me what is missing in my mind/ I feel the problem is essential/ Its memory/ Is blackening my mind/ I’m taking everything back/ Evergreen.” In a Tweet with the song’s premiere, the band described the track as, “sonic documentation of my seasonal depression.”
Wye Oak is set to play MG30 Festival this July to celebrate Merge Records’ 30th anniversary in Carrboro, North Carolina. Grab your tickets here.
Photos: Daniel Boczarski
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VANS HOUSE PARTIES | MACSEAL
Last night fans welcomed east coast natives Macseal to the House of Vans Chicago. Macseal is a five-piece emo band from none other than Long Island, New York. Long Island is home to some of emo’s most influential bands like Envy on the Coast, As Tall As Lions, and many more. Growing up in a music driven community Macseal was able to take the sonic influences of their surroundings and create a fresh take on emo meets indie.
Macseal made up of Ryan Bartlett (vocals/guitar), Cole Szilagyi (vocals/guitar), Greg Feltman (guitar), Justin Canavaciol (bass) and Francesca Impastato (drums) released their first EP in 2015, Macseal EP and hit the road touring along the east coast. In 2017 the band released the 5-track EP Yeah, No, I Know gaining attention from fans and music blogs. In the spring of 2018, they began working on their next EP, Map It Out with well known engineer J. Robbins. The four songs gave Macseal a change to experiment with indie sounds and their emo roots.
Macseal is on tour now in the US with I’m Glad It’s You and Poolkids, grab tickets here.
Photos: Daniel Boczarski
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VANS HOUSE PARTIES | TAKING FIVE WITH ARIEL WOLFE BALDWIN
We’re getting ready for another night of Vans House Parties at the House of Vans in Chicago! Find out more about artist Ariel Wolfe Baldwin who will be creating a one night only art installation while folks enjoy the music of Julien Baker, Wye Oak and Macseal. Take the leap below!
Don’t forget to RSVP for all the upcoming Vans House Parties events!
Photographs courtesy of the artist.
What’s your favorite thing about summer?
Vitamin D
How do you TAKE FIVE and chill out when you’re not arting?
Reading, I always have a book with me.
What’s the best book you’ve ever read?
My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh
If you could pick anyone in the world, who would you collaborate with?
Tracey Emin
Three words to describe what folks should expect tonight?
Pure, healing, feeling
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The Breeders getting ready to take the stage at House of Vans last weekend. Stay tuned for more from Vans House Parties all summer!
Photos: Daniel Boczarski
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Taking a beat with Palehound backstage at House of Vans Chicago before their energy filled Vans House Parties set.
Photos: Daniel Boczarski
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VANS HOUSE PARTIES | THE BREEDERS
The Breeders made up of twin sisters Kim and Kelley Deal, Josephine Wiggs and Jim Macpherson have all seen success in various projects, but their magic as a foursome is undeniable. Forming in Dayton, Ohio in the late 80s, the alternative rock band saw commercial success after the release of their 1993 LP, Last Splash, but with their success came turmoil within the group and eventually a hiatus.
Despite the setback, The Breeders have released five studio albums over the past 25 plus years. Their most recent album with the iconic lineup, All Nerves, comes after a decade of not speaking, and last night House of Vans Chicago saw it was all worth the wait. The Breeders have maintained their distinctive alt-pop sound and enthusiasm for what they started decades ago.
You can catch The Breeders live at the Three Stacks Music festival this June, tickets here.
Photos: Daniel Boczarski
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VANS HOUSE PARTIES | PALEHOUND
Last night House of Vans Chicago welcomed 24-year-old singing/songwriter Palehound. In 2017 Palehound made waves in indie rock with her sophomore album, A Place I’ll Always Go. The Boston native channeled her grief to deliver the sincere 10-track LP and gained the attention of outlets like Pitchfork and NPR. Kempner found her perspective as a songwriter and storyteller. NPR acknowledged the spark in her growth, saying, “Kempner ultimately finds that without pain, there’s no joy. You can deny your grief or push it down deep, but the only relief comes when you let it be felt, and derive strength from your vulnerabilities.”
Now in 2019, it’s time for her next chapter. Palehound’s new album, Black Friday just hit streaming services on June 7th. The collection expands Kempner’s response to her surroundings; including the body empowering track “Worthy.” In a press release, she explains she wants her music to support listeners through their own pain. “What I always want to do with my songs is to help people heal in some way, or come to some new understanding about whatever it is that they’re going through. Even if it’s just hearing a song and feeling less alone than they were before, that would mean so much to me.”
You can stream Black Friday here and catch her on tour with Big Thief this fall.
Photos: Daniel Boczarski
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Divino Niño backstage at House of Vans Chicago right before their rad Vans House Parties set over the weekend.
Photos: Daniel Boczarski
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VANS HOUSE PARTIES | DIVINO NINO
Last night Divino Niño took the stage at the House of Vans Chicago. The Chicago based alternative foursome uses smooth harmonies and introspective lyrics to make music that stands out from the pack. Divino Niño also incorporates their Latin American roots, pulling sonic influences and delivering some tracks in Spanish. Founded by Camilo Medina and Javier Forero, who grew up together in Colombia and later reconnected in Miami, and joined by Guillermo Rodríguez and Pierce Codina, the foursome came together while studying at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and in 2013 began to record early demos.
In 2014 Divio Niño released their debut album Pool Jealousy and began to sharpen their exotic, soulful, punk sound. Their latest single “Melty Caramelo” is a culmination of all their influences. When discussing their journey Medina says, “This is us trying to find - obviously - our own voice and who we are. Everything here is very heartfelt and emotional. We wanted to show that we are all softies.”
Grab their new album Foam on June 21st, preorder here.
Photos: Daniel Boczarski
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Vans House Parties | Chicago | Style
A little rain didn’t stop Chicago’s most stylish from our house party curated by Julien Baker last night! Check out the House of Vans blog for more photos from the night, and RSVP for the next show at houseofvans.com.
Photography:Daniel Boczarski
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VANS HOUSE PARTIES | JULIEN BAKER
Memphis, Tennessee’s Julien Baker took the stage last night at House of Vans Chicago. The 23-year-old singer-songwriter has been a breath of fresh air to the indie rock world, with her powerful anthems of self regret and resilience.
Discovering a talent for music at a young age Baker began to write her own songs while attending Middle Tennessee State University; studying audio engineering and Literature. In 2015 Julien released her first collection of songs in DIY fashion via Soundcloud. The LP, Sprained Ankle was later re-released with 6131 Records and received love from virtually every indie outlet, from NPR to Nylon. Julien’s songs addressed her struggles with addiction and depression in a shockingly open way. Sprained Ankle connected with listeners, charting on Billboard’s Heatseekers.
Her most recent LP, Turn Out The Lights continues to tell the raw struggles of someone trying to find their way. Baker also found a community with singer/songwriters Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus forming boygenius in 2018.
Grab tickets to see Julien Baker live this summer here.
Photos: Daniel Boczarski
Post link
We caught up with Julien Baker just before she went on stage at House of Vans Chicago last night for our third Vans House Parties show of the summer. Check out the Vans Instagram Story today for a little Q&A.
Photos: Daniel Boczarski
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