CONCERT GALLERY + REVIEW: LS Dunes Like Magick Tour – Chicago, IL – 04.26.25

LS Dunes’ “Like Magick” tour in support of their new album Violet is an energy-packed, mixed-genre adventure from beginning to end. This past Saturday night, fans were lined up bright and early outside of one of Chicago’s newest venues, Outset, to strap in for a wild trip with said rock supergroup, and their openers, Plague Vendor and From Indian Lakes. 

Kicking off the night was Plague Vendor, who unlike their name, are not dark or ominous, but very much post-punk dressed up as classic rock, with charisma that captivates the room and electricity that moves it. Vocalist Brandon Blaine stepped onto that stage, and from that moment did not stop moving. Doing everything from handstands on the drums to laying backwards off the stage while sharing the mic with a fan, he kept everyone’s attention under those deep red lights. Both guitarist Jay Rogers and bassist Michael Perez held their own, and drummer Luke Perine was in no way losing his groove, even in the moments when Blaine was on top of his drumset. The synergy between the band members was key in making everything they were doing work. When most people envision a post-punk band, they don’t picture leather jackets, pointed toe boots, or embroidered western-style shirts, but Plague Vendor is not here to fit in a box, they’re here to climb on top of a box, yell and jump and move, and get the crowd doing the same thing. And they did just that. 

Following their action packed set was a group a bit more calm – From Indian Lakes. Vocalist Joey Vannucchi introduced the band with “We’re From Indian Lakes… and that’s where we’re from – from Indian Lakes,” getting a good amount of chuckles from the audience, and then pointed out how much fun it is to be on a mixed genre bill, and expressing gratitude for L.S. Dunes for having the band out. From Indian Lakes’ set was one that was entrancing, soothing, and absolutely beautiful. With shoegazey, twinkly, emo tunes flowing off the stage, and the band swimming in hazy lights in orange and purple and blue, it was phenomenal. 

And then, of course, came the reason everyone was there. L.S. Dunes is a force to be reckoned with, and held that energy for the remainder of the night. A supergroup made up of Frank Iero of My Chemical Romance, Anthony Green of Circa Survive and Saosin, Tucker Rule of Thursday, Coheed and Cambria guitarist Travis Stever, and bassist Tim Payne, this is one band that definitely knows their stuff. Every band member is a powerhouse alone, so combined? They’re simply unstoppable. Within the first 20 seconds of their set, Green is seen swinging his mic around his neck, dangling it over the crowd and over his bandmates, running back-and-forth across the stage, all the while hitting every note and fans are completely enamored with it. Behind him, Rule doesn’t miss a beat on those drums all night. Stage right, guitarist Frank Iero is so engrossed in his performance, head banging the entire set while he shreds on his guitar, which, in true Frank fashion, does indeed hold a “This Machine Kills Fascists” sticker right across it, to the shock of no one. Across the stage, Stever and Payne  also hold it down, moving like lightning in the shadows, taking subtle moments under the lights as they interact with one another and with Tucker while he drums, and Anthony, who makes shimmering hand-motions over their instruments, drawing fans’ attention to his bandmates on more than one occasion. 

The band plays a great mix of tracks from both their 2022 debut album, Past Lives, and their sophomore release, Violet, much to the  enjoyment of their audience, which is quite a mix of folks. It’s always fun to see a supergroup live, because there’s usually a pretty wide range of fans that have both organically stumbled upon the band, and have found them through the members’ other projects, and this is a perfect showcase of that. The crowd is littered with My Chemical Romance shirts, Circa and Coheed hoodies, and Thursday fans galore. Full families are in the crowd, with dads holding posters for their tweens and teens, and at the same time, groups of twenty and thirty-somethings fill the room, as well. Older fans line the walls, and younger ones take up the pit, jumping and pushing and yelling every word, while folks who’ve been punk fans longer than some of the younger kids have been alive headbang with their arms folded in the back of the room. 

At some point towards the end of their set, Anthony makes it a point to briefly speak on the state of our country and world (turmoil), but also makes it a point to say he has hope. And perhaps that’s the reason for live music, isn’t it? To come together and enjoy this beautiful art form with a community of strangers who are all there for the same (and different) reasons. The same way the band has come together from their own musical endeavors to create this magic, the crowd has done the same to enjoy it, and that is a beautiful thing to recognize. 

L.S. Dunes’ “Like Magick” Tour is something magical, alright, and it is definitely worth the watch.