Cortége
Cortége is a two piece drone band from Austin, Tx.
PRETENDERS “PRETENDERS”
Pretenders is the debut studio album by the British-American band the Pretenders, released on 7 January 1980 under Real Records (Sire Records in the United States). A combination of rock, punk and pop music, this album made the band famous. The album features the singles “Stop Your Sobbing”, “Kid” and “Brass in Pocket”.
CHRIS ISAAK “FOREVER BLUE”
Forever Blue is the fifth album by American rock and roll musician Chris Isaak, released in 1995. The album included three singles: the Grammy-nominated “Somebody’s Crying”; “Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing,” which was featured in Stanley Kubrick’s final film, Eyes Wide Shut; and “Graduation Day,” featured in the 1996 film Beautiful Girls. In 1996, Forever Blue was also nominated for Best Rock Album.
BEESO AND FRIENDS
DEAD LARRY
Dead Larry’s powerful blend of high energy rock, dance and funk shakes the foundation of modern music. From rock driven sea shanties to pulsating dance beats. From Beatle-esque harmonies to spine chilling screams. From shake-yo-booty funk jams to orchestral themes of space and time travel. Dead Larry is one thing: Original. The band was formed in a basement in high school, and after nearly 10 years of writing, touring, and chasing the dream Dead Larry has a grown to be one of the most prominent independent rock bands coming out of the Midwest.
“An all too short set by psychedelic funk pop band, Dead Larry, from Iowa City, Iowa, was all I needed to realize where the great music truly was. Lead singer/rhythm guitarist Mark McGuiness screamed his lyrics with rock ‘n’ roll conviction to the raw and dark simplicity of the musical compromise that is the rest of the band. Each member worked their musical niche to create something greater than themselves that is Dead Larry.” – Travis Beck (The Daily Nebraskan) on Dead Larry’s set during 10,000 Lakes Festival 2008.
“Dead Larry’s music combines psychedelic rock, funk and pop to create a non-stop party.” – Tim Gavin (The Daily Iowan)
“Dead Larry is amazing! They have that rare combination of incredible diversity and substance, while still dropping funky beats that keep your booty moving!” – Mark Murphy, WookieFoot
AMORPHIS
Founded 1990 in Helsinki, AMORPHIS have worked their way to the apex of the European metal scene and won international renown. The band’s name, derived from “amorphous” (no determinate form or shape), has been programmatic for the pioneers of Finnish metal over the course of their 20-year career. Setting a diverse, intricate and unique style to their musical approach, often being described as “ahead of their time”, the band accrued a large and loyal international fan base. From their independently released demo “Disment of Soul” (1991) through the current releases, Amorphis have always fused elements of traditional heavy, death and doom metal with a great variety of non-metal influences, including folk, progressive and psychedelia, and managed to create an instantly recognizable sound of their own. The band’s break-through came in 1994 with “Tales From The Thousand Lakes”. The album won the band a massive fan base around the world, reaching a multitude of listeners among and beyond the metal community, and remains immensely popular to this day.
In the early stages of their career, Amorphis consisted of Tomi Koivusaari (guitarist and original vocalist), Esa Holopainen (guitars), Olli-Pekka Laine (bass), and Jan Rechberger (drums). Together they greatly affected the metal underground, gained recognition and soon scored a multi-album contract with Relapse Records. Shortly after, Amorphis released their debut album, “The Karelian Isthmus”. Receiving an impressive response, the band chose to venture further into melodic terrain, adding progressive keyboard sounds here and clean guest vocals (performed by Ville Tuomi of Kyyria) there. The result was the classic “Tales From The Thousand Lakes”, which to this day is considered to be one of the most groundbreaking albums in the doom/death genre. For the first time incorporating lyrics from the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala, the album also was the first true manifestation of the influential Amorphis sound: a seamless combination of intoxicating melodies and aggressive sounds delivered with both clean and harsh vocals.
The success of “Tales From The Thousand Lakes” provided Amorphis with the opportunity to tour the European continent several times, and followed by their first US tour in late 1994. Shortly thereafter, the band underwent some major musical and line-up changes. Continuing to feature lyrics based on traditional Finnish folk poetry, the third album “Elegy” introduced a new vocalist, Pasi Koskinen. This adjustment proclaimed a significant transformation in Amorphis’ career. Pasi’s unique vocals brought a new setting to the music, which now concentrated more on compelling keyboard atmospheres, psychedelic guitar sounds and a distinctive arrangement of the vocals, delivered by both Tomi and Pasi. Encouraged by popular and critical approval, the band members took three years to prepare their next album, honing the newfound style to perfection. “Tuonela” was liberally sprinkled with 1970s-style psychedelic touches and marked another great leap ahead for Amorphis, and its successor, “Am Universum” delved even further into progressive soundscapes.
In 2003, Amorphis released “Far From The Sun”. While closer to the band’s metal roots than the previous longplayer, the album was again very relaxed and melodic as ever, spiced with Far Eastern touches as well as progressive elements in the vein of Pink Floyd. In the late summer of 2004, long-time singer Pasi Koskinen left the band, and Tomi Joutsen (Sinisthra) joined around the end of the year. With a new singer and new energy, the band recorded “Eclipse”, an acclaimed masterpiece that combined the best-loved elements of Amorphis’ unique sound with fresh vigour. The album went straight to the top of the Finnish charts and was followed by triumphant live appearances all over Europe before the band retreated again to the recording studio.
