Local Tunes

Last weekend I took a trip to Wicker Park Fest, and despite a light case of heat stroke, I was reminded of how amazing local Chicago music can be. I mean, Chicago has such a rich history with jazz, blues, rock, and even rap (hey there Kanye West). Today, we host one of the biggest music festivals world wide, Lollapalooza, as well as a bunch of smaller festivals and some of the world's top jazz clubs. This city honestly has it all, yet many Chicago based musicians don't get the recognition they deserve. So, I hope I can give them some recognition here.

In Tall Buildings

Image via Schubas//Lincoln Hall

In Tall Buildings played an impressive set at Wicker Fest. He has just this really chill yet simultaneously intense energy when on stage; you can't look away, but you're also surprisingly mellow. Coupled with the back-up band's technical proficiency on their respective instruments, they not only produce quite a show but they produced an awesome new album called "Drivers."

Veruca Salt

Image via clubzone.com

When I first heard their song "Laughing in the Sugar Bowl" on WKQX, I was immediately hooked. Veruca Salt has been around the 90s, and you can definitely hear it in their iconic alt rock sound. I've never seen then live (I unfortunately missed them at Wicker Fest), but I bet they'd be amazing. What makes them even cooler is that they're a female-fronted rock group, the foundational predecessor for groups like Florence + the Machine and Wolf Alice. Their new album "Ghost Notes" is an alt rock confection.



Milo & Otis

Image via Neo Soul Cafe

Milo & Otis combine quirky lyrics, soulful R&B, and chill indie music to create a down-to-earth, pleasurable listening experience. Honestly, their sound is so mellow and smooth I feel like I'm melting when I listen to them. They're a cool show to see at a music festival, but they also make for great lounging music when you have a few friends over and you're just chilling in your PJs. They unfortunately aren't on Spotify, but you can stream their music on their Bandcamp.

The Orwells

Image via the Washington Post

On a more famous note, if you haven't heard of The Orwells, go listen to them now! A native Chicago band, they hit it big last year with their single "Who Needs You." The Orwells have a modern rock sound and are super exciting to watch live. To me, they're like the less famous American version of the Arctic Monkeys, they're that good (okay well they aren't really like the Arctic Monkeys but you get the point).



Heaters

Image via Dizzy Bird Records

Heaters is another band that I checked out at Wicker Park fest this year.  I definitely get some Tame Impala, California vibes from them, but they still have their own original sound. They use cool effects such as warped vocals and slurred guitar that gives the music a nice trippy feel without being too excessive. I ended up staying for their entire show (a rarity for me at a music festival) because they were that good.




These are a few of my favorite locally based musicians. Chicago's a great city for music and if you're interested in discovering some good alt tunes, Chicago's the place to be!