Funky Hot Grits is an eclectic soul band based in Chicago. We draw inspiration from musical traditions along the Mississippi and her tributaries – Memphis soul, New Orleans Funk, Chicago rhythm and blues- to create a fresh cohesive voice.
Our sound contains elements of Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, and James Brown, and contemporary voices like Ray LaMontagne, Marc Broussard, and Amy Winehouse.
“The more I hear “Divination,” the more I am excited about the music itself and Vukari in general. The plot of the album is sobering and a little terrifying when placed against modern times, and the music builds expertly from the tale’s seeds being planted to the cataclysmic ending. This is one of a handful of really great, eye-opening black metal albums that have come out this year, and it’s well worth your time to immerse yourself in this body, mind, and spirit. And you might even get a step ahead of so many other people by actually learning a little something from history.” – Meat Mead Metal
“Vukari is clearly a band that know what they’re doing in regards to operating within their genre, writing tracks that strike the proper balance between atmospheric and engaging, situated right at that rare point where the music is hypnotic yet still interesting to listen to and not something that just becomes background sound after a couple minutes. Where lots have tried to pull together the many intertwined threads of American black metal into a compelling, powerful album, Vukari is one of the few bands that has succeeded with flying colors, presenting a smorgasbord of sounds that all play off one another in kind, as well as just writing a damn good black metal album to boot.” –Heavy Blog is Heavy
“Chicago Occult Doom”
Black Crown Initiate is the sound of a sentient being at war with itself and everything else; an entity holding on for dear life as its inner and outer world dies.
The screech. The wail. The slanted-floor nausea. There’s not a word for the signature cyclical howling that Chicago’s Running have harnessed and tortured into submission. They play with their food before they eat…flay into a terse punk trance, a Kraut-beat psycho riff for ages, mesmerize or terrorize…but invariably they unleash The Sound upon us just when it seems most likely to bring back your lunch. That they’ve built such a mean, spare, and evil band around such chaos is to our benefit – the circular mayhem alone would be a fascinating stand-alone curiosity – but lucky for us, they’ve captured their cacophonous, rotten heart in the black glove of blank-stare punk.
Chicago quartet Toupée conjures a sweet blue nostalgie dangereuse – an ol’ lilt and spacey croon flecked with doom. Like a mystery drug, their live show induces the best of waking dreams and the worst of waking nightmares.
Atlanta’s 17-year-old crooner, Kevin Abstract, has been brewing up some buzz the last year and has no plans to stop. Frontman and creator of the alternative hip-hop collective AliveSinceForever (ASF), Kevin along with ASF have been building up a following in areas from Houston, TX and Miami, Fl, to the north in Hartford, CT. As the collectives following increased, Kevin has been able to support the likes of Chance The Rapper and BIG KRIT as well headlining his own shows with his crew last summer across the US and is setting off on his first solo tour this summer. A unique niche, similar to those of reminiscent Kid Cudi, Kevin brings a rather dreamy and opaque style accompanied by his signature crooning adding a highly melodic feel to his songs without comprising his storytelling ability. With a new project, ‘MTV1987’, dropping this summer; Kevin is working to fuse intricate sounds to redefine a more melodic approach of what hip-hop should sound like.
Midwestern atom bomb rock and roll dirtbag softspoken candle light reader song and dance show
“We’re doing this, in the first place, because we’re jealous of Green Day and we’re jealous of the Foo Fighters and we’re jealous of Queen and The Who because they are all able to give their fans an experience that cuts deeper than a catchy single, an album concept or a flashy stage show.” Or so says Brandon Phillips of Kansas City’s The Architects. While his tongue may be tucked firmly in cheek, it doesn’t diminish the overall importance and ground-breaking nature of the band’s latest undertaking… BORDER WARS, a concept album and comic book presented in five episodes.
Equal parts epic album, visual artistic expression, and heavy storytelling, BORDER WARS is a breathtaking series of five connected episodes told through a collection of comic book stories and their accompanying soundtrack releases. The concept album is the culmination of nearly two years of blood & sweat-sodden labor, consuming tens of thousands of cigarettes and thousands of midnight hours to bring fans the biggest, coolest experience possible. Set to release in five episodic forms, the band was able to cram Border Wars with a multitude of quality tracks without the constraints of adding any “filler.”
To really understand Border Wars, you first have to wrap your head around The Architects outlook on the current state of the music industry as a whole. As the world’s definition of epic shift from Beatlemania to Biebermania, the Kansas City natives look to redefine and reestablish the modern idea of “doing something big.” With a “you may well be able to outsell me, but you’ll never out-create me” approach to their latest release, Brandon Phillips and company are set to shatter the preconception that auditioning for American Idol or The Voice is the only way to succeed.
When The Architects joined forces with Skeleton Crew Records and illustrator Mallory Dorn, an enviable project was born. Accompanying the music part of the “project”, Dorn’s vivid artwork illustrates this first installment of the serialized novel. As a companion piece to their modern take on meat and potatoes rock, the book helps define the unique vision that the band has constructed.
What would begin simply as a collection of ideas from the mind of singer and principal songwriter Brandon Phillips would eventually become BORDER WARS, which tells the story of Tom & Josie, two kids from a tiny town in southwestern Texas. Their backgrounds could not be more different. Tom is the only son of a wealthy televangelist minister. Josie is a runaway, currently employed by meth cooker. Their paths weave and interact with the city’s corrupt sheriff and his reality show, an ex-cartel boss on death row, hookers, scumbags, mob lawyers, crooked senators and a pair of wise morticians, culminating into a blood-soaked denouement.
