SAVIOR SELF
SAVIOR SELF is a hard rock band hailing from Chicago IL, consisting of Scott Nadeau (Vocals), Kevin Konieczny (Bass/Vocals), Ken Ugel (Guitar), Kevin Earl (Guitar), and Kevin Levonyak (Drums).
SAVIOR SELF is a hard rock band hailing from Chicago IL, consisting of Scott Nadeau (Vocals), Kevin Konieczny (Bass/Vocals), Ken Ugel (Guitar), Kevin Earl (Guitar), and Kevin Levonyak (Drums).
This down and dirty band is in the pursuit of sweeping Chicago off its feet. Shaggwell plays a unique blend of rock, soul, and blues while lyrically romanticizing the ideals and battles of love, sex, and everyday life. The band is comprised of four musicians attending Columbia College as music students, and they have just released there debut album, followed with a tour summer of 13.
The Lords & Ladies : Vaudevillian Disc Jockey Extra-Ordinaries, are, simply put, the people behind the sound that comes from the “Fusion-O-Scope” that makes the people at any variety of events throughout Chicago, and beyond, move their – if you will – derrieres.
But who are they, you ask? They are Joseph C.R. Vourteque, self appointed Lord Baron and deranged mad man, producer and remix artist. Fay Kabian, un-lady, un-mitigated promoter, cinema arts & design expert and un-apologetic gypsy fiend. And the strange Mr. M who bides his time as both a “selector” behind the DJ decks and a performer behind the theremin with The White CIty RIppers. Lastly is their bizarre contraption the “Fusion-O-Scope” a “DJ Rig” built from the twisted plans of Vourteque and engineered by world traversing inventor Professor Evad Flor.
They have DJed and performed alongside The Squidling Brothers Circus Sideshow, The Show Devils, Hellblinki Sextet, Frenchy & The Punk, That Damned Band, The White Ghost Shivers, Environmental Encroachment, Eliza Rickman, Curtis Eller, Duenow, so many others, and Andrew O’Neil from The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing once commandeered the DJ rig at a hotel party in Michigan. They’ve performed in New York for The Anachronism, at Trundle Manor in Pittsburgh, in Columbus for Ohayocon, Detroit for Fraudeville, Theatre Bizarre and Wonderland, Saint Louis for Beggar’s Carnival, Wisconsin with The Dead Man’s Carnival and many more gigs are to come.
Lee Na-Moo is a performance artist and dance artist, who performs in Chicago, IL. He started his training in the fall of 2007 under the guidance of Stephanie Barto, Director of RMH. He believes that dance is a moving art; and so he strives to emote the feeling. To Lee, the greatest performers are not those with the best technique, but are those who can move and captivate the audience with their stage presence.
He has performed at various venues within the Chicago-land area including Alhambra Palace, House of Blues, The Metro, Griffin Lounge, corporates, and private events, among many others. He strives to be a “moving work of art.” His style of fusion is best described as elegant, refined, graceful beauty in movement with a high energy. Always pushing the boundary and his limits, he seeks to astound the audience with his sense of style.
He can be seen in Taproot’s (Victory Records) music video “Release Me.” In October 2010, he won the Chicago Oriental Dance Competition and as a result won a trip to perform with Mario Kirlis in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
In 2012, he audition for the Bellydancer Superstars; and through that he was invited to travel to Spain in March of 2013 to perform and teach at the 7th International Oriental Festival in Valladolid.
Out in the woods she lived, all alone. At least that’s what it felt like, never belonging to any one group and having a penchant for the oppressed. Crystal did not come from a musical family, and unlike so many children who are forced into music lessons, at age seven she practically ran away to her piano teacher’s house down the street – books in her basket – pedaling as fast as she could down the gravel road – dust flying behind.
When she was still young, a little demon told her that she shouldn’t sing, that it sounded better when she just played the piano, but she was determined to ignore the demon and sing her heart out anyway. But sometimes the influence of the demon rendered her silent and still, and her hands seemed to be void of life.
As she grew up she traveled the world, dancing with the Romani people of Spain, residing in an “anarchist” collective, working in Yellowstone, and above all else learning about other cultures and their music. It was in Greensboro, NC in 2010 that she met what would become her first Silver Hand. Diego Diaz had witnessed her previous band that took him to another time and place, and he wished to contribute his haunting and ethereal guitar sounds. It was around this time that Crystal’s hands began to grow back. She began writing her own music again, and in less than a year collaborated with the North Carolina Symphony on an arrangement of her song “Toy Hammer” for their 2010 New Year’s Eve program at Meymandi Concert Hall in Raleigh. She is constantly performing, has had two Northeast tours and has played alongside Holy Ghost Tent Revival, Larkin Grimm, Pearl and the Beard and many more.
“Muses and Bones,” her second album, will cast you into an otherwordly, ethereal, hauntingly familiar yet strange landscape, ranging from deranged Cirque du Soleil to burlesque European Carnival. Within Crystal’s unconventional song structures, you’ll hear her inspiration from P.J. Harvey and Björk, and a deep love for Yann Tiersen and the Gotan Project. Her lyrics and melodies portray the world as a dark and strange (and often funny) place deeply connected to fables and imagination. Stories such as “Little Match Girl” and “The Misplaced Zygote” convey folklore lessons that address phases in women’s lives where they need to be conscious of staying true to their intuition. Songwriting begins in many different ways, including inspiration from refrigerator magnet poetry or going to the movies alone at midnight, but is mostly a channeling process that happens late at night when the veil between reality and dreams is the thinnest. Expect the unexpected.
Crystal’s songs reflect her educational background in Anthropology and Ethnomusicology and her experiences playing and singing various styles – Mariachi, Chinese, Balinese Gamelan, Ugandan, Samba and more. She is a mad multi-tasker who jumps around on accordion, musical saw (self-taught through YouTube videos), piano, adungu (a Ugandan harp), concertina and bombo (Argentine drum) – sometimes more than one at a time! She possesses astounding vocal range and power that descends on a dime to delicate subtlety. One moment she sings, she soars – and the next… a falsetto whisper that slyly peeks behind the curtain.
