STUPID GIRL
Stupid Girl is Chicago’s tribute to music of Garbage.
CARDIEL
CARDIEL is a two-piece rock band originally formed in Mexico City in 2010 by drummer Samantha Ambrosio and guitarist/vocalist Miguel Fraino, both from Valencia, Venezuela. Their style contains elements of skate rock, fuzz punk and psychedelic dub.
SHUBZILLA & BILL BEATS
Shubzilla and Bill Beats are a rapper/DJ duo based in the Pacific Northwest. They began working together in 2011. After releasing the single “Wonderful World” for “Bill Beats For President Vol.1,” the pair have gone on to release EPs “Late Checkout,” “BOOMERS,” “BOOMERS Vol. 2,” “The Belmont Tapes,” and more. Shubzilla and Bill Beats have performed at Super BitFest, SXSW, San Japan’s Jamspace, MAGfest, Nerdcore Dayz, The Never Give Up Never Surrender Tour, and many others. They have toured with acts such as mc chris, Kadesh Flow, Mark Cooper, and Prowess The Testament.
They are also the hosts of Seattle’s Friday Night Get Down, a monthly community hip-hop show. Occasionally, Shubzilla and Bill Beats stream gaming and music making on Twitch. They have livestreamed sets for shows such as Bonus Stage Vancouver, Virtua Ongaku, and The Four-Eyed Horsemen.
With Shubzilla’s frank and aggressive lyrics and Bill Beats’ penchant for samples and
bass-heavy compositions, they do not disappoint.
MC SNAX
MC Snax has made it his mission to spread some much needed joy and freshness in an often negative and stale world. In his ever-building career, he has self-released several albums and EPs, all the while building a dedicated support base. Whether he’s writing about saving the world from an alien invasion with former WWE Champion and Olympic gold medalist Kurt Angle, or rapping at length about his favorite discontinued snacks, the MC Snax discography is a vast resource of absurdly positive and oftentimes positively absurd music. Snax also co-hosts a Juggalo-themed podcast named Hatchet Chat with MC Lars. With his strong D.I.Y. ethic, MC Snax produces, records, mixes and masters all of his own music. Formulating a combination of synth-pop, chip-tune and hip hop, MC Snax plans on taking his unique style of music as far as it can go!
MC LARS
For over twenty years, MC Lars has built a fanbase across the US, the UK and the rest of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. In addition to touring, he has performed at Carnegie Hall, South by Southwest, San Diego Comic-Con, Slam Dunk, Truck Festival and as part of the ANS Warped Tour. He has performed on stage with numerous artists, including Bowling for Soup, MC Frontalot, Wheatus, Say Anything, Gym Class Heroes, Simple Plan, T-Pain, SnoopDogg, Nas, and Koo Koo Kanga Roo. His work includes collabs with a wide range of musicians – among them, “Weird Al” Yankovic, KRS-One, Sage Francis, Watsky, Mega Ran, Jaret Reddickof Bowling for Soup, Wheatus, the Matches, Kool Keith, Spose, MC Frontalot, YT Cracker, Schäffer the Dark Lord, Beefy and K.Flay. He has been featured on CNN, NPR, and MTV and
has been profiled in Rolling Stone, SPIN, and Alternative Press.
Lars has presented on the similarities between Shakespeare and hip-hop at two TEDx conferences and at numerous colleges and high schools. He has worked on a public-service basis with the American Heart Association, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Nantucket Historical Association, the New York City public school system, and the Los Angeles public school system (through the USC Annenberg School for Communication). His work has been featured in the Cambridge University Press Companion to Hip
NIMSTARR
Nimstarr is an american rapper famous for his songs nikes and others. He started blowing up when promoting his music on app “TikTok”
WIDEMOUTH
Mak and Jamie have been making music since the summer of 2023. Jamie responded to a flier that Mak put up in a Northwestern building which said something like “Looking for Bandmates that like Big Thief,” and Jamie likes Big Thief. The rest, needless to say, is history. They started writing together and performing around Chicago; their voices and brains seem to just fit. Lily (drums) joined in December—she responded to the same flier that netted Jamie. Levi (bass) responded to a different flier, but a flier nonetheless. They are having a lot of fun, playing their songs for people, and are excited to keep doing it.
