JOASIS
“Oasis tribute”
THE HAYFIELD CONCEPT
“As their name rightly suggests, The Hayfield Concept began in a field just south of Chicago. While they’re not afraid of the “jam band” label, their sound reveals a diverse and perhaps unexpected range of influences. Featuring a unique fusion of rock, funk, country, reggae, pop and jazz, the band has created a sound that is familiar, yet distinctly their own.”
THE TROMATONS
Straight outta Tromaville, The Tromatons are here to Tromatize you with there brash brand of toxic wasted punk rock and roll!!!
SCOTT H. BIRAM
Scott H. Biram unleashes a fervent display of conviction through, not only the genuine blues, classic country, bluegrass, and rock n roll, but he seals the deal with punk, heavy metal, and frankly, anything else he wants to. He’s The Dirty Old One Man Band.
He will still the room with haunting South Texas blues, then turn it upside down, into a truck driver’s mosh pit. Like he says, it might be baptism, or it might be murder, either way…you gonna see the light.
This legally ordained preacher’s singing, yodeling, growling, leering and brash preachin’ and hollerin’ is accompanied by sloppy riffs, and licks literally yanked, one at a time, out of his collection of crusty, worn out, Gibson hollowbody guitars, and battle axes. All this held down with a pounding backbeat brought forth by his amplified left foot, and self customed stomp board. The remainder of this brutally charming one-man band consists of an unwieldy combination of beat-up amplifiers and old microphones strung together by a tangled mess of guitar cables. Don’t get too close! You gonna get some grease on ya!
Years of compulsive touring, along with a steady diet of down and dirty blues, rock, punk, country, and hillbilly have developed Scott H. Biram’s signature concoction, attracting a hefty array of fans who dig the bizarre and twisted sides of the rock and roll spectrum. His live shows, performed all over the world, deliver a take no prisoners attitude, a stomping, pulsing John Lee Hooker-channeling, and cockeyed tales of black water baptisms and murder, all while romanticizing the on-the-road lifestyle. SCOTT H. BIRAM IS THE DIRTY OLD ONE MAN BAND. ©1974
JESSE MARCO
As a teenager, Jesse, heavily influenced by his parents’ vast record collection, began to fuse rock, punk, soul, and funk with the hip-hop of his generation. “My parents musical tastes really shaped mine. My first cassette was Led Zeppelin and my second was Sam Cooke.”
Soon, Jesse began deejaying prep school parties around Manhattan largely filling his crates with his parents’ records. He laughs, “I was the only sixteen-year old deejay in the City playing Buddy Holly and Lauryn Hill.” Downtown crowds, however, quickly gravitated to his eclectic sets and by the time the young deejay graduated from high school he was a staple behind the velvet ropes inside New York’s most exclusive nightclubs.
Jesse’s encyclopedic knowledge of music and remarkable skill have since taken him around the globe spinning private parties for celebrities including Jay-Z, Heidi Klum, Russell Simmons, and Spike Lee. Jesse has become a favorite of the fashion and art worlds playing high-profile events for Alexander Wang, Giorgio Armani, Calvin Klein, Vivienne Westwood, Donna Karan, Diesel, GQ, and Kaws. Of his choice to hire Jesse to deejay his Milan Fashion Week runway show, Tom Ford said Jesse’s “musical taste reminds me of my childhood.”
Between celebrity and corporate events, Jesse deejays at the most recognizable nightclubs in the world including Liv (Miami), 1OAK (Las Vegas), MIXX (Atlantic City), VIP Room (Paris), and Chinawhite (London). An emerging producer, Jesse’s official remixes of The Knocks, Peter Bjorn & John, and Brandon Flowers have become blog favorites.
Jesse’s 2012 is off to a rapid start. His debut single, “Daddy Cool”, released on Big Beat / Atlantic Records spent weeks on Beatport House chart. He is featured in a starring role in Todd Phillips’ blockbuster film Project X. In February, Jesse, Machine Gun Kelly, and Pusha T went on an eleven-city, Vice Magazine-sponsored tour to promote the film. This spring, Jesse and nightlife photographer will tour together crashing the ten best college parties in America.
Jesse has modeled for Marc Jacobs, Uniqlo, and Converse. He has been featured in Vanity Fair, GQ, Us Weekly, In Touch, W, The Hollywood Reporter, and The New York Post.
THE DANCING NOODLES
The DANCING NOODLES have been hailed by many (including the Chicago Sun-Times) as the best cover band in Chicago. With a mix of ROCK, SOUL, BLUES, and FUNK, the NOODLES provide a night of timeless classics guaranteed to supercharge any party or fest.
