Chicago-based rock outfit Thrilling Brilliance isn’t here to play it safe — they’re here to Thrill your Brilliant minds.
Their latest EP, An Eclectic Mind, is a five-song jolt of bluesy swagger, old-school heart, and 80s-inspired rock theatrics wrapped in modern attitude
Bound to make yall hear! It’s Chandelier! 4 piece band bringing hits from genres Classic Rock, Funk, Hip Hop, Psychadelic Blues, R&B, and Soul!
Had a bad breakup with your ex? Start a band. That’s exactly how this Chicago-based rock band came to be. Fueled with high energy and the weight of their collective past traumas, Iresponsible pours out raw emotion into every note, every lyric, and every performance.
Rising from the depths of Cleveland, Ohio, Burial Oath began as a burgeoning 3-piece, consisting of JV, D and Sean Deth (Osi & the Jupiter) whose first album, Beyond the Vale of Shadowlands, was released worldwide in 2017 on Vendetta Records followed by a regional tour.
No Clean Singing called Burial Oath’s debut album a “sulfurous and savage [with a] ferocity more than matched by the appeal of its dark melodies and the dynamism of its rhythms and energies,” and Cvit Nation cites the album as “one of the most compelling and thought-provoking black metal albums of the year.”
The band returned in 2018 with their 2nd full length, Subjugation of the Bastard Son which was heralded by even the most critical in the press w/ Angry Metal Guy sharing, “This is black metal at its most unencumbered, effortless and simple…Subjugation of the Bastard Son contains no bad songs”.
5 years later, Burial Oath are back with a refreshed line-up, adding MOR GRISH and R to the fold, and are ready to share their new album, The Cycles of Suffering, this time, with the help of Redefining Darkness Records! Decibel Magazine premiered the music video for Pagan Fires and shared, “Burial Oath are going to bring us catchy, blackened, groovy metal and we can’t wait to hear more.”
The band will be out supporting the record on their Territorial Damnation Tour in October and November with another US tour planned for the Spring of 2025.
A Power Trio band that plays Metal as close to the glorious early days in Metal.
Supreme Mystic is the intersection where stoner rock and post hardcore collide into a unique blend of heavy music. A new venture comprised of fixtures from the Hardcore / Punk world embarking on a stylistic departure; while simultaneously drawing from a lifetime of musical warfare. Their debut offering ‘Kala Rupa’ is a thematic journey blending relatable contemplations into eastern mysticism.
In the industrial belly of Detroit, where machine noise & rebellion pulse in equal measure, a new sound has emerged. It is furious, transcendental, and carries something older than anger and louder than distortion. That sound is the untameable heavy music force Supreme Mystic. Defying categorization, their sound, described as Mo-Metal / Def Roc is a bold hybrid. Comprised of heavy stoner rock, post metal grit, spiritual mysticism, and raw Detroit power.
Formed in October 2021, VULNIFICUS was created with the intent of reclaiming death metal’s early brutality while delivering the precision and intensity of a modern production. Blending old-school savagery with contemporary extremity, the band quickly established itself within the brutal death metal underground.
VULNIFICUS released their debut EP, INNOMINATION, on November 26, 2021. The record was recorded, mixed, and mastered at Demolition Studios, with vocal recording and mixing handled by E. Browne at BWNTWN STN. The release drew comparisons to genre staples such as Cannibal Corpse, Condemned, Defeated Sanity, and Mortician. Shortly thereafter, the band signed with New Standard Elite and released their debut single, “Induced Rampage.”
In December 2021, VULNIFICUS returned to Demolition Studios to record their second EP, INVOCATION, which was released on June 10, 2022. The five-track release further refined the band’s sound, combining relentless blast-driven aggression with crushing groove and technical precision. INVOCATION was met with a positive response and solidified the band’s standing in the brutal death metal community, supported by the singles “Coerced Into Compliance” and “The Incredulous Invocation.”
