Optic Sink, sunglow, Crises Actress
Optic Sink are a hypnotic dance influenced postpunk band from Memphis touring on their new album “Lucky Number” out now on Feel It Records. sunglow Crises Actress
CDPROM, White Lucy, Anaiet Soul
CDPROM is a 5-piece math-jazz metamorphic rock band from Chicago, IL. Omnivorous, a single song can span funk, girl pop, Latin, emo, R&B, noise and free jazz, in a blender of odd time signatures and odder horn solos. The lyrics are elliptical, the energy is infectious, and the grooves are nonstop; wouldn’t you also change form under this intense heat? In addition to their EP “PROM?” and their live album “Cruel Times,” they are releasing a full-length studio record later this spring. White Lucy is a Chicago-based band crafting a brand of indie R&B all its own — somehow both gritty and silky smooth. Their sound drifts between dreamy, romantic textures and darker, introspective grooves, pairing soulful vocals with cinematic guitars, hypnotic rhythm section, and layers of keys. Their latest album, The Paradise, released through Shuga Records, showcases collaborations with standout Chicago artists like Sen Morimoto and Wyatt Waddell, highlighting the band’s deep roots in the city’s music community. Anaiet Soul is a protean musician, composer, vocalist from Chicago, Illinois. At the age of six, Anaiet’s desire to pursue creativity manifested and she took to piano as her primary instrument, learning to play by ear, and later learning to read music and picking up her second instrument in her family church’s orchestra. Having attended the Chicago Highschool for the Arts in 2014, Anaiet underwent classical and jazz piano training, studying with the late and great Willie Pickens at the Ravinia Jazz Mentor Program, Steve Million at Merit School of Music, and the world renowned pianist Geo Cooper. Anaiet has toured with Manual Cinema’s “No Blue Memories: The Life of Gwendolyn Brooks” (2019), became a staple in Sistazz of the Nitty Gritty with Angel Bat Dawid and shortly thereafter opened for the Sun Ra Arkestra at the Summerstage Central Park Jazz Fest (2022), was a featured artist at Fulcrum Point’s Tribute to the AAMOA (2022), and headlined their very first show at The Hideout in Chicago (2022). Since then Anaiet has remained an established freelance musician in Chicago’s bustling music scene, establishing themself as a solo artist and playing with a variety of acts,artists and productions, such as Force!: An Opera,the John Wesley Experience, Khaliyah X, Debbie-Marie Brown,Senite and others.
Anne Helen Wells, violethead, Bonnie Brooks
Anne Helen Wells is a hardware electronic artist making submissive digital pop about the love of pain & the pain of love. violethead is the solo cloudpop project of elle kimberly, tenderly sequenced in her bedroom. billowing bass, glittering bells, and mementos of wet kisses long since dried. Bonnie Brooks – Evil girl Cyrus Chrome – Recently moved from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. High-concept hyperpop music. High concept pop songwriter and performer.
Chupaflor, Killer High Life, Totally Cashed
Chupaflor is a Rock N’ Roll band with traces of punk, blues and shoegaze. Formed during the winter of 2023 in Milwaukee, Killer High Life writes songs about heartbreak and despair as well as blistering fast songs about anger and aggression as a woman/queer individual living in our current era. Fusing elements of indie, emo, hardcore punk, and dreamy rock; Killer High Life creates an intense atmosphere perfect for both moshing and sobbing. Totally Cashed is tongue-in-cheek hardcore punk. Find ur new faves @ Coles 🎵
Menace4Hire, Gayun Cannon, Waine Ghazi, Armanii Day
Lilheadbutt is a Chicago cassette label of A.Barlow & J.Jamais. Learn more here. Chicago artist Menace is redefining contemporary hip-hop through a distinct fusion of street realism and couture-level intention. Emerging from West Englewood on the city’s South Side, the multidisciplinary creative first established himself as a cut-and-sew designer, visual artist, and cultural curator before transitioning into music in 2021. Everything he produces whether a garment or stage performance is one of one.. Gayun Cannon is a 23 year old singer, self-produced artist, and multi-instrumentalist from the South Side of Chicago. Through her music, Gayun creates a space for healing whether she’s exploring love, personal growth, or the trials and tribulations of her own life journey. Each song is crafted as an emotional experience, inviting listeners to reflect, feel deeply, and embrace every part of themselves. Her artistry blends vulnerability with intention, turning personal stories into shared moments of connection. Waine Ghazi is a Chicago-rooted artist whose music blends introspection, raw emotion, and sharp lyricism. Drawing from personal growth, identity, and lived experience, his sound balances soulful production with honest storytelling. Whether performing or creating, Waine brings a grounded, reflective energy that connects deeply with listeners Armanii Day hails from the Chicago land area Giving an energy not found anywhere else, Armanii expresses herself through eclectic, soulful sounds, lyricism that’s easy to relate to, and even humorous, with a sprinkle of wordplay that’ll make you have to rewind. You’ll find yourself being able to understand where the complicated, but optimistic Armanii Day is coming from with every word. Armanii is seasoned in her artistry and a force that shouldn’t be reckoned with. Armanii was raised around music junkies who instilled Jazz, House, and Neo Soul into her very diverse ear. You can hear those influences seeping through Armanii’s Sound.