EMBALMER
Morbid Death Metal from Cleveland, OH. Formed in 1990.
GORGASM
Chicago’s Gorgasm arose from the remnants of another local band, Crematorium when guitarists Tom Leski and Tom Tangalos joined forces with bassist Russ Powell and drummer Derek Hoffman in 1994. A six-song demo showcasing their single-minded brutality and amazing speed emerged two years later, and a full album, sensitively named Stabwound Intercourse, followed in 1998. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, Rovi
MASTER BOOT RECORD
MASTER BOOT RECORD (aka MBR) is a project founded in 2016 by producer Victor Love (Vittorio D’amore) mixing together heavy metal and synthesized electronic music.
MBR released 14 albums so far with multiple record labels and has been one of the most successful musicians on US digital distribution platform Bandcamp charting #1 in general charts several times. Because of that Bandcamp often featured the albums and made interviews directly with the artist.
Starting in 2016 releasing albums under the indie label Data Airlines has moved in 2018 to synthwave iconic label Blood Music to expand its audience to the electronic community. In 2019 MASTER BOOT RECORD settled with Metal Blade Records, the historic metal label based in Los Angeles to release the latest two albums “Floppy Disk Overdrive (2020)” and “Personal Computer(2022)” helping the project to gain increased popularity worldwide. MBR has also produced the video game “VirtuaVerse” as well as its original soundtrack. VirtuaVerse was released in 2020 on all gaming platforms as well as Nintendo Switch, Xbox and Playstation.
The project as a live band increased their live activity in 2022 including live performing artists such as the guitar virtuoso and Ibanez endorser Edoardo Taddei at lead guitars and technical death metal drummer Giulio Galati.
The rapid growth of the project sparked an intense live activity that culminated in 2023 with over 42 shows including 2 full tours in Europe and UK as well as participation in renowned European festivals such as Resurrection Fest (Spain), Euroblast (Germany), Complexity fest (Netherlands), Resistanz Festival (UK), SWR Fest (Portugal), Frantic Fest (Italy)
The band is currently scheduled to perform at major european festival Brutal Assault (Czech Rep.) in summer 2024 and has recently joined major booking agencies Doomstar booking in Europe and Heavy Talent in North America to increase their live activity in the future.
The new album HARDWAREZ will be released by Metal Blade Records on 11 October 2024 and will be followed by a tour in North America, Europe and the UK between 25 September and 19 november with over 35 shows. The tour dates and tickets are available on the official website https://mbrserver.com
POGO MONGO
We don’t have a style we just enjoy music and inhibit a human form.
PATIR FILIUS
Soulful Father & Son Chicagoland folklore roots acoustic duo. Debut LP out on Cavetone Records.
VELVET UNDERGROUND “LIVE AT MAX’S KANSAS CITY”
Live at Max’s Kansas City is a live album by the Velvet Underground recorded at the famous nightclub and restaurant at 213 Park Avenue South in New York City. It was originally released on May 30, 1972, by Cotillion, a subsidiary label of Atlantic Records.
DESOLUS
Ripping Thrash Metal from the D.C. Area.
AMIR TRIPP
Hailing from the West Side of Chicago, Amir Tripp is a artist/producer. He first discovered a passion for music in high school where he started making beats. He does most of his own production alongside notable Chicago producers like Zay Rock and his god brother Kenny Black. In 2018 he released his debut project entitled “Pyro” which featured the likes of Chicagos very own Saba and King Louie. Amir has already been highly touted by many respected publications including DJ Booth, Jeff Weiss’ Passion of the Weiss, and Chicago’s Lyrical Lemonade as an emerging artist. His recent singles “Master P” and “New Growth” has already garnished the attention of some of the biggest hip hop pioneers.
LOST IN EXILE
Melodic Death Metal from the suburbs of Chicago.
FRACTAL AURA
IAMDBB
Anglo-Mancunian musician IAMDDB is the original architect of Urban Jazz – amulti-dimensional musician, actress, and creative polymath inspired by the rhythmic incantations of jazz, the pulsating beats of hip-hop & trap, and the soul-stirring vibrations of R&B.The release of DDB’s debut single ‘Leaned Out’ in 2016 marked a hazy-harmonized introduction to her versatile and ever-growing music repertoire. From collaborations with Masego & Diplo to touring with legends Lauryn Hill, Bryson Tiller & Jhene Aiko, the northern songstress made herself known for an undeniable stage presence, showcasing her varied sounds and moods from heartbreak hitters to soul-wrenching jazzy chillers.
