The Congregation

Classic soul meets rock and roll in this dynamic eight-piece collective from Chicago. The Congregation features Gina Bloom, a singer whose raw and powerful vocals are underscored by Charlie Wayne’s dynamic guitar riffs, the band’s rock and soul rhythm section and the lively call and response of a three-piece horn section. When it comes to the songwriting, you won’t find any sugarcoated love songs here–you’ll get a little bit of longing and a whole lot of wronging.While the 2012 release of "Right Now Everything" marked the band’s full-length album debut, The Congregation has been steadily gaining steam since the release of its seven-song EP, "Not for Sleepin", in late 2010. The band was named by the Chicago Tribune as one of “11 Bands to Watch in 2011” and was featured in Paste Magazine as one of “10 Illinois Bands You Should Listen to Now”. The Congregation’s stop-and-take-notice sound and electrifying live sets have earned the group the opportunity to share bills with acclaimed artist such as Wilco, Andrew Bird, the Flaming Lips and Buddy Guy! The band has also been featured on the small screen--performing on ABC7's "Windy City Live", WGN's "Music Lounge", Science Channel's "Through The Wormhole with Morgan Freeman" and an upcoming episode of BBC's "Horizon" set to air this spring. The Congregation is currently placing the finishing touches on its upcoming album release,"Record Collection".

• http://thecongregationband.com/