Smoking Popes 3/31/06

Picked up my Smoking Popes tickets today at Dundee's Clearwater, where they'll be performing on March 31.

It's too bad there's no place for them to perform in Elgin. Afterall, at least one of the band members (Eli Caterer) was born here and Josh Caterer lives here. The KC Chronicle picked up the story last fall when the Popes first reunited, but I think our two papers missed it. The Chicago Tribune covered the historic show:

In the last decade, Metro has played host to such rock icons as Bob Dylan, the Smashing Pumpkins and Slayer. But none caused as much pre-show commotion as the Smoking Popes' sold-out reunion concert over the weekend.

The Popes were selling out Metro shows in the mid-'90s with a sound that put songcraft and heavy-handed guitar riffs on an equal plane. A major label deal didn't pan out, but the band's cult following has only expanded. Artists from Morrissey to Alkaline Trio have hailed the Popes as innovators, and their sound really hasn't been imitated, let alone replaced. Little wonder the line to enter the club Friday was stretched down Clark Street for hours, and ticket-holders were still pouring into the club well into the band's 90-minute set.

Check out their MySpace page.
Watch their old Rubella video.
And buy some of their recordings on Amazon.