The DANCING NOODLES began on Chicago’s South Side more than two decades ago when members of several “it” bands (Freewheelin, M & R Rush, and Steve Dahl’s Radiation) united to form a band that drew record crowds at many Chicago night clubs. Founding members Terry Canning (drums/ vocals) and Brian Sarna (bass) serve at the NOODLES’ rock solid rhythm until this day. Relative newcomers, Phil Miller (guitar/vocals) and Chris Heroldt (keys/vocals) are also seasoned pros of the South Side music scene, while the NOODLES’ horn player include saxophonist Charles “Dez” Dezmoreauz, and many more of Chicago’s finest players.
From the Rolling Stones to Earth Wind & Fire, from John Mellencamp to Stevie Wonder, the DANCING NOODLES bring the whole spectrum of classic hits that always have festival crowds dancing and singing along.
KURT SCHWEITZ TRIO
Kurt Schweitz has been playing various musical instruments since age 4 but didn’t begin to consider a career in music until moving to Chicago to pursue a PhD in Mathematics at the University of Chicago. Kurt has performed internationally on stages in London, Paris and most recently at the Aberdeen Jazz Festival in Scotland. Back home, his schedule has included performances at the Pritzker Pavillion in Millenium Park, the Chicago Jazz Festival, South Shore Cultural Festival, Meet the Composer, Chicago Humanities Festival, Asian-American Jazz Festival, Milwaukee Jazz in the Park Festival. Kurt plays regularly at Chicago’s many jazz clubs, has performed with local orchestras like the Rockford Symphony, and appears on several local jazz and pop/rock recordings. Kurt enjoys writing and performing in many musical genres. In addition to bass, he occasionally performs on piano, cello, viola, and laptop. He was awarded a 2011 Individual Artist grant from the Illinois Arts Council. His lone movie credit is as a cellist in the 2005 movie Proof, which is ironically about a University of Chicago mathematician.
MUTTS AND FRIENDS
Mutts first played together with tape rolling on Pretty Pictures EP in July 2009. Bob Buckstaff pitched the idea of recording Mike Maimone’s new material after they met as hired musicians for Company of Thieves. The pair instantly clicked over respect for honest, unrefined recordings and love of Tom Waits, Nirvana and Elliott Smith. They called mutual friends Jon Alvin and Chris Faller to engineer and play drums, respectively. Over a 3-day session in an old warehouse on the north side of Chicago, Mutts wrote, arranged and recorded their seminal release.
CALTROP
While citing Black Sabbath as an influence for any heavy band makes for easy stoner rock shorthand, North Carolina’s Caltrop is one of the few shining examples where the influence can actually be heard. The quartet, hailing from Chapel Hill, was formed in 2005 by Sam Taylor (guitar/vocals), Murat Dirlik (bass/vocals), Adam Nolton (guitar), and John Crouch (drums). With thick, fuzzed out riffs leading the charge on most of their songs, Caltrop exists at the improbable intersection of Sabbath and the Allman Brothers Band, creating detuned, psychedelic dirges with a soulful Southern blues/rock inflection. Add a touch of the long-form, post-metal song structures of bands like Baroness and Earth, and you begin to see what makes the group tick. In 2006, the group self-released an eponymous demo, and in 2008 they released their first full-length outing, World Class, on Holidays for Quince.
BLACK SKIES
This Chapel Hill, NC power trio has been tuning down and turning up since late 2005, constantly evolving their aural offerings of psychedelic sludge. With a combination of the foreboding heaviness of blues based proto-metal, the spry attitude and approach of punk, and the dynamics of progressive rock, their songs often project a dark & urgent energy. Black Skies is: Kevin Clark, Tim Herzog, Michelle Temple
ALMA NEGRA
All original heavy Chicago quartet for fans of metal, pysch, noise, and punk. “The quartet’s lineup is like the ultimate marriage of local garage and metal” – J.R. Nelson, Chicago Reader.
THE FORTIETH DAY
The Fortieth Day is the duo of Isidro Reyes and Mark Solotroff, both key players in the heavy-electronics outfit BLOODYMINDED, a band known for its aggressive and confrontational live shows. In The Fortieth Day, Reyes and Solotroff utilize guitar, bass, drum machine, and analog synthesizer to create epic, blackened, psychedelic-industrial drone soundscapes.
AL-THAWRA
We’re a doom-crust punk band from Chicago. Our sound is not your run-of-the-mill hardcore sound, as we mix elements of traditional Middle Eastern music instrumentation; heavy, sludgy, crust punk; and experimental music influences. Our music incorporates rhythmical, theoretical, ideological, and structural hybrids of these various types of music…to create something new. We’re glad to meet you. …. we’re definitely interested in releasing split records, collaboration, and other stuff. Don’t hesitate to contact us for any reason!!!
TOOFUNCHILD
five strapping young gents, working together to bring music to the ears of the disenchanted youth of the world.
