All treats, no tricks at Yada Yada’s Halloween show in Chicago
It’s not everyday that you board the bus with Harley Quinn, the Lorax, and a banana holding a case of PBR, but that’s just Halloween in Chicago. Dressed as a fisherman, I joined the other bus goers on my way to Lincoln Hall to see local alternative rock band Yada Yada celebrate the release of the latest EP “All of These Evils,” released on October 24.
I followed a chef and mouse to the venue to find that even more conflicting sides had set aside their differences in the name of music. Angels and devils, super heroes and villains all gathered under one roof to spend their Halloween enjoying local Chicago and Midwest alternative rock.
OK COOL
Despite the Halloween traffic, I arrived just in time to catch indie math rock group OK Cool perform their cover of “Alejandro” by Lady Gaga. The cover and costumes showed they were there to have some fun warming up the crowd as the first of a four-band lineup. Lead singer and guitarist Bridget Stiebris dressed as Spiderman and bassist and vocalist Haley Blomquist Waller as a skeleton.
OK Cool’s dreamy tracks were interlaced with the staple intricate and enthralling math rock guitar riffs creating the ideal atmosphere to start off the show. I am always drawn to those twinkly math rock riffs, so it made the duo’s set all the more captivating.
NO MEN
As the house lights went back down, red light flooded the stage as Chicago-based rock group No Men began their set. The bold lighting echoed the loud, commanding, instrumental-focused tracks, building up the drama needed for a Halloween night performance. The percussion from drummer Ricky Hundo and from vocalist and drummer Pursley drove that drama forward alongside the six-stringed bass from DB. The trio didn’t don costumes, instead opting for all black attire, which was equally fitting for the occasion.
When Pursley wasn’t center stage delivering a captivating vocal performance, they stepped over to a lone drum covered in stickers to let out any remaining frustrations and passions out on the drum. No Men rounded out to be the heaviest set of the night.
BUGSY
The indie-rock band from Minneapolis, Bugsy, burst onto the stage to the Powerpuff Girls theme song and were dressed to match. The vocalist and guitarist Emily Schoonover dressed as Blossom, lead guitarist Griffen Desai as Bubbles, bassist and vocalist Shannon Maroney as Buttercup, and drummer Al Norman as the antagonist Mojo Jojo.
The group was ready to save the world from the clutches of evil or play some damn good music. They opted for the latter, jumping into a set that kept the high energy of the night going. The melodic tracks allowed room for a focus on storytelling within the lyrics, many touching on the small moments within relationships and the joy and pain that comes with them.
YADA YADA
After one last turnover of the stage, Chicago-based alt-rockers Yada Yada took the stage.
The costumed crowd, sufficiently warmed up, erupted with energy as the group jumped straight into new tracks off their latest release “All of These Evils.” But, the energy came to a head as the band played their 2023 single “Emoticon.” The audience screamed the opening lyrics, “lately you’ve been getting under my skin,” in time with lead vocalist Meagan Hoch. Hoch, dressed as a corpse bride, delivered a powerful vocal performance ranging from raging and demanding to ethereal and, fittingly so, almost ghostly.
“Control,” the closing track off the EP, was a standout of the night. The song builds up softly leading up to an ever satisfying breakdown screaming the statement “I’m in control” at full force in the final chorus. It begs the question of whether you’re trying to convince yourself or everyone around you of the statement’s validity. The track throughout its buildup gave each member a chance to shine and showcase their skills, Wesley Kise on guitar, Ian Williams on bass, and Will Wensel on drums.
Yada Yada brought aspects of each of the bands that came before them — intricate riffs like OK Cool, heaviness similar to that of No Men, and thoughtful storytelling like that of Bugsy. The night was a true showcase of the midwest alt rock scene. Though it was Halloween, the only thing that was scary was the sheer amount of talent and skill that took the stage.
Yada Yada’s full set is available to watch here.