Local Loft

Local Loft Episode 103

Summer's here,and the time is right,for punking in the streets. Are you a skate punk,an oi punk,or do you just consider wearing combat boots a fashion statement. Whatever kind of Punk rocker you are,you'll be slam dancing and fist pumpin' to the new collection of local Chicago and Illinois hard rock,Punk,Metal and more.
I catch up with Chicago's most kick ass and coherent Punk band,Evil Engine. After conquering a nationwide TV audience,on WGN Morning News,they now get a Memorial Day Weekend crowd at Reggies Music Joint pogoing to the ceiling.
The Rockford area unleashes another aggressive Metal act in Marks of Gray,and Consume the Divide can't totally spilt apart from it's longtime reentering and exiting frontman,Dan Hardman.
Along with these, you're jamming to the heavens with:
Evil Engine-Upstanding Citizen
Evil Engine-Egression
Parker-On My Own
Marks Of Gray-Make Your Nark
Consume The Divide-The Masked One
The Everscaved-Hammers at Dawn
Wrath-My Rage
The Eldritch Grimoire-The Tragedy
Vile Cynic-As Good As Dead
Convoy-U.S.M.C

Local Loft Episode 102

The defining sounds of the Chicagoland area and State of Illinois always rocking local music scene,sometimes without the textbook defintiions. We won't deal with elaborate explanations,the music will do the talking and rocking.
Four man Chicago Metal band Comfort Scarcity has made a name opening for Pantera frontman Phil Anselmo,Saving Abel and many more. They have an old school sound that recalls Dokken,Metal Church,even Alice in Chains.But try to call them a Metal band,and they will frown on it. I talk to them as they get a Friday night crowd groovin at Q Bar in Darien.
From the area where Metal reigns supreme more than even the city of Chicago,Joliet,comes Next To Eternity with an extensive growling attack to their music. Ignesent unleashes the passionate vocal delivery of Jennifer Benson,who has a very powerful sound,that's quite natural,and a bit electronically enhanced.
Along with these,you'll blast away Mother Nature's psychotic stormy weather threats with:
Comfort Scarcity-Target Acquired
Comfort Scarcity-Dark Repertoire
Misfire-Godless
The Radiations-Strung Out
Next To Eternity-Dead To Rights
Ignescent-Into The Night
Phosphene-Riot
Khaos Ordinance-Epiquit
Fool's Brew-The Faceless
M & R Rush-When Melvin Drives The Bus

Local Loft Episode 101

In like a lion...out like a screaming,grunting singing monster!
Another music packed month comes to an end with a a new lineup for one of the most aggressive,but progressive, female fronted bands on the Chicago area music scene.
!3-Monsters welcomes a new bassist and drummer to keep the groove and beat going behind eclectic frontwoman Deb Sonzo,& extraordinary guitarist Jamie Rhiani. I talk to the new lineup as they play their first gig at Wire in Berwyn.
Veilside comes out of hibernation to rock away Autism,with their annual benefit show in Palatine. I give you the details on who else lands a hand to Breaking the Silence. Central Disorder wings it to Barrington Hills to provide local support for Soulfly singer Marc Rizzo.
Along with these, your ear lobes are roaring to the sounds of:
13-Monsters-Ditch (Live-Chicago Music Guide)
13-Monsters-Ship
Monk 9-Wonderful
Racing The Sun-Smokehouse
Veilside-Till You And I
From Those Ashes-What Lies Within
Deathrun-Captain Originality Saves the D.I.Y. Scene
No Dead Heroes-Transitions Forward
Anger-Listen Up,Man
Fool's Brew-Ghostwriters
Central Disorder-Save The Hero
 
 
 
 

Local Loft Episode 100

It's the beginning...the beginning of the century,mark that is!
For one hundred episodes,and slightly over four years,I've traveled far and wide across the Chicago Southlands,northwest,and western burbs,and North and South Sides of the city to discover the newest,hardest rocking and creative bands and artists who always have fresh,catchy original music that must be heard and enjoyed. And the ride is far from over.
April 2014 is when I first checked out our Chicago Ridge Metalcore band Our Broken View,opening for national acts Wayland and 40 Below Summer. Even in their early beginnings, they had a hard driving,excessive headbanging groove,which made them a sure fire headlining band. I talk to singer Bryan Watkins, for the first time in 5 years,as they rock a hometown crowd at TC's Too.
Kankakee based Alt Rock band,Carrying Torches are no strangers to receiving well deserved awards for their eclectic music and lyrics. They get another one in their home base. And 20 Spot further puts the Rock in the Rockford area's stellar lineup at the biggest event of this new season,Midwest Springfest, in Barrington Hills April 20th. Oh,and a smokin 'number from Everything Must Die will permeate the cyberspace airwaves,long after Hemp Day,4/20 is a drugged out memory.
Along with these,your sinus cavities are cleared out by the loud energy of:
Our Broken View-The Great Escape
Our Broken View-Make Him Famous
Bloodletter-Under The Dark Mark
20 Spot-Lies
Genotype-Cyberfi
Absentmind-Reap What You Sow
MH Chaos-Hammer Of Chaos
Everything Must Die-Smoke Weed Eat People
Carrying Torches-Strangers
The Ions-The Gemini
13-Monsters-Perfectly Imperfect
Atlanta Is Burning-Downshift
 
