Columbia College Chicago Audio Arts majors Marlowe Shachory and Lydia Billie met on their first day at Columbia, and that chance meeting led to the formation of their band Laceles. Steeped in mutual admiration for such 90’s stalwarts as The Breeders, Belly, and Liz Phair, these two young musicians have already accomplished a great deal in a short amount of time. Not only have they recorded a Sessions @33 performance, but they were selected to be the opening band on a Sessions @33/Pressure Point Studios collaborative concert on November 16th at Bassline Studios in Chicago (tickets are still available but are going fast).
Going back to that first meeting, Marlowe had this to say. “We instantly were drawn to each other, though it took a few rounds of icebreakers before we actually got the courage to just say hi. And when I told her I played bass and guitar she asked if I’d ever had a dream guitar. I pulled up a picture and was like 'I don't know what this one is, but I love it,' and she was like, 'THAT’S MY GUITAR!' So, obviously we had to spend the rest of the day together. We talked about our music tastes (literally the same) and the bands we left back home, and eventually decided to start a band ourselves. After a lot of hangouts and a couple of failed ideas, we finally wrote our first song, Cracked Eggs.”
Being classmates in the same major, as well as having a long list of influences, Laceles is taking its time and crafting meaningful songs that in one moment could feature a devastating guitar solo, and in the next, harmonies that connect like glue. According to Marlowe. “Lydia & I write all the songs and lyrics together in my tiny dorm room with dimmed lights. Once something we’re doing really gets us excited, we’ll aimlessly sing words that come subconsciously and then examine and analyze what exactly we are wanting to say. We feed off of each other's feedback and ideas, and do so until a full song is created! When we write, a lot of the time we’ll say, ‘I can’t wait to see what this ends up being next week.’ Our ideas always morph into something completely different over time, as anything does, and we welcome it with open arms.”
Getting back to influences, Lydia, who plays guitar and handles lead vocals, gave a birds- eye-view to what she has been listening to. “Recently I have been listening to a lot of PJ Harvey, Bardo Pond, Sonic Youth, Angel Olsen and Elliott Smith. I love their absence of fear when being an individual. For Marlowe, her influences also run the gamut. “I listen to a lot of Kitty Craft, Belly, PJ Harvey, Elliott Smith, the Breeders, and Liz Phair. My sisters and I grew up on Sublime, the B-52s, Lush, Beck, Gwen Stefani, and Bird and the Bee, all of which have carried over into my music taste as I grew up.”
What’s evident about this band is that the possibilities are endless. As one hears their music, it’s easy to envision where things might go in the future. Recording, more live shows, and making an impact are just a few of the things that are on deck. Most importantly, the band wants people to come check out their opening slot on November 16th. “I think our live shows will be different every time. Neither of us want to play the exact same thing twice. Whether it's a lyric, a melody line, or a solo that changes, I think we both wanna keep people on their toes – including ourselves. We’ve both individually played shows in front of big audiences before, but I think what we have is something different and very special.”
Tickets for the show are available at this link.
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