Q&A: Honey & the 45s

Posted on November 22, 2017 by Jessica Braun Gervais in Music, Q&As and tagged Chicago, Chicago band, Chicago music, Honey & the 45s, Honey and the 45s, listen live and local, q&a, Speak.

It’s not easy to make a name in a music scene as large as Chicago’s. With so many talented bands, solid music and a strong lineup simply aren’t enough to push through the noise. On top of delivering unique works, a band needs dedicated members who are constantly pushing boundaries, an important quality that members of Honey & the 45s know all too well.

Five years and three albums later, drummer Dave Brandwein, lead vocalist Kristina Cottone, guitarist Jon Gould, keyboardist Sonya Major and bassist Sean Tatum are continuing to find success in their blend of R&B, soul and rock with their latest EP Speak, a collection of four empowering songs exploring connection and authentic relationships.

Profile: Localpalooza

Posted on July 13, 2017 by Jessica Braun Gervais in Music, Profile Features and tagged ALS, ALS research, Bad Bad Meow, benefit concert, charity festival, Chicago, Elle Casazza, Honey & the 45s, Lincoln Hall, listen live and local, Localpalooza, music festival, Namorado, profile, Rich Jones, Sayers, Simpleton & Cityfolk, The Dyes, The Fox & the hOUNDS, The Ivorys, The Patrick Grange Memorial Foundation.

Thanks to Mike Vogus, organizer of the Annual Localpalooza Chicago Showcase, supporting a worthy cause as has never been so easy. Simply show up at Lincoln Hall on Saturday, July 22nd to enjoy seven Chicago bands, great beer and a chance to win kickass prizes. All proceeds from the event will benefit The Patrick Grange Memorial Foundation, a charity for ALS Research organized in the memory of a local college soccer player.

Patrick Grange was a former University of Illinois-Chicago and University of New Mexico soccer player who was diagnosed with ALS, a nervous system disease that weakens muscles and impacts physical function. In November 2010 at age 28, Grange’s diagnosis made him the youngest person to be diagnosed with the disease in his home state of New Mexico. In hopes of subsidizing medical costs, Grange’s teammates held benefits and fundraisers in Grange’s name. After Grange passed in April 2012, his former teammates were inspired to officially launched The Patrick Grange Memorial Foundation in January 2013. Today, the charity hosts a number of events to raise funds for research, awareness and support for families dealing with ALS.

Q&A: Kristina Cottone

Posted on March 2, 2017 by Jessica Braun Gervais in Music, Q&As and tagged Boston Boy, Bow, Chicago, Chicago music, Honey & the 45s, Kristina Cottone, q&a, rock music, soul music, Uncommon Ground, women in music.

This week may mark the release of Kristina Cottone’s debut EP Bow, but as the lead singer of the soul-rock band Honey & the 45s, Cottone is no stranger to music. She has countless experience playing major stages and opening for national acts such as Andy Grammer in Chicago’s Grant Park, but that doesn’t stop Cottone from nervously jittering as she reminisces about her first solo show in New York this past weekend. She playfully laughs about squeezing the hands of her two best friends while riding the subway to her gig; a giddiness that hasn’t seemed to be put to ease quite yet.

“One of the reasons I did the show in New York is because playing completely alone scares me,” says Cottone.

For the first time in her musical career, Cottone is holding the pressures of the show on her own. She’ll be taking the stage on Friday, March 3rd for an official release show at Uncommon Ground. And while Cottone may be reasonably terrified, she’s clearly excited and proud of her new endeavor as she sits down with Listen Live and Local to share her adventure.Continue Reading