Local H Unpack the Cats

Photo Credit – Manish B

Chicago, IL – Chicago’s own Local H returned home on October 14th to close the second of three legs of the 20th anniversary tour celebrating their epic 1998 album, Pack Up the Cats. The mighty rock duo, which has expanded to a quartet for this tour, performed at Sleeping Village, a newer 320-capacity venue and bar on Belmont Avenue. Local H will also close the third leg of the tour in Chicago at Lincoln
Hall on November 18th.

The nearly three-hour concert began with a nine-song set that opened with the band’s newest track (“Innocents”) and included hits (“The Misanthrope” and “Hands on the Bible”), fan favorites (“Nothing Special” and “How’s the Weather Down There?”) and their rocking cover of TV On the Radio (“Wolf Like Me”). Following a 25-minute break which included a carefully curated playlist of kitty-related songs to set the mood, the band returned in pajamas to deliver Pack Up the Cats from beginning to end with an unreleased track (“ATM (Longitude and Latitude)”) from the album’s sessions included for the die-hards. Following a short break, they returned to perform an encore which included their brilliantly upgraded Britney Spears cover (“Toxic”) and their biggest hit (“Bound for the Floor”).

This was my 85th time seeing Local H dating back to 1996 (perks of living in Chicago) and the band sounded as powerful as ever. In addition to performing several songs that have become rarities due to their production complexity on Pack Up the Cats and the band’s expansive catalog of songs to choose from, the additional musicians allowed the band to fill out many of the standards as well.

Local H fans, especially those in Chicago, are treated to all kinds of cool experiences. In 2008, the band performed seven consecutive nights at Beat Kitchen, playing each of their five albums in their entirety the first five nights, followed by a sixth night dedicated to deep cuts and then finally performing their new sixth album, 12 Angry Months, on the seventh night. Many dedicated fans traveled for the experience and attended all seven nights.

The current U.S. tour has offered fans across the country the chance to see Local H in venues that should be considered intimate for any band that has been performing non-stop for over 20 years and at a price that is less than most band’s t-shirts these days. If you can catch them on the final leg
of their tour, do yourself a favor and go.

11/02/18 Fri – Shank Hall; Milwaukee, WI
11/03/18 Sat – Amsterdam Bar & Hall; Saint Paul, MN
11/06/18 Tue – The Crocodile; Seattle, WA
11/07/18 Wed – Doug Fir Lounge; Portland, OR
11/09/18 Fri – Harlow’s; Sacramento, CA
11/10/18 Sat – Starline Social Club; Oakland, CA
11/12/18 Mon – Roxy Theatre; West Hollywood, CA
11/13/18 Tue – Marty’s on Newport; Tustin, CA
11/15/18 Thu – Urban Lounge; Salt Lake City, UT
11/16/18 Fri – Larimer Lounge; Denver, CO
11/17/18 Sat – The Waiting Room; Omaha, NE
11/18/18 Sun – Lincoln Hall; Chicago, IL
11/21/18 Wed* – Tailgaters; Bolingbrook, IL
12/30/18 Sun* – The Room; Highland, IN
12/31/18 Mon* – Chop Shop/1 st Ward; Chicago, IL

*not part of the “Pack Up the Cats” tour

Setlist – October 14, 2018 – Sleeping Village; Chicago, IL

Innocents
How’s the Weather Down There?
Nothing Special
The Misanthrope
Eddie Vedder
Hands on the Bible
Baby Wants to Tame Me
That’s What They All Say
Wolf Like Me [TV On the Radio]
——————–
All-Right (Oh, Yeah)
“Cha!” Said the Kitty
Lucky
Hit the Skids or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Rock
500,000 Scovilles
What Can I Tell You?
Fine and Good
Lead Pipe Cinch
She Hates My Job
Stoney
Laminate Man
ATM (Longitude and Latitude)
Cool Magnet
All the Kids Are Right
Deep Cut
Lucky Time
——————–
Toxic [Britney Spears]
Bound for the Floor
Manifest Density, Part 2 > Killing Moon [Echo & the Bunnymen]

 

Related: See photos from Local H on the Summerland Tour in Austin, TX below: