11/27/2009 – Chicago, IL - After anyone sees The Big Pink live, they’ll dismiss any notion of this being a cover band of The Band.

This shoegazing-cum-groove band drummed up the ghost of The Stone Roses-era Brit pop. Taking over a small stage at Chicago’s The Empty Bottle, this London band transformed the Ukranian Village watering hole into what felt like the famed Manchester Hacienda club complete with a fog machine. With a sold out crowd and a hypnotic light show, their presence at this neighborhood bar emulated a stage at Glastonbury. The band stood in front of the lights to obscure their presence, and the strobes worked in over time, pulsating to their gyrating beats.

While starting their set over forty-five minutes past their scheduled start time, the over anxious crowd grew weary wondering if this would be another one of those precious British bands that deconstruct half way during their U.S. tour. The Big Pink, however, would have none of that; despite being heavily drenched in a cloak of sonic mystery, singer Robbie Furz announced that he loved Chicago and even displayed his romance for the city to the audience by showing off his newly acquired tattoo.

While the band played most of the songs from their 4AD debut , A Brief History Of Love, the band saved their best song for the end: the infectious single “Dominos” . As with most bands with only one album, their set was brief (around forty five minutes), but they definitely left the audience wanting more. Lo and behold, a new tour has just been announced that will bring them back to the States in March to a much larger venue.

- J. Byrnes