Midway through the Violent Femmes’ tour closing concert at The Vic Theatre in Chicago on Nov. 4, multi-instrumentalist Brian Ritchie revealed the trio was about to treat the sold-out crowd to a rarity by special request. Frontman Gordon Gano chimed in joking, “This is the song we always say we never play before we play it,” prior to breaking into the opening chords of “Ugly.”
In truth, the tune full of questioning lyrical lies has only graced Violent Femmes’ set-lists a handful of times in the group’s 30 plus year career, but that didn’t stop Chicago fans from singing along with every word. The communal crooning, Gano’s wry humor and a spontaneous spirit manifested as constants throughout the fun-filled night as the band shuffled, strummed and sang their way through their discography.
Violent Femmes performing at The Vic Theatre in Chicago on Nov. 4, 2018
The show moved at a brisk pace – from the opening of “Confessions” off their 1983 self-titled debut to the pre-encore set-closer of “Memory” from 2016’s We Can Do Anything – as the free and easy energy of the Violent Femmes kept the crowd on their toes. When “Blister in the Sun” appeared as the fourth song of the night, audible excitement could be heard from fans who expected to have to wait to hear the mega-hit in the encore. “Kiss Off,” featuring Spanish-style bass licks from Ritchie, soon followed once again raising the excitement in the room.
As a trio, one might expect the Violent Femmes to stick to a traditional guitar/bass/drums stage set-up, but the Sunday night concert featured music made by countless instruments and non-instruments alike including a barbecue grill – which drummer John Sparrow soloed upon during “Black Girls” – and even a conch shell. The bass was Ritchie’s go-to instrument though he also added to the melodic mayhem while rocking the xylophone on “Gone Daddy Gone.” Along with the guitar, Gano turned to his banjo and violin from time to time while Sparrow frequently exchanged his snare, tom-tom, BBQ kit for an elaborate cajón.
Violent Femmes performing at The Vic Theatre in Chicago on Nov. 4, 2018
Throughout the set, the Blaise Garza-led Horns of Dilemma were on-hand to elevate and accentuate the folk punk melodies – most notably on the above mentioned “Black Girls” – and harmonica player Matthew Skoller joined in on the fun during “It’s Gonna Rain,” “Sweet Misery Blues” and more.
Sticking to a defined genre has never been in the Violent Femmes’ playbook so it felt perfectly natural to join them on a trip to the world of party polka with “I Could Be Anything.” Later, a cacophony of sounds drove an extended rendition of “Gimme the Car” to an intense climax creating one of the best musical moments of the night.
As the encore began, a sea of individuals once again united in song, celebrating the endearing appeal of home-grown “American Music” compliments of the Violent Femmes. Check out photos from The Vic Theatre performance and head over to Vfemmes.com to pick up the group’s latest album, 2 Mics and the Truth.
(Photos by Laurie Fanelli)