TVAER
A.C. – Guitar, Vocals
M.H. – Guitar
E.C. – Drums
C.D. – Bass
We had been sullen
in the sweet air that’s gladdened by the sun;
we bore the mist of sluggishness in us:
now we are bitter in the blackened mud.
ENEFERENS
Beautiful metal from the north.
Jori Apedaile – All instruments + vocals
LUTES-NOLDEN EARGASM
Lutes-Nolden Eargasm interpret Tenacious D & Ween
JOSEPH CHILLIAMS
OZZUARIO
Industrial Black Metal From Chicago
JEREMY ZUCKER
Before entrancing listeners across the world, 21-year-old singer, songwriter, and producer Jeremy Zucker had been quietly carving out his distinct sound from a bedroom in suburban New Jersey. A fusion of organic airy beats, lush soundtrack-style soundscapes, and biting tumblr-worthy lyricism, Zucker’s catalog is eclectic: equally care-free and effortless as it is introspectively cathartic. A self-described “social introvert,” Zucker cites Jon Bellion, Blackbear, EDEN, Bon Iver, and Wet among his strongest influences.
In the summer of 2015, Zucker released his first official EP entitled “Beach Island.” The project saw a small amount of success and from there Zucker steadily began to build a dedicated fan base. Later that year he released a stream of singles that would eventually be packaged together as an EP titled “Breathe.” The project’s breakout single “Bout It” quickly garnered millions of streams as it organically spread across Soundcloud and Spotify, drawing the attention of curators and fans across the world. In 2016 Zucker released his third EP, “Motions,” which featured “Heavy,” a song that was later remixed by the recording artist Blackbear who reached out to Jeremy after stumbling across his music on Soundcloud. The remix, “Make Daddy Proud,” was released on Blackbear’s latest LP “Digital Druglord.” 2017 continues the upward trend for Zucker; he recently signed with Republic Records and is currently gearing up for his major label debut.
BIRD STREETS
“I used to write about finding ways out of the darkness,” says John Brodeur, the New York songwriter and musician behind 2018 NPR Music Slingshot Artist Bird Streets. “Now I’m more interested in exploring and creating a map of that place. In some ways, adopting the Bird Streets name allowed me to write more openly about myself.”
In need of a creative rebirth after many years in the New York music scene, Brodeur reached out to his longtime friend, producer and multi-instrumentalist Jason Falkner, to suggest they record together. The album yielded by this pairing is both fresh and familiar–a dynamic collection of introspective indie-rock and power-pop that draws liberally on the music of decades past without being bluntly nostalgic, with Brodeur’s voice like an old friend you’re meeting for the first time. The Falkner-produced debut, simply titled Bird Streets, is out now on Omnivore Recordings.
Over a career that’s spanned nearly 20 years, John Brodeur has independently produced and released several solo albums, including 2013’s Little Hopes; fronted rock trios The Suggestions and Maggie Mayday; and worked as a touring and studio musician for scores of acts, including The Morning After Girls, Freedy Johnston, and White Hills. He has shared stages with Fountains of Wayne, They Might Be Giants, TV On The Radio, The Whigs, Glenn Tilbrook, Cracker, 311, Lemonheads, Scud Mountain Boys, Greg Laswell, Asteroids Galaxy Tour, O.A.R., Sloan, Todd Park Mohr, and many more.
The name Bird Streets springs from a tony real-estate enclave in the Hollywood Hills, which Brodeur first discovered when the recording sessions were first getting underway — but also references his one-time hometown of Albany, N.Y., which provided the characters and inspiration for some of the album’s 11 songs.
Recorded in Los Angeles between 2014 and 2016, Bird Streets is the product of equal measures tenacity and patience. After a series of setbacks derailed touring plans for his last solo album, Brodeur decamped to L.A. for a few months, waiting for a hole to open in Falkner’s schedule. Once they were in the studio, the kindred creative spirits hit it off immediately, producing the song “Direction” in a single session. What started with a song turned into an EP and then a full-length album. Working during the short gaps between Falkner’s touring and production commitments, with Brodeur shuffling between coasts for studio dates, the pair moved quickly, arranging and tracking entire songs in a day or two, sharing instrumental duties throughout. Brodeur brought few complete ideas into the sessions, instead composing in the studio with Falkner, lyrics often being finished as the record button was pressed.
Lyrically, these songs draw heavily on internal conflict — self-doubt, anxiety, depression — with an overarching feeling of wistful resignation rather than blind optimism. On “Spaceship,” the album’s introspective centerpiece, Brodeur reflects on his history with alcohol as “having the time of someone else’s life,” before admitting, “we’ve got a long way to go.” The inertia of addiction hangs heavy over “Same Dream”: “So many places that you’ve never been / But all you want is to be there again.”
Something as seemingly inconsequential as writer’s block is experienced as a mortal struggle on the spooky “Pretty Bones.” Brodeur notes, “I got locked out of my friend’s place in Hollywood the evening before we had to cut the vocal, and I didn’t have a lyric yet so I wandered around for half the night, beating myself up for not having anything to say — which turned out to be decent lyric material.”
