THE O’MY’S
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.
THE OBSTACLES
THE MENZINGERS
THE METAPUFFS
THE METHADONES
A good band name always gives the potential listener some idea what sort of music to expect. (Bad band names are ones that mess with those expectations: a certain artsy-jangly guitar pop band of the early ’90s would have been much more successful had they not been called , which sounds like the name of a scabrous hardcore act.) Chicago-based pop-punk band the Methadones is an excellent case in point: methadone — not to be confused with methamphetamine, aka crystal meth — being the drug prescribed to recovering heroin addicts who are attempting to get clean through a rehab-type regimen, the listener immediately expects world-weary, sadder but wiser punk rock, perhaps with a rootsy edge, not unlike the best of or . The Methadones deliver in full on that promise, but also add a bubblegummy power pop side to their music that makes them equally attractive to fans of the post- cadres of mall punk bands.
THE MIDNIGHT MONSTER SHOW
THE MIDWEST BEAT
MIKE MICHALAK BAND
Mike Michalak – Singer/Songwriter/Producer/Guitarist.
Mike is a fixture in the Chicago music scene.
Since the age of three he has always been singing and playing guitars to the point of an obsession. Mike decided to become a songwriter- guitarist and since has been able to collaborate with some of the top artists in the Chicago-land area.
His disc “Big Plan” has been featured on many
radio stations across the US and is streaming across the universe.
Go get the new CD “Super Pig” out now!
Look for Mike and his band of musical mo-phos to erupt into something special….STAY TUNED INTO THE ENERGY!
THE MILES BETWEEN
THE MILLIONS
THE MINNEAPOLIS HENRYS
Hello, we’re The Minneapolis Henrys (as opposed to those Westchester Henrys). We’re on a mission to find our rock n’ roll family. Here is our story:
In the cut throat culture of the new world aristocracy, The Minneapolis Henrys were cast out by their well-to-do family for possessing what Robert Murdoch, patriarch of The Horse Shoe Lake Henrys, deemed “a rebellious and incorrigible spirit that may very well sully the Henrys’ name for the rest of our days.” Not content with the stuffy, button-down lifestyle of their forefathers, the MPLS Henrys set out to find a better way. The four members of The Minneapolis Henrys met during a high society bank heist, a move intended to fund their coup of the Henrys’ aristocracy. However, the four found themselves making quite a lovely racket together, and decided to take an approach pioneered by heroes of the underground culture like Bob Dylan, The Replacements or The Pixies; they decided to rock. Rock hard. And so the four of them spent some time together, learning each other’s musical strengths and sensibilities, recorded their debut album “The Way of the Albatross”, and struck out into the great unknown to spread their brand of genre-skewing rock n’ roll. Facing the darkness with pure hearts, The Minneapolis Henrys’ goal is to grab your ears, move your feet and win your heart. So please, listen, dance and love.
THE MIRROR STAGE
THE MISSION CREEPS
THE MO-ODDS
THE MODERN SOCIETY
THE MONGOLOIDS
THE MONTAUK PROJECT
THE MOSES GUN
THE MOST GENUINE EXPRESSION
THE MOVES
THE MOXY
THE MUDULLARY RAY
THE MUGGS
THE MUSTARD MEN
THE MUZZLER
THE NADAS
The Nadas are Iowa’s signature alt-rock-country band, selling more than 200,000 albums through their own label, Authentic Records. Singers/guitarists Mike Butterworth and Jason Walsmith, bassist Brian Duffey, and drummer Brandon Stone mix country, rock, alternative, and indie with flawless songwriting and catchy melodies for a crowd-pleasing experience.
THE NAMES THAT SPELL
THE NASHVILLE WRECKERS
THE NATURAL
In the Chicago music scene today, it seems like you’re forced to be content with stale powerchord rooted melodies and ambiguous, insincere guttural screams. Up until they heard The Natural, nobody realized that was a problem. The Natural has left stale and rotted two-note chords and melodies for fresh tonal harmonies and ripe indie pop perfection. They’ve decided to share vocal duties with three singers in a genre where a band’s lead singer is their be all and end all. Even the power of their dual jangling guitars, thick bass drops, and saucy drums can’t undermine the honesty of their lyrics, much less the dangerously catchy vocal melodies they’ve crafted. All of these attributes amount to an emotionally charged four piece that brings down the house. It’s the sound of Say Anything having a bad breakup with Brand New while they’re being comforted by Death Cab for Cutie. They’re not only trying something organic and original, they’re making music that’s, all puns aside, natural.
THE NEGLIGENTS
THE LILIES
THE LINDEN METHOD
Formed in Chicago IL in 2009 The Linden Method pulls from the various elements of punk, pop-punk and hardcore to create an aggressive and refreshing new sound.