Following the success of INVOCATION, VULNIFICUS released an exclusive tour tape compilation titled INEXPLICABLE through Denses Records in Indonesia in August 2022, limited to 100 copies and quickly selling out. Although the band’s first tour was ultimately canceled due to lineup changes, demand led to a digital release of INEXPLICABLE in December 2022. This expanded edition featured demo versions of previously released material along with four unreleased tracks. The compilation later received a digipak release via French label Percussive Spectre, earning favorable reception.
After restructuring the lineup, founding member Eston rebuilt VULNIFICUS by recruiting Jamison Parker (Prophecy of Suffering) on guitar and Evan Daniele (Dead and Dripping) on drums and guitar. This lineup introduced a revitalized and more focused sound on the band’s third EP, INEXTRICABLE, released on November 3, 2023.
Mike Jones (Utter Scorn) joined the band on bass. VULNIFICUS completed a week-long tour with Unique Leader artists Cordyceps in support of INEXTRICABLE and made their festival debut at Gulfcoast Deathfest 3 in Houston, Texas. The band then entered Backroom Studios in Rockaway, New Jersey to record their debut full-length album, with Scot Moriarty handling drum recording as well as mixing and mastering. Vocal duties once again being handled by E.Browne at Superlative Sound.
With Jason McLean joining as drummer, VULNIFICUS performed their first show with the completed lineup at Arkansas Deathfest, receiving an overwhelmingly positive response. Shortly thereafter, the band announced their signing with Comatose Music and released their debut full-length album, INCLINATION on October 10, 2025 marking a significant milestone in the band’s evolution. After four years and three EPs, it is finally time for the debut album to be unleashed and for the true extent of VULNIFICUS’ power and pestilential sickness to be revealed.
Created in 2022 after playing early thrash metal shows together, back in the 80’s & 90’s!
Scott Rothschild – Vocals/Drums
Scott Nyquist – Guitars
Gary Modica – Bass
*Rothschild (formerly MORTAR)
*Nyquist (formerly WRATH)
*Modica – (WRATH)
PAIN!!!
Birthed in contempt, MMXVII.
ABYSMAL LOWS,
UNHOLY THUNDER,
PROFANE PESTILENCE
Through the tempestuous and suffocating chaos of the void emerges a dual-tongued spectre of dread, as the enigmatic Dead Void unleash their mercurial visions of the deepest, darkest depths of psychological terror, inner torment and heavy, warped and wild Death Metal upon those who will bear witness.
Dead Void has worked in obscurity under the surface for nearly a decade, crafting their unique sound from their own obscure blueprint, eschewing norms and creating Death Metal at its darkest and most heavy and weird. Following a many-times reprinted and sold out demo tape in 2018, the band’s debut album, Volatile Forms, was released in 2022 on Dark Descent Records and Me Saco un Ojo Records, quickly making an impact in the underground press with its unique, unrestrained and unpredictable sound.
Manifesting in current times as a two-piece, this bicephalous form of the arcane and shapeshifting entity that is Dead Void brings extra wildness and intensity while simultaneously being heavier than ever.
Brace yourself for further forays into Cranial Devastation this spring, as the band now finalises their new album scheduled for release before their performance at Maryland Deathfest.
“Volatile Forms is the heaviest album I’ve heard this year… the album resides completely in a world of Dead Void’s making. And there’s something almost indescribably special about that world.” – yourlastrites
“Unpredictable and shapeless, like a formless cavern with no exit” -metalutopia
“A bleak, liminal portrayal of conjuration and merciless aggression resultant ‘Volatile Forms‘ is likely to end up the, or among the, heaviest death metal records released in 2022.” -grizzlybutts
“This music crawls below the surface of your skin, festering, rotting you from the inside out… A sadistic listen that will penalise surface-fan culture and reward true maniacs seeking the diabolical and dark arts of Death Metal.” -nattskog
“Dead Void’s got enough songwriting chops to open a Burt Bacharach-themed steakhouse.” -yourlastrites
Check out this interview with No Clean Singing:
“The Handsome Devilz have now taken the journey even further, paying tribute to The Cure since 2022!”
Fake Plastic Trees is a dedicated Radiohead tribute band based in Chicago, known for performing intimate, high-quality renditions of the band’s discography.
Strange Wave “weirdly seductive” Description- “like watching a David Lynch movie”
The world’s premier “Weird Al” Yankovic tribute band.
Nashville, TN
Iron Maiden is the debut studio album by English heavy metal band Iron Maiden, released on 11 April 1980 by EMI Records in the UK and Harvest and Capitol Records in the US. The North American version included the song “Sanctuary”, released in the UK as a non-album single. In 1998, along with the rest of the band’s pre-1995 releases, Iron Maiden was remastered with “Sanctuary” added in all territories. However, 2014 vinyl reissues, 2015 digital releases and 2018 CD reissues use the original track listing across the globe. It is the band’s only album to feature guitarist Dennis Stratton.
Hall of the Mountain King is the fourth studio album by the American heavy metal band Savatage, released in 1987 under the direction of producer Paul O’Neill. It is their first album produced by O’Neill, who was assigned to the band after the tour in support of Fight for the Rock. O’Neill’s influence pushed Savatage to adopt a conceptual style beginning with this album.
A glowingly dark movement of new wave and EBM music.
ENAMA is a Chicago bred artist, poet, actor, director, and curator with over 12 years of performing experience. The work that they do focuses on telling stories that surround Black/Afro Indigenous and Queer identities. With love, freedom, community & keeping artistry alive
Singer/Songwriter/Multi hyphenate
Sila Nzioka Tulani (known professionally as Chai Tulani) is a Kenyan American Singer, Songwriter, Actor and Activist. Named one of Chicago’s most prolific performers by the Chicago Tribune, Tulani won a Chicago Music Award for “Best African/ Afrobeat Entertainer” in 2024, and has been nominated twice for the same category.
Performing Artist|Burlesque Dancer| Singer Songwriter|
Creative Director | Curator | Soul/House Music
A bi-weekly songwriting podcast from Bug Hunter and The Narcissist Cookbook
Singer/Songwriter/Artist
Baba Fats is a 7-piece band based out of the Chequamegon Bay in northern Wisconsin. Previously described as “the furthest thing from classic rock in the North Woods”, their music blends styles from Afro-beat to contemporary jazz. The sound could best be described as instrumental, groove music with some room to stretch out. It’s the band’s goal to consistently put on a fun, great sounding live show that is engaging to audiences and artistically honest.
Baba Fats began to take form somewhere around the year 2019. Several members had worked together in other groups prior – notably Paul’s Bunyan, The Rags and the Northland College Big Band. From time to time they will appear as a slimmed down iteration of the band dubbed “Baba Lite”.
There aren’t many guitarists who possess the versatility as Rene Benton. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, his musical influences ranges from progressive rockers Kansas to the sophisticated funk of the Cameo.
From coast to coast, from calm to chaos, the diverse and dynamic career of Manuel Urgiles shines brightly through MANUEL, one of Maine’s most promising contemporary instrumentalists. Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA with Peruvian roots, Manuel’s journey is as rich and varied as his heritage. As a father of two, he carries a mantle of pride, duty, and joy—responsibilities that have both challenged and championed him as a man and musician.
MANUEL’s music is a powerful blend of percussive passion, groove, and blistering shred, encapsulating the essence of Progressive Latin Metal. He proves that ‘soul’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘singer,’ with his lyrical guitar lines and lightning-fast fingers conveying deep meaning and melodrama, leaving nothing unsaid in his instrumental storytelling.
His 2023 EP, Underneath, mixed and mastered by the esteemed Stacy Parrish (known for his work with Robert Plant, Brandy Carlile, and Elvis Costello), marks a significant milestone early in what promises to be a long and vibrant career. Stacy Parrish, a renowned recording engineer, music producer, musician, and songwriter with six Grammy awards, described Manuel’s EP as a true musical revelation. “Manuel’s EP is a true musical revelation, defying conventions and pushing boundaries with its genre-defying fusion of heavy metal, Latin rhythms, and surf elements. His guitar prowess is nothing short of awe-inspiring, delivering a sonic experience that leaves a lasting impression.”
Following the release of Underneath, Manuel has continued to impress with two powerful singles, “Pandemonium Sunset” and “Fuerza,” both ferocious tracks that take listeners on an epic journey.