Getting signed at the age of 21, going viral with the smash-hit video & single ‘Shade’ in 2017, and performing a legendary Colors show with‘Pause’ (taken from Vibe: Vol2), DDB boasts over 123 million YouTube views, taking her fans through a constantly growing visual journey soundtracked by her soul. Forever rediscovering her essence, Diana De Brito has independently released 5EPs and a string of successful singles, delving into a spectrum of global influences, including reggae, jazz, neo-soul, trap, soulful house, and beyond .Ever-evolving and sound-surfing, IAMDDB hypnotizes you into her universe; whichever sound or mood, DDB is riding the wave.
10ZEN
10ZEN is an American singer-songwriter and a good friend of Odetari. Last Life / Cant Go (2023) Time To Flood* (2024) DOUBLE HOMICIDE* (2024)
NINE POUND HAMMER
COSMIC PSYCHOS
Cosmic Psychos are an Australian punk rock band which formed in 1982 as Spring Plains. Founding members included Ross Knight on bass guitar and vocals; Robbie Addington on guitar and vocals; and Steve Morrow on vocals. Australian rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, described their music as “arty kind of punk noise, somewhere between The Birthday Party and a more narcotic sounding Ramones”.
JOE KILGALLON
Born and raised in Chicago, Joe Kilgallon has been performing stand-up comedy since 2006. With a background in improv and sketch writing, Joe fuses well-polished material with riffing and crowd work to construct a perfectly well-rounded act.
His in-your-face style and charismatic charm help Joe paint stories drawn heavily from personal experience and his Chicago-Irish roots, making him an instant favorite and the type of comedian everyone wants to share a drink with after the show.
CHELSEA HOOD
Chelsea Hood is a stand up comedian living in Chicago, IL by way of the comedy scenes in both Dallas, TX and Brooklyn, NY. You may have seen her on WGN, The CW Network’s Eye Opener, or CW33’s Nightcap. She was also featured on Stand Up Records’ “Texas Mess” album recorded at SXSW. If you’d like to see her perform live, her shows are listed on this here website.
She stumbled into the performing arts at an extremely young age singing in children’s choirs, and working in high school productions. She went on to get her BA in Acting from Illinois State University with a concentration in vocal performance. She’s studied improv at both Second City in Chicago and Four Day Weekend in Fort Worth, Texas.
Chelsea’s style of humor is observational, feminist, and pleasantly self-deprecating. Some of the comics she has been delighted to open for include; Marc Maron, Jay Mohr, Donnell Rawlings, Maria Bamford, Ralphie May, Richard Lewis, Pauly Shore, JB Smoove, Paul Rodriguez, Tom Green, Michael Winslow, Bobby Lee, and many more.
She was most frequently featured performer at Limestone Comedy Festival, one of eight chose as the Best of the Midwest at Gilda’s LaughFest and a Comic to Watch at RIOT LA. Some of the clubs and venues she’s had the privilege of performing at include The Comedy Store, Caroline’s on Broadway, The House of Blues, The Improv, Zanie’s, Thalia Hall Chicago, Upright Citizen’s Brigade NY, the Lincoln Lodge (Chicago), a long list of prestigious bar basements across this country. Once on the bed of a tractor trailer, in a field in Texas, in the middle of an ATV park.
HEATHENSUN
Hailing from The United States of America, HEATHENSUN is an up and comingNumetal band with a penchant for writing banging tunes and dynamic narratives. Comprised on 3 immensely talented individuals. Johnny Anthrax Vocals, Drunkndonuts Strings, and Lo-Key Percussion. HEATHENSUN is already climbing the charts with their single BEACH ranked #7 on the Apple iTunes top 100 Metal USA Charts
KING 810
NIRVANA “NEVERMIND”
Nevermind is the second studio album by the American rock band Nirvana, released on September 24, 1991, by DGC Records. It was Nirvana’s first release on a major label and the first to feature drummer Dave Grohl. Produced by Butch Vig, Nevermind features a more polished, radio-friendly sound than the band’s prior work. It was recorded at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California, and Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin, in May and June 1991, and mastered that August at the Mastering Lab in Hollywood, California.
