Local Chicago band, The Jesters, have been playing the Chicago scene for nearly 20 years. With a heavy dose of showmanship, The Jesters mix funk rock, ska, swing and a bit of insanity into a high-energy, action packed show. Don’t bother pulling up a chair…you’ll be too busy dancing!

Hailing from Chicago, IL, Shady Grady & The Nobodies (SGN) play a uniquely diverse brand of funk, blues, and rock. Beginning in a high school band room, guitarist Bill Grady, keyboardist Jack Weisenberger, and drummer Jimmy Walsh would jam late into the night after their high school jazz band rehearsals. After years of improvising in the blues and jazz styles, the three enlisted funk bassist Mike Palma to join them. Their newfound blue-funk sound gave birth to Shady Grady & The Nobodies, the newest and funkiest member of the Chicago music scene.

Founded in 2007, Swift Technique hails from the musically rich city of Philadelphia. Over the last four years, the six piece Funk Ensemble has relentlessly toured, performed and recorded throughout the US. The extremely positive chemistry shared by the band is translated when performing live. Swift Technique brings an electric energy and party style atmosphere on stage. Although the group draws from many world influences, their genre is uniquely Philadelphia.

Alex Robert Felten was born from the mud and the clay in the not-so-distant future province of Glen Ellyn, Illinois. The singer/songwriter grew out of the indie/ alt-rock outfit known as REPLICA REPUBLIC where he did wield a fire-red telecaster and contributed in the song writing process. As REPLICA REPUBLIC dissolved in 2010 Felten was forced to forge his own path. Today, with guitar in hand a head full of original tunes he is conquering the Mid-West one city at a time. Felten’s music is derived from americana, folk, country and blues, writing in the style of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Tom Waits, Robert Earl Keen, Bruce Springsteen and Ryan Bingham. When absent from the stage Felten enjoys older women, imported cigarettes, aged whiskey and sleepwalking.