Bands - Reggies Chicago - Page 80

DON FLAMINGO

The SHOW must go on. Being resilient in any undertaking is a talent that few may know but has become a moniker and inspiration for Donald Allen III, previously known as, the SHOW of New Orleans, Louisiana, emerging as DON FLAMINGO. Coming from a city such as New Orleans, which is known for genres such as jazz, zydeco, blues, brass bands, and hip hop forming a musical legacy as unique as the soup this treasure is known for. When a southern rapper boasts of a resume that includes being associated with acts such as T.I., Scarface, Mannie Fresh, BG, and Lil Wayne while being named a BET Music Matters featured artist opening the BET Awards Music Matters Showcase as a part of the New Orleans super group, The Rap Pack, you would expect that artist to be a household name. Factor in cosigns from projects with other local staples like The Chopper City Boyz, Juvenile, C-Murder, Ace B and the New No Limit, and DON FLAMINGO should be the face of the business of music in New Orleans, but there’s no business like SHOW business and the SHOW must go on!

Releasing his ambitious Neva Say Die Series scheduled to release an EP of new music every month throughout 2016, Don Flamingo is no stranger to standing out amongst a crowd. This project is reminiscent of 2011’s EGMG Saturdays where a new freestyle was released every Saturday throughout the summer in anticipation of the final installment of the Downman on Back mixtape series. This time around, DON FLAMINGO isn’t getting ready for another major release through the independent East Gang Music Group, but merely showcasing his never ending resolve. 80s babies will appreciate the invocation to the 1985 classic the Goonies. The EP series will also boast of being composed entirely of songs with no names purposely done to focus listeners on the music. Future video releases will have titles for the showcased tracks, but which songs on which volumes EGMG is being very tightlipped about. This is the two time NOLA Hip Hop Awards Lyrist of the Year at his best, allowing his content and delivery to speak to listeners and encourage a scavenger hunt that may garner attention to hidden gems throughout the series.

DON FLAMINGO explains his mission in hip hop by stating “every rap artist has a similar story; growing up with no father, mom was a single parent so you learn from the streets, but when I put my twist to it, I create a variation of that story and make it my own.” Even the steps that DON FLAMINGO has taken to get to this point create a variation furthering the point; there’s no business like SHOW business. From his introduction to rap in 1995 via a poem dedicated to the memory of his deceased father, it was always the reception of his projects that kept DON FLAMINGO going. This reception allowed a joy to become a hobby, a hobby to transform to a talent, and a talent into a business. Now the business has come full circle back to a joy and because the SHOW must go on, the emergence of DON FLAMINGO is a friendly reminder to #NevaSayDie.

DEANTE HITCHCOCK

GQ

GQ, who Grammy Award winning producer, 9th Wonder, coins his “secret weapon” is not only a former NCAA basketball champion, but in fact Oakland’s next Hip Hop hero.

Born and raised in Oakland, California, GQ (also known as Quentin Thomas) found his passion for music at an early age; nine to be exact. Influenced by a wide array of music genres and artist, the young GQ became a fan of lyrics and started to pen his first rhymes; all while training to be a college hoops star. In 2004 he was recruited to play for UNC Tarheels head coach, Roy Williams, and was a member of the 2005 National Championship team his freshman year. Some years later, already a champion of one, he was well on his way to being a champion of the other – rhyming.

GQ signed with 9th Wonder in 2009, one of the last artist to join the budding Jamla roster, which has grown to be one of the most buzzed about indie labels today. Of the multi-talented emcee, 9th Wonder says, “he isn’t a basketball player that can rhyme, he is a rapper that can ball.”
His style is passionate, controlled, lyrical and he is a master of telling the gritty, dark tales of the place we know as “OakTown”.

In 2010, he was featured on EA Sports’ NBA Live 10, alongside Mississippi’s own, David Banner. The following year, the Oakland emcee released a few singles, and a three part mixtape series, entitled “Blended”, before unleashing his first project under the Jamla imprint, ‘Trouble Man’.

‘Trouble Man’ is a 16 song EP of original cuts, featuring production from 9th Wonder and The Soul Council, as well as guest appearances from labelmates Rapsody and Heather Victoria, and 6th Street Records’ Bluu Suede, and more.

