Local Loft

Local Loft Episode 57

Metal Midlothian...It's close enough to Joliet...one of the greater Chicagoland area's biggest cities for original Metal bands to unleash their music on the world.  Vent To Atmosphere rocked Cheer's (formerly Sullivan's irish Pub) sending a packed crowd into mosh insanity with songs from thier full length CD,Origins.  VTA contains one of the most powerful metalcore singers,Cory James,who first layed his angry, emotional & firey voice on audiences with Dark Passenger ,& the obscure experimental duo,Today's Wreckage. I talk to him & the rest of the band about the new CD & a followup they're already working on.
 
Along with VTA's fury...you'll be brain slamming to grooves by:
Vent To Atmosphere-Devil's Advocate
Vent To Atmosphere-Facelift
Today's Wreckage-My Condolences (Lost Our Innocence)
Headspins-My Way or the Highway
Joker-Stand Up,Shout It Out
Black Road-Bloody Mary
Static Signal-Limbo
StabTwistPull-Won Love (featuring Holly Smith of Hot Dang)
Faces Of The Bog-The Weaver
Soulsharer-Tower
Endgame-Hold It Back

Local Loft Episode 56

From the hardcore sludge of RealBadRealFast to the horny (as in horn section) hair metal of Loveblast...More choice examples as to why the Chicago area's original local music scene is alive & well & thriving,thrashing & ready to explode.
Chicago trio RealBadRealFast makes it up as they rock along. That's a really good thing. I talk to all three members about their spontaneous blast of Grunge Hardcore Punk before they rocked a Sunday night crowd into a furious trance at Wire in Berwyn.
 
in addition to them,you're pogoing down the Easter Bunny trail with:
 
RealBadRealFast-Tombstone
RealBadRealFast-Ghost Train
Interdependence-Human
Vent To Atmosphere-Voices Call
Pipe-Play That Johnny Cash Song
Bullet To The Heart-Locked inside
When Night Falls-Dusk
Hellshock-The Once And Future King
Dirge Within-For My Enemies
Subsum-Pipe Dreams
Loveblast-Show Me Some Crazy

Local Loft Episode 55

From Kings of Local Power Pop...to Gods of Midwest Metal (OK that's overdoing it) But creative songs in any genre can make even artists around the Chicagoland area Rock N Roll Royalty.
On this double nickel episode of Local Loft...Kevin Lee has been a mainstay in the local scene since 1992. His big hooks & chunky guitars are impossible to resist. The band theat backs him has changed lineups a few times,but  rocked the foundations off Wire in Berwyn. I talk to Kevin about the Kings first new album in 4 years,coming later this year.
Along with big hooks and chunky guitars...your entire being lured into cyberspace by:
Kevin Lee & The Kings-Burn It Down
Kevin Lee & The Kings-Gold Digger
Stellar West-R.T.F.
Mandatory Abortions-Trust No One
Sinister Fate-Trust/Obey
Shallow State-To Live For
Fool's Brew-The Parade
Endgame-One Last Time
El Famous-The Eulogy
99 Proof Devils-Never Give Up
ModiFire-Rite
Whut?-Skeletons Revisited

Local Loft Episode 54

You'll be entranced in grunge when you listen to East Avenue from Oak Park. I interview this highly innovative 4 peice band,whose demo recordings sound quite densely produced & detailed. i talk to them after they rocked Wire in Berwyn off its foundations
Along with them,you're motorvatin down the wild cyberspace highway with:
East Avenue-PunchEast Avenue-Towel By The DoorBolthorn-Howl Of The WolfEverything Must Die-Smoke Weed,Eat PeopleSons Of Ra-XenoglossiaFlatfoot 56-Ty CobbThe Red Moons-MisuseSo Called Saints-GhostI Hate People-I Didn't Care Then & I Don't Care NowA Silent Truth-Into The SunA Dying Ultimatum-All I Do Is WinVaraha-CublcleTop Shelf Lickers-Vinyl

Local Loft Episode 53

Local music cures the savage Irish hangover. But I hope you reach for this 1 hour nine minute soundtrack, with the intention of overimbibing on more original local music, in a live concert setting. 
 
Crystal Lake's Wrecked rocks much harder & solid than it's name would imply. Nothing sloppy.but something very catchy, that major indie label band,Emperors and Elephants noticed to male Wrecked a co-headlining act.
I talk to the melodic hard rockers before they played a local music showcase show at Krew Rock Lounge in Berwyn.
Along with them..your brain tissue is rocked & grooved by:
Wrecked-Enemy
Wrecked-Remember Me
Two Ton Anvil-Broken & Bleeding
No Shelter-Edge Of The World
Blackmarket Democracy-Ugly
Soulsharer-Restraint
One Steel Wound-Bury Me
Face The Fire-Burn Me
9th Street Memory-Tailights
Prison City Brigade-Mixed Signals
Southpaw-False Pretense

