Ratchet Dolls

RATCHET DOLLS

RATCHET DOLLS is a Hard Rock band from Texas with influences drawn from 70s/80s Rock N Roll and traditional Heavy Metal. Notorious for high-octane performances and an in-your-face attitude, RATCHET DOLLS has acquired a stamp-of-approval from the rock community and their music is recognized around the globe. Their long-awaited sophomore album – “BRING THE NOIZE” – is set for release this Summer 2024 and will be backed by a full U.S. Tour and two singles.

A MESSAGE FROM THE BAND:
“Our new album “Bring The Noize” promises to preserve Rock N Roll’s raw integral attitude and overall sound. We have made it our goal to bridge the gap between all generations of the genre and we truly can’t wait for you to hear it!” -RATCHET DOLLS

SLICKSON REVOLVER

SLICKSON REVOLVER

Brandon is from Hattiesburg, Ms. He is the founder of the band Slickson Revolver and is ever pressing forward as a singer, songwriter and guitarist. He stands 6’4” and is powerful in every way. He has a near 5 octave range voice and strong hands on the fretboard. In 2015 Brandon was a performer in Las Vegas as a guitarist for RoxShow. Brandon is well known in the southern rock community and was recently called upon by Artimus Pyle to fill in at lead guitar. Brandon is the real deal and has never wavered in the face of greatness. Having performed with or been in the presence of industry legends has transformed Brandon into the front man he is today”

Johnny Nasty Boots

JOHNNY NASTY BOOTS

Johnny Nasty Boots is a Los Angeles-based rock artist originally from Mexico City who
brings the roots of the psychedelic and blues sounds of the 60’s and 70’s to the
present day, creating an exciting, energetic and modern sound.

Rock & roll isn’t dead

Electric Villain

ELECTRIC VILLAIN

Electric Villain is a musical project led by sole songwriter and producer, Jamie Dull. The music blends a multitude of genrestogether including Metal, Psychedelic Rock, Electronic Rock, Industrial, Acoustic, etc. and features a number of special guest contributors including Joel Hoekstra, Chris Connelly, and more.

Chanpan

CHANPAN

Chanpan is an up-and-coming Asian American band composed of Grace Dumdaw and identical twins Lance and Matthew Tran. Since their start busking the streets of Chinatown to being caught in viral videos, they’ve already been praised by Vogue as a “very cool New York band”, featured in New York Times’ T Magazine, and recognized by Live Nation’s Ones to Watch. The trio’s individual accolades in politics, community organizing, and film & television have been featured by The New Yorker, HBO, Billboard, CNN, and more.

Christopher McBride

CHRISTOPHER MCBRIDE

Christopher McBride – 🎷
Alysha Monique – 🎤
Luke Carlos O’Reilly – 🎹
Runere Brooks – 🎻 bass
Alfonzo Jones – 🥁

Singer Meets Saxophonist’ is the brainchild of acclaimed musician & Chicago native Christopher McBride. The concept pairs some of the top vocalists and musicians around the world who collaborate to create fantastic evenings of music. When Christopher moved from Chicago to New York in 2013, he wanted to work with more vocalists, create a rapport, as well as learn their repertoire. In 2014, Singer Meets Saxophonist began as a monthly series at Therapy Wine Bar in Brooklyn, NY. In the 18 months that followed, Christopher worked with vocalists such as Chris Turner, Emily Braden, Charles Turner, Milton Suggs, Melanie Charles, Shenel Johns, Wayne Tucker, Hilary Gardner, Antoinette Montague, and many other well-known vocalists and instrumentalists who were excited to stop by and share their talents. These musicians helped craft a vibe similar to a jam session, much to the delight of audiences.
In 2017, the series moved to Harlem at the iconic Minton’s Playhouse. Each Sunday the series was hosted by CNOTE (an organ trio consisting of Christopher McBride, Jonathan Edward Thomas, and Curtis Nowosad), and showcased a featured vocalist.
From March of 2017 to August of 2019, Sunday nights at Minton‘s Playhouse became the premier place to hear great live music. The New York Times described the house band (Organ Group CNOTENYC) as “part of a network of fabulous young musicians in New York”. The rapport and sincerity of all the musicians created inspiring works appreciated by musicians and patrons alike.
As the series now shifts to the national stage, McBride (Pete Rock, Big Daddy Kane, Roy Hargrove, Marquis Hill, Solange, The Soapbox Presents) is excited to bring ‘Singer Meets Saxophonist’ to Reggie’s Rock Club and the city of Chicago. He will be leading an all-star band consisting of Imani Records recording artist Luke Carlos O’Reilly (Curtis Fuller, Nicholas Payton, Seal, Dave Valentin), Runere Brooks and Alfonzo Jones (The O’My’s, LeftJones, Nikki Lynette) and featuring sensational vocalist Alysha Monique.
The experience of Singer Meets Saxophonist remains the same as its origins in NYC. For this special night, professional musicians and vocalists are encouraged to stop by and sit in on the 2nd set as we continue to cultivate a jam session feel. Please join us for an exciting evening of good music in Chi-Town! #allday

Big Chemical

BIG CHEMICAL

Closely affiliated with The Big Chemical Live Ensemble Mk. II

Passioncat

HOLSMAN

Ryan, Canary, Kyle, & Benny make melodic punk rock for your listening “pleasure”.

