Q&A: Zoofunkyou

Posted on January 16, 2018 by Jessica Braun Gervais in Music, Q&As and tagged Andy Boyd, Austin, Bottom Lounge, Bowling Green, Bryan Scheinkopf, Captain Coopersmith, Cassidy Kapson, Chicago, Chicago music, Chop Shop, Cleveland, Derek Dare, DJ Soul Candy, funk, Funk Vendetta, House of Blues, Iowa City, Island #36, jam bands, Kung Fu, Les Claypool, listen live and local, live music, live show, Lush, Marshal Towsky, Matt Mitchell, Michigan, Midwest, Milwaukee, MOE Chuck and Vinnie, Mungion, New Orleans, No Keeper, North Coast, Peach Fest, q&a, Snoop Dogg, south, Starkville, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Sublime, Tesheva, The Main Squeeze, The Peach Festival, Toast of the Coast, tour, Tupac, Wanyama, Willy Waldman Project, Zoofunkyou.

The new year has only just begun, but Zoofunkyou has already entered 2018 in full swing. On January 19th, the Chicago-based jam band will be embarking on their first extended tour starting with a hometown show at Chop Shop. The tour covers most of the Midwest and a number of funk-infused cities across the south and follows their first 2018 release; a live album recorded during their October 27th show at Bottom Lounge.

Vocalist and guitarist Derek Dare, guitarist Bryan Scheinkopf, bass guitarist Matthew Coglianese & the band’s manager Andy Boyd gathered in their practice space at Kildare Studios to share their tour details and to discuss the rest of their plans for 2018.

Q&A: The Just Luckies

Posted on June 15, 2017 by Jessica Braun Gervais in Music, Q&As and tagged Americana, Bottom Lounge, Chicago, Chicago band, Chicago music, listen live and local, local music, music release, new album, New Music, q&a, The Just Luckies, twang punk.

Members of The Just Luckies have a hard time describing their sound. With various musical influences flooding their creativity, they’ve settled on the label twang-punk. Sonically, their instrumentals and vocals fall within the realm of Americana. A hint of a southern accent can be heard in the lead vocals, backed by touches of ukulele and uplifting beats. Their lyrics and individual personalities, however, are the epitome of punk. They embrace their uniqueness and use their music as a tool to comment on various types of relationships and today’s political culture.

Gathered in a glass conference room in the back of Portage Grounds on Chicago’s northwest side, vocalist KC Weldon, drummer Shea Briggs, guitarist Nat Greene and bassist Lucy Diavolo share the ins and outs of creating their latest album Lovesick Politics and discuss what it’s like growing within Chicago’s music scene.

Profile: Girls Rock! Chicago

Posted on March 30, 2017 by Jessica Braun Gervais in Music, Profile Features and tagged Bottom Lounge, Burlington Bar, camp for girls, Chicago, Chicago camp, female bands, Frontwoman Fest, Girls Rock! Chicago, Impossible Colors, Josephinum Academy, listen live and local, Metro, music, music camp, music programs, No Men, profile, school, So Pretty, Sports Boyfriend, sumer camp, Thalia Hall, The Cell Phones, The Empty Bottle, The Just Luckies.

Wouldn’t it have been great to spend a week of your childhood learning to be a rock star? A real, bona fide rock star with the necessary skills to not only play an instrument; but also to record music, promote a show and play a kick a$$ set.

Well luckily for the kids of today, Girls Rock! Chicago, a nonprofit organization, is offering just that with a variety of programs for girls, transgender and gender nonconforming youth.