Recently, I had the opportunity to check out a band from my birthplace
play a small, local show here in the city of Chicago. The
band was Eric and the Happy Thoughts, and
the show was amazing.
Shows like this, which take place in some
dirty little bar that you’ve never heard of, testament
to the fact that I don’t even remember the
name of the bar in which this show took place,
are often the best. I couldn’t smell anything but
sweat, I couldn’t order anything to drink but
beer, and I couldn’t do anything but dance.
The bands sound is kind of throwback, they
have a garage sound, but not in the vein of bands
like Nirvana that usually come to mind when you
hear the word “garage.” Instead, they put a dirty
garage sound together with pop music, which
comes out heavily in Eric’s songwriting, to make a
very unique sound. Eric and the Happy Thoughts is
one of those bands that proves two guitars and a
drum set are all you need to make rock n’ roll.
Eric and the Happy Thoughts hail from the rock
n’ roll scene in Lafayette, Indiana, and includes
members Eric LaGrange (vocals and guitar,) Trent
Downey (drums,) and Jordan Allen (vocals and bass.)
They will be on tour supporting their upcoming
release on Bubbledump records starting July 10, and the closing show of their tour will take place
in Chicago at the Empty Bottle on July 26.
I promise you, bands like Eric and the Happy Thoughts, and small venues like the Empty
Bottle, are where real rock n’ roll is made. Do yourself a favor and check out their show on
July 26, and while you are at it, hit them up on Myspace too @
http://www.myspace.com/thehappythoughtsmusic.