“Eclipse” was followed by “Silent Waters” in the late summer of 2007. The dynamic and emotional range of the new songs, all of which were based on a single episode from the Kalevala, went beyond any of Amorphis’ earlier albums, yet at the same time hearkened back to the band’s past output in all its diversity. The release of the new album was preceded by a string of festival appearances – including Germany’s famous Wacken Open Air – and immediately followed by a five-week Finnish tour. The remainder of 2007 found Amorphis in Europe, Russia and Japan, whereas in 2008 they played in southeastern Europe, at a multitude of festivals and, during the fall, in the USA and Canada.
The new album “Skyforger” shares the lyrical concept of the two previous albums, its central character being Kalevala blacksmith Ilmarinen. Musically, the band soars to unprecedented heights; not abandoning the cherished ingredients of their sound but rather refining them, augmenting them with fresh elements, and delivering them with breathtaking passion and intensity. Both the album and the single “Silver Bride” went straight to number one in the Finnish charts, and the live qualities of the new songs were immediately tested and proven on the summer’s festival stages. In September, Amorphis went on their first-ever tour of Latin America, followed by the extensive Forging Europe Tour in the fall. In the summer of 2010, the band presented its first-ever live DVD, which includes two full shows recorded in 2009 as well as a career-spanning documentary. The release coincided with the 20th anniversary of Amorphis, which in addition was honored by a compilation of re-recorded classic tracks, released in September 2010.
Nostalgia, however, is not what this band is about. Granted, The Beginning Of Times (2011) showcases their trademark style in perfection, including plenty of reference to the death metal days, yet at the same time it proves that Amorphis have lost none of their progressive edge and experimental spirit. Doing honor to protagonist Väinämöinen, the Kalevala‘s central character whom myth credits for bringing music into the world, the band brought forth its most versatile and nuanced effort to date; in terms of performance and arrangements as well as rythms and sounds. Iikka Kahri, whose flute and saxophone already graced several songs on Skyforger, was back in the fold, Tomi Koivusaari added a few discreet touches of pedal steel guitar and Santeri balanced the 1970s prog and 1990s death elements with a synth vocabulary straight out of the eighties. More noticeable still was the addition of Netta Dahlberg’s backing vocals, which beautifully complement Tomi Joutsen’s lead – most poignantly on “Mermaid” and “Soothsayer” but also, for example, on the single You I Need. Besides another number one in Finland, The Beginning Of Times also earned Amorphis their first-ever Top 20 rating in Germany.
At the outset of the third decade, Amorphis continue their musical journey creative as ever – not confined to any predetermined shape, yet always instantly recognizable, always true to their own vision, and always unique.
On August 21, 2012, Amorphis announced on their website that a new album was in the works. On January 17, 2013, the band announced the title and release date for their next record. Circle was released on April 19 in Europe and April 30th in North America. On September 16, 2013, Circle won Metal Hammer´s “The Album of The Year” award. Esa Holopainen on the award, “For us, Album of the Year award is a great recognition for the work done so far. Especially when we got it from our 11th studioalbum.”
On August 4, 2014, Amorphis announced on their website and through social media that they would be playing a number of special Tales from the Thousand Lakes 20th Anniversary shows where their 1994 album would be performed in its entirety. Tales from the Thousand Lakes 20th Anniversary shows included festivals such as Wacken Open Air, Maryland Deathfest, and 70000 Tons of Metal with many other tour dates and festivals included.
The band began demoing new songs at the start of 2015, and in 4 March of that same year, it was announced that Amorphis will begin to record a new in album in April 2015, at Fascination Street Studio, Örebro, Sweden with Jens Bogren.
The lyrics will be written once again by Pekka Kainulainen, who says “Like ‘Kalevala’, they are descriptions of natural phenomena, seasons and the human mind. Reoccuring situations where hope and uncertainty alternate. Attempting to gain advice from higher powers. The poems do not form a complete story per se, but they are drawn together by a certain theme. We live under a red cloud and once again, time weighs us.”
The release of the new album will be followed by a world tour, starting with shows in the band’s home country of Finland, then other parts of Europe with Nightwish & Arch Enemy in November 2015.
In 15 June 2015, it was announced that the title for the twelfth studio full-length album is Under The Red Cloud, with the artwork and tracklist revealed and with a worldwide release date of 4 September 2015 by Nuclear Blast Records.
THE DEAD HANDS
The Dead Hands are an alternative rock band from the Chicago area.
In June 2013 The Dead Hands won WGN’s Breakthrough Band worth a $10,000 recording at I.V. Labs in Chicago! They head off to the studio in November 2013.
The Following is from the August 1st 2013 issue of The Joliet Herald Newspaper.
Denise M. Baran a free lance writer for the paper interviews The Dead Hands.
