Caught A Ghost takes the stage at A&R Music bar tonight, May 13th. They’ll fill the place with a bluesy Motown sound with a modern twist. The group hails from California, and front man Jesse Nolan refers to them as “imperfectionists.” They pull together musical elements from eras of the past and present; from horn sections to dubstep bass wobble. Nolan plays a slew of instruments and joining him in the group is Tessa Thompson who is an actress as well as the band’s vocalists.
They released their debut full-length album on April 1st of this year, titled Human Nature and are touring to support it. Nolan compares the group’s sound to a Jackson Pollock painting, with a lot of “splashing sounds around.” He acquired his love for music from his father who was also a musician, spending a lot of time watching live music as a kid.
When Caught A Ghost performs live they like to really put on a show, sometimes brining along as many as nine musicians and some dancers also. Expect theatrics, as they also like to make use of projections, performing arts and audience participation. A Caught A Ghost show is sure to be an experience to remember.
The name Caught A Ghost comes from an old blues expression. When a performer had a particularly great performance, it would be said that they had “caught a ghost,” like they were possessed with the spirit of the music. Caught A Ghost makes great use of the expression as a band name since their tunes are filled with the spirit of the musical past.
Liven up your Tuesday night by checking them out. The show is at 7pm at A&R Music Bar. You can get your tickets here for $16.95, including fees, and they’ll be playing with Wild Belle, a duo of siblings from the Chicago area.
