UPCOMING EVENTS

THUR. MAR. 26TH - 9PM - $8
@ OTTO'S NIGHTCLUB
118 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

BACKYARD TIRE FIRE
w/ Clifton Roy & Folkstringer

What emerges on Backyard Tire Fire's The Places We Lived is a roughhewn, road-ready vision of substantive pop music for folks with dirt under their nails; tough and playful, poignant and bracing, a sandpaper snapshot of the world most of us live in, but rarely sing about with such poetic grace. Only five years into their journey, Backyard Tire Fire reveal themselves as a band deeply in love with the full American musical spectrum, pulling lustily from folk, country, blues and dyed-in-the-wool originals like Howlin' Wolf, Randy Newman, Alejandro Escovedo and The Band. They are musical lifers with a proverbial heart of gold, hammering this hard life into the kinds of notes and melodies that stick around for the long run.

FRI. MAR. 27TH - 8PM - $10
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

CLEM SNIDE
w/ Heligoats

Conjuring a sweet and lusciously melancholy sound that merges the tunefulness of vintage pop, the late-night vibe of cool jazz, the lonesome spirit of classic country, and the delicate touch of folk, Clem Snide are a trio who've gone through more than their share of changes since they first formed in 1991. Clem Snide were first assembled by singer, guitarist, and songwriter Eef Barzelay while he was attending college in Boston during the early '90s; the first edition of the band was created to perform his earliest attempts as songwriting, and the sound was dominated by noisy, punk-jazz-inspired dissonance with abrasive guitar lines and bleating saxophone. (Significantly, the band was named for a character in the challenging William S. Burroughs novel Naked Lunch.)

FRI. MAR. 27TH - 9PM - $7
@ OTTO'S NIGHTCLUB
118 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

COMPANY OF THIEVES
w/ American Taxi / The Insecurities / Brown Town / Kirkland

Company of Thieves is proof that everything happens for a reason. When Genevieve Schatz and Marc Walloch met by chance nearly two years ago in Chicago’s bustling Union Station, they never imagined that the encounter would lead to the evolution of the band that they now call home. Schatz, a singer “since she could talk,” and Walloch, a seasoned guitarist, were introduced by mutual acquaintances. A casual discussion of their shared love of the Beatles ensued and the two forged an instant connection. It was not long before they were spending a lot of time together — writing songs in the confines of their apartments and performing at a weekly Monday night music event in the city.

SAT MAR 28TH - 7PM - $8
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

FLATFOOT 56
w/ The Infected / Turbo Vamps / Fist First

A Celtic punk band from the working class south side of Chicago, this band of brothers and a bagpipe player is stirring things into a circle pit frenzy. Comprised of brothers Tobin, Justin and Kyle Bawinkel (respectively frontman, drummer and bassist) along with tartan-toting multi-instrumentalist Josh Robieson, Flatfoot 56 attacks dark subject matter—avarice, faithlessness, cowardice—with a gravity that belies their barely legal ages. That said, in the tradition of their street-punk forefathers, they’re just as adept at dialing up bone-crunching good times. Most of the Flatfoot live show is improvised, and it’s all contingent on Robieson and crew making swift transitions between guitar, mandolin, bagpipes and whatever other eclectic instruments they bring to the party.

SUN. MAR. 29TH - 7PM - $10 donati
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

QUERILOUS - A TRIBUTE TO JER

Benefit show to remember and celebrate the life of Jer Misiaveg. Featuring performances from Bicycle Day alumni: Andy Herald, Elizabeth Hill, Roy Finley, Isaac Hill, and Jared Nance, with special guests Chris Otepka, The Variable Why, Gabe McElwain, Dusty Beaver & the Velvet Chords and Reckless Triumphant. All proceeds will benefit the Hyde Park Art Center in Chicago, Illinois.

