
ANDRE HASHEM
Andre is a Chicago based comedian. Some of his credits include performing at Zanies, and opening for Hans Kim.
Andre is a Chicago based comedian. Some of his credits include performing at Zanies, and opening for Hans Kim.
Nominated for Chicago’s most underrated comedian Cam Honeyager brings his unique perspective, wit, and crazy life stories to the stage. After starting comedy in college, Cam moved to Los Angeles and developed his comedy chops in LA’s most prominent clubs. Now based out of Chicago you can find him on some of comedy’s most historical stages; Zanies, The Laugh Factory, The Lincoln Lodge. He can also be found traveling in small town America telling jokes in bars, breweries, bowling alleys and even a couple of theaters.
He’s opened for some names almost as big as his waist line such as Mitch Fatel, Tommy Davidson, John Caparulo and many more. He hopes to one day become a big name himself, let’s hope heart disease doesn’t get him first.
Originally from Louisville Kentucky, James Fisher Jr. moved to Chicago and started doing comedy in 2012. Though as an adult, his biggest comedic influences all came from Boston(Patrice Oneal, Bill Burr, Dane cook), growing up he loved watching Comic View, a stand up comedy show on BET, and In Living Color, with the Wayans family, Jim Carrey and Jamie Fox being huge influences from that show. Since he has started, he has performed at all the local Chicago clubs(Zanies, Laugh factory, Comedy bar), in comedy festivals all over the United States, won several competitions and has featured and opened for Jacob Williams (America’s got talent, Wild n out), Hans Kim (Kill Tony Podcast) and SNL Cast Members Chris Redd and Tim Meadows. James is an energetic, funny, controversial yet personable entertainer who is always ready to have fun with the crowd!
Ask Carol, the alternative indie-rock duo from the remote Norwegian mountain community of Auma, defies their small size with a huge and powerful sound – featuring two guitars, drums, synth, and Carol’s innovative bass and guitar system. Their music ranges from fierce to gentle, drawing inspiration from bands like the Kills, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and the White Stripes, with a distinct Nordic, melancholic twist. They’ve toured internationally, supported The Brian Jonestown Massacre, played at SXSW several times, and received critical acclaim for their debut album released on their indie label, ChoVan Records. Despite pandemic challenges, they’ve harnessed solitude to create a dark, introspective atmosphere in their music. Don’t miss the chance to experience Ask Carol’s unique and dynamic sound live in 2024.
Producer/Remixer/DJ for Chicago’s EchoDroides
Dark Heaven founder, resident, artist
Salami Rose Joe Louis is an genre traveler multi-instrumentalist female producer and a signee to Flying Lotus’s Brainfeeder label. She produces and records pretty much exclusively on her beloved Roland MV8800, nicknamed “Funfunfun”. Her debut record with Brainfeeder, ‘Zdenka 2080’, is a critically acclaimed, conceptual sci-fi epic that earned a nomination for Giles Peterson’s Worldwide Awards Best Album of 2020. Since then, she has toured supporting genre-bending luminaries Flying Lotus, Cinematic Orchestra, Toro y Moi, TuneYards, Clairo, and MNDSGN. Recent collaborations include a feature on Toro y Moi’s ‘Mahal’, a remix for Hiatus Kaiyote’s Ninja Tune/Brainfeeder release, and the 2024 collab album extravaganza”Sarah” with Philadelphia legend, Flanafi. More music coming very soon<3
This Will Destroy You is an American experimental rock band currently based in Los Angeles, California. Formed in San Marcos, Texas in 2004, the band typically composes lengthy, atmospheric, instrumental pieces featuring layers of effects-laden guitars cascading across the dynamic range of the sonic spectrum. In addition to their studio work and performing to diverse audiences around the world, the group has composed and recorded scores for a host of prominent feature-films, documentaries, and art installations.
Chan Fuze is an emerging artist from the music scene of Chicago. His sound is a unique blend of Alternative rock and Alternative R&B, drawing from a wide range of influences that include The Rolling Stones, Tame Impala, and Talking Heads.
With emotive vocals that soar over intricate guitar work, Chan Fuze’s music is a powerful and soulful expression of life’s triumphs and struggles. His upcoming Album promises to showcase his versatility as a songwriter and musician, with songs that range from heartfelt ballads to genre-bending rock anthems.
Fans of Alternative Rock, Alternative R&B, and everything in between won’t want to miss out on this rising star.
The Mummy Cats are a band for the people, the people that want to rock. Inspired by all great music, from as far back as the first caveman to hit two sticks together, The Mummy Cats deliver a highly unique, but strangely familiar tone that is unlike any other. You may think you’ve heard it all, but just wait until the next song.
“The Reveal’s ability to create and release tension is awe-inspiring…you’ll find yourself on the edge of your seat just knowing that something exciting is about to happen.”
— SEND ME YOUR EARS
3 piece alternative shoegaze out of Chicago
Recording artist on Stardumb Records!
Geoff Palmer is an American musician and songwriter from Rochester, New Hampshire, now living in Madison, Wisconsin. He is a founding member and songwriter for veteran garage rock/power pop band The Connection and punk band The Guts, along with being a member and songwriter with the Kurt Baker Band and solo artists.
Born and raised in Seattle, Nathan Nzanga is a first generation Congolese-American storyteller with a whole lot of love to share.
