Attention, Indie Shufflers! We are giving away FIVE 3-day passes to the Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival. Five lucky winners will get to see bands over the course of three days from 12/3-12/5 at various locations throughout the Windy City. Bands include the likes of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, The Right Now, The Skatalites, and many more.
Over the few days, we will be publishing festival previews that give background info on bands you won’t want to miss. Comment below or on our Facebook posts on why you deserve the 3-day passes (make sure to include your full name and e-mail address) and we’ll be announcing winners on Wednesday, December 1.
Below is a round-up of some bands to catch on Friday, December 3:
The Right Now is not only a band that plays soul, but is also a band that has soul. Although The Right Now is a contemporary soul band, they feel like the classics. Songs like “You Will Know” would fit in alongside any Stevie Wonder or Aretha Franklin song on a 12-inch single collection. While other contemporary soul groups celebrate a scene that has died out, The Right Now seem to continue and progress the genre by adding a modern touch to the music.
Chicago transplants Great Divide (originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan) are a talented group of musicians that play what can best be described as a blues-based rock band with funk and country tendencies. I keep seeing the word “honest” being used to describe this band, and I feel like that is the most accurate way to describe them; no frills, no gimmicks just honest, well-crafted music.
These guys sound like a party. Midwest Hype promises, “a dance party of funk, reggae, hip-hop, and just about anything you can imagine” and judging by a few clips of them live on youtube, they will deliver.
Self proclaimed “rock ‘n soul” band How Far to Austin is releasing their EP (produced by Stuart Epps, who has produced bands like Led Zeppelin, Oasis and Elton John) at the Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival. Very melodic and squeaky clean, How Far to Austin is made up of what sound like very able and talented musicians.
Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons (featured)
From what I understand, Cory Chisel is 60% Bob Dylan circa 1965 and 40% Jack White if he had been born 35 years earlier and married Loretta Lynn. If seeing Cory Chisel & The Wandering Sons is anything like their music video for the song “Born Again,” then they are not a band to miss because frankly, they sound and look fantastic. Tasteful country music with a powerful rock and roll structure tied together by a great voice. These guys sound promising, do not miss them.