Currently, GQ is setting up for a big 2013 introduction with his two part release, “Death Threats and Love Notes”, the prequel and debut album.

Like so many of his hometown predecessors such as Too Short, Digital Underground and the Hieroglyphics, GQ looks forward to being another example that there is light at the end of the tunnel, or bridge for that matter.

When asked how he wanted to be remembered when it’s all said and done, he humbly said, “I want to be an example, it doesn’t matter where you come from, all that matters is where you’re going. And, I just want to be remembered for how I carried myself, how I helped and motivated others to live right and reach their goals in life.”.

They say it’s different across the bridge, and there is something definitely different about GQ. In the words of 9th Wonder, simply put, “he’s a star”.

ALICE IN CHAINS “DIRT”

Dirt is the second studio album by the American rock band Alice in Chains, released on September 29, 1992, through Columbia Records. Peaking at number six on the Billboard 200, the album was also well received by music critics. It has since been certified four-times platinum by the RIAA and gone on to sell five million copies worldwide, making Dirt the band’s highest selling album to date. It is the band’s last album recorded with all four original members, as bassist Mike Starr was terminated from the band in January 1993.

FLINT EASTWOOD

Much like the city that shapes her work, Detroit-based Jax Anderson, aka Flint Eastwood, wakes up everyday confronting a world that tells us that we are not good enough, not unique enough, not rich, beautiful or smart enough; not the right color; not the right gender. Success is as subjective as it is elusive, but if the debut single “Queen” from Anderson’s Broke Royalty EP reveals anything about the songstress, it’s that she’s everything she needs to be.

“Queen was written about the first time I was asked what it was like being a woman in music. I’ve always been the boss of my art– I write my own songs, I play shows, I design a lot of my own graphics, make my own videos, craft my own photos, and I hustle alongside an amazing group of people just like every artist does. I had never considered myself different for being a woman. I have always set the standard with my team that I am the boss, regardless of my gender identity.”

It’s more than a gender thing for the Detroit-based artist though. It’s about overcoming feelings of uncertainty and forces of disempowerment; it’s about realizing your self-worth and carving your own path. The powerful indie-pop record is filled with urban percussion and orchestral instrumentation, and is a fitting lead single for Flint Eastwood’s 2017 EP.

Crafted entirely at Assemble Sound, an 1870’s church repurposed into a recording compound and creative hub for musicians founded by Anderson in 2015, the project has production support from fellow Detroit-native GRiZ & MUTEMATH’s Paul Meany, as well as a track with principle BØRNS collaborator Tommy English, and a home with Neon Gold Records (Christine And The Queens, Charli XCX, Marina & The Diamonds, et al). Out now, Broke Royalty brings Flint Eastwood’s artistic vision and story to a national audience at a time when it’s needed most.

SILHOUETTES

Rocky Garibay – Guitar, Vocals
Lawrence Mak – Bass, Drums
Dan Meyer – Guitar, Bass, Vocals

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THE LAST GREAT RIOT

Born in Chicago, melodic punk rock with hints of garage rock, hardcore, and riff-rock. Simple songs about life and the good and bad times. Guitarist/vocalist John A Beavers, drummer Scott Durand, and bassist Mario Mazzone just want to make noise and drink the beer you buy for them.

BAD SONS

TWO RULES: LOUD, FAST. BAD SONS, filled with frustration and sick of sensation, set out to wake up Chicago’s music scene. The members came together and combined their influences to create a unique sound of their own. BAD SONS “puts on a severely entertaining live show with great music to boot.” (The Bad Copy). Mix equal parts punk rock, rocknroll, power pop, and hardcore with a lot of attitude and you’ll get BAD SONS. Now with their debut EP, HOT FACE, BAD SONS are ready to spread their chaos to the rest of the world. Music to get evicted to.

Sincerely,
Worst Sons

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DJ MANTI

Keeping the party rocking on the 1’s & 2’s is none other than DJ Manti. Having DJ’ed for brands such as Nike, for comedian T Murph who is seen on “Kevin Hart Presents”, and as the official DJ for Be Powerful which is owned by NBC “Chicago PD”’s own LaRoyce Hawkins, Manti is a sure bet to provide nothing but good vibes only.