Recognizing the power in his pen, Nzanga speaks of a universal truth while taking his audience on an invigorating ride reflecting on his journey through life’s ups and downs. Sonically, Nathan wears all of his influences on his sleeves, blending hip-hop with elements of folk, R&B, soul, gospel and musical theatre.
Nzanga wouldn’t classify himself as just a rapper, but a SoulPop Storyteller.
DJ 🎧
Chicago📍
Clubs | Weddings | Special Occasions
Proving The Ideal Soundtrack For Any Occasion
Gold Haze’s musical journey is undeniably influenced by a range of talented artists, from Kanye West and JAY-Z to Drake and J. Cole. Starting as a producer in 2012 and later venturing into rapping in 2018, Haze’s evolution has been marked by consistent growth and collaborations with Chicago-based artists like Flex Sinatra. Their joint effort, “Hard To Be Humble,” garnered significant success in 2016, setting the stage for subsequent projects like “Separation,” which quickly amassed over a million plays on streaming platforms.
Haze’s versatility shines through his collaborations with a diverse array of artists, including G Herbo, Brittney Carter, Vic Mensa, and many more. Notably, his instrumentals have achieved recognition on major platforms like Soulection, as well as in commercial spots for brands like Nike, Adidas, Jordan, and Puma.
Haze’s artistry knows no bounds, evident in his mixtape “More Than Gold” in 2019, a precursor to his debut album “From Here On Out” released on February 10th, 2021. Interestingly, the album’s release date coincides with the debut of Kanye West’s influential album, “College Dropout,” a source of inspiration for Haze’s own musical pursuits.
The Gelheads are a guitar-driven post-punk quartet that formed in Chicago in 2001. Citing influences such as Cheap Trick, The Replacements, Jimmy Eat World, and The Foo Fighters – the band formulates crafty, hook-laden melodies backed by a hard-hitting rhythm section to create memorable anthems.
After their first single “Deer in Headlights” debuted on Chicago’s Q101, the band quickly rose through the ranks and found themselves travelling across the U.S., amassing a grassroots regional fanbase.
Over their 20-year career, the band has toured nationally opening for well-known artists including The Killers, KISS, Everclear, The Goo Goo Dolls, Papa Roach and Sugarcult; as well as earning a brief stint on the 2002 Vans Warped Tour.
The Gelheads have emerged from a period of lessened activity to release the “Tail Lights” an EP of three songs from a former session that were never completed and thought to be lost. The band worked with producer Andy Gerber at Chicago’s Million Yen Studios to painstakingly locate the original tracks and give them the mix they deserved. Tail Lights was released on March 12, 2021. The band is planning on festival appearances later in the summer and will re-enter the studio later this year.
📍Chicago
Born & raised 718 🗽🌃
Collecting & selecting ✨🌴🎶
Our job is to create music together. Your participation and support brings the process to life!
Sumthing Strange is a breath of fresh air in the music industry with their unique sound that blends the classic 80’s vibe with modern elements. This Los Angeles-based band is a musical masterpiece, combining the essence of musical groups like Duran Duran, U2, and David Bowie to create something truly distinctive and captivating.
At the heart of Sumthing Strange’s success lies the brilliant songwriting skills of Johnny Matthew Coppolino and Gerardo Alexandro Prusmack both doing everything in their recording studio with all in house production and mastering. A wonderful and recent addition in 2023 has been Jesse Shadis holding down the percussion. Their music is a seamless fusion of electrifying and dynamic melodies, soulful lyrics, and powerful vocals that will leave you spellbound.
The band’s music takes you on a journey through different emotions, from the upbeat and energetic to the introspective and contemplative, all while maintaining a consistent style that is uniquely their own. Their music has a way of captivating the listener, leaving them mesmerized and wanting more. With their fresh and innovative approach to music, Sumthing Strange is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after bands in the industry. Their music is captivating listeners and keeping them engaged with its unique sound and style.
violence from columbus, ohio.
ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀʀᴍ
“Black Sunrise is a high potency rock band from Highland, Indiana. The band delivers a combo of haymaker heaviness with crushing grooves. Under the influence of their various inspirations, Black Sunrise creates heavy music for heavy people.”
Edgar Alejandro is a singer, songwriter, and musician who has written more than 60 songs in less than 3 years. He is 23 years old and was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, and raised in Los Angeles, California. Edgar Alejandro knows how to play guitar, vihuela, trumpet, bass, and piano. He is currently blending Jazz, Bossa Nova, Tumbado, Salsa, Indie, and Boleros with a Mariachi base, which sets his music apart, along with his high, solid, and well-tuned voice. Edgar Alejandro has a loyal fan base of over 250k people and more than 2.5 million streams on platforms. In 2024, he achieved over 10 million views on social media, with more than 1 million reach per month. His most well-known song, “A Tu Lado, ” has been used more than 100k times on Instagram and TikTok, and it has garnered over 1 million streams on Spotify, with numbers increasing daily, boosting his entire catalog. His first solo concert was in November 2023, where he sold 200 tickets. By mid-2024, he had sold out his show in LA in less than 3 weeks, and he is now going on tour across the USA with a waiting list of over 1,000 people. Edgar’s future in Regional Mexican music is very promising, with upcoming collaborations, plenty of new music, and shows.
https://www.livenation.com/artist/K8vZ917qF1f/edgar-alejandro-events
JILUKA was formed in February 2015 with a four member line-up:
Ricko (vocals) Sena (guitar) Boogie (bass) Zyean (drums)
JILUKA expresses a variety of emotions by combining their aggressive metal sound with diverse musical essences and utilizing striking, melodious music.
