Dressy Bessy at the Bottom Lounge

Chicago, September 22, 2008

It’s been a long time since I’ve gone out to a club on a Monday night. Say I’m old, call me lame, whatever. The fact is that it’s hard to get me out on a Monday night. I’m lazy and sleepy.

But I’ve wanted to see Dressy Bessy since I heard 2005’s Electrified. I was turned on to that album, like so many others, by Ken Tucker’s fantastic review on NPR wherein he favorably compared Dressy Bessy to Coldplay (“On the other hand, what person with a healthy heartbeat wouldn’t rather listen to this?”)

We’ve got some great photos of the show after the jump…

Live, they did not disappoint. Playing a lot of stuff off their new album, Holler and Stomp, and mixing in several favorites from Electrified, the small but dedicated crowd ate it up. Singer Tammy Ealom was a ball of energy, dressed like drag-queen version of Mary Ann from Gilligan’s Island, and guitarist John Hill (of Apples in Stereo) led the band through its crunchy pop while looking like a 70s rock critic version of Eric Bogosian.

I was flummoxed to see so few people at the show. There were forty people, tops. I guess I’m not the only one who has a hard time dragging his ass off the couch on a Monday night. Hopefully, more Chicago people will feel rested enough to make it out the next time they’re in town: Sunday, November 2 at the Abbey Pub.

Photos by Alan M. Paterson. See more here.

MP3: Dressy Bessy – “Simple Girlz!” from Holler and Stomp

Dressy Bessy: Web, MySpace, Wiki, emusic.

Remaining tour dates:

10/10- The Nick, Birmingham, AL

10/11- The End, Nashville, TN

10/12- Young Avenue Deli, Memphis, TN

10/14- Sticky Fingerz Shack, Little Rock AR

10/15- Hailey’s, Denton, TX

10/16- Emo’s, Austin TX10/17- Opolis, Norman, OK

10/18- Bluebird Theater, Denver, CO CD Release Show

10/24- The Whole Music Club, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

10/25- The Cave, Carleton College, Northfield, MN

10/26- Draught Haus, Winona, MN

10/28- The Aquarium, Fargo, ND

10/29- The Turf Club, St. Paul, MN

10/30- Blue Devil Lounge, University of Wisconsin, Stout, Menomonie, WI

10/31- The Duck Room, St. Louis, MO

11/01- Wrongdaddy’s, Kirksville, MO

11/02- Abbey Pub, Chicago IL

11/03- Cincinnatti OH

11/05- Frankie’s Inner-City, Toledo, OH

11/06- Bernie’s, Columbus, OH

11/07- The Belmont, Detroit, MI

11/08- Al’s Bar, Lexington KY