MR. BONKERS

Mr. Bonkers is a jazz-rock band from Chicagoland.

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FUTURE ROOTZ

Future Rootz is a collective of Chicago based mix media DJ’s playing and remixing global roots, tropical bass, world electronic, and latin house music. The collective produces events in Chicago highlighting local and international artists and DJ’s from all over the world.

FURY

FURY is a hip hop artist from Chicago. Inspired by rappers such as Queen Latifah, Left Eye, Eve, and Lauryn Hill FURY has embodied the spirit of the strong black woman. She mixes rock, funk, soul, and jazz with a 90s hip-hop flow. She is best known for her powerful lyrics and explosive stage presence. FURY is a force to be reckoned with and commands the attention of all those who listen.

U.S. BOMBS

U.S. Bombs are an American punk rock band, formed in 1993 in Orange County, CA. U.S. Bombs consist of vocalist Duane Peters, guitarists Kerry Martinez and Jonny “Two Bags” Wickersham, bass guitarist Wade Walston and drummer Chip Hanna. Vocalist Duane Peters is a professional skateboarder from the late 70’s and early 80’s skate explosion in Southern California. Well known as “The Master of Disaster” and the first person to do a full loop on a skateboard, as well as the inventor of many tricks and an innovator in the pool skate realm. Duane as well as all other members of the US Bombs have played in many previous OC punk bands throughout the years, notable ones being, Political Crap, Shattered Faith, The Dischords, and The Exploding Fuck Dolls.

NATIVE TONGUE

In September of 2012, in Carbondale, Illinois, the thoughts and ideas that would soon become Driftwood Head began to take form. Two years later, the musicians who would form Native Tongue came together for the first time. With each member of the band carrying with them years of experience playing and performing regularly in local and regional bands, the winter of 2014 was spent writing and re-shaping these ideas. In March of 2015, the band traveled to Forty-One Fifteen Studios in Nashville, TN to record with producer Tate Mercer. On September 25, 2015, these ideas finally came to fruition, and their debut EP Driftwood Head was released to the masses. With an energetic live performance as unique as the music implies, Native Tongue is sure to catch your attention in one way or another.

“Vocally and instrumentally, Native Tongue brings it all to the table. Vocalist Jon Emling commands a vulnerable, at times conversely delicate or powerful, croon that lies somewhere between Kyle Durfey (Pianos Become The Teeth) and Jesse Lacey (Brand New). The rhythmic backbone is as solid as needed, and pushes the atmospheric guitar work to the forefront. Whether it’s the booming riffs in “Rorschach”, fragile arpeggios in “Prism”, or the euphoric post rock climax in exemplary closer “Strange Light”, the music shifts as needed to get just the right mood. There’s an unpredictability to the EP that keeps each moment tense in anticipation for what might come next, an unpredictability that rarely fails to pay off across Driftwood Head’s run time.” -Brett Tharp, sputnikmusic

TOGETHER IN DUST

Together in Dust is a band existing for your listening pleasure – that is, if you take pleasure in these types of things. If not, feel free to patronize another sonic sensation.

Post-hardcore from Evansville, IN ++ ‘Alive In The Valley’ out now!

PAT OTTO

American Roots Music, Blues, Bluegrass, Rock

VOX KAKUMEIKA

Barry J. Fontenot is a Louisiana-born, Chicago-based soul musician with a love of pushing boundaries and a flair for the dramatic. Raised in the “Deep Soul” and “Delta Blues” musical traditions, Barry’s vocal style brings to mind the strong, rich tenor notes of legendary singers such as Sam Cooke and Otis Redding. In his original compositions, however, Barry reveals the eclectic influences that have followed him throughout his musical journey—he strives, in his own words, to “write em’ like Jazz songs, play em’ like Rock songs, and sing em’ like Soul songs.”

