Fri, Feb 25 - 9pm - $10

Chicago power-trio King Sparrow’s take on punk-infused pop/garage music is centered around lead singer and guitarist Eric Ides Georgevich, whose infatuation with Delta blues singer Robert Johnson and the darker old-world Slavic melodies he often tapped his foot to as a child, led him to develop a vocal style that is unique to the rock world. King Sparrow sounds like a loud, guitar heavy, rhythmically succinct band fronted by a crooning rock and roller, mixing up-tempo rock with more laid-back vocals and lyrics with an old-time mystic feel. The rest of the band, which formed in Chicago in 2008, consists of high school friends and long-time bandmates Sean Price on bass, and drummer John McGeown.Drawing inspiration from the city of Chicago itself and a wide range of genres including rhythm and blues, punk and bands such as Fugazi, The Stooges, Jawbreaker, and The Kinks, King Sparrow began writing their music with a strong emphasis on the raw emotion and energy of their live performances as well as a keen sense of melody.In October of 2010, the band released a debut, full-length album following their 2008 5-song EP Derailer which has received many positive reviews from the media; they were also named as Best Emerging Band by Windy City Rock in 2008 and The Deli Magazine (Chicago) in 2009.

 Warm Ones is the brevity that speaks in perfect harmony. Equal parts after-school special and soft porn, the Chicago four-piece specializes in aggressively catchy indie rock songs that range from bubble gum pop, found on such tracks as “Small Spies" and “Love For A Week" - to noisy garage riffs like “Bacteriostatic". The band is as experimental as it is grounded in simplicity and the result has been strong songs, dynamic recordings and memorable melodies.Tony Sackett (vocals/guitar) teaches high school history and art and could eat miso soup every day. He loves the soundtrack to the movie Xanadu and plays video games in a way his parents might have wished he would one day perform surgery - with precision, elegance and a personal touch. He started Warm Ones with Brett Whitacre as a recording project when they were both members of The Saps (Spin Magazine).Mike Metz (bass) is the audio director for a video game company, although he refuses to level up. He joined the line up last fall when he won the band's Blintz on a Bass contest where he successfully balanced 7 cheese blintzes on the neck of his guitar for a half hour. This worked a lot better than posting an ad on craigslist. Mike has resided in Chicago for the last 10 years and still has not met a tamale guy he didn't like. He will occasionally rock a neckbeard that would make Kyle Orton proud.Mike Wszolek (guitar) Guitar? Check. Beard? Check. Blaze? We think he's got it. In addition, Mike enjoys wasting time on facebook at work and cooking food spicy enough to make you choke on your own snot. Mike has an identical twin that we have not met, although once Mike's Facebook status had him "checking in" at an Old Town bar in the middle of our set at the Empty Bottle. His brother filled in admirably, and the matter was never discussed.Jon Adler (drums) is a design and animation guru who loves all things vintage and nostalgic. He also enjoys 5 pocket corduroy pants and hopes to one day be the proud owner of an actual Eero Aarnio pod chair. He once played a drum fill that lasted 32 bars and it was totally appropriate for the song. Since becoming a father, the band has taken to calling him "Dadler".

Secret Colours "Dream Dream" Record Release!  If you didn’t know these guys were from Chicago, you’d assume they’re a bunch of Brits, with their insanely Britpop-influenced sound and their unusual spelling of colour, but the Windy City exports manage to capture the soul of the UK in the late ’90s/early ’00s and mix in a good amount of 70's Psychedelia for a sound all their own. Ample amounts of fuzz and pop combine to sound something like if The Stone Roses and The Black Angels decided to mate, and their offspring is something to be cherished. With the release of Dream Dream, Secret Colours continues to craft a sound that reaches far beyond the city limits of their hometown of Chicago, IL. Heading back to Dripping Springs, TX and recording their fourth full length LP at Dandy Sounds Studios with engineer/producer Dan Duzsynski, Dream Dream relishes on the current level of the demand on society to rely on their screens, devices, and multi-media influence. Dream Dream takes its musical cues from indie, britpop, psychedelia, and garage rock, captivating listeners through a myriad of melodies that make up Secret Colours signature sound. Songs like “Changes in Nature” and “Pins and Needles” are homages to their influences while “Habitual Ritual” drives a fast-fueled charge of modern life while “Feed the Machine” delivers a pounding vibe of bass with an attitude of 70’s London. Vocals, Guitar / Tommy Evans, Guitar / Mike Novak, Bass / Max Brink, Drums / Matt Yeates