jaymc is in a band!

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And I can prove it! (I carry my digital camera everywhere now -- it's part of my ongoing effort to be a one-man hipster bingo.)

http://giganticmag.com/images/john1.jpg

http://giganticmag.com/images/john2.jpg

http://giganticmag.com/images/violin.jpg

http://giganticmag.com/images/singer.jpg

And right outside the venue, the creepiest sign in the city.

http://giganticmag.com/images/unclefun.jpg

BTW: the band's website is here.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Sunday, 11 January 2004 06:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Nick and I were at the show tonight too. Jaymc dances! And claps his hands! I even saw him singing backup but he didn't get a mic. :-(

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Sunday, 11 January 2004 06:37 (twenty-one years ago)

He should pull an Eno and go solo. THAT'LL SHOW THEM.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 11 January 2004 06:39 (twenty-one years ago)

dude! that's Uncle Fun! the greatest place ever!

― Kingfishee (Kingfish), Sunday, 11 January 2004 07:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Really? I'm terrified of it. Just look at that sign! Uncle Fun wants to touch me in my bathing suit area!

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Sunday, 11 January 2004 07:29 (twenty-one years ago)

There's probably a bit of Uncle Fun in all of us.

― may pang (maypang), Sunday, 11 January 2004 07:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Also, who does your lead singer think he is? A rock star?

― may pang (maypang), Sunday, 11 January 2004 07:42 (twenty-one years ago)

haha -- Yes, he does. For between-song banter, he talked about his shirt.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Sunday, 11 January 2004 07:43 (twenty-one years ago)

(I have a new super-secret crush on the violinist.)

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Sunday, 11 January 2004 07:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Listening to the mp3s now.. I'm not crazy about your singer's voice, and it's all a touch too Belle and Sebastian sounding for me, but I like the strings and that fade-out melody on "Just a Star" is really quite beautiful.

― may pang (maypang), Sunday, 11 January 2004 07:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I mean, that is, just in case you wanted to know.

― may pang (maypang), Sunday, 11 January 2004 07:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Hey, cool! The pics look nice, Kenan. And thanks for coming, you three. I'm totally just now coming back home after playing Scrabble at someone's house until the wee hours. I know, pretty wild, huh? The hangover started about an hour ago.

Re: the lead singer -- Despite our sound, which he's a big part of and obviously likes, his favorite band of all time is still Guns N Roses.

may pang -- thanks for the kind words :)

Also, you all know you can buy the CD here, right?

― jaymc (jaymc), Sunday, 11 January 2004 12:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Heh, on that first photo, you can admire my cheap-ass duct-taped Casio.

― jaymc (jaymc), Sunday, 11 January 2004 12:19 (twenty-one years ago)

two months pass...

SHOW TONIGHT!

Bottom Lounge
3206 N. Wilton (a block east of Belmont/Sheffield)
10 pm, $10, 18+

It's an AIDS benefit. We're playing with Velvetron (who do nice jazzy post-rocky pop), Millimeters Mercury, and Health & Beauty.

I think NA & Sarah McL are coming, yeah?

― jaymc (jaymc), Saturday, 3 April 2004 18:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Hey, I got my Canasta CD in the post yesterday. It's great! Me and the wife are particularly enjoying "Chicago Sold Out" and the Kraut-tastic cover of "The Model".

Plus, there's a rather suave and sexy pic of Jaymc on the inside sleeve. Much recommended!

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Saturday, 3 April 2004 19:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Thanks! But dude, it's "Chicago Slow Down"!

― jaymc (jaymc), Saturday, 3 April 2004 23:15 (twenty-one years ago)

haha!

― phil-two (phil-two), Saturday, 3 April 2004 23:25 (twenty-one years ago)

And it's not the "post," it's the "mail." SPEAK AMERICAN!

― jaymc (jaymc), Saturday, 3 April 2004 23:38 (twenty-one years ago)

*makes talking motion with hand*

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Saturday, 3 April 2004 23:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Chicago Sold Out is a good title for a song anyway, you should write it!