THURS. APR. 2ND - 9PM - $6
@ OTTO'S NIGHTCLUB
118 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

BRAINCHILD
w/ The Employees / The Short Attention Span

This four piece jam band from the heart of the Midwest is on the rise both locally and regionally. Some of the more recent highlights include a stop at the Wuhnurth Music Festival (Muncie, IN) and the fourth straight appearance at the Summer Camp Music Festival (Chillicothe, IL). Brainchild makes regular appearances in Chicago and Indianapolis and with a growing tour schedule they'll be sure to be playing in a town near you.

FRI. APR. 3RD - 9PM - $7
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

ANDREAS KAPSALIS TRIO
w/ Family Order / Andy B

Not only is Andreas Kapsalis quickly building his reputation as the most important torch bearer in the tradition of the one-man guitar army since Michael Hedges left his legacy with the music world, he’s also raising the bar for the 21st century film score; a composer who uses his idiosyncratic style to create an impressonable perspective on the silver screen. With the release of the Andreas Kapsalis Trio’s self-titled album, Kapsalis consummates the alliance between eight-fingered guitar virtuosity and outstanding melodic theme and variation. This album also helps to tell the story of an unusual musical journey. For Kapsalis, this journey began by accident.

SAT APR 4TH - 8PM - $8
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

DIANOGAH
w/ Loose Lips Sink Ships / Picture Books

Dianogah's core instrumentation is as a trio of two bass guitarists and one drummer. They have toured the US extensively, traveled throughout Europe and played in South America. In their twelve years as a band, Dianogah has toured with Man or Astro Man?, Blonde Redhead, Shellac, Silkworm, June of 44 and Don Caballero, and shared the stage with Sebadoh, Hum, The For Carnation, Ui, Rachels, Shipping News, Seam and Andrew Bird. When not touring in their critically acclaimed van, Jason, Jay and Kip enjoy talking about the price of real estate. They also really enjoy sushi, Hot Dougs, books by Neal Stephenson or Haruki Murakami, clean socks, 'Krispy Kreme' donuts and the country of Italy. Sometimes, two or more members of the band accidentally wear the same t-shirt or the same type of shoes.

SAT APR 4TH - 9PM - $6
@ OTTO'S NIGHTCLUB
118 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

THIS MUST BE THE BAND [Talking Heads Tribute]

We are a Talking Heads Tribute Band; we only play Talking Heads music, and, if possible, 3 to 4 hours at a time. Since forming in May 2007, TMBTB has been Burning Down The House throughout Chicago and the entire midwest. With a rapidly expanding repertoire from the Talking Heads' catalog of countless hits, TMBTB highlights the best of the Talking Heads, equipped with our very own Bernie Worrell, Adrian Belew, Lynn Mabry, and Ednah Holt.

SUN. APR. 5TH - 8PM - $8 / $10
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

SOMEONE STILL LOVES YOU BORIS YELTSIN
w/ Light Pollution / Wolf Nation [mbrs Inspector Owl]

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin has been playing music in Springfield, Missouri since 1999, when Will Knauer and Philip Dickey met at a Super Bowl party. They came up with their band name shortly after Boris Yeltsin's resignation in the early hours of Y2K. John Robert joined the band in 2001, when he was dorm roommates with Philip at Drury University. SSLYBY played dozens of local shows, often acoustic, from 1999-2004, and released a split EP on a local label, Generic Equivalent, in 2004. The band's first LP, Broom, was a blog-hit in 2005. Jonathan James joined the band after mixing Broom on his computer. SSLYBY followed Broom with a series of monthly cassette tapes, mailed to subscribers of the SSLYBY Tape Club. A split CD with Michael Holt from The Mommyheads was released by Catbird Records in the fall of 2005. The band signed to Polyvinyl in the summer of 2006 (in a Congress Hotel room in Tuscon, Arizona) and re-released Broom later that fall. SSLYBY's second LP, Pershing, which was released in April 2008. Both records were self-recorded in members' and relatives' houses and were supported by over 250 national and international shows. SSLYBY performed in Moscow, Russia two months after Boris Yeltsin's death.

