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Browsing all posts tagged with chicago bands.
05/06/13
The Inspiring “City Lights” of Chicago – Ryan Powers and The Secret Weapons release The Goodnight Goodbye Hour at Lincoln Hall
The beautiful city lights in Chicago sparked a romantic story that led me to write the song “City Lights” for my band, Ryan Powers and The Secret Weapons. On Saturday, May 18th at Lincoln Hall, I couldn’t be happier to be releasing the album that song is on. “City Lights” is romance in the darkness, infatuation in the rain, all set to the backdrop of this city that I call home. The city has inspired this vintage pop, romantic escape, lifting someone’s spirits, and trying to lift my own.
I am so excited to share this album with everyone, and when I began to start promoting its release I realized how odd a thing self-promotion is. I have my most important show to date coming up on 5/18 and I want to handle it in the right way. So, I have to be confident, but not cocky. I have to encourage and excite, but not exploit or act entitled. So how is that done? Not entirely sure other than be myself, share the romance this city and its people have inspired, try to express just how happy and proud I am of these new songs, and to make sure I invite everyone I’ve ever met to come to our show. Also, it’s not an easy thing to ask for help. But, it always helps if you do it in the right way, and hopefully I am.
So here’s my pitch: I love these songs. I love the guys I play them with. And if you would be up for sharing our music with your friends, I would love that too. The album is available for advanced streaming at here. Hope to see you Saturday, May 18th at Lincoln Hall.
Musically yours,
Ryan
Tags: "City Lights", album, album release party, Chicago artist, chicago bands, Chicago music, concerts, lincoln hall, Lincoln Hall shows, music performances, Ryan Powers and the Secret Weapons, Ryan Powers music, vintage pop
09/08/11
Chicago Band Map & Atlases at 1st A.V. Fest
Unless you’re some sort of magic snowman reading this blog in a Wi-Fi equipped freezer somewhere, you probably don’t want summer in Chicago to end. Part of the problem of losing the warm weather is it means we have to temporarily say goodbye to the gajillion music festivals that take place here. But before winter hits and the magic snowmen reclaim the streets, the pop-culture/entertainment website The A.V. Club is bringing us one more outdoor festival.
On September 10 and 11, the very first A.V. Fest will be held in Chicago. The fest, which features twelve indie rock bands, will take place outside The Hideout on Wabansia and Elston Avenues from 12pm to 10pm. Champaign, IL band Hum and North Carolina band Archers of Load are the headliners while local Chicago bands Maps & Atlases and Disappears will also be playing.
And the best part: IT’S FREE! But be sure to give the $10 suggested donation, a portion of which will benefit Rock for Kids. So go and enjoy some cool music in the city before you need to put on a parka to do so! For a complete schedule and to RSVP go to: http://www.avclub.com/fest/
David Lauer, Fall Intern
Tags: abc, archers of load, chicago, chicago bands, chicago charitable events, chicago events, chicago music festivals, disappears, free weekend events, hum, maps and atlases, music events, rock for kids, the a.v. club, the hideout, weekend events, windy city live
09/01/11
Material Issue: Chicago’s Most Underrated Band?
Hungry for some new music to listen to? Then let me point your attention to the band Material Issue. Although technically not “new” per se, this amazing band formed in 1985 right here in Chicago. In 1991, Material Issue released one of the best pop albums ever, International Pop Overthrow, and broke on to the national music scene. Unfortunately, it seems as if the band had either arrived too early or too late with their fresh take on straight forward pop music. By the time they released their second (and equally great) album, grunge bands like Nirvana and new alternative sounds from the likes of fellow Chicago band The Smashing Pumpkins had taken hold. Sadly, the world never got to see Material Issue recover their popularity as frontman Jim Ellison committed suicide in 1996.
But now Chicagoans have a chance to relive one of pop music’s greatest bands by going to Lincoln Hall on September 17th. The surviving members of Material Issue, now billed Material Re-Issue, are performing for International Pop Overthrow’s 20th anniversary in the city that they call home. And yeah, I know, sometimes these whole “bands without all the original member” reunion things can be kind of… lame. For instance, the Beach Boys without Brian Wilson – or Sublime without Brad Nowell – or Pink Floyd without Floyd! But even a diluted version of Material Issue is worth seeing just to hear some of the best music ever to come out of Chicago.
For more information on the upcoming show at Lincoln Hall go to: http://lincolnhallchicago.com
Dave Lauer, intern
Tags: chicago, chicago bands, chicago concerts, international pop overthrow, jim ellison, lincoln hall, material issue, material re-issue, Music, nirvana, the smashing pumpkins