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Saturday, 3 April 2004 23:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Haha.

― jaymc (jaymc), Sunday, 4 April 2004 00:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Thx to Kenan and Phil for coming. Phil, did you stick around or not? I'm totally sorry that we went on so late!

― jaymc (jaymc), Sunday, 4 April 2004 08:32 (twenty-one years ago)

No you're not, you fucking diva.

Chicago sold out, clearly.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 03:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Ohhh, I had to leave. The MC was terribly unfunny and the 2nd band was so pretentious - then I was getting tired.. Sorry! I like the EP though

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 03:27 (twenty-one years ago)

i didnt get a parking ticket though

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 03:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, that's good. We can get you your $ back, if you like.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 04:24 (twenty-one years ago)

don't worry, its okay! anyways, how can i ask for money back from an AIDS benefit show?

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 04:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Heh, I guess you're right. We all felt bad about all the people that had to stay for like two hours before seeing us, though.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 04:30 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah you should! those opening bands were TERRIBLE!!! god and the benefit hosts who were doing ironic-white-boy-rapping??? jesus christ that 2nd band made me so mad. The lead singer I think thought he was Johnny Depp, and the other band members looked oh-so-serious. It was like watching a Low concert except even more boring. And I ran out of cigarettes and didn't feel like getting fucked by the vending machine again. But other than that, I had a good time.

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 04:37 (twenty-one years ago)

which reminds me, i better get some cartons before i go back to new york

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 04:39 (twenty-one years ago)

so what time did you and velvetron end up going on anyhow?

― phil-two (phil-two), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 04:47 (twenty-one years ago)

We went on at 1 am! And so Velvetron didn't take the stage until 1:40. Fortunately, the club decided to stay open past 2, which because of daylight savings, was really 3, and which I'm sure was plenty illegal.

The good side, though, was that because of the time constraint, I think we played our tightest set yet.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 6 April 2004 04:54 (twenty-one years ago)

two weeks pass...

We got some press this week!

We're playing a FREE show at the Empty Bottle on Monday, opening for All City Affairs and Beauty Pill (Dischord).

And so both the Onion and the Chicago Reader previewed it:

"Opener Canasta is a perfect fit: The local group's debut EP Find the Time cycles gently through keyboard-heavy indie-pop, even treading lightly on a cover of Kraftwerk's 'The Model.'" (The Onion)

"These locals get the most out of the unprepossessing songs on Find the Time, their self-released debut EP: they emphasize each melody as though nothing else matters, then use keyboards and violin to make sure no flourish or fill possibility goes unexplored. It makes for a lovely, lilting sound, and numerous local references place this chamber pop in the city we actually live in, not some idealized upper-crust bower." (Monica Kendrick, Chicago Reader)

Awesome!

By the way, if anyone's interested in coming, the show is at 9:30 pm, and we're playing first.

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 23 April 2004 17:12 (twenty-one years ago)

So you come to KUCI when you visit your brother, your band plays a blinding set on the air, and you get fame. See, simple!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 23 April 2004 17:15 (twenty-one years ago)

Dedicate "Chicago Sold Out" to me.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 23 April 2004 17:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Haha, will do.

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 23 April 2004 17:20 (twenty-one years ago)

who all is going to their show on monday? it's free....

― kelsey (kelstarry), Friday, 23 April 2004 18:33 (twenty-one years ago)

me.

― robots in love (robotsinlove), Friday, 23 April 2004 18:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Christ, I feel so fucking self-indulgent today.

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 23 April 2004 18:43 (twenty-one years ago)

it'll be a long time before you ever have two posts at the top of th board with a name check. i'm just guilty by association.

― robots in love (robotsinlove), Friday, 23 April 2004 18:45 (twenty-one years ago)

two months pass...

Just a FYI to my Chicago peeps: We're at the Empty Bottle again tonight. The show starts at 9:30, but we're scheduled to go on at 10:30. We're opening for Sea Ray.

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 24 June 2004 15:40 (twenty-one years ago)

And once again, despite living like 5 minutes away from the Empty Bottle, Sarah and I won't be able to make it, since we're living in a hotel downtown for the next couple of days.

― St. Nicholas (Nick A.), Thursday, 24 June 2004 15:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Will you be playing in mid-August?

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Thursday, 24 June 2004 15:45 (twenty-one years ago)

We'll be playing a private party on August 9, but otherwise nothing between late July and early September -- sorry, dude!

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 24 June 2004 15:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm not good enough for yer private party?!?

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Thursday, 24 June 2004 16:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I've never even met the people that are having it! They saw us once and decided to rent us out.

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 24 June 2004 16:58 (twenty-one years ago)

when did that happen? and what kind of people are they?

― kelsey (kelstarry), Thursday, 24 June 2004 17:25 (twenty-one years ago)

It's all been fairly recently. It's a married couple who first heard about us on WXRT, I think. The event is their re-commitment ceremony.

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 24 June 2004 17:39 (twenty-one years ago)

dude. they're totally going to do it to yer music...

― kelsey (kelstarry), Thursday, 24 June 2004 18:00 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

TOMORROW, WICKER PARK FESTIVAL, 4 PM!

Also, if you look at p. 13 of The Onion, Chicago edition, you will see some friendly faces.

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 30 July 2004 17:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 150 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

B-but Jenny could come hang out with me!

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 20:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Hey thanks, as always, for showing up, Nick + Sarah + Jeff. I am now about to collapse face-first into bed.

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 06:20 (twenty-one years ago)

how was the show??? sorry i missed it!

― kelsey (kelstarry), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 12:43 (twenty-one years ago)

It was cool. We left before Delgados because they were having technical difficulties and taking ages to get set up. Jaymc was a rock star, as usual. His band's singer remembered who I was (he booked a show my band played) and talked to me about emotional vs. intellectual lyrics. It was great fun hanging out with Jeff and his friend Jesse, two people who have obviously known each other for way too long.

― n/a (Nick A.), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 13:19 (twenty-one years ago)

I really liked the song that starts off talking about the Bible. What's that one called, John? Matt has a great voice.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 13:20 (twenty-one years ago)

I forgot to ask last night - who all is going to Junior Boys/MoM this Friday? I think we're going, if my sister and her boyfriend want to come.

― n/a (Nick A.), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 14:24 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm definitely going to Junior Boys/Mouse on Mars. I bought a ticket last week.

The Bible song doesn't have a name yet. Well, it has a silly name -- "Shadowcat" -- because when we first wrote it, it reminded us of both DJ Shadow and Cat Power. (Here is a live mp3 of that song, if you're interested.)

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 14:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Mark my words, :-D and :-( will be a band name within two years.

but how would you pronounce it?

― JuliaA (j_bdules), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 14:40 (twenty-one years ago)

There will be some who pronounce it "D and," and there will be some who pronounce it "Smiley and Frowny."

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 14:44 (twenty-one years ago)

It's like !!! being Chickchickchick. Who wouldda guessed?

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 15:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I enjoyed the show. We left right after the Delgados got on stage.

I'd love to go to the Junior Boys show, but I'll be at the Michael Mayer show instead.

― Jeff-PTTL (Jeff), Thursday, 28 October 2004 02:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Jeff -- Michael Mayer is on Saturday! Unless he's spinning on Friday, too? I was planning on going to both.

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 28 October 2004 03:23 (twenty-one years ago)

i would love to be at the jr boys show too, but i don't think i can really get out of the house for a while. boo.

― amateur!!st, Thursday, 28 October 2004 04:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Jaymc, damn, your right. My parents coming this weekend has my schedule fucked up. Maybe I will be able to go to Junior BOys.

― Jeff-PTTL (Jeff), Thursday, 28 October 2004 12:57 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...

NEW ALBUM RELEASED THIS WEEK

http://www.canastamusic.com/graphics/wwsucover.jpg

Hey, so Canasta's first full-length album, We Were Set Up, is officially released this week. It's 13 tracks and features guest musicians Edith Frost, Dave Max Crawford (Sea and Cake), Barry Phipps (Coctails), Steve Dorocke (Freakwater), Ted Cho (Poi Dog Pondering), and Alison Chesley (Poi Dog Pondering). I think it's pretty good.

