The Living Head, Seek Hell, Dog Guitar
Named after an infamous, clandestine doomsday cult from the 1960s, The Living Head is an apocalyptic post-punk band from Chicago, IL. Dog Guitar has been called Egg Punk, Art Rock, and Nu Metal, but no matter WHAT you call us… Dog Guitar is a good time! Dog Guitar is like if The B-52’s and Korn had a baby and that baby was a transsexual. Dog Guitar is here to rock your world, funk you out, make you smile, and make you thrash. Coming to you live from several local homo and/or trans sexuals, WOOF WOOF WOOF!! AROOOOOO!! Seek Hell is grungey indie alt made by gay people
Throwaway, Snek Trio, Helicopter Leaves
For the last decade, Throwaway has been turning heads with their acrobatic riffs and quirky, energetic approach to rock. Led by guitarist Kirsten Carey, Throwaway has opened for bands like Deerhoof, Amyl and the Sniffers, and Fucked Up. They’re working on their third album, a rock opera about going to the grocery store. Snek Trio combines elements of free improvisation, psychedelic rock and experimental noise to create ethereal soundscapes and visceral rhythms for a party you can also dance at. Janna Lee – vocals & effects. Reid Karris – prepared guitars. Erik Sowa – drums & percussion Helicopter Leaves is Influenced by a combination of 90s indie rock and 70s power pop. Led by Chicago born and raised singer/vocalist Anthony Vaccaro. The debut album Get Stuck In is a collection of songs with intricate stories in 2-3 minute indie pop blasts of fun.
Bitter Thoughts, Sex Scenes (mke), Coronary, Shrike
Bitter Thoughts makes hardcore music Since 2016, Milwaukee band Sex Scenes’ snotty blend of thrash riffs, mid tempo hardcore and catchy hooks has made them a unique presence in both the hardcore and indie rock/punk scenes around the Midwest. Throughout their long tenure, they’ve played shows with everyone from Weedeater to Jack White; not being out of place on either bill. Although the band’s songs are unquestionably rooted in hardcore punk, their sound and presence are distinctly their own, and it’s that signature quality that makes them a fitting presence on most stages. The band’s lineup has shifted throughout the years, but has been fronted by Sarah Turbo since 2021. In late 2023, they released “Fed Up,” the first EP with Turbo on the mic. A full length album “Everything Makes Me Sick” is coming out May 9th through Big Neck Records. Coronary is Chicago style hardcore punk since 2015. New LP “M.A.D.ness” available now. “It’s not often I hear a band sound like Power Trip then Extortion then Look Back & Laugh then Bib then Bolt Thrower in the same minute-long song.” (Matt Korvette / Yellow Green Red) Shrike – We are a hardcore punk band from Chicago
Adjy, POWERPUP, Slow Riser
Adjy is the kind of band that released a 175 page hardcover book as their debut album. Musically they sound like the school marching band playing desperate indie rock hymns about a mythical summer camp love story set in the 00s; lots of voices yelling, mallet instruments, many drums and even a speak and spell from time to time. Born out of necessity, Chicago-based POWERPUP formed in 2016 with an unapologetic embrace of the full-spectrum experience of youth. With a playful curiosity through lyrical storytelling, these Pups offer up their melodic breed of pop with a tenacity that’s sure to draw you into the groove. Slow Riser is a Chicago-based dark indie-pop project comprised of two longtime musical collaborators, Ian Young and Claire Watkins (Scout Ripley, Morning Arms). On their nocturnal-themed debut album, Midnight Talks, the duo explores the ways age, mental state, season, and location inform our ever-changing relationship with the night. Underpinning their lyrical vignettes is a tapestry of reverb-drenched guitars, soaring strings, ethereal synths, and downtempo beats. The result is an emotionally and sonically dynamic album that occupies the liminal space between genres.
