Your Chicago Vinyl District writers love us some Pack a.d. (previously.) So when the duo arrived at the Empty Bottle in Chicago last Thursday, so did we.
As we walked up, we were greeted by a chalked message scrawled across the door that read: “Pack a.d. tonight.” After a beer or two across the street, we were ready to go. The Empty Bottle is a pretty cool venue. With vintage arcade games, billiards, a working cigarette machine, and of course a bar, there are plenty of things to keep you entertained.
The bar however, proved to be a bit of an optical illusion. At first glance there only seemed to be a few people in the venue for the show. Glued to bar stools throughout the opening acts, the crowd finally gathered in around the stage as Maya and Becky got set up.
“We’re the Pack a.d., and we’re from Vancouver, Canada, which makes us better than you!” With that, it was showtime, as they dove head first into the heavy-hitting “Lights” from their newest release Unpersons. After the catchy-as-hell “Haunt You,” the duo launched into a set of three tracks from their incredible 2010 release, We Kill Computers.
Even through the weirdest seizure-inducing lights anyone had ever seen, the show and the ladies didn’t fail to deliver track after track of music that just makes you want to move. Even when it came to “Seasick,” the slowest song of the night (and one of my personal favorites) it felt right at home.
Ending with a bang, the non-stop pace made the show feel like it was over in 10 minutes, and I know I wasn’t the only one left wanting more.
After the show, the line for merch quickly wrapped around the pool table and back past the bathrooms. Records, CDs, T-shirts and stickers were all flying off the table.
Words and pictures can’t do justice to the The Pack a.d. live. Whatever it takes, find a way to see these two in concert before the tickets are impossible to come by. You’ll be glad you did.
10/14 – The Alexander-Brantford, ON (CAN)
10/15 – The Opera House – Toronto, ON (CAN)
10/16 – Cafe Deckuf – Ottawa, ON (CAN)
10/19 – The Phog Lounge – Windsor, ON (CAN)
10/20 – PJ’s Lager House – Detroit, MI (USA)
10/22 – The Scanner – Quebec, QC (CAN)
10/25 – Pub O’Callaghan – Sorel/Tracy, QC (CAN)
10/27 – Divan Orange – Montreal, QC (CAN)