The Nerval

THE NERVAL

From the frozen streets of Chicago to the vibrant music scene of Brazil, The Nerval found its humble beginnings. Faced with the challenge of practicing drums in a noise-restricted apartment, Tico’s decision to pick up a guitar after being a punk rock drummer his entire life, sparked a transformative journey.

Reconnecting with childhood friends, the band fused elements of post-grunge and pop-punk influences, drawing inspiration from acts like the Foo Fighters, Blink 182, Paramore, and many others emerging from the emo movement of the early 2000s.

Returning to the American music scene after the pandemic, this transatlantic band continued to captivate fans worldwide with their infectious hooks and raw energy.

Their most recent releases, which blend nostalgia and a contemporary flair, showcase their diverse cultural backgrounds as a Brazilian-American band.

Born out of wintry frustrations and nurtured by friendship, The Nerval’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the thrill of forging a unique musical path.

Plinian

PLINIAN

Natural Abuse

NATURAL ABUSE

Chicago Crust Punk (A)///(E) Members of ARID, Flowering, Contracharge, Warfilth

Made Wrong

MADE WRONG

Crusty Hardcore Punx

Tango

DJ TANGO

Producer, DJ, and software engineer. Chicago, IL by way of Raleigh, NC

Linda Sol

LINDA SOL

“SIEMPRE BORICUA” 🇵🇷 OUT NOW
chicago📍/ @stanford alum 🌲
NLA ‘23 @ Harvard 📚

Heavy Crownz

HEAVY CROWNZ

Heavy Crownz is an artist, creative director, and community curator. Hailing from the Englewood neighborhood on the south side of Chicago, he has one purpose for his music; to plant seeds of positive thought in the minds of his listeners. With a raspy voice, shifty effortless flow, and unique sense of style, Heavy’s sound is agricultural; forever promoting growth and the beauty in it. Heavy tends to his own gardens by seamlessly integrating community service into Chicago HipHop culture.

OPM

OPM & THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT

Jay Post & Jimmi Gordon, southside Chicago natives who play off experimental themes within their music. They’ve cut their teeth rocking various venues such as Gman Tavern, The Metro and performing for organizations like Social Works and John Walt Foundation. Amassing 3,500+ listeners on Spotify — three projects in the books, ‘23 Lollapalooza featured & premiered on HBO Max’s SouthSide. OPM is on a mission to reinvigorate concert culture & make it more accessible to black & brown youth in the hoods of America

Los Yesterdays

LOS YESTERDAYS

Los Yesterdays are a Chicano soul band from Los Angeles based around the creative collaboration between Gabriel Rowland and Victor Benavides. They began working together when Rowland – a drummer by trade, then creaky and exhausted from waking up at dawn to work construction – decided to channel those struggles into song. He contacted Benavides, a former bandmate of Rowland’s deceased brother, to record the soul ballads that Southland Chicanos call “oldies,” the best of Black American sweet soul music from the 60s, 70s and early 80s. The Chicano obsession with soul music began in the mid 1950s, when young Chicanos, many of whom were first-generation immigrants raised on their parents’ mariachi and norteño records, were searching for a music of their own. They began in the smog-spitting gas guzzlers and carpeted living rooms and shoe-melting playground blacktop of the 1970s.

“All my cousins in Compton were much older, and we’d listen to LPs in the garage while playing in the yard. Pops always had vinyl around the crib, generally bumping ‘60s and early ‘70s soul. He loved to drive and act out funny lyrics from The Coasters at us,” Rowland remembers. “Soul music was everywhere. At my grade school we could bring our own seven-inches to school, and this one girl not interested in playing would go through the stack during lunch. You’d keep an ear out for your group while playing tackle football on the pavement.”

For parents like those of Rowland, who was raised between South Central and East Los Angeles, and Benavides, reared by migrant workers in Selma, California, a dusty little farm town about 20 minutes south of Fresno, this period of soul (and funk and rock ‘n’ roll) spoke to their Americanized, romantic, and often violent lives in mixed-race barrios. Racist governance and ensuing socio-economic conditions put Mexicans and Blacks in direct proximity––and often conflict––with each other, and from this mixed-race Califas milieu came Chicano groups like Thee Midniters and Cannibal & the Headhunters, Black artists with massive Chicano followings like The Coasters and Brenton Wood, and hyper-influential radio hosts like Dick “Huggy Boy” Hugg (who was white) and Art Laboe (a first-generation Armenian-American, real name Artur Egnoian).