Following the split of The Gadjits in 2004, the band has pushed forward, balancing a punk mentality with a solid, blue-collar work ethic. With four well-received full lengths under their belt (Keys to the Building 2004, Revenge 2006, Vice 2008 and The Hard Way 2009) the band is no stranger to release day. Aimed for a July 16, 2013 street date for Episode One, Border Wars is intended to keep fan on the edge of their seat, jonesing for the next chapter to drop.
They’re here to remind you that music is not a temporary fashion accessory fling.
Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy is a compilation album of singles by British rock band the Who.
Metal band from Chicago, Illinois
Clark Colborn is a hard rock, progressive & experimental guitarist. Fans & reviewers compare him to Joe Satriani, Jeff Beck, Brian May, Steve Vai, and Jimmy Page. Yet most agree that Clark Colborn has a sound all his own. Guitar Player Magazine called his music “brilliantly schizoid,” said his “tone comes on like Godzilla” and “in short, he rocks!”
While songs like “Backseat Bomp” immediately conjure classic artists – think the Trashwomen, the Cramps, the Sonics and Wanda Jackson – Minneapolis-based four-piece L’Assassins never sound like a throwback. In just two short years the band’s surf- and rockabilly-tinged garage rock has landed them spots opening for Cherie Currie, the 5.6.7.8’s, Andre Williams and Ronnie Spector, as well as Dum Dum Girls and Detroit Cobras. The ladies also have two European tours under their belts (documented in the video for “Lovin’ on the Run”), having just returned from Spain in early 2014.
Keep up with L’Assassins on Twitter and Facebook, and check out their YouTube page for more videos.
Steve Soto is a Southern California punk rocker with a musical backpack that includes the Adolescents, Agent Orange, Manic Hispanic etc …
According to Steve the first “punk record” he ever owned was Johnny Cash live at San Quentin “I loved the way he talked to the guards and the let the prisoners know he was in charge it was amazing … and I always loved the duets he sang with June ”
On his down time from Adolescents tours Steve started doing the solo singer songwriter thing …(which included tours with X and the Squirrel Nut Zippers) but he was always on the look out for a woman to sing duets with ala Johnny and June or Gram and Emmy Lou …
Early this year he ran into Allison June a Los Angeles native, who has big voice, a love for soul and Motown, with a passion for punk rock that got wrapped up in country, folk and bluegrass…. that made total sense to Steve so he had her sing a song with him and it worked but there was a problem Allison was weeks away from moving to Chicago … Not ones to let distance get in the way and armed with the notion that thanks to the internet everyone is your neighbor Steve wrote songs and sent them to Allison she learned them and now they are in the process of making a record … Lots of strumming and sweet harmonies to ensue … You heard it hear first…
Richmond’s Brief Lives have been playing in one form or another for five years, but the post-hardcore outfit’s earned a recent surge in attention thanks to their new singer: Valient Thorr’s livewire frontman Valient Himself. Brief Lives’ existing catalog is a spare collection of punk sinew, not a far cry from that of fellow Richmond act Cloak/Dagger. It’s not hard to imagine Himself’s bellow ripping through those earlier tunes, but the band is reportedly taking a more psychedelic approach to new material. “It’s basically me singing for a punk band that started writing stoner jams,” Himself recently told the UK blog Thrash Hits. At Neptune’s, Brief Lives leads an after-party for the Diarrhea Planet show upstairs at Kings; at The Cave, they’re joined by Tar Heel heavies Revolving Beast and Bitter Resolve. —Bryan C. Reed
Introduced to performing and music at a young age, Cole Thomason has been on stage since the age of 10. School Choirs and professional traveling choirs were instrumental to Cole’s development as a singer. By the time he was fifteen, his love for singing had taken him across America and to Europe were he performed for audiences in places such as Notre Dame Cathedral, Verona Coliseum, Saint Marks Cathedral, and the Luxembourg Music Conservatory.
Primarily a vocalist up until this point, in 2004 Cole discovered his talents for songwriting, guitar and the harmonica. He began writing songs about experiences from his own life as well as his imagined inspirations. He immersed himself in songwriter circles and festivals, jamming and collaborating with other musicians and songwriters. He co-founded the band “Pan Handle” which was a mix of songwriters and musicians who played shows throughout California’s Central Valley. Cole’s desire to create and arrange musical moments has him off on a new tangent, creating new songs and touring his new self-title release. “Cole Thomason”
Cole’s infectious energy translates well through his high charged up-beat songs as well as through his soulful ballads. Cole has hoped to expand his collection of homespun original songs into an eclectic mix of genres including; Bluegrass, Folk, Blues, Rock, Soul, and Americana that will appeal to a broad range of audiences. Cole can currently be seen performing across America on a series of tours promoting his debut, self titled album, which released in January of 2012.
Spellbinding Heavy Metal
We enjoy wiggling around and making pretty sounds! Always either on tour or recording new music..
“Detroit Block Party” is the only title appropriate for The Infatuations first full-length album. The Infatuations are simply… Detroit. This band is a celebration of every sonic movement borne of the Motor City; the well-crafted pop-soul of Motown, to the sheer in-your-face bravado of Parliament Funkadelic, to the raw untamed energy of the MC5. Imagine you are at a summertime block party with every milestone Detroit-produced band, the jam session at the end would bring you The Infatuations. Danceable, unforgettable catchy pop-rock-soul-n-funk, that hits the craft sonic signatures of decades of Motor City styles, but with a modern flair. The new singles evoke current culture and build on the cornerstones and high-water marks of their industrial renaissance hometown.