Originally a Classical Tenor specializing in choral music, Barry decided to return to his musical roots in 2013, forming a Soul Band called “Barry Fontenot and the Hurricanes,” which performed mostly covers of the great Motown performers who had so inspired him in his youth. In 2014, while drunk and bleeding in Mexico, Barry wrote his first original song, “Desiree.” While the circumstances surrounding the song’s writing were less than glamourous, as Barry himself often explains (at-length) on stage, the experience of writing and performing original music was one that affected him to the extent that he now performs primarily his own songs, and has written upwards of three hours of performance material.

Upon moving to Chicago, Barry founded a small, flexible musical collective called “Vox Kakumeika,” which serves as his backing band and production team, and includes instrumentalists specializing in guitar, sitar, trombone, saxophone, and more. With this flexibility, Barry tailors his performance to the situation, playing with as many as seven other musicians, or as few as himself and his favorite guitar, Gladys.

THE REMOVERS

FREIGHT TRAIN RABBIT KILLER

The duo, Freight Train Rabbit Killer, is an American Roots opera – a shaman of the hills and a vigilante bent on justice.

BEER HIPPIES

BEER HIPPIES is a rock-n-roll band out of Northwest Indiana formed by Steve Murray, Robert Rolfe Feddersen, Blake Murray, Howie Weisjahn and Adam Conley. Heavily influenced by Blue Cheer, T Rex, The Grateful Dead and craft beer, especially Burn ‘Em Brewing which three of the band members started in Michigan City, Indiana. BEER HIPPIES kicked off the band in style recording a 45 at Steve Albini’s electrical audio in Chicago.

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REESEYNEM

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MELO MAKES MUSIC

BRANDON JAMES

Brandon James is a Chicago based powerhouse vocalist that is not only sultry, but grips you with waves of raw emotions featuring a contemporary soul and R&B Pop sound. Exposing you to tingles of both Stevie Wonder & John Legend, he leaves his own mark with unforgettable performances at venues such as UIC Pavilion, House of Blues, Reggies and HVAC where he’s opened up for acts such as Ryan Leslie, Method Man, Ghost Face, Bubba Sparks & the iconic Earth Wind & Fire.

DJ SELEKTA FYAHOUSE

SUBELE

Súbele is a Latin Fusion band blending Funk, Soul, Hip-Hop, R&B, House, Psychedelic, Jazz, Disco and Dance. We are a group of friends molding the sounds we grew up hearing at home and on the radio.

Súbele is spanish for “Turn it up”. A phrase we all say when we are enjoying something and want just a bit more of it.

Thank you for following, and remember, when you hear us, Súbele!

INKOGNITO

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BOMBER

Bomber plays covers. Everything from classic 70’s era Bowie and Big Star; college rock classics from The Replacements, REM; 80’s classics from Talking Heads and The Cars to 90’s classics from STP, Beck, Cracker,Lemonheads and more. We are 4 friends that play in a variety of original projects ( Elephant Gun, Chicken Happen, Post Child, Morning Bell) that play Bomber music simply for FUN.

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SISTER WIFE

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THE PATIENT ZEROS

Formed by life long friends and first time musical collaborators CJ Kjolhede and Joe Schramm, The Patient Zeros came together to create music built on strong songwriting, rooted in experimentation, and forever in debt to FM radio. Shortly after releasing “Sirens Calling” in 2016, Joe and CJ were joined by bassist Michael Raymond. The group has played their brand of rock n roll in over 20 states, covering both coasts and most of middle America en route to or from their home of Denver, Colorado. The group’s latest release, “Born Again”, captures the band’s signature tense and dynamic bluesy-folk sound.

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White Sox Talk Podcast

White Sox podcast featuring Chuck Garfien, Ryan McGuffey, Chris Kamka and others.

RAPSODY

Rapsody is a North Carolina emcee signed with super producer 9th Wonder for Jamla Records. With the release of seven projects in just three years and a critically acclaimed debut album in August of 2012, she is slowly establishing herself as a major player in today’s rap game.

In just a short time she has worked with some of the biggest legends and newcomers in the business, ranging from the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Erykah Badu, Raekwon, Big Daddy Kane, Marsha Ambrosius, Mac Miller and Big K.R.I.T, to name a few.