“Poor don’t know culture or color. When you’re poor, you live in the barrio or ghetto or whatever you want to call it,” Benavides says. “There’s Blacks, Latinos, whites, Asians, whatever. That’s

what you can afford, so you live there. Eventually, you end up making friends because you need an extra player on a streetball team or whatever. You go to their houses and eat what they eat and listen to what they listen to. It’s funny. I never thought about it but It’s a cultural exchange program for poor people!”

“The gente fell in love with that romantic, sweet soul sound,” Rowland adds. “Since then it never left our cultura, it became a part of how we identify ourselves. The pride we take in our day-to- day hustle, our clothing, food, and cars somehow naturally merged with the pride our brothers and sisters took in that music. The African-American community is so inexhaustibly creative, they had to move on. But, somehow we felt it important to hold on to those blissful days cruising, eating, and dancing.”

It’s true that Black musicians moved on from the doe-eyed sweet soul typical of the ‘60s and early ‘70s, but so did young, Chicano artists––the demands of psychedelia and the Civil Rights Movement required a generation of long-hairs (or voluminous-hairs, in the case of afros) to eschew kissy-face ballads in favor of extended jams and self-empowerment anthems. Although the musicians who performed those lush, romantic hits moved on, affinity for that era of music has proved incredibly durable. The feelings that oldies inspire and were inspired by––love, heartbreak, yearning, jealousy, regret––the whole scope of being plum fucked up and out on your ass––are universal and cross-generational. On their formal debut, Frozen In Time, Los Yesterdays pay yearning, bleeding-heart homage to groups like Tejano brown-eyed soul legends Sunny & The Sunliners and the aforementioned Midniters, a group of East Los Angeles teens whose frequently genre-agnostic work added a Chicano lilt to Black art. Like compas Thee Sacred Souls and Thee Sinseers, theirs is a new-old music.

“I do find the music to be immersed in the past,” Rowland admits. “The musicians [of the past] could really play, and the writers could truly compose beautiful pieces…The Beatles and the rest of non-Black writers were constantly biting from this fruitful tree, as we continue to do ourselves.”

On songs like “Loves Is A Game For Fools” and surprise TikTok hit “Nobody’s Clown,” Los Yesterdays filter love-struck R&B crooning through guitar-strumming Mexican balladeering; the result is something that sounds like the Los Angeles of yesterday and today––the indelible, immovable Los Angeles of cruising Whittier Boulevard, of cold drinks on the porch on blazing summer nights, of watching a blue-orange toxic sunset and wondering if they are thinking about you. Los Angeles changes; Los Angeles stays the same. Los Yesterdays have changed, outgrown their childhood barrios and the bands of their early 20s and their private garage hermitude; Los Yesterdays are Frozen In Time.

Crop

CROP

Hide your weed, your booze and your mom too. CROP’s coming to a town near you!

Hashtronaught

HASHTRONAUT

Four-piece stoner doom innovators Hashtronaut launched into orbit from their Denver-based Mission Control in the summer of 2020, fueled by inspiration from a hazy string of jam sessions during the darkest days of the pandemic. Seizing the opportunity to play live the minute they could, it only took a few gigs before they’d solidified their reputation as trailblazers in the scene, and the rest was history.

With a distinct sonic identity that channels classics from Black Sabbath and Thin Lizzy to mainstays of the modern canon like Windhand and High On Fire — as well as their own collective love of the sweetest leaf of all, vintage gear, and walls of speaker cabinets — Hashtronaut’s galactic tones have spread to the farthest corners of the universe, earning them a diverse and growing fanbase both on and off this planet in short time.

Keeping momentum at an all time high after releasing an EP and sharing the stage with legends like Pallbearer, High On Fire, and Bongzilla, Hashtronaut are preparing for their biggest year yet. With that said, their first LP, “No Return”, was released on 3/22/24 to high acclaim, hitting #3 on Doom Charts. As well, a slew of tour and festival dates are planned for the imminent future. There’s never been a better time to experience Hashtronaut’s colossal riffs and driving rhythms in the flesh, and get immersed into an intoxicating and pummeling journey through time and space.

Laura Hickli

LAURA HICKLI

Laura Hickli (Mohkínstsis/Calgary) is an internationally touring progressive art pop songstress known for her tightly arranged dreamy soundscapes, exquisite vocals, evocative lyrics, and emotionally powerful performances. The classically trained pianist was homeschooled in a conspiracy-laden religious household where she honed her ability to reflect deeply felt emotions through dynamic, textured, and technical songwriting and production.

During the tour of her latest record ‘Both Feet In The World, At Least I Can Stand,’ Laura and her band suffered a serious motor vehicle accident that left Laura with PTSD and a traumatic head injury. After nearly a year in recovery, she emerges with gripping and exceedingly personal new music birthed during her chaotic grieving process.

