Fujiya & Miyagi, SVIIB last night at Bottom Lounge

February 13, 11:58 AMChicago Live Music ExaminerAmanda Nyren

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David Best, Regular Guy

Based on my experience last night, Fujiya & Miyagi concerts at Bottom Lounge are an excellent place to:

a) meet tall Austrian men with intimidating dance moves. 
b) run into people you’ve been avoiding like the plague.
c) listen to oddball lyrics ("vanilla strawberry knickerbocker glory?") chanted by a guy who looks like a web developer or maybe the owner of a bicycle repair shop.

In all seriousness, I really enjoyed the F&M performance. I even danced a little. And I had only drunk one cocktail, so that’s saying something. Of course, I may have felt compelled to dance in order to one-up the tall Austrian showboating in front of me, or to forget about my awkward run-in.

But enough about me. Band mates Steve Lewis (beats, programming, synths), David Best (vocals, guitar, possible former web developer), Matt Hainsby (bass guitar), and Lee Adams (drums) managed to bring to life an otherwise dull nugaze crowd with their Talking Heads-esque grooves and cheeky Krautrock pastiche. When not chanting “Fujiya, Miyagi” over and over as if to brainwash the audience into buying out Reckless Records’ entire inventory of Lightbulbs, Best channeled Mick Jagger on “Miss You” or a less emotionally available Serge Gainsbourg. On the whole, the band delivered dance/pop music for loners.

Opening act School of Seven Bells was…punctual. Okay, maybe it’s just not my taste, maybe I need to give it another shot, but I was not sad to hear SVIIB announce its last song. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but there is something very nineties about the band’s sound: the lilting vocals remind me of the Cranberries or maybe Cocteau Twins; the new age-y girl group aspect reminds me of a younger Lillith Fair incarnation with accessories from Urban Outfitters. Of course, SVIIB isn’t technically a girl group. I don’t want to belittle the talents of guitarist Benjamin Curtis, formerly of Secret Machines, but at times I almost forgot he was on stage. This is partly because twin sisters Alejandra and Claudia Deheza are utterly stunning and entrancing, but mostly because of the band’s unusual method of putting lyrics first and employing music only as a supplement. As much as Curtis thrashed and jumped around, his guitar remained just barely audible, and the girls’ vocal harmonies dominated. In short, I haven’t written this dream pop/psychedelic act off completely, but I also won’t rush out to its next performance.

As for the venue, it isn't TGI Friday's, but it also isn't  the dirty, dive-y Bottom Lounge of Lakeview (razed in 2005 to make room for the expanding Belmont CTA platform).  Of course, with a solid line-up of indie acts and tickets less than $20, who's complaining?  Expect an excellent sound system, really good fries, and a lot of exposed brick.