ASTRO
non-binary // just being me 👽 🛸
it’s the take off 🚀
THAT KID HAYWYRE
•Dancer/Choreographer | Creative
8MATIKLOGAN
expressionist | socially off beat (anti)
DJ MO MAMI
Creator of @feverdreamworldwide
CA$H ERA
CEMETERY FILTH
DEATH METAL UPHEAVAL.
Atlanta, GA.
Est. 2014
M.K. : Lead Guitars & Vocals
R.G. : Lead Guitars
T.P. : Drums
E.A. : Bass
DRAWING CLASS
We are a 4-piece based in the north side of Chicago Illinois!
If you like fast paced rock and roll music with crispy hooks, then stick around ya big silly!
RISE OF LEO
Chicago based self proclaimed non-binary rock princess. Taking influence from pop-punk, grunge, and alternative styles of music that were popular during the 90’s and early 2000’s, Rise of Leo looks to create music where people of all backgrounds can feel united and heard. Dealing with the struggles of acceptance and past struggles of gender identity, Rise of Leo has always sought to express that in their songwriting and music playing to give a positive environment for their listeners, just as their music influences had done for them.
Rise of Leo started in the local Chicago scene with former band The Last We Heard. After such time Rise of Leo left the scene to reinvent themselves in a way that would fit their vision and artistic values. They set out to establish themselves with this new mission during the summer of 2023, starting with their debut single, “Nobody Wants You”, to try and be the most unapologetic and energetic artist they can be.
You will witness the Rise of Leo!
BUM RUSH
Bum Rush is a loud, energetic and irreverent punk trio based around Chicago, Illinois. They sound like all of your favorite bands rolled into one, but with more kick. There’s never a dull moment when Bum Rush steps up to the plate. They play shows often and sometimes release music, which you can check out anywhere you listen to music.
GOETIA
Invoked from the crypts of Washington DC, Goetia have arisen to wreak havoc on all who dare to lay ears upon them. Theirs is a relentless assault of pummeling drums, razor sharp riffs, and otherworldly vocals that spew a never ending barrage of curses from beyond on those unfortunate enough to get caught in their wake.
ASCENDED DEAD
ASCENDED DEAD is a Death Metal band from San Diego, California.
The group was founded in the summer of 2011 by J. REIDER, I. LAWRENCE, AND C. KORYN.
Each of the band’s releases explores a different realm, but maintains the energy band sought to create since it’s inception.
Dark, chaotic, demonic, bestial Death Metal, without limitations.
ASCENDED DEAD is C. KORYN (drums), I. LAWRENCE (guitar), J. REIDER (guitar/vocals), K. SCHREUTELKAMP (bass).
LIVID
Hardcore Powerviolence from Kenosha, WI
HELL IS REAL
Humanity is the Devil. Chicago Black/death/hardcore.
SISSY SPACEK
Sissy Spacek is an American noise band founded in 1999 in Los Angeles, California, United States, and currently consisting of official members John Wiese and Charlie Mumma, along with several collaborators both past and present. Since the release of their self-titled debut album in 2001, they have released a considerable catalogue encompassing genres which include harsh noise, noisecore, grindcore, free improvisation and musique concrete.
Klüde
INTONER
Chicago, IL Have you been Intoned?
KEVIN KING REGIME
Kevin King is a Woodwindist and Composer from the south side of Chicago, Illinois. King honed his skills on the Chicago music scene under the tutelage of Chicago Legends Willie Pickens, Bobby Broom, Orbert Davis, Ari Brown, and Diane Ellis. King is an improviser on all of his instruments including, Oboe, Bassoon, Flute, Clarinet, and Saxophone. Kevin King is most known for his Saxophone, Flute, and Oboe playing. King has played all over the country with countless artists including Arturo Sandoval, Lauryn Hill, The Fugees, Wyclef Jean, The Temptations, Marcus Strickland, Marquis Hill, Joel Ross, Arturo Sandoval, Willie Pickens, Art Ensemble of Chicago, Buddy Guy, Reginald Chapman, Adam Neely, Larry Gray, Corey Wilkes, Renee Baker, Steve Gorn, Junius Paul, Bobby Broom, etc. The Kevin King Regime is a culmination of King’s vision of creating a “Heavy Metal Instrumental Band with improvisation” or “Heavy Metal saxophone”. King always uses the description “if Pharoah Sanders was the frontman to Black Sabbath instead of Ozzy Osbourne”. “ The Kevin King Regime is influenced by every sound known and unknown to man creating a sound unlike anything heard before. The original compositions I write are in many ways a symbol of the values I live by. An urgency to improve the world we live in with the art of sound creation, experimentation, and exploration. The music is a reflection of the world itself.”