Hickli has a knack for creating art out of life’s ebbs and offering a small gift of resilience to the returning tides. A performer in several award-winning projects, Hickli’s personal works continue to receive radio play on CBC, BBC+, Top Album of the Year awards, and accolades from The Big Takeover, Cups N Cakes and more.

Currently preparing to record her new album ‘stranger to myself’ at The National Music Centre and embark on a three-month international tour this summer, Hickli’s developing story offers a fresh and inviting look at what life can be, while carrying the foundations of her spellbindingly intimate, yet explosive brand of dark process-music.

Jessica Mindrum

JESSICA MINDRUM

Dan Dougherty Band

DAN DOUGHERTY BAND

Dan Dougherty is a singer/songwriter who has fronted and written for several Chicago based rock and alternative bands before launching his solo album Bad Ideas. Recorded at 3rd City Sound by Bill Aldridge with bandmates Bret Figura and Anthony Bartkowiak, Bad Ideas explores a range of alternative, rock, pop and americana sounds as filtered through Dougherty’s compositional and storytelling quirks.

Indie Comix Expo – ICE 2

INDIE COMIX EXPO – ICE 2

Over a dozen comic creators and the Dan Dougherty Band playing Live at the end of the show.

All Ages welcome!

Convention hours: 6pm-10pm 

Live music: 8:45pm-10pm

(Early VIP entry at 5pm – Qualify for early entry through fundraiser here)

FREE COMIC TO FIRST 100 ENTRANTS!

Creators: MIKE NORTON / DAN DOUGHERTY / JIM TERRY plus Markisan Naso, Winston Gambro, Eric Cockrell, Andy Vanderbilt, Ray Wegner, Wells Thompson, Daimon Hampton, Jason Ford, Chuck Satterlee, Beadzstreetz art and more!

Matcha Dreams

MATCHA DREAMS

Hello, we are Matcha Dreams <3

Pool Hall

POOL HALL

Mike Viola

MIKE VIOLA

Mike Viola is a producer, musician, songwriter and singer. Viola may be best known for his work with Panic! at the Disco, Andrew Bird, Dawes, Ryan Adams and Jenny Lewis, but his solo career stands on its own starting with a number of acclaimed records as the leader of New York based cult favorite Candy Butchers and 8 critically adored Mike Viola records. His original music has been featured on soundtracks for movies such as That Thing You Do!, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story and Get Him to the Greek.

Decades into his career his music continues to resonate with and inspire new generations of musicians and music lovers. Starting in 2019 Viola hit a prolific streak and released fan favorite records The American Egypt, Godmuffin, and Paul McCarthy, all recorded in his Los Angeles studio Barebones. His recent albums have garnered a whole new fan base and sold out shows around the US. A new Mike Viola album, “Rock Of Boston”, will be released on September 20th 2024 on Good Morning Monkey/Grand Phony in the US, Lojinx in Europe and SONY Japan.

Rock Of Boston was recorded over the winter of 2023 on ½” tape at Barebones, Viola’s home studio in Los Angeles. Once again joined by his friends Jake Sinclair on bass and Brendon Urie on drums. Viola says, “I’m always writing songs, or pieces of songs, or riffs. My writing process changes every song, so I never get trapped in a method. I let the song lead me. While I was on a world tour playing guitar for Panic at The Disco, I wrote the bulk of this record on the bus between soundcheck and showtime. On the days off, I’d find a recording studio wherever we were and I’d book studio time to sneak away to lay down a few ideas. When the tour finished, Jake and Brendon came home to LA and we never stopped playing music together. We just switched from touring with Panic! to recording Rock Of Boston pretty seamlessly without a break. Maybe that’s why the riffs seem bigger on this record, we had spent all those months in hockey arenas around the world playing big music.”

Viola will support the Rock Of Boston album release with an international tour starting in Los Angeles September 21st at his home turf Gold Diggers.

RUDE GIRL REVUE

RUDE GIRL REVUE TO RELEASE HOLIDAY 45 ON JUMP UP RECORDS, 10/16

The all-female, all-star ska/reggae crew, Rude Girl Revue will be giving the holiday gift of new music to their fans with the release of two brand new, original songs on this year’s Jump Up Records Holiday 45, to be released on November 16. The disc kicks off with “Behind Every Santa, There’s A Mrs. Clause”, a vintage-inspired tune that would fit nicely between tracks by Brenda Lee and The Beach Boys, while tweaking the old “behind every good man, there’s a good woman” adage for the holidays. It is backed by “Slay Belles”, a dub reggae sound collage of femme empowerment partially inspired by the bitch tracks of drag queens. Both songs were recorded at Version City Studios with NYC ska capo King Django engineering the session. Django himself mixed “Slay Belles”, while Hub City Stompers’ guitarist Rob George mixed “…Mrs. Clause”.