So, apparently, does The Onion: Thanks to the success of bands like The Arcade Fire and The Decemberists, chamber-pop is the new indie rock, and in a musical climate primed for the sound, Chicago's Canasta could fare well. The sextet's new "We Were Set Up" brims with bright, lush melodies, a suitably askew mix of instruments (clarinet, trombone, violin, etc.) and smartly constructed songs that balance traditional pop and indie-minded subversiveness. The band is self-releasing "We Were Set Up," but it begs for the attention of a big label.

Yay.

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 17 November 2005 16:52 (twenty years ago)

Congrats on the review!

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 17 November 2005 16:58 (twenty years ago)

Thanks. Apparently we're getting a capsule in the Reader today as well, so I'm crossing my fingers.

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 17 November 2005 17:00 (twenty years ago)

Yay review! Boo on reviewer invoking a far less interesting band like the fucking Arcade Fire to catch the reader's attention! But that's just me. Send a copy to the AMG, of course.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 17 November 2005 17:05 (twenty years ago)

Chicago Reader:

Canasta sounded like one of Chicago's best pop bands even before they made a record, and I loved their five-song EP, 2003's Find the Time. Their debut full-length, the new "We Were Set Up" (Broken Middle C), doesn't disappoint: leaning heavily on organ and strings, they work a melody the way a metal band works a riff, as both a signature and a weapon. The martial rhythm that opens the lead track, "Microphone Song," gives way to a gentler pace later in the album, with new melodic bubbles constantly rising up.

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 17 November 2005 17:53 (twenty years ago)

John, please post the other review (you know the one I mean) too, for comedy's sake.

― n/a (Nick A.), Thursday, 17 November 2005 17:57 (twenty years ago)

I don't know what you mean.

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 17 November 2005 17:58 (twenty years ago)

The ESTEBAN BUTTEZ review, obv.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 17 November 2005 17:59 (twenty years ago)

YOU know what I mean. The review that you showed us at QUENCHERS.

― n/a (Nick A.), Thursday, 17 November 2005 18:04 (twenty years ago)

Oh.

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 17 November 2005 18:14 (twenty years ago)

congratulations on the review jaymc!

i don't see what the problem is in referring to the arcade fire! ned why do you hate montreal

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 17 November 2005 18:34 (twenty years ago)

sweet cover btw

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 17 November 2005 18:35 (twenty years ago)

Cool, jaymc. Ted and Dave both played on your record? Is Poi Dog still going in some form?

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 18 November 2005 04:35 (twenty years ago)

i don't see what the problem is in referring to the arcade fire! ned why do you hate montreal

I love Montreal! I just wish a lot of their bands were better!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 18 November 2005 05:03 (twenty years ago)

seriously though... i haven't heard jmc's album but it doesn't sound like mentioning the arcade fire would really be out of place... they are the indiepop industry leaders right now dontcha know

― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 18 November 2005 05:59 (twenty years ago)

this excites me!!! congrats, jaymc!

p.s. i am coming to chicago dec 15-18!

― tehresa (tehresa), Friday, 18 November 2005 08:58 (twenty years ago)

