Collections of Colonies of Geese.

Articles about Collections of Colonies of Bees always start with two things, so let’s get them out of the way early: Yes, they were the non-Bon half of Volcano Choir (a brilliant and amazing album that I won’t trivialize with a one sentence sum-up) and, yes, they feature former members of Milwaukee’s own post-punk pioneers, Pele. So what are we left with? Serious music. CCB fills up empty space like no one this side of Brian Eno or Broken Social Scene. I hate to use the term soundscape (which conjures images of aging jazz pedal-loopers), but that’s what CCB does in the truest sense of the word. They create whole worlds that swell with hope and beauty before fading back into white noise. I’m not kidding, try listening to the track Athlete and not come away with a sense of the profound. It’s impossible. This will be a truly great show, and I don’t know that I should keep wasting type to convince you of that. Local pedal maestro/noise rocker/beard connoisseur, The Ronald Raygun will also join collections of Colonies of Bees at the House of Rock AND perhaps most intriguingly, in the opening slot, a new heavy rock outfit from Jaime Hansen, Dave Power, Matt Florence, and Adelyn Strei called The Island of Dr. Lee. Sounds spooky.

Collections of Colonies of Bees + The Ronald Raygun + The Island of Dr. Lee • Dec. 9 • House of Rock, 422 Water St., Eau Claire • 10pm • FREE • ages 21+ • 838-0158 • house-of-rock.com