This holiday 45 will be released on Night Two of Slackfest Chicago, which is being held at Reggie’s on November 15-16, and at which Rude Girl Revue will be direct support for NYC’s Jamaican rock’n’roll stallwards, The Slackers. With joyful artwork by Ben Heighton, this will be a limited pressing of 500 records on red, white, and green vinyl.

Todd Hembrook

TODD HEMBROOK

Deal’s Gone Slack is a collaboration of members from Deal’s Gone Bad (Chicago) and The Slackers (NYC)

MESKALES

MESKALES

Meskales is an energetic Ska band whose name is yet to be mentioned, the band has an impressive history of playing with renowned bands for their short trajectory in the Ska scene. Their infectious blend of ska,punk,surf and reggae has gained them a devoted following and allowed them to share the stage with some of the most influential acts in the genre.

DANNY REBEL SOLO

From the frozen pipes of Montreal, the city’s own Danny Rebel & The KGB are tossin’up their 5th studio record. “We’re All Going to Hell” is a melting pot of Reggae/Funk/Ska/Conspiracy featuring Danny Rebel at the helm, whose mission is to groove across the globe, and maybe write a few love songs along the way. This 14 track album promises to assassinate the dancefloor. Available in May 2024 through Jump Up! Records and all streaming platforms.

Since their formation in 2007, DRKGB have been known to light the stage on fire with dynamic performances at various festivals across North America. Their regular appearances at the Montreal Ska Festival, the Pouzza Fest, and the Victoria Ska and Reggae Festival are said to be more than mere coincidences.

Throughout their dynamic musical odyssey, DRKGB has been honored to share the stage with ska legends such as The Skatalites, The Slackers and the Planet Smashers. However, whispers in the industry hint at secret collaborations and encoded messages in their music, especially during performances with the internationally acclaimed dub maestro Victor Rice, and The Aggrolites. Their journey, steeped in mystery, includes performances with reggae icons like U-Roy and Macka B, and the Psychedelic Funk pioneers Fishbone. Insiders suggest these connections are part of a larger, undisclosed project that transcends music. Are DRKGB mere musicians, or are they key players in a global, musical conspiracy?

DANNY REBEL & THE KGB

From the frozen pipes of Montreal, the city’s own Danny Rebel & The KGB are tossin’up their 5th studio record. “We’re All Going to Hell” is a melting pot of Reggae/Funk/Ska/Conspiracy featuring Danny Rebel at the helm, whose mission is to groove across the globe, and maybe write a few love songs along the way. This 14 track album promises to assassinate the dancefloor. Available in May 2024 through Jump Up! Records and all streaming platforms.

Since their formation in 2007, DRKGB have been known to light the stage on fire with dynamic performances at various festivals across North America. Their regular appearances at the Montreal Ska Festival, the Pouzza Fest, and the Victoria Ska and Reggae Festival are said to be more than mere coincidences.

Throughout their dynamic musical odyssey, DRKGB has been honored to share the stage with ska legends such as The Skatalites, The Slackers and the Planet Smashers. However, whispers in the industry hint at secret collaborations and encoded messages in their music, especially during performances with the internationally acclaimed dub maestro Victor Rice, and The Aggrolites. Their journey, steeped in mystery, includes performances with reggae icons like U-Roy and Macka B, and the Psychedelic Funk pioneers Fishbone. Insiders suggest these connections are part of a larger, undisclosed project that transcends music. Are DRKGB mere musicians, or are they key players in a global, musical conspiracy?

THE SLUFFS

And I, You

AND I, YOU

And I, You (formerly Ethel Shank) is a rock band out of Chicago, IL. Blending inspirations from Queens of the Stone Age, Sunny Day Real Estate, and Manchester Orchestra; And I, You provides a balance of subtle, intricate melodies and heavy fuzz alongside raw, introspective lyrics.

No Tagbacks

NO TAGBACKS

Good Old Days isn’t just the title of No Tagbacks’ debut EP. It’s also a thesis statement. The seeds of the project have been germinating since 2018, and now the Chicago-based duo of vocalist/guitarist Evan Douglas Peters and bassist Christian George are ready to let the whole thing loose. The cover art gives good insight into the band’s sound: nostalgic pop-punk fit for the era of Fuse and VH1.  

On singles “mov” and “Good Old Days” they almost sound like Green Day or blink-182, and on “Come Out and Play” they tap into the latter’s sense of humor with lines like “Judge Judy, give me cooties / Sentence tastes so fruity-smoothie.” That’s one of the most refreshing things about
Good Old Days, that No Tagbacks never take themselves too seriously; “Misanthropic Old Man” is a witty, self-aware take on a song about being jealous of friends, and even the band’s ballad “If I Never Left You in Illinois” never dips into overly saccharine territory. It’s sincere and it’s warm, but it’s never cloying. Of particular note is the penultimate “Never Gonna Die,” the title of which might well be a reference to its energetic sound: No Tagbacks dips their toes into straight-up ska-punk, complete with trumpet and two trombones and a helping of “pick it up!”s. It’s the sort of track where you can hear how much fun the band had in the studio.