Many Silver Hands have come and gone on various instruments. These days Sandy Blocker, whom Crystal met as her African drumming teacher 11 years ago, contributes African, Middle Eastern, and South American rhythms by adding riqq, jembe and congas, alongside kick drum and cymbals. Another Silver Hand is the exquisitely tasteful Jeremy Denman from the hip-hop group Urban Sophisticates on trumpet. Crystal desires to collaborate with other artists in all areas of media and believes strongly that arts have the power to create community and heal.
Swingrowers are a quintet from Palermo, Sicily and are noted for their irreverent style, which blends the freshness of dance music, with the warm influences of swing from the 20s and 30s.
The project initially began with Roberto Costa a.k.a. “Pisk” (one of the most active producers of electronic music in Palermo) and Loredana Grimaudo (Brilliant voice of ‘OPRP). And have since been joined by manouche guitarist, Alessio Costagliola and much more recently saxophonist Ciro Pusateri (A protagonist during the tour of the Fifth Space and Rodrigo Phalen) and violinist Davide Rizzuto (itinerant musician & winner of the XI National Contest for Young musicians).
In 2012 they won the title “Best Hope 2012” in the competition “Electro Swing People Favorite 2011”. Since then they have shared the stage with Caravan Palace, Parov Stelar and Chinese Man in their live shows in Europe. They have had the privilege of opening the only Italian date of Parov Stelar at Alcatraz in Milan. In April 2013 they first toured overseas in the USA and Canada, which has seen them play sell-out shows in San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, Montreal, New York, Chigaco, Toronto and Detroit. The Swingrowers have been constantly touring around Europe, playing at world renowned clubs and events such as: Electro Swing Club in London, Alcatraz in Milan, London Hootananny, Java and La Machine du Moulin Rouge in Paris, Electro Swing Cabaret Toulouse and Lyon, Swing Circus of Turin, Jitterbug of Nottingham and the White Mink Club nights in Brighton and London as well as numerous summer festivals like Secret Garden Party, BoomTown, Latitude, LoveBox, Wilderness.
The band are signed to Freshly Squeezed – a Brighton (UK) based independent record label and music publisher. Their first album “Pronounced Swing Grow’ers” was released on Freshly Squeezed in September 2012 and has since gone on to become a staple soundtrack for many electro swing compilations and club nights. In early 2015 the released their second studio album ‘Remote’ featuring the full 5 piece band. In February 2015, they shot a stunning music video at London’s listed Rivoli Ballroom (https://youtu.be/9Jy8pK7tTzg).
Swingrowers have collaborated with a number of different artists, including Dj Pony Montana from Feel Good Production and Gypsy Hill as well as producing an official remix for Caro Emerald’s track “One Day”. (http://youtu.be/MQ9Zl-rAmYM). Swingrowers have also released a series of singles as part of their “Do not COVER EP”. The last single in the series featured ‘The Lost Fingers’ in a cover of Technotronic’s 1989 hit ‘Pump Up The Jam”, which also included a music video: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUOQG4qM8uU).
Swingrowers are one of the most exciting rising talents within the retro music scene and “a band maturing at a rapid pace”.
Pirate, Actor, Comedian, Performer, Artist, and Entertainer. Beloved character of the Bristol Renaissance Faire for the last 3 years, Bluebeard has performed his show at various venues all over the country! Mission: to entertain the masses for the sake of making everyone laugh like dag jolly fools! Poke around here a while and find out about the show itself, some photo pictures from past shows, where he’ll be performing next, and how to get a hold of him (not too tight mates, he’s sensitive around the middle).
Santa Barbara based rock band Versus The World, now consisting of Mike Davenport (The Ataris), Chris Flippin (Lagwagon), Donald Spence and Bryan Charleson (Crooks and Liars), formed in the back of The Ataris owned record store, Down On Haley, in Santa Barbara and released their debut self-titled album in 2005 on Kung Fu Records. They spent the next few years touring in support of the release with bands like Suicide Machines, Bouncing Souls, The Lawrence Arms, Social Distortion, No Use For A Name, The Vandals, I Am The Avalanche and the Vans Warped Tour building up a worldwide fan base along the way.
Versus The World reconvened in 2010 and began writing and recording their long awaited follow-up which they wrapped in early 2012. Soon after, the band inked a deal with Viking Funeral Records in the US and Canada, a label imprint started by Ken Seaton of Hardline Entertainment and Pennywise guitarist Fletcher Dragge along with Kevin Zinger of Suburban Noize Records. This was followed by securing Concrete Jungle Records to handle the European market and 3Wise Records to handle the Australian market.
Produced by Thom Flowers (The Ataris) at Playback Recording and Orange Whip studios in Santa Barbara, mixed by Ian MacGregor (All American Rejects, Katy Perry) and mastered by Jason Livermore at The Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Drink. Sing. Live. Love. features thirteen fist pumping tracks that fuse elements of post-hardcore, pop-punk and rock on tracks like “She Sang The Blues”, “A Fond Farewell” and “Lullabye”.
Kissing Candice started as a mere vision. Ex-Dr. Acula keyboardist and sample mastermind, Joey Simpson, was looking to start a project that would combine metal, hardcore, industrial and electronic music in a unique and cinematic fashion. Taking on the role of frontman, Joey hit the studio with producer Jeremy Comitas to record the debut EP, Murder. While giving listeners a taste of what to expect from the band, Joey soon realized that it was time to put together a full lineup.
After recruiting Tommy Sciro (guitar), Marco Caruso (drums) and Mike Grippo (bass),Walter Dicristina(Guitar) the band began to fine-tune their songs for live performances. Soon, this Long Island based five-piece had a sizeable buzz growing online, with followers and fans accumulating on various social networks. Quickly attracting listeners on a daily basis, Kissing Candice is already proving that their brand is being eagerly welcomed to the scene.