Periodically difficult themes are delivered via unshakable melodies, a dichotomy that recalls the tightrope walked by artists like Elliott Smith and David Bazan/Pedro the Lion. In album opener “Carry Me,” Brodeur celebrates “new beginnings and bitter ends” over a bright, bristling bed of electric guitars, then laments the end of a friendship that was once “tighter than Steely Dan” in the eminently catchy “Betting on the Sun.” From there the album jumps between epic power-ballads (“Stop to Breathe”) and British Invasion-flavored power-pop (“Thanks for Calling”), the George Harrison-via-Radiohead melancholy of “Heal” and the grungy jangle of “Until the Crown.”
“Jason helped to bring the right batch of tunes out of me,” says Brodeur. “Each time we finished one, he knew exactly what kind of song needed to come next.”
Falkner fans will enjoy some genuine guitar-hero moments on Bird Streets, including the soaring solo work on “Carry Me” and “Direction,” and the subtle melodic counterplay of “Bullets.” Moments of guitar interplay, tracked simultaneously by the pair, give songs like “Betting on the Sun” and “Stop to Breathe” a live-band energy, even though many of the songs had never been performed prior to being recorded.
Once the duo wrapped up recording and mixing, the album was sent to mastering engineer Jon Astley, with the vinyl lacquer to be cut at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London. Soon, the album caught the attention of Cheryl Pawelski at Omnivore, who made Bird Streets one of the label’s select few new artists.
An 11th-hour revamp gave the album its striking cover image, Brodeur having scrapped the original packaging altogether upon seeing the new photo in a friend’s Instagram feed. “It’s really just a pile of bricks, but it reminded me of the absurd beauty of the Hollywood Hills, and all the struggle and sadness and poverty that goes toward maintaining that façade — those massive homes, teetering on the cliff’s edge, while people are sleeping on the sidewalk a half-mile away.”
Now, after years in the making — and decades on the outside looking in — Bird Streets is giving Brodeur a renewed creative energy, and a shot at reaching a larger audience.
RUSSO
Russo are an American rock band formed in 2018 in Los Angeles, California. The group consists of Cailin Russo (lead vocals), Tyler McCarthy (lead guitar), Hayley Brownell (drums, backing vocals) and Sean Ritchie (bass).
Frontwoman Cailin Russo was raised in San Diego, California. Her father is Scott Russo, lead-singer of rock-band ‘Unwritten Law’. Cailin’s father exposed her to rock-music at an early age and she released various tracks under her own name, before following in her father’s footsteps and joining Tyler, Hayley and Sean to form Russo.
Russo initially began rehearsing in Echo Park, Los Angeles and played their first gig supporting Jessie Ware on 19th April at Belly Up in Solana Beach, California.
Russo’s debut project ‘A House with a Pool’ is scheduled for release in June 2018.
BAD SUNS
The third full-length from L.A. band Bad Suns, Mystic Truth gets its title from a piece of art that vocalist Christo Bowman stumbled upon while visiting London’s Tate Modern on tour. Created by Bruce Nauman in 1967, the neon-and-glass piece spells out a possibly paradoxical statement in blue spiraled cursive: “The True Artist Helps the World by Revealing Mystic Truths.”
“I thought that connected back to the message of the record, which is about finding the extraordinary in very simple things, even though we’re living in a very dark time right now,” says Bowman, whose bandmates include guitarist Ray Libby, bassist Gavin Bennett, and drummer Miles Morris. “Instead of succumbing to that darkness, I think you’ve got to try to hold onto some optimism, and try to uncover those simple miracles so you don’t lose the plot of what’s really important.”
Produced by Dave Sardy (The Head and the Heart, The Black Angels, Oasis), Mystic Truth channels that searching quality into songs with a powerful sense of purpose. In creating the album, Bad Suns recorded at the legendary Sunset Sound and at Sardy’s home studio, building on the melodic brilliance first glimpsed on their debut album Language & Perspective—a 2014 release that hit #24 on the Billboard 200 and led to massive tours supporting Halsey and The Neighbourhood. At the same time, the band amps up the intensity of their 2016 sophomore effort Disappear Here (praised as their “most dynamic and introspective work yet” by Alternative Press), giving way to a more emotionally urgent merging of rock & roll, post-punk, and pop.
UNTO THE EARTH
Unto the Earth is a four piece metal band out of Chicago, straddling the lines between stoner, desert, doom, and sludge, with shoegaze and heavy psych influences. Formed in 2019 by guitarist Mike Yoshida and bassist/vocalist/instrumentalist Simeon Papacostas, two long-time friends who first started playing together back in the mid-90s, along with lead guitarist Jed Jacobs, the group added another longtime friend and former bandmate Brant Maze on drums to complete the lineup. Together they have embarked on a musical odyssey that combines driving drums, melodic basslines, layered guitars, and evocative lyrics, while paying tribute to the influences of their youth.
Inspired by a diverse group of influences like Monster Magnet, Fu Manchu, Kyuss, Hum, Elder, and others, as well as giants such as Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd, Unto the Earth writes songs that feature heavy riffs, soaring guitar harmonies, and droning, melodic vocals, interspersed with atmospheric interstitials and psychedelic interludes that all combine to take the listener on a cosmic journey.