The band’s been dropping singles since ‘21–including three music videos that year for “Good Old Days,” “No Sheep,” and “mov”–and played shows all throughout the Midwest. 2023 saw the release of debut EP
Good Old Days, and 2024 looks like their biggest year yet. No Tagbacks might deal a lot in nostalgia, but now they’re looking toward the future–and it’s bright.

–Zac Djamoos, (editor,
The Alternative)

No Tagbacks Photo ©2024 Vicky Holda.

DJ Pharris

DJ PHARRIS OF POWER 92

DJ Pharris began his professional career at Chicago’s WBMX radio station playing house music, being at the pinnacle of when hip hop launched in the Chicago music scene. With over 30 years in the industry, Pharris went from spinning house music mixes and to breaking every major artist within the midwest and throughout the country. A staple on Chicago’s Urban radio station Power 92, DJ Pharris can be heard on 10pm-2pm weekly, also at 3pm cst. on DTLR Radio in all 250 stores Nation Wide and spinning at some of Chicago’s hottest nightclubs. Dj Pharris is a Premier Heavy Hitter Dj for over 20 yrs.

In expanding his musical ear, Pharris has worked as co- producer with major artist including Kanye West, Future, Chief Keef, Lil Bibby and a host of other talented artist both in R&B and Hip Hop. He recently launched his new label TCMG (This Chicago Music Group) producing and signing Chicago’s homegrown talent but fusing together the elite caliber of artist representing Chicago legacy such as G.Herbo, Young Dolph, Jeremih, Chief Keef and more

His debut as a label owner is yet another stepping stone to his legacy in the industry and creating a new blueprint.

DJ Pharris has extended his palette in the entertainment business being casted on Showtime’s “The Chi” under executive producer Common. He also was the official DJ for 50 Cent’s comedy series 50 Central on BET, along with landing sponsorships with national / Local brands Pepsi, Nike, Under Armour, Diddy Ciroc and 50 Cent Effen Vodka. Pharris has also been inducted into the Frankie Knuckles DJ Hall of Fame (Chosen Few) and a 3 X Global Spin Midwest DJ of the Yr. Award Winner.

The Means of Production

THE MEANS (OF PRODUCTION)

“Some absolutely great psych meets shoegaze meets motorik. Crank it up!”

Terminus Victor

TERMINUS VICTOR

Terminus Victor delivers a beautiful kick in the gut.  A heavy and dynamic soundscape of unique rock music is delivered in a wall of sound by this thunderous trio that sounds larger than the sum of three parts. “One of the best bands in the land. Their new record “Everending” is album of the year material.” [-Mike Ingram (Exile On Main St Records)].

Moon

MOON

Moon: Heavy, melodic, propulsive, spacious, dark, rock. Moon is echo-laden guitar, post rock bass, propulsive drumming, shifting time signatures, and haunting, ethereal vocals.

Moon formed in late 2008. They released their first album, Finding and Losing the Light in 2012 and their second album, Distant But Close in 2014, and third album, Extinction, in 2018.

Chinese American Bear

CHINESE AMERICAN BEAR

Today, Seattle’s Chinese American Bear are announcing their new LP Wah!!!. A C-pop
duo composed of Bryce Barsten and Anne Tong, the group create eclectic DIY pop that
blends Chinese mando-pop and the Western indie pop canon. They write songs that flit
between English and Mandarin, capturing a spirit of cross-cultural joy and longing, that is often poignant while never losing its sense of fun.

Last month, the band shared a one off single called “Feelin’ Fuzzy (毛绒绒的感觉)” to
announce their signing to the beloved UK independent label Moshi Moshi (Girl Ray, Anna Meredith, Hot Chip) who will release CAB’s new LP on October 18th. To mark the
announcement the band is sharing a new single entitled “Heartbreaker 伤心情歌” along withan accompanying video that is premiering today with FLOOD.

PRESS FOR WHA!!!
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DYLAN TRIPLETT

DYLAN TRIPLETT

* 22 year old Blues and Soul artist born in St. Louis, MO.
* Debut album, Who is He (2022), led Dylan to receive the 2023 Blues Foundation award for Best Emerging Artist.
* Has appeared on several notable festivals and events such as Music at the Intersection and the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise.

Mathias Lattin

MATHIAS LATTIN

* Youngest guitarist to ever win both the International Blues Challenge and Best Guitarist accolades (2023) at the age of 20.
* Debut Album, Up Next, was released in October 2023.
* Has played alongside Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, The Keeshea Pratt Band, and John Del Toro Richardson to name a few.

Genevieve Libien

GENEVIEVE LIBIEN

Genevieve Libien is a singer-songwriter and guitarist from Denver, Colorado. She writes in an indie pop/pop alternative style about lesbianity, mental illness, and other musings, taking lyrical inspiration from literature and real-life experiences. She is influenced by Hozier, King Princess, and Taylor Swift.