WED. APR. 8TH - 8PM - $7
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

BEEP BEEP
w/ The Show Is The Rainbow / Heart Shaped Hate / Hot Garbage

Enchanted Islands is a bewitched fantasia for a mysticized and genetically mutated Galapagos Islands. Beep Beep takes you on a delicate disjointed voyage in the spirit of Ruiz’s Three Crowns of the Sailor where no distinction is made between the real and the impossible, a voyage anchored only by the inherent truths of human desire and despair. The Journey is equivalent to a night’s worth of vivid dreaming where time is out of place, every location makes sense only within it’s own context, yet abrupt transitions through eras and settings leave the 1st-person narrative undaunted as the newly defined roles are exactly understood the moment these new adventures begin. For Eric Ray and Chris Terry, it is a journey illuminated by the clash of willful escapism with the looming inevitability of “adult” choices. Together, they crafted a hidden realm where they are free to roam as their majestic selves unencumbered by the contingencies of the American Dream. For them, Enchanted Islands exists as an exotic snow globe allowing them to peer into the window of their taxidermied essence, preserved in its most magnificent form. Beep Beep resides evermore in this sacred place and Enchanted Islands is your invitation. Hello children…

THURS. THURS APRIL 9TH - 9PM - 7$
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

PAINKILLER HOTEL
w/ Sitticus

“Drawing comparisons to 90’s rockers Pearl Jam, Matchbox 20, Tonic, and Live with the sentimental songwriting style of John Mayer, it seems Painkiller Hotel has found it’s niche in the music community. Performing a tiresome jam packed schedule of 100-120 tour dates a year over the last few years, the group comprised of bassist Adam Harker, guitarist Klaus Luchs, and drummer Jeff Kissel is putting on a live show that is a MUST SEE.

FRI. APR. 10TH - 6PM - $12
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

ACE ENDERS & A MILLION DIFFERENT PEOPLE [of The Early November]
w/ Vedera / We Can Do Everything

Arthur "Ace" Enders is best known as the singer and guitarist with the popular emo/punk band the Early November, though he's also distinguished himself as a songwriter, producer, and solo artist. Born in Hammonton, NJ, in 1982, Enders formed the Early November in 1999, and on the strength of a solid demo and a strong local following, in 2002 they signed a deal with the influential independent label Drive-Thru Records. While the Early November's debut EP, For All of This, emphasized the group's harder-edged material, they displayed a greater musical sophistication on their first full-length, 2003's The Room's Too Cold, which was co-produced by Enders and dominated by his songwriting. With nearly half a million album sales to date and over a year since his last proper album, anticipation is at a fever pitch for Ace Enders’ upcoming disc When I Hit the Ground (Drive-Thru Records/Vagrant).

FRI APRIL 10TH - 9 PM - $7
@ OTTO'S NIGHTCLUB
118 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

J DAVIS TRIO
w/ State Champs

The j.davis trio is an all live hip-hop/jazz band from Chicago. Drums, bass, trumpet, congas and vibraphone make up the intstrumentation. With the help of alot of great people, the j.davis trio recorded 13 songs and released the debut CD in the fall of '99. Their second CD "The New No.2" was released in 2002. I, stuart, front the band and play the vibraphone (a big, fancy xylophone with organ pipes), congas and various other percussion instruments. In 2002, the j.davis trio released it's 2nd full length CD, "The New No. 2". Released in 2007 is our third CD "These Things Happen". Since we started, I spend most of my time reading, traveling, writing, handling the business end of music, and playing shows. I've met and worked with so many great musicians and bands both local and national, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

SAT. APR. 11TH - 9PM - $21
@ OTTO'S NIGHTCLUB
118 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

DINOSAUR JR.
w/ Awesome Color

Dinosaur Jr. were largely responsible for returning lead guitar to indie rock and, along with their peers the Pixies, they injected late-'80s alternative rock with monumental levels of pure guitar noise. In 1987, Dinosaur Jr. signed to Black Flag's indie label SST and released You're Living All Over Me, which became an underground sensation, with groups like Sonic Youth championing Mascis' wild, feedback-drenched guitar. Since then Dinosaur Jr. has released several critically acclaimed albums, spawning hit singles, 'Start Choppin', 'The Wagon', 'Feel The Pain' and 'Been There All The Time'.