Local Loft Episode 52

From Chicago's Western Burbs...Almost Live. It's another beer soaked & music drenched excursion around the rockin state of illinois.
Since 2008, Veilside has been cranking a polished but very high energy melodic Metal.
It's very radio friendly, but many mainstream & active rock stations haven't given them wide exposure, The 5 piece band has a new line up with female guitar shredder,Sharon Cline, who takes over for their former guitarist, the late Tom Finnely,& blends right in with the distincive power vocal of Tony Engel,& the crushing rhythm section of drummer Ron Thomas,bassist Bob Cabo Hilton & guitarist Russ Odean. I caught up with them again,before their first gig at Brauerhouse in Lombard.
Along with Veilside,you're headbanging & gettin Irish jiggy with:
Veilside-Left Town
Veilside-Barrel of the Gun
Hellbound Sons-Nowhere (live from Wire,Berwyn (10-1-16)
Bad Mother-Gone
East Avenue-Reboot
Our Broken View-The Great Escape
Arcadia-Beneath The Sun
Punch Cabbie-World Unknown
The Steepwater Band-Shake Your Faith
Flatfoot 56-Penny
Wrecked-Hey MotherF&^#er

Local Loft Episode 51

This podcast edition is SICK (in more ways than one) The music selection,using the term sick that means ultra intense & rockin. But your humble host gets hit with a hacking cough & nasal drip spell thanks to the up & down late winter weather pattern.
But the show must go on!
From the sludgy fast,but bluesy Stoner Punk Metal of Black 4, to the Metal Opera of Nephilium. The heavily distorted guitar sound of Realbadrealfast,you'll be a believer that the greater Chicago area's local scene knoes no limit in diversity. Black 4 join me to talk about their music at Star Bar in Chicago Ridge.
 
Along with them, your cold germs are dissolved away by:
Black4-Cougar Love
Black4-Breezy Deezy
Evil Engine-Radio Coup D'Etat (Nullius En Verba EP version)
Nephilium-Disciplined
Realbadrealfast-Binary
Lynch-M.A.D.
Wrecked-Mind's Eye
In The Hour-Lite-Brite
Torn Between-Cut The Cord
Beyond Threshold-The Ethic of Conviction
Veilside- My Last Lie (I Promise)

Local Loft Episode 50

As one legendary venue closes, the door of opportuntity for many local bands to get exposure opems wide.
 
I'd like to believe I help a vast number of bands in the Metal,Alt Rock, Prog Rock, & even Punk get the worldwide recognition that expands fanbases, if not leads to that first breakthrough hit.
 
Evil Engine may be most recognizable bevause of its frontwoman, Kryssie Ridolphi. She became a TV star last year, because of her day job, a sassy Ed Debevic waitress. But singing has been her first career. Her awesome vocal style helps this intelligent 4 piece Chicago Punk band become a rock force to be taken seriously. I talk to Kryssie, bassist Mike Skull,drummer Colin Holmes,& new guitar player Jamie Biith, as they endured a long period of waiting. to rock a pumped up ar Livewire Lounge,in Chicago's Jefferson Park neighborhood,with songs from their first EP, Nullius En Verba
 
Along with them, we keep our local music motor runnin with:
Evil Engine-Radio Coup D'Etat
Evil Engine-The Resistance
Whut-Punk Is Dead
DaemonWeed-Sabbaddon
Redneck Remedy-Bid U Farewell
Guardrail-You're Fired
Bishop's Daredevil Stunt Club-Miscast
Pound Of Flesh-Lost My Way
Flatfoot 56-Winter In Chicago
Phosphene- Jeckyll & Hyde
Ultrea-This Dream (Can't Take It Away)
Black 4-Double Mono

Local loft Episode 49

Award winning thrash,screamo,progressive and melodic Metal from all over the Illinois map,including the greater Chicagoland area. I wouldn't start polishing a Grammy for these prominent local bands,but what you'll hear is a winning combination that will be deemed first prize when you start movin & groovin along.
 
Tony Raygor,guitarist & founder of Joliet thrash band Deadman's Hand, has won awards for his awesome shredding. But there's much more to the band than just his soloing. Singer Dutch Devries provides a powerful hard hitting singing style. They just released their first full length CD,Decade Decayed. I talk to them before they rocked a packed crowd at Bada Brew in Crest Hill into a frenzy.
 
Along with them...your rock adrenaline & stamina are pushed past the limit with:
 
Deadman's Hand-Deep
Deadman's Hand-Call Me A Saint
November's Doom-Plague Bird
Faith In The Fallen-Make Way
Oblivion Worship-Serpent Summoning
TanZen-Blade
Emperors And Elephants-Hint Of Red
Depremacy-Rise Of The Usurper
Immortal Reaping-Let Heaven Burn
Blackwater-Animal Mother
Veilside- Barrell Of The Gun

Local Loft Episode 48

DeadMan's Hand comes alive...again in Crest Hill,as Speaking With Ghosts doesn't totally throuw a Dead man's sleepover party...during the annoual Snuz Fest... at Wire in Berwyn. More awake inducing than a heavy dose of caffine. it's the newest,rawest & rockinest original music from all corners & boundaries of Illinois.. including the greater Chicagoland area.
 
They stayrd alive & active in the local scene last year as a contender to play Vans Warped Tour in tinley Park & as a headlining act at House of Blues. Speaking With Ghosts returns with The Boy Who Lived,th follow up to to their 2014 debut EP, Searching For Direction. I talk to singer Ryan Wilmot, & 3 other members about the new music from Wire.
 
Along with them, you will be rocked out of your skeleton by:
Speaking With Ghosts-The Departure
Speaking With Ghosts-The Boy Who Lived
Rebuild & Rebound-Keep It Secret, Keep It Safe
DeepSpacePilots-Nebulizer
13-Monsters-The Bessemer Process
Wicked Soul-Remember Me
False Hope Fades-Striven
Straightjacket-Obscene
The Mights-The Only Ones
DeadMan's Hand-Season of the Wolf