Like the band’s live performances, the album is diverse, fun, soulful, gritty, and always positive and uplifting in tenor. Their songwriting also provides rich storytelling in the tradition of Curtis Mayfield or Marvin Gaye. It gets you on your feet like Rare Earth, hits you like The MC5 and grooves you like P-Funk.
The Infatuations’ range of appeal is forefront in the acts they’ve shared the stage with in the last year… from George Clinton and the P-Funk All-Stars to Third Man Records’ breakout artist Willy Moon, to Here Come The Mummies. Indeed the band is a perennial favorite on the summer festival circuit, reliably proving time and time again that all generations and cultures like to get up and dance!
The Infatuations live performance is electric, energetic, and engaging. These guys are so musically tight you couldn’t wedge a sheet of paper in between their hooks and modulations. Still, they radiate warmth and inclusiveness, making the audience gel as a community for the duration of the set. Singer Caleb Gutierrez, guitarist Christian Draheim, bassist The Wolf, guitarist Nick Behnan and drummer Robert Myers draw new fans into the “family” during every set. “Reliably fun and top-quality” according to promoters, “I can dance to every song, they’re familiar yet new”.
In 2014, The Infatuations brought home 5 Detroit Music Awards out of an astounding 14 nominations across multiple categories including Outstanding Live Performance. “You want to know how Detroit actually parties…watch The Infatuations,” says Gnyp, from 93.9 FM The River. “The Infatuations are a must-see band”.
The Infatuations are currently on tour in search of new friends, new parties, sweaty summer festivals, and bringing their “Detroit Block Party” around the country.
Scar Inc. is a melodic death metal band hailing from Chicago, Il. A hard hitting line up of veteran musicians from the Chicago metal scene; Guitarist Rich Knight (Twelfth Gate/Ion Vein), Guitarist Alex Manske (Degradation), Bassist Rob Such (Twelfth Gate/Ion Vein), and Drummer Joe Manske (Degradation), were brought together by band founder and singer/songwriter John Barr (Eden’s Fall).
LITTLE CHARLIE BATY – is the former leader and masterful guitarist from Alligator Records recording act”Litle Charlie & the Nightcats”. Charlie and the Nightcats have recorded 12 albums on Alligator and have been one of the West Coast’s most successful blues acts, touring the globe for over 25 years. They’ve played every major Festival you can think of and every blues joint from Maine to Spain.
Guitar World declares, “Baty’s straight blues playing is eye-popping…he stretches solos to the breaking point, skittering on the edge, where one wrong note will bring the whole thing crashing down.” “Little Charlie Baty plays as much guitar as Eric Clapton and Buddy Guy put together,” raves The Village Voice. “He is one of the swiftest, most fluent guitarists working in any genre”.
ANSON FUNDERBURGH – a native of Texas, has spent the majority of his adult life playing the blues. Anson has earned the respect of artists like Delbert McClinton, Boz Scaggs, Jimmie & Stevie Ray Vaughan and Ronnie Earl. Over the years, these musicians have called on Anson to lend his tremendous guitar talents to their projects.
Funderburgh recorded with the Fabulous Thunderbirds on their Butt Rockin’ album, and went solo in 1981, when the New Orleans-based BlackTop label released Talk to You by Hand, the label’s first release. Funderburgh added Myers on harmonica and lead vocals in 1986. Myers had traveled for years on the chitlin circuit, where he had the chance to accompany people like Elmore James and Robert Junior Lockwood. Funderburgh continued his association in the ’90s with Black Top releasing Tell Me What I Want to Hear (1991), Live at Grand Emporium (1995), and That’s What They Want (1997). After releasing nine albums on Black Top, in 1999 Funderburgh changed record labels with the release of Change in my Pocket for Bullseye Blues, a cd which won several W.C. Handy Awards.
Since the passing of long time musical partner Sam Myers, Anson has concentrated on raising a family, working local gigs and performing at a smattering of festivals around the world. Now Anson has caught a renewed dose of the performing bug and will begin to perform more regularly with the distinct possibility of regular tours in the coming years.
“Funderburgh remains a musician’s musician. He’ll explode into a fiery and melodic solo, and then seamlessly recede into a song at just the right moment to propel the rhythm…he makes sure the songs both breathe and burn…a band that truly understands the essence of the genre.” – Blues Revue
“None of the younger crop of blues guitarist come close as Anson does to achieving the classic Stratocaster tone defined by Otis Rush in the ’50’s and Magic Sam in the ’60’s. The Rockets have landed and Anson is at the bridge.” –Guitar Player
Grammy Award nominee Mark Hummel started playing harmonica in 1970 & has gone on to become one of the premier blues harmonica players of his generation. Thanks to over thirty recordings since 1985, including the Grammy nominated 2013 release Blind Pig recording “Remembering Little Walter”, part of the Blues Harmonica Blowout cd series Hummel started in 1991. These events have featured every major legend (Mayall, Musslwhite, Cotton, etc.) on blues harp as well as almost every player of note on the instrument- a who’s who of players.
Mark Hummel is a road warrior – a true Blues Survivor. Along the way, he has crafted his own trademark harmonica sound – a subtle combination of tone, phrasing and attack combined with a strong sense of swing. Mark has been with Electro Fi Records since 2000, releasing five CDs. Thanks to Mark’s earlier albums, constant touring and appearances at the major blues festivals, he’s firmly established his solid reputation around the US and Europe.