King’s Debut Album Call To Action will release in the fall of 2024.
AIGHT BET
Vox-Maurice
Vox- Alex Uridel
Guitar- Alex
Guitar- Mike Robs
Bass- Donny
Drums- Les
Southside Chicago
Hoodcore
Hardcore and Hip Hop elements.
Uncle Sexy, Matthew Paige & Justin Bell
Uncle Sexy, Matthew Paige (DeeOhGee) & Justin Bell (acoustic set)
COLD WORLD
Guitarist and artist in Chicago. Shred guitar at the service of artistic songwriting
OBSCURIDAD ETERNA (Spanish Lyrics)
HEAVY METAL BAND BASED IN CHICAGO IL. Spanish Lyrics.
WRATHEON
Wratheon is a Black Melodeth Metal Band.
KEYA TRAMMELL
A dynamic force and Chicago Music Award Winner for “Best Female Vocalist,” seamlessly integrates her roles as a Professional Singer, Makeup Artist, Actress, and Alopecia Advocate. Since officially launching her career in 2016, she gained widespread recognition when a cover song went viral, amassing 1.3 million views in a week. Keya’s journey includes opening for Grammy Award-Winning artists like Chrisette Michele, contributing background vocals for Lupe Fiasco, and starring in notable theater productions, including “Lady Sings The Blues” and “Reasons: A Tribute to Earth, Wind & Fire.”
In the realm of advocacy, Keya is dedicated to spreading Alopecia Awareness, evident in her involvement with NAAF (National Alopecia Areata Foundation) and BaldieCon. Recently featured in Vogue Magazine for her impactful contributions to the hair loss community, Keya’s overarching mission is to instill confidence through her multifaceted artistry and genuine connection with every audience member in the grand stage of her life.
CHRISTIAN ROYCE
Christian Royce was born in Ypsilanti, MI on 4/20 in 1992 the son of a factory supervisor and a school paraprofessional. A true child of the suburbs, Christian got his start at comedy at a vegan pizza shop in Ann Arbor, MI and he’s been crushing sets ever since. He moved to Chicago in 2019 where he’s a regular at the Chicago Laugh Factory, Zanies & Comedy Bar. As a comedian, he makes light of a wide range of topics including politics, social trends, and current events. Ultimately his goals are to make you laugh, sometimes cry, and even question your own belief system. At times controversial, but always thought provoking.
PILLAR OF LIGHT
“We all leave, or are left behind.”
SCUMROT
Slam Death Metal band from Northwest Indiana
SARAH MCLACHLAN “FUMBLING TOWARDS ECSTASY”
Fumbling Towards Ecstasy is the third studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan, released on 22 October 1993 in Canada, 15 February 1994 in the United States, 24 May 1994 in Japan, and 14 August 1994 in Australia. It was produced by Pierre Marchand in Montreal; McLachlan wrote most of the album while living in a small house near Marchand’s studio.
The album was an immediate hit in Canada, where McLachlan was already an established star. It was slower to become her breakthrough album internationally, however; in some countries, most notably the US, it stayed in the middle ranges of the pop charts for almost two years. As of November 2003, the album had sold 2.8 million copies in the US.
JEV.