C@n@st@ is an American group, of Chicago precisely. For as much, nothing to see there inside with the music that one with the practice to hear on this side of Illinois, namely the rises of fever post-rock'n'roll. One deals here with "pop music of room". It is them which say it. Composed of 6 musicians and carried out by M@tt Pri3st (voice and words), C@n@st@ proposes songs varied color and intensity containing: keyboard, clarinet, voice, guitars, piano, low, trombone, percussions, battery or violins. Arrangements of cords for this reason are rather applied, à.la.mode of Divine Comedy. It is probably not the only bond which one can find with the group of Neil Hannon. The voice finds sometimes there an accent rather close to this last. Sometimes one would imagine also Adam Green in the lines of songs in extreme cases of the crooning. Or of Beat Happening can be too. Can be irritating at the beginning, the voice can convince over the length even if the stamp and the lines of song of the singer really do not shine by their originality. Even if if placed well, posed well, supported well by other voices (male or female). It is the reproach which one could make in C@n@st@. It is well carried out, it is varied and it is enormously worked. But one remains a little on his hunger. Can be a little academic or too clean; too much beautiful to be honest. Or can be cold beauty. That which one admires but by far because good. Difficult with that to let themselves go and to believe in it. I speak about the disc there; no the cold beauty. One passes in all cases of good moments of çi from there and certain pieces deserve the turning ("Slow fox trot Down Chicago", "Year apology", "Sympathetic vibrations" which bears its name well) but it seems that C@n@st@ has still things to prove. Beautiful effort: they have the American talent yet step the English class.

― robots in love (robotsinlove), Friday, 18 November 2005 22:46 (twenty years ago)

Best written review yet.

― n/a (Nick A.), Friday, 18 November 2005 22:48 (twenty years ago)

can't understand that review.

Still, well done. I like the cover, and I especially like the title.

I'm assuming Chicago Sold Out is on it.

― F.R.I.E.N.D. (nordicskilla), Friday, 18 November 2005 22:55 (twenty years ago)

what's a poi dog?

― F.R.I.E.N.D. (nordicskilla), Friday, 18 November 2005 22:56 (twenty years ago)

I'm intrigued by this "band".

― Jeff-Beetle (Jeff), Friday, 18 November 2005 22:56 (twenty years ago)

I've never heard the Arcade Fire, but Alex in SF's girlfriend has been trying to get me to listen to them.

― F.R.I.E.N.D. (nordicskilla), Friday, 18 November 2005 22:57 (twenty years ago)

Cool, jaymc. Ted and Dave both played on your record? Is Poi Dog still going in some form?

Yeah, they both played on the record and will be playing at the show tonight, too. Ted actually engineered the record!

Poi Dog is still technically together, although it seems to be a rotating cast of musicians -- like, Ted sometimes plays with them, other times he doesn't. I'm not sure how much they're actually playing, though...

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 18 November 2005 22:57 (twenty years ago)

p.s. i am coming to chicago dec 15-18!

This is exciting news! Let me know further details, T...

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 18 November 2005 22:58 (twenty years ago)

I think Matt is sad about that French review because it said his voice was "annoying." Yes, we had it translated by someone who knows French.

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 18 November 2005 22:59 (twenty years ago)

(M. White to thread.)

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 18 November 2005 23:00 (twenty years ago)

Although there's a nice pull-quote in that electronic translation:

"...too much beautiful to be honest..." -- France

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 18 November 2005 23:02 (twenty years ago)

groovy

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 18 November 2005 23:07 (twenty years ago)

exciting! congratulations!

― phil-two (phil-two), Friday, 18 November 2005 23:10 (twenty years ago)

you never told me you guys step the English class, j!!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 19 November 2005 03:44 (twenty years ago)

Oh, you guys got a low player?

― Jordan (Jordan), Saturday, 19 November 2005 03:47 (twenty years ago)

"Step the English class"? "Low player"? Your phrases and words intrigue me.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 19 November 2005 03:49 (twenty years ago)

it's part of the "pop music of room" vocabulary, ned.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 19 November 2005 03:51 (twenty years ago)

*reads upwards* Oh right. Hmm, the aliens visited Canastaworld I see.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 19 November 2005 03:54 (twenty years ago)

Haha JayMC tell me next time you perform and I'll try to make it. For you I make a special deal.

― deej.. (deej..), Saturday, 19 November 2005 04:12 (twenty years ago)

fourteen years pass...

By a chain of coincidence I ended up listening to my remix of jaymc’s band tonight and they were pretty good, according to me. I did immediately remember that their drummer needed a click track though. Inside here out there on your bus ride.

― El Tomboto, Wednesday, 18 December 2019 05:39 (five years ago)

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