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 Josh Caterer |
 Sleeping At Last |
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Story and photos by Andy Argyrakis Though Sleeping At Last may not be a household name just yet, the ethereal alt rock trio is well on its way, boasting an impressive indie resume and an expanding national reach. The Chicago based band first found significant fame locally and nationally with props from Smashing Pumpkins' figurehead Billy Corgan, which inevitably led to opening a string of Zwan dates. From there it was full tours with Yellowcard, Something Corporate, The Format, Switchfoot and Bleu, along with video spins on Fuse TV. This year has also been remarkably productive, including the self-released CD Keep No Score and its song "Quicksand" scoring a soundtrack nod on "Grey's Anatomy."As a result of this momentum, along with a stellar base of influences that merges the Pumpkins, Radiohead, Coldplay and even touches of Sigur Ros, the trio had no problem packing the Park West. Besides being a standard date on its winter tour, the show was also taped for DVD and featured the core band backed by a four piece string section (of Poi Dog Pondering fame) to recreate the orchestral elements of the lushly produced CD. The guys wasted no time laying their emotions on the line with the dynamic shifts of "Tension & Thrill," the striking swells of "Careful Hands" and the piano tipped tenderness of "Ghosts." The string section left the stage about a half dozen songs into the set to exclusively showcase singer/pianist Ryan O'Neal, bassist/keyboardist Dan Perdue and drummer Chad O'Neal. That segment led to the dreamy dissonance of "Trees (Hallway of Leaves)," the poetic prose of "A Skeleton of Something More," plus the gorgeous "Levels of Light." The jarring guitars and feverish percussion of "Currents" also featured the partial orchestra's chilling return, kicking off a home stretch that also included the majestic "Umbrellas" and the gripping encore "Stay," known for its artful arrangements but insanely infectious chorus. As the evening ended with an explosive, almost supernatural version of "Hold Still," the cameras captured an enraptured crowd hanging on every delicate strum and cymbal crash, signaling a future in which Sleeping At Last is sure to expand with stature. Fellow Windy City indie rocker Josh Caterer opened the show, taking time away from his full time role in the Smoking Popes (and its offshoot act Duvall) for a solo acoustic set. He switched between solo selections, several Popes songs and even a few unexpected but highly enjoyable covers (such as Van Halen's "Dance the Night Away," stripping away the cheese ball glam for shoe gazing simplicity). Of course, the Popes material was the best received, including organic renditions of "Midnight Moon" and "Let Them Die," which he joked was written to "infuriate my animal activist friends." In fact, he even shared stories from the band's five week tour with Morrissey, including the day when Moz (a militant vegetarian) questioned Caterer's motives in that song's message. "I told him it was about flies because that was the first thing that popped into my mind," he shared to a round of audience laughter. Yet even with the engaging performance, fans need not fear Caterer leaving his initial vehicle to fame since he previewed the forthcoming selection "Stay Down" and promised additional dates together in the very near future. |
 Josh Caterer |
 Sleeping At Last |
 Sleeping At Last |
 Sleeping At Last |