With the new members of the band contributing to the writing process, future material will undoubtedly be the most vicious and addicting output from the band thus far. Keep a close eye on Kissing Candice, as their blood, guts and gore-filled tunes infect the masses during the remainder of 2012 and beyond.
Chomp Chomp Attack is a Post-Hardcore/Rock band from Montreal, Canada. Formed in 2010, the group has set out to spread the message of believing in yourself and in your dreams. They have made an impact to their fans ;MONSTERS, around the world with their EP “How Do You Like Me Now” released in the summer of 2012.
Wet The Steel is a five-piece black/death metal band hailing from Chicago, Illinois. The band began in 2008 playing a blend of various styles of metal based on a brutal deathcore backbone and quickly gained attention among the internet & social media communities.
Starting in 2010 and continuing over the next two years, Wet The Steel went through a number of lineup and inspirational/directional changes. With these changes came a faster, more aggressive and overall matured sound – “slamming blackened death metal,” as they have been recently described.
Over the years the band has shared the stage with such acts as Dying Fetus, Misery Index, Arsis, Gorod, Rotten Sound, and Annotations Of An Autopsy, et al.
The current focus for Wet The Steel in the early part of 2013 is finishing a long anticipated full-length album and hitting the road to play shows more frequently.
Wet The Steel’s primary goal is to instill pure unadulterated hatred into the minds of listeners.
After a decade of putting out albums and touring, Nebraskan singer-songwriter Orion Walsh has released his fourth effort “First By Water Then By Fire” with new indie label Morning Radar Sounds. The relatively dark EP speaks of the foolishness of war, consumerism, and selfishness that surrounds the norm of western culture. Walsh has released two full length albums, “The Hitchhiker’s Son” (produced by AJ Mogis) and “Tornado Lullabies” and one EP, “Freedom Lost Freedom Found” prior to his newest effort via The Hunter Records. He has also released a full length album with his previous band Slow Coming Day (Tooth and Nail Records) which had major label distribution back in 2003. His accomplishments include releasing several songs for multiple compilations as well. Walsh has also been touring for a decade and has performed shows all over the United States and Europe. Several of his songs have been used on television and independent films in the past, the most noteworthy being on “Americas Next Top Model” of international fame. Expect to see more from this seasoned troubadour in the years to come.
Charlatan is the solo project of Chicago native, Omar Rashan. Writing began in 2011 and the repertoire of tunes continues to grow since. Cultivating elements of electronic beats, buzzing synthesizers, catapulted into blaring guitars dripping in reverb, Omar’s vocals are delightfully dolloped into the mix, resulting in a poppy, yet textural harmony.
Los Angeles based band Blacklist Union is back with a brand new body of work and a brand new attitude to boot. Their 3rd full length CD is their best body of work to date and is a virtual who’s who of rock from beginning to end. From the first and title track “Til Death Do Us Part” til the very last cut “Same Ol Pressure” this body of music will keep you mesmerized and hypnotized throughout its 45 minutes of pure gut level rock-n-roll. An 11 song collection of songs written and performed by a cast of who’s who from the rock n roll world. Recorded with ¾’s of the well known rock band SALIVA, as well as Hunt Sales ( formerly of David Bowie’s Tin Machine & Iggy & the Stooges) this CD delivers the goods. Songs are written with Anthony “Trouble” Valli formerly of multi platinum recording artists CRAZYTOWN (known for delivering such hits as “Butterfly”) to Todd Youth a musical icon in his own right , having played with everyone from Glenn Danzig to Glenn Campbell. Songs were also written by Mark Fain & Carmine D’Amico who co wrote the first two Blacklist Union releases along with West. Both releases “After The Mourning”,released April of ‘06 and “Breakin’ Bread With The Devil”,released July ’08 have been critically acclaimed around the world from Metal Hammer in the UK to Revolver Magazine & just about every rock n roll affiliated website, magazine & radio station that love rock n roll and support new artists. BLU is pure street rock n roll with no filters. Blacklist Union again with major label producer, Chris Johnson ( Goldfinger, Josh Todd, Hillary Duff) at the controls, brings us songs of pure blazing rock n roll. Staying true to form Blacklist Union is as real as it gets.
Formed in 2004 by frontman Tony West, BLU released their debut “After The Mourning” April of 2006 which was met by critical acclaim all across the globe. From Memphis to Melbourne to Louisiana to London, Blacklist Union instantly made a mark throughout the rock-n-roll underground . Their follow up in 2008 “Breakin’ Bread With The Devil” received the same amount of critical acclaim and certainly put them on the map in the rock n roll world yet again. Blacklist Union has toured nationally receiving 5 star reviews from music industry magazines, fanzines, webzines and has a continuously growing fan base both domestically and internationally. With all of their hard work and perseverance, Blacklist Union has dominated the rock n roll underground and their newest release “TIL DEATH DO US PART will be certainly exposing them to a larger audience around the world. Blacklist Union is a true rock n roll band that continuously pushes themselves to the limit in every aspect of their music. Singer/songwriter Tony West tackles real life situations that affect each and every one of us in one form or another. From character assassination, to name dropping, addictions, sexual innuendos, romance , friendships, birth, death and living on the edge of destruction is just a fraction of what is touched on in their music.
Blacklist Union is unfiltered and in your face its raw and as real as it gets. BLU has had its shares of ups and downs throughout its almost 8 years of existence to say the least, but in the end they have always pulled thru to face another day and to write another chapter of their checkered and colorful lives.
Dillon Hodges translates old-time music to a new audience with his soulful
voice and haunting melodies. Growing up near Muscle Shoals, Alabama, he
began shaping his sound by immersing himself in bluegrass and traditional
music. Considering his age, the music on commercial radio of the time, and the
historical significance of soul music in the area, his musical style was unique
to say the least. Hodges grew up refining his guitar skills by competing in flat-
picking competitions, winning fourteen total in just four years.