Matt Miller started his project with one goal in mind.
Incorporating elements of death metal, classical music, black metal, and progressive metal creates an amalgamation that excites the imagination while crushing and elevating the listener. Engaging as it is menacing this alloy is dynamic and captivating.
Chicago post-punk
Born from the swamps and overpasses of the American South, Yes Ma’am merges Depression Era blues, jazz and bluegrass with instrumental virtuosity and the raw, emotional storytelling of early punk rock. Matt’s soulful voice and authentic stage presence have made him a muse for the traveling community and solidified his legendary status as street-corner royalty. His sound has shaped a generation of musicians, whether he’s performing solo or with a rotating ensemble of folk punk’s finest.
illinoise
Mean Green, who consist of Jake Helms (vocals, guitar), Alex Weirback (bass), and James Matthews (drums). They embrace the core of Metal music and creates a strong, passionate, and unapologetic sound. A sense of gloom and misery permeates their music, which is frequently distinguished by sluggish, crushing riffs, thudding drumming, and eerie voices.
Progressive sludge metal. For fans of, High on fire, Crowbar, Mastodon, Sepultura & Conan
Regan is a Chicago based comedian and a co-producer of South Loop standup. Every Monday night at Reggies!
Samir Abdul is a Chicago-based stand-up comedian and producer originally from Darfur, Sudan.
A survivor of the Darfur genocide, he turns lived experience into sharp, fearless comedy blending personal storytelling, political insight, and cultural contradictions to find humor in truths! He has performed at The Second City, Zanies, Laugh Factory, Don’t Tell Comedy, and The Den Theatre, sharing stages with talents such as AGT’s Learnmore Jonasi and WGN’s Pat Tomasulo.
He’s also the creator and producer of Up’N Coming at The Second City, a fast-growing showcase that has drawn over 1,000 audience members and helped spotlight rising talent in Chicago. Beyond the stage, Samir serves as an Artist-in-Residence at Northwestern University, where he explores how comedy can shape public dialogue.
artist from nyc
Gran Moreno emerges as one of the most captivating voices in the new wave of
psychedelic rock. With a sound rooted in analog warmth and expansive textures, the
Austin-based band crafts songs that feel like sonic mirages—equal parts groove, grit,
and atmosphere. Their music lives at the intersection of distortion and introspection,
where hypnotic riffs, heavy rhythms, and emotionally charged melodies build
immersive landscapes that demand to be felt as much as heard.
At the core of Gran Moreno is a deep commitment to storytelling through sound. Their
upcoming album is a conceptual two-part release: Side A: El Sol and Side B: La Luna.
Each side represents a different emotional plane—El Sol radiates urgency, energy, and
clarity, while La Luna leans into shadow, mystery, and reflection. The first release, El Sol, captures the band at full intensity, delivering a vivid, unfiltered introduction to their evolving identity.
On stage, Gran Moreno transforms their sound into a full-body experience. Their live
shows blend sonic power with visual depth, pulling audiences into a shared trance
that feels both personal and communal. As they continue to shape their universe with
bold creativity and a fierce independent spirit, Gran Moreno isn’t just making music—
they’re building a world of their own.
Stone Nomads is an American Metal power trio based in Houston TX. The band, formed by Jon Cosky (Guitar/Vocals) and Jude Sisk (Bass/Vocals) in 2021, incorporates the sounds of early Doom Metal, modern Sludge Metal and all things heavy. Conceptually, the music explores the journey of life and death through the heavier and darker side of things, delivered via sludged-out, powerful riff-based sonics.
Hailing from the Midwest via Richmond IN comes the “Stoner Metal Riff Worshipers” Wolftooth consisting of a pack of well seasoned musicians (all 20+ yr metal scene veterans) determined to raise the bar of the almighty riff.
