Mar 14, 2015
I've wasted almost $16 on this Third Strike machine at Logan Hardware. Priorities!
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I've wasted almost $16 on this Third Strike machine at Logan Hardware. Priorities!
I only stopped in one record store on my most recent trip to Chicago. My photo editor at Impose mentioned I should meet up with a fellow staff photographer who works at Logan Hardware. She let me in on the secret that when you make a purchase, you get an access code to the arcade museum in the back room. I took a video of the games making game sounds.
Michelles! - "Instill Confusion"
I found myself at Quenchers on the Logan Square/Bucktown border last night with a couple of staff members from Logan Hardware. A photo editor at Impose recommended I stop in the record store to meet a fellow Impose photographer who works there. I came, we swapped local bands (including watching a Mallwalkers video with all her co-workers), experienced nirvana in the arcade room in the back, and then went to a show at night to catch her friends' band Michelles!. I wouldn't have squeezed in a show during my trip if not for the Logan Hardware staff, so go buy their records so you can play in the arcade room in the back.
The Evens (Logan Hardware, July 1, 2013)
Rating: A
Monday afternoon, Bill texted me because he thought the Evens were playing at Logan Hardware, a record store close to my apartment that features an antique video arcade in the back. This seemed crazy for a few reasons, but mostly since Kevin and I had just been there and were oblivious to the signs advertising the show.
If you’re not familiar with the Evens, they’re a two person band consisting of Amy Farina on drums and Ian MacKaye on vocals. MacKaye is a legend thanks to his membership in a bunch of incredibly influential bands including Fugazi, Egg Hunt, Minor Threat, Teen Idles, Embrace, and was also the founder of Dischord Records. Walking to the show, I told Kevin the Evens sounded like Fugazi playing at a coffee shop. There are still plenty of aggressive rhythms and angst, but it’s more stripped down.
We got to Logan Hardware about ten minutes before the doors opened. The line was around the block; there had to be at least 200 people waiting already. Having been in the store before, I couldn’t imagine they had room for more than 50 people. We had pretty much given up hope on getting even close to the door, but surprisingly we got let in.
Logan Hardware had knocked out the back wall where the videogames were, and there was a huge space behind it that easily held 300 to 400 people. They constructed a small stage that was high enough to offer decent sightlines to anyone in the crowd. Not sure what they were using it for previously, but it was a great place for shows other than the total lack of ventilation. It wasn’t even a hot day, but damn did it get sticky.
The Evens took the stage promptly at 8 p.m. MacKaye cracked some jokes and talked about how the set was going to roll out. He also mentioned why the Evens, who play pretty sporadically, were at Logan Hardware. Apparently, the building used to be the site of Dischord’s Midwest distribution center.
I’m not super familiar with their songs—I recognized a few from their newest album The Odds—but they mostly moved between more aggressive tracks sung by MacKaye and more mellow ones sung by Farina. Even though he was sitting down, MacKaye seemed like he was physically wrestling with his guitar at times, trying to wring out these aggressive riffs.
Halfway during the set, someone at the store turned a fan on. I was instantly cooled off. This, however, sparked some friendly bickering from MacKaye who wanted quiet and those of us who were tired of suffocating.
After a brief interlude to talk about US drone attacks in Pakistan, the band played their last song and finished the hour-long set. Following the performance, MacKaye hung around to greet people and sell records. Bill and I nabbed a copy of The Odds, shook his hand, and I mumbled something about how much his music meant to me.
Our hearts were racing, and we headed home. The Evens aren’t on the same level of greatness as Fugazi, but this was an incredible evening. I never thought I’d get to see Ian MacKaye play live, and this just came out of nowhere. A night doesn’t get much better.
-James P.
Simply Saucer!