THE AWKWARD ROBOT
The Awkward Robot is the result of the minds of Jason Martins and Javier Martinez, graduates of Full Sail University. Jason originally From NH and Javier a native of El Paso Texas relocated to Austin TX to give the music industry a try. With comparisons to Kevin Devine, Bob Dylan, and bright eyes they are ready to show the world what they have.
THE RUNAWAY FIVE
The Runaway Five are a band born in the desert and living in the city of Chicago. A love of loud guitars, square wave synth leads, and impressive video game collections brought these kids together. They play sci-fi music. The R5 blend consists of guitar-driven rock, Nintendo Gameboys, and hook-filled dance music– the kind of music someone in an 80s movie might have imagined people would listen to in the future. Influenced by The Talking Heads, The Cars, and 8-bit battle music, The Runaway Five many recordings available at music.therunawayfive.com!
MIKE PRZYGODA
Quirky power-pop by one-man-band/producer/engineer Mike Przygoda.
FAUX FIR
Faux Fir is: Adam Bartell, Ryan Rupprecht, Will Boucher, Jake Brahm
LIL’ ED & THE BLUES IMPERIALS
Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials were among the premiere party bands to come out of Chicago during the ’70s and ’80s. Often compared to Elmore James and Hound Dog Taylor, fiery, flamboyant slide guitarist Lil’ Ed Williams and his group have continued to play dedicated, rough-edged, and hard-rocking dance music, establishing an international reputation that has lasted into the new millennium. A native of Chicago, Williams was first inspired by his uncle, renowned slide guitarist J.B. Hutto, with whom he studied as a young teen. Hutto not only taught him slide, but also introduced Williams to bass and drums. Williams’ half-brother, James “Pookie” Young, was also a student of Hutto, and later became the bassist for the Blues Imperials. The brothers co-founded their group in the early ’70s and went professional in 1975, playing at Big Duke’s Blue Flame on the West Side. The gig earned them a whopping six bucks, which the group members split evenly. In those early years, Williams worked days at a car wash while Young drove a school bus.
Despite their humble start, Williams and the Blues Imperials kept performing at night and by the early ’80s had developed a substantial regional following. Signing to Alligator in the mid-’80s, they released their debut album, Roughhousin’, in 1986 and found themselves receiving national attention. They began playing urban clubs and festivals all over the country and eventually toured Canada, Europe, and Japan. They released their second album, Chicken, Gravy & Biscuits, in 1989, and the success continued as the Blues Imperials began appearing with such artists as Koko Taylor and Elvin Bishop during the Alligator Records 20th anniversary tour. They released their third album, What You See Is What You Get, in 1992.
If Ed, Pookie, and the latest members of the revamped Blues Imperials never did much to modernize their blues or develop a new sound, that was just fine with the band’s followers (“Edheads,” no less), to whom the raucous, rocking slide guitar heritage of Hutto, Hound Dog Taylor, and Elmore James is blues nirvana. Following its third album, the group went on hiatus for a few years, during which Lil’ Ed Williams released two albums on Earwig, 1996’s Keep on Walkin’ with Dave Weld and 1998’s Who’s Been Talking with Willie Kent. In 1999 the band reconvened and released Get Wild. They followed it up with Heads Up, their fifth Alligator record, in 2002. Their sixth, Rattleshake, appeared in 2006, followed by their seventh, Full Tilt, two years later. ~ Jim O’Neal & Sandra Brennan, Rovi
JT AND THE SLOPPY SECONDS
Birthed in the fires of Minneapolis, Jt and the Sloppy Seconds make music to get down to. We bring the funk. We bring the pop. We bring the soul. Dance. Sweat.
BEAR HIVE
Bear Hive is a band from St. Louis. It consists of three people: Chris Phillips, Joel Burton, and Nate Heininger.
Because each member of Bear Hive handles an impressive number of duties onstage, those who have heard but not seen the band may be surprised to learn it is merely a trio. Bassist Joel Burton and drummer Nate Heininger supplement their setups with secondary synthesizers, either hopscotching between instruments mid-song or tending to both simultaneously. Chris Phillips’ vocals are remarkably expressive, especially since he belts them out while tap-dancing on pedals to loop layers of prickly guitar riffs and managing a hands-on drum machine. The variety-show spectacle is far from effortless, but this demanding, sweaty routine is the process necessary to execute Bear Hive’s eclectic electro-indie party rock, which ranges from Battles-meets-Modest Mouse roof burners to lounging smoke breaks akin to Yo La Tengo. – The Riverfront Times.
LAKESIDE COLLECTIVE
Lakeside Collective was formed on a cold fall night, on the Northside of Chicago. We met through school and open ears. After spending the time jamming and creating we decided to pursue what we had.
Still an early band we are moving quickly on the scene and playing as much as possible, trying to express our art and the limits in which we are willing to go for improvisation.