Brazilian psychedelic rock band Boogarins mark the 10th anniversary of their
acclaimed second album, “Manual, ou Guia Livre de Dissolução dos Sonhos”, with a commemorative live show featuring the record performed in its entirety. Nominated for a Latin Grammy Award and regarded as a defining release of their generation, the album helped establish the band as one of Brazil’s most important contemporary rock acts. Recorded in Gijón, Spain, during a break in their first international tour, the album captured the energy of a band whose songs were forged on the road and shaped by live experimentation. For this anniversary performance, Boogarins revisit the album through the lens of their evolved live sound, bringing back classic arrangements and improvisations that became central to their concerts.
More than a nostalgic celebration, the show aims to create new memories by reconnecting audiences—both longtime followers and new listeners—with the music, stories, and spirit of “Manual.” The Miami Beach Bandshell show will feature special guest Adrian Quesada of Black Pumas, who is also collaborating with Boogarins on a new single set for release early this year.
Violent Testimony is a four-piece grind/death/thrash band from the barren wastelands of Cheyenne, Wyoming.
The band first formed in early 2014 by Nathan Yanchek (guitar), Dylan Newbury (drums), and Tylor Wade (vocals/guitar). The band initially played thrash metal with some grind flavor. After playing handfuls of shows in Wyoming and Colorado, the band went on hiatus in mid-2015 while its members pursued other projects such as Casket Huffer and Dystopioid. The band later restarted in 2022 with the same members and a more vicious grind sound. With the addition of Than Wilson (Casket Huffer, ex-Truth, ex-Deadspeak) on bass, Violent Testimony has since has brought a devastating combination of grind/death/thrash metal to the Rocky Mountain region. The band has been aggressively writing, recording, and playing one rowdy show after the other, looking to push its sound and following to the next level. The band released its first EP “Devastate” in March 2024. Violent Testimony now follows up with its first full-length album “Aggravate” ripping through 21 crushing tracks in less than 26 minutes and delivering the aggressive rowdy energy Violent Testimony has become known for in their scene. “Aggravate” is now out via Horror Pain Gore Death Productions.
Violent Testimony has had the honor of sharing the stage with epic bands such as DRI, Eyehategod, No/Mas, BRAT, Bonginator, 908, Trigger, Spectral Voice, Groin, Genestealer, and many more.
Formed in 2014 in Phoenix, Arizona, Atoll has spent over a decade crafting their signature blend of death metal. Combining elements of slam, grind, groove, and hints of hardcore, Atoll masterfully balances tasty riffs and brutal intensity.
rock n roll from Milwaukee
Pop / Rock from the western suburbs of Chicago.
Second Shot Chicago Pop Punk
Your new favorite midwestern wall of sound
we love cats and having a good time
Friendly Faces is a alt folk band outta Chicago, Illinois. All music is written and preformed by Cameron Goulder and Griffin Mang and now with Jakob Morris on bass.
wings out now <3
Eclectic weirdo rock played with a missing-bones guitar style, funky bass, thundering drums, sax, & synth!
Bread on Fork is a 7-piece pop-funk band from Chicago, IL. Inspired by jazz, neo-soul, psych rock, and folk, they write about the experiences of youth in the contemporary age, while looking for whimsy in the unfortunate.
breadonfork@gmail.com for bookings.
Mary James – Vocals Bea Fuadin – Vocals Stephen Ryan – Guitar Samara Waters – Guitar Khalif Alston – Keys Matt McGrath – Bass Will Penne – Drums
Chicago based artist ✨Rani✨ Thank you for listening and supporting🫶🏽
The Homicidols – Chicago Skate Punk
Chicago shoegaze
noisey chicago slowcore ☭
Chicago’s Wide Orbit is a Midwest cough drop for the sore soul. With their debut album entitled “Introducing… Wide Orbit” releasing in 2025 on US label, 22TWENTY, their introduction to the scene is a convincing lure that shines from every angle. Recorded in a room too small to even fit the entire band, this homegrown group of college-town friends has utilized practical limits to create magic. Etching out their own sound that’s subtle in its prowess and easy to connect to, the 6 piece band, led by Ryan Tuohy, proves to be as unpretentious as it is youthful. He hones melodies with a unique honesty, but before it all gets too innocent, there’s still a hue of irreverence that shines through. It’s the sound of misfits looking for a musical home, an orbit of their own. Group harmonies, instrumentals, a mid-song hiatus, 1/2 time grooves and piano solos all contribute to their idiosyncratic sound. The core of the album was tracked live, imbuing it with a certain canter and looseness. After years of playing the stylistic chameleon, Tuohy has touched down on a path that feels true to himself. The devoted songwriter has written and produced a DIY American daydream; an album that was written to be played live, to be interacted with, to hit the road.