As the artist evolved his playing style he started incorporating his songwriting
skills to create a mix of traditional music infused into more modern songwriting
styles. This combination creates a unique style of Americana that crosses
mainstream at times. The wide crossover appeal of Hodges’ music has been
proven as he has shared the stage with artist ranging from old-time legend
Ralph Stanley to the hushed harmonies with The Civil Wars, and more amped
Americana with Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit. Dillon’s master playing abilities add
depth to his recordings and unforgettable energy to his live performances.
Hailing from Little Rock, Arkansas, and possessing a voice the Onion A.V. Club warns “knocks your brain into the back of your skull,” Adam Faucett has drawn comparisons from Tim Buckley to Cat Power to Otis Redding.
Called “one of the greatest, most thoughtful lyricists the state has to offer,” (Arkansas Times) Faucett has again pushed the borders of his “part folk, part blues, part elemental rock stomp, part unidentifiable cosmic holler” (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette) with the release of It Took the Shape of a Bird, a record of his most personal, unbodied, and darkly beautiful songs to date.
Faucett began performing solo in 2006 when the demise of Russellville, Arkansas-based band, Taught the Rabbits, pushed him toward Chicago. He returned to Arkansas in 2007 to record his first solo album, The Great Basking Shark, and began touring nationally. 2008’s Show Me Magic, Show Me Out followed, featuring Faucett’s band, The Tall Grass, and a relentless tour schedule soon led to shows with Jason Isbell, Damien Jurado and Lucero.
2011 saw the release of More Like A Temple, which received praise from outlets including American Songwriter, Paste Magazine, No Depression and Uprooted Music Review. Temple also gained overseas support, landing at #14 on the EuroAmericana chart and received 5 stars from Altcountry.NL, bringing Adam to Europe for the first time.
2014’s Blind Water Finds Blind Water—Faucett’s first release with Last Chance Records—was named to American Songwriter’s “Top 50 Albums of 2014,” and found him back in Europe. In addition, he spent time as international and national tour support for Chuck Ragan, Austin Lucas, King Buzzo, The Bottle Rockets and Pallbearer.
Faucett’s latest record, It Took the Shape of a Bird (Last Chance Records), is available on all platforms and was named to Pop Matters‘ “Top 20 Americana Albums of 2018. His fifth solo album, it’s also his most personal and heaviest. From opening track “King Snake,” it wastes no time immersing the listener into a world of murky storytelling fueled by true, though often skewed accounts, wherein Faucett’s moving, heartrending melodies breathe life into a cast of tragic and historic characters and locales: a World War II-era orphan, Louisiana gris gris girls, a biker’s funeral procession, a friend struggling with faith and addiction, and even the Mackay Bennett—the ship which recovered most of the bodies from the Titanic disaster.
Bird delves deep into the spiritual and examines the creation of art, and the artist. Its backdrops are disparate, ranging from rural Arkansas to the dust clouds of deep space. And its moments of lilt are bolder due to its darker turns.
Come to Reggies and let us take you to the game in our Reggies Rock Bus! Watch the White Sox take on the Detroit Tigers at Guaranteed Rate Field, then hop on the bus back to Reggies at the end of the game!
The address on songwriter Ben Todd’s 2002 Driver License reads “Hwy 180 W South of SF Bridge, Alma, NM”. This vague location is where Lonesome Shack began. Living in the isolation of southwestern New Mexico’s Gila Wilderness, Todd hunkered down in the shack he built and studied the music of the American folk and blues lineage. Today Lonesome Shack’s songs continue to be informed by these early explorations as they combine the sounds of post-WWII electric country blues with a modern sensibility which plants them firmly in the present.
In 2007 Todd moved to Seattle and within a year joined up with drummer Kristian Garrard (Thousands). Together they recorded and released the “Bound to Die” LP in 2009, “Falling Down on Your Floor” EP in 2009, “Slidin Boa” LP in 2010, and completed two west coast tours and two national tours. With the recent addition of bassist Luke Bergman (Also a member of Thousands) the band has become heavier and more rhythm-focused. The band finds influence in the Georgia drumbeat styles of James Davis, the one chord drone blues of Junior Kimbrough, and the high energy boogie of John Lee Hooker. When performing live, they are known to stir a subdued crowd into a fevered dance party.
With a new full length album “City Man” to be released Oct. 26th, Lonesome Shack will be touring the west coast and Southwest to bring their latest material to new audiences.
Johnny and KILLER BZZZ are musical artists that stay “true to themselves”… Their bluesy, folk, true americana sound has a flavorful twist that keeps the audiences attention and coming back, knowing that at their shows theres always an element of surprise. JOHNNY V AND THE KILLER BZZZ plays a unique selection of both original music and cover tunes From such artists as Neil young, CYSN, grateful dead, tom petty, bob Marley, paul simon, van morrison, allman brothers, Beatles, john prine , pink floyd, and the list goes on and on!!!!! While supporting two of their own cds, INSIDE REALITY and WOOD CHIPS, they will be releasing their latest album late spring early summer of 2013, BARNS AND BRIDGES. Their live shows cross a lot of boundaries of their musical influences. From their love of music from acoustic, r & b, prog rock, Blue grass, jam bands ect…
Kiara Lanier is a singer, writer and educator from Chicago who seeks to use her work to inspire uplift and encourage.
Hailing from the streets of the Midwest’s pride and glory, Chicago Illinois, this Alternative rock foursome has some interesting influences weaved throughout their music. From the soulful blues licks to the chilling ballads of a broken heart, this group has a little for every type of fan. Don’t blink or these boys might surprise you.
If you didn’t come to party, don’t bother knocking on my door. I’ve got a lion in my pocket, and baby, he’s ready to roar.