THE LISTENING ZOO
THE LITTLE GIANTS
THE LIVERS
THE LIVES OF FAMOUS MEN
THE LOCALS
The Locals are a three-piece indie rock band out of Chicago, built on loud guitars, tight hooks, and a love for 90s alt. Think Silversun Pickups, Smashing Pumpkins, and The Joy Formidable, PJ Harvey with some pop sensibility from Paramore and Japanese Breakfast.
They’ve been at this a while.
THE LONELIEST MONK
THE LONESOME HEROES
THE LORIMER SOUND
LOST CARTOGRAPHERS
With their songs of traintracks and setbacks, leaving and longing, the Lost Cartographers fit well into Chicago’s always vibrant alt.country and Americana scene. But check out one of their shows and you’ll discover a sound that lives in the margins of half a dozen genres, from the melancholy beauty of “Metronome” and “Killing Time in Nashville” to the hillbilly stomp of “Goodbye Ohio” (on which drummer Jason Haaheim plays a metal washtub), and from the retro folk-rock of “Walk On” to the the feedback-soaked psychedelia of “Golden Record.”
THE LOVED ONES
THE LOWDOWNS
THE LOWER 48
THE LOYAL DIVIDE
THE LUMINOUS
THE LUSTIES
THE LUSTKILLERS
A contributing member of such notable acts as The Heartdrops (NYC), American Heartbreak (SF), and The Black Halos (BC), Adam Becvare has lived and died across North America to tour the earth, all the while revisiting the self indulgence of his own band The LustKillers.
As the frontman and guitarist for LK, Becvare revels in it’s cast of rogue friends and players.
The LustKillers songs stand as a testament to Becvare’s influences and Rock ‘n Roll life story.
Becvare moved to Hollywood at age 18 only to lose it all by 21 in Chicago.
“Everyone hears something different in The Lustkillers. Familiar but fresh, it’s really just Rock ’n Roll and that’s all the punks were trying to recreate in ’77. Everyone’s too fragile and suspicious now. The Lustkillers aren’t afraid to be serious while letting go. It’s about being yourself, honouring your heroes and spreading that Blank Generation/Post Punk Gospel.”
-Giselle Harvard (Harvard Journal of Rock)
The LustKillers songs are edgy, moody, witty and sometimes even charmingly sassy.
…Fast ‘n Deadly like The Damned,
…Cool ’n Creepy like The Cramps,
…Dark ‘n Lovely not unlike…. The Lords??
In 2003, a series of unreleased LK recordings The Black Sugar Sessions began circulating and Becvare was enlisted by founding members Brian James (The Damned) and Dave Tregunna (Sham69) to front their Lords of the New Church Reformation across Europe.
The Homepage at www.LustKillers.com simply read,
“Although, No One can ever replace Stiv Bators, for me this is a great honour to serve a band I owe so much of my youth to.” – Lust n Daggers, Adam Becvare
8 songs from The LustKillers Black Sugar Sessions are available from Royal Crowne Records.
& Itunes at
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/do-i-love-you/id336440308?i=336440537&ign-mpt=uo%3D6%2522
The LustKillers.
Not afraid to get serious.
Not afraid of fun.
And not afraid of serious fun.
THE MAD HAT MEN
THE MAG 7
The Mag 7 is a rock band from Chicago,IL. Hawk Colman (vocals), Rob Elrick (bass), Ed Ludwig (drums), and Tony McQuaid (guitar).
MAJOR LEAGUE
Following an incredibly busy year of shows in support of their debut record Hard Feelings, Major League has returned with a sophomore album that defies any pre-conceived notions and defines their next evolution as a band. With guitarist Brian Joyce now helming vocal duties, backed by Matt Chila (guitar/vocals), Kyle Bell (bass) and Luke Smartnick (drums), the band emerges with a new sense of identity, a renewed focus and an abundant amount of energy for their most personal recording to date.
THE MASSACRES
In 2007 The Massacres did a 2 day stint with Mad Sin, hitting up Chicago and then New Jersey at Asbury Lanes, as well as a few shows with Micheal Graves of Misfits fame. …. In 2008 The Massacres released what would be their final studio EP, “Redemption”. 2008 also marked The Massacres first show at the Metro playing with the Horrorpops, The Cute Lepers, and The Pink Spiders, killing their set with a great response from a mixed crowd of punks, rockers, rockabillies and psychobillies. …. The last time you may have caught the Massacres was in March of 2009, headlining the first annual Psychobilly Spring Fling with Al & the Blackcats, and The Arkhams. …. In short, that brings us to 2010, and August 7th will be your last chance to catch The Massacres. Not once, but twice in one evening! Coming a bit full circle in some ways, The Massacres have been there done that, and are grateful for all of the opportunities they have been given, and thankful for all the friends they have made along the way. …. As always…FUCK YOU! We’re from Chicago!- …… Satan (impatiently) to Newcomer: The trouble with you Chicago people is, that you think you are the best people down here; whereas you are merely the most numerous. .. ~Mark Twain “Pudd’nhead Wilson’s New Calendar,” 1897 .. ….