Mall Drag
Let’s go to the mall! Coming all the way from New York City- Miss. Ma’amShe brings her iconically hilarious homage to days of Juicy Couture & Jeans. Come see a stacked drag show full of your favorite Chicago Drag Artists giving you exactly what you need… some mall drag! Hosted by Miss. Ma’amShe and Neutral Gena Starring Helvetikah Blak, Peeper Johnson, and Detox Music by Miss Toto
Oh My Lover, Judson Claiborne
Oh My Lover is a passionate homage to the incomparable PJ Harvey, paying tribute to the raw, unapologetic energy that defined her illustrious career. Formed from a shared love for Harvey’s groundbreaking soundscapes, Oh My Lover is more than a mere tribute band; they are torchbearers of her legacy, channeling the essence and spirit of PJ Harvey’s music with electrifying authenticity.Oh My Lover is a collective of Chicago music scene veterans, Christy Nunes (the Locals), Ripley Cane (solo), Joanna Vassilatos (The Punch), and Carlan Johnson (The Addy Janes) who meticulouslyrecreate the sonic tapestries that made PJ Harvey an icon. From the gritty, angst-laden tracks of ‘Dry’ to the evocative, soul-stirring melodies of ‘Rid of Me’ and the experimental brilliance of ‘To Bring You My Love,’ Oh My Lover flawlessly captures the essenceof Harvey’s diverse discography. Their live performances are a visceral experience, transporting audiences back to the ’90s alternative rock scene with a thrilling blend of searing guitar riffs, thunderous rhythms, and raw, emotive vocals. Each show is animmersive journey through PJ Harvey’s evolution as an artist, leaving fans both mesmerized by the authenticity of the tribute and awestruck by the band’s ability to revive the raw intensity that made Harvey’s music so iconic. Judson Claiborne is the folk-rock music project of Chicago-based songwriter and DJ Christopher Claiborne Salveter. Raised in a Missouri river town-turned suburb, his earliest musical influences were the androgynous voices on oldies radio and MTV’s 120 Minutes. The Chicago indie record labels and bands of the late 90s beckoned him to relocate there in 2000. Soon after, he started the group Low Skies, who released four records and toured as the support act for Neko Case, Explosions in the Sky, and Band of Horses. Low Skies’ final record, All the Love I Could Find (2006) received an 8.1 on Pitchfork.Salveter’s storytelling ranges from the romantic to the heartbreaking, from the autobiographical to the biographical, and from the tender to the gritty. Now eighteen years and five Judson Claiborne records in, Salveter is set to release Live Active Culture, Vol. 2 in Spring 2025.
Apres Pompeii, Jennifer Femme, Dear Jamie
Do you yearn? Are you in awe of the world around you? Do you feel sexy and a little haunted? Ask your doctors about Apres Pompeii. Apres Pompeii is a singer-songwriter known to treat these symptoms, and more. Side-effects of listening to Apres Pompeii include existentialism, falling in love with everyone you meet, and feeling like The Main Character in your life. Some listeners of Apres Pompeii may find themselves moved by the soaring vocals and poetic lyrics, genre experimentation may cause dizziness–if necessary, swoon into the arms of the person next to you. You can find Apres Pompeii on all streaming services and social media and at The Music Box Lounge in Chicago for their monthly open mic. Jennifer Femme is telling stories. Stories about love. Stories about her dramatic internal world. Stories about rain, the sun… and a man named Big Willy. With a background in jazz guitar and classical violin, she tells her stories with a voice both earthy and soaring, heart-wrenching and tongue-in-cheek. She has made a name for herself in Chicago playing countless shows around the city (both solo and with her band), hosting open mics, and founding The Purple Teapot: a DIY performance space which offers queer artists of many disciplines a place to hone their craft and make connections. You can listen to Jennifer Femme on all major streaming platforms. Her discography includes an EP, a live album and “Rain,” the newest single off her debut album which is set to release later this year. Dear Jamie is a force made up of colorful passions and talents. They are currently taking a break as a mental health therapist to explore human connection and healing through alternative mediums; music and drag. Their songwriting and performance style is heavily influenced by their unique and/or completely relatable experiences that derive from living life through the lens of a queer, neurodivergent, AFAB, Korean first-generation immigrant. They believe that their intersectionality brings a fresh perspective into their art, and with their powerhouse voice and open vulnerability, Dear Jamie aims to make their audience be unafraid to feel their emotions.