The band is trademarked by an impressive musical evolution, interwoven with a musical sense indicative of the new generation.
Strongly embossed with the label of visual kei Deathcore from the start, both their growth as a band and a hybrid and metallic intensification resulted in the creation of visual kei modern metal.
Furthermore, JILUKA expanded their always energetic live performance endeavors and presented the world with their first full album “Metamorphose” in 2018.
Having marked their 5th year as a band with their first best-of album “XANADU” and an anniversary solo show in February 2020, JILUKA are on the cutting edge of V-Kei modern metal with the albums “Xtopia”(2020) and “IDOLA”(2021).
In October 2022, the band launched their ultimate new flagship “Electro Gothic Metal (EGM)” sound with the digital single “BLVCK”. In March 2023, their next digital single “OVERKILL” spread the possibilities of EGM. On October 27, 2023, JILUKA’s latest single “VENΦM” released on streaming platforms worldwide, the same day in which JILUKA made their overseas debut performance in Atlanta, GA in the US. Now, JILUKA is taking over the world with their signature EGM style!
After their formation in early 2019, Plethera started creating their music with one goal in mind, to reach people by spreading their message through words and contagious riffs. This Hard Rock/Metal band entered the local scene with their debut EP titled Trapped inside in 2019, later in the year they released a single title Far From Roses with a goal to broaden their discography. Staffed by Brandon Rice (Vocals), Brandon Johnson (Guitar), Michael Lenci (Guitar), Jacob Webber (Bass), and Alex Cervantes (Drums), the group came together to release a Home Recorded EP and single, Remastering their original Trapped Inside and Far From Roses tunes along with a new original single titled Eight Legged Freaks in Late 2022 and Early 2023. The bands sound relies heavily on their poetic verses combined with catchy and engaging guitar and drums, making them a thrill to listen to and digesting their lyrics.
Dejected is a heavy metal band from McHenry County, Illinois. We write about anger, betrayal, and mental health. Our art is a reflection of our reality and we are unapologetically blunt about it.
Denier was formed in 2022 drawing from a wide range of metal sub-genres and eras to develop a sound that is both nostalgically reminiscent and pushing the boundaries of modern songwriting trappings. Seemingly relentless barrages of hardcore and beatdown riffs are pocked by soaring choruses.
Thank You, I’m Sorry released their first full band album “I’m Glad We’re Friends” in 2020 and we’ve been waiting for a follow up ever since. Saying “Growing in Strange Places” was well worth the wait is an understatement. Their third album finds the band following their most adventurous ambitions, sprinkling in styles ranging from dream pop to indie to riot grrrl. It’s also a cumulation of a seasoned band that has found their footing through years of touring and hard work. The know when to take risks and when they have a good thing to lean into to. If that isn’t growth, we don’t know what is.
COACH HOUSE was created in the heat of pandemic and it is believed that their music could be more contagious than the disease itself. As their sound waves travel through the air it first infects the listeners ears, giving them a feeling of euphoria and excitement. Next, it travels to their brain, resulting in rhythmic body movement (also known as dancing). Lastly, it attacks their heart and causes the victim to be a fan of COACH HOUSE till the day they die.
Soon after Joseph moved out of his mom’s house, he reconnected with old high school and college friends in Chicago to start band. Since September of 2020, COACH HOUSE has rehearsed twice a week in their dingy rehearsal space; quickly crafting their sound and building their catalogue of original music. Now with three singles mastered and scheduled to release, COACH HOUSE is ready to hit the stage and spread their post pandemic rock through the world.
Five best friends from Chicago that like to watch The Lord of the Rings in the big bed they all sleep in together
LYXE are a three-piece alternative/indie rock group based out of Lawrence, Kansas. Consisting of Ryan Wise (lead vocalist/guitarist), AJ Knudson (bassist), and Jimmy Girod (drummer/backing vocals), the group’s high-energy discography and stage presence is reminiscent of 80s/90s new wave with a grunge edge.
SLAMMING TRANNSEXUAL GROOVE
solo t-girl slam from chicago, il
Southern Slamming
Superunknown is the fourth studio album by American rock band Soundgarden, released on March 8, 1994, through A&M Records. Produced by Michael Beinhorn and the band themselves, Soundgarden began work on the album after touring in support of their previous album, Badmotorfinger (1991). Superunknown retained the heaviness of the band’s earlier releases while displaying a more diverse range of influences.
From the depths of the global pandemic emerged a band determined to conquer all of the seven seas. My Life At The Bottom Of The Ocean was that band. Formed in July of 2022, “My Life” is a 2 piece indie-punk band hailing from Chicago, IL. Their music combines the high energy of punk and hardcore music with the melodic sensibilities, technical guitar-playing, and heartfelt lyricism of modern emo music.
