Local Loft Episode 293

"And if you follow, there may be a tomorrow. But if the offer's shunned, you might as well be Walkin' On The Sun." (Steve Harwell, R.I.P. Smashmouth 1997).

We know you, the fan or soon to be fan of original Chicagoland area metal, punk, alternative rock and power pop will closely follow what you'll heart in the next 80 minutes. It's the soundtrack of a lifetime, & the offer to experience this diverse soundtrack doesn't last long, like life, which can be gone tomorrow. 

McKenna is a four-piece Chicago melodic hard rock band, with a solid clear, dark, Gothic vision of the future. They will present that musical vision to a  mostly stuck in a big 80s-time warp crowd, opening for Janet Gardner, singer of long forgotten 80s hair metal band, Vixen, Friday night at Brauerhouse In Lombard. Founder & guitarist Brian McKenna joins me to share that vision, revealed on their debut full length album, Are You Ready?

The future opening of The Illinois Rock & Roll Museum means another long journey to the past, the ragged, biker rock period of the 70s, when The Boyzz From Illinois revved up a Harley soaked, beer swilling good time. And they will relive that short glory period of their 1978 debut album, Too Wild To Tame during a special V.I.P. concert for the museum, September 16th at The Forge in Joliet. While the past can't be relieved any further for Chicago Punk band, The Effigies, whose singer John Kezdy tragically died in a bicycle crash August 29th. I'll have a tribute.

Rick Lancaster is a real rock trooper. Having survived several health scares & hospitalizations. His friends in the Chicago hardcore metal band Whut? came together to help him rock on in life, financially & physically, 10 years ago this week with a special benefit concert at the former Bada Brew in Crest Hill. They reached out to us at The Kat 105.5 and spread the word to help Rick in our air studio. We rock back to it.

Don't shun the offer to get a headbanging, slam dancing earful of an original Chicago rock soundtrack that sadly isn't offered up, not even slightly, on highly restrictive commercial terrestrial radio. We at Local Loft offer you:

McKenna-Time To Go

McKenna-Are Your Ready?

Dave Bellah-Pictures Of The Past

Shoes-In My Arms Again

The Boyzz-Lean N' Mean

The Effigies-Hope And Change

Naked Raygun-Knock Me Down

Worry Club-Suckerpunch

A.D.D.-The Path

Whut? (interview in The Kat 105.5 studio-9/5/13)

Whut?-Punk Is Dead

A Silent Truth-Into the Sun

Habit Of Force-Alive Inside