THE SWEET LILLIES
The Sweet Lillies’ high-energy, melodic tunes have quickly captured the hearts of fans in Colorado and beyond. The band, formed in November of 2013, credits its appeal to the original and compelling songwriting of three women who share an unwavering commitment to life on the road. The magnetic combination of Julie Gussaroff on the upright bass, Becca Bisque on the viola, Melly Frances on percussion and lead vocals and Dustin Rohleder on acoustic guitar gives this band a rare and alluring sound. As testament to their appeal, The Sweet Lillies have already shared the stage with the likes of Peter Rowan, George Porter Jr., Steve Kimock, Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon, Kyle Hollingsworth and Jason Hann of The String Cheese Incident, Andy Hall of The Infamous String Dusters, Jeff Austin, and Bridget Law (founding member of Elephant Revival). Based out of Colorado’s Front Range, The Sweet Lillies are continually expanding their audience and reach with a contagious love of music and a get-up-and-dance attitude that spreads lots of love and smiles.
K.D. LANG “LIVE BY REQUEST”
Live by Request is a live album by k.d. lang, released in 2001 (see 2001 in music). The album was recorded during the taping of the television show Live by Request on the A&E Network. The performance was on December 14, 2000 at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Midtown Manhattan.
K-TEL MUSIC EXPRESS “SOFT ROCKIN 70’S”
In 1966, Philip Kives released the company’s first compilation album, a collection of 25 country songs entitled “25 Country Hits. “ Every copy was sold. The idea of compilation albums was new, and the venture’s unexpected success led to further releases. K-Tel’s second release, “25 Polka Greats,”sold 1.5 million copies in the United States
K-tel recruited Australian Don Reedman (twin brother of Peter Reedman, who was already working in the Australian office) to set up the UK-based division of K-tel Records in the early 1970s. Ian Howard was the Managing Director of operations.
The company built the business of releasing compilation albums that combined material from a number of popular artists onto a single theme album using the tag line “20 Original Hits! 20 Original Stars!”. The company negotiated directly with artists and labels for the rights to reproduce their original recordings, in the process also securing a long-term asset through adding those recordings to their catalog.
FASHION WEEK
Fashion Week is an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Joshua Lozano and Bassist Carl Eklof in Brooklyn, New York in 1987. Fashion Week went through a succession of drummers, the longest-lasting being Carson Kehrer, who joined the band in 1990, after the disbanding of DC hardcore legends “Shout”.
In the late 1980s Fashion Week established itself as part of the New York noise scene, releasing its first album Clorox for the independent record label Under Pop in 1989. The band eventually came to develop a sound that relied on dynamic contrasts, often between pummeling verses and loud, catchy choruses. After signing to major label David Muffin Records, Fashion Week found unexpected success with “Smells Like Old Spice”, the first single from the band’s second album Fuhgeddaboudit (1991). Fashion Week’s sudden success widely popularized alternative rock as a whole, and as the band’s frontman Lozano found himself referred to in the media as the “spokesman of a generation”, with Fashion Week being considered the “flagship band” of Generation X. Fashion Week’s third studio album In Uterus (1993), challenged the group’s audience, featuring an abrasive, less-mainstream sound.
Fashion Week’s brief run ended following the death of Josh Lozano in 1994, but various posthumous releases have been issued since, overseen by Rodriguez, Eklof, and Lozano’s widow Catherine Lust. Since its debut, the band has sold over 25 million albums in the United States alone, and over 50 million worldwide. Eklof went on to form the highly acclaimed “Food Fighters”, and Rodriguez has pursued a career in politics, and wedding crashing.
EYE FLYS
East coast noise rock
BROTHERS OF INVENTION
Brothers Of Invention featuring The Legendary Ike Willis playing the music of Frank Zappa.
THE VAUDETTES
The Vaudettes are a dynamic, sultry, empowering dance troupe based in Chicago, Il. They‘ve been dazzling crowds with their electric, floor-pounding routines since 2015. Every performance promises a spectacle of original choreography; ranging from classic kick-lines, playful shimmies, dark seductions, and sexy rock-and-roll burlesque. Let’s get VAUDY!
HAPPYBIRTHDAYCALVIN
Happy Birthday Calvin employs the powers of a highly active imagination to magnify the scope of hip-hop. The 18-year-old Chicago rapper/producer went from scribbling down his dreams word-for-word and penning poems in middle school to shining at ChiArts: Chicago High School of the Arts. While there, he began racking up countless streams on Soundcloud. Born and raised in a single parent home, Calvin developed a fascination with poetry and eventually hip-hop sparked by Lil Wayne, Kanye West, G Herbo, Tyler, The Creator, and Kid Cudi, to name a few. In high school, he turned his rhymes into music, crafting beats and recording himself on FL Studio. In late 2018, he caught the attention of Peezy of At The Studio, an independent Chicago label and has since flourished. Since teaming up, he’s released the “No Friends” mixtape that racked up over 25 million streams and has him slated to be one of the most exciting new acts on the rise.