For the fortunate fans who score tickets to these select shows, you will also receive either a limited edition, tour-only 7" or a digital download code with the purchase of a ticket. The songs on this 7" and digital download were recorded live during a Pitchfork.tv feature at J Mascis' own Bisquiteen Studios, currently running on Pitchfork.tv.

The A-Side is a new track entitled "I Don't Want To Go There" while the B-Side is a revisited classic "Tarpit" from the album, "You're Living All Over Me."

SAT. APR. 11TH - 8PM - $8
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

FAMILY GROOVE CO

Family Groove Company is a four piece band from Chicago that is turning heads and catching ears with a sound that is uncannily fresh, and live performances that simply envelop audiences in the fun, excitement and passion that the band radiates from the stage. Growing audiences everywhere FGC plays attest to the impact the band is beginning to make, as they bring the excitement of their live performances to ever growing venues, in more and more cities across the country. Appearances at most of the Midwest's major music festivals (Summer Camp, 10,000 Lakes, Summerfest) have helped along the way, headlining appearances at other festivals (Farmapalooza, Feel Good) point to the great things to come, and the over 25,000 live CDs that have been distributed all over the country speak for themselves. Family Groove Company is a band that music fans should not miss.

TUES. APR. 14TH - 8PM - $6
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

CAMERON MCGILL
w/ Clifton Roy & Folkstringer / Kevin Andrew Prchal

Now a resident of Chicago, Cameron McGill grew up in Champaign-Urbana, IL, where he first started writing and recording songs. Having fronted Chicago's power-pop trio Morris Minors for three years, McGill decided in favor of a more orchestral approach to his new group of songs. On his solo debut, Stories of The Knife and The Back, McGill takes pop music to the dark libraries of your old house. With lush strings, vintage keys, and introspective lyrics, these songs inhabit the new era of intelligent pop song. In the vein of The Webb Brothers and Brendan Benson, these songs range from scarce heartfelt piano ballads to everything-but-the-kitchen-sink pop tunes that playfully abduct Elvis Costello and take him to the Midwest. All the while they weave literate and elegant tales of the jigsaw puzzles of ordinary life and tasteless/tasteful heartbreaks.

TUES. APR. 14TH - 9PM - $6
@ OTTO'S NIGHTCLUB
118 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

BISON B.C. [metal blade]
w/ Wounds of Ruin / Right To Remain

Crawling through the forest of time, we came to destroy your life - so you might rebuild it again with these ideals more in mind: rock, rock and more rock. So forget about your life for a moment and bang your fucking head.

TUES. APR. 14TH - 7PM - $13 / $15
@ CHUBBY RAIN HOUSE OF TUNES
4210 Countryside Estates Dr. Poplar Grove, IL (15 min from Rockford)
BUY TICKETS HERE