We hope we can make you groove.
EVIL TWIN SISTER
Lake County band coming out with a different sound that we hope everyone will enjoy. With Adam on bass and vocals, Sergio on guitar, and Rey on drums the trio makes a big impact in sound!
JACK MAGS
UPTOWN MAYHEM
With a blend of 90’s punk, early rock and roll, grunge and their own twists and turns, Uptown Mayhem is the new band in Chicago to love.
SILVER IN THE BLOOD
MUTINY
LAKE EFFECT DELEGATES
Together, Brandon Hurn aka Seally (Mic), Matt Nelson (Strings), Dave Konieczny (Keys), Gabe Coria (Drums), Sir Arthur(Bass) all build a mean progressive sound that fuses their hometown roots encompassing Hip Hop, Jam, Funk & Rock n Roll!! These guys have been noted as Chicago’s up n coming crew that has stirred the scene with their explosive rhythms by defiantly breaking the barrier. Lake Effect Delegates, the name speaks for itself…
RAMA
Bringin’ that good music to everyone! Old school feel to my music, bringin’ Chicago back to a major hip hop force.
PUZZLE & POLO
TRAY 57
Tray 57 is a Local CHicago Artist from the Eastside side of the City. 1 of 3 in a Rap group named BTD. Ceo of head huntaz Ent., The young talented Rapper is versitile.
BELLADONNA DEVERO
Onesha “Belladonna Devero”, daughter of Pat and Larry Oglesby, was born in Chicago, Illinois, three years later moved to a surrounding suburb area. There she was exposed to many different ethnicities and cultures which helped her become well rounded and receptive to all sorts of music. From an early age she experienced hip-hop and rap within her home life seeing as her father, Larry, was an old school MC whom created a buzz within the inner city before her conception under the stage names “Big Dog” and “Maxx Chill”.
VAWTER
Brought together by the love of music and the desire to rock! Vawter was born in 2011 in the heart of South Bend, Indiana near the campus of Notre Dame and quickly started writing and performing some of the areas best original rock that has ever come from the region. With a show that consists of 90% original rock, these guys have gained the respect of many local bands and fans in the area for the quality of the songs. The lyrics are meaningful and the music is raw, quality rock. Sharing the same stage with bands like Static X, Davey Suicide, 9 Electric, Prong, Wayland, Illusions Fate to name a few, these guys have developed a powerful stage performance and deliver a high energy rock show.
MATTHEW SCHARPF’S STRANGERS AND SAINTS
As the founding member and lead guitarist of the former Chicago-based band Jamestown, Matthew Scharpf is no stranger to the Chicago music scene. He has been playing music in one form or another throughout the Midwest for over twenty years. At the core of it Matthew is a singer-songwriter whose lyrics are introspective, observant, and meaningful. With his band the Strangers and Saints he has once again established himself as one of Chicago’s must see acts. Their New Folk sound, reminiscent of The Beatles, Counting Crows, Del Amitri, and Paul Westerberg, is highlighted by Matthew’s poignant songwriting and their hard hitting rhythm section, while their energy and passion for music is evident in their live performances.
NOWAY JOSE
Not much is known about this comic. He travels the country making audiences of all colors and backgrounds laugh about what it’s like to be on the wrong side of the law since birth. Not much can be found online about NoWay Jose due to his risk of getting caught by the authorities. All that is known is that after he cracks a few jokes about his life and upbringing, he finishes his set with a 5 minute incredible impersonation of the late great Charlie Chaplin, then immediately leaves the venue. Come catch the only true illegal of comedy: NoWay Jose
FISTHAMMER
Fisthammer formed in the winter of 2008. After lots of shows, touring, a few demos and relentless songwriting, they recorded their debut album entitled “Devour All You See” at Atrium Audio with Carson Slovak. Devour All You See was released January 24th 2012 through Horror Pain Gore Death Productions. Fisthammer plans on extensive national touring, always stay updated for dates near you!
MASTER
There have been quite a few metal bands that have survived the test of time but do not have the appreciation they deserve and Master is definitely one. Formed originally in Chicago (they are now in Czech Republic), they have been making death metal since 1983 a few years before Possessed or Death and impressingly enough they are still going strong today. Master started out slow, but in recent years they have been averaging a new album every other year. “The New Elite” is their eleventh full length album and they show no signs of slowing down.