Chris and Lolly first began performing as a duet while living in Hudson, NY where Chris was recording his solo albums “Lila” and “Evermore” at Waterfront Studios with Henry Hirsch. After moving to Fort Worth, TX the two officially began writing and performing as a duo. They recorded their first duo album in the fall of 2012 in Nashville at Blackbird Studios. After falling in love with Music City the two uprooted themselves again and moved out to Nashville, TN where they released their first duo album this year.
The Faceless is a technical death metal band from the United States who have astonished their live audiences with dizzying guitar work, lightning fast drumming and unmatched brutality. Formed by guitarist Michael Keene and bassist Brandon Giffin, the band quickly found the perfect mix of dedicated musicians to complete the line up. The Faceless have shared the stage with such talented acts as: Meshuggah, In Flames, Between The Buried and Me, Dying Fetus, Vital Remains, Suffocation, The Black Dahlia Murder, Cynic, Necrophagist, Decapitated, Cephalic Carnage, Neuraxis, Job For a Cowboy etc.
Wes Hollywood is at once a modern craftsman and a retro stylist, a purveyor of vintage rock songcraft. Wes has been a staple in independent music for more than a decade, first with The Wes Hollywood Show and then with a couple of well-received platters as tenniscourts. The name has changed, but the sound has remained a constant – two parts delirious Kinks melodicism mixed with one part Cheap Trick whipcrack, a splash of harmony and a bracing dash of fashion. This potent brew has never sounded better.
In 2012 Bryan released the critically-acclaimed album American Boy / American Girl on State Line Records. He then launched a successful Kickstarter campaign for a reliable tour vehicle and embarked on an extensive national tour, sleeping mostly in his van in the parking lots of oppressive department stores, and singing his gospel for the masses. He has performed alongside Amanda Palmer and Michael Moore at
the Occupy Oakland Encampment, with Steve Earle in San Francisco for Litquake’s Woody Guthrie Tribute Show, and appeared at an exclusive show in East London, playing to a capacity audience. He has been featured in The Huffington Post, The Boston Phoenix, Dig Boston, and The San Francisco Bay Guardian. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
The following article appeared in The Boston Phoenix in April of 2012. By Barry Thompson
There’s no shame in baring your soul for the pleasant old folkees who haunt open mic nights at your favorite independent coffee shop. So, no offense to singer/songwriters who present their folk in that genre’s traditional contexts — but, should the opportunity arise, those people should all try playing a club packed with tattooed toughs who’ve just been prompted, by an Agnostic Front side project, to jubilantly punch each other in the face for 40 minutes.
The first time he knocked my socks off, Bryan McPherson contended with precisely these conditions on a 2009 bill headlined by Street Dogs at the Paradise. And he’d later go on tour with the Dropkick Murphys, including gigs in Boston during St. Patrick’s Day week. By the time emulating Billy Bragg became fashionable, or anybody was self-applying the phrase “riot-folk,” the Dorchester-bred songsmith was an old hand at being the token folk guy playing the punk-rock show.
“Remember ska-punk? Same deal,” he says via phone, when asked about all the folk-punk bands that have been running around for a few years. Even coming from an artist who’s lumped into a notably unpretentious genre, that’s some impressive “cut the bullshit” candor. Then again, as the unfussy ballad of nuclear revenge he titled “Me, I Am Anger” reminds us, you can’t truly wear your heart on your sleeve while keeping its black spots hidden. A Boston release show for McPherson’s first album in five years, American Boy/American Girl(State Line), goes down tonight (Thursday) at T.T.’s in Cambridge.
Half a decade seems like a long time between albums, but something in McPherson’s head clicked once he soaked up a change of scenery. Not that there’s any “sunshine and surfin’ ” Best Coast–type shit on American, but his mostly for-the-fuck-of-it relocation from Boston to Berkeley 18 months ago provided an overdue muse.
“There are a couple of tunes on there about being somewhere where you don’t know too many people, and the experiences of going west: putting your shit out on a curb, getting on a plane, and ending up there,” he says, mid-jaunt somewhere in the vicinity of the mythic Oakland punk club 924 Gilman. “Sometimes you’ve got to wait for the right songs to come together to put something out.”
But as can be expected from someone who spends a lot of time at Occupy encampments, disgust with our generally shitty national condition inspired several of American’s trembling narratives. A forlorn harmonica heralds “Dangerous Friends,” a catchy-as-hell remembrance of Southie crime bosses and their murderous shenanigans. A jostling ditty called “Black Man” lists dilemmas that are routinely incurred by basically anyone who isn’t white, male, and unwaveringly heterosexual. The 2009 murder of Oscar Grant in Oakland provoked McPherson to pen
“I See a Flag.” Grant, unarmed and pinned to the ground at the time, was shot in the back by a public transportation police officer. “They said it was an accident, I guess,” muses McPherson. “If I shot a cop by accident, I think I’d be in jail for a very long time.”
Chances are, if you are anywhere near the Detroit music scene, you have heard of the influential hip hop trio that makes up Slum Village. The group was founded in the early 90′s by 3 childhood friends: Baatin, T3, rapper and producer J Dilla, who all grew up together in the Conant Gardens neighborhood of Detroit, MI. After leaving Pershing High School, the trio began to forge a path into the Detroit underground hip hop scene and quickly found themselves steadily gaining popularity, where they originally went by the name Ssenepod.
With a growing momentum now cemented in the underground, the group took on a forward trajectory toward bigger and better things, and in 1991 changed their name to Slum Village. J Dilla joined the production team known as The Ummah, which produced the two last A Tribe Called Quest studio albums, as well as hits for a number of R&B and hip hop musicians, and in 1996, they recorded their first album Vol. 1″ , recorded in Dillas basement and RJ Rice Studios, it was critically acclaimed in the Detroit underground scene. It later found its way into the hands of A Tribe Called Quest’s own Q-Tip, who played it for some of hip hop’s elite, such as Busta Rhymes, Questlove, and D’angelo. This fruitful alliance led to an opening gig for A Tribe Called Quest on their Farewell tour in 1998.