HOLLIS BROWN
Hollis Brown is an American Rock ‘n’ Roll band. Named after a Bob Dylan song (“The Ballad of Hollis Brown”), the band was formed by Queens-natives and songwriters Mike Montali (lead vocals/guitar) and Jonathan Bonilla (lead guitar). Both 2nd-generation immigrants (Italian-American and Puerto Rican-American, respectively), they soon found their musical brethren across America, recruiting Andrew Zehnal (drums) from Cleveland, Adam Bock (keyboard/vocals) from St. Louis, and Scott Thompson (bass) from Boston.
Hollis Brown’s latest vinyl EP, Cluster of Pearls (Alive Naturalsound Records), was chosen as one of the 300 select releases throughout the world for Record Store Day 2016. Pressed on Starburst Vinyl, the record is limited to 800 copies and features four previously unreleased tracks and two songs released on vinyl for the first time. Cluster of Pearls follows up the 2015 release of Hollis Brown’s third album 3 Shots (Jullian Records/RED), featuring the Bo Diddley collaboration “Rain Dance,” and the duet “Highway 1” with acclaimed alt-country songstress Nikki Lane. The edgy, roots-rock indie band from Queens, NY, known for its adrenaline fueled performances, recently wrapped 40+ amphitheater shows across America supporting Counting Crows and Citizen Cope last Summer/Fall, followed by a month-long headline tour in the UK and Europe.
The independent act has achieved a significant amount of success since their formation in 2009. They released their debut album Ride On The Train on Alive Naturalsound in 2013 (produced by Adam Landry), garnering song and video premieres from Rolling Stone, Paste, and American Songwriter, along with music placements on Direct TV’s “Kingdom,” Showtime’s “Shameless,” MTV’s “Real World,” and the Willem Dafoe/Matt Dillon film “Bad Country”. Following a Lou Reed tribute concert in NYC, Alive Naturalsound asked the band to record a tribute to the Velvet Underground’s classic album Loaded, as a limited-edition vinyl release for Record Store Day 2014. Hollis Brown Gets Loaded took on a life of its own, with airplay on influential radio stations, resulting in a full CD & digital release.
The band has toured extensively in America and Europe, headlining and supporting such bands as The Zombies, Jackie Greene, Heartless Bastards, Rich Robinson of Black Crowes, and Jesse Malin, and building an impressive fan base on both continents.
DAVID BOWIE “BLACKSTAR”
Blackstar (stylised ★) is the twenty-fifth and final studio album by English musician David Bowie. It was released worldwide through ISO, RCA, Columbia, and Sony on 8 January 2016, coinciding with Bowie’s 69th birthday. The album was largely recorded in secret between The Magic Shop and Human Worldwide Studios in New York City with Bowie’s longtime co-producer Tony Visconti and a group of local jazz musicians.
UN
Clayton – Monte – David – Alex
Seattle Aetherical Doom.
PULLEY
SoCal melodic punk rock staple PULLEY has returned with its first new material in over five years. “No Change in the Weather” marks the band’s 20th Anniversary and is set for a November 18th release via Cyber Tracks.
“We’ve written new music over the years that we were sitting on,” explains vocalist and Los Angeles Angels’ bullpen coach Scott Radinsky. “The lack of a label and having to put it out ourselves had slowed things down the past few years, but the desire to get into the studio has always been there,” he adds.
Pulley wrote and arranged the music themselves before laying it down with Matt Hyde (Deftones, Slayer, Strung Out) behind the console and Ryan Greene (Megadeth, NOFX, Bad Religion) behind the mixing console. From the anthemic “No “I” in Team” to the stellar harmonies in “Different” to the throbbing drums and guitar solos in “Farewell” to the dueling guitars in “The Other Side of Silence” – Pulley has picked up where they left off with their classic SoCal punk rock formula.
Pulley initially formed after Scott Radinsky departed from Ten Foot Pole. Their initial lineup consisted of Radinsky, Mike Harder, Jim Cherry and Jordan Burns (Strung Out) and Matt Riddle (Face to Face) Epitaph Records released their debut album Esteem Driven Engine in 1996. After a few years of personnel changes, Pulley’s current line-up solidified in 2001 with Scott Radinsky (vocals), Mike Harder (guitar), Jim Blowers (guitar), and Tyler Rebbe (bass), Drummer Chris Dalley joined the band in 2014.
Pulley Discography: Esteem Driven Engine (Epitaph 1996) 60 Cycle Hum (Epitaph 1997) Pulley (Epitaph 1999) Together Again for the First Time (Epitaph 2001) Matters (Epitaph 2004) The Slackers / Pulley Split (Do Tell Records 2005) Pulley Beyond Warped (Immergent Records 2005) The True Story of an American Punk Rock Band DVD (X-Members Records 2007) Time-Insensitive Material (X-Members Records 2009) The Long and the Short of It (X-Members Records 2011) No Change in the Weather (Cyber Tracks 2016)
KEVIN LAMONT
DEONTE BAKER
PSIONIC
psi·on·ic
sīˈänik/adjective
relating to or denoting the practical use of psychic powers or paranormalphenomena.
psi·on·ics
sīˈäniks/noun
the study of paranormal phenomena in relation to the application of electronics. The term comes from psi (‘psyche’) and the -onics from electronics (machine). There is no scientific evidence that psionic abilities exist.
a poltergeist for your speakers.