I would suggest this thrashy death metal band to any metal fan who enjoys their music extreme. Master has accomplished with three members what many bands have been unable to do with five members. Influenced by Slayer, Venom and Motorhead, they have a very heavy thrash sound. Vocalist Paul Speckmann greatly reminds me of Tom Warrior, the vocalist of Celtic Frost. Master has also greatly matured with age, unlike many death metal bands. In this respect, I would compare Master to Death. Just like Chuck Shuldiner and company greatly evolved from “Scream Bloody Gore”, so has Master from their debut release. Master’s lyrics definitely show the thrashy pissed off side with themes of politics, death and religion. A great example of this is from Smile As You’re Told, “Commanders are just put in place, the soldiers are easily blamed. The governments feed the machine as taxpayers simply complain.” www.metal-temple.com
AKOGU
DENNIS
I’m a singer-songwriter born and raised in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. I have been playing the guitar since the age of 5 and have kept at it ever since. As of the last couple years I have grown extremely fond of the blues and the emotion that is packed into every tune. As a current student at Columbia College Chicago, i am discovering the city and the impact this wonderful place has had on me and my music thus far has been tremendous. When playing acoustically I tend to write songs that pertain to life and the struggles that love and pain bring about. I love a good groove. Music be the way.
BENNIB
BenniB’s debut album, Journal of a Journey, was released on November 1st 2011. Within two months, his single, “I Won’t Crash,” debuted on Seattle’s #1 music station, Kube 93.3 FM, marking BenniB’s major radio debut. The album has been a great success and has kickstarted BenniB’s career. A few months after the release, he moved to Chicago to take advantage of new opportunities. He is currently finishing up his second project set for a Fall 2012 release. Stay tuned!
LUCIFERUM
Killer Black Death Metal Band from Round lake,IL
WELKIN DUSK
Plays a very raw and primitive form of black metal mixed with crustcore and this a review of their 2010 demo.Drums range from slow, mid paced to fast drumming with a good amount of blast beats being thrown into the music, while the bass playing has a very strong and powerful tone with riffs that dominate throughout the recording.
Rhythm guitars range from slow, mid paced to fast black metal riffs that are very raw and primitive sounding mixed in with a great amount of crustcore influences, while the lead guitars are very primitive sounding black metal guitar solos and leads with a slight melodic edge on the last song.Vocals are a mixture of high pitched black metal screams and crustcore style growls, while the lyrics cover hateful themes, as for the production it has a very raw and primitive sound to it. In my opinion Welkin Dusk are a very great sounding raw and primitive black metal band mixed with crustcore and if you are a fan of this style, you should check out this band.
GARROBOS
Garrobos is a Mexican Hardcore Punk / Metal band. In 1996 they recorded their first album entitled “Garrobos” which featured the single “Walls” that aired internationally on MTV’s “Headbanger’s Ball”. They signed a contract with the record label BMG in 1997 and entered the studio to record their second album “Shake the skull” the track of the same name placed them inside the top 10 rock bands in Spanish and were nominated by MTV as the best latino metal video latino.
In 2000 they participated in the tribute album for LUZBEL with the song. “Green Warrior” and released their third album “One more second,” this time the label was P & P-Sony Music. The single “Blood” put the band at number 12 of the 40 groups in Spanish rock. In 2002 they went on their third North American tour as headliner’s of the “Aztlan Fest” with over 17 dates throughout the United States and northern Mexico. In 2003 the fourth album “Skull Riders” was released
This disc offers elaborate passages that beautifully combine fast and powerful metallic hardcore that has always characterized Garrobos.
RESISTANT CULTURE
Resistant Culture is the development of extreme and tribal music that has weaved the indigenous flute, rattle, tribal drum, and chant into an organic and flowing tapestry with contemporary punk and metal.
Resistant Culture’s root structure extends deep from the tree of extreme music. In its original form going back to the late 1980s, the band was called Resistant Militia. It combined the arts of punk and metal to incite a new movement that fused dark heavy sounds with the politics of survival.
Over the years, Anthony (the founder) has belted out hauntingly audible growls while being backed by many fleeting members. The current line-up consists of the following musical visionaries.
For over a decade, Katina, a classically trained guitarist has brought a high degree of sophistication to the band. Thrashing hair, shredding leads, and incendiary tonedistinguish her as an axe-woman to rival the hordes of men.
Since the late 90s, Rafa, a veteran avante-guard punk innovator has brought diverse musical elements on bass.
In 2003, Ben Axiom, the anarcho-punk/metal influenced drummer was recruited. He thunders out an alternating barrage of machine-like blasts and traditional heart-driven punk beats.
As the current line-up congealed and proved to be the most powerful and dynamic yet assembled, the late Jesse Pintado R.I.P. (TERRORIZER/NAPALM DEATH) a long time friend and former band-mate of Anthony, began writing, recording, and playing with Resistant Culture. He contributed on and off for two years before his tragic abrupt death in August 2006.
The last contribution Jesse made to the world of music was the monumental long awaited Terrorizer follow-up release Darker Days Ahead. It was his recent involvement in Resistant Culture that laid the foundation for Anthony’s vocal performance on this historic album.