Slum Village landed their first record deal in 1998 with Barak/AM records. Due to label politics, the group was forced to release their album “Best Kept Secret” under the alias J-88,. Their now classic record, “Fantastic, Vol. 2″ was also in production, but was not officially released until 2000 through Barak/GoodVibe Records. “Fantastic Vol. 2″ was dubbed an immediate classic from fans and industry tastemakers. This album featured an A list line up including Busta Rhymes, Common, D’angelo, Jazzy Jeff, Pete Rock, Kurupt, and Q-Tip who passed the torch to Slum Village on the record “Hold Tight”. On the heels of this record release followed a tour with The Roots on the Okay Players tour/D’angelo Voodoo tour.
In 2001, while sitting down to discuss future plans, J Dilla made the decision to leave the group to pursue his solo career, citing the group was well established enough to move on without him. With J Dilla still around helping Young RJ with production, Baatin and T3 started work on their next album “Trinity” through Barak/Capital Records, featuring Elzhi on 6 of the tracks. This album would feature their first commercial single “Tainted” which ft an unknown Dwele, also disco and the remix produced by Timberland. Slum was presented with their headlining opportunity on the Family Tree tour, featuring Phife from A Tribe Called Quest.
In 2002, Dirty District, a compilation of songs by Detroit rappers largely produced by T3 and Young RJ, was released. The group then became a duo consisting of T3 and Elzhi, Baatin became sick touring shortly before the release of their 2004 album, Detroit Deli (A Taste of Detroit) and departed to seek treatment. The album included the hit single, “Selfish”, produced by Kanye West and featuring John Legend. The song samples a part of the intro to the hit song “Call Me” by Aretha Franklin. After parting ways with Capitol Records in 2005, they released Prequel to a Classic, a mixtape of mostly previously unreleased material, Slum went back into the studio to record the self-titled album Slum Village, with production from Young RJ and Black Milk. Following the album’s release, they went on tour with Shady Aftermath group, D12.
Tragedy struck in 2006 in the form of the loss of founding member J Dilla, to lupus, which put the group on a 4 year hiatus. In 2009, T3 reunited Baatin with the group, brought in Illa J (of Yancey Boys fame and J Dilla’s brother), and along with Young RJ, RJ Rice and Elzhi, started production on their next album, Villa Manifesto. Slum Village went back on the road as a trio including Baatin. Later in 2009 , Slum village performed at Rock the Bells as a trio consisting of T3 , Elzhi and Baatin, with the latter still coping with bipolar schizophrenia making him unable to travel when the tour continued into Canada that year. While T3 and Elzhi performed the Canadian shows, tragedy struck for a second time, claiming Baatin that summer at home in Detroit, his death was felt deeply throughout the Detroit Hip Hop scene.
In 2010, the album “Villa Manifesto” was released under Ne’astra/Koch Records, featuring the late Baatin. By that time Elzhi had decided to move on and focus on pursuing his own solo career. Even though the group has suffered many heartaches and member changes, Slum Village always finds a way to reinvent themselves. At present, the evolution of Slum Village continues with a reinvigorated energy, with founding member T3 holding down the legacy , and grammy nominated producer Young RJ and Illa j, the young prodigy at his side. Slum Village has a new mixtape “Dirty Slums”, presented by DJ Mick Boogie, featuring artists such as Big Sean, Rapper Big Pooh, De La Soul, Focus, Skyzoo, Phonte, and Phife,after 100,000+downloads and rave reviews, the group released an official full length album and are planning on a sequel …As the industry changes, so has Slum Village, and yet and still while some think SV may have crashed and burned, they just keep coming up like the rising phoenix.
about to be playin your shotgun weddin!
Yes yes yes, you have all heard The Blue Van story… this band went to kindergarden together and started the band at the age of 12 because they heard Jimi Hendrix for the first time on a TV commercial. That they also found an organ in a chicken coup, practiced in a deaf grandmothers basement, and are from a town of 200 people that doesn’t even have a stop sign. The band is still in their 20’s and have no signs of slowing down.
After more than 15 sync. placements, including a worldwide Apple Ipad Ad, the theme title for the hit TV series Royal Pains, plus placements in shows such as NCIS, 90210, CSI and also the MLB video game just to name a few.. The Blue Van is gearing up to unleash their 4th studio album entitled ‘Love Shot’.
Maz (Mike Maher) is a singer/songwriter living in Brooklyn, NY. Originally from Milwaukee, WI, he was heavily influenced by the blues music of the region, as well as by Motown hits and classic rock that his father introduced him to. He began singing and composing music at the age of twelve and shortly after began performing around Milwaukee.
Since moving to New York Maz has maintained a busy schedule as a singer and trumpet player. He has toured the world with several groups including the award winning, genre bending Snarky Puppy. He formed a group in 2009 to showcase his original compositions.
“Magical”, “enchanting”, “healing”, and “transportive” are just some of the adjectives that have been used to describe Alison Wedding’s voice. The combination of her impeccable technique in jazz and improvisation, and her emotional intensity create a sound that is as powerful as it is musical. With one foot standing in the jazz tradition, and one in the realm of the modern singer-songwriter, Alison is taking female vocals in a direction that is truly unique. “This Dance”, her latest release, embraces these two worlds equally and with great authenticity. Michael League, leader of the groundbreaking group Snarky Puppy, brings not only his virtuosic bass- playing skills to the table here, but also his brilliant arranging and producing skills as well.
“Alison writes tunes with surprising and memorable melodies, interesting harmonies, and well-conceived lyrics, and she uses her voice and spirit to put all these parts together into one beautiful whole artistic sensibility.” – Chris Potter, ECM recording artist
“Alison is a sensitive and inspiring musician and composer. Her voice is pure, fluid, beautifully in tune. She is an amazing songwriter.”- Lionel Loueke, Blue Note recording artist
The Drastics are modern roots music. Their sound fits as easily in a Kingston dancehall as it does in an artist’s loft-party in the warehouse district. Though primarily classified as a reggae group, The Drastics embrace many styles of music both live and in the studio. This can be heard in their songs which draw from roots Jamaican music, hip hop, hard-bop jazz, afro-beat, dancehall, as well as folk music from Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America. Take this powder keg cocktail of styles, add the pulse of gritty everyday urban living and you get one explosive sound. Not playing into any gimmicks or compromising to trends (“The Drastics deserve much credit for moving deep into unchartered territories” – allMusic Guide) The Drastics have been consistantly rocking crowds for three years from NYC to LA and everywhere in between (“dub masters, The Drastics … never fail to put on a killer party” – TimeOut Chicago).
CRIMINAL ACTIVITY was the initial brainchild of Chicago guitarist Andrew Trim. Trim roughly envisioned a new instrumental band that would allow him to use the guitar as a true electric instrument, exploring the soundscapes and textures from other genres while rooted in improvisation and melodic song writing. But the full fledged sound could never have been realized unless bassist Kurt Schweitz had switched to electric bass without even asking and master tenorist Tony Barba had showed up at a gig with his extensive combination of electronic contraptions wanting to “jam”. All the while, drummer Matt Carroll was holding everything together with his ruckus yet absolutely immediate drumming. Now coming to a club near you!
There’s is something extremely criminal about this insane band. Don’t miss it! – Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel
Criminal Activity changed my life and gave me a vision of a brand new me. Deep song writing. – Chicago guitarist Roger Panella
I’ve got your song “Nimo” stuck in my head. You guys RAWK! – Chicago drummer Ian Springer
This is one of, if not THE hottest band in Chicago! Great hair! – Chicago musician Annie Reese
The Robert Cornelius Seven was founded in 1998 by Robert Cornelius (vocals) and Jesse Richardson (bumpin’ bass) after a particularly odd show Robert was doing out at Frankie’s Blue Room in Naperville. Having been put together with a group of blues musicians, Robert felt they weren’t compatible and at 2:00 in the morning on the way back to Chicago, he called his cousin Jesse and told him he had a month to get a band together. We had a rehearsal the next day and our first gig at Schuba’s Tavern a week later. Robert was with Poi Dog Pondering at the time, and recruited a couple of his bandmates to be in the original line up. When we began we had Paul Mertens (saxophone, flute, harmonica, coolness), Arlene Newson (vocals), Leddie Garcia (percussion extraordinaire), along with Chip DuBose (guitar hero), who has so many major credits on his resume, Rick Gehrenbeck (killer keyboards), Ron Lambert (drums), Chris Robinson (keyboards and vocals-the prodigy), and Eric Buehlman (vocals and management). Line up changes over the years have included John Bose (horns), YL Douglas (drums), Khari Parker (killer drums-left us for Destiny’s Child), as well as present members Kina Clayton (vocals), Chip DuBose III (drums), and Roger Harris (keyboards). The band has played just about every venue in Chicago, including a four year stint as house band at Schuba’s Tavern, Fitzgerald’s (with Mavis Staples), Metro, The Vic, Park West, Martyrs, House of Blues (opening for Average White Band), Navy Pier (on their own and with the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin), Subterranean, and just about every summer festival you can name. Their first record was a self released disc in 2001 titled To Your Soul, a live recording (thank you Timothy Powell) and their only cd to date. The band is currently hard at work on the long awaited follow up, due out this summer, and is gearing up to play a lot more live shows than they have in the past few years. Lastly we get asked about the seven a lot. There is more significance to it than just the number of band members, but if we told you, we would have to kill you, and we are NOT a violent band, except when it comes to grooves.
Her Bright Skies have developed a distinctly modern sound, with piercing melodies, emotive vocals and an ever-rising tidal wave of fans – all on their own terms. “Causing A Scene” displays a band which has purified its sacred mission to carry your ass into a world where music is first and foremost a party – not psychoanalysis. With both feet firmly entrenched in the American tradition of melodic punk, pop and metal, Her Bright Skies have developed a way to lift themselves out of small town boredom all the while creating their own niche: energetic rock conveyed with a touch of that indefinable, Nordic sound. The cockiness and the musical language is American, but the accent is perfectly Swedish.
The sounds of dirt pouring out of old souls that were sold for the sake of rock n’ roll. Space rock n’ roll. Whatever it is, you can’t help but to feel your ears being dipped in nostalgia then taken to another dimension and back again with the songs of Crobot. A quartet from central Pennsylvania, conjure up sonic ghosts and stories that seemingly were interpreted from crop circles in their debut album entitled The Legend of the Spaceborne Killer scheduled for an October 30th release date. The standouts do not stop with songs like the celestial-birthed, riffy title track “The Legend of the Spaceborne Killer”, the infectious soundtrack of a stalker “Let Me In”, or the bouncy, groove-wet tidal wave of a tune called “In the Undertow”. This eleven-track effort would be loved by any classic or modern rock connoisseur, and with so many dirty seventies hard rock grooves with a modern twist, it’s clear why.
Over the past eight years The Aristocrats – guitarist Guthrie Govan (Steven Wilson, Asia/GPS, Hans Zimmer), bassist Bryan Beller(Joe Satriani, Dethklok), and drummer Marco Minnemann (Steven Wilson, Joe Satriani, Steve Hackett) – have released critically acclaimed albums, toured the world, and established themselves as one of the most musically original, refreshingly irreverent, and astoundingly entertaining instrumental rock-fusion acts on the planet. Anyone who’s witnessed their live musical high-wire act – employing random amounts of rock, jazz, pop, metal, and even traditional country – can attest that it is informed by the spirit of a true band, one whose improvisational soul allows for anything to happen onstage at any moment…including the occasional wink and nod at the audience. Perhaps Guthrie Govan said it best when he called The Aristocrats “a rowdy democracy of musicianship.”
From the northside of Chicago, Mack Makuta first started rapping at an early age of 11 mimicking his favorite rappers and influences such as Tech N9ne, Bone Thugs n Harmony, Twista and many other artists from the midwest with similar styles. He quickly learned that he had a talent for rapping fast with the best of him and took to Youtube to showcase his rapping talents. With his Youtube channel climbing at over 1 million views, he’s on a mission to make everyone remember who Mack Makuta is and the music that he makes. He’s currently in the studio with production team Tha Executives and 1day Music Group working on his debut solo mixtape and album “High as Heaven” which are both slated for a summer 2013 release.
INANIMATE EXISTENCE is a Progressive Death Metal band from Santa Cruz, CA that started in the Fall of 2010. Originally the band would consist of Cameron Porras (former guitarist of FLESH CONSUMED), Ron Casey (BRAIN DRILL), Joel Guernsey, Ivan Munguia (ARKAIK, DEEDS OF FLESH) and Ian Rittmaster. After a few months of jam sessions the band went in to the studio to record a 2 song demo that would consist of the first recordings of , “The Discarnate Self Paradox” and “Iguanid Labyrinth”, during August 2011. Soon after the recording, Ivan parted ways and Mitch Yoesle became the new bassist. Once the Demo was complete, UNIQUE LEADER RECORDS signed the band to release their first full length album entitled “Liberation Through Hearing”. The group entered Castle Ultimate Studios with producer Zack Ohren (DECREPIT BIRTH, SUFFOCATION, ALL SHALL PERISH) during March 2012. The album was released worldwide July 17th 2012 and also featured a guest solo by MATT SOTELO of DECREPIT BIRTH. As of now INANIMATE EXISTENCE has shared the stage with bands such as DISGORGE, SEVERED SAVIOR, DYING FETUS, ARKAIK, FALLUJAH, SON OF AURELIUS, CATTLE DECAPITATION, PUTRID PILE, VEHEMENCE and many other extreme bands. Currently INANIMATE EXISTENCE is touring to support their debut album and is writing for their 2nd album which is to be released on UNIQUE LEADER RECORDS.
Denver, Colorado’s Vale Of Pnath are one the up-and-coming bands to watch for in the technical death metal field. In 2009 the band released their self-titled debut EP via Tribunal Records. The album was very well received around the metal community, both critically and by fans. Now, in 2011, Vale Of Pnath are ready to release their first ever full-length, The Prodigal Empire via Willowtip Records.
Formed in 2003.”Aberration of Man” Available now worldwide! on Unique Leader Records! Check out our bandcamp for free streams!
Founded in Bordeaux (France) in 1997, under the moniker GORGASM, the band finally record its debut full-length album “Neurotripsicks” in 2004 for Deadsun Records. With this CD, they cut a deal with Willowtip Records (US), who decided to re-release “Neurotripsicks” in 2005 with two brand new bonus tracks. At this same moment, the band decided to rename themselves to GOROD to avoid confusion with the Chicago death metal outfit of the same name.
The album received a good response from the media and in 2006, the band returned with the much-praised “Leading Vision”. The band then toured over Europe and went to the mighty Maryland DeathFest (USA) and DeathFeast Open Air (D), only to impress and leave the many spectators in awe.
At the End of 2008, the band found a new drummer in Sam Santiago just before they entered the studio to record the new opus “Process Of A New Decline”. On this album, Sam pushed the band to a new level with his tight, fast and groovy drumming. With this new record, GOROD have cleverly spiced their diamond-cutting technicality with supercharged pinball machine melodies and fluttering sting ray guitar solos against a backdrop of grooves and bonkers bass playing. To promote this CD, the band toured Europe with NY death metal legends Immolation (USA) and done several shows and festivals in France
2010, GOROD start the production of its forthcoming EP ” Transcendence” including acoustic versions of the band’s classics, … they played Neurotic DeathFest and then flew to USA for 2 weeks to play several shows including Midwest Fuckfest and mighty Maryland Deathfest ! Back to France the band hit mainstage at Hellfest and played an incredible show in Paris with Cynic (USA)…GOROD then embarked to a European summer trek with Cattle Decapitation (USA). Right after this tour, Arnaud (guitars) and Guillaume (vocals) left the band for personal reasons… End of 2010, the band welcome Julien “Nutz Deyres, who already toured with the band, on vocals, and, young and talented guitarist, Nicolas Alberny.
2011… “Transcendence” is out… Amazing acoustics versions of old GOROD songs, a CYNIC cover, an outstanding progressive, epic 15′ song…..a true masterpiece! To promote this new EP, GOROD done a successful 2 weeks French tour with Benighted and Kronos… then hit the road for a month across Europe with talented The Faceless (USA). Fall 2011, the band enter studio to record a new album with crazy and talented french metal producer Frederic “Elmobo” Motte… a new masterpiece is on the run !!
GOROD is ready to spread its technical and radioactive songwriting all over de world… For sure…GOROD is among the most amazing “Tech Death” bands…
A heavily rock-based group from Boulder. West Water Outlaws have many different influences including reggae, blues, soul, funk etc. In the age of the iPod, the Outlaws mix it up while keeping a sound all their own. Their shows are a mix of soulful melodies and driving riffs with wailing vocals and good feeling grooves. Not to mention a rowdy, fun-loving atmosphere that seems to recall the quote: “have a good time, ALL of the time” – Viv Savage
Hello, my name is Drake Christopher. I”m from Bryant, Arkansas. Music is my art, creativity, ingenuity, personality, ambition, and love.
Music is also my story, and therefore to learn more about me, you’ll just have to listen. It means so much if you do. Leave me a post on my wall, I do my best to reply to everyone. ♥