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Heavy Times

July 12, 2013 @ West Fest

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Girl Group Chicago

July 12, 2013 @ West Fest

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By Dave Miller

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It didn't take long for Those Darlins to unveil their new material Saturday evening at West Fest.

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They opened with a trio of new songs -- "Oh God," "Ain't Afraid" and "Drive" -- from their upcoming album, Blur The Line. The show served as an album preview for the festival crowd. Eight songs were played from what will be the Nashville band's third full-length release. Whereas their 2009 self-titled debut came from the country side and their 2011 Screws Get Loose swung into punk territory, the band has moved squarely into the rock arena. The upcoming offering features buzzing guitars and a more refined approach with personal lyrics that are cryptic enough to invite interpretation.

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The Empty Bottle deserves credit for booking a band the quality of Those Darlins for this festival. While singing guitarists Jessi and Nikki Darlin and drummer Linwood Regensburg have been regularly coming to town a couple times a year, this show featured the Chicago debut of Those Darlins' newest addition, bassist Adrian Barrera. Moving from Atlanta to Nashville in February, Berrera fits into the band's current rock mode with his sturdy playing. He said it was his 10th show or so with the band, and everyone seemed happy to be released from the recording studio to play the new songs live for an audience. As such, the show exuded the vibe of a high-level run-through. One of the new songs, "Western Sky," was abandoned halfway through it, but the new material otherwise sounded strong, particulary the speedy, pulsating "Optimist" with the lyrics, "Used to be an optimist/It got too dangerous/Used to share the things I saw/They all say la ti da."

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The setlist showcased the new album, but the band delivered full power versions of a handful of old favorites including "Mystic Mind," "Night Jogger" and "Be Your Bro." Expect Those Darlins to give a whopper of a performance when they return in October. You got the sense watching them at the fest that it was the calm before the storm. This on-the-rise band is on the verse of something big.

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Heavy Times played a late afternoon set before their Fix It Alone record-release show later that night at the Empty Bottle. The modern punkers deliver on their name with a heavy sound pumped by the no-nonsense guitars of Bo Hansen and Matt Courtade. The band reportedly disintegrated onstage in an April show in Milwaukee, but rose through the ashes with three new members joining the guitarists. The addition of Cooper Crain on synthesizer interestingly softened the hardcore attack of the rest of the band.

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The concept of Girl Group Chicago turned out to be better than its execution. It's admirable to want to keep some great songs alive, and the fact that 17 women were onstage to do it was impressive -- most notably on The Crystal's "Then He Kissed Me" and The Cookies' "Chains" -- but stabs at some other songs didn't come off as well. While it's hard to find too much fault with a group whose heart is in the right place providing afternoon entertainment at a street festival, it has to be said the singing was subpar to the point of distraction and the band sounded under rehearsed as well.

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Those Darlins setlist:

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Oh God

Ain't Afraid

Drive

Screws Get Loose

In the Wilderness

Western Sky

Why Can't I Change?

Mystic Mind

Night Jogger

Be Your Bro

She Blows

Optimist

That Man

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Start: 5:33 p.m./Finish: 6:23 p.m.
Totals: 13 songs, 50 minutes

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Photo Gallery

Those Darlins

July 12, 2013 @ West Fest

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Those Darlins

July 12, 2013 @ West Fest

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Those Darlins

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Those Darlins

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Those Darlins

July 12, 2013 @ West Fest

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Those Darlins

July 12, 2013 @ West Fest

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Those Darlins

July 12, 2013 @ West Fest

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Those Darlins

July 12, 2013 @ West Fest

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Those Darlins

July 12, 2013 @ West Fest

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Those Darlins

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Those Darlins

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Those Darlins

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Those Darlins

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Those Darlins

July 12, 2013 @ West Fest

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Those Darlins

July 12, 2013 @ West Fest

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Those Darlins

July 12, 2013 @ West Fest

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Those Darlins

July 12, 2013 @ West Fest

 

Those Darlins

July 12, 2013 @ West Fest

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Those Darlins

July 12, 2013 @ West Fest

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Those Darlins

July 12, 2013 @ West Fest

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Those Darlins

July 12, 2013 @ West Fest

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Those Darlins

July 12, 2013 @ West Fest

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Those Darlins

July 12, 2013 @ West Fest

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Heavy Times

July 12, 2013 @ West Fest

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Girl Group Chicago

July 12, 2013 @ West Fest

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