“They just sounded different and that was pretty obvious during sound check,” said Tom Barnas, segment producer for Midday News. “Their vocals and their playing was tight. Their songs packed a punch. They just had this air about them.”
“It’s the only thing we have a good connection with,” Wilcox said. “We play from our heart and soul. Our name, The Dead Hands, means that we will never stop playing music until our hands die.”
At first, The Dead Hands concentrated on cover songs but after Wilcox shared an original he’d written, everyone wanted to focus their efforts on producing original songs.
“You can make good money playing covers,” Wilcox said, “but if you want to be known for your music, you have to play originals.”
The Dead Hands quickly recorded a music video and submitted it. Amazed, they watched it speed through the online viewer voting process to the Top Ten and then the Top Two.
Submissions came from all over the United States.
In 2012, the contest attracted a million hits on the web site, Barnas said.
“They put some camera onstage and said, ‘Play a couple of songs,’” Wilcox said. “They used clips from those songs through the news and they did some live interviews with us, too. It was pretty fun.”
Barnas could not stress enough the significance of winning this contest and he plans to bring The Dead Hands back on the air once they release their EP!!!!!!
THE UNTOLD DIRTY
What happens when 4 people coming from 4 different musical backgrounds decide to come together and play music?The untold dirty is born
REBELS IN STEREO
Rebels in Stereo is a Chicago based punk rock band formed in May 2014 when Jimmy Natividad and Kristyne Operzedek from the punk outfit Warhellride decided to continue making music together after the band went hiatus. Witnessing their next project, Dead Scene Revival, being torn apart by egos and attitudes, Jimmy and Kristyne regrouped and aligned with guitarist Johnny Morzy. Through a revolving door of lineup changes, personal tribulations and setbacks from the trio, the band soldiered on and continued to write music. In June 2016, bassist Kevin Villani (Nightfall Radio) and vocalist Hillary (Syntheticism) joined the fold, rounding out a quintet delivering a rambunctious wall of sound mixed with complex pop sensibilities and raw emotion.
BREEV EAZIE
SMEAR CAMPAIGN
Smear Campaign is jazz, trip-hop, and progressive rock influences that is currently being brought to a boil in Chicago, IL.
LOST IN THE RYE
Banjo + Guitar + Singing = Lost in the Rye
FRIZZLE FRIED
PRIMUS SUCKS!!!!!!!
Just 3 guys who really dig some Primus and happen to be accomplished musicians, or at least good enough to sound like Primus …which is NOT easy!
FACE YOUR MAKER
We are FACE YOUR MAKER, a 4 piece Deathcore/Slam influenced band based out of Los Angeles California, driven by world issues that the human race turns a blind eye to, hate, revenge, greed and exposing the hypocrisy of today’s society. Our sound blends with fast aggressiveness while keeping it heavy and violent. Our music can be described as lacerating, slamming heaviness, bone-crushing, grinding, and grimy grooves with a combination of chugging.
We strive to bring an intense energy to the stage that keeps the crowd moving, moshing, and head banging from start to finish. We work with likeminded artists to create merchandise that represents our sound.
END TRANSMISSION
OGINALII
Oginalii, (meaning “my friend” in Cherokee) was conceived between two friends in Nashville, Tenn. as a fruition of successful songwriting endeavors. Oginalii is now a full band of collaborative and unique musical talents and styles, playing together to create what others call an indie, psychedelic and native rock sound. Powerhouse vocals, tasty tasty guitar, a goddess of a drummer (who wrote this?) and a sound that can’t be compared. Just come to a show, and hang.
ROTTEN FINKO AND THE CONVICTS
BIG STAR “RADIO CITY”
Radio City is the second album by the American rock group Big Star. Released in 1974, Radio City was recorded during 1973 at Memphis’ Ardent Studios. Though not a commercial success at the time, it is now recognized as a milestone album in the history of power pop music.
MICKELSON
Tom Waits meet Radiohead, Radiohead meet Tom Waits. Now play nice…
PHOR
Rapper from VH1’s Black Ink Chicago.
I’m different from any other artist out there. I put my all in every song. I’m what you call a real MC. ALL I ASK FOR IS SUPPORT AND A LITTLE LOVE. IS THAT ALOT TO ASK PHOR?
WASTE “THE WASTED”
few dudes with issues and from such bands as THE HARD-ONZ, FELONY-4
DJ LUCAS
WIKI
It’s wiki from RatKing. Hit da god up.
DEADHAND SYSTEM
New Chicago/Milwaukee-based extreme metal band. Modern, brutal, catchy music for fans of all metal genres.
FORGOTTEN TROPICS
We are a blues based alternative indie rock band with folk, funk, psychedelic, avant-garde, electronic, jazz and spoken word influences.
Zachary Roth
Steve Lobkovich
Christian Flannery
FLOWTONE
We were forged in a warehouse, and the embalming fluid was our muse.
SHAPIRO BROTHERS
An emerging Americana duo based in Kansas City, Mikal Shapiro and Chad Brothers deliver classic country and folk music alongside critically acclaimed originals. Strengthened by Shapiro’s lyrical prowess and Brothers world-class flat picking, the couple showcases their craft with simple harmonies, stellar guitar interplay and great chemistry.