 
 

Local Loft Episode 99

From Oswego to Ottawa,Bourbonnais to Berwyn, another extended original hard rock,metal,punk,alternative rock,grunge and punk pop groove will be cut,and will penetrate through land and air through the magic of cyberspace.
I head back to Wire in Berwyn to talk with Westmore. This four piece Pop Punk band from Oswego has been winning over a big fan base with their awesome melodic but aggressive,upbeat sound. Singer Darren Lewis and bassist Alex Jasiak fill me in on a new rock meets rap direction the band is working on to follow up their acoustic EP,Clear Thinking and 2017 debut, My Shortcut Home.
Man and Woman do not live (and rock to) digital downloads alone. I spin vinyl (in honor of Record Store Day,April 13th) from Chicago hardcore punk rockers Modern Day Rippers,and Wvrship,featuring a creative bass player cousin in my family.
13-Monsters roars back with two new members for the eclectic heavy alternative band,fronted by passionate,powerful singer Deb Sonzo. Find out where the new lineup will be unleashed. And the Monster of all local concert events of the new season,Midwest Springfest, is about to kick off in Barrington Hills,where grunge rock gets a big resurgence with representation by two bands from Rockford.
Along with all of these, the pogoing side of your personality springs into action with:
Westmore-Skywalker
Westmore-My Shortcut Home
Top Shelf Lickers-Vinyl
My Broken View-Runaway
Catapult The Propaganda-F-Bomb
The Kringe-Cracked
Monroe-Trickery
Modern Day Rippers-Yeah,Yeah/Scumbag City (vinyl)
Wvrship-After Time (vinyl)
The Blank Standard_Dumptruck Full Of Zombies
13-Monsters-The Bessemer Process
 
 

Local Loft Episode 98

Winter chased by Springtime,but you,the local music fan, are not chased away from the new original metal,alt-rock,punk,punk pop and grunge music that is in great abundance throughout the Chicagoland area and state of Illinois,Keep in toujch with bands and artists that will keep you coming back for more, on another jam packed edition of Local Loft.
From the Berwyn,Riverside and Downers Grove areas come Cliffhanger. The five man punk pop band was discovered by an active pogoing crowd at the 2017 Vans Warped Tour in Milwaukee. I talk to them as they unleash their upbeat tunes from their new EP,Old Wounds, on a Sunday night crowd at Wire in Berwyn.
Oblivion Zero polishes their not so basic Metal sound of extensive instrumental heavy guitar solos and melodic vocals on their new full length CD,Reverant,which they'll lay on the public at a release show in Braidwood.
It a kick ass combo of Old School thrash Metal and very young talent , with Misfire, a four man band from New Lenox who sound like a Metallica rebirth,but not totally.
Along with these, you're hanging on to a diverse groove and headbanging to the extreme with
Cliffhanger- Barbed Wire Bat
Cliffhanger- Lost Cards
Tutu and the Pirates-Wham Bam,Son of Sam
Misfire-Sympathy for the Ignorant
End of Anarchy-Him Is Me
Dead Original-Fade to Light
Lever-Lay Low (Shooting Distance)
No Clear Way-The Forgotten
Greywall-Wait
Remnants of a Rebellion-Ghost
Oblivion Zero-Stranger Shores
 

Local Loft Episode 97

Feeling lucky...you local music loving punk! (er a fanatic). don't need no luck of the Irish to check out new kickin, original hard rock,metal,punk alt rock and grunge from all over the Chicagoland area and state of illinois.  It's here for another action packed hour.
Just when you thought it was safe to not hear the 90s aggressive,angst ridden throwback known as grunge, get ready for Lever. The four piece band from Crystal Lake is not only angry screaming vocals and excessively distorted guitars. It's not all a nostalgic trip either. I find out just what makes their music different, as I talk to them before they explode head tops at a gig at Brauerhouse in Lombard.
Black Road let's the blood,along with the psychedelic groove,flow on a new single,as the Chicago doom rock band motors down to the historic South By Southwest festival in Austin Texas. Born of Osiris provides a non jig dancing,blarney stone kissing alternative to St. Patrick's day festivities.
Along with this,you're playing air shillelagh and chugging a cold Guiness to:
Lever-Brainwashed
Lever-Save The Best For last
Led Pig-She Wore A Wig
Ancient Seance-Cryptic Lullabies
Black Road-Blood On The Blade
Dear Deadly-Very Wicked Things
Alethia-Guilty
Cassandra Ann (Blacken The Day)-The Color Of White
Blacken The Day-Pedestal
Born Of Osiris-Cycles Of Tragedy
 