Most recently, she was named one of the top female artist to know by both TIME Magazine and USA Today. She was also named one of the 20 Greatest Female Rappers of All Time by XXL. She most recently released a ten track EP titled Beauty and the Beast to much acclaim and she is currently working on her sophomore album.

In 2015, she was the only rap feature on Kendrick Lamar critically acclaimed album, To Pimp A Butterfly, on the song Complexion. The same year Dr. Dre announced on his Apple Beats1 radio show, The Pharmacy, that she was currently his favorite female emcee. A month later, she performed “Every Ghetto” with Talib Kweli on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon

Her style is polished and distinct, and her wordplay and flow are unparalleled in both delivery and execution. As she strives to contend with her Hip Hop predecessors, like Jay-Z and Mos Def, Rapsody is already undeniably one of the strongest and most promising forces in today’s Hip Hop culture.

DREW MICHAEL

Drew Michael is a New York based comedian who has written for Saturday Night Live, guest starred in The Carmichael Show, recorded a stand-up special for Comedy Central’s The Half Hour as well as two full-length stand-up albums: Lovely and Funny to Death.

He has also done many other things, most of which are not relevant in this context.

RICO NASTY

Maria Kelly’s name is in lights. The first thing you notice as the DMV artist walks across the room is “RICCCO”—long for her rap alias Rico Nasty—scrolling across her dark platform boots in LED bulbs. It’s a bold move, and there are far worse ways to make an entrance.
Rico Nasty isn’t a household name but she aspires to be, if her choice in footwear is anything to go by. Her biggest hits to date, like 2016’s “iCarly” and “Hey Arnold,” and this year’s “Poppin’,” sound like Nickelodeon slime dragged through the lean-infused streets of Atlanta before taking a pit stop in Chicago’s drill country. The songs are catchy and forceful, and introduced the world to Rico’s penchant for crafting half-sung, half-yelled bars she calls “yinging.”
What you quickly notice in conversation with Rico is a distinct split between her personas, which she alludes to in the interview. Tacobella is the name given to the saccharine and vulnerable side of Maria. For brief flashes, she shows pride when talking about her father, opens up about the difficulties of being a rapper on the rise, and connecting with UPS women over Fenty Beauty by Rihanna. It is this character that is front and center on the excellent 2017 project, Tales of Tacobella.
However, lurking below the surface is Rico Nasty. Confident, brash, and ready for war at a moment’s notice, she is a rapper’s rapper. It isn’t hard to see that this is the side that crafted “Poppin,” one of her biggest hits to date (and was featured in season 2 of HBO’s Insecure). It’s at her most aggressive that Rico’s most unique flows come into play; she modulates her voice at a moment’s notice to go from sweet to raspy and guttural—think Nicki Minaj with a hint of DMX, but over bubblegum beats.
During her headlining New York show at Baby’s All Right, both versions of these women came together for a blistering performance. By the end of the night Rico asked an adoring crowd what song she should play again, and in unison, the crowd screamed “Poppin.” She then beckoned to the crowd, and a sea of women rushed the stage to perform her soon-to-be hit alongside her. Rico joined Snapchat videos soundtracked by the infectious words, “I’m a poppin ass bitch let me remind ya.” For a moment, Rico Nasty did what very few rappers know how to do: make every single fan feel like a star.

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS “CORE”

BIG BANG BABY is the ultimate Stone Temple Pilots experience, built to perform the most captivating, accurate live show since the real thing. If you never saw the Scott Weiland-led STP, or simply miss them, don’t miss out on the next best thing!

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BILL GRADY

With a voice that feeds the soul, songs that speak to the heart, and guitar playing that will make you move, Bill Grady cannot be ignored. After discovering the lost art of slide guitar while attending Berklee College of Music, he began studying the classic slide masters and well as the great songwriters and composers of days gone by. Between his soulful vocals, slide guitar prowess, and vivid songwriting, his live shows are unlike any acoustic act you’ve ever seen.