SLAYCUB
Extraterrestrial translator
DEERSKIN
With a unique sound made by combining hypnotic melodies and hard hitting synth basslines with our collective tribal spirit, Deerskin transports participants to distant lands where past and future mesh much like the styles and genres in his music. Drawing on the energy of the crowd, he is able to combine artistic live MIDI shows with select DJing to create a sonic euphoria that draws all to the dancefloor.
SIXIS
Sixis is the creation of Ben Wyss, a musician and sound designer from Berkeley, California. The project establishes a distinct aesthetic, blending powerful bass music, vivid soundscapes, and cutting edge sound design. Striving to connect new frontiers of technology with the expanse of human emotion, this work explores our creative potential to step forward.
Over the past 5 years Sixis has toured extensively in North America and internationally. Having played at festivals such as Oregon Eclipse, Tipper and Friends, Infrasound, and Sonic Bloom. Mirrored, his most recent release through Enig’matik Records, further solidified his diverse discography and shows a fierce new direction.
ANFANG
ANFANG are wizards of angst conjuration.
Founded in Chicago in August 2018, ANFANG is an Alt/Grunge Rock 3-piece fronted by the soaring vocals of singer/songwriter Andie Zaragoza. ANFANG’s riff-heavy arsenal of sounds are driven by Christian Newman on bass/rhythm guitar, with Nick Rissler keeping things metronomically sound on drums.
Their grungy grooves scintillate with rich atmospheric texture; sugar-laced with anthemic pop melody and bursting with unresolved emotion – the human heart in conflict with itself,
As a band, each member contributes to the songwriting process, bringing their own sound and histories with them. The result is a delightful yet face-melting blend that makes one’s heart and ears hurt pleasantly in equal measure.
DEITRA FARR
Deitra Farr is considered one of Chicago ’s top vocalists, according to Living Blues Magazine (May 1997). Fiery, energetic, and soul-stirring describes this woman, who has over the years been nominated for Traditional Female Blues artist of the year by the W.C. Handy Awards, Female Blues Artist of the year by the Living Blues Critics Awards, the British Blues Connection Awards, and the Les Trophees France Blues awards. On October 4, 2015 Deitra was inducted into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame as a ” Legendary Blues Artist “. On December 9, 2016 the National Southern Soul Foundation gave Deitra ” The Most Popular Blues Artist Award”. Deitra is the recipient of the 2017 Jus Blues Music Foundation’s ” Koko Taylor Queen of the Blues Award”.
This Chicago native began her career in 1975, singing with local soul bands, before starting her blues career in the early 1980’s. When Deitra was 18 years old, she recorded the lead vocals on Mill Street Depo’s record ” You Won’t Support Me “. That record was a Cashbox Top 100 R&B hit in 1976. Over thirty years later, that recording has been re-released and is popular again worldwide.
In 1983, Deitra began her blues career working at the major Chicago blues clubs, such as The Kingston Mines, The Wise Fool’s Pub and Blue Chicago. She also toured the US and Canada with the Sam Lay Blues Band.
From 1993 to 1996, Deitra was the lead singer with Mississippi Heat, recording two CD’s with this all-star group.
In 1997, Deitra resumed her own solo career, continuing to sing blues, while reaching back to her soul music roots. After recording on eight previous CD projects with others, she recorded her first solo CD, “The Search is Over”, for the London-based JSP records. In 2005, Deitra released her second JSP CD “Let it Go!”
The multi-talented Deitra Farr is also a published writer, poet, songwriter, and painter. A graduate of Columbia College (Bachelor of Arts in Journalism), Deitra has recorded many of her own compositions and has written articles for the Chicago Daily Defender, The Chicago Blues Annual, and the Italian blues magazine il Blues. Currently she has a column “Artist to Artist” in Living Blues Magazine.
In 1990, Deitra represented the Chicago Tourism Bureau in Düsseldorf, Germany and has toured England, Wales, Iceland, Finland, Norway, Canada, Holland, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Monaco, Italy, Slovenia, Greece, Israel, Austria, Latvia, Portugal, Sweden, Mexico, Guadeloupe, Lebanon, Spain, Denmark, United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi and Dubai), Qatar, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Scotland, Argentina, Brazil, Croatia, Japan, Macedonia , Serbia , Russia Armenia, and Romania.
Deitra toured Europe with the 2000 Chicago Blues Festival with Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials. In 2003, Deitra completed a six week British tour with Otis Grand and Bobby Parker, as the American Festival of the Blues II. She did the 2004 Chicago Blues Festival European tour with Jody Williams and Andrew “Jr. Boy” Jones. From 2006-2010 Deitra has toured with The Women of Chicago Blues project with Zora Young and Grana Louise. Since 2013.. Deitra often tours Europe with Raphael Wressnig’s Soul Gift tour, which included Alex Schultz, Enrico Crivellaro, Silvio Berger and Sax Gordon.
Deitra is also performing as a member of the all- star blues group Chicago Wind, along with harmonica great Matthew Skoller!!