Dark, heavy and impactful music.
Dark Machine Nation is intense vocal Power Noise/Industrial Hardcore from Dayton, OH; the brainchild of Therion Major.
Inspired by the noise of manufacturing and the sounds of Gabber/Hardcore Techno and Electro-Industrial, Dark Machine Nation aims to become the truest, hardest sound in industrial.
Häxa is a dark electronic project with influences from pagan folk, witch house, goth/industrial, and synthwave. Music for space witches, Häxa is a bridge between the technological, mystical and temporal realms.
Mel began playing ska and soul in 1995 and has been with Mad Butcher records since 1999. His music has been played around the world in countless countries (even before streaming). It appears in film and television. He has done shows in Prague, Budapest, Vienna, London … you get the point.
With the Soul-Ska Farmers their stew combines ska, soul, hillbilly and sometimes it boils over onto the stove top.
We are a ska band from Springfield, Ohio ready to spread our creative angst across the world for all to know and love
American Ska Band from New Brunswick, New Jersey established in 1992
Blending the soul of folk, the grit of country, and the fire of classic and southern rock….with a dash of 90’s pop-punk and grunge…..
D.M. Wesley and the Mighty Handful brings high energy performances to every stage they play!
Raised in Southern California by parents who brought them to DIY punk shows and spun classic punk records in the house, Hollywood, CA-based punk up-and-comers, The Mainliners, are the real thing. And they embrace their roots, taking inspiration from such legendary SoCal bands as TSOL, Descendants, and DI, and drawing comparisons to others in the vanguard, from The Circle Jerks to The Adolescents.
Formed in the crucible of pent-up creative energy that was a quarantine-era art/punk house in Los Angeles, the band hit the ground running – writing songs, playing shows, and switching instruments for a year and a half before the official four man lineup of Cash Mathieu on vocals, Colin Martin on guitar, Adrian Morris on bass, and Jackson Fox on drums was cemented.
Since then, the band has been hard at work developing their musical and visual language across several singles, an EP, an album, and a live album, all released since 2023. They’ve been tearing up stages across the country and getting their name out there playing with bands such as Enjoy, Gvllow, Civic, and Bad Nerves. They also played to a huge crowd as the only punk band on the 2024 edition of Tyler, The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival in their hometown of Los Angeles, proving that The Mainliners’ sound, look, and message connects, not just with punks, but with fans of good music.
Witch Club Satan is an occult, feminist Black Metal band forged in raw energy and defiance. Composed of Nikoline Spjelkavik (guitar), Victoria Røising (bass), and Johanna Holt Kleive (drums), the trio of witches, channeling their voices alongside the echoes of their ancestors and the persecuted women burned at the stake. Their music is an incantation of spells, transforming each performance into a ritualistic, all-encompassing experience- an assault on the senses through extreme visuals and immersive elements. Musically, they draw from the early, punk roots of Norwegian black metal, yet carve out a sound entirely their own. Together with their audience, Witch Club Satan conjures a relentless, primal force, a sonic mayhem, a feral scream of resistance.
Formed by frontman Luc Richards and guitarist Davis Haley, Nashville crossover thrash quintet Waxed is now a full cadre with Will Alley on bass, Noel Richards on guitar, and Ian Sundstrom on drums. Known for the ferocity of their live shows, Waxed concocts a sludgy brew of heavy riffs, cutting leads, and quick turnarounds that make for a truly unique brand of rock n’ roll. Having recently opened up for Jack White and Converge, their newest single “Big Blind” follows the group’s 2022 debut album Give Up and 2023’s Idlewild, a split EP with local heavy hitters Soot.
“‘Big Blind’ is a song about dominating personal shortcomings by whatever means necessary and failing even still,” says Richards. “Wherever you go, there you are. We feel like the song stays true to our sound but also represents our ever evolving approach to songwriting. We write the music that we want to hear and strive to never lock ourselves in a box creatively.”