Jephté Kweto (professionally known as jev.) is a Congolese-Canadian refugee who considers himself a loner. The loner theme aims to highlight the positive aspects of being someone who paves their own path. Having lived in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Africa, and Canada, jev lacks a specific home city to pay homage to, thus he gravitates towards a more worldly and individualized sense of home. As a citizen of the world, jev aims to bring people together from all walks of life through his “it’s okay to be different” overarching message and his experimental music, which incorporates various styles and genres (particularly alternative hip-hop, classic hip-hop, and R&B). Inspired by legends like Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, Andre 3000, Nas, YMCMB, and Jay Z, jev is vying for his own spot upon the Mount Rushmore of the genre.
He released his first EP “The Color Grey.” in December 2022, and his lead single from the project reached #1 on the Spotify US Viral 50 chart less than a month later. This inspired jev to quit his day job, hire major music firms for his management and legal representation, and continue releasing consistently towards another and even stronger body of work. “The Color Grey.” garnered attention from prominent media outlets such as Lyrical Lemonade, Pigeons & Planes (Best New Artists of 2023), and Sheesh Media. He also landed on the cover-photo for two major editorial playlists: Northern Bars and Alternative Hip-Hop between April and June 2023, and appeared on Mellow Bars, Most Necessary, Fresh Finds: Hip Hop, and many more since gaining traction on TikTok and Reels. Jev has amassed over 15 million streams on Spotify alone, as well as 4.5 million aggregate views with 2 million aggregate likes across his TikTok and Instagram reels content. Jev also teamed up with local Toronto Film School students to shoot his music videos free-of-charge, which has led to him growing his YouTube following from the ground up to almost 10k subscribers. The emerging rapper’s plans for the second half of 2023 include a six-song EP, a Pigeons & Planes NYC showcase as his debut show, and his debut album, when angels cry. He is also being featured by Spotify as a Radar Canada artist for the entirety of Q3, landing him a major city-centre billboard in Dundas Square beginning July 14th.
THE KILOGRAMS
The Kilograms are a new project formed by Joe Gittleman(The Mighty Mighty Bosstones , Avoid One Thing), Sammy Kay , Michael Mcdermott (formerly of The Bouncing Souls , Joan Jett & the Blackhearts ) and J Duckworth (Newport Secret Six ). After meeting at a festival and keeping in touch, trading song ideas and mixes, Gittleman and Kay decided to collaborate on a new studio project, tracking their first song to benefit a friend who lost their home in the hawaii fires. The ease and excitement of the collaboration brought in Mcdermott to play drums, and Duckworth into the fold on guitar, as well as producing and mixing the first batch of songs.
Their debut self titled EP is 5 tunes dripping in the old and new. With three generations of musicians creating together, the Kilograms are pulling a sound that pays respect to where they all laid their roots, while establishing a tone that is truly their own.
LUGE
Luge is an art-punk band in Toronto, Canada.
LORDS OF ALTAMONT
The Lords of Altamont bring forth raw rock and roll fury birthed from the ultimate end to the era of peace and love. What was billed to be the “Woodstock of the West “, the infamous Altamont Free concert on December 6th, 1969 was highlighted instead by heavy drugs , motorcycle chains and brass knuckles and later punctuated with shoving matches and fist fights. This palpable sense of bawdy foreboding resulted in four births, four deaths and extensive property damage.
While the hippies had been grooving and mellowing out in the Bay Area, the forefathers of the Lords of Altamont were playing high energy rhythms in the beer soaked venues of Detroit and the dingy clubs along LA’s Sunset Strip. Mid-60s London RnB shares equal space with the scruffy 70s NYC Bowery among the influences of The Lords also. They take their other cues from kids banging out primitive riffs on cheap guitars all across the USA in garages alongside chopped bikes and American v-8 muscle, lingering exhaust fumes mixing with sweat to conjure the rare elixir of real rock n roll.
The story of the band who would come to be known as The Lords of Altamont gets a proper start in late 1999. A son of Southern California and a veteran of the SoCal music scene, Jake Cavaliere – with numerous bands and projects from garage to punk dating back to the late 80s under his belt – enlisted fellow motorcycle rider and bandmate of the instro/surf sensation The Bomboras, Johnny Devilla, to form something new. Max Eidson, Doran Shelley, and Gabriel Hammond rounded out the original lineup known as “The First Five”. Besides holding their first show at the legendary venue The Garage in Hollywood, high points include touring as the support act for their primitive rock n roll idols The Cramps, infamous rock gods The Who as well as counting the late Michael Davis of the MC5 as a past member.
