Photo credit: Kellen Nordstrom
You’ve got to give the Pabst Theater Group a lot of credit for stocking their “Back Room” venue—snuggly tucked away inside Colectivo’s Farwell location—with far more than just the typical coffee house fare of folky singer-songwriters, spoken-word acts and the like, instead offering an unpredictable and adventurous slate of up-and-coming artists and obscure cult favorites. Thankfully, they also have the good sense to realize that public interest sometimes makes such intimate venues impractical, which is exactly why Friday night’s performance from trip-hop pioneer Nightmares on Wax was soon relocated to the roomier atmosphere of the Pabst Theater itself.
After the smaller space quickly sold out, many fans of the multitalented U.K. composer, producer, DJ, etc. also known as George Evelyn feared they’d be left out in the cold (or nursing coffee and listening from afar), and some could be overheard expressing their relief as they stretched out among the Pabst’s first floor. There to warm them up was Chicago duo Air Credits, a spin-off of mashup makers The Hood Internet featuring underground MC ShowYouSuck, who, in between hits of aggressive acid-rap, never missed an opportunity to remind the audience that they specialized in “rap music from the future.”
While their sound doesn’t quite live up to the complicated, somewhat cliché mythology that surrounds the project, involving an imminent apocalyptic disaster and the survivors’ attempt to keep music alive, it’s engaging nevertheless and got a warm response from the crowd, who seemed genuinely interested in their new album, Wasteland Radio New Archives, which just so happened to be released that very day. By the time they finished their set, the seats had started to fill up in earnest, mostly with aging techno-heads and ravers, some of whom even represented with their Massive shirts for the by now nostalgic occasion.
While catching Nightmares on Wax at a cozy venue like the Back Room would no doubt be incredible, his live stage setup would make just about any venue feel almost as intimate. Aside from an extended drum kit stuck into a rear corner, it looked more or less like your average living room—complete with a couch that Evelyn kicked back on, a coffee table strewn with keyboards and samplers and some comfortable-looking armchairs, which two guest singers casually curled up in whenever they weren’t lending their talents to Nightmares on Wax’s rich, soulful blend of hip-hop and electronica.
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Lighting sage every so often to set the mood, Evelyn led his small circle of friends through a dubwise set that occasionally detoured into his deep, stoner-friendly discography, but for the most part focused on his brand-new album, Shape the Future, including standouts like “Deep Shadows.” Despite being the type of mellow sounds that are perfect to zone out to, Evelyn also injected some passionate calls to action, recounting how a friend translated the E-inspired love vibe of Ibiza clubs into an important charitable foundation. It was legitimately inspiring, and far fewer would have heard it at the Back Room.
