Sam Prekop at the Empty Bottle in Chicago on January 5, 2025

While recording a live album for Ryley Walker at the Empty Bottle in Chicago in January 2025, I was able to tape a short set from one of the opening acts -- Sam Prekop on modular synths.

Sam is perhaps best known as a member (along with John McEntire and Archer Prewitt) of the Chicago band Sea and Cake. His recent solo work has been focused on electronics. This was a fascinating set-long piece with constantly evolving textures.

Purchase his most recent album here.

Recording information:   

SAM PREKOP

2025-01-05

Chicago, IL

Empty Bottle

Sam Prekop: modular synthesizers

Tracklist:

01 Untitled (29:39)

Total time = 29:39

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes for this blog

Microphones: Beyerdynamic MC930 in NOS

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (174 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that sort of thing

320 kbps mp3 files (88 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

Kikagaku Moyo and Angel Bat David at the Empty Bottle in Chicago on November 20, 2021

After Kikagaku Moyo finished their headlining set on the second night of a two night residency at the Empty Bottle in Chicago back in November 2021, they had a surprise for the audience: a 30-minute jam session with opener Angel Bat David.

The combination of Japanese psychedelic rock and Chicago free jazz was a delight, exploring riffs and textures without overextending themselves or degenerating into aimless noodling. Angel kept them moving throughout with her ecstatic chanting and clarinet playing.

Recording information:

KIKAGAKU MOYO
ANGEL BAT DAWID
2021-11-20
Chicago, IL
The Empty Bottle

Go Kurosawa: drums
Tomo Katsurada: guitar
Kotsu Guy: bass
Daoud Popal: guitar
Ryu Kurosawa: sitar
Angel Bat Dawid: voice and clarinet

Xristian Espinoza: sax

Setlist:
01 Chicago jam (30:32)

Total tine = 30:32

This is a matrix recording
Source 1: Beyerdynamic MC 930 stereo pair (ORTF)
Source 2: mono soundboard feed from Eric Lemke
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre 6 at 24/48
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

Recorded with explicit artist permission by Richard Hayes

Tremendous thanks to sound engineer Eric Lemke for going far out of his way to be of assistance in capturing this live recording, and to the band for allowing live recording of their performances.

https://kikagakumoyo.com
https://kikagakumoyoggb.bandcamp.com

downloads:

16bit, 44.kHz FLAC files (186 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that

320 kbps mp3 files (88 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

Ryley Walker at the Empty Bottle in Chicago on March 5, 2022

After uploading my recording of openers Bitchin Bajas, the headlining act that evening is up next.

Ryley Walker is one of our best songwriters and performers in the US at the moment. Aside from the strength of his compositions, he makes an effort to improvise at each show so that each is unique. Add to the mix a rotating selection of all-star jazz musicians from the Chicago scene and it is an irresistible combination.

For many shows I upload here, I eliminate the stage banter, since I believe most of the time that what the performers say to the audience is more a reflection of what was happening in the moment and doesn't sound "right" to me to present it after the fact. Ryley is the exception. His between-song banter is better than most of what I have seen in comedy clubs.

I feel a strong need to mention Ryley's amazing band for this show -- the always-amazing Bill MacKay on guitar, wonderful bassist Andrew Scott Young, and versatile drummer Quin Kirchner.

Purchase Ryley's latest album here.

Recording details:

RYLEY WALKER
2022-03-05

Chicago, IL at the Empty Bottle

Ryley Walker: guitar, vocals
Bill MacKay: guitar
Andrew Scott Young: bass
Quin Kirchner: drums

Set list:
01 Banter - They Make Sausage Out of Opening Bands (0:56)
02 Striking Down Your Big Premiere (5:09)
03 Banter - Chili’s Was a Dark Zone (0:52)
04 The Halfwit In Me (15:10)
05 Banter - That Last Song Was a Ripoff of Jim O’Rourke (0:31)
06 Axis Bent (4:55)
07 Banter - I Was All Nervous (1:58)
08 Shiva With Dustpan (6:28)
09 Telluride Speed (7:59)
10 Opposite Middle (3:33)
11 Banter - Mom’s in Merch Mode (2:42)
12 The Roundabout (11:54)

Total time = 62:07

Source 1: mono SBD feed (shared with Quin Kirchner via XLR splitter cable)
Source 2: Stereo pair Beyerdynamic MC930 on 10 foot mic stand in NOS configuration, in front of mixing board.
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre 6 at 24/96
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.kHz FLAC files (362 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that

320 kbps mp3 files (144 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

Bitchin Bajas at the Empty Bottle in Chicago on March 5, 2022

Ryley Walker brought the Bitchin Bajas with him on a little mini-tour of Milwaukee and Chicago during the first week of March 2022. It was really more of a co-headlining show, as Ryley no doubt would agree to, since he referred to the Bajas on stage as "one of the most important Chicago bands of the past 20 years."

   

Comprised of keyboardists Cooper Crain, Dan Quinlivan, and Rob Frye (who also plays flute and sax) the band has released a surprising number of albums since their beginnings in 2010. The music is at turns psychedelic and meditative, lush and hypnotically repetitive. 

For this show they were joined onstage by Jayve Montgomery on an Akai electronic wind instrument for a cover of Sun Ra's "Opus in Springtime."

Big thanks to the band for allowing taping and especially Cooper who went out of his way to make sure I had the correct setlist.

Buy their newest album here.

Recording information:

BITCHIN’ BAJAS
2022-03-05
Chicago, IL at the Empty Bottle

Cooper Crain: keyboards
Rob Frye: flute, sax, and keyboards
Dan Quinlivan: keyboards
Jayve Montgomery: Akai EWI-4000 (Track 4 only)

Setlist:
01 World B. Free (10:54)
02 Amorpha (8:17)
03 Chili (5:21)
04 Opus In Springtime [Sun Ra] (8:03)
05 Jammu (8:49)
06 Be Going (10:00)

Total time = 51:24

microphones: Beyerdynamic MC930 stereo pair in NOS
additional source: mono soundboard feed
recorder: Sound Devices MixPre 6 at 24/96
software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.kHz FLAC files (230 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that

320 kbps mp3 files (121 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

Kikagaku Moyo at the Empty Bottle in Chicago on November 19, 2021

Here is the first of two nights which Japanese psych legends Kikagaku Moyo performed at the Empty Bottle in Chicago at the tail end of their Fall 2021 US tour.

I was very fortunate to be able to have sound engineer Eric Lemke go out of his way to assist me (he even offered unsuccesfully to help bring my equipment inside the venue when he saw me waiting in line to get in). His live sound was some of the best I have ever heard anywhere at any performance. The only thing his mono soundboard feed needed was a little stereo information from my Beyerdynamic microphones which were on top of a 8-foot stand next to the mixing board in the back.

Purchase their final album here.

Recording information:

Kikagaku Moyo

2021-11-19
Chicago, IL at the Empty Bottle

Go Kurosawa: drums
Tomo Katsurada: guitar
Kotsu Guy: bass
Daoud Popal: guitar
Ryu Kurosawa: sitar

Live sound mix by Eric Lemke

Setlist:
01 Green Sugar
02 Kogarashi
03 Monaka
04 Smoke and Mirrors
05 Kodama
06 Entrance
07 Dripping Sun
08 Streets Of Calcutta
09 Entrance
10 Silver Owl
11 encore break
12 Nazo Nazo - Gatherings

This is a matrix recording
Source 1: mono soundboard feed
Source 2: Beyerdynamic MC 930 stereo pair (ORTF)
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre 6 at 24/48
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.kHz FLAC files (505 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that

320 kbps mp3 files (408 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible