ROBUST & MAX

A veteran of Chicago’s burst in underground hip hop, Robust is known in the Chi town scene for his past collaborations with groups such as Scam Artists and The Molemen. His 2000 independent release “Freelance Gynecologist” got attention worldwide from fans and critics of dope punchlines and humorous rhymes. Soon Bigga would appear on projects like Sage Francis’ “Still Sick Urine Trouble” & Qwel’s debut “If It Ain’t Been In A Pawn Shop, Then It Can’t Play The Blues”, where he showed his growth into a more serious lyricist.

After success with 7″ single “Flibbertigibbit” (also on Meaty Ogre’s recent “Leo vs. Pisces”), hip hop was definitely ready for Robigga to step up the game. Enter “Potholes In Our Molecules”, the brand new full length on Galapagos4.

Things get very serious on this deep album, as Robust bares it all from the inside out, with his intricate flows & creative rhyme schemes intact. Of course he comes off with some humor, wit & straight rap savvy as well. The supremely crafted beats, handled mostly by Meaty Ogre & east coast producer Prolyphic, create a solid moody backdrop to keep your head stuck on nod. Dreas, Maker, Sun Spark & Bless also contribute heat to this 17 track album. Here’s to life’s flawless imperfections, flawlessly perfected as hip hop potholes.

Horseburner

HORSEBURNER

Stoner metal. Sludge. Doom. Call it what you will, Parkersburg, West Virginia’s Horseburner creates riff-heavy rock n’ roll to shake your insides.

Sugarman

SUGARMAN ALLSTARS

BARRAGOON

Chicago DJ, producer, & event curator.

WARFIELD

* DJ at house parties in the SFV as well as some very dubious Hollywood Teen clubs. (2 Technics and a mixer, 2 crates of records, and a love of hip-hop).

* MC/Lyricist – “Season Of The Vic” from the LP, QD3 Soundlab, produced by QD3 (I had dreadlocks & rarely wore a shirt, but I was all over the radio, MTV-Raps, BET & Pump It Up in high school, so fuck it).

* Signed by Quincy Jones to Qwest/WB at 16 (After 2 years of working with and learning from QD3 his father signs me and the two become mentors to me, off to a good start).

* MC/Lyricist/Producer – Debut solo album, “My Field Trip To Planet 9”. (A classic in the UK, too bad no one told me, stateside I was massive in Boulder and a few college campuses).

* Singer/Lyricist/Guitar/Keys – The Justin Warfield Supernaut, S/T Debut album. (An endearing but confused classic rock/grunge/pop band which had we had time to gestate could have been great).

* MC/Lyricist – Bomb The Bass, “Bug Powder Dust” and “Braindead” from the LP, “CLEAR”. (First of an ongoing collaboration with the man who would change the course of my life, Tim Simenon. Respect).

* Producer/Guitarist/Singer – One Inch Punch (Secrets Of The One Inch Punch EP, Tao Of One Inch Punch (Rising from the ashes of Supernaut, consisting of Gianni Garofalo & myself, signed by Tim Sim).

* Remixes – Depeche Mode, “Barrel Of A Gun”, The Boo Radleys, “Joel”, Kylie Minogue, “Confide In Me” (so fucked up), Korn, don’t remember the song, but they hated it.

* Guest Vocalist – The Chemical Brothers, “Not Another Drugstore, “Pretty Piece Of Flesh” & “The Montague Boys” on OST Romeo And Juliet, The Freestylers, “Broadcast Channels”, Cornershop, “Candyman”, Placebo, “Spite And Malice”, LHB, “No Transmission”,

* Vocals/Guitar – Tape (Garage-gaze LA based band who only ever played in NYC & LA, was subject to a label frenzy, only to burnout after 2 great EP’s and several years of blinding shows. Awesome).

* Vocals/Guitar/Lyrics/Production – She Wants Revenge (S/T LP, This Is Forever, Save Your Soul EP, Up And Down EP, Valleyheart. (Finally worked with childhood friend Adam 12 to great results).

* Vocals/Lyricist/Guitar – Timbaland, “In Time”.

* Remixes – Placebo, “Meds, Ringside, “Tired Of Being Sorry”, Tatu, “Outer Space”,

* Vocals/Lyrics – Crystal Method, “Kling To The Wreckage”.

* Various Remixes – (Kimbra, “Settle Down”, Jason Derulo, “Breathing”, Childish Gambino, “Heartbeat”, Depeche Mode, “Heaven”. (I feel like I’m forgetting something).

* Producer/Executive Producer – Nova Rockafeller (My little sis. Your new favorite artist).

* Secret projects coming….(Plural).

I’m really tired, so if this doesn’t make sense or is incomplete, bear with me, I’m switching to Sanka.

SamMoe

SAMMOE

Sammoe is a quartet led by Swiss guitarist Samuel Mösching. The band combines Funk, Rock, Blues and Electronica like Dub and Drum’n’Bass with a strong guitar lead. Samuel Mösching studied composition in Europe and has worked as a regular guitar player for Zeshan B, Subhi and Maggie Brown and performed for Ravinia, Electric Forest and Late Night with Stephen Colbert.

INFECTED RAIN

Infected Rain are far from the overly manufactured metal many of us have grown accustomed to.

Their style is an energetic blend of some of the best modern metal styles.

A combination of female screaming, hard riffs and samples created the individual style of Infected Rain. The band was formed in 2008 and made their first appearance on stage on August 3, 2008, performing in a concert dedicated to Slayer. At the end of the same month Infected Rain recorded their first demo CD, which consisted of three songs: With Me, Parasite and No Idols. Over the next 2 years the band appeared in several concerts in Moldova, Romania and the Ukraine. Infected Rain took 1st place at the Big Up! Urban Fest in 2009 and continued the stream of its successful performances at the Forest Kap in 2010 and 2011. In summer of 2009 the band released their EP, which included six songs: Judgmental Trap, Panika, No More, Escape, Go Away and Homeless. Their first music video was for the song Judgmental Trap and was shot in winter of the following year. November 25, 2011 was marked by the release of the band’s first album, entitled Asylum. After that the band went on a tour in Romania to support the album. In January 2012 the band released its second music video for the song At the Bottom of the Bottle and shortly after that performed at the Metal Special Fest as a headliner. In June, the band played at OST fest 2012 in Bucharest on the same stage with Dimmu Borgir and Motley Crue.

Shortly after that they released a new music video for the song Me Against You, collaborating with Moldova Extreme Moto Cross. Then on March 8th, a music video for the single Stop Waiting came out. In the autumn of 2013 the band toured Romania, Russia, Ukraine and Bulgaria as their first big tour. May 15th of 2014 the band released the second album called “Embrace Eternity”. Later, in September and October was their big European tour in which they visited 12 countries. January of 2015 was marked with the release of 2 more music videos for the album “Embrace Eternity”. At the same time the band never stopped concurring new countries and headlining big festivals in Europe. 2016 started with the release of their new music video for the single Serendipity that gave a start to a new, heavier era for Infected Rain. Serendipity, Mold and Orphan soul music videos were released in 2017 and are part of the third album called “86” that was released on April 20th 2017. The next year was dedicated to touring and composing of new music. 2018 was a beautiful and intense year for IR. A year of exposure and interesting work and collaboration proposals. In fact 2019 started right away with big announcements. Announcements of upcoming tours around the world and new music. After being independent for 10 years the band signed a record deal with The Austrian label Napalm records on February 13th and announced it on the Valentine’s day with the big release of the new music video for the song Passerby. Passerby is the first single, then fallowed by The Earth Mantra, Lure and Storm, from the upcoming album called Endorphin that seen the light in October 2019.

BUTCHER BABIES

Butcher Babies is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California, consisting of frontwomen Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey, guitarist Henry Flury, bassist Ricky Bonazza, and drummer Chase Brickenden.

THE ELECTRIC BLUES JUNKIES

Electric Blues Junkies Inc. (EBJ) featuring RB Green on Guitar, Adam Arling, bassist for rock band The Last Vegas, and guitar powerhouse Tony McQuaid of Loudmouth fame! Bob Spelbring will be on the drums! The band combines a mix of traditional, electric, and improvisational blues! For more info, check out heavyblues.com

BERNARD CRUMP

The renowned Bernard Crump has over 40 years of experience playing and singing a variety of genres, including but not limited to: Blues, Jazz, R&B and Gospel music. Although he’s shown strong musicanship since the age of 7, his professional career began at the age of 17 playing with the legendary gospel group, The Pilgrim Jubilees. He’s played with various artists, such as:Tyrone Davis, The Funky Nassau band featuring Raphael Munnings, Willie Clayton, Albertina Walker, Fantasia Barrino.
He’s also served as opening act for: James Brown, Millie Jackson, Z.Z. Hill, Bobby “Blue” Bland, The Manhattans, Joe Simon, The Ohio Players, The Mighty Dells, The Mighty Clouds of Joy.
After 50 years of affluent musicianship, Bernard Crump founded the Musicians Network Mecca, a program aimed at mentoring and continuing the education of young musicians and the economic empowerment of musicians throughout the Chicago area. Currently, Bernard Crump is the lead guitarist for Chicago’s own Legendary Gentleman of Leisure Band.

ACME

ACME is a visual kei band that formed in 2017 consisting of former DIV vocalist CHISA and guitarist SHOGO, former ARTEMA drummer HAL, and bassist RIKITO.
The name of the band means “the vertex of evolution” and the band concept is “Delinquent boys from another world”. Well known for their post-hardcore sound and colorful “oshare” style visuals, ACME are quickly rising in the visual kei scene.
Their first mini-album release in August of 2017, “SENKOU”, sold out first press copies nationwide. ACME’s second single release “ROTTEN ORANGE” also had the track “CALL MY NAME” featured in the movie “Namae no nai onna tachi: Usotsuki Onna,” starring Mitsuru Fukikoshi.
At Anime Expo 2018 in LA, CHISA walked the AX Fashion Show runway for Harajuku fashion designers KINGLYMASK, LISTEN FLAVOR, and HYPER CORE. ACME made their overseas debut performance at Anime Milwaukee 2019 and returned in June of that year at A-Kon in Dallas. ACME headlined a tour in January 2020 in 4 cities along the US west coast.

FRANK BANG THREE

Frank Bang is a Energetic Musical force. On Stage or in Studio. With 14 current Songs on Rotation on B. B. Kings Bluesville SiriusXM

PYRRHON

“Outré as they get, everything Pyrrhon do emanates from an obsidian death metal core – just that this music is that much more expressive, its impact that much more disquieting than almost anything else in the genre.”
-Decibel

THE WOOLLY RHINOS

We are a Chicago band made up of Jack Swain on vocals and guitar,Tom Valenzano on vocals and guitar,Jay Lysaught on bass and Chuck Harling on drums.

MCLUHAN

McLuhan was a concept and a mixed-media group where no particular musical venue or style would necessarily prevail. The creator of the idea was David Wright who composed most of the music and wrote the lyrics on their only album, Anomaly.

ZAKO RYAN

Hailing from Beaufort, SC, Zako Ryan is one of Chicago’s premier standup comedians. This tall drink of moonshine headlines clubs all over the country, was featured on Keenan Thompson’s Road To New York, and can be seen regularly at Chicago’s Laugh Factory, Zanies, or producing and hosting his own wildly popular independent showcase “Sorry For Killin'” at Chicago’s Lincoln Lodge.

Sarah Perry

SARAH PERRY

Sarah Perry is a Chicago-based comedian/writer whose fearless delivery and subject matter is highly relatable and resoundingly funny. In March 2021 Sarah was voted Best Stand-Up Comic by The Chicago Reader. That same month, she was featured on the virtual SXSW Festival. Sarah has opened up for Natasha Leggero, Lynne Koplitz, Michael Kosta, Chris Redd, Jeremy Piven, Esther Povitsky and more. She recently performed in The Laughing Skull Comedy Festival in Atlanta, GA in May 2019 and in June 2019 she was named a semi-finalist for StandUp NBC. In November of 2019 she performed a TEDx Talk for her Alma Mater, Columbia College Chicago and in January 2020 she performed at Team Coco House in Chicago.

VON ROBURTS

Von Roburts is a  funny, cool and smart stand up comedian with a commanding delivery and honest demeanor. You can’t help but listen to him, respect his perspective and laugh at the comedy that comes with that truth .His care free, casual style is very insightful . Von performs stand up all over the United States impressing audiences everywhere.

Von has worked with everybody from Bone Thugs n Harmony to Funny Or Die writers. Von is inspired by a hand full of comedians, but there six he looks to most are: Jerry Seinfeld, Patrice o’ Neal, Rick Shapiro, Dave Chappelle, Dave Attell and Bobbie Oliver. Expect great things from the bright young comic.

THE ROLLING STONES “LET IT BLEED”

Performed Live By: Sonic Currency

Let It Bleed is the eighth British and tenth American album by English rock band The Rolling Stones, released in December 1969 by Decca Records in the United Kingdom and London Records in the United States. Released shortly after the band’s 1969 American Tour, it is the follow-up to 1968’s Beggars Banquet and the last album by the band to feature Brian Jones as well as the first to feature Mick Taylor.

The Dozen Buzzin' Cousins

THE DOZEN BUZZIN’ COUSINS

A collective of passionate musicians playing an eclectic mix of covers as well as some Ian Leith originals all over Berwyn and Chicagoland.

Butl3r

BUTL3R

With music ranging from house to funk to heavy-hitting bangers, Butl3r is sure to make you groove and have an unforgettable night.

Glitch Gatsby

GLITCH GATSBY

Brass, bass, and bombastic beats

High Step Society

HIGH STEP SOCIETY

When the honeyed tones of the Jazz Age meld with the hottest bass drops of the new millennium, you get High Step Society’s elixir of Electro Bass Jazz.  Merging dance music from our past with sounds for the future, High Step Society features sultry vocals, a blasting sexy horn section that soars over syncopated high hats, rat-a-tat snares and dirty synths.  The cats in the band are electronic music producers as well as educated jazz musicians. High Step Society is rethinking jazz with unorthodox arrangements, and bringing a touch of elegance to electronic music.

The band is “at once groovy and raucously tight, High Step Society’s tunes growl to a Cotton Club vibe that plunges the depths of the EDM trench.” (Eugene Weekly, 10/8/15).  They ”take it to the next level with live horn sections, sultry singers and energetic dance beats that capture the excitement of the jazz age and rocket launch it a century into the future.”

(Eugene Weekly, 4/9/15)  Their live shows are classy affairs where everyone is encouraged to dress their best, so the band and the crowd are looking top notch while the dance floor sizzles.

Duke

DUKE

My voice is my strength. Let me a sing a song for you

STONER

Rad stays rad.
A few ideas are timeless.
Stoner is Brant Bjork (guitar/vocals), Nick Oliveri (bass/vocals) and Ryan Gut (drums), and from flowing jams to all-out punker blasts, they know what they’re doing. It ain’t anybody’s first time at the dance, and you don’t call your band Stoner if you’ve never heard the word before. Stoner, however straight-ahead their moniker, encompass varied styles and the songwriting of Bjork and Oliveri – both founders of Kyuss, also Mondo Generator, Ché, Fu Manchu, Bloodcot, and more between them. Atop the classic-style swing and flow from Gut (also of Bjork’s solo band), Stoner keep it casual and wear the name as only those who helped create the sound could

Spirit Mother

SPIRIT MOTHER

Spirit Mother is a heavy rock band with their sound anthologized through a folk-informed and classical lens. Their dynamic and imposing wall of sound, coupled with a driving backbeat, grips through atmospheric strings and haunting vocals. Initially from Long Beach, CA, the band relocated across the United States residing in Buffalo, Los Angeles, and the high-desert of Eastern Oregon.