Chad Brothers was raised in Winfield, Kansas, home of the International Walnut Valley Bluegrass Festival. There he cut his chops on Pecan Grove stages and in late night picking circles. His approach to the guitar reflects a love for classic melodies, rock and roll, acoustic flat picking and an ear for invention.
Mikal Shapiro is a Kansas City songwriter whose musical influences span popular songs, psych rock, lounge and old time spirituals. A third generation storyteller, she draws inspiration from her travels, love life, and the state of the Union. She has toured extensively across the United States and recorded five albums including three solo albums.
The Kansas City Star, Deli Magazine and Wednesday MidDay Medley declared Mikal’s new album “The Musical” to be one of the top releases of 2015.
REGGAE WORKERS OF THE WORLD
TENGGER CAVALRY
Named after the sky god of Mongolian shamanism, Tengger Cavalry blends overtone throat singing, Mongolian horse-head fiddle and other nomadic music tradition of Central Asia with heavy rock music, creating a crossover genre – Nomadic Folk Metal
Current lineup:
Nature Ganganbaigal (vocal & guitar), Alex Abayev (bass), Josh Schifris (drum), Uljmuren (fiddle) and Robert McLaughlin (fiddle).
KHEMMIS
Formed in 2012 in Denver USA, doomed heavy metal outfit KHEMMIS has released a body of work which paints a unique portrait of the human condition, weaving together influences from all corners of the metal music world. They transcend the genre boundaries of traditional doom metal with their elegant yet dramatic compositions and diverse array of influences.
Debut record Absolution earned the group outright critical praise from the underground, including a place on Decibel’s “Top 40 Albums of the Year” list. Hunted broke down even more barriers, earning KHEMMIS widespread recognition. The record received glowing reviews at MetalSucks, Metal Injection and Pitchfork, as well as a spot in Rolling Stone’s “20 Best Metal Albums of 2016” list and Decibel’s highly sought after “Album of the Year” accolade. Not many bands out there can boast about being compared to the likes of THIN LIZZY, ZZ TOP, PARADISE LOST, MY DYING BRIDE and JUDAS PRIEST.
In 2018, after wrapping up the Decibel Magazine Tour with Enslaved, Wolves In The Throne Room and Myrkur, the excitement for KHEMMIS’ third album Desolation was palpable across the metal spectrum. From the stadium-sized opening notes of “Bloodletting” to the epic closer “From Ruin, ”it is immediately evident that KHEMMIS again put distance between themselves and their earlier influences to inform a sound that is singularly their own. Though undeniably influenced by doom and classic metal, to tag the quartet with those labels doesn’t do justice to what they’ve accomplished. Theirs is a perfect representation of modern heavy metal that integrates the past in a way only possible with the faculty of hindsight. The album earned widespread critical praise from the global metal press and marked the band’s first appearance on the Billboard charts. Tours with The Black Dahlia Murder and Pig Destroyer, a series of headlining North American tours, as well as appearances at Roadburn, Heavy Montreal, and Domination Fest in Mexico City, expanded the growing legion of Khemmis fans around the world.
Restlessly awakening from the depths of a feverish slumber, KHEMMIS has returned with their fourth full length studio album, Deceiver, arriving via Nuclear Blast Records in November 2021. Six tracks of soul-awakening heaviness encapsulate a project nearly three years in the making. While the lyrical themes of Deceiver–sorrow, pain, longing for hope–will no doubt be familiar to longtime fans, these songs display a broader collection of musical influences than on any other KHEMMIS record to date. With a title that reflects the internal struggles that many of us battle in our daily lives, Deceiver is a ferociously honest and appetizingly raw piece of musical artistry which has already earned universal acclaim from publications around the world, including Metal Hammer, Decibel Magazine, Kerrang!, and many more.
ROYAL
When you hear it, it’s thick, it comes straight from the chest, and pulls you past that point of no return. Every lick and harmony is emotionally crafted to give you more than just a sonic experience, but a personal connection to what you hear. Royal won’t stand to stay between your ears. Royal will get in your gut and no one will be able to put out the flame.
ARA
In a time when the death metal genre has longed for acts that provide true innovation while maintaining the passion of the style’s forefathers, Wisconsin’s Ara has created a sound over the course of two releases that gives the genre the shot of artistic savagery it needs. Rather than littering their compositions with flurries of notes that champion an alienating complexity over songwriting craft and still not falling victim to the tongue in cheek homage riffing that makes up the old school revival, Ara delivers compositions that bear no compromise to the current sounds that pass for extreme and instead carves an identity for itself where few debut releases dare to tread.
A HILL TO DIE UPON
The gospel of modern black metal has fallen upon deaf ears in the Middle West. The constant barrage of sonic masturbation has been disregarded as pedantic puppetry. A Hill to Die Upon has refused the banner of the hypocritical avant-garde in order to sow a new standard. Drawing on the philosophical treatises of ancient Greece, lyricist and drummer R. Michael Cook and his brother Adam have fashioned a new philosophy for their art. Carrying little for creating something new or unique, the brothers instead focus their energies on creating art that is honest and well honed, using art itself as the defining theme of lyrics and inspiration for the music. After three albums, A Hill to Die Upon is simply making art about art. The brothers are delving deep into a meta-artistic milieu which will be the furnace for the forging of their fourth work.