Resistant Culture tours the U.S. regularly to support the first pressing of ‘All One Struggle’ on clear vinyl, with a gatefold, and 24×36 full color poster and the third pressing of their ‘Welcome to Reality’ CD.
Both releases are available at Seventh Generation Records and were funded by a co-op of international labels spanning the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and several European countries.
Resistant Culture recently recorded a 2012 demo that was mixed by Dan Swano at Unisound Studios. They’re now label shopping for the upcoming album “Shamanic Healing”.
YOUNG RAPIDS
“…Young Rapids are, for the moment, true to their name. The genesis of the up-and-coming band reaches back three years…they’ve spent the time since then carving out a colorful and dynamic blend of art rock…a sound that’s preserved on DAY LIGHT SAVINGS, it’s often stunning debut.” – Brightest Young Things (Interview with BYT)
AUTO DEFIANCE
With a signature sound of dreamy, lush instrumentation combined with pensive lyrics, a unique blend of art-rock has emerged. Hailing from East Nashville, Tennessee, Auto Defiance is led by enigmatic songwriter Bradley Boyer. Joining to build this ornately complex wall of sound is a small collective of passionate musicians who share a love for playing heavy-yet-atmospheric songs, which take you on an adventure from high-energy anthems to melodramatic ballads.
BENKOWSKI
Benkowski Trivia. Topics include: Music, Movies, TV, Sports, Locations, Celebs and More!
THE BIG DITTIES
The Big Ditties are professional and stuff. Their mission statement is “Let’s not take ourselves too seriously.” This mission is achieved by the following goals:
1. hang out
2. drink
3. smoke
4. play some tunes
5. talk shit
THE WIDGETS
What started as two drunk college mates diddling on acoustic guitars, making up songs about friends and faculty has transformed into the current entity known as The Widgets. The Widgets are a new force that needs some reckoning. They are already responsible for a Holy union as well as the destruction of many hearts and ear drums. Dually based out of Chicago and St. Louis, The Widgets are ready to make the midwest’s stomach ache from laughter. And while they’re doubled over, tears streaming down their face from laughing too hard, that’s when we eat their soul.
WILHELM MCKAY
Wilhelm McKay – Indie Folk Rock which is insightful and infectious. The professional and full-time Asheville NC-based group combines the singer/songwriter talents of Chris Wilhelm and Liam McKay with the sonic beauty and skill of cellist Cristof Ensslin. Their sound emphasizes love of a good story delivered in song and employs folk, roots and indie influences. The music is infectious and insightful.
NANA ZABIC
Nana resides in Chicago and hails from Croatia, by way of Serbia, Hungary, and Czech Republic. She was first a poet and a writer, and she’s been writing songs since 1998. She has performed and recorded both solo and as a member of Patti’s Breakfast (Belgrade), Good Apples (Chicago), and The Adaptations (Chicago), oscillating between indie folk and loud rock. Although she’s been living in the United States since 2002, her style bears an imprint of her Balkan roots. In the Balkans, contemporary music blends American jazz and rock and Western European cabaret influences with the traditional melodies and rhythms of the Mediterranean, that in-between region that’s equally European, African, and Asian. Nana is a singer-songwriter who sublimates diverse musical influences, and churns out tunes that sound both familiar and unique, performed in an understated, quietly powerful way.
CRUDE HUMOR
Crude Humor started in 2008 in Chicago, Illinois. In mid-‘08, Omar Ortiz and Nik Vasilic began talking about starting a band with Omar on lead guitar and Nik on bass. Nik and Omar wrote some stuff that summer, but it wasn’t until that fall that they actually practiced. That fall, Bradley Modjeski joined as the drummer and the three of them started writing. Omar recruited Griffin Koziol to sing that winter,but after having him sing some of Omar’s lyrics, the band decided he wasn’t what they were looking for and instead put him on rhythm guitar and Omar on lead vocals and guitar. For the next few months, they practiced constantly and wrote over 30 new songs. In May of ‘09, Bradley began talking to Xavier Gurrola, an old classmate who had been playing guitar since like 2003. Bradley saw a potential lead guitarist in Xavier and began inviting him to practices and jam sessions. After listening to Xavier play, the band agreed that he would make a better lead guitarist than Omar and he was hired, putting Omar on rhythm guitar. At a recording session, they realized three guitarists were too hard to control and decided to let Griffin go, so in early 2010, Griffin left. With the band writing faster and slightly more complicated stuff, Nik and Bradley switched instruments in the spring of 2010 due to the facts that Nik could play faster and actually owned a drum set and that Bradley could actually play bass.
With the lineup finally stable, they got to writing more stuff and played some shows in late 2010 and early 2011. By the time late 2011/early 2012 came, the band started playing more frequently. However, Xavier quit the band in early 2012, leaving the band with another open position. The band hired Nathan Haynes to replace Xavier on guitar.
