(Live Review) YOB + MR. PHYLZZZ - Chicago. IL (10/28/25)
- Mark McQueen
- 9 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Greetings friends, fans, and followers and welcome to the ninety ninth episode of Beard Reviews. Tonight, the Beard and cohort Little Johnny headed into Thalia Hall on a Tuesday evening to catch west coast doom/stoner Act YOB with support from Chicago area noise rockers Mr. Phylzzz.
When I told Little Johnny what was on tap for this evening, he was eager as he hadn’t had a metal show in over a month (since Cannibal Corpse 9/26/25.) He responded, “Look Beard, I know a guy who knows a guy, let me see if I can get us something special for this one.” “Sure, go crazy little dude.”
After we arrived and actually found good free parking about three blocks away from the venue, we headed up to the doors about twenty minutes from opening time. The doorman started to direct me to the back of the line, when he recognized Johnny, smiled, and said, “Hey LJ what’s up?” He then motioned us inside and said, “They are downstairs.”
We headed downstairs into the venue's other room called the Punch House, where, once again, Little Johnny knew some people there from Espolon Tequila. They were promoting and immediately handed us both T-shirts and shots of tequila. They also handed the Beard a new Espolon bandanna. Johnny said we needed to take a few “promotional” pictures as part of his new sponsor, so we did (although I didn’t even know Little Johnny had gotten a sponsor, I sure haven’t seen any royalties and I am the guy doing all the writing.)
After hobnobbing with the Espolon people a bit, we headed up to merch where the Beard purchased a new YOB T-shirt. As we were leaving, a lovely lady came up to us asking, “Is one of you Little Johnny?” Johnny smiled and said, “The one & only.,” and we were led up the back stairs and across the venue where we were shown seats in the left opera box. From that vantage point, we would be about ten feet above YOB singer/guitarist Michael Scheidt all set. “Little dude, just how much are you getting from this sponsorship?” “Don’t worry about it Beard, just keep writing good stuff. Here, want another shot of tequila.” “Johnny, it’s a Tuesday night.” “No problem, Beard. It’s just rock ‘n roll."
MR. PHYLZZZ
So, starting out the evening, was the odd trio Mr. Phylzzz. Essentially, this act was a Clinton Jacob project that began as a joke back in 2015 in Ohio, but over the last decade has morphed into a multi album releasing band that just opened on tour for Boris & The Melvins, (which should give you a little idea of their hard to pinpoint musical direction.)
Phylzzz is generally a duo, (so far as writing and recording material), with Clinton Jacobs handling bass, guitar, and vocals while Danny Sein covers the drums. For live shows though they also have a female bassist who looked a lot like she just came out of a Lewis Caroll based nightmare.
Like The Melvins, Phylzzz had abrasive music with a wall of amplified sound, a singer with a voice one could listen to for about six minutes before having to walk away, and a drummer who worked from the style of Black Flag meets Led Zeppelin. After one number, Jacobs admitted, “At this point, even WE don’t know what the heck we are anymore.”
Take The White Stripes, cross it with The Black Keys, turn the knobs up to 11, throw the entire thing in a blender and coat liberally with LSD and you “might” have a bit of Mr. Phylzzz. I am just going to say 75/100 and leave it right there.
What did you think Johnny?
"What the #$^& WAS that Beard? How many shots of tequila have I had?"
YOB
Headlining, and the reason we were there, was Oregon doom/stoner trio YOB.
The Beard initially came across YOB over twenty years ago when he first heard their three-song fifty-minute debut album Catharsis. I was immediately struck by the vocal tone and the layered composition of each piece. I likewise loved their second release, The Illusion of Motion. Unfortunately, just as I really got into them, YOB imploded and Michael Scheidt disbanded the group in 2006.
In 2008, YOB reformed with different members. I wasn’t too quick to jump back in love with them as I had moved on musically, so it was not until 2017 at the Las Vegas Psychofest that I next saw them live. While I was not as enamored as ten years previously, the voice and layered composition remained in their newer work, and I took a chance picking up 2018’s Our Raw Heart. Although this album felt different, I enjoyed it and since then have caught YOB live two other times.
Once I was disappointed, and once (here at Thalia Hall) I was blown away because they did Catharsis from the old days. Here in 2025, YOB has once again changed a body part, losing long time skins man Travis Foster (2003-23) and replacing him with Dave French.
I will say right off that Johnny getting us opera box seating had a plus and a minus. I am thrilled I got to watch Scheidt play and sing from almost right on top of him. It really let me see how his body movements immerse into the lyrics and music, and he zones into what he is playing. Unfortunately, we were SO close that the great Thalia Hall sound and lighting went right past us as from our vantage point, we were hearing the set like the band hears it and that was not very clear or balanced. So visually I loved it. Audibly though I was disappointed.
YOB’s set list was just six songs, and they stuck mostly to the reformed YOB with four of the six being from post 2011 releases. They did the final two as throwbacks to old school YOB with a really good "Grasping Air" & "Quantum Mystic", both from 2005’s The Unreal Never Lived.
Given the audio issues (because of virtually watching them from behind the speakers and monitors), I could only give this set an 82/100 so not YOB’s best work. What did you think Johnny?
"That singer dude gets into his stuff Beard. I liked that, but up here we can’t jam properly. Hey, after this we are going over to that 24-hour place, (The Steak & Egger) for some grub, right?
“Affirmative little dude, we need some greasy eggs, biscuits and gravy, and a cup of coffee you can chew on to sop up all this tequila. So, Johnny, how much “are” they paying you?”
Little scamp acted like he couldn’t hear me as he quickly headed downstairs into the crowd.
So, that wraps up episode #99 of Beard Reviews. Remember to catch us every Tuesday on The Mighty Decibel. Watch all the videos on our TikTok page at thebeard0728. Friend or follow Mark McQueen on Facebook or Messenger for our weekly Newscast “In the News with the Beard.” and remember to catch our boss Chris Tighe on his radio shows at Wild Dogs Radio.
Until next time, this is the Beard & Little Johnny saying, “Live Life.” “Stay Heavy.” And “Horns Up.” No, I will NOT say drink Espolon Tequila. They aren’t paying ME.
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