Long time friends Kevin LaBarbera (Guitar/Vocals) and Connor Rudny (Drums, Percussion) make up the composition of the group. For only being a 2 man operation, their sound is massive, and their stage presence is undeniable. Drawing inspiration from bands like Title Fight, Circa Survive, and Nirvana, “My Life” is a melting pot of sounds, ideas, and sonic exploration. Not to be pegged into any one genre of music, My Life is one of those bands that has to be experienced for yourself. Catch them at a show near you and you won’t be disappointed you did!
Sentient Horror is based in North Jersey and plays old school death metal, heavily influenced by Stockholm SweDeath.
Japanese Whispers is the second compilation album by British group The Cure. It was released in late 1983 by Fiction Records. The title is a pun on the children’s game Chinese whispers.
It includes the singles “Let’s Go to Bed”, “The Walk” and “The Love Cats”. The other tracks are the B-sides of these singles, although “Mr. Pink Eyes” (the second B-side for “The Love Cats”) was not included. The songs were recorded when the band was in a transitional phase after bassist Simon Gallup left following a tour to promote the previous album, Pornography. Beginning with these singles, Lol Tolhurst switched from drums to keyboards, a role he kept until his departure in 1989.
For the tracks from the “Let’s Go to Bed” and “The Walk” singles, the Cure was a duo consisting of Tolhurst and Robert Smith, with the addition of session drummer Steve Goulding (a member of Graham Parker and the Rumour) for the tracks from “Let’s Go to Bed”. For “The Love Cats” single, a full band was assembled with the addition of bassist/producer Phil Thornalley, who had worked with the band on Pornography, and drummer Andy Anderson, a lineup which would continue for the Concert live album.
Since 2019 this Madison trio— Amber Moth (vocals/guitar), Gage Moth (drums), and Mac Moth (bass)— has been developing their own cosmic gumbo of pop hooks, grunge, and garage doom. Drawing heavily from their combined love of bands like Frankie and the Witch Fingers, and Windhand, their first full-length album, “Honestly, Maybe,” and 2022’s EP, “In the Mourning,” explores a wide range of themes and sounds including fantasy-laden lyrics, flippant sad girl rock, heartfelt indie love songs, and sludgy homages to their doom influences.
Their upcoming album, “Stranger” (Out May 25th, 2024), sees the trio focus their sound, drawing on a well soaked in grunge, distortion, and deeply personal lyrics disguised as pop melodies.
In a nutshell, Lunar Moth is for weirdos, by weirdos: Fuzzed-out doom and bloom.
Bear Williams’ Music is firmly rooted in the field hollers, spirituals, and delta blues of his ancestors. Bear’s parents were born in McGehee, and Tillar Arkansas respectively. The two moved with their families to Chicago in the 1930’s during the “Great Southern Migration” of Blacks to the North and West. The families came for jobs and a better life. They also came for freedom from the oppression of Jim Crow and the covert slavery that Sharecropping was. They brought their hopes, their dreams, and yes, their music. What you’ll hear from Bear Williams is a hybrid of the many styles of both traditional and contemporary Blues.
BLASPHEMOUS AND COMPASSIONATE
APOPHY is a 5-piece Extreme Metal band that formed in the summer of 2022. The music pulls elements from Death Metal, Black Metal, Doom Metal, and other heavy influences.
Founding members Coral Rosehill (Vocals), Jackson Arbogast (Guitar), Julius D. Johnson (Guitar, Vocals), and Django Wilson (Drums) bonded over a love of heavy music and compassion. With the addition of Nick Willis (Bass), the group steps forth into the world to deliver a scathing message, crushing riffs, and bludgeoning beats.
Death beats.
Comfort Eagle is the fourth studio album by American alternative rock band Cake. It was released on July 24, 2001, on Columbia Records, their first with the company.
Performed by Coveralls
Described as “Snarky Puppy meets Led Zeppelin”, Alabaster is considered to be Chicagoland’s hidden gem of bands. No performance is ever the same.
Hailing from Homewood, in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ian Benjamin Welch p/k/a Benji. is a singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist
Asha Imuno is an artist, producer and songwriter from Moreno Valley, California. The 22-year-old multihyphenate’s creativity is a melting pot of inspiration, seamlessly blending nostalgic influences from classic Hip-Hop and R&B with a refreshing take on new age Soul & Funk sounds.
“Welcome to The Land Of Folly” FoOl FoRCe #LetsHaveChurch
Custard Flux is Curvey, The Luck of Eden Hall’s main man, and his band of heavy Prog-Psych-Pop. PROG magazine Associate Editor Jo Kendall included Custard Flux in her Top 10 Best Albums in 2018 and 2019! “Chiming 60s charm!” -Classic Rock magazine. Their LPs, Helium, Echo, and Oxygen made the “Best Releases” of 2018, 2019, and 2020 in critic Dave Thompson’s Spin Cycle in Goldmine magazine. “Some of the greatest psych pop in operation right now!” “Poignant” “Impassioned” “Kick-ass!” PROG Magazine, June 2024
Spittin’ bars with guitars
WE BRING YOU ALL THE BEST 90’S HITS. FROM POP TO GRUNGE, GET READY FOR A NIGHT OF SING-ALONGS AND NOSTALGIA! COME PARTY WITH US!
