On Saturday night, November 8th, attendees of the Bottom Lounge in Chicago had their socks rocked and knocked off by The Werks vs. Zoogma (featuring Twiddle as an opener). The evening’s event, thrown by Silver Wrapper, featured presentations represented by three different types of sounds, yet still tied together perfectly with doses of electric-rock fusion served to all the patrons.
Twiddle kicked off the night with some classic rock-twang, mixed with the sound of that of a hardcore jam band. Rich with percussion, and scattered with some Les Claypool-esc bass work, Twiddle’s chill, yet swingin’ style, set the stage perfectly for headliners, The Werks and Zoogma.
The self-proclaimed “psychedelic dance-rock” group from Dayton, Ohio, The Werks, has paved their way into the limelight of the festival scene beautifully since their inception in 2005. Their music transcends a number of genres, tying in bits of funk, psychedelic rock, classic-style rock, and always guided by the compass of improvisation.
In addition to The Werks’ numerous appearances at music festivals like Electric Forest, Wakarusa Music & Camping Festival, All Good Music Festival and Summer Camp Music Festival, they host their very own annual music festival in central Ohio called The Werkout Music and Arts Festival.
As the headliners of the show, it was clear that The Werks’ presence alone was enough to bring out fans in the masses. As always, they brought the funk and kept everyone grooving for the entirety of their performance.
The second band of the night’s three performances, Zoogma, did an excellent job setting up The Werks to carry out the night in style.
Zoogma brings a mix of synth-sound, trance, and pure rock to every show, which was the exact case this time around in Chicago. One could relate the sounds of Zoogma to those of bands like the ever-loved Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9) and Lotus. Zoogma’s music ranges from the kind that makes you close your eyes and sway, to music that makes people jump around uncontrollably.
During the night’s set, Zoogma dropped the crowd-pleaser, “Psychohistory,” off their Anthems 4 Androids album. The track started off with a smooth, dream-like melody, only to then blast-off into a rockin’ guitar riff, with a killer drumbeat chasing after it. Needless to say my wish was their command—I came in with little knowledge on this group, and left with a new playlist to jam to.
As the The Werks vs. Zoogma show came to a close, the high-energy kept rolling, leaving everyone in the crowd bouncing around as they walked out of the venue. The show was a definite crowd-pleaser for those who appreciate their creative form, raw talent, and charisma.
VIEW THE WERKS VS ZOOGMA PHOTOS @ BOTTOM LOUNGE CHICAGO – 11/8/14