MEYTAL
MEYTAL is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, CA in 2013. It was founded by YouTube sensation – drummer Meytal Cohen. The release of the band’s debut album Alchemy in 2015 established MEYTAL as one of the most exciting forces in heavy music today, when upon its release, the album peaked at #1 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers Chart, #5 on the Hard Rock Chart, and No. 7 on the Independent Chart. Starting in 2009, Cohen’s online project has amassed over 120 videos, 250 million views, and with over 1.2 Million YouTube subscribers, she is one of the most viewed and subscribed drummers on the platform. With Alchemy, Cohen transitioned from creating note-for-note drum cover videos of her favorite songs, drummers, and bands, into writing original songs for the first time with a full band. The new MEYTAL album ‘The Witness’ marks the beginning of a new journey for the band, as Sahaj Ticotin, producer of Alchemy and vocalist/guitarist/producer of the rock band RA, is the new Lead Singer of MEYTAL. Other band members are guitarists Travis Montgomery and bassist Anel Orantes Pedrero.
THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS “FLOOD”
Flood is the third studio album by Brooklyn-based alternative rock duo They Might Be Giants, released in January 1990. Flood was the duo’s first album on the major label Elektra Records. It generated three singles: “Birdhouse in Your Soul”, “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)”, and the domestic promotional track “Twisting”. The album is generally considered to be the band’s definitive release, as it is their best-selling and most recognizable album. Despite minimal stylistic and instrumental differences from previous releases, Flood is distinguished by contributions from seasoned producers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley. John Linnell and John Flansburgh also took advantage of new equipment and recording techniques, including unconventional, home-recorded samples, which were programmed through Casio FZ-1 synthesizers. The album was recorded in New York City at Skyline Studios, which was better equipped than studios the band had worked in previously.
WHITEWOLFSONICPRINCESS
A neo-folk-psychedelic-rock-ensemble of some sort.
HELLZAPOPPIN CIRCUS SIDESHOW
We’re mavericks, trail blazers, rebels, rule breakers, outlaws…true uninhibited artists. We deliver our message through sideshow, and fuel our art through passion. Named after one of the most successful Broadway Musicals and Movie from the late 30’s & 40’s, Hellzapoppin is a world renown theatrical ROCK-N-ROLL circus stunt-show where some of the deadliest stunts in live entertainment are performed to a LIVE audience with emphatic rock music. Born in December of 2008 originating in Dallas, Texas and later moved to Jacksonville, Florida. SEEN ON TV, Travel Channel, Discovery Channel and at Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, Guinness Books of World Records and more!
Spectators will experience one of the world’s last authentic circus sideshows with performances using the human anatomy and death defying stunts of mind over matter, yet with no blood and no pain. This Vaudeville Freak Show of wonder features LIVE stunts of mind over matter like: Fire Eating * Fire Breathing * The Bed of Nails * The Human Block-head * The Razor Sharp Machete Walk * Acrobatic Stunts * Glass Eating * Sword Swallowing * Knife Throwing & Archery using human targets * Illusion’s like the Chinese Blade Box of Death * Human Oddities & Curiosities such as a real-live half-man who walks on his bare hands on broken shards of glass and much more.
PRIMUS “FRIZZLE FRY”
Frizzle Fry is the debut studio album by the American rock band Primus. The album was recorded in December 1989 and released on February 7, 1990.
Performed by Jellikit
ALICE IN CHAINS “FACELIFT”
Facelift is the debut studio album by the American rock band Alice in Chains. The album was released on August 21, 1990. “We Die Young”, “Man in the Box”, “Bleed the Freak” and “Sea of Sorrow” were released as singles. “Man In The Box” was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance with Vocal in 1992.
THUNDERPUSSY
This rock n’ roll peach is getting ripe…
TIBERIUS STRANGE
Spawning from an idea about what a band would sound like in the Dune universe and spinning into something much more, three musicians have come together to explore the realms of sonic space-time through improvised jams. Come along and we’ll see where the journey leads!
Improvised jazz-rock-funk-ambient-drum’n’bass-fusion from Chicago, Illinois
Charlie Short – Bass
Bill HIggins – Keys
Jerry King – Drums
Chloe Orwell – Sax
SPACE JUNK IS FOREVER
Space Junk is Forever use vintage instruments to weave simple melodies, stirring harmonic language, and frequent key and meter changes into impressionistic, aptly titled tunes that ’70s prog lovers, mathy drummers, synthesizer geeks, and music theory nerds are all sure to enjoy.
MFD JAZZ TRIO
Mike, Fred & Doc T (MFD TRIO) promise to deliver a recreation of some of the good ole good ones from the American Song Book.