Performing all over the midwest, loudernow will bring you back to the glory days of skinny jeans, studded belts, EYELINER, band shirts, vans, and screaming along to all of your favorite emo and pop-punk songs. The scene is back.
Covering your favorite songs by Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Taking Back Sunday, Panic! AT THE DISCO, A DAY TO REMEMBER, NEW FOUND GLORY, and many more!!!
Go Betty Go is an all-female pop punk band from Los Angeles that, along with bands such as Union 13, Los Abandoned, The Dollyrots, and Left Alone, have been prominent in the Southern California Chicano Punk scene that started in the mid-2000s and continues today.
Emotionally devastating music that rocks
Clamor & Lace Noise Brigade is a glam marching band in Chicago, Illinois, working to bring music written and/or performed by people of marginalized genders to the forefront of Chicago’s brass band scene.
Jane Getter Premonition, “a stunning prog rock/jazz fusion outfit reminiscent of stylistic darlings like King Crimson and The Mahavishnu Orchestra”…. (ProgReport) is excited for the 1st leg of the critically acclaimed Cherry Red/ Esoteric Recordings album “Division World”’s tour. Led by guitarist, singer and award winning composer Jane Getter, JGP has carved out a niche at the intersection of rock, jazz, metal and singer song-writer. JGP features brilliant and masterful playing by keyboardist Adam Holzman (Miles Davis, Steven Wilson), bassist, singer Paul Frazier (David Byrne, Nile Rodgers & Chic), drummer Gene Lake (Marcus Miller, Nile Rogers) and guitarist Michelangelo Quirinale (Stratospheerius, Thrilldriver). Each night is guaranteed to be filled with killer grooves, blazing solos and inspired songwriting!
As one half of New York duo City Morgue, rapper SosMula (“Sleezy”) helped to pioneer the trap-metal subgenre, providing a grittier, slicker counterpart to the raw energy of collaborator Zillakami. After finding global success in the late 2010s with albums like Vol. 1: Hell or High Water and Vol. 2: As Good As Dead, he ventured into solo work, issuing 13 Songs 2 Die 2 in 2021 and 2 High 2 Die in 2022.
Taking his stage name from his birth name, Vinicius Sosa, rapper SosMula grew up in São Paulo, Brazil, before moving to the U.S. at the age of eight. Having met fellow vocalist Zillakami through a tattoo parlor, SosMula began rapping alongside his collaborator as City Morgue. Pioneers of the trap metal subgenre, the duo worked heavily with producer Thraxx to build heavy guitar lines and thundering drums into a trap-based sound. Under this umbrella, SosMula issued successful albums including Vol. 1: Hell or High Water (2018), Vol. 2: As Good As Dead (2019), and Toxic Boogaloo (2020), with his faster-paced, more nasal vocals proving a deft counterpart to Zillakami’s thrashing voice. While the pair retained their abrasive, fusion-based sound throughout these releases, they expanded the repertoire into more introspective, melodic material, too, issuing moody tracks like “Screaming at the Rain” and “Peeling Scabs.”
SosMula issued his first full-length solo release, 13 Songs 2 Die 2, in 2021. Hosted by mixtape mainstays Trap-A-Holics, the tape pushed further into Sleezy’s acidic, uncompromising vision for the trap genre. A third volume of City Morgue, Vol. 3: Bottom of the Barrel (2021), soon followed. In 2022, SosMula issued his sophomore set, 2 High 2 Die; the rapper’s second mixtape leant heavily into rage beats, scoring his outlandish verses with more electronically led production. ~ David Crone, Rovi
Two years on from their acclaimed third studio album, Nightmare Withdrawals, Christchurch, New Zealand’s BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS have returned and intend to leave an indelible mark on the landscape of extreme music in 2023. The quintet will be releasing their fourth full-length, and Prosthetic Records debut, Rejecting Obliteration on May 19.
Navigating cycles of abuse and trauma, whilst actively reaching for resolution through resilience, the aptly titled Rejecting Obliteration is a testament to and declaration of endurance through hardships and loss. Lyrically conceived by Stace Fifield (vocals) and Stuart Henley-Minchington (guitars and vocals), Rejecting Obliteration’s ten tracks share a common narrative thread of finding identity and light outside of personal hurt and psychological harm. The pair’s primary focus on inner strength and resilience serves as an unwavering foundation of who BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS are in essence.
Whilst despairing in its subject matter Rejecting Obliteration refuses to concede to a predestination of further anguish, opting instead to shun all notions of defeat, which in and of itself is vital to BLINDFOLDED AND LED TO THE WOODS’ long fought for and claimed identity.
During the night of April 26th in 1986, a world-changing accident occurred at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Inspired by this catastrophe and its consequences, a highly radiated German band called CYTOTOXIN pulverized the death metal world in 2010. In 2011, the band released their self produced full-length album PLUTONIUM HEAVEN. Only one year later they entered KOHLEKELLER STUDIOS (Aborted, Benighted) to forge their highly appreciated second record. Since the release of RADIOPHOBIA via UNIQUE LEADER RECORDS in 2012, CYTOTOXIN played Europe-wide club and festival shows. In January 2017, the band recorded their extremely anticipated third album GAMMAGEDDON. After several European tours, the nuclear quintet strikes back with their most versatile yet straight and brutal fourth album NUKLEARTH. Better keep your gasmask at hand as the radiation finds its way over planet earth.
