Califone

The evocative soundscapes of Califone expertly frame the compelling, often melancholy songs of main man Tim Rutili. The Chicago-based indie experimentalists are touring in support of their recent Thrill Jockey release, Roots and Crowns. Rutili explains the title as "uniting where you come from--your roots---with what you strive to be or what you reinvent yourself to become--crowns." With its emphasis on images of rebirth, Roots and Crowns continues Califone's quest to get to the heart of things and expands the band's signature sound, which employs digital-age production tools to enhance hauntingly stark acoustic instrumentation. To start the evening, Califone performs live soundtracks for a series of eerily charming, lo-fi, animated short films created by Brent Green.