Zastava, Hearthands, Mail., Cabwaylingo
Zastava – We are a music band from Detroit, MI Hearthands is a band from Chicago. The music blends elements of slowcore, shoegaze, dream pop, and 90s indie rock. Their debut EP Devotion came out September 1, 2025. Mail. – Chicago Post-Hardcore swept across the cornfields and cattails. Cabwaylingo – New guitar music project of Conor Lynch. First and probably only show for a while.
Bum Rush, Yolk, Sana All
Bum Rush is an irreverent and sonically adventurous punk trio from Chicago that always delivers when they take the stage. Like if the Minutemen leaned more into their bebop influence and used fuzz pedals. Yolk is a Madison-based alternative rock band whose sound combines memorable melodies, noisy guitars, and layered production. For fans of Wednesday, Radiohead, Dinosaur Jr., and anything else that is grungy and loud. Sana All is midwest emo-adjacent music from Chicago. With catchy guitar riffs, driving bass lines, and existential lyrics, each song is a story to get lost in.
partygirl, Truth or Consequences New Mexico, Harley Omega
If you’ve seen partygirl’s name before, the word “maximalist” is never far behind. Since bandleader Pagona Kytzidis formed the group in 2021, the kinetic six-piece has amassed a cult following for their relentless, inventive music. Whether you’re attending partygirl’s cathartic, emotional shows or discovering their new music online, you’ll find that the band is equally likely to enter a soaring chorus as they are an earthshaking breakdown. Listen past the pyrotechnics and you’ll hear the energy of scrappy upstarts with the sharp songwriting to match their brute force strength. Their debut record, I’m so charming, I forgot who I was, is the culmination of years fine-tuning and road-testing music, but it’s just the beginning for this immensely promising band. Theatrical, eccentric, and vulnerable all at once, it’s a wildly successful first effort from a band overflowing with creativity. Truth or Consequences New Mexico (TCNM) brings a signature style of overdriven alt-country (affectionately known as “crunchry”), with growling choruses, weeping slide guitar, and twinkling lead lines hanging over thundering, fuzzy rhythms. And, in case you’re wondering, they’re from Chicago. Harley Omega is an industrial project, fusing elements of metal, hip hop and techno. Harley seeks to create the soundtrack for the nightmarish dystopia we find ourselves in today.
Empty Heaven, Jason Shapiro, Collective Fictions
Empty Heaven is a project that asks you to get lost in it. Between the cavalcade of releases from the year 2025 (6 albums), the performances that are never the same twice, and a very broad emotional bandwidth, it’s Anthony’s internal world made manifest.Sometimes, it’s the 6-piece band version of Empty Heaven creating a dizzying sonic atmosphere, or it’s Anthony solo at the piano doing an interactive, freewheeling show. Either way, EH puts on a show to be remembered and mulled over. Jason Shapiro has burned bridges with such prominent acts as Frog, Florry, and Good Flying Birds. He is a licensed aroma therapist and splits his time between Chicago and Dubai. Combining the poetic with the blunt realities of life and a healthy dose of dark humor, Collective Fictions weaves together narratives depicting peoples’ tragedies, triumphs, and all the strangeness that lies in between.
New Groove Revolution, Kacie Brown And The Vision, SoulTribe, and DJ Chris Robbin
New Groove Revolution are a funky groovy R&B and neosoul band that specializes in putting a new spin on all favorite hits! — Kacie Brown and The Vision is a Chicago band formed in 2023, inspired by the sounds of neo-soul, R&B, and pop influences. Led by vocalist Kacie Brown, she and her bandmates met at different points while attending music school at Columbia. The band, which has been evolving for around three years, also includes Miles Pretel on keyboards, who has contributed to production and arranging, Stephen Ryan on guitar, Chris Ihrig on guitar, Khalif Alston on bass, and William Penne on drums. They’ve been performing around the city, bringing fun vibes and original music inspired by neo-soul. Most recently, they played at City Winery in Chicago. — Meet SoulTribe a dynamic fusion of R&B, funk, and modern soul that turns any crowd into a dance floor. Led by vocalist AJ Grayce fresh off her debut album Having My Way, SoulTribe has delivered big-energy performances built on deep grooves, bold arrangements, and magnetic chemistry.From sold out shows to electrifying festival appearances, SoulTribe has quickly become a favorite for fans craving a show that feels like a celebration. Their genre-bending approach transforms well-loved songs into vibrant new experiences — while their original music showcases the heart, storytelling, and modern edge of a new generation of soul.More than a band, SoulTribe is a family — a space where everyone belongs, where music lifts spirits, and where everyone can vibe.One Soul. One Tribe. — “Chris Robbin’, a name you’ve heard or face you’ve seen performing with his unforgettable live band or solo around the city’s venues. Running open jams like “Unfamiliar Sessions” at Coles and BYOS in Hyde Park and Wicker Park. If you haven’t seen him live, you might’ve also heard his producing stylings on tracks like “half a joint and jazz” and “#DAWG” by KAICREWSADE, or “ACORNS & BRAMBLEBERRIES” and “NOT LIKE ME” by WINDOW to name a few.” – These Days Mag