Wunderhorse are Jacob Slater, Harry Fowler, Peter Woodin & Jamie Staples.
2022 saw the release of their debut album Cub, a collection of songs which found fans in Zane Lowe, NME, and BBC Radio 1, and took the band on tour with the likes of Fontaines D.C., Pixies, Sam Fender, and Foals, whilst also selling out their own headline slots along the way.
Their new album Midas will be released on 30th August 2024.
Laura Hugg is a Chicago-based stand up comic. She is also a writer and performer of sketch comedy, story telling, and improv. Laura has performed at Zanies, Laugh Factory and CGs to name a few. Currently she produces and hosts a comedy variety show in Chicago called, “Keep Coming Back”, teaches stand up at The Laughing Academy and hosts their open mic at Ten Ninety Brewing in Glenview IL!
Alternative Heavy Band from Oak Park IL
Josh-Guitars/Bass, Jimmy-Vocals,
Kyle-Drums, Andrew-Guitars
With their crisp melodies, Pete Shelley’s biting lyrics, and Shelley’s and Steve Diggle’s driving guitars, Buzzcocks were one of the most influential bands to emerge in the initial wave of British punk rock. Largely eschewing politics, they instead brought an intense, brilliant vigor to the three-minute pop song, powered by Shelley’s alternately funny and anguished lyrics about adolescence and love, backed by melodies and hooks that were concise and memorable. They released two albums in 1978 (Another Music in a Different Kitchen and Love Bites) that tightened up and refined their sound, then delivered the more experimental A Different Kind of Tension in 1979 before the fast pace of their career and problems with their record label led them to break up in 1981. When Buzzcocks re-formed in 1989, they launched a long string of tours and albums that exhibited the same spirit the group had shown from the start, starting with 1993’s Trade Test Transmissions and continuing to The Way in 2014, which was Shelley’s last album with the band before his 2018 death. After a short break, Diggle rallied the troops and went on, touring and releasing an LP titled Sonics in the Soul in 2022. The group’s powerful punk-pop proved to be enormously influential and timeless, with echoes of their sound resonating in bands like Hüsker Dü, Nirvana, and the Exploding Hearts, along with almost every band who ever blended the hooks of pop with the energy of punk.
Very few bands manage to last decades, and for the ones that do, it’s often easy to settle down and get a little too comfortable. But there’s nothing comfortable about Devourer, the explosive new album from Cursive. The iconic Omaha group is known for their intensity, ambition, and execution, and has spent 30 years creating a bold discography that’s defined as much by its cathartic sound as its weighty, challenging lyrical themes. And Devourer is as daring as ever. Full of intense and incisive songs, the album proves exactly why Cursive have been so influential and enduring–and why they remain so vital today.
In the years since their 1995 formation, Cursive developed into one of the most important groups to emerge from the late-’90s/early ‘00s moment when the lines between indie rock and post-hardcore began blurring into something altogether new. Albums like Domestica (2000) and The Ugly Organ (2003) became essential touchstones whose echoes can still be heard in new bands today. The pull of nostalgia can be strong over time, but Cursive’s work has often felt like a rejection of those comfort zones; the band has continually pushed themselves, with frontman Tim Kasher’s artistic restlessness steering them ahead. In fact, for Kasher, whose pointed observations always begin with looking inward first, it was an interrogation of this voracious creativity that planted the seeds of Devourer.
“I am obsessive about consuming the arts,” he explains. “Music, film, literature. I’ve come to recognize that I devour all of these art forms then, in turn, create my own versions of these things and spew them out onto the world. It’s positive; you’re part of an ecosystem. But I quickly recognized that the term, ‘Devourer,’ may also embody something gnarly, sinister.” Devourer delves into that darker space. The characters populating the album have bottomless capacities for consumption, whether it’s resources, material goods, art, or even each other. Then they are consumed by larger forces, whether it’s humanity, Earth, dreams, time, or life itself. “Maybe a better word for it is imperialism,” Kasher says. “But it’s in many different forms. It’s not just the political. It’s personal imperialism and the imperialism of relationships, the way we imperialize one another, even ourselves.”
Fans have come to expect such heady topics from Cursive, but Devourer sets a new standard. The glibness of the First World toward the problems of others. The eternal struggle to stay on the straight and narrow. The eager acolytes exploited by their leaders. How anxiety can compound with age. How self-expression can warp into self-indulgence. Beginning with “Botch Job,” a propulsive banger shaking with anxiety and regret, the album seldom relents. Songs like “The Avalanche of Our Demise,” “What The Fuck,” “Bloodbather,” “Consumers,” and “The Age of Impotence” hit hard, hooking listeners with the unique blend of deep melody and discordant sounds Cursive does so well. Even as songs like “Up and Away,” “Imposturing,” and “Dead End Days” lean more into a poppier sound–or “Dark Star” and “The Loss” tone down the intensity–the album’s underlying disquiet remains. But as always, Cursive is here to wail, not wallow. As Kasher sings in “Bloodbather,” “Life’s an abscess or apple pie / So shut those demons up / And devour your slice.”