“All of these ignoble qualities in literature arise from one cause— from the passion for novel ideas which is the dominant craze among the writers of today…” – Longinus, On the Sublime
Along with releasing 3 full length albums, A Hill to Die Upon has toured all throughout the United States as well as played several shows and festivals in Mexico, England, Norway, Denmark, and Switzerland. AHTDU has shared the stage with such bands as Exhumed, Abigail Williams, Goatwhore, The Black Dahlia Murder, Abysmal Dawn, Ringworm, Black Anvil, Living Sacrifice and many more.
JOSEPH SOLOMON
Joseph Solomon is a poet, singer, and host of chaseGodtv webisodes.
TAUREN WELLS
Music Artist • Speaker • Prisma Worship Arts School Owner
BLANCA
After years of wrapping her vocals around the intense and infectious beats of Group 1 Crew, Blanca’s voice moves center stage on her new album and the result is nothing short of uplifting. The debut self-titled release from multiple-award winning, critically acclaimed powerhouse vocalist, Blanca, is set to release on May 4, 2015. Lead single, Who I Am takes her signature sound to a new and distinct soul/pop, hip-hop vibe, indicating a different artistic direction, while opening the door to new collaborations with Reach Records Grammy-
Award winning rapper, Lecrae, and Tedashii and Blanca has already performed in front of over ½ million fans as part of Winter Jam 2015, which Pollstar named the number one most-attended tour in the world in quarter one for the past four years.
KB
Kevin Burgess, now better known by his stage name KB, is a rapper. His latest EP 100 debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Christian Album Chart, #4 on Billboard’s Rap Chart and respectfully at #22 on Billboard’s coveted Top 200 Album Chart. He’s won a Dove Award (Nominated twice), been a Recording Academy featured artist on Grammy.com and has received critical acclaim from his peers and media such as Billboard Magazine and The Blaze. He’s toured nationally with Tenth Avenue North and is scheduled to join Trip Lee for the upcoming “Rise Tour.” But like so many musicians that came before him, KB, the rapper, almost never happened.
At birth, the doctor didn’t think he’d ever be able to talk or even speak clearly. Fortunately, KB was able to overcome this ailment, but hip-hop was frowned upon in his household, forcing the youngster to seek a safer instrument for musical expression. “I grew up in a structured military family. In my house, you couldn’t listen to hip-hop,” KB explains. “I used to hide in a closet and listen to it on my Walkman.” KB hails from Tampa, FL by way of an Air Force base close to East St. Louis. Along the way, KB, thirsting for an outlet for his love of music with a desperate need for expression, picked up the trumpet. Fast forward to the present and KB has already released a mixtape, a widely successful debut album and is working on his second hip-hop studio album. And in what was once considered the disfavored music of his childhood, KB has discovered redemption.
DARYL HANCE
Daryl Hance is an American singer/guitarist steeped in the vintage Blues, Funk, and Rock and Rolls…
JAKE MACK TRIO
Jake Mack is an Americana and blues-based Rock artist out of Chicagoland specializing in original material and select covers. He is joined in his Trio by Zach Goforth – bass/vocal and Dan Knighten – drums. Heavily influenced by artists like The Who, Chris Whitley, Jason Isbell, and Sam & Dave, Jake Mack Trio ties these diverse styles together to create music that is gritty and soulful, yet at times, cleanly defined and refined.
ASATTA
Who knows how they will feel about us when they come back. Will they decide to give us more knowledge again, and more technical advancement and more civilization, or will they decide that we are no good, as happened at
the time of the Deluge, and try to get rid of us?
REALITY SOMETHING
Reality Something is the joint effort of Elena Franklin, Kingsley Brock, Ethan Place and Bill Grasely, and is collectively based in Nashville, TN. Their self-titled EP, fronted entirely by Franklin and released in 2015, demonstrates a strong kinship to alternative rock, and the front women present therein. This is especially true lyrically; Franklin confesses and observes in diary-like fashion, as stark, honest and deliberate as the genre she typifies. Though new, the arcs here are clear and fully realized, the documentation relentless and explorative, with Franklin already prolific in her own manifestation of the DIY aesthetic. The additions of Brock– who for his part as lead guitarist, leans toward the warmer, expressionistic nature of 70s rock– and Place and Grasely (drums and bass, respectively), heavily significant in balancing and emphasizing their counterparts– come together to culminate in an outfit both that is timely, nostalgic, and vital.
Harry Hmura – Halo Guitarist
If you have ever played the world renowned video game series, HALO, you’ve heard Harry Hmura’s guitar. He initially performed on the first game HALO, “Rock Anthem To Save The World.” The incredible Steve Vai played on HALO 2 and Harry then followed up performing on games 3 and 4, ODST and REACH. He helped the Halo music become iconic in the world of video games.
