A few months ago, I attended one of those rare shows where the opening band outshines the headlining act. That band is 'Company of Thieves' from Chicago, IL and their CD 'Ordinary Riches' has been in heavy rotation for me ever since. Company of Thieves will be playing a show this Saturday, May 10th at Radio Radio in Fountain Square. Doors open at 7:00 PM. Opening acts will be Randy King & the Positions, and The Working Hour. Company of Thieves will also be playing an all ages show at Indy CD and Vinyl at 1:00 PM the same day. I encourage everyone to go check out what is sure to be an awesome performance.

A Bio from the band's website:

Company of Thieves is proof that everything happens for a reason. When Genevieve Schatz and Marc Walloch met by chance nearly two years ago in Chicago's bustling Union Station, they never imagined that the encounter would lead to the evolution of the band that they now call home. Schatz, a singer "since she could talk," and Walloch, a seasoned guitarist, were introduced by mutual acquaintances. A casual discussion of their shared love of the Beatles ensued and the two forged an instant connection. It was not long before they were spending a lot of time together -- writing songs in the confines of their apartments and performing at a weekly Monday night music event in the city.

Schatz and Walloch spent the bulk of 2006 crafting the songs that would ultimately make up Company of Thieves' first full-length CD Ordinary Riches, which was released for public consumption in May of 2007. It has since been described by Yahoo! as "hands down, one of the best debut albums of 2007," and an article in the October issue of UR Chicago said "Schatz's vocals are explosive, dominating the aural palette." Independent, and as yet still unsigned, the band worked on the CD with friend and famed Fallout Boy and The Hush Sound producer Sean O'Keefe, financing and releasing "Ordinary Riches" all on their own.

Company of Thieves sites Motown, soul, 1960's and 1970's rock n' roll, Wilco, Neil Young, Fiona Apple and -- of course -- the Beatles, among their influences. In fact, the name "Company of Thieves" stems from the group's feeling that their material is their own, more textured version of the music produced by their favorite artists, and therefore, a form of "thievery." The Thieves have shared the stage with The Smoking Popes, Wax on Radio, Jon McLaughlin, Cary Brothers, Sara Bareilles and Teddy Geiger, and are enjoying a busy fall tour schedule, having recently performed several sold-out shows at legendary Chicago venues Beat Kitchen and Schubas, and participating in the Sept. 25 Yahoo! Billboard Live showcase at B.B. King's in New York City. A subsequent Inside Track review of the Billboard show said that Company of Thieves was one of two performances from the event that stood out "head and shoulders above the rest," and Billboard itself calls Company of Thieves "one of the best unsigned acts out there…" certainly an unquestionable indication of what is to come.