Sad House Guest

SAD HOUSE GUEST

Sad House Guest makes music because nothing else makes sense.

​We are an indie-rock band based in Chicago. Our original music is a blend of folk-punk, indie-pop, and alt-rock that showcases stream-of-conscious lyrics with energetic, easy-to-listen-to instrumentation. After gigging for a number of years as “Samuel Stein”, the name Sad House Guest was born about year into the pandemic to encompass our new fuller and ambitious sound, inspired by bands such as The Front Bottoms, Pinegrove, Hippo Campus, Death Cab for Cutie, and Slaughter Beach, Dog. The current lineup was formed in 2023 after moving from Eau Claire, WI to Chicago and since the our guitar/drums/saxophone trio has played at venues such as the Subterranean, Cobra Lounge, Cubby Bear, Reggie’s, various DIY venues, and more.

We have released two EPs since the birth of our new name (inspired by a line in “Fantastic Mr. Fox”). The first is Bugs in My Brain which was recorded during the pandemic and features 3 basement pop tunes followed by 2 slow folksy tunes. The second EP, Electric Veins, features the full band on 5 representative songs. Our live shows feature energetic playing, improvisation, and covers of 2010s anthems at any dive bar, basement, porch, brewery, winery, or garage. 

In fall 2022 we toured both EPs all over the midwest from Chicago to Fargo. During this tour we also performed a collection of songs which would eventually become our first full-length album “Can I Make This Lighthearted?”

Faster Pussycat

FASTER PUSSYCAT

Faster Pussycat rose from the depths of the mid-‘80s Hollywood rock scene, taking the Sunset Strip by storm with a sound that wasn’t glam and wasn’t punk, but blistered somewhere in between. With an attitude and swagger all its own, their self-titled debut featured the instant classics “Babylon,” “Bathroom Wall,” “Cathouse” and “Don’t Change That Song,” and its follow-up ‘Wake Me When It’s Over’ climbed even higher with the radio hit “House Of Pain,” “Poison Ivy” and “Where There’s A Whip There’s A Way.” Despite their successes, Faster defied the mainstream mold and always followed front manTaime Downe’s underground sensibilities. The gold and platinum records are nice, but Taimeconsiders his greatest accomplishment to be longevity. “The only number that really matters to me is the number 35. Three and half decades later, Faster Pussycat are still rocking, and it feels as fresh as it did in 1986.” Look no further than their 2021 releases “Nola” and the Johnny Thunders cover “Pirate Love” –Faster Pussycat are as virile and tenacious as ever… and won’t have it any other way.

Retina Sky

RETINA SKY

Retina Sky is a dreamy Emo / Alternative / Post-hardcore band from Chicago that crafts ethereal soundscapes to envelop listeners in a dreamlike state. For fans of artists like Circa Survive, Movements, dredg, Balance and Composure, and Turnover.

“Retina Sky is a Midwest emo band based in Chicago that is not afraid to experiment with its sound. They primarily stick to dreamy emo traditionalism, but occasionally, they break away from these sonic barriers and deep dive into elements of shoegaze and top 40 alt radio. This creative energy transpires into their newest ep, ‘Without Hope We Wither, which is sure to satisfy your ears for its approximate 20-minute duration.” – GetSome Magazine

WHIMSY

Khaya

KHAYA OSBORNE

Khaya Osborne is a multidisciplinary performance & visual artist with credits including Celebration Arts, Black Ensemble Theater, Button Poetry, Tupelo Press, & Laugh Factory Chicago

Alex Tsakanikas

ALEX TSAKANIKAS

Comedian Alex Tsakanikas hails from the windy city of Chicago. Alex brings his observations on life, love, and the absurdness of reality front and center. Classically trained as an actor and later in life finding his place in stand-up comedy, he brings his impeccable stage presence and infectious energy to every stage he can perform on. Having opened for the likes of Angelo Tsarouchas, Pantelis, Jeremy Hotz, and many others Alex brings his style of adult absurdism and storytelling to crowds all over North America. You can find him regularly touring the Midwest, or listen to his podcast B.A.D. Shorty. He recently recorded his first comedy special “Motions” available this summer.

Zaid F

ZAID FOUZI

Zaid Fouzi is a 27 year old, Syrian-American comedian based in Chicago, IL. Known for his animated storytelling and observational humor, he performs all over the country. Zaid dedicates his comedy to advocating for the Arab-American identity. He has worked with some of the top Arab-American comedians including Bassem Youseff, Sammy Obeid, Ahmed Ahmed and Amer Zahr. His work and story have been featured on NPR, and AlAraby TV.

