Heave Media

Windy City Watch

A weekly look at bands on the rise in the Chicagoland area.

We here at HEAVE are proud Chicagoans. We like ridiculously deep-dish pizza, we argue about Chicago baseball teams and most of us like Wilco. So we feel it's our duty to spread the word on wonderful bands in the Chicago land area, putting people in the know on all the up and coming talent here in the Windy City. But before we start educating you on the new; we must first deal with the now. The following is a list of the top five acts in Chicago that are already getting some much-deserved attention.

1. Office - This band first came onto the Chicago scene playing infectious pop music while dressed in cubicle attire. Last month they played a free show at Schubas, and the line stretched out the door and around the block to get into the packed venue - a far cry from their humble start back in 2000. A Night at the Ritz was just released on the James Iha owned Scratchy Records, and is already gaining national attention.

2. Flosstradamus - They’ve been a staple in the Chicago nightclub scene for a while now. Flosstradamus is now branching out - starting play everywhere from Oslo, Norway to Austin, Texas. Catch them while you can. Mixing and mashing an eclectic batch of music, Flosstradamus can get anyone on the dance floor.

3. Cool Kids - I first saw/heard of this band thanks to their friendship with Flosstradamus. They played a killer set this past year at SXSW opening for Bonde Do Role. Much like Flosstradamus, their tracks are heard in almost every Chicago club – dominating much of the nightlife’s soundtrack. And with a name like Cool Kids, you know there has to be something cool about them, right?

4. Headlights - Technically Headlights isn't a Chicago band (they hail from the Champaign, IL). Saying they’re a Chicago band is sort of like having a trendy mall punk say he's from Chicago when he spent his whole life in Arlington Heights. But just like those loveable trendy suburbanites that we welcome into our city with open arms, we welcome Headlights into every local venue and bar weekend after weekend. Headlights music is driven, strong and precise, yet light and airy at the same time. Lead singer Erin Fein's wispy voice makes a sweet combination that will find its way onto any iPod as fall rolls along.

5. Catfish Haven - I wasn't a huge fan of Catfish Haven when I first heard the band. They received rave reviews from Spin and seemed like a nice bunch of guys; but I just couldn't get into their music. It finally clicked when I saw them live on a random Friday night. Catfish Haven has a gritty blues-rock sound that really works best with a side of whiskey in a dark smoky bar. Vocalist George Hunter has that raw, emotional sound that is a bit too harsh to hear in the daylight, but feels just right around 11 pm.

If you have any suggestions for band that I should profile from the Chicago area, e-mail me at lisa@heavemedia.com , because I'm here to spread the gospel of Chicago musicians, one band at a time.

Posted by Lisa White on Sep 20, 2007 @ 12:00 am