Vocals, Bass / Armand Lance

Violin, Vocals / SJ

Violin, Vocals / Camille Getz

Guitar / Sean McCormick

Drums / Landon Cisneros

MAD ALCHEMY LIQUID LIGHT SHOW

Analog liquid lightshow
in the San Francisco tradition pioneered by Bill Hamm,
and Brotherhood of Light,a main stay of the 60’s ballroom
scene.

el perro photo

EL PERRO

EL PERRO is a brand new band led by guitarist/vocalist/songwriter/producer Parker Griggs of RADIO MOSCOW. The sound contains elements that fans of Radio Moscow will recognize, but this is rock music with a new, fresh spin and feel. You could say that EL PERRO plays psychedelic funk rock, and you wouldn’t be wrong.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN “NEBRASKA”

Nebraska is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released on September 30, 1982, by Columbia Records. Springsteen recorded the songs as demos on a 4-track recorder, intending to rerecord them with the E Street Band, but decided to release them as they were. Nebraska remains one of the most highly regarded albums in his catalog.

The songs on Nebraska deal with ordinary, down-on-their-luck blue-collar characters who face a challenge or a turning point in their lives. The songs also treat the subject of outsiders, criminals and mass murderers with little hope for the future—or no future at all—as in the title track, where the main character is sentenced to death in the electric chair. Unlike previous albums, which often exude energy, youth, optimism and joy, the vocal tones of Nebraska are solemn and thoughtful, with fleeting moments of grace and redemption woven through the lyrics. The album’s reverb-laden vocals and mood combined with dark lyrical content have been described by music critic William Ruhlmann as “one of the most challenging albums ever released by a major star on a major record label”. Because of the album’s somber content, Springsteen chose not to tour in support of the album, making it Springsteen’s first major release that was not supported by a tour, and his only such release until 2019’s Western Stars.

ZERO SIGNAL

Chicagoland’s Premier Fear Factory Tribute Band comprised of TJ (vocals), Dan (guitar), Jon (bass), Analise (keys), and Mike (drums)

PRETTY TIED UP

Guns N Roses tribute band based out of America

THE SECRET LIVES

The Secret Lives is an up and coming americana/folk rock band out of the southwest suburbs of Chicago. TSL is comprised of Andy Victory, Rachel Darling, and Mel Flowers. The trio provide a unique Southern Gothic tinged Americana sound with powerful, engaging, and retrospective lyrical content.

THE MONKEY MAN

GOREMONGER

Depraved underground cybergrind!! Blending a bunch of styles and influences into a sound I hope can

BITRU

Bitru – Black Metal Colombiano

KNOXIOUS

Hard hitting, fast, charged Hardcore Punk from Chicago! featuring members from Alley Slob Service and Oi! Story
KNOXIOUS-
Ernie Slob- Drums
Sean “Mail Man” Murdock- Guitar/Vox
Marty Rodriguez- Bass/ Vox
Fabian BarBa- Guitar/ Vox
Henry Martinez- Lead Vox

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Driven, fast-paced, and to the point, they bring the voice of the youth kicking and screaming to the ears of the complacent world, their sound reflects tenets of 80’s hardcore through the lens of the modern experience and the current cultural landscape where the resulting sound is one that transcends the traditional labels associated with punk in search of pure, unadulterated representation.

STOLEN WHEELCHAIRS

Fast, anthemic, hardcore-punk straight from the depths of Hostile City. “The Robin-Hoods of Healthcare”.

THE STICKUPS

Streetpunk band from Denver, USA.

THE FIENDS

LA’s own, The Fiends! debut LP brings you the sounds of early American Hardcore Punk featuring members of Long Beach streetpunk legends Clit 45. 13 loud riffy bangers for fans of Bad Brains, Wipers, TSOL. The sounds of yesterday for today’s fucked up world!