Harry started out touring the U. S. and Canada with Grammy Award Winning blues artist, James Cotton (formerly Muddy Waters harmonica player) as he was turning 21. An experience like no other, Harry learned quickly about life on the road and its expectations. The band traveled 40-44 weeks out of the year, leaving not much down time. There were intense bright spots playing alongside blues and rock legends, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Johnny Winter, Dickey Betts, Elvin Bishop, Jeff Healey among others.
Harry was then asked to join and tour Europe exclusively with Grammy Award Winning blues artist, Sugar Blue, another blues harmonica player who had recorded and toured with the Rolling Stones. The extensive traveling and gigging throughout France, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland offered new and exciting experiences, giving way to large venues and jazz festivals, Montreux, North Sea-Hague, Madrid, Paris, Middlehiem, Switz.., again bringing incredible bright spots performing on festivals with jazz legends, Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon, Lionel Hampton, Toots Thielemans and Mickey baker.
As a live performer, Harry toured much of the world, absorbing experiences and inspiration that was all around him. He developed his own band, Countdown in his hometown, Chicago. It was original music, a fusion of blues, progressive rock and improvisatory freeness of jazz. This was the beginning of a new era. He was writing original compositions, and creating his own style. Along with band performances and teaching again, Harry began doing studio sessions recording for local and national radio and TV commercials. He has recorded for a wide range of television shows on network TV on, NBC, CBS, WGN, and cable stations A&E, Discovery, Biography, History, ESPN, VH-1, Weather and performed the National Anthem in Cellular Field for the Chicago White Sox baseball team.
PSYCHOMANCER
PSYCHOMANCER (sahy – koh – man – sir) 1) an individual who has the capability of controlling the dead. 2) a mortal (or group of mortals) whom has the ability of predicting ones death. 3) Lord and ruler of the one known as the Grim Reaper. 4) One who practices psychomancy; form of divination involving the spirits of the dead. Also communication between souls or the spirit world. Also dealing with mind magic.
OCEANS AND OCEANS
We are Oceans and Oceans. We decided to start writing music together around March 2010.
CONTINUE THE STORY
Just a local band from Fort Wayne doin honest, original music.
FEVER FEEL
Fever Feel is an original rock and roll band of 2016, founded by primary songwriters Landon Franklin and Logan Gabert. However, they are much more than just a group of musicians. Fever Feel is a culture, a movement, and part of a new age for rock and roll music.
“There are some rare acts who craft their art from a place of deep introspection that the listener is able to feel in their core. Fever Feel is one of these bands.” – Beatroute Magazine
Causing listeners to dance and sing, then lose all control with their captivating visions of a simpler time, Fever Feel’s sound is comprised of emotionally dynamic, groove-filled compositions that lay the foundation for Franklin’s thought provoking poetry. Gabert’s guitar leads, abounding in both power and delicacy, soar with an enigmatic finesse. These make way for Platt’s equally compelling organ tones, which are shrouded in subtlety, yet executed violently. Together they shine like a moonlit night, contrasting the bands tight rhythm section led by Franklin and his melodic bass playing.
“The easy listening flow of Fever Feel is orchestrated with the ability to pull anyone to the deepest depths of any ocean and without a second thought shoot them off spiralling into the outermost reaches of the known universe.” – So Taste Music Review
Formed in 2014, this Calgary-based 4-piece has quickly become one of Canada’s most exciting up-and-coming bands. Over the past year, the group has been hard at work playing their way coast to coast across the great nation of Canada. Having added organist Thomas Platt to their line-up in early 2015, the addition has taken the band’s already captivating experience to even greater heights. They continue to progress not only within the world’s blossoming underground rock and roll music scene, but overflow quite seamlessly into the realm of popular music culture. The band is expected to release their much-anticipated debut LP sometime in 2016.
PINKY DOODLE POODLE
PINKY DOODLE POODLE is a high energy ROCK BAND from Japan.
BETWEEN FOLK
Between Folk………….a band based out of south Chicago with huge roots and big inspirations. Mike on Rhythm Guitar and Vocals and Luke on Lead Guitar.
DJ SPARE CHANGE
DJ Spare Change battled at the Red Bull Thre3style 2015 regional qualifier in Indianapolis, IN. This mix was recorded live at The Vogue on 2/6/15.
Red Bull Thre3style is a DJ contest that promises to be a night of dance- floor mayhem. The participants have to play a selection of at least three genres or styles of music in 15 minutes. It doesn’t matter what genres of music are chosen so long as the DJ can make them work together.