Through personnel changes and various adventures over the past 20+ years, The Lords of Altamont continue to release albums and Jake “The Preacher” Cavaliere , along with his assemblage of gritty and talented personalities, continues to captivate audiences with unparalleled hard driven performances the world over.
BY THE THOUSANDS
By The Thousands is a progressive metal band hailing from the Twin Cities. Their music is a fusion of complex rhythms, technical guitar and bass work, and deep, powerful vocals. It is the perfect blend of the aggressive, hard-hitting technical metal that the Midwest is known for, and melodic riffs and solos with newly incorporated clean vocals.
By The Thousands released their self-titled debut EP in 2014, and followed it up with their 2015 full-length album, “Connect.” They released their highly anticipated second full-length album, “Visions of Inner Depth,” on May 11th, 2018.
By The Thousands has made a name for themselves by touring relentlessly and bringing their fans an intense, high-energy live performance that leaves them begging for more. They have developed a reputation as a must-see “live band” that will crush even the highest of expectations. In today’s day and age, many bands struggle to produce a live sound that matches the quality of their recordings. With By The Thousands, that is not the case. Their crisp album sound is flawlessly replicated and is complemented by a passionately driven, fierce performance. By The Thousands is constantly reminding the metal community that nothing will stop them from being the preeminent band that their fans have grown to know and love.
ILANGO GOPALAN
Ilango Gopalan is a standup comedian based in Chicago. He came to America at a young age, thus depriving an Indian village of their idiot. Ilango is sardonic, sarcastic, sinister, and cynical. He has been told he has a “radio voice” (and face) for the past 25 years, and today discusses the city, parenting, marriage, martial arts, news, corporate tomfoolery, and how it’s OK to hate SOME Asians. Ilango hopes to one day defeat Marc Zuckerberg in Brazilian Jiujitsu (current purple belt) in order to get his Facebook account reinstated.
GRANULATED
VORLUST
Oakland Beast Metal
CARRION VAEL
Technical Melodic Death Metal
New album ABHORRENT OBSESSIONS out now on @uniqueleaderrecords
SPIRIT POSSESSION
SPECTRAL WOUND
COOLIDGE
Coolidge began as a power trio vehicle for singer & guitarist Chris Smail to craft and deliver his brilliant pop gems. The original trio was born from the ashes of midwestern fan favorite Johnny Socko and started gaining regional attention for their high-powered performances. The rock was always there, but a delicious cake only gets more decadent & complex with frosting: enter the two piece horn section. All of the combined years of touring and songwriting has made for a very substantial collection of pop infused rock for people that still love music.
GALACTIC EMPIRE
Galactic Empire is the galaxy’s foremost instrumental Star Wars cosplay heavy metal John Williams tribute band. Their first music video was a viral hit, gaining over 10 million views with national press coverage including Huffington Post, Guitar World, Entertainment Weekly, and MSNBC, along with a live TV performance on E! Entertainment during their coverage of the 2016 Academy Awards. The band has released two full-length albums with Rise Records (produced and mixed by Carson and Grant), along with four more music videos. They’ve toured extensively, headlining multiple national and overseas tours, including Canada, Europe, Japan, and Australia, along with appearances at major festivals, comic cons, sporting events, and supporting arena acts Ozzy Osbourne and Babymetal. In 2022 the band signed with Pure Noise Records, and released their third studio LP “Special Edition” May 3. The band is primed to continue their journey toward becoming the ultimate power in the universe.
KATHLEEN LANE
Kathleen Lane is a professional Vocalist and Independent Artist based in Chicago, Illinois. Lane has written and performed her own music since a young age and now holds a degree in Vocal Performance with a focus in Jazz repertoire from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Lane blends classic rock and indie influences to create her heartfelt, melancholic sound within her original music. She released two singles ‘Pearls’ and ‘Secondhand’ in January & February of 2023 in anticipation of her debut album ‘Fat Chance’ released in March 2023.
Lane has performed as part previous groups and solo at various Chicagoland venues including Foundation Room, Wire, Pierogi Festival, Rockopelli Music Festival, Elbo Room, Beat Kitchen, Underground Lounge, and Cubbie Bear.
