Wed, Sep 25 - 8pm - $8

 "The Defibulators (not defibrillators) hail from Brooklyn, New York’s thriving indie scene and they’ve developed a funky, rootsy, out-of-control sound that’s all their own. The six-man, one-woman band blends bluegrass, country, honky tonk, rockabilly, Dixieland jazz, punk, and maybe a touch of anti-folk into an intoxicating, good-time mélange that’s guaranteed to slap a smile on your face. Roots-heavy, post-punk music that reinvents the conventions of country music with a CBGB-meets-Grand Ole Opry feel."

 Tapping in to Country music’s long-time standard of story-telling, The Kernal uses southern music influences, from jazz to honky tonk, to access a sound both unique and universal. The single "Green, Green Sky", following his debut FAREWELLHELLO, cut live at the Ardent Studios in Memphis and produced by Jeff Powell (Bob Dylan, Big Star, Centromatic, etc.,) is a tale of wanderlust and misguided ways set against the backdrop of a honky tonk rhythm and classic country vocal.

 Kerosene Stars was born in the Fall of 2010 by bassist and songwriter Scott Schaafsma after many years performing as bassist for a host of Chicago local bands including Musikanto (aka Crow Moses), Magnus, City Electric, and Sarah Holtschlag. The band’s first release, “The Killer ep” (2011), was produced by Scott and Tim Bennett (Colin Gilmore and Jimmy Dale Gilmore) and includes Jason Bennett (also with Colin Gilmore, Jimmy Dale Gilmore) on guitars as well as local favorites Sarah Holtschlag and bassist Brett Bakshis (Julie Meckler, Belleisle). This second, self-titled release was tracked by Mike Hagler at Kingsize Sound Labs in April 2014, and contains eight genre-hopping indie pop gems. The new line-up includes guitarist Andy Seagram (Benton Harbor Lunchbox), drummer Jim Adair (Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash) as well as multi-instrumentalist Yoo Soo Kim (Hemmingbirds), each of whom bring a unique vitality and distinctive sensibility to Schaafsma’s songs. This sophomore effort from Kerosene Stars represents a more fully realized sound and an exciting new direction for the band. The songs seamlessly blend echoes of the 60’s, alt-country, and Brit-pop, with occasional tangents into moodier and experimental atmospherics. This is music for the head and for the heart, and the record resonates with a sincerity all too rare in modern music. Since forming, the band has shared the stage with Split Single, The Vulgar Boatmen, The Latebirds (Helsinki), NYC’s The Defibulators, and LA’s Goldenboy.