Mr. Blotto was born in Chicago as an off-night vehicle for musicians who loved each others playing but were in different bands at the time. The only rule was that they would only play what they loved. That philosophy continues today and has led Mr. Blotto into unique musical situations.

Mr. Blotto takes the Jam band asthetic into areas unfamiliar to the standard Jam Scene. They have been known to cover entire albums by Led Zeppelin and the Who as well as perform entire shows of Country and Reggae. Artists as diverse as the Grateful Dead, the Flaming Lips, Willie Nelson and The Velvet Underground have seen their material interpreted by Mr. Blotto in the 2000+ shows the band has performed in the last 15 years, yet covers only pepper the bands hefty catalog of original material stemming from five studio albums and other unreleased crowd favorites.

David Hayes & the Project is a unique and original rock band based in Chicago. The band is comprised of Midwest musicians who have worked together in multiple projects throughout the years. David Hayes (guitar, keys, & vocals) is a native of Rockford, Illinois and has lived in Chicago for nearly a decade. He is a graduate from Columbia College Chicago who teaches private music lessons, and composes original music in multiple genres. He released his first album “In With the Old” in 2010, and is releasing a twin album “Out With the New” in 2011. The Project includes Graham Burris (bass, vocals), Mike Lim (keys), and Christian Chamberlain (drums). Graham Burris is another Rockford native who performs with multiple bands in Chicago, and has collaborated with Grammy award winner Lupe Fiasco. Michael Lim hails from Detroit, Michigan and is also a graduate of Columbia College Chicago. He also composes original music for his project known as The Lims. Christian Chamberlain is from Morton, Illinois and also keeps a tight beat in multiple bands. He is beginning to start his own drum and bass project as well. Together David Hayes and the Project create a unified progressive sound that keeps the listeners interested.