MODERN ADVANCES
Modern Advances are a Chicago band that plays boozed up garage/punk rock with a hint of snotiness. Features members of TheLarroquettes, arbogast, LORD, Undisclosed, The Damned Shames
Brandon – guitar
Aaron – bass
Tom – Drums
POISON BOYS
⚡️High Energy Rock n Roll Punk from Chicago⚡️
Matt Dudzik – Vocals, Guitar
Johnny K – Bass
Matt Chaney – Drums
THE STONE EYE
Rising from the ashes in 2014, The Stone Eye is an electrifying rock band from Philadelphia, PA. Combining elements of Grunge, Stoner Rock, Alternative Rock, Progressive Rock, & Doom Metal comes a hard hitting yet catchy brand of music. Following suit from the hard-hitting 2016 LP “Poison Apple”, 2017 EP “Royal & Damned”, and 2017 LP “The Meadow”, The Stone Eye is at it yet again with their latest LP, “Kevlar, Kryptonite, Gloria”. Come get fuzzy with us.
PJ
Down-to-earth R&B artist Paris Jones made her name as a songwriter just prior to stepping out as a solo artist. She made major progress in 2015, a year in which she landed credits on tracks by Chris Brown and Tyga (“B****es N Marijuana”), Boosie Badazz (“All I Know”), Charlie Puth (“Left Right Left”), and Ty Dolla $ign (“Guard Down,” “Finale”). She also made a low-key major-label debut with an EP, Walking Around Pools, her debut for the Atlantic label. The following year, she co-wrote material for Kevin Gates (“Excuse Me”) and Fantasia (“No Time for It”), among others, and released the full-length Rare. An affirmation that she had more in common with the likes of Jazmine Sullivan and Snoh Aalegra than with other contemporary R&B factions, the album dealt primarily with matters of everyday life and was refreshingly light on guest appearances. ~ Andy Kellman
NBDY
R&B singer-songwriter NBDY (pronounced Nobody) may be a self-described “lone wolf,” but he’s leading the pack for those in his generation choosing to pave their own way.
Having grown up moving from one neighborhood to the next in Essex County New Jersey, in a family of musicians, NBDY found it difficult to be seen for his individuality and learned to operate with fierce independence and determination at a young age.
“I moved around so much as a kid, I was never at a school long enough to really make lasting friends. My mom worked two jobs, so me and my siblings had little adult supervision. In a way we raised ourselves and learned to depend on Nobody,” he says. “But that really helped us grow up and understand what we wanted. It made me go after my dreams even harder and not end up a product of my environment.”
But even after finding early success as a singer, NBDY fell prey to a different set of obstacles that stifled his integrity as pressure from the online community mounted to conform.
Now, performing under the moniker NBDY, the 24-year-old musician shares his truth while leading the charge for others to do the same. In doing so, he presents a uniquely multifaceted R&B style using sensory elements in both his lyrical choosings and melodies, weaving together his sonic influences and his personal life experience.
“The ones who stand out, who go for what they want and who don’t let labels define who they are,” says NBDY. “That’s what a wolf is. That’s what a Nobody is.”
DANIEL JAMES
Danny duds is the guitar player and lead singers in the recently formed Chicago based melodic punk band Hey Einstein!. When Danny Duds isn’t busy with Hey Einstein! he’s working on his acoustic side project. After about two and a half years of working out his acoustic style and perfecting his moody, sometimes dark melodies, Danny Duds is up and running, Keep an eye out for Hey Einstein! and Danny Duds shows. He expects free drinks people so don’t be cheap!
SCARY WOMEN
Scary Women is a band out of Lansing, Michigan. Aside from delivering searing rock and roll, we also aim to celebrate frightening females.
HOT ALICE
(members of Allister & August Premier)
Mark Halminiak, Tim Rogner, Chris Rogner, and Chris Pagnani are the rock and roll band Hot Alice from Chicago.
Mark Halminiak, Tim Rogner, Chris Rogner, and Chris Pagnani are the rock and roll band Hot Alice from Chicago.
BQ
bq is a project developed to cure the world of its chronic unfunkiness. The only antidote is a concentrated dose of raw unfiltered Funk, and bq is a Funk delivery system designed to tear the roof off of your mind and put your groove back on the One.
TZIMANI
Based out of San Diego, California, Tzimani (pronounced “Si-maani”) was formed in 2017 by brothers Eddie Vazquez (guitar, bass, vocals) and Sebastian Vazquez, and has quickly made waves in the underground hard rock / heavy metal circuit, circulating rapidly as a breath of fresh air in the modern-day musical atmosphere. Catchy melodies, scintillating guitar leads, groovy rhythmic patterns and soaring clean vocals punctuate songs that force listeners to instantly hit “Repeat” and be left wanting more. Taking natural influence from listening to the classic hard rock and traditional heavy metal through their upbringing but not consciously attempting to be a revival band, Tzimani infuses elements from other sub-genres and adds a modern touch to their brand of heavy music, self-coined “trad mod”.
With an ambitious attitude since day one, Tzimani is by on means a weekend warrior band. The duo released their first two singles in 2017 and toured the Western US in 2017 to promote their newly formed sound. In 2018, they completed two more tours, hitting parts of the East Coast for the first time, as well as playing their first Canadian show, to a rousing reception and unanimous approval from the metal- loving crowd in Vancouver BC. With the Fall 2018 tour, the band ventures to hit yet more new markets including the mid-West.
Across their travels and regional appearances, Tzimani has shared the stage with several established national and international touring acts, such as Swedish groups Avatar and Truckfighers and fellow American bands Mothership, Huntress and Vicious Rumors.