We’re influenced by Nirvana, the Ramones, Minor Threat, Dinosaur Jr., the Sex Pistols, the Dead Kennedys, NOFX, the Minutemen, Sonic Youth, the Cure, Local H, RATM, the Clash, the Misfits, boredom, stupidity, space, confusion, fancy hats, itchiness, Dennis Hehn, constant yelling, science, Baby Geniuses 2, and thinking.
THE BLACKBERRY BUSHES STRING BAND
The Blackberry Bushes are a Northwest alt-folk stringband fronted by Jes Raymond and Kendl Winter. The Bushes’ innovative acoustic pop draws from the deep roots of American traditional music to create a rich patchwork that shares threads with bands like the Avett Brothers, Dixie Chicks, The Be Good Tanyas, and Nickel Creek.Jes and Kendl are supported by carefully constructed soundscapes that feature the virtuosic fiddle of Jakob Breitbach and Michael Connolly on the upright bass.
ZOOBOMBS
Zoobombs are a Japanese rock band from Tokyo, formed in full moon night of 1994. Changed some members in through eras, the band consists of three original members DON Matsuo (vocals, guitar, producer, direction), Matta(keyboards, guitar, vocals, design), Moostop (bass, driving) with new face Pitt (drums) since 2009.
MARLS IN CHARGE
After marinating in Cedar Falls for a few years, Marls In Charge is the latest arrival on the Des Moines music scene. The band’s chemistry is tangible, their songs born from years of playing together in dirty basements littered with empty Budweiser cans and cigarette butts. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what genre they play into, but could be described as a mutant hybrid of acid rock, jazz, blues, grunge, and funk.
RICE THE SOUND TRANSMITTER
Record Masseuse .
FREDDIE GIBBS
Hailing from the eastside of Gary, Indiana. Become a fan now, or become one later
MC ZULU
Having achieved worldwide acclaim for his off-brand variety of Electro-driven Reggae, MC Zulu continues to push the sonic envelope.
He deliberately chooses rhythms with a worldly, yet uncategorizable feel to them as the backdrop for his rapid fire, randomized cadence.
SPINAL TAP “THIS IS SPINAL TAP”
This Is Spinal Tap (or simply Spinal Tap) was the soundtrack to the film This Is Spinal Tap, released in 1984.
Androgynous Mustache will be performing the album.
THE MOMS
From the underground dark dingy basements of New Jersey comes asshole hoodlum punks The Moms, composed of vocalist/guitarist Joey Nester, bassist Jon Stolpe and drummer Donny Saraceno. Their first EP is a crystallization of the bands frenetic energy and diverse influences into a sophisticated sound that can’t easily be categorized but can easily be enjoyed.
SMACKSOFT
Bo Ryung Whang: Bo is an accomplished artist from Brooklyn, NY, and a veteran singer/songwriter. Bo’s first solo studio album “Cat with three Ears” (1998) and the second solo studio album “The Sun Sign” (2001) are iconic emblems of the South Korea’s first wave of indie music. After a seven-year hiatus, Bo returned to Korea and formed the band SmackSoft. The group released “SmackSoft 2.5″ (2008), awarded the 2008 Album of the Year in Korea. Guided by the personal of vision of its band leader, the following year SmackSoft released their third studio album “Shines in the Dark”(2009) nominated the best album of the year. In 2010, the release of their fourth studio album “Mana Wind” further explored the “creation of layered canvases of sound” and “moved beyond technical experimentation to focus on the spiritual depth” of SmackSoft’s original music. “Mana Wind” has won high praise from the critics in Korea and abroad. SmackSoft is based in Seoul, South Korea, and the group will be touring the UK and United States this 2012/2013.
HALF COYOTE
One of the real advantages to the Chicago music scene is that you never know what you’ll get, and there’s always something new and interesting right around the corner. Enter Half Coyote.
We can’t tell you too much about this Illinois-based band, mostly because their email address doesn’t seem to work, and they are not in a hurry to write about themselves anywhere. So, we’ll just share what we do know.
Half Coyote is not something you hear very often (those who have heard Devil in a Woodpile have a head start). Toy piano, banjo, ukelele…dogs–you’ll find it all here. But don’t think that it’s cartoonish hijinks. Rather, Half Coyote sounds about perfect for a back room, beer- and whiskey-soaked sway, maybe ending with a new friend or a black eye–either seems appropriate. (Hopefully, these guys are on The Hideout’s radar. If not, we’ll try to make that happen.)
We’ve heard a lot of half-baked folk music invade the scene over the last few years. This is not it. Half Coyote is all in. And the more we listen, so are we.