COPELAND
w/ This Providence / Paper Route / Brooke Waggoner

Vocalist Aaron Marsh, bassist James Likeness, guitarist Bryan Laurenson, and drummer Jon Bucklew (formerly of the Christian rock act Denison Marrs) are the members of Copeland, an earnest-sounding alternative rock band that took root in Marsh's home state of Florida in 2000. Maryland native Laurenson and original drummer Rusty Fuller were added to the lineup just in time for the recording of Copeland's first release. Produced by Matt Goldman, who would later go on to helm records for Denison Marrs, the EP (which the group split with Pacifico) was issued in 2001. A year later, Copeland signed with The Militia Group, an artist development company located in southern California, and relocated to Atlanta to begin work on a proper studio effort. Bucklew stepped in to replace the departing Fuller (who later joined the Beautiful Mistake), and Goldman climbed aboard as producer for the emotionally driven punk-pop stylings of 2003's Beneath Medicine Tree. Tours with the Juliana Theory, Mae, Hopesfall, Switchfoot, and the Early November followed, while an EP of cover songs, Know Nothing Stays the Same, was released in August 2004 to maintain Copeland's rising popularity. In March 2005, the band released its long-awaited sophomore album, In Motion. The ten-song set debuted at number 115 on Billboard's Top 200 album chart within a week of its release, and Eat, Sleep, Repeat fared similarly after its Halloween release in 2006. Two weeks later, the band announced it had joined the major-label ranks of Columbia Records; the partnership didn't last long, however, and Copeland realigned themselves with Tooth & Nail Records for 2008's You Are My Sunshine.

WED. APR. 15TH - 7PM - $15 / $18
@ CHUBBY RAIN HOUSE OF TUNES
4210 Countryside Estates Dr. Poplar Grove, IL (15 min from Rockford)
BUY TICKETS HERE

HED P.E.

Huntington Beach, California's HED p.e. (the p.e. stands for "planet earth") was founded in 1994 by front man Jahred (a.k.a. M.C.U.D., a.k.a. Jerred Shaine), whose goal was to fuse the region's long-standing punk rock heritage with G-funk-inflected hip-hop -- a sound he labeled "G-punk." Three years and a self-financed 1995 E.P. entitled Church of Realities later, HED p.e. (also comprising lead guitarist Wesstyle , rhythm guitarist Chizad, bassist Mawk, drummer B.C. and DJ Product on turntables and samples) released their eponymous debut through Jive Records, then hit the road with Ozzfest and bands like Korn, Static-X, and System of a Down. A second album, Broke, followed in the year 2000, and a third, Blackout, in 2003, after which HED p.e. switched labels from Jive to Koch, and underwent something of an overhaul (welcoming new guitarist Jaxon and drummer Moke) prior to recording their fourth album, 2005's Only in Amerika. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide

THUR. APR. 16TH - 6PM - $10/$12
@ DOUG'S ROCKHOUSE GRILL
333 E Indian Trail, Aurora, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

OCEANA
w/ Confide / Therefore I Am / To Speak of Wolves / Scarla Myth / Lookout Giants

THURS THURS APRIL 16TH - 7PM - 6$
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

FROM HERE ON AFTER
w/ Kirkland / Keslinger [farewell show] / Matter Of Fact / Marcell

From Here On After, joyous and exuberant music freshly squeezed from the heart of a nice DeKalb Orange! That is what I, John Ugolini, tell people when asked to describe the band. Come to think of it...I cannot recall anyone ever asking me about From Here On After, so you can rest assured that this juice is fresh. Are you still with me? Also, Paul Karnatz is now in the juice.

FRI. APR. 17TH - 9PM - $30
@ THE EGYPTIAN THEATRE
135 N. Second St. - DeKalb, IL 60115
BUY TICKETS HERE

UMPHREY'S MCGEE

TICKETS ON SALE THURS. JAN. 29TH @ 12am

Consisting of Brendan Bayliss (guitar, vocals), Jake Cinninger (guitar, synthesizers, vocals), Joel Cummins (keyboards, vocals), Andy Farag (percussion), Kris Myers (drums, vocals), and Ryan Stasik (bass), Umphrey's McGee enters its second decade together with their hardest, darkest, and most artistically cohesive album to date. A long-time-coming labor of love as well as an inspiring affirmation of musical brotherhood, Mantis is Umphrey's first fully fleshed-out studio statement since 2006's Safety in Numbers, which was followed by 2007's odds-and-sods collection The Bottom Half and the double live album Live at Murat. So when Brendan Bayliss sings, "We believe there's something here worth dying for," to kick off Mantis's majestic twelve-minute title track, you should take him at his word. Mantis is the first Umphrey's album to consist entirely of material never previously performed on the road, where the band rules the improv-rock circuit and plays more than 100 shows each year. Although the band already plays numerous songs they have yet to record, sometimes you just have to hold back in order to deliver a bigger bang. Mystique, thy name is Mantis.