THE MATICS
THE MATT KURZ ONE
THE MAUDS
THE MAUNDER MINIMUM
THE MEDULLARY RAY
THE MEEKS
THE MEGABANGERS
THE MEMPHIS MURDER MEN
“50’s rock ‘n’ roll bastard child” – that just about sums up The Memphis Murder Men. Originally hailing from Pittsburgh, PA, the band evolved from the Steel City’s first horror-punk outfit – The Brain Invaders – and now call Oakland their home. These guys have fired up the stage with The Misfits, Tiger Army, The Murder Junkies, The Quakes, The Guana Batz and just about every legendary psychobilly band there is.
The group completely embodies the rock ‘n’ roll that gave birth to every punk, rockabilly, and psycho band out there and do it without regrets or fear of what “the scene” might think. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, The Memphis Murder Men are putting the last nail in the coffin of bad rock ‘n’ roll and cranking out loud and proud rhythm and blues the way the greats did.
THE MENTHOLS
THE JONESTOWN CHOIR
THE JORDAN YEARS
THE JULIET DAGGER
THE KEY POINT
THE KICKBACK
Familiarizing oneself to The Kickback may seem like an exercise in confronting consistent sets of seemingly opposing ideas: A band that prides itself on its love of Muppet Christmas specials and youthful naiveté but has no problem admitting to a paralyzing fear of death and decline. The group seems to strive for brutal honesty, all-the-while realizing they’re a pop band playing pop music. Even the membership of the group itself may seem odd: one-half brothers from South Dakota, one-half Chicago transplants from Washington D.C. and Mexico.
Comprised of brothers Billy (vocals, guitar) and Danny (drums) Yost, Eamonn Donnelly (bass) and Jonny Ifergan (guitar), Chicago’s The Kickback is a result of the brothers’ emigration to The Windy City from rural South Dakota in late 2009 and the subsequent Craigslist pleas seeking out band members. The group’s music (with songs exploring journalists banding together in the early 1980s to battle the decline of print journalism through sheer ultraviolence to the emasculation of trying to protect the woman you love in a city you don’t understand in a body you know is eventually going in the ground) have earned the group wide praise from Rolling Stone, Sound Opinons contributor Jim Derogatis, You Ain’t No Picasso, the Chicago Tribune, and many more.
After a steady two years of touring and supporting acts like White Rabbits, Smith Westerns, Here We Go Magic, Tapes ‘n Tapes, and Telekinesis (all-the-while earning a reputation as a stellar and explosive live act), the band has released Kill Fee, an EP of live takes and studio recordings. In July, the group announced that it would be recording their debut LP (tentatively titled Sorry All Over The Place, after a footnote in David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest) with producer Dennis Herring (Modest Mouse, Elvis Costello, Wavves) at his Sweet Tea studio in Oxford, Mississippi. Following the mastering process (undertaken by Brian Lucey (Black Keys, The Shins, Neko Case), the group will embark on a nationwide tour in support of the release. To document their travels, the band began recording their podcast, Diary of a Disas-tour, in December of 2010 are nearing their 60th episode. The show attempts to address the far-from-glamorized lives of a band on the road and the arrested development indicative of the lives they have chosen.
THE KILLER
KOBANES
The kids know what’s up and, all of a sudden, the kids are really into The Kobanes, with T-shirts and other merch cropping up en masse. A split label Japanese release to coincide with one of the band’s infamous Japanese tours, Japan Invasion is a very solid, mainline pop punk album. Taking 1990s silliness to new peaks with songs about loved ones smelling each other’s feces, suburban ghettos, dicks, and drugs, The Kobanes’ lyrics are gleefully apolitical, mean-spirited, and downright asinine. And that’s a compliment! Driving, Queers-inspired riffs dominate the mix, with geek-tinged vocals maintaining a spirited, tongue-in-ass-cheek vibe. A higher end byproduct of a dwindling subgenre, Japan Invasion happily invaded this aging pop punker’s heavy rotation. There’s even a cover of “Fan Mail” included for Dickies fans. Plus, any album that starts with a dialog sample from Class of Nuke ’em High is okay by me. –Art Ettinger
THE KRANK DADDIES
Here are the THE WORLD FAMOUS KRANK DADDIES, a Chicago based band always ready and willing to RIP IT UP!! After thousands of shows people have labeled The KrankDaddies music as Raw Rippin Rock n Roll. The KRANK DADDIES deliver a high impact live performanc
THE LARROQUETTES
THE LAST GOOD YEAR
THE LAST TRUE ROCK ‘N ROLLER
THE LAST VEGAS
THE LAVELLAS
THE LEAVES
THE LEFTOVERS
THE LIFE FORMS
THE LIFELINE
The Lifeline…..Chicago’s most anticipated up -and-coming alternative rock band. They are where “Class meets Sass” and sophistication and beauty are paired with an edginess as well as attitude that would make James Dean proud while Mozart blushes.