CRUSHED OUT
Crushed Out is an explosive hit of surf-garage momentum and rock & roll from Brooklyn, NY consisting of Frank Hoier on guitar and vocals and Moselle Spiller on drums. After four national tours and a well-received EP, 2010’s Show Pony, the couple, formerly known as Boom Chick, are set to release their debut full-length, Want To Give, on Nov.6, 2012 on their own Cool Clear Water imprint. Want to Give is a pure guitar/drum adrenalin rush – plenty of fuzz, tremolo, riffs, chunky chords, slide and Black Sabbath power chords. The songs are tight and lean; no fat, no studio fairy dust. Recorded both at Brooklyn’s Bunker Studio as well as at Crushed Out’s own analog studio in a rural New Hampshire barn, the tracks were all self-produced and mixed by John Davis.
THEY STAY DEAD
Past and present members of: Minutes Too Far, Wretch Like Me, Euclid Crash & Screeching Weasel.
VATICAN JUNKIES
Kinda sounds like your mom getting plowed by all three of us at the same time. Nasty I know… Like this one porno I saw called ” Fat Mama Jama”. These three dudes are on this fat chick…wait..never mind thats gross.
ZAPRUDER POINT
“The songwriting brings to mind the majesty of Leonard Cohen, but sweeter, in a cardigan-wearing, indie-rocker way. Much too good to remain overlooked and underheralded.”- Jim DeRogatis, Chicago Sun-Times
THE WORLD RECORD
The band formed in 2003 after songwriter Andy Creighton (Apex Manor, Papercuts, Foreign Born) began passing a solo album around to friends. Soon Creighton was playing out as The World Record backed by a transient lineup that included members of The Broken West, Wildcat Wildcat, The Parson Red Heads, Dashboard Confessional, and even Toad the Wet Sprocket.
In 2006 they released Guitars Forever on Tallboy Records. Though initially somewhat overlooked, by the end of 2007 the album was appearing on best-of lists and making a surprise CMJ chart entry at #107. Aquarium Drunkard wrote: “Sure, name checking a band as the West Coast heir apparent to Big Star is a bold statement, brave in fact, but that’s exactly how I’ve been hailing The World Record of late.” During this time the song “We’re #1” made appearances in several TV shows including Gossip Girl and How I Met Your Mother (and more recently Zooey Deschanel’s New Girl). But despite praise from L.A. Times, LAist, You Ain’t No Picasso and others, The World Record remained one of L.A.’s best-kept secrets, rarely venturing outside of Southern California. Freeway Special is about to deliver the band to a much wider national audience.
The band now consists of Andy Creighton (Guitars/Vox), Aaron Ballard (Bass), Brian James (guitarist) and drummer Jacob Summers (LauraLaura, The Rhone Occupation). With Influences ranging from bands like the The Records, The dB’s, Blue Öyster Cult, and Big Star, The World Record have crafted their own take on rock and roll, relying heavily on song craft and production. Freeway Special is a collection of songs which speaks to a time when it was important to make a lasting impression, because it might be a few years before another record was available.
Freeway Special will be released on October 9th and available for purchase through iTunes, Amazon, eMusic, and independent record stores everywhere. The band has posted 7 preview tracks online, and is currently setting up a 30-date U.S. tour. A follow-up EP is also in the plans for January 2013.
SHOCK T’S
The best part of a rock show meets the best part of a comedy show: The Shock T’s are a three-person comedy band bursting with high-energy songs. With strong vocals and clever lyrics, audiences are always drawn in by the power of three voices and one guitar.
GODDAMN ZOMBIE
Zombie Metal from New Jersey… The Mayans might be right.
ASHBURY
Ashbury is Tucson’s #1 selling Rock Band worldwide. Veterans of the AAA club circuit, performing throughout the southwest. In January, 1983, we recorded our signature album “Endless Skies”, which became an American and European cult favorite, and now the original LP is a highly sought after collector’s item–fetching upwards of $300.00 on ebay. “Endless Skies” was just named one of the top 10 epic Metal albums of all time by Hard Rock Magazine, and Arizona album of the year for 1983 & 1984 by KSTM-FM in Phoenix. Ashbury is lead by it’s founding members–Randy and Rob Davis. On the Rockadrome label, they are the labels #1 seller in both Hard Rock and Heavy Metal categories, outselling legendary bands such as Winterhawk, Slauter Xtroyes, Manilla Road, Legend and Anvil Chorus (just to name a few). In a 2010 Rockadrome poll, Randy won “Favorite Guitarist” by a 2 to 1 margin over Billy Lee Janey, Jordan Macarus and all other of the label’s superb guitarists. Their latest album, “Something Funny Going On” was released in 2004, with a new edition re-released in 2010. .
ELDRITCH
A unique mixture of progressive metal with thrashy riffs, and A.O.R. melodies…….. Something between Fates Warning, Faith No More, Queensryche, Annihilator, H.I.M. but in a personal way!!! Just Eldritch!