SPACE BACON EXCURSIONS | CHITOWN | DECEMBER | 2021
Space Bacon played their final show of 2021 at The Point in Chicago this past Saturday. To cap off what could be described as an “off-kilter year" with a high point was rewarding for the band and crew. The overall energy of the night was positively infectious and it came through on stage. A lot of smiles and a lot of laughs. Every time the band plays a show and gains new fans that passionately approach them at the end of the night, they chalk up another W. As of late, Bacon’s energy has been especially contagious.
Chitown has soul. The essence of art and music are embedded in its concrete roots. It’s a great place to throw down some electronica infused rock n’ roll. You can feel the pride of the city as the wind waltzes off Lake Michigan and burns your face. It’s a magnificent metropolis, reminiscent of New York City, a distant younger sibling of sorts. We arrived and wasted no time. We ate Italian beef sandwiches at Portillos. We got deep dish pizza at Lou Malnatis. We conversed about the madness that has loomed over the past twelve months. It was the best of times… it was the best of times.
After a pre-show hype session fueled by red bull and a Boxer Fire Arcade Game, the band hit the stage and fired off a Heatseeker > Hollow Man with a sick Switcher tease. Right off the bat, they had to let the crowd know what’s really good. There were a lot of first-timers there that have been following the progression of Bacon online through their consistent soundboard recordings and multi-cam videos. Some people drove six hours from Ohio. Somebody else flew in from Alabama… yeah, it be like that nowadays.
The second set featured a tasty Smoove > Rosandra’s Tide (mid) > Jupiter. It was nice to see them play Smoove, it’s a catchy song with a lot of potential that isn’t necessarily situated in four-on-the-floor improvisation. One of Chicago’s finest, SJOD, joined the band for the Rosandra’s jam and set it off proper. I think I heard somebody in the crowd yell out, “Big Kenny Powers Energy!”. It was a moment that I will not soon forget - a major lituation if I do say so myself. They also busted out Vectorman for the first time since 11/30/19. Then they slammed it into high gear before slicing through the end of Ice Planet with the compact velocity of a Porshe 911 GT2 RS flying through the Lincoln Tunnel at a quarter after three in the morning.
I only missed one show this year because I took a thirty-three day vacation in central Pennsylvania. Looking back on the schedule, it doesn’t say much, but still. Depending on my health and responsibilities, I plan on documenting the band’s journey throughout the upcoming year. After all that’s happened, I don’t want to jinx anything, so I am going to keep my mouth shut about 2022. Instead, let us take a moment to reflect back on this whirlwind of a year. Space Bacon came together to adapt and overcome adversity while doing what was best for each of them individually. Their manager, the one and only Harrison Waxenberg deserves major praise, he is the Merriam-Webster definition of a ‘mensch’. It’s safe to say that a lot of growth took place this year. It’s been a pleasure and privilege to be a part of it. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the best is yet to come. Bacon to the moon.