DJ SCEND
Chicago native, Stephan “Scend” Steciw, is anything but a stranger to music. At the young age of 5 he chose to pursue learning the piano and in just 5 years he managed to learn enough to move onto and master the guitar. The musical influence he had at home through his father played a big role in developing a love that would eventually develop into a passion and dream. His experiences while attending Hip-Hop shows around the city brought to light the way crowds can be controlled through music, a control that lay at the hands of the DJ. By the time he turned 18 he understood his ability to blend music of all genres into a set that worked was something he couldn’t take for granted and so he invested in his first set of turntables and began to work toward a career goal. In 2007 he landed resident spots in clubs, lounges and bars all over the Chicagoland area. For three years he took his talent to venues such as Le Passage, Sushi Samba, Red No 5, Ruby, Zentra, Sonotheque (now Beauty Bar) and SoPo Lounge. It was in 2010 that Scend met Moleman Records recording artist, Scheme, through a mutual friend. The duo did a few live shows together and it was apparent that they were on the same level as far as work ethic and goals. It was only a matter of time till Scheme approached him with an offer to be his personal and full-time DJ. It didn’t take more than a night to think it over. Knowing this was the right move, Scend quit the bars and clubs. Since then he’s opened for artists such as DJ Babu, The Alchemist, Raekwon, The Beatnuts, Camp-Lo, Yelawolf, Freddie Gibbs & GLC, just to name a few. In just one year Scend’s love for music has brought him full circle into production and engineering and he is steadily busy working on tracks for various Hip-Hop and House music projects. Scend’s work is a full display of his passion for music and as he constantly looks for ways to perfect his craft his passion and talent grow. His determination to bring quality music to the forefront of the industry is apparent in every project he gets involved with and it’s no question we’re nowhere near hearing the last of Scend and his team.
SAIGON KICK
SAIGON KICK RETURNS IN 2024 WITH TOUR TO CELEBRATE THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ‘WATER’ ALBUM
Jason Bieler & Phil Varone, with much vim and vigor yet also reluctantly announce “a celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the Water album and other assorted Saigon Kick music.” (While not technically a farewell tour, nor a reunion, if you know anything about Saigon Kick…there is a solid 74-78.4% chance this will never happen again.)
Phil & Jason represent 50% of the original Saigon Kick lineup, which, in some cases is 100% more original members than those “other” legacy bands are touring with. Actually, since this is a celebration of the Water record and by then SK was a 3 piece, you are actually getting 66.6% of the original line up of that record, so let’s call it 75%.
Jason and Phil are both confident that they will be operating at at least 95% capacity (of their previously mentioned collective 50% share), for 98% of the shows, but promise no less than 85% at any given show, 100% of the time. Please keep in mind that they both feel that they are functioning at their highest levels, so we can optimistically estimate they will be 30% better than when you last saw them. If you’venever seen them, you’ll have to do your own math.
This is in no small part due to the addition of Stephen Gibb. We could mention that he played with Zakk Wylde and Crowbar, but then we would sound like name droppers. Stephen was an original member of the Saigon Kick reunion shows 7-10 years ago, so he’s not technically an OG “original” of the 1991 “originals”, but if you first experienced a Saigon Kick show in Chicago in 2015, to you, Stephen is an original member. Although Phil was not there, but Jonathan Mover was (yet he never played on any Saigon Kick albums, but he did play with Aretha Franklin), but we digress.
As we have clearly stated above, this is not a “reunion”, it’s more of a special evening of Saigon Kick music. Think of it as a sizable and assorted gaggle of the members of Saigon Kick (and non-members depending on your vantage point) performing the music of Saigon Kick as a tribute to themselves. Ironically, it will be the first ever performances of Phil with Stephen. We can only hope they will be playing the same songs at the same time. Honestly, it’s just too soon to know.
There could come a time down the road when another member joins them, but they cannot commit to any concrete numbers as to their effort levels, so let’s call that a 50/50 chance of their personal median effort. There is also a 100% chance that some members will never be asked nor want to perform, so for all of you “off track betters,” those odds are 110%.
Some computational efforts are still in the works for example, if a founding member returns, would that also count as 25%? Is a replacement member for an original member worth 12.5 %? What if there are special guests… what value do we assign? If we have a new unknown player who is good looking, youthful, and passionate, how do we even begin to do the math?
The tour will see expected stops in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York City, and other major US cities, as well as international stops in Asia and Europe.
Lots to be figured out as you can see, but a handful of very special shows will be happening this year…we’re 99% sure of that.
Jason Bieler has been busy with the award winning Baron Von Bielski Orchestra which has seen him become a favorite of prog fans around the world. The albums have featured everyone from Devin Townsend to Butch Walker, Bumblefoot to Clint Lowery, Marco Minneman to Benji Webbe and many, many more. A new BVBO album is already in the works with a fall 2024 release expected followed by an extensive tour.
Along with Saigon Kick, Phil Varone played drums and toured with Prunella Scales, Skid Row, Vince Neil (Motley Crue), Bobby Kimball (Toto), Gene Loves Jezebel, and Jake E Lee’s Red Dragon Cartel.
Stephen Gibb has been focused on his new band Kill The Robot and has played with Black Label Society, Crowbar, as well as with his father Barry Gibb.
THE ERADICATOR
Blurring the lines between fanfiction and adaptive reality, The Eradicator, based on the Kids in the Hall sketch of the same name, places the aggressive ski mask-wearing squash player in a restless environment confronting internal demons while combating external challengers as part of his quest to maintain dominance atop his local D Squash ladder. On their third LP, called Forever the Eradicator out October 2022, the Eradicator combines a Melodic Punk foundation with metallic riffs and high energy anthems. Live in concert, The Eradicator is in character, masked and motivated by dominance over his squash game. The absurdity of the performer crossed with the revolving cast of veteran musicians who have played in Punk, Metal, and Hardcore bands for the better part of 20 years has left audiences amused, bewildered, but surprisingly apt to come back for more throughout the seven year existence of the band, resulting in over 150 performances across four countries.