 

Local Loft Episode 96

Loud,aggressive,fast & powerful enough to melt faces,or melt Mother Nature's psychotic ice and snow wrath...the newest and best original hard rock,metal,punk and alt rock from around the Chicagoland region and state of Illinois comes crashing through the cyberspace stratosphere on Local Loft.
They might have a cult following of fans,but Evanston's Infamous Martyrs should have a religious one, if only because of their name. Their music can draw a mass following of 90s grunge or alternative rock fans. I talk to the four piece band as they rock a mosh crazy crowd at Wire in Berwyn,with new music from their second EP,Something's Wrong.
With enough break neck speed rhythms and ear exploding power chords to whip audiences inot a headbanging frenzy,Oblivion Zero from downstate Pontiac gets their night to growl once again with their first full length CD,Reverent. I've got a sneak listen to one of the first tracks before it comes out March 30th.
Joliet's DeadMan's Hand gets it's time to bark (at the moon above The Forge in their hometown) not growl, as they open for a former Ozzy Osbourne axeman.
Along with these,you're ripping the volume knob of your stereo system into oblivion with:
Infamous Martyrs-Something's Wrong
Infamous Martyrs-Empathy
From The Start-Sorry Is For Suckers
Vile Cynic-Lightbringer
Oblivion Zero-Torn Into Oblivion
Act of Destruction-The Storm
DeadMan's Hand-Reborn Again
Her Worst Nightmare-Found In A Pool Of Blood
Architects Of Ruin-Distant Titans
Evil Engine-Upstanding Citizen
 

Local Loft Episode 95

More original hard rock,metal,punk and alt rock from the Chicagoland area and state of illinois hot and intense enough to melt Mother Nature's psychotic snow and ice threats. To do this,we must think outside the burning box.
On this new,friendly and somewhat romantic episode,i journey to Brauerhouse in Lombard to meet up with Dave Bellah,an old buddy from my radio DJ days on the most ass kicking rock station on the planet,The Kat 105.5. Dave is an accomplished musician,singer,and guitarist,who just last year, unleashed his debut CD,Think Outside the Burning Box. It's an awesome collection of blues rock,southern rock,pub rock,country adn features stellar lead and slide guitar solos. I get the scoop from him about the making of the CD.
Kankakee hardcore rockers Ephinepic don't hold back in unleashing their monster follow up to their 2016 debut EP,Ignite.
Veteran power pop legends Off Broadway are back with their original 1979-80 lineup to Stay in Time with old and new fans.
Along with these,winter weather advisories are melted away with the fierce riffs and grooves of:
Dave Bellah-Pictures of the Past
Dave Bellah-Say What You Gotta Say
M & R Rush-Reckless Love (written by Jim Peterik)
Ephinepic-Hot Monster
Architects of Ruin-Cast The First Stone
Shokker-Adrenaline
Battle Royale-Nailed To The Ex
Fastplants-Spread The Stoke
Evil Engine-Degneration
The Eradicator-I Am The Eradicator
Flatfoot 56-Winter In Chicago
Cliff Johnson-1,2,3 (1986 Off Broadway Demo)

Local Loft Episode 94

From Metal Midlothian to Punky Peotone...and all points north,south,east and west...you're headbanging in the right direction for another assault of original local metal,punk,alt-rock and punk pop. From the greater Chicagoland area and state of Illinois,they come rocking with no holds barred.
I head to Cheers Pub in Midlothian to get the official word on the making of Central Disorder's first full length album,Eradication. CD frontman & singer Rob Peto fills us in on the big production,pile driving rhythms and intense guitar riffs and screaming vocls that made the record the most acclaimed local metal album of 2018.
The local Punk scene gets a race makeover, with a new independent film on how African American bands are a big part of it. Erzulie and Blackmarket Democracy are featured in Afropunk.
Along with them,ice covered surroundings,not just faces are melted as you crank up:
Central Disorder-Consumed
Central Disorder-No Salvation
Vicious Attack-I Am
Vicious Attack-Blood Countess
Spillage-Blood Of Angels
Spyderbone-Wolves In The Temple
Erzulie-Demons
Blackmarket Democracy-Buckshot Republic
Evil Engine-Get The Gun