Distracted

BY: ALLIE RUSSELL

It’s rare to feel, in the moment, that you’re witnessing the rise of tomorrow’s biggest stars – but that’s exactly how it felt watching The Thing With Feathers performing at Beat Kitchen in Chicago this week. With Chicago’s own Chocolate In Your Pocket and Florida-based Parrotfish opening, the night was a showcase of magnetic stage presence and undeniable talent. 

The night began with Chocolate In Your Pocket, whose understated confidence complimented the tight, assured nature of their performance. The Chicago-based act effortlessly blended jangly indie rock with a playful energy, drawing the audience in with tracks like the infectious Eurydice and the soon-to-be-released Bike Crash. Their seamless onstage rapport and sharp delivery suggested a band comfortable in their own skin and ready for more. 

Following them, Parrotfish injected some vibrancy into the room, proving they are more than capable of commanding attention. With a set that opened with the bold track 4k, the Florida group blended breezy charm with striking musicianship. Even when technical issues cropped up, the band carried on with a poise that spoke to their experience, turning potential distractions into only footnotes of the performance. Lead singer Conor Lynch’s use of a second mic with vocal effects added an unexpected dimension, and tracks like Two Surfers and Miami showcased a playful side that never felt overly polished. Together, the two openers felt less like appetizers and more like artists on the cusp of breaking through to wider recognition, setting the perfect tone for the evening to come. 

When The Thing With Feathers took the stage, it was clear that this wasn’t just another gig for the Nashville natives. They played like a band with something to prove, and the audience was eager to receive it. Beat Kitchen’s intimate space became a pressure cooker of sound and energy, and TTWF thrived. Their setlist was a whirlwind of momentum, forgoing breaks between songs for a relentless, crowd-fueled pace. 

Tracks like Dive Bar Breakdown, a yet-unreleased song, teased out what’s on the horizon for the band, while the anthemic Figure It Out became an outright celebration as the audience sang along. During a rare pause in their set, Welcsh admitted that “Chicago was the first place that felt like home outside of our hometown”, an admission that was met with open arms and loud cheers by the audience. 

Closing with Ready to Burn, Can You See Me, and an impromptu encore of Don’t Break My Heart, TTWF didn’t just leave an impression – they left a mark. Their music, a blend of gritty indie rock and arena-level choruses, feels tailor-made for spaces far bigger than Beat Kitchen, but their performance retained the intimacy and rawness of a band still reveling in their climb to the top. 

Overall, this lineup wasn’t just a showcase of talent – it was a testament to the state of indie music, where small venues serve as grounds for the next biggest things. Chocolate In Your Pocket, Parrotfish, and The Thing With Feathers each brought something distinct yet complimentary to the night, leaving no doubt that they’re all destined for bright futures. For those who were lucky enough to be there, it was the kind of night that turns everyone into lifelong fans – and the kind of night that The Thing With Feathers does best.