FRI. APR. 17TH - 11:30PM - $10
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

OFFICIAL UMPHREY'S MCGEE AFTERPARTY
w/ U-Melt

Join us Fri. Apr. 17th after the Umphrey's show @ The Egyptian Theatre for one of two amazing after-parties in downtown DeKalb.

New York funk n' groove specialists U-Melt will be hosting the all ages after party @ The House Cafe. Never seen U-Melt? This will be the groups third visit to The House Cafe...all previous shows have been an infectious, all-out dance party. Expect more of the same on this special night!

FRI. APR. 17TH - 6PM / 11:30PM - $10
@ OTTO'S NIGHTCLUB
118 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

UNOFFICIAL UMPHREY'S MCGEE PRE / AFTERPARTY
w/ Mr. Blotto

Join us for an all day affair surrounding the triumphant return of Umphrey's McGee to the Egyptian Theatre in DeKalb, IL, Fri. Apr. 17th. Join us before AND AFTER the Umphrey's show for live music, smooth jams and even smoother drink specials. All those paid at the pre-party will receive re-entry to the after party with Mr. Blotto!

PRE-PARTY - 7pm w/ Tula
AFTER-PARTY - 11:30pm w/ Mr. Blotto

SAT. APR. 18TH - 7PM - $7
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

PEELANDER - Z [from Japan!!]
w/ Birthday Suits / Jim Crowbot / Richardson Richardson

These three dress up in color-coordinated costumes about as if they came out of Japanese Animation (claim those are not costumes, but the skin!!!) put on a fun entertainment. Yes, their performance is not just playing music. Have you heard of human bowling, wrestling and kung-fu action, or funny dance at the punk rock show? Peelander-Z knows how to entertain the audience by dragging them into the show. One experience would capture you!! Peelander-Z is the best of the universe!

SAT. APR. 18TH - 9PM - $15
@ CHUBBY RAIN HOUSE OF TUNES
4210 Countryside Estates Dr. Poplar Grove, IL (15 min from Rockford)
BUY TICKETS HERE

LOCAL H

Hailing from Chicago, Illinois, Local H is a two-man wrecking crew, a powerhouse invigorated by the mania of former Triple Fast Action drummer Brian St. Clair's punishing backbeat, and driven by the distinct lyric and melodic vision of guitarist/vocalist Scott Lucas. Having achieved mainstream success with their second album, As Good As Dead (Polygram), and fueled by the multi-format hit single "Bound For The Floor," Local H always has continued to bring the noise. Alongside writing, recording, and releasing records (including 1998's critically acclaimed Pack Up The Cats and last year's punk rock workout, The No Fun E.P.), Local H has maintained a remarkable touring schedule - and an incredibly loyal fan base to match - having "hit the road" with the likes of Stone Temple Pilots, Veruca Salt, Cheap Trick, C.O.C., Chevelle, and Burning Brides, to name a few.

SUN APRIL 19TH - 7PM - $7
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

SIG TRANSIT GLORIA
w/ Strawberry Horsecake / Lasers+Fast+Shit

MON. APR. 20TH - 9PM - $12
@ OTTO'S NIGHTCLUB
118 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

MURDER BY DEATH
w/ Kid, You'll Move Mountains / Picture Books

Though they’ve had eight years to refine their sound and vision, Murder By Death rolled out of the gates fully realized in 2000, playing a blend of rocking Americana noir and dramatic post-punk that erased old style and audience boundaries as much as it tested the limits of new ones. And with their fourth album and Vagrant debut, Red Of Tooth And Claw (3/4/08), the Bloomington, Indiana, quartet are emerging as true artists in the zero-boundary sense: cinematic storytellers whose albums come together in an essential whole, and players whose jaw-dropping performances on record make you yearn for the chance to experience their energy up close and in person.