DANNY SEVERANCE
Danny Severance is a soul/indie/folk singer, violinist, and songwriter based in Chicago. Danny Severance has led bands and recorded in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Orlando, and has been back in his native Chicagoland for about a year and half, having performed recently in Chicago at spots such as the Hairpin Arts Center, Ropa Cabana, and Fallen Log. Danny creates soulful, dynamic songs with emotional, thought-provoking lyrics. Danny Severance has played violin for thirty years and has been exploring soul, indie, folk, and blues styles on violin/fiddle for over fifteen years. On violin, he has recorded and performed with artists such as Prateek Kuhad (NYC/India), Baby Alpaca (LA/NYC), and Valley Shine (LA). Danny currently performs and records violin with alternative soul band Barry & the Fountains while also playing and singing in his own band.
At the end of January 2024, Danny released his edgy blues indie rock single “Make Believe”, which is available on Spotify and all music platforms. He looks forward to releasing another single called “Nice” in March, which will be more of a soul/pop/singer-songwriter style. In summer of 2023, Danny released a single “Lightning” online and released a music video for “Lightning” which is currently available on Youtube. Plans are in place to release an EP in the summer of 2024.
EMILY CHLOE QUINN ENSEMBLE
The Emily Chloe Quinn Ensemble is a “Baroque-Pop” musical group based in Chicago and the surrounding areas, formerly known as the Emily Chloe Quinn Quartet which formed in late 2022. The songs feature prominent arpeggios, with heavy piano, mellotron, and flute, with a modern spin on a classic-but-stilted, Baroque-infused style, with pointed story-like lyrics, and infectious melodies and lyrical concepts that stick with you. Members of the new iteration of the ensemble, formed in Spring, 2024 include singer-songwriter Emily Chloe Quinn on voice, piano/keys, Paul Vincent on bass and backing vocals, Caylee Wells on flute and Tom “Tubs” Jasek on drums/percussion. They plan to record a full album in due time amidst performances.
VACANT EYES
Longing to discover what lies beyond, through the pain, misery, and beauty that are universal to human existence. It is eventually essential to face one’s own thoughts and emotions directly.
Originally founded in 2011 by Josh Moran (guitar, vocals) as a solo project, the desire to take the Vacant Eyes songs into a live setting led to a full band forming in 2013. The band have dedicated themselves to boundlessly crafting their own brand of heavy music, cloaked in themes of despair, loss, nonexistence, and seeking truths often left unspoken. “I find a certain beauty in depression and darkness. It’s as real as it gets, and I have the utmost respect for it.” Moran explained.
Dead Rhetoric said “Vacant Eyes as a unit understand that you can still be engaging at a plodding pace, and keep building the arrangements in elegance, grace, and sophistication through subtle magnification,” and describes the band’s scope as spanning “From slow, sorrowful melodies drenched with emotion, to heavier, more up-tempo movements…” Metal Injection featured the band in their Funeral Doom Friday series, describing the band as having “all the hallmarks of funeral doom-type bands like Clouds and Swallow The Sun, yet the melodic sensibilities of bands like Insomnium.”
Their goal is always to evolve, always to be free in their songwriting, to look into the ether, and to capture the essence of anguish.
JOSH MORAN (Guitar, Vocals, Cello)
ALEX SMITH (Guitar, Backing Vocals)
MIKE BESSETTE (Guitar)
ERIC GEMBORYS (Bass)
CHRIS KUDUKEY (Drums)
MARK RICHARDSON (Keyboards)
RADAR WAVES
In Trash Rock We Trust…
Hailing from the western burbs of Chicago, Radar Waves has been preaching trash rock to the masses since 2011 when founder and guitarist, Charlie Thornton, first took the stage.
After years of gigging, releasing music and numerous lineup changes, this power trio is finally complete and consists of Charlie Thornton (Guitar, Vox), Rob Wash (Bass, Vox), and Mikey Cervenka (Drums).
Radar Waves is a melting pot of sounds culminating from the members’ large list of influences. If you like, The Beatles, Local H, Foo Fighters, Alkaline Trio, Motörhead, or Limp Bizkit…chances are you will find something to enjoy in Radar Waves.
SHAWN SHAKYA
Silly & soulful singer/songwriter. New to Chicago but already has a bidet.