Hummel was born in New Haven, CT but raised in Los Angeles till he graduated high school. Mark moved to the Berkeley at age 18 to pursue a career in blues music, where he felt the music was taken more seriously.
Mark started the Blues Survivors in 1977 w/ Mississippi Johnny Waters. By 1984 Hummel began a life of non- stop touring of US, Canada & overseas, which he still continues at least 130-150 days out of each year. Hummel has toured or recorded with blues legends Charles Brown, Charlie Musselwhite, Lowell Fulson, Billy Boy Arnold, Carey Bell, Lazy Lester, Brownie McGhee, Eddie Taylor, Luther Tucker and Jimmy Rogers.
Hummel penned a memoir in 2012 for Mountain Top Publishing, “BIG ROAD BLUES: Twelve Bar On I-80”, to which Huey Lewis says “This book should be required reading for ANY aspiring blues musician, LOVED it!” The memoir has been heralded in Blues Revue, Living Blues plus many blues publications coast to coast.
Besides the Blowouts Hummel has continued the Blues Survivors plus an All Star side project called Golden State/Lone Star Revue w/Anson Funderburgh & Little Charlie Baty. This group appears on Hummel’s brand new ElectroFi CD “The Hustle Is Really On”. Mark has had three Blues Award nominations for best Blues Harmonica (2007, 2008 & 2009) plus the Little Walter CD has garnered two nominations in 2014 for best CD & best Traditional CD.
GOLDEN STATE-LONE STAR Revue is a concept of a cross country meeting of the minds between California and Texas musicians. All have known each other for years. The rhythm section has played in bands since high school but all share a deep passion for REAL BLUES. MARK HUMMEL’S been steadily on the road since 1984 and released 17 albums and CDs since starting out. His latest is a Little Walter Tribute called REMEMBERING LITTLE WALTER on Blind Pig Records w/Charlie Musselwhite, Billy Boy Arnold, Sugar Ray & James Harman. Hummel has recorded for Flying Fish,Tone Cool and ElectroFi Record (his current) labels since the early 90s. Mark’s been nominated for three years in a row for Best Harmonica by the BMA Awards. Hummel’s has been performing and producing the BLUES HARMONICA BLOWOUTS in CA. since 1991 and has performed with these multi artists events with the top players in the genre all across the planet.
The two founding members of Old Monk were separated by thousands of miles when they began writing their first EP. It took years of swapping answering machine recordings and exchanging lo-fi demos over the internet to complete. The successful collaboration finally convinced drummer Ian Burns to leave his native Colorado, joining guitarist Joshua Carrafa in Brooklyn. Deciding they must showcase their new music around Brooklyn and Manhattan, the two enlisted bassist Tsugumi Takashi and dubbed their project Old Monk.
Chad Sugg is an american singer-songwriter from Clarksville, TN. Widely known for his main musical endeavor, Backseat Goodbye, he started a new side-project under his own name in order to release new music in a different light.
With an individual blend of soul and traditional New Orleans style music Jake Brigell is a talented solo performer. Normally a funk and R&B bass player, he was drawn to the front to showcase his energy and charisma. He is not interested in fame or fortune, getting heads nodding, feet tappin and booties shakin are his only goals.
Invisible Cartoons is a Smile Rock band from Chicago that blends catchy melodies, intoxicating voices, bounce-inducing beats, dynamic guitar rhythms, and dramatic wordplay about love, friendship, and fun.
Their debut album “Characters” was released on Feb. 11, 2016, with a full-color CD package and an online release at invisiblecartoons.com.
The five young men who make up Old Salt Union grew up in Belleville, Illinois. You’ve heard of Bluegrass, and you may have no affection for it. But before you dismiss these guys, stop and listen. It’s not just Bluegrass. This is Newgrass. This is Popgrass. This is what happens when you fuse together guys who have pure and raw talent, each with a voice which stands on its own. They were flown to L.A and received 2 IMC Awards, released two albums, played at the Daytona 500, and have been extensively touring the country. In 2013 they were named RFT’s Best Bluegrass Band in St. Louis, and are nominated for the 2014 Best Country Band. Their immediate influences are contemporary, and their sensibility is lyrical, romantic, and loose. They’ll win you over with their harmonies and homesick fiddle, and get you dancing with their rhythms. This band has got a bright future and many picking parties yet to crash.
A little slice of Midwestern Punk Rawk Rock n Roll. If you like oohs and ahhs and Doo Wops in your punk rawk then we would be your cup of tea.
Allan Holdsworth is widely regarded by fans and contemporary musicians as one of the 20th century’s most prominent guitarists. He is one of a handful of musicians who has consistently proven himself as an innovator in between and within the worlds of rock and jazz music. Many of music’s best-known instrumental masters cite Holdsworth as that rare and shining voice—a legendary player who continues to push the outer limits of instrumental technique and the electric guitar’s range of tonal and textural possibilities. Particularly during the 90s, Holdsworth has enjoyed the recognition so many musicians strongly feel he deserves, given that he has developed his career outside the big label mainstream and has consistently produced his own recordings with complete creative control since the mid-80s. Despite the uncompromising nature of Holdsworth’s predominantly genre-defying solo projects, he’s no stranger to all-star jazz festival line-ups or large venue rock audiences. Musician Magazine placed Holdsworth near the top of their “100 greatest guitarists of all time.” There’s never been a shortage of media attention or acclaim for Holdsworth’s accomplishments and originality. An inductee of Guitar Player Magazine’s Hall of Fame, Holdsworth is a five-time winner in their readers’ poll.
