Coming Alive with bar italia
Written by Josie Stahler
A relatively cold night in Chicago doesn’t stop fans from coming in droves to the Empty Bottle to watch bar italia perform. The band captured music lovers over the course of their two night stay in Chicago.
Fans wandered about the Bottle dressed stylishly, an ode to the effortlessly cool aesthetics bar italia presents. Knee high boots, star-embroidered tank tops and crushed eyeliner were among the many looks. Opening for the band night two was Noise Shrine, an experimental electronic solo act. Audience members seemed entranced by the noises erupting on stage.
Soon enough it was time for bar italia to take the stage. Drowned in hazy blue light, the band walked on stage nonchalantly and placed themselves by their respective instruments like pieces fitting into a puzzle. The trio, consisting of Nina Cristante, Sam Fenton and Jezmi Fehmi, are in the midst of their North American tour, which runs through April. The London-based band recently put out their new album The Twitsin November after just releasing Tracey Denim in May 2023. The trio rocked striped clothing and sunglasses, creating an illusion for the eye as it mixed with the blue light cast down upon them. As soon as they got on stage it was time to play.
The band played a mixture of their discography, from grungy jams like “my little tony” to slower moments like “twist.” Their music expresses a moodiness fitting for the soundtrack of a mystery television show. What really draws people in is the choice to have every band member on vocals at some point, creating a musical conversation rather than a straight song. It’s somber and haunting, while somehow eliciting a reaction that makes one want to sway on the dance floor. A track that stood out was, “sounds like you had to be there” a bittersweet song that feels like taking a drag of your cigarette out in the snow.
The band also played hits like the sultry track “Nurse!” and “skylinny.” While The Twits retains the same atmosphere as their other music, these tracks have a spacey rock ‘n roll feel. It was also interesting to see how they opted to jam a bit more live, creating a difference from their recorded tracks. They opted to come on stage for an encore, much to the audience’s praise. Their time on stage felt just right, but there was also a secret hope they’d simply stay forever. bar italia rocked the house on a cold December night.
You can catch bar italia on the remainder of their U.S. tour, along with a few European dates in the Summer.
You can follow bar italia on Instagram here and on Spotify below!