Devourer being filled to the brim thematically and musically is unsurprising considering Kasher wrote an astounding 69 compositions after songwriting began in the fall of 2020. About 20 made it to the practice space, with a curated 13 ending up on the final album. Wrangling it all at Omaha’s ARC Studios was Marc Jacob Hudson, who co-produced the album with the band after running live sound on Cursive’s recent tours. Hudson’s lengthy discography includes working with Against Me!, Thursday, and Fireworks, among others, but the musical touchstones he shares with Cursive sealed the deal. “We just got along well and had this kind of shared music history that I found so comforting,” Kasher says. “We were introduced to music in similar ways and, being the same age, share a musical knowledge. It was just so fun and refreshing.”
Now seven members strong (“We seem to be collecting band members over the years,” Kasher jokes), Cursive had a large musical toolbox to use on Devourer. Beyond the core trio of singer/guitarist Kasher, bassist Matt Maginn, and guitarist/vocalist Ted Stevens, there’s keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist Patrick Newbery, cellist Megan Siebe, recording/touring drummer Pat Oakes, and founding drummer Clint
Schnase (the two trade drumming duties across Devourer, but join forces for a two-pronged percussive force in “Rookie”).
Cursive had self-released their two previous albums on their label, 15 Passenger, and initially planned to release Devourer the same way–but ultimately decided to put out some feelers as well. “We got interest and it made it all feel like, ‘Yeah, we should do this,’” Kasher recalls. The group arrived on Run for Cover Records, who were excited to work with a band who has such a deep discography and storied history; it’s a fitting home for Cursive, with new labelmates like Fiddlehead, Citizen, Teen Suicide, and Self Defense Family that share a same DNA of emotionally and sonically biting music. “It really is the first time that we’ve gone off to another label since we started in 1995, when we signed to Crank! Records,” Kasher says. “So there’s a certain excitement to that. It’s no longer the excitement of, ‘We just got signed! I wonder what’s going to happen with this record?!’ It’s more like we’re doing something different–nothing feels rote.” Maginn adds, “More than most bands, our labels have been part of our history. We did it ourselves for years with 15 Passenger, so it’s a big deal to us to take on and trust new partners.”
While Cursive’s music hasn’t gotten any more comfortable, perhaps its being released into a world that’s at least a little more shaped in their image. Devourer sounds urgent and fresh, the work of a band still experimenting, still hungering to find new creative heights. On album highlight “Consumers,” the protagonist bemoans, “I saw our future and I want to go back.” But Cursive are only moving forward.
Slanging rock n’ roll out of Orange County, LOVECRIMES mine the rich traditions of roots music and Americana with deep respect for the Delta Blues and a taste of punk-rock swagger.
Rock n’ roll at its core and versatile enough to summon everything from rockabilly to late ‘70s groove, the songs by singer/songwriter Julian James Ness are confessional, intimate, and unapologetically honest.
Julian James Ness fell in love with music hearing Lucinda Williams at his mom’s house and pressing buttons on his dad’s vintage jukebox, pulling up country classics by the likes of Buck Owens and Johnny Cash. He took saxophone lessons from Jason Freese, a multi-instrumentalist session player whose resumé boasts Green Day, Jewel, and Goo Goo Dolls. Julian experimented with bass and drums until, at age 10, he got his first guitar from his dad, who showed him his first few chords.
Julian’s dad is the iconic leader of the trailblazing Social Distortion. “From the time I was four or five years old, people told me I had to carry the torch,” the younger Ness explains. “There’s been this lifelong pressure on me. I avoided it out of fear and insecurity, not feeling like I was good enough.”
A week after his 18th birthday, Julian started a year-long jail sentence, the result of teenage years spent battling alcohol and drug addiction. While a resident at a post-prison treatment center, he was allowed a fateful outing to see his father play a show, where they performed “Prison Bound” together.
“It was a high that no other drug could give me,” Julian remembers of those few minutes onstage. “It filled me with purpose. I told myself in the past that drugs and alcohol were contributing to my creativity, but they weren’t. I was going to the pawn shop and pawning my guitars. I wasn’t doing anything proactive. That show was a monumental moment in my life. I knew I wanted to do this.”
Not long after his release from rehab, Julian joined The Dead Relatives. After that, he played with Jade Jackson, a country singer signed to ANTI-. “I spent the next two and a half years touring with her. It was a huge challenge because I was used to playing the same couple of Chuck Berry riffs and punk rock bar chords. Suddenly I was learning all of these Greg Leisz guitar parts from Jade’s records.”
Armed with a handful of his own songs, Julian cut around eight demos at his dad’s studio, backed up by Mike’s band: guitarist Johnny “2 Bags” Wickersham, drummer David Hidalgo Jr., and bassist Brent Harding. They recorded the songs old-school style, live in the room, with no elaborate multitracking.
While working a day job as a substance abuse counselor, Julian set about putting together a band.
“We have a couple of more punk songs, but my music is more rootsy, singer-songwriter stuff, so it was important to find people who could do both,” he points out. Enter drummer Josh Roosin. “He’s been playing since he was a little kid and had a jazz background. He’s very much a ‘feel’ player. He’d heard what I’d done with The Dead Relatives and was super stoked about the demos I played him.”
Next came Trevor Lucca, a guitarist with punk legends D.I. since 2018, based on a recommendation from producer Davey Worsop (Matt Skiba, Dave Hause, Throwdown). “Since he played lead guitar for D.I., I knew he could play punk. Then I scrolled through his Instagram feed and saw him playing some Lucinda Williams and Justin Townes Earle. And I thought, ‘This is perfect.’”