Beyond his ability in improvising mercurial solos and sculpting the guitar’s voice into an ever-expanding range of textures and colors, Holdsworth has dedicated his energies to develop many different aspects of guitar technology. This has included new “baritone” variations of the instrument, his own custom 6-string designs (one most recently manufactured by Carvin), the invention of electronic components for the recording studio, and exploring the possibilities of guitar-based synthesizer controllers. Holdworth’s ability to improvise over complex and challenging chord voicing’s always reveals a deep emotional base and a strong, imaginative personality that is as instantly identifiable as any among Holdsworth’s generation of guitar and jazz masters.
Sarah Longfield formed The Fine Constant when she begin performing her solo experimental progressive metal material in a live setting.
Like being run down by a High Ball with no brakes, Buzzard Wagon’s music will take you on a cyclone ride of loud guitars, thundering bass and bombastic drumming. From the redwood forests, to the Gulf Stream waters, Buzzard Wagon is true American HIGH ENERGY ROCK ‘N’ ROLL.
When Ariel, Sarah, and Rose Parkington of the Parkington Sisters pick up their instruments to strike up a song, the air begins to buzz.The chemistry between the three sisters is so present you feel like you can touch it – and as soon as they strike the first tone, it overwhelms the listener like a tidal wave crashing down.
Hailing from Wellfleet, Massachusetts, the Parkington Sisters cut their teeth on music from the very beginning. Daughters of a prog rock musician and a classically trained guitarist and songwriter, they were raised playing music on picturesque Cape Cod. They rebelled against summer jobs cleaning rental houses and performing in high-brow symphonies and instead became a band performing on the streets of Provincetown, on the tip of the Cape. Over the past 5 years, they have shared the stage with artists ranging from Mavis Staples and Bruce Springsteen to Dispatch and the Dropkick Murphys, performing in including New York’s Radio City Music Hall and in March 2014 NPR’s Mountain Stage. The Parkingtons also joined the Dropkick Murphy’s to perform the national anthem before Game 6 of the 2013 World Series at Fenway Park, leading to the first World Series home win for the Red Sox since 1918!
The band’s new album Me You Us was produced and engineered by Joel Hamilton (Black Keys, Tom Waits, Pretty Lights), along with the sisters – and was recorded in haunted churches, basements, hotels and living rooms across New England – as well as at the new 5000 sq foot Studio G in Brooklyn. It combines the influence of growing up on Cape Cod and the sisters’ individual talents – each of the sisters is a songwriter and a multi- instrumentalist. With soaring melodies, tumbling from optimistic heights to eerie lows, vibrant harmonies and intricate arrangements, their songwriting incorporates the eclectic songwriting of Joni Mitchell and Aimee Mann, the energy of June Carter and the hit potential of Mumford and Sons. Their music has been premiered by Paste Magazine, American Songwriter, Bitch Magazine, and Magnet Magazine and played on radio stations like Acoustic Cafe, WXPN, KUTX, KCSN, WUMB, and WERS. To kickoff their new album release, the sisters will be supporting Blitzen Trapper for eighteen dates in June.
Straightforward, seductive and sincere, Shy Girls producer and vocalist Dan Vidmar creates with an unabashed pop proclivity. The irresistible sensualism in his songwriting calls out with certain clarity, a soulfulness distinct unto itself. The immediacy of Vidmar’s croon turns listeners towards a captivating empathy. Bedroom eyes shine dewily upon these tracks, carrying melting melodies through perfectly minimal compositions, as undertones of New Jack Swing carry a punch that sways with each hook right on target.
Working days at an emergency room, Vidmar returns to his loft in Portland’s inner Eastside industrial district to craft his sultry pop-R&B into the mystical pre-dawn hours. As much as Vidmar is part of a growing R&B resurgence, he stands apart from the herd of “avant-R&B” artists thanks to his crystal clear production. The tenderness of his art is never submerged in the muck and mire of dissonance, making for a refreshing and universally alluring listen. Vidmar’s swoon-worthy voice is already in demand for vocal features: He partnered with producer extraordinaire Cyril Hahn on the blissed-out dance jam “Perfect Form”, and has lent his vocal prowess to a track on the forthcoming album of Chicago’s cosmonaut house duo Supreme Cuts. As well, he has already seen online love and praise for his six-minute seduction “Under Attack” (which features a gourd-blowing celestial sax solo from tUnE-yArDs’ Noah Bernstein) and its far out remix by The-Drum. Expect the first proper Shy Girls release on Oct. 29th, an EP of devastating slow jams and woozy club cuts entitledTIMESHARE. TIMESHARE will be released in the US on Hit City USA, and in the UK/Eur on ASLRecords.
Singer / Songwriter Jhene Aiko signed a record deal with No I.d record label in late December 2011. The signing came shortly after the release of her mixtape Sailing Soul(s) which features artists such as Miguel, Drake and Kendrick Lamar and can be downloaded her website.
El Stoppers is a teen Rock band based out of Chicago, IL. In September of 2012 El Stoppers was formed out of diverse group of musicians in a collective effort to perform great original music.