GEN WHY

Dirty – Guitar / Vocals

Bugs – Bass / Vocals

Jimi – Drums

-Texas Street Punk-

ROTTEN FEW CREW

CHEAP SEX

In March of 2000, Mike Virus left The Virus to pursue a job offer in San Diego, CA. “I missed my old band a great deal, and kept in constant contact with those guys, and something just felt like it was missing in my life” says Mike. After two years of searching for band members Mike finally found the right people. “The first guy I met was Gabe when i first moved here in 2000 at an Agent Orange show in San Diego. We started talking about starting a band then but it never materialized, partly due to the fact that Gabe moved out of San Diego for several months. Once Gabe moved back to San Diego, talk of the band heated up again, but it was not until Mike met Johnny O. that talks really got serious. Mikemet John at club one night, John was playing with The Worthless at the time. “It just clicked. The guy was into the same shit as me, and he was real anxious about getting a band together.” After that Mike talked to Derek who was a friend of his and a friend of Gabe`s. Things were now set. We set out looking for a second guitarist and found Beau through an ad. Cheap Sex was now born. The band immediately got a great reaction, and within 2 months of forming had a record contract with two differnt labels having shown interest. The bands first show was with Mike’s previous band The Virus, and shows since then have included Defiance, 999, Slaughter and The Dogs, Lower Class Brats, Anti Nowhere League and English Dogs to name a few. “Punk Rock is everything to me, It’s what I live, breathe, and eat. I truly believe that even to this day, it is a true alternative to a life of complacency” says Mike, and I think that sums of Cheap Sex best.

Lurid

LURID

Black Metal from Chicago, IL.

P.K. – Guitars, Vocals
R.G. – Guitars
A.K. – Bass
D.O. – Drums

PETE CAUTIOUS

Pete Cautious exists in a bizarro indie soft rock world, slowly burning shimmering guitars over a crackling synth dumpster fire. It is deceptively simple music, with strange harmonies and textures, but always anchored by a melody that takes you somewhere. Maybe a sun bleached Stevie Ray Vaughn playing on an acid warped Billy Idol tune…..

Pete and his band are veterans of the Chicago scene, having played in too many bands to list (Hanalei, Archaeology, and Bear the Bell are some honorable mentions). Through the years, Pete has got to open for some great bands, like Tobacco, Karate, Russian Circles, and more. If sleeping on floors was worth anything, he wouldn’t need a credit card anymore.

Pete is currently playing with a 4 piece band (Brad Smith, Paul Nixon, Erik Sowa), promoting the debut album, Pete Cautious. The album is a solid listen front to back, and plays like a great movie. It’ll make you laugh, cry, and throw in a couple surprises too.

CLOUD HOUSES

6 piece indie rock band from Chicago with aspirations of world domination
Kendall Parchman- Vocals, Keys, Guitar
Katie Stack- Vocals, Trumpet, Keys
Trent Henry- Guitars
Bianca Barcenas- Guitars
Erol Hasanof- Drums, Vocals
Bryan Lesser- Bass

PRESENT COMPANY

Indie Alternative band from Minneapolis, MN.
Lead vocals, guitar: Christian Nelson
Lead vocals, guitar, synth: Eddie Chisham
Bass: Seth Lemmon
Drums: Berin Joseph

THE SOUNDS

The Sounds are a Swedish indie rock band. Formed in Helsingborg in 1998, the group’s musical style has been compared to new wave acts such as Blondie, The Cars, the Epoxies and Missing Persons. Their debut album, Living in America, was released in 2002, with the follow-up Dying to Say This to You on March 21, 2006

CREEPING DEATH

Devotees of influential death metal merchants like Blood Red Throne (Norway), Gorguts (Canada), and Grave (Sweden) have a new American band to champion. Creeping Death draw liberally from the template set by those bands along with the speed of early Sepultura (Brazil) and the hammering epic crush of Bolt Thrower (England). All of these classic sounds are reforged together and reflected through Creeping Death’s own fresh and unique prism.

Backlash photo

BACKLASH

Thrashing from the Chicago Southlands, Backlash indoctrinates audiences to their live performances with diverse heavy riffs, robust bass, powerful and guttural vocals accompanied by precision drum grooves. Releasing their debut LP in 2021, “Colossus”, Backlash have since played throughout the midwest with bands such as: Cavalera Conspiracy, Warbringer, and Exciter. Crowned the victors of the fall 2022 Dirtbag Michigan Metalfest competition, Backlash have since released their emphatic thrash anthem “False Flag” to commemorate the achievement. Slated to release their second full length LP in 2024 – Backlash continues to raise the bar in terms of authentic live performance, songwriting and imagery.

For fans of Metallica, Megadeth and Pantera

EVIL INCARNATE

Death metal from Illinois, since 1997

THE SUFFERING

The Suffering is Jeff Holmes guitars, Jon Billman bass, Scott Davidson Drums & Casey Loving vocals