His debut solo album “Nothing Runs Free” is a twelve-track concept album that tells the story of The Wanderer, a broken soul from Louisiana looking to find the courage to confront his fears and journey back home. Each track on the record draws influences from a different flavor of acoustic music, including the bluegrass-tinged rhythms of “Feet Don’t Fail Me Now,” the beautiful classical melody of “Annie’s Waltz,” the low-down bluesy swagger of “Train Came Right on Time,” or the New Orleans flavor of “French Quarter Mile.” Musicians on the record include Grammy-nominated harmonica player Billy Branch, violinist for the Infamous Stringdusters Jeremy Garrett, banjoist Wavy Dave of Cornmeal, as well as the amazing musicians that comprise nationally renowned Grateful Dead cover band Terrapin Flyer.

Bill performs both as a soloist and with a full band. He has opened for The Travelin’ McCourys, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, and Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band as well as sitting in with Robert Randolph and the Marshall Tucker Band. He has graced the stage of the Chicago Blues Fesitval, Shoe Fest, Manifest Chicago, and Blottopia, as well as performing on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers.

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MAXWELLIAM

We play all original rock and roll.
Drums: Larry Beers
Bass: Mitch Straeffer
Guitar: Ryan Nelson
Keys: Colin Peterik
Vocals: Liam Maxwell

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AIRSTREAM FUTURES

Members of The Bomb, The Methadones,10 song Album out soon! Produced by Rodrigo Palma, and Derek Grant. Recorded and Mixed by Jeff Dean

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GLITTERGY

Glittergy is a Gary Glitter tribute band!
True to the original setup of two drummers, slide A guitar, bass, and sax; plus the Leader of the Gang himself!

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ALL HELL

All Hell is a horror-influenced blackthrash/metalpunk band from Asheville, North Carolina.

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(((SONORAMA)))

(((SONORAMA))) is a Chicago-based Dj collective fronted by Charly Garcia, Eddy Baca & Marlowe Baca and created with the objective of promoting world roots music through our obsessive love of vinyl music culture. More than just djs, we collect, scavenge, and are ever in search of new sonic and rhythmic delights both new, old, or sometimes forgotten, but with the purpose to share our discoveries with the rest of the internet community. Through podcasts and other various media we try and criss-cross geographic borders and genres with ease, and together with our different musical tastes and backgrounds; set out to showcase an eclectic program of rare grooves, musical curios, and Afro influenced dance music, along with any other surprises we dig up along the way.

ABYSSAL

Chicagoland extreme metal artists.

Continually creating and perfecting extreme metal music.

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TRICOUNTY TERROR

TRICOUNTY TERROR are five sexy, savage, whiskey shootin’ ladies from Texas. The music closest to their hearts is the fast, heavy, loud roar and punch of Southern-Inspired Punk Rock. Tricounty Terror is the ONLY all woman Southern Punk band and make mincemeat out of many of their male predecessors. The girls are headlining their own shows and kicking ass across the U.S.. Tricounty Terror is leaving audiences in their wake of carnage from their live shows. Tricounty Terror is liquor’d up and heading your way soon….

SPOTLIGHTS

IGORRR

Initially influenced by the likes of Meshuggah, Chopin, Cannibal Corpse, Bach, Domenico Scarlatti, Taraf de Haidouks and Aphex Twin, traces of these artists can be found littered across Igorrr’s discography, but Serre has never been interested in remaining static or merely recycling ideas, and his work has dramatically evolved accordingly. It deeply explains how Igorrr’s music is such an explosion of creativity while keeping a cohesive universe records after records.
In recent years, Igorrr has also become a collective, rather than the work of one man alone, which has brought a new level of intensity into the group live representations.

DELTA RISING

Local Illinois Powerhouse Blues Rock Band playing our versions of classic rock, blues rock and Southern rock favorites!!

AVIATIONS

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ARCH ECHO

Arch Echo is about the music. Cliché? Yeah. Idealistic? Absolutely. They are ultimately music nerds as all of this band’s members work in the music industry professionally. Every day, hour and minute sees them writing, practicing, producing, performing, composing, teaching and practicing. Arch Echo is their new baby, a mutual creative product that has the hopes to play live as soon as possible.

This project brings to the table keyboardist, producer and composer Joey Izzo, known for his wall of sound style and melodic production ear. He composes with Joe Calderone at Tangent and runs his own Joey Izzo Productions.