Chris Barretto – Vocals
Browne – Guitars
Olly Steele – Guitars
Adam Swan – Bass
Mike Malyan – Drums
Transcontinental metallers MONUMENTS have come a long way since starting as a side project of John Browne (guitars; Fellsilent) and Josh Travis (guitars; The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza). From a surprise appearance on BBC Radio 1 to debut full-length, “Gnosis“”, the group immediately found a fanatic audience. Praised for their brainy yet song-oriented approach to heavy music, MONUMENTS bridged the progressive metal gap like few before. On one side they challenged. “Gnosis“” was full of mind-bending, betcha-can’t-play-this-type passages. On the other side, fans deeply connected to hook- laden songs like “97% Static” and “Empty Vessels”.
Fast forward two productive years later and MONUMENTS – now with Chris Barretto (ex-Periphery, Ever Forthright) on vocals – have grown tremendously. While they’re still way into instrumental gymnastics and impressing fans with their musical prowess, they’ve really honed in on writing huge, impossibly memorable songs for new album, “The Amanuensis”. Like bigger, badder, and even more epic-than- before type stuff. If “97% Static” and “Empty Vessels” stuck to the brain, new songs like “I, Creator”, “The Alchemist”, and “Origin of Escape” hit the head, body, and mind hard. “I really like the chorus of ‘The Alchemist’,” guitarist John Browne smiles. “It’s really simplistic, but I think that part will sound big and open when we play it live. I also dig the ending of ‘I, The Destroyer’. I can’t really focus on one part or song. All of the songs I’m happy with how they all turned out.”
“The Amanuensis” is a complete experience, actually. Even Browne’s mom is impressed: “I know my mum will blast this out of her car like she did with ‘Gnosis’. She loves groove.”
If one thing’s certain about MONUMENTS and Browne in 2014 they’re keen to move away from needless classification with “The Amanuensis”. They’re specifically referring to their tenuous association with the djent movement. “Music is music,” Browne says. “It has the same 12 notes as any other music. The only difference is the way it’s expressed, so we use pretty silly words to try and explain the sound. The word ‘djent’ makes no sense whatsoever to describe a genre. The tone that it references isn’t really utilized by many bands that are classed as it. I feel progressive metal is a much better reference to our music, with a huge dose of groove.”
ERRA is a five piece progressive metalcore band hailing from Birmingham, Alabama that formed in 2009. Their namesake comes from Akkadian mythology and represents mayhem (something that comes to mind when giving them a listen). The band, consisting of Garrison Lee, Jesse Cash, Alan Rigdon, Sean Price and Alex Ballew, solidified their technical sound after relentlessly practicing and writing. They take their influences from well respected groups like Misery Signals, Born of Osiris, As I Lay Dying and Saosin, and thrive on being creative and showcasing their talent through their intense live performances. Erra takes great pleasure in offering their refreshing sound in a sometimes stale and over-saturated market. It’s not about fashion or status; it’s about using raw talent and energy to create genuine songs that will give hope to the listener.
Liz Sloan was born in Abilene, TX and grew up in a small west Texas town called Breckenridge. When she was three years old her mother entered her into violin training. Her first violin was a Cracker Jack Box with a ruler taped to it. She was home schooled for most of her childhood so she could focus on playing violin. She eventually got fed up with the classical world and looked for a change in the world of country and bluegrass. She joined began touring with Bob Wayne and the Outlaw Carnies in 2009 where she met Jared.
Jared was born in Pensacola and grew up in Chattanooga, TN. He grew up playing in local punk bands that never made it out of the basement. He joined the Navy in 2001 and after his time in the Navy he wanted to play music again so he bought an upright bass and taught himself how to play. He played in a lot of New England rockabilly and psychobilly bands as well as partially fronting his own band, Soul Reapin’ 3. In 2009 he decided to ‘make a go at the music thing’ and left everything behind to tour with the Hillbilly Hellcats in Europe for a month. The day he came back he got a phone call from Bob Wayne saying that he needed a bass player. That evening Jared hit the road from Connecticut and met the Carnies in Austin, TX.
Liz and Jared hit it off immediately and since then have toured and recorded with countless bands in the roots community. The Urban Pioneers are Liz and Jared’s new project where they set out to conquer the blacktop sea playing their brand of old time music that is guaranteed to get you stomping your feet!
One of the most popular big bands in Chicago during the 1980’s and 90’s was the Déjà Vu Big Band. Now, several veterans of that group have come together once again to form the Stardust Big Band.
Led by award-winning composer-arranger Jon McGahan, the Stardust Big Band is dedicated to promoting and continuing the jazz traditions as practiced by Maynard Ferguson, Neal Hefti, Bill Holman, and Quincy Jones among others. This 10-to-13-piece ensemble combines inventive writing with vibrant solos by some of Chicago’s finest big band practitioners.
The Stardust Big Band takes its musical influence from the classic jazz of the 1950’s and 1960’s, a time when martinis were in, class was where it was at, and bands like Count Basie, Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson and Buddy Rich were taking the world by storm.
The Stardust Big Band has been the house band at both Cafe Touché in Edison Park and Romano’s in Park Ridge, as well as having been featured twice at Bannockburn Green’s “Music on the Green” series, and played to enthusiastic audiences at local venues such as Wise Fool’s Pub, Morseland, The Heartland Café, Crimson Lounge, Red Kiva and Gallery Cabaret.
