Reading music:

 

Raucous energy filled the air as I walked through the back doors of the Double Door bar and music venue. People were frantically rushing everywhere to put the final touches on the schizophrenic marching band theme decorating the venue. The dancers were going over their routine, CO2 blast lines were being arranged, and last minute costume adjustments were being figured out. And it was all for the album launch and first live performance of Big Paraid, presented by the Lunatics of Bam.

Big Paraid is a new Chicago rock group consisting of three long time musicians – Evan, Joe, and Rob – whose first show proved to be as sonically exciting as it was visually stimulating. Bringing in veteran Chicago DJ Orville Kline, from the infamous Porn n’ Chicken parties and dressed in a marching band leaders outfit, the party started loud and early as Orville chose to play a crowd catered set that included electronic mixes of indie and rock. As the crowd began to gather and excitement mounted, whispers of the giant cannon which stood front and center began circulating around the room. And just as the curious audience began to grow anxious, the lights dimmed and Big Paraid took the stage.

An hour later the band and dancers were still grinding away, sweaty from the densely packed venue as more and more people jammed to the front as the show gained steam. Rollicking from one guitar drenched track to the next, Big Paraid started off strong with singles such as “Walk In Place” and “You Should Move To New York” and didn’t skip a beat the rest of the show. Drudging up sounds reminiscent of Queens Of The Stone Age and The Raconteurs, the group looked like a veteran band playing together. And that giant cannon sitting on the front of the stage? At peak intervals in the show, the 400 pound colossus would discharge a massive orgy of paper confetti and CO2 straight into the crowd. Needless to say, it only served to amp up the already rambunctious group. After rocking through the list of tracks on their debut self-titled album, Big Paraid, the night seemed to end just as abruptly as it started, the crowd dispersing with looks of shock and joy at the performance they had just witnessed.

Big Paraid is set to perform next at Chicago’s House of Blues on Sunday, April 28 and you can bet they will be putting on another fantastic show for your viewing pleasure. You can find more information and purchase tickets here.

Check out the video for their single “Walk In Place” below and head over to iTunes to purchase Big Paraid.

See the full photo album on our Facebook page.

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