Now Hear This!
Now hear this! Jukebox the Ghost at The Ready Room
where The Ready Room
when Friday 7 p.m.
price $16-$18
What better time to get off campus and spend a few hours lost in live music than syllabus week? I certainly can’t think of one—and this upcoming Friday will present the perfect opportunity when Jukebox the Ghost visits St. Louis and posts up in the intimate yet always enjoyable venue The Ready Room. Even if you’ve never heard of Jukebox the Ghost, this three-piece indie pop outfit should be a perfect fit for fans of bands like Ra Ra Riot or Givers.
Jukebox the Ghost has been around in its current incarnation for almost a decade, and although it hasn’t quite reached meteoritic success or recognition, it has been quietly amassing a collection of catchy singles and albums full of sunny power-pop that will you bring right back to carefree high school summers. The Washington, D.C.-bred band is probably best known for its 2012 single “Somebody,” and if you haven’t heard of the band before or just need a refresher for its style, it’s probably the best track to listen to first, combining a lighthearted rhythm with singer Ben Thornewill’s irresistibly endearing and clean vocals. Also, it’s that one everyone will be singing along to on Friday night, so study up on the lyrics and requisite hand-clapping while you can.
Its first album, “Let Live & Let Ghosts,” released in 2008, not only demonstrated the band’s lyrical dexterity with fairytale and sometimes sci-fi-like narratives that spoke to the human condition, but also injected a dose of piano-fueled cheer into the indie music landscape. Although Jukebox the Ghost has moved onto more personal topics for its songs, the same whimsy and smile-inducing riffs remain. Just take a listen to its latest single, “Postcard,” off its self-titled 2014 album to hear for yourself the lighthearted turn of its melodies and playful lyrics, bolstered for guitarist Tommy Siegel and drummer Jesse Kristin. Just listening to its music will bring a little bit of springtime to these dark and dreary winter days. The band will be supported by up-and-comers Twin Forks, a massive group of musicians from Florida who cite roots in country-folk music and Americana. Twin Forks plays off that current hit of mixing female and male vocals with heart-thumping banjo and uplifting choruses (think Of Mice and Men or The Mowglis). Their sound might not be anything too new, but at least it promises to be fairly comforting and familiar. Combine that dynamism with Jukebox the Ghost’s famously infectious energy and enthusiasm at its live shows, and you really can’t go wrong with this lineup, especially at such a small venue like The Ready Room—the close quarters should make for a lot of sweaty dancing, crowd sing-a-longs and new friends.
So, whether you’re looking to kick off your first weekend back at school right, or just to dance off some nerves before the last weekend of sorority recruitment, head on downtown to The Ready Room this Friday for a little dose of summery indie-pop to relieve the long and frozen Midwestern nights. Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets range from $16-$18. Jukebox the Ghost will be supported by both Secret Someones and Twin Forks.