The O’My’s are the new sound of Chicago Soul. Rising stars in the midst of a Chicago music and cultural renaissance, The O’My’s have recorded and shared stages with Chance the Rapper, Wyclef Jean, ZZ Ward, Ab Soul, Twista, NoName Gypsy, Mick Jenkins, Save Money, Yo Yo Ma, and Kids These Days. A multi instrument, multi-ethnic crew, The O’My’s are led by co-founders and songwriters, singer/guitarist Maceo Haymes and keyboardist Nick Hennessey. The crew’s rhythm section is comprised of bassist Boyang Matsapola and drummer Barron Golden. Erick Mateo on sax, William Miller on trumpet, and J.P. Floyd (formerly of Kids These Days) on trombone complete the horn section. All Chicago natives, The O’My’s sound captures the tremendous love, pain, warmth and bitter cold found in the city’s streets. Delicate arrangements, a pounding rhythm section and soaring horns provide a perfect home for Haymes’ commanding, smokey rasp and smooth falsettos. Drawing from Chicago’s rich musical traditions of blues, jazz and rock, The O’My’s pick up where their musical forefathers left off, taking Roots Rock’n’Soul to the present. The O’My’s are now in studio recording their third project, Keeping the Faith, a Psychedelic Soul record slated for release in the late fall of 2014.

Rapper

Meet Milo & Otis. Upon first meeting as freshmen at Brown University, Milo & Otis discovered their shared passion for music-making and live performance. They decided to let that shit marinate for five years before moving to Chicago and cooking up their first EP (Holiday!) in December 2011. Since settling in the Windy City, Milo & Otis have made a name for themselves in the up-and-coming music scene. Milo plays poetry & loop machines. Otis quite literally plays everything, especially bass. After seeing M&O live shows, fans marvel at how such massive sound could possibly come from such skinny people. Fans also claim to experience what they call “feelings” and often describe said “feelings” as intense, visceral, and chest-quaking.

What’s most unique about Milo & Otis is their imagination. Most bands play all of what they intend listeners to hear on their record. M&O only record half of what they write, and expect fans to recreate the hidden parts in their heads. Sort of like a mental math problem made of sugar, except without the math part. Simply put, Milo & Otis are adventure soul music: a road trip for your mind, a whizzing subway car for your heart, and sometimes even a party limo for your tuckus.

Shira E is a nationally acclaimed poet, musician, and artist. A Pushcart Prize nominee who has toured the country with some of the nation’s leading performers and writers, her prolific and unique style has brought her acclaim as “one of the most original and compelling voices in performance poetry.” Her award-winning music has appeared in multiple independent films, NPR and national TV. She has shared stages with Ani Difranco, TuNe-YaRds and Coco Rosie. She has been independently recording and releasing her records for over 10 years. Originally from Brookline MA, she now lives in Brooklyn NY in an indoor treehouse.