Adam Rafowitz has been making waves in the progressive guitar world having won the first Strandberg Guitars competition 2 years back with his style of blazing legato and fusion laden riffs.

Adam Bentley is an up and coming modern progressive music engineer, guitarist and composer. His mixing tutorials have been widely viewed and have helped to earn him a reputation as a well trained ear in the progressive metal world. His solo project Absently released its debut LP this past year to widespread acclaim within the progressive metal community.

Joe Calderone is co-founder of Tangent Music LLC, a music house that has already had music on such networks as TNT, FOX, E! and the show Celebrity Apprentice in their first year of existence.

Richie Martinez is a frequent face to many drummers on Instagram where he has garnered 30k followers with his flashy, frequent and informative videos. He works full time as a session drummer and educator. He’s also beating 50% with the wonderful Sophia 🙂

This is Arch Echo, and we plan to earn your ears!

DEATH ON FIRE

Death on Fire is the solo project of Tim Kenefic. Tim is an accomplished musician having played in many regional acts like Sunday in Hostage and Conspiracy of Silence. He studied music at Indian University and performed for 4 years with the IPFW guitar ensemble. Death on Fire blends classical, thrash, death metal, and to a lesser extent jazz into an aggressive sound all their own.

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DEEJAY PICKEL

THE PNEUMATIC TRANSIT

The Pneumatic Transit is a 4-piece progressive Jazz/Rock ensemble from Chicago consisting of former members of Exotic Animal Petting Zoo and Umphrey’s McGee. Their first album, Concerto for Double Moon, features the compositional works of Jeffrey Zampillo as the foundation with each soloist contributing a piece of their own style and personality into the mix.

REBEL SPIES

Tell the guys in Rebel Spies! their music reminds you of 7 Seconds, Dag Nasty or the Misfits and they’ll unabashedly thank you. No one here is trying to “reinvent the wheel”! These guys play hardcore punk, with a sincerity that you can feel in every song. A band member pedigree that includes the Suicide Machines, Hellmouth, Fordirelifesake, Hifi Hand Grenades and Telegraph these guys have already tasted musical success. Now they just want say thank you to the music for all they have got from it. Rebel Spies! is their love letter to hardcore and punk… a loud love letter that at that! “It’s like this is the band we have all wanted to be in since we were teenagers,” says vocalist Jeff Sanguis “this is like getting to be in your favorite band. It’s been more fun writing these songs than I could have hoped for!” The brainchild of bassist Jeff Uberti, who then recruited Sanguis, as well as Matt Wedge and Tony Del Bel on guitars and Ryan Vandeberghe on drums. “I had these songs running around in my head,” remarks Uberti, “it just felt like the perfect time to do this. All of us just seem to be in the same mindset, it’s been awesome!” So what is the Rebel Spies! mission? Create music for new fans of hardcore punk as well as those that remember the glory days of old. And keep it fun. Simple as that.

DIRECT HIT!

Direct Hit! is a Midwestern punk band influenced in equal measure by The Ramones, The Thermals, Blink 182, and Andrew WK. Founded in 2007, the group has undergone many lineup shifts in its existence while touring the world and recording music ranging from vein-popping hardcore to fist-pumping electronic-tinged pop punk anthems. Signed to Fat Wreck Chords in 2015, Direct Hit’s newest iteration features long-time singers/guitarists Nick Woods and Devon Kay, along with Maura Weaver, Logan Stang on drums, and Joram Zbichorski on bass.

BAD COP / BAD COP

It’s been a hectic couple of years since Los Angeles punk quartet Bad Cop/Bad Cop dropped their debut full-length, Not Sorry. The band spent a huge chunk of the intervening time on the road, like most bands do—and they wound up discovering some ugly things about themselves, like most bands do. Only for Bad Cop/Bad Cop, it got very serious, very quickly. “We were on the Fat Wreck Chords 25th anniversary tour in 2015, and Stacey was partying really hard,” says co-vocalist Jennie Cotterill. “She ended up bottoming out on the tour, and we had to leave. It was not a good separation. We had to go home and drop off the tour and figure out if we were still a band, what are we going to do about Stacey… Thankfully, Fat helped send her to detox, and she came out of that as a completely new person with a totally different trajectory. Before that, she was demonically possessed. She was destroying everything around her.” Out of that experience came “Amputations,” one of the highlights on Bad Cop/Bad Cop’s explosive second album, Warriors. The song is a slower, bigger sing-along than anything else in the band’s growing catalog, and it’s about the only thing not at a breakneck pace on the record.