Austin Asinine is one man’s punk rock assault on four tiny strings. The songs short, the strums erratic, and passion unquestionable. Armed with just an ukulele, serving proof it’s not the size of your weapon that matters
Rock and roll trio from Chicago IL
Da$H was born in the heart of Chicago. He grew up playing sports, but would soon begin to channel his thoughts and energy into poetry. After years of practice and writing, Da$H knew that he wanted to create poetry for the rest of his life. He began experimenting with music and fell in love. Hard. Since that moment, he Da$H has done everything in his power to continue to advance and develop his skills, and the proof is in the pudding.
In 2011 he assembled his first band that would consist of drums, guitar, piano, bass, trumpet, saxophone, violin, and a female vocalist to accompany him: Da$Htone was born and their music was unheard of. Drawing influence from artists such as Lupe Fiasco, Immortal Technique, John Legend, Lauryn Hill, Jack Johnson, Citizen Cope, Amy Winehouse, and Blu; their melodies were honest and pure promoting love, peace and understanding. “If violence is the answer, than the question, it was wrong anyway. Let’s build something great. There’s never been a limit on what love will create” –Felix by Da$Htone.
Fast Paced, Groove Based and ready to rock your world, Werewolves at Hour 30 are an original rock band based out of Chicago IL. These Chicago natives blend together a menagerie of musical flavors into a tight groove rock package. WAH30’s influences reach wildly across the musical spectrum. They span anywhere from Foo Fighters to Fu Manchu, from Kings of Leon, to Queens of the Stone Age and so on. Werewolves at Hour 30 are carving a path through the thick Chicago night with a dull knife, a hip flask and dark sunglasses.
deep-dish operatic rockabilly gypsy punk [or something]. feat. eric + steve (guitars), kurt (upright bass), jajah (violin), kat (synth), stan (drums)
Music has always been my priority. I really wanted to learn to play the saxophone but 12 years was given to me a keyboard, and from there it all started. At home I have always breathed notes and different genres of music, the radio in the kitchen with a ball Baptists while my mother was a cleaner in my brother’s room and the ACDC Dream Theater. Still not quite a teenager I started playing the guitar, going through the summer lying on the couch strumming.
cellar became a small rehearsal room that slowly began to fill tools, constantly inviting friends to beat some stroke of cash while I destreggiavo with the solos of “The Darkness.”
After a few group lasted less than a few months I went into a tribute band Rage Against the Machine as drummer, breaking more or less one or two sticks at every stroke of the roller. In the meantime, I wrote poignant love songs in my bedroom and started to record them conscious of being a bit ‘”loser.”
Stubborn and believes I took courage and contacted some musicians to play my pieces exhibiting me loads of love in different contexts.
In 2010 to solve an emergency arise musical Brothers McFly duo with whom I experience all kinds, rearranged covers of international artists, but mostly play live. In 3 years I collect more than 100 concerts.
Passing the days in my basement that had now become a study also began to realize my video, and to improve my skills as a producer, releasing three albums of covers with The Brothers McFly.
melt In 2013 the duo determined to create something truly mine, keeping the music in the first place in every aspect of my life.
K-PROG
Down North masterfully mixes underground rock and party-fueling soul,
regularly lifting up audiences that have been craving new soul sounds
from the city that gave the world Wheedle’s Groove and Jimi Hendrix.
Down North’s upcoming new line-up debut will still feature the bold
and sensual talents of lead vocalist/dancer Anthony “RenaGade”
Briscoe, whose North Carolina-bred approach to making fans swoon has
no equal in the Pacific NW. Raised on Michael Jackson and Sam
Cooke, Anthony is as stylish and emotional as Prince in his vocal
expressions. Co-leader Brandon Storms is an extremely versatile
bassist-guitarist who writes much of the music and taps into his love
for everything from Hendrix to James Jamerson in making tunes both
infectious and substantial.
The recent additions of Drum Off! award-winning and crowd-amping
player Conrad Real (drummer for Ayron Jones and The Way and Society’s
Child as well) and the psychedelic-jazz trills of guitarist Nick Quiller make the
band an unusual and extremely welcome addition to the regional music
scene. Depending on whim (and the size of the stage!), Down North
expands to a seven piece, integrating horns and other players to help
deliver their dazzling grooves.
They’ll probably also transcend to higher level of acclaim very soon;
early single “Danger” was played on MTV’s The Real World even before
this killer line-up was settled on. Newer meatier cuts like “So What,”
“Your World,” “Running,” and “Heartbreaker/Revolution” (which features
the Black Rock psyche-outs of guest legendary axeman Jabrille) reveal
the band moving in even edgier, sweatier musical realms.
“We want to be an opening beacon for this scene that’s happening now
and not getting enough notice,” Anthony says. He loves to hang out all
over Seattle, but the other night was blown away when he met two gals
on Cap Hill “who had lived all their lives here and never heard of
Marmalade.” He wants to open up the party to rock fans “who want to
dance again!” and to those who have been craving fresh, warm, loving
soul in the midst of a chilly indie scene. “The people that play in
this band are excellent at what they do and we’re all here to play
music for people who want to move and connect.”
Down North is part of the zeitgeist not only of bands mining a deeper,
better played history, but also one that taps into the 90s music scene
when anything was possible. “I grew up pretty sheltered,” Brandon
admits, growing up in a small Washington town near the Canadian
border, “and had my life turned around by feasting on albums like
‘Check Your Head’ — the fusion of all those beautiful sounds going on
at that time.” Serious about his playing (like Anthony, they were
raised in the church and really learned how to practice and perform
music), he moved to Seattle, and enrolled in the Shoreline recording
program. He joined some musicians which became the formative version
Down North, and their first gig was opening for Alien Crime Syndicate
before a crowd of 500 people. “I was playing in a soul band before I
even listened to soul!” he says (and has truly grown into the role).