Chanel Ellis

CHANEL ELLIS

Chanel Ellis is a rising R&B star from Chicago⭐️ Check out her single Chocolate Dove on all platforms🏆 Ep Coming Soon🔥🔥🔥🔥

Lawman Dia

LAWMAN DIA

From the dangerous Englewood Neighborhood of Chicago, Lawman Dia, better known as LMD, is cut from that old school cloth with his upright, independent and fearless persona, representing the hood in ways that captivate hip hop intellectuals. It’s no secret LMD has faced his near death experiences and multiple years in prison, but with experience comes a story to uplift the youth and inspire those around him to be greater than expected. With 3 classic Chicago mixtape releases, Lawman Dia remains in his own lane with his gritty metaphors and street stories. Cultured, creative and socialized, LMD possesses all the talent and independent drive that many Major artists have.

Cyphersick

CYPHERSICK

Independent recording artist Brandon Bishop AKA Cyphersick has finally returned to the music scene in Chicago after a 7-year hiatus. Most people in the music business will tell you that “consistency is key and stopping momentum for even a moment can be fatal to one’s career”, but what is even more important is to never let the fire for your dreams die. Cyphersick started in this business at the age of 14, had an agent named Reginald Scott aka Quest by the age of 16 and was signed to Chicago based independent label D.U.B. L.I.F.E. Entertainment by the age of 17, but has since parted with the label and returned to being a free agent. Cyphersick is a lyricist at his core, and this is reflected in his style of Rap/Hip-Hop. Growing up in Chicago in the area that is broadly known as the “Low End” to Chicago natives has heavily influenced him as a person as well as an artist, which is translated throughout his music.

During his lengthy hiatus from the music scene, his love and passion for both music and being a voice for the voiceless has intensified and he is now back to make sure everyone remembers his name. While traveling, he has had the opportunity to network with major talent artists from both the East and West coast and is building organic relationships with people who have inspired him his entire career. Without a doubt Cyphersick will be one of the next breakout artists in the music industry, so stay tuned and keep watching because the comeback season has just begun.

Low Animal

LOW ANIMAL

Rural punk since 2009
Half Indigenous, half without papers.

Respire

RESPIRE

Toronto post-everything collective Respire has been a pioneering force in the Canadian underground scene for ten years, building a cult-like following over three critically acclaimed LPs and four international tours. Drawing inspiration from the expansive soundscapes of iconic Canadian bands like Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Respire pushes the boundaries of heavy music, intertwining intricate, uplifting orchestral arrangements with the intensity and urgency of emotional hardcore and the desperation of black metal. The seven-member collective’s DIY ethos has remained unshakable, the fruits of their dedication to self-reliance, creative autonomy, and community-building ever present in the Toronto musical landscape through New Friends Fest, co-founded and co-organized by two of its members.

Following the storming intensity of 2020’s Black Line, Hiraeth finds Respire returning to a more introspective and melancholic sound, punctured by triumphant and anthemic moments, standing as a testament to the collective’s ambition, genre-defying style, and maximalist approach. The album is a tribute to those who have uprooted their lives in search of hope and a cautionary tale to those who remain falsely secure in their illusory societal positions. It is a manifesto of the immigrant experience; a call for all of us to embrace our shared humanity, awaken to the fragility of our existence, and confront the crises we face collectively before it’s too late.

Corn On My Dinner Plate

CORN ON MY DINNER PLATE

Corn on My Dinner Plate is a six piece band from Chicago influenced by psychedelic, jazz and rock music. The group is made up by members Colin Kolasny (keyboards/guitar/vocals), Roan Quinn (bass), Jack Harris (guitar), Chris Sánchez (drums/percussion), Weber Anderson (tenor saxophone) and Branden Ma (keyboards). The group formed in 2017 when the members were in high school in Chicago.

The Great Indoors

THE GREAT INDOORS

Turning out their debut releases with Platinum-Awarded producer Dan Dixon and amassing tens of thousands of streams and followers across platforms over the past year, The Great Indoors are bringing forth a melodic and immersive blend of Pop Rock. International publication Atwood Magazine writes that the group’s “..suave indie-pop melodies, combined with smooth, soulful singing, recall Steely Dan and The Long Run-era The Eagles.” The Great Indoors have opened 2024 with the announcement of their own North American headlining tour, featuring support from artists like Nashville’s The Band Light and American Idol alum, WALKNEY, as well as festival performances such as at the Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival and headlining slot at Greenfield Lake Amphitheater’s Tunes And Blooms Festival. As Star News puts it, these “..indie rockers (who) bring their jangly, dynamic tunes to town.” are set to make their mark in the landscape of modern music.

CLIFFS

CLIFFS

Five people, five towns, and a few hundred miles in between…none of this should have ever worked. Still, fate has a funny way of bending the rules. CLIFFS represents a leap of faith. A departure from the safety of the wheel they all found themselves stuck spinning in. Like yarn-linked thumbtacks on an evidence board, there was something undeniably connective from the first time. With passion at the forefront, their music floats atop the pool of category. It is abstract, but familiar. It’s wherever you want to go. It’s echoes of old, and glimpses of new, an homage to the sounds that raised them.