Bassist Colin Schlesinger, a childhood friend and bassist of The Line and Ruby Haunt, completed the LOVECRIEMS line-up. “I feel so grateful and blessed that not only are all of them great at what they do, they are all really great people.”
LOVECRIMES made their first few live appearances at The Pike Bar in Long Beach, Hotel Café in Los Angeles, and The Wayfarer in Costa Mesa. In December 2022, the band opened for Social Distortion on a few of their year-end dates at the House Of Blues in Anaheim, California.
Shortly after launching the band, Julian opened a substance abuse and mental health program called California Treatment Collective, offering the care and resources needed by folks in crisis.
“It’s amazing to watch him,” Mike Ness told The Orange County Register. “He wanted to do his own thing. He was coming to me with some really, really good songs, and there were a couple that, in my opinion, were as good as anything I’ve ever written, so that’s how we bond now… I saw him play guitar in a band at the Tiki Bar in Costa Mesa, and I just couldn’t deny that he had presence up there.”
“Some people are just meant for it.”
Some things never go out of style. Emerging from the London punk scene with a high energy blend of Oi! hooks and hardcore stomp, The Chisel have a sound that’s as timeless as it is exhilarating. Now on their sophomore album, What A Fucking Nightmare, the band somehow cranks the dial further into the red witha whopping 16 tracks that are even more aggressive and even more anthemic.The Chisel formed in 2020 out of the same pool of talented friends and collaborators that bore bands like Violent Reaction, Arms Race, and Chubby & The Gang. After a series of singles and EPs, the band–whose current line up is vocalist Cal Graham, guitarists Luke Younger and Charlie Manning Walker, bassist Momo, and drummer Lee Munday released their debut full-length, Retaliation, in 2021 and secured their reputation as one of the most exciting new punk bands coming out of the UK. With more attention often comes more pressure, but The Chisel approached their second album with something very key in mind: “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it,” says Younger, explaining, “after we recordedthe first record we just didn’t stop writing. So by the time it came out we already had even more new songs.” That prolific streak didn’t stop and the result is What A Fucking Nightmare–a behemoth of a punk record that doubles down on everything that makes The Chisel such a compelling band.What A Fucking Nightmaregrabs the listener by the head and doesn’t let go. Recorded by James Atkinson and produced by Jonah Falco (Fucked Up, High Vis, Chubby & The Gang), the album hones The Chisel into the keenest and most effective version of themselves where the hooks are bigger and the bite is sharper. The heart of their sound draws on elements of old school hardcore, UK82, and other corners of aggressive punk, but it’s The Chisel’s ability to pack a melodic punchthat makes them stand out from the pack. Graham’s biting-yet-tuneful delivery is key to the band’s ability to swing from eye-bulging street punk ragers to triumphant singalongs that even the most faint-of-heart rock and roll fan couldn’t help but enjoy. What A Fucking Nightmareis the kind of album that reminds listeners of all the things that are so impactful and enduring about punk music: there’s a vitality to these songs, tangible sweat, blood, and bootprints that leave a mark long after they’re done. There’s absolutely no doubt that this is The Chisel’s world–and we’re just living in it.
Pavlov’s Dogz are a roaming band of neuroscientist-musicians (primarily memory researchers)
BowDizz is a songwriter, rapper, producer, musician and overall creative mind. As a kid he moved from state to state constantly until he was 11 and his family settled down in Minnesota. In 2016, he graduated with a degree in Marketing from Winona State University. Since then he’s learned to produce his own beats and also considers himself hands-on with every step throughout the creative process. In 2019, as an independent artist, BowDizz released his first full conceptual album Stimulated for streaming services. In 2020, he released his EP titled Villa Views entirely produced by him. Since then he’s consistently dropped new music, merch and content.
American Deathcore/ Horror band, Larcenia Roe, brings forward a brutal spin on the horrors of life with an uneasy sound, chainsaw cadences, and viscous vocal range.
Slamming Brutal Death Metal brought to a whole new level.
Extermination Dismemberment is a Slamming Brutal Death Metal band from Minsk, Belarus known for its extremely brutal music and unforgettable crushing live shows.
The band’s current lineup includes Arseniy Kovalchuk (guitar), Vladislav Martirosov (vocals), Viktor Kanashevich (bass) and Alexandr Kazakov (drums).
Extortionist is an American deathcore band formed in Idaho in 2013. The band consists of vocalist Ben Hoagland, guitarist Juan Hernandez III, bassist Kip Treeman, guitarist Jared Suku, and drummer Dominic Guggino.In 2014, the band signed to We Are Triumphant, releasing their debut EP, The Black Sheep on March 25 of that year. On February 17, 2017, the band released their debut full-length studio album, The Decline. On March 22, 2019, their sophomore album Sever The Cord, was released through Stay Sick Records. The same year, the band released their self-titled second EP, Extortionist on May 24, 2019.[3]The band split after their final show on October 5, 2019. The band reunited in 2020, and immediately began writing new music, releasing the single “Once More in Torment” on October 5, 2021, exactly 2 years after their initial split. They currently operate in Salt Lake City, Utah.