RIOT FEST PRESENTS:
POPTONE
Daniel Ash, Kevin Haskins, Diva Dompe
Tones on Tail + Love and Rockets + Bauhaus
POPTONE: with Automatic and Replicant
Concord Music Hall Chicago
Thursday June 21st 2018

Riot Fest Presents:
An evening with POPTONE, consisting of Daniel Ash, Kevin Haskins and Diva Dompe.
POPTONE: A band resurrecting the seductive swing and ultra cool back catalog of Tones on Tail, Love & Rockets and Bauhaus.

POPTONE.
A band consisting of Daniel Ash, Kevin Haskins and Diva Dompe, performing songs from an extensive and mighty back catalog of Tones on Tail, Love & Rockets and of course- Bauhaus.
This, being their second time through the city of Chicago, and tonight’s performance and photos coming from Concord Music Hall.
Although on their website they describe POPTONE as a “retrospective project” of sorts, and true, they are revisiting the music of their past bands, I have to say personally, that this is more of a celebration of all things dark and sinister and fun- a twisted version of originals with a splash of panache and sophistication to the melodies and sexy back beat to some damn good songs.
Right form the start of the show, Daniel Ash and Kevin Haskins, along with Diva Dompe, dive head first into the moodiest and coolest sounds from Love and Rockets, with the song “Rain”, followed by “I Feel Speed”, and then “Haunted When the Minutes Drag”.
Now if that isn’t a mighty kick in the ass, then you’re definitely not amongst the living.
And then POPTONE continues steamrolling seductively on, with “All in My Mind’ and “Mirror People”.
Yeah baby. Bobby needs more of this, along with more and more of Kevin Haskins and his mighty punch with his bass drum.
Do not ever underestimate the importance of a guy like Kevin Haskins. He provides the oomph and might to carry POPTONE and their live performance over the top.
And so it goes with the setlist, one damn good song after another, with a lot of good Tones on Tail mixed in through the encore, and the anthem of anthems which makes everyone always go apeshit: “GO!”
But of course.
Doesn’t matter what year or what goddamn decade we’re in, or what we’re up against surviving in this current political climate and all the bullshit to survive.
GO! makes you forget all that, and dance out the demons and go pagan nutty, completely.
Can’t say enough about Daniel Ash, Kevin Haskins and Dive Dompe of POPTONE.
A multi – generational crowd on a weekday night in the city of Chicago, swinging and dancing to the ultra cool POPTONE.
How sweet life can be, work tomorrow be damned.
Automatic, with Lola Dompe, Izzy Glaudini and Halle Saxon opened for POPTONE, a seductive and sublime three piece with mood and melody and quiet yet catchy melodies hidden in their short but exotic set.
Outside of being bathed in red lighting for their performance, making life challenging for photography for guys like me- have to say I loved their set, and look forward to when they can come back through town again.
And of course opening were local faves REPLICANT, consisting of multi – instrumentalist and vocalist Garret Vernon, and Justin DeLay on Synths, and also Jordan DeLay on Bass.
Have to say these guys never disappoint, and pack a lot of mood and heavy seduction with committed dark and forlorn vocal (courtesy of Garrett) into a rather brief but oh so poignant set.
Can’t get enough of these guys, and also for saving me last minute with a credential snafu at the front door.
All n’ all- a splendid weekday evening of dark and sexy and lustrous music from beginning to end.
Cheers- Bobby Talamine – Music Photographer.