Glotaku is a party series featuring cosplay, live DJs, games, vendors, and more!
HAVE LOVE, HAVE MERCY
independent pop/indie/alternative artist from the Bay Area, known for hyperpop-influenced tracks like “hero” and “la fleur”.
The Banshees are a high-energy traditional Irish ballad group from Chicago. Founded by Tony Duggins, Aaron Duggins, and Pete Muschong (from legendary Chicago Irish band The Tossers).
With their debut album now streaming, The Banshees are delivering electrifying live shows that resonate with both traditionalists and modern music fans alike. The voices and spirits of ancient Ireland and old America resound in every word, every note and every room they play.
Bella Moss is an up-and-coming artist from Dubuque, Iowa, with a pure, mellow voice that has the power to captivate an audience. Her heartfelt folk style is clear and transcends genres. She began learning guitar off YouTube and has evolved to play the banjo, mandolin, bass guitar, violin, and harp.
caro granner (she/they) is an indie folk musician based in chicago, il. caro draws from a variety of sources to craft a lyrical, nostalgic, and heartfelt sound– from the folk and bluegrass sounds of childhood family road trips, to the wordplay and storytelling of musical theatre, to the humor and melancholy of treasured artists like samia, jensen mcrae, phoebe bridgers, christian lee hutson, and andy shauf. outside of making music, caro is an early childhood teacher and proud front desk person.
21-year-old folk singer/songwriter & model based in Chicago, IL.
Chris Shreve is a NC based MC/producer & founder of the hip-hop collective Free The Optimus. His brainchild–FTO–became an award winning blog era success, earning their following & relevance through an unrelenting tour & release schedule, largely driven by Shreve’s vision.
The Professor moniker references his 12 years as a university professor teaching biostatistics. He defines Free The Optimus as “a call to action—to set free our optimal ability & our optimistic perspective & to transform the world around us.”
From the writers at Earmilk: “C.Shreve’s lyrical prowess is undeniable. FTO is known for bringing positive & poetic lyrics that flow over jazz influenced hip hop beats that bring in a hint of soul. Their lyrical talent goes above & beyond what is expected in rap music these days.” Since 2009, FTO has helped to define Carolina music & continues to set the bar for hip hop in the live space.
Shreve has toured & shared stages with The Pharcyde, Big Boi, CL Smooth, The Hieroglyphics, Lupe Fiasco, Raekwon, Onyx, Gift of Gab, Cannibal Ox, Camp Lo, Nappy Roots, Talib Kweli, Oddisee, Guilty Simpson, Planet Asia, Tanya Morgan, Chubb Rock, Slum Village, Zion I, Marley Marl et al. He’s performed at Hopscotch, Blue Plum, LAAF, Beats & Bars, Boone in Blossom, Drink Durham, Brooklyn Wildlife, GURP Fest, Shrimp N Grits & AVL Fest.
His work has been featured on Shade45, Hip HopDX, Earmilk, Revolt TV, I Still Love HER, INDYweek, & has been spun by both DJ Premier & Chuck D.
This GRAMMY® Award-winning band has quietly impacted pop, R&B, and hip-hop with
production credits from The Weeknd, Travis Scott, and SZA, to Jazmine Sullivan, Ellie Goulding
and Billy Porter. In 2021, KG co-wrote “Sing” for Jon Batiste’s We Are. It gathered eight
GRAMMY® Award nominations, and took home an award for “Album of the Year.” KG also
penned “Sweeter” [feat. Terrace Martin] on Leon Bridges’ Gold-Diggers Sound, which notched a
GRAMMY® nod in the category of “Best R&B Album.”
Along with being known as producers, they have rocked stages along side Talib Kweli,
Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Mr. Bungle, and the Nate Smith trio.
Be sure to check out their contemporary take on American Soul on their first 2 albums- “Make It
Sweat” (2017) and “Heavy Metal Greasy Love” (2022) on Mike Patton’s Ipecac Records. KG is
currently working on a 3rd studio album.