Like many bands these days, the two met on Craigslist — Anthony
finally finding collaborators who wanted to make the good time, high
quality sounds he loves to listen to and make, and Brandon eager to
add him to Down North’s line-up. “I want to have a body of work,”
Brandon says about their recent playing in the studio, “We’re going to
focus on short releases (EPs) of great songs; I want to release as
much as I can but it has to be high quality material.”
–Chris Estey
Original music that doesn’t suck.
Their sound has been described as Rock or Hard Rock with a touch of old school Power Pop. A combination of various musical influences, both new and old, that will literally rock your face off when you see them perform live. The band is composed of John Checuga (Lead Vocals & Guitar), Jim Bashaw (Drums and Backing Vocals), and Phil Armato (Bass Guitar & Backing Vocals). Three long time friends who each went their separate ways but were unexpectedly reunited to form SONA BLISS in 2013.
Applying their combined years of experience spent in other bands (some as major label recording artists, etc…) along with their common creative goal of crafting “music that sticks in your head”, memorable songs that not only rock… but also have hooks… has led them to finally look beyond the confines of their rehearsal space and eager to introduce SONA BLISS to the world-or at least to anyone who will give them a listen (we know you’re out there!!!). In addition to getting out and building a fan base in 2014, SONA BLISS also plans on releasing an upcoming EP soon that is in it’s final stages of mixing and mastering at Gravity Studios, Chicago.
The Misery Jackals deliver the hillbilly hoedown to modern day punks and old timers alike. Being lovers of punk rock, bluegrass, blues, country, roots, and various forms of ethnic musical styles, they put together a sound that embodies what they’d like to hear. The result is what they call “Pillbilly Browngrass,” “Bluethrash,” or “Dirty Bluegrass.” One guy said it was the kind of music he wished played in his head all day.
The Misery Jackals’ write songs to live by… or rather a roadmap to avoid the common pitfalls of life. Most songs are based on real people and circumstances. They are known to perform their own take on their favorite punk or disco songs. Their live performance is paired nicely with alcoholic beverages and folks who like to dance. A good time is the goal, every time.
The ensemble’s lineup currently consists of the following members:
Tim Burrows (Dawghouse Timmy) – contrabass, vocals
Bill Corgan (Sweet Willy C.) – banjo, percussion, vocals
Jeff Selzer (Beaner Nix) – guitar, kazoo, vocals
Ben Shuber (Shubes) – accordion, washboard
To call Toronto’s déVah quartet a ‘string quartet’ would be a boldface lie. YAMAHA Artists since 2011 and D’Addario Artists since 2013, déVah is comprised of Emily on electric violin, Sharon and Moira on electric 5-string violin/viola hybrids, and Liza on electric cello.
Often accompanying them are a small roster of excellent session drummers who add modern breakbeat and metal beats. déVah invents a rich texture of sound utilizing various non-acoustic modifying tools creating different tones and dimensions to music. Void of a stereotypical mold, déVah is continuously evolving and recreating itself, with hopes of innovating the quartet world through electric string creativity.
In June 2013, déVah released their much anticipated eponymous debut album. Produced by prog rock heavyweight Robert Berry, their genre has also been labeled everything from indie rock to alt pop. Whatever the style, the music is high-energy artistry performed with virtuosic ability.
The band has been featured in the UK Magazine ‘PROG’, and performed for Toronto’s 2015 Pan Am Games Countdown Launch, Vancouver’s Alternative Fashion Week, ISES, and aired on radio across North America.
Smoke No.7 is the stuff that feels good. Smoke No.7 that feeling that makes you want to move, destroy, create, LIVE. Get your ass off the couch and move to some real music made to rock your bones and make your ears bleed. Please Enjoy Irresponsibly.
Based out of Chicago, IL, Dead Feathers has proven themselves to be a band with exceeding potential and lasting appeal since day one.
Building off of the success of their 2019 debut album “All is Lost” on Ripple Music, Dead Feathers has been gaining a growing fan base across North America and overseas through ambitious touring and supporting acts like Kikagaku Moyo, All them Witches, SLIFT, and many more in their home city. During that time, they have established their name and carved a debut full-length album with the anticipation of their sophomore album “Full Circle ” soon to be released september 22nd, 2023 on Ripple Music.
Their live shows, filled with sensual and thunderous energy on stage, have put concert goers under their spell. Brought on by the soulful and emotional vocals from Marissa Allen combined with The fuzz and reverb backed guitars, ever flowing bass lines, and booming drums, Dead Feathers sets a mood which has been crafted with the skill and artistry they’ve come to be known for which has attracted mentions and praise from music blogs such as Rolling Stone France, Classic Rock Magazine, and more.
While Dead Feathers has been compared to various classic 60’s & 70’s bands such as Jefferson Airplane, Big Brother & the Holding Company, and Frumpy – along with modern acts like Blues Pills, Black Mountain, and Graveyard, they bring a style and songwriting that is exclusively their own.
Born in Cincinnati, Oh resides in Chicago, IL 24 yr old rapper/singer KIT created his own world when it comes to music. Debut project NewWavey was a new sound, he plans to make new genres of music and take it another level. He has another project dropping June 2014 called ‘Lownt God Rising’. Kit likes to be hands on with all his music and visuals. He directs a lot of his music videos as well. To describe KIT in one word it would be ‘creative’