Do the Needful, Karmick, Surfing Bird
Do the Needful is a punk Bollywood ensemble that filters retro Indian pop music through the prism of ghostly burlesque, post-punk, and blues into something entirely unique. Featuring Hindi vocalists, Bansuri, guitar/fuzz organ, bass, and drums, DTN’s hypnotic beats fill the dance floor while shards of folk melodies and moody improvisation transport listeners to a different space. We evoke Bollywood’s rich past and present a powerful modern masala that is a distinct product of Chicago’s musical melting pot. Karmick is the Sikhest rock band you know. Harboring the sound of two brothers chopping up their background in Indian Classical music with loud drums and ethereal guitars – this duo knows how to rock out and when to pull back for a more intimate and personal experience. Karmick’s wide array of influences across genres colors their unique sound. Based out of their home town in Chicago, Karmick stands for the values of unashamedly living your truth and finding your authentic expression. Surfing Bird describes themselves as Charlie Parker meets the ventures! Chicago’s only surf jazz group!
Lovely Little Girls, PROBLEMS, Shrift
Lovely Little Girls (Skin Graft Records) is a theatrical art-rock band from Chicago that features members of Cheer-Accident and The Flying Luttenbachers. They specialize in odd harmonies and catchy melodies served with a histrionic flair. Started as “a chaotic and noisy one-off performance piece inspired by Johanna Went, The Kipper Kids, Henry Darger, and “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane”, Lovely Little Girls evolved over the years into a juggernaut of prog/punk/no-wave absurdity featuring intricate arrangements of dramatic psychodrama. PROBLEMS Has toured Europe, New Zealand, and America extensively. I have opened for Peaches, Dan Deacon, Pile, death’s dynamic shrout, Lightning Bolt, Wolf Eyes, Plack Blague, and many others. I have played at Meow Wolf in Denver, and several fests including Camp A Low Hum (NZ), Laektro (DK), No Coast Fest (TX) and the Petfest and Lincoln Calling fests in Nebraska.My new 12” LP “Enter The Annals” was released this year on The Record Machine. I have previously worked with Orange Milk Records and Geertruida (NL).I make composer driven electronic music with live vocals that is sometimes very fun and is sometimes very beautiful and is always interesting. Shrift unites the smooth bass of toxic nerd Jill Lloyd Flanagan (Forced into Femininity, Cb Radio Gorgeous), the vocals of local funnyman Carly Wicks (Dog Problem), electrical saxophone by the large-mitted Sonia Monet (Nakamura Lock) and the punishing beats of museum replicator Janice Lim (Gula Gila) into a semi-coherent sound; Shrift is the band your mom would favorite on Soundcloud and add to her Mixcloud favorites. Whether you’re a creator, a disruptor or just ruining the city for fun, get ready to nod your head vigorously to their up-tempo sound. ROLL AND ROLL 4ever!
Blucone, Jax will be Jax, Nothing But Silence, Light Blue Lines (solo)
blucone is an R&B/indie-pop band from Columbus, Ohio. They started as a group of friends from different musical backgrounds experimenting with new sounds. The first result of this experimentation was their single, “Torn”. The positive reception that followed encouraged the group to continue writing, and to take the songs live.Listeners have dubbed blucone’s music as jazzy-futuristic, noting how the group’s high-quality production and dreamy vocals interlace with its lush instrumentation; the audience is sure to sway. blucone has appeared at Summer Camp Music Festival ’23, at Solshine Reverie ’24, and on Fab Dupont’s Mix Fix Live series. Jax ‘jax will be jax’ Ovalle is a Guatemalan-American multi-instrumentalist and songwriter heavily influenced by Latinx indie and post-rock. Their music explores emotional vulnerability through lush, atmospheric textures and introspective lyrics. Jax spent the last ten years writing original material and supporting various artists, including Girl Ultra, City Mouth, and Lester Rey. In their current concept project, ‘andromeda’, Jax seeks to combine their work as a musician and filmmaker to tell stories in a new way. Nothing But Silence is Darkwave/post-punk/ mainly vibes & stuff Light Blue Lines is an alternative indie folk band