And I, You

And I, You (formerly Ethel Shank) is a rock band out of Chicago, IL. Blending inspirations from Queens of the Stone Age, Sunny Day Real Estate, and Manchester Orchestra; And I, You provides a balance of subtle, intricate melodies and heavy fuzz alongside raw, introspective lyrics.

NO TAGBACKS

Good Old Days isn’t just the title of No Tagbacks’ debut EP. It’s also a thesis statement. The seeds of the project have been germinating since 2018, and now the Chicago-based duo of vocalist/guitarist Evan Douglas Peters and bassist Christian George are ready to let the whole thing loose. The cover art gives good insight into the band’s sound: nostalgic pop-punk fit for the era of Fuse and VH1.

On singles “mov” and “Good Old Days” they almost sound like Green Day or blink-182, and on “Come Out and Play” they tap into the latter’s sense of humor with lines like “Judge Judy, give me cooties / Sentence tastes so fruity-smoothie.” That’s one of the most refreshing things about Good Old Days, that No Tagbacks never take themselves too seriously; “Misanthropic Old Man” is a witty, self-aware take on a song about being jealous of friends, and even the band’s ballad “If I Never Left You in Illinois” never dips into overly saccharine territory. It’s sincere and it’s warm, but it’s never cloying. Of particular note is the penultimate “Never Gonna Die,” the title of which might well be a reference to its energetic sound: No Tagbacks dips their toes into straight-up ska-punk, complete with trumpet and two trombones and a helping of “pick it up!”s. It’s the sort of track where you can hear how much fun the band had in the studio.

The band’s been dropping singles since ‘21–including three music videos that year for “Good Old Days,” “No Sheep,” and “mov”–and played shows all throughout the Midwest. 2023 saw the release of debut EP Good Old Days, and 2024 looks like their biggest year yet. No Tagbacks might deal a lot in nostalgia, but now they’re looking toward the future–and it’s bright.

–Zac Djamoos, (editor, The Alternative)

LEVER

“Drawing on a variety of ’90s influences, including Nirvana and the Vines, Lever present what they coin “bipolar grunge pop.” While a unique take on the decade’s sound, the likeness is undeniable. In fact, we challenge you to put them in a playlist alongside Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden and tell us they don’t belong.”

-Alternative Press (2020)

Lever is a three-piece original alternative/grunge/pop/rock n’ roll band taking influences from artists such as Nirvana, The Vines, Oasis, Speedy Ortiz, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, and Led Zeppelin.

They have had the opportunity to perform on legendary stages like the Metro, House of Blues, Vans Warped Tour in Chicago, and the Whisky A Go Go in West Hollywood.

In 2017, Lever was voted “Best Rock Band” by the Chicago Reader’s Poll and in 2018, Lever was awarded “Best Rock Entertainer” at the 37th Annual Chicago Music Awards.

Lever has released two full length albums, titled Hover Bored (2015) and Douse (2019). They’ve also released an EP titled Ms. Lead (2017) as well an an Audiotree Live Session (2021)

Lever is currently working on their third full-length album.

ELSTON AVE.

Elston Ave is a pop-punk influenced band hailing from Chicago Illinois. The four members have diverse music backgrounds that influence the sound of Elston Ave. From heavy hitting high energy breakdowns to melodic “stuck in your head” choruses , Elston Ave has a little something for everybody. The members include Peri Nikas on guitar and vocals, Mike Wright on bass and vocals, Jayden Daniel on guitar and vocals, and Sam Paolillo on drums. IG @elstonave