RAY FRESH
THE BROKEN ARROW COMPLEX
We’re a Chicago, IL based Rock/ Hip-hop/ Pop band. Seeking good vibes and fun times. We want to be the soundtrack to your 2016 summer!
ONI
Progressive Metal band from the Cayman Islands. Watch the official video for our debut single out now – http://smarturl.it/EternalRecurrence
ALL HAIL THE YETI
All Hail The Yeti channel a groove that chills and captivates. It’s this kind of succinct bludgeoning that turned them into one of Hollywood’s most revered modern metal bands evoking the likes of Acid Bath and Pantera with a healthy dose of Mötley Crüe-style excess and infectiousness. It also fuels their self-titled debut now reissued on minus HEAD Records. Since bursting to life in 2006, the group has toured with everybody from In This Moment and Hollywood Undead to Motionless In White and 36 Crazyfists, carving out a fervent diehard fan base in the process.
COMBICHRIST
“It’s beyond my personal demons, and extremely honest,” says LaPlegua of the fifth Combichrist album Making Monsters. With five albums, thousands of shows, and four full months in Europe touring with Rammstein (in front of hundreds of thousands of people), Combichrist has become a purely visceral creature, driven by instinct and emotion; stripped of all pretension. Its urgency – most evident in the raw and uncompromising new album – is fueled by expressions of lust, anger, pain and hate.
Presenting a foreboding soundscape, the album kicks off with a hauntingly atmospheric instrumental “Declamation,” setting the tone for what is to follow: dark, stabbing synths; heavy, robotic beats; and swarming, buzz saw-style guitar sounds. Songs such as “Follow the Trail of Blood” (featuring Brendan Schiepatti of Bleeding Through) are baretoothed aggression; meanwhile the floor-stomping, first single “Never Surrender” proves to be aggressively catchy, with its metronome-tight rhythm through the verses, giving way to explosive choruses that is bound to pack dance floors. “Through These Eyes of Pain” takes a much subtler approach. Its echo-y vocal wash and glitchy beats conjure images like a mournful dream, exposing the man inside the monster. Though the moods displayed in Making Monsters are decidedly sinister, LaPlegua manages to portray these emotions in many different guises. Laden with hook heavy choruses, speaker-crushing beats, and LaPlegua’s trademark dark, aggressive vocals, this is an album that exudes honesty and the darkness that often comes with it.
Initially cutting his teeth in the seminal Norwegian hardcore bands Fleshfire and Lash Out, LaPlegua segued out of that scene into the electronic music world with Icon of Coil. Originally a solo project, it morphed into a full band with the additions of Sebastian Komor and Christian Lund. Not only did IOC mark LaPlegua’s first major work with electronics and dance beats, but it also granted him wider exposure beyond Norway; IOC was LaPlegua’s first project to be released in the United States.
It wasn’t until 2003 that LaPlegua founded Combichrist – the project that would soon dominate his time. A departure from IOC’s futurepop sound, Combichrist took LaPlegua’s hardcore past and electronica present and merged them into a singular, mechanical music monster. Without the compromise of the band dynamic, LaPlegua, who does everything in the studio himself on Combichrist releases, was able to explore whatever avenue he desired musically. What he found was a long dark road with plenty of twists and turns. The Joy of Gunz, LaPlegua’s first release as Combichrist, was quickly followed by two EP’s: 2004’s Kiss the Blade and Sex Drogen und Industrial.
In 2005, LaPlegua was back at it again, releasing the landmark album Everybody Hates You. Defying the dreaded sophomore slump, the second Combichrist full-length featured two tracks that would become club classics—“This Shit Will Fuck You Up” and “This Is My Rifle”—and was also the project’s U.S. debut on Metropolis Records. Further benchmarks were set with the release of the 2006 EP Get Your Body Beat, the title track of which landed Combichrist its first appearance on Billboard’s Top 10 Dance Singles chart.
The years that followed brought on two more full-length albums — What the Fuck Is Wrong with You People? (2007) and Today We Are All Demons (2009) — as well as a handful of additional EPs. On top of Combichrist’s many releases, LaPlegua has also logged countless miles, globetrotting on tours of Europe, South America, Australia, the United States and points in-between.
Though Combichrist has kept him busy over the past seven years, LaPlegua has other interests that fill the rare breaks from his main musical project. The Atlanta, GA – based songwriter maintains Panzer AG, a sonic hybrid of Combichrist and Icon of Coil and even plays in a straightforward American rock ‘n’ roll band, Scandinavian Cock. This affinity for Americana is also displayed in his love for hotrods and motorcycles. On his MySpace page, LaPlegua states, “I’m a Norwegian grease ball, and I’m never afraid to get dirty!”
With Making Monsters, man and beast have combined, evolving beyond the demon it once was and into a greater, bigger and more malevolent force in music. This time, there’s no surrender.