John Forrest & The Model Citizens, North Warren, Sin.
John Forrest & The Model Citizens are an alternative band based in Minneapolis Minnesota. With an upbeat danceable sound the music tries to capture the changing dynamics of love, self-destruction, loneliness, and isolation in the digital age.
Deserta, Sunshy
Deserta: Through a patchwork of reverb-tinged textures – drone guitars, lingering synths and driving percussion – the Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Matthew Doty weaves together stories of care, frustration and catharsis that ultimately stretch to a gentle resolve. On new album Every Moment, Everything You Need, Doty chronicles the kind of year we all fear, full of uncertainty, tension and sustained pressure, and transforms it into a celebration of perseverance. It’s an essential reminder that we have the power to shape the stories we tell. The LP was mixed by Dave Fridmann (Tame Impala, Mogwai, Interpol), with Beach House and Slowdive producer Chris Coady engineering and co-producing.Sunshy is a noise pop band from Chicago. Their sonic signature weaves together swirling, distorted chords, searing guitar riffs, and captivating vocals, conjuring a cathartic tapestry of ethereal chaos.
Creaturefight, Cam, The Racing Pulses
Creaturefight is good music for moody people.Cam is a singer, rapper, songwriter and producer who has been making music in Chicago since 2018. She’s collaborated with various Chicago indie staples such as Billy Lemos, Jackie Hayes and Don’t Be Kendall, as well as heavy hitter names in the industry like Redveil. They strive to create music and spaces for queer, Black, youths.
Neil Jendon, Dead Bandit, Vertonen, Dungeon Blossoms
Neil Jendon plays solo modular electronic minimalist drone. Get comfortable.Dead Bandit is Ellis Swan and James Schimpl — the former a noted solo singer-songwriter from Chicago with a penchant for eerie, witching hour murder ballads and the latter an accomplished Canadian multi-instrumentalist with a bias towards heartworn, roaming soundscapes. vertonen has been the solo project of Blake Edwards since 1991. His most recent work has focused on reappropriating and manipulating dead and dying media to accentuate communication and its various limitations / frequent failings.
Chrissy Corazza, Curt Oren, Extravision
Chrissy is an Iowa-born Chicago musician who plays bass for a variety of local acts including Janet Blackwell, The Megan Esther Band, and b.lake. Primarily, she sings, writes, and plays bass for the highly collaborative six-piece band Public Ritual.Extravision is a band from Iowa and makes psychedelic prairie music. Their new album “Temporary Fountain” explores a blend of acoustic and electronic instrumentation and experiments with glitchy textures a la Animal Collective, Bon Iver, and Frank Ocean.
somesurprises, Twin Talk, RAYS
somesurprises is the musical project of Egyptian/English American songwriter and guitarist Natasha El-Sergany. Born in Letterkenny, Ireland, and raised in the north of England before moving to Florida at age ten, El-Sergany eventually found home in the evergreen mist of Seattle, WA. What began as a bedroom project focused on spectral balladry and late-night exploration has evolved into a dynamic four-piece band. Motorik beats, reverb-drenched vocals, washes of fingerpicked guitars, and hazy synths expand El-Sergany’s delicate and blissful songwriting.For over a decade, Chicago’s Twin Talk has steadily drifted from the conventions of the saxophone trio. While reedist Dustin Laurenzi, bassist-singer Katie Ernst, and drummer Andrew Green are deeply rooted in jazz tradition, they’ve spent their time on the band stage together making their music more elastic, spontaneous, and open, embracing new inspirations without stifling the improvisational heart of their work. Twin Talk uses live performances as opportunities to stretch—expanding on composed material and ditching set lists in favor of calling tunes on the fly.RAYS is a new band of Chicago music scene stalwarts Andrew Scott Young, Jake Acosta, Skyler Rowe, and Brian Sulpizio. They’re throwing improvisation and composition right into the KitchenAid™️ Stand Mixer and you will not be dissatisfied by the dough they pull out of there. And maybe the oven is the stage or something. The music is the bread or cookies I guess?
The Courts, North by North, LLO LLO
The Courts is a place. Loud rock music from Chicago, IL.North by North is the rock & roll dream of two weirdos from Chicago. Their music has been forged through years of teen angst, twenty-something alienation, sleeping in vans and living on a stage.LLO LLO is a power pop band from Chicago formed in 2021 that takes influences from groups such as The Police, The Replacements, Slow Pulp, Oasis, and Superheaven.
Hero Jr., Low Bright, Dan Bullivant
With an essence somewhere between the power of early Black Sabbath and 70’s British Rock and the intensity of Nirvana and classic Grunge, HERO JR. gives listeners all the expected dynamics, power, and unscripted performances of a great classic rock band, with melodic, lyrical and musical hooks that keep listeners engaged.Low Bright is a rock band from Chicago, IL.
O.P.E., The Bart Attacks, The Marty Bennett Band
O.P.E is an original rock band based out of the Chicagoland area that delivers a high energy sonic experience. O.P.E pushes the boundaries of genre, bringing in elements of rock, fusion, and funk with an emphasis on improvisation to create songs uniquely their own. The Bart Attacks play an eclectic songbook of covers and originals, including the Grateful Dead, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, and traditional Americana. Marty Bennett Band play folk rock
The Ricky Liontones Revue, The Alright Maybes, The Laughing Hearts
Ricky Liontones is a multi talented singer-songwriter from Chicago who has made a name for himself with his unique blend of funk, pop and rock music. With a powerful voice and dynamic stage presence, Ricky quickly gained a following in the Chicago music scene. He has built a fanbase drawn to his high-energy live shows by playing on just about every stage in Chicago and its surrounding cities and performing at festivals like Ruido Fest, Wicker Park Fest, Good Ole Days Fest and Pilsen Fest. He’s shared the stage with Joanna Connor, LA Guns, Demob Happy, Stoner, The Deady Boys, Suzi Moon and countless other incredible musicians.Since their debut in 2021, The Alright Maybes have built a dedicated audience with energetic live shows in the Chicago Area and released 3 EPs and 7 singles. Their music is a modern blend of melodic songwriting, 90s alternative, 60s baroque pop rock, and a touch of new wave. Fans and reviewers have compared them to acts like No Doubt, The Beths, Souxise and the Banshees, and Blondie to name a few.The Laughing Hearts are a rock band from Chicago.