Tzimani is signed to Noize Cartel Records for digital distribution, but the band self-released the debut EP on all physical formats, CD, vinyl and cassette. Tzimani is also featured on the No Legacy vinyl compilation, produced by Erik Kluiber (Void Vator / ex Gypsyhawk), showcasing nine of “the finest underground heavy bands from Southern and Northern California”, according to Kluiber.
Keep your eyes and ears peeled for Tzimani as they gear up to continue storming through the scene on a headstrong mission to leave an indelible stamp on the genre with their signature sound and unique performances!
THE SUBSERVIENTS
“Midwest Outcasts”
R I L E Y
BOBBY SESSIONS
“Bobby Sessions, the legend from Dallas, Texas.” That identifying lyric from the album LOA (Law Of Attraction) is merely one example of the self-affirming ideals Bobby Sessions conveys on record. While some may say this statement is too boastful for a rapper who just released his debut album, for Sessions it’s simply speaking into existence what he knows he will achieve as an artist. This thought process is summed up in the title and main theme behind Bobby’s album, LOA. The “law of attraction’ is the theory that anything you can see in your mind, you can hold in your hand. The instant acclaim the rapper has earned from media and fans alike is not a surprise to Sessions. He saw it all in his mind long before it manifested in real life.
Born and raised entirely in Dallas, Bobby Sessions has put the city at the forefront during his rise as an artist and plans to be a catalyst for breaking not only himself but also his hometown into the mainstream after long being ignored and misrepresented. “It is important for me to achieve my success from Dallas. Most people have to leave to LA or New York to get recognized but I want to prove we have all the resources in this great city to get a quality artist to the next level.”
It was in this great city that Bobby found the group of talented individuals that are currently helping him in his rise to legendary status. Creatively, the album process began when Sessions met with fellow Dallas-rapper and producer, -topic. The two came together with plans of creating an EP that would establish Bobby Sessions in the highly-bubbling Dallas hip-hop scene. However, the chemistry was so good, especially with the addition of engineer/producer Donny Domino to the equation, that Sessions and -topic created more than an album’s worth of material. Highly praised Dallas producer/artist Blue The Misfit came on to add his touch to the album along with his protege and longtime friend of Sessions, Xes. Those individuals, along with musicians like Zyah and Vandell Andrew, would ultimately create the masterpiece that is LOA (Law Of Attraction). The recording process took exactly one year, and was one in which the artist experienced a series of incredible lows but ultimately extreme highs.
While Bobby had dreams of making it as a rapper from a young age, they remained dreams for many years as the rapper struggled to find his way. He started at local open-mics at his college and eventually found some notoriety after becoming a member of the Dallas hip-hop collective BrainGang, with Blue The Misfit and Dr. Dre protege Justus. However, at barely 21 years of age, Bobby soon found himself broke, homeless and starving. He would sleep in his car whenever it would run out of gas, which was almost daily. Bobby regularly split $1 chicken sandwiches from McDonald’s with a friend as neither could afford a sandwich of their own. “I was really struggling” remembers Sessions. He decided to put his dreams on hold, get a “real job” and try to find himself. That period lasted about 2 years until one night when arriving home from his highly mundane job at a local post office, Bobby came across a documentary film called ‘The Secret’. In it, he viewed top scientists, authors and philosophers proposing the secret to leading a happy and successful life. They professed that feelings and thoughts can attract events and experiences among individuals in their physical, emotional, and professional affairs. The film struck a chord with Sessions and made him reevaluate his entire life and future. It was then he decided to return to his dreams and drop everything to become an artist with the “law of attraction” belief system as his guide. He quit his job with only $50 left in his bank account. He didn’t know how he would pay his rent or buy food that coming month but he proceeded anyways not scared one bit at what the future would hold.
Within a month, Bobby would meet with and secure management with respected music industry executives, J Dot Jones and Vince Chapa, after playing them an early version of LOA and eventually would sign a record deal with those same individuals as they started the label, HIGH STANDARDz. What a difference a year makes! Eleven months after leaving his job broke, Bobby Sessions signed a record deal, released his debut album to critical acclaim, had a packed out album release show at a historic venue in his hometown, and continues to build his fan base not only nationally but world-wide. Sessions has proven to epitomize the “law of attraction” ideology. After all, if anyone can declare themselves a legend and make it their reality, it’s Bobby Sessions.
GHOST SHIP OCTAVIUS
Ghost Ship Octavius is heavy, melodic, progressive music with an original sound and powerful dynamics. Featuring Matt Wicklund on guitar (God Forbid, Himsa, Warrel Dane), Van Williams on drums (Nevermore, Ashes of Ares, Pure Sweet Hell), Dagna Silesia on bass (Warrel Dane, The People Now), and Adõn Fanion on vocals .
The memorable choruses, lyrics and imagery take the listener to a world of frozen and ghostly themes, grounded in technical and groovy rhythmic mastery with intense drums and bass lines, melodically supported by soaring vocals and captivating guitars. They are a growing fire in the American metal scene landing and playing amazing sets at Progpower XVII and also perfoming on the 70000TONS OF METAL CRUISE 2017!