Many of the album’s most cathartic, aggressive moments come from the mind of co-vocalist Stacey Dee, who after going through the darkest time of her life has come out stronger than ever. Instead of focusing solely on her own issues, she was able to expand her horizons, writing songs as poignant as “Victoria” (about a friend’s child who committed suicide) and “Womanarchist” (in which Dee namedrops Revolutionary War heroine Nancy Morgan Hart and Joan of Arc while proclaiming she wants “to make the whole world feminist”). Dee explains much of her expanded worldview came in the wake of the 2016 presidential election, making Warriors one of the first punk albums written in the Trump era.

“The election made a real big impact on us,” Dee says. “We were really hurt and really sad. It felt like we needed to take a stand and say something. I had never really dug into anything super-serious about fairness, equality or justice in my songwriting before. When my bandmates and I got a chance to rebuild together following my fall, it was all about honesty, celebrating our differences and letting our power come together naturally.” The foursome began recording immediately following a successful tour with the Interrupters last fall, spending roughly six weeks between Hurley Studios and Maple Sound Studios with their longtime collaborator and producer Davey Warsop between December 2016 and February 2017, with Jason Livermore (Descendents, Lagwagon) responsible for mixing and mastering—and just like on Not Sorry, Fat Wreck Chords founder Fat Mike chimed in with plenty of ideas as well.

“When it comes to songwriting, I’m open to anyone offering ideas—I think that makes it cooler. I’m all about what sounds best. Mike had really great ideas—most of the time, I agreed with him,” Dee says with a laugh. That songwriting invitation extended within the band, too, as bassist Linh Le contributed two of Warriors’ finest moments, “I’m Done” and the title track. The former tackles the topic of gender-related microaggressions (“I felt instead of being passive-aggressive about it, I was just going to be aggressive,” Le says); the latter was written to pay homage to all who have devoted their lives to fight for equality and was inspired by the Trưng sisters, who led Vietnam’s rebellion against China nearly 2,000 years ago. Needless to say, there is more to Bad Cop/Bad Cop than your average punk band—and that’s how the women like it. “It is important to raise awareness,” Le says. “There are so many people we care about who feel stuck or afraid.”

“We tend to stick up for the underdog,” Dee concludes. “It hurts us when anyone is marginalized. I was so negative for most of my life. After changing my life, I have been trying to focus on strength, connectedness and positivity. I think this record is a good start.”

SOUTH CITY REVIVAL

Musicians Joe Pacelli (vocals, guitar), John Quinn (guitar), Mike Fitzgerald (bass), Jose Perez (drums), and Brendan Linnane (pedal steel) met in the parking lot of a Western avenue bar and decided they wanted to write songs like Townes Van Zandt and play shows like Bruce Springsteen. They asked each other “what does Chicago country sound like?”—a question that has shaped the sound and aesthetic of South City Revival since its formation. Combining elements of country, rock, and rhythm and blues, the band writes songs that are powerful and sure to make people dance.

HENRYXCHINASKI

Real fast crust punk with a touch of grind and hardcore. Whatever you wanna call it were here to rock and drink. This is what we do

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DR. UNK

Dr. Unk’s musical concoction blends a classic rock sound with a variety of genres. It features unique vocal harmonies, poetry, and story-telling. They often have fans singing along, either to an original song or to a well-placed cover. Also, their improvised jams can bring concert goers to the dance floor as well as send them on an inward journey.
Since their inception in 2016, this Chicago-based band has focused mainly on expanding their catalog of songs and performing live (visit drunkjams.bandcamp.com for a DIY recording of every show). But, they are now switching gears and focusing on recording their first studio album, to be released in 2020

Dr. Unk is

Brendan: electric guitar, vocals
Maxwell: bass, vocals
Stephanie: drums, vocals
Tim: electric guitar, vocals