FRI. APR. 24TH - 8PM - $7
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

MARK ROSE [of Spitalfield]
w/ Radio Virgin / Last Fast Action / Debello

Mark Rose is a singer/songwriter from Chicago, IL who plays his own blend of pop, rock and r&b. Front man and key songwriter for rock band Spitalfield from 1998-2007, Rose has made a name for himself as a versatile songwriter and performer. “The guys deserve credit for knowing exactly where to go big and when to hold back for maximum effect,” says All Music Guide’s Corey Apar, of Spitalfield’s 2006 effort, Better Than Knowing Where You Are.

SUN. APR. 26TH - 6PM - $7
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

NOTHING IS FOREVER
w/ Dorian's Decay / Dust To Ashes / Too Tall For Falling / Fall Of Eden

FRI. MAY 1ST - 9PM - $7
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

ROCK N' ROLL PROM PARTY Return To The 90's!
w/ Truck City Bandits / DJ Night Jackson

Join Kickstand Productions for the 4th installment of the popular 'Rock n' Roll Prom' series. We are pleased to announce that this years event will be 90's themed! Come dressed in prom attire and have your photo taken at the door with your b-gurl / b-boi. Try to spike our punch bowl and Pat, and or, Chewie will kick you upside your nappy-ass thrift store get-up. The Truck City Bandits will be playing drunken versions of your favorite songs from the 90's. You WILL dance the night away. Bring your A-game because a prom king and queen will be crowned at the end of the night...all this set to the backdrop of a Letters To Cleo song. In summation, the greatest night of your godamn life.

FRI. MAY 1ST - 9PM - $8
@ OTTO'S NIGHTCLUB
118 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

THE PIMPS
w/ Cealed Kasket

Punk rock with a groove and a snotty attitude. If Tenacious D and Fugazi had a baby, it would be called Fugacious D. And The Goodyear Pimps would be the bastard stepchildren of Fugacious D.

SAT MAY 2 - 9 PM - $6
@ OTTO'S NIGHTCLUB
118 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

SIMPLISTIC URGE

SUN MAY 3 - 6 PM - $8
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

THE DOOMSDAY CATALYST
w/ The Corialis Effect / Edna's VD / glasgow smile / abortion with a shotgun

FRI. MAY 8TH - 9PM - 21+ - $12
@ OTTO'S NIGHTCLUB
118 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

MARGOT & THE NUCLEAR SO AND SO'S
w/ Telekinesis / Everything Now / Wolf Nation [mbrs Inspector Owl]

The dreamy, bittersweet world of Margot & the Nuclear So and So's is the brainchild of singer/songwriter Richard Edwards, who formed the eight-piece indie rock collective in his native Indianapolis. Named after the Margot Tenenbaum character in Wes Anderson's sophisticated comedy The Royal Tenenbaums, the band took root in 2004, when Edwards decided to flesh out his scenic chamber pop sound with help from Andy Fry (guitar), Jesse Lee (cello), Emily Watkins (piano), Hubert Glover (trumpet), Chris Fry (drums), Casey Tennis (drums/percussion), and Tyler Watkins (bass). The band's debut album, The Dust of Retreat, was issued on the local independent label Standard Recording in Spring 2005. The picturesque, dozen-song set earned the band a loyal following, and in November 2005, Margot & the Nuclear So and So's signed with Artemis Records. A remixed and remastered version of The Dust of Retreat was released in March 2006, but a series of label acquisitions (Artemis bought V2, Virgin Records effectively absorbed the band, and Capitol merged with Virgin) convinced the band to partner with another company. They relocated to the Epic roster in October 2007 while working on their sophomore release.

SAT. MAY 9TH - 9PM - $20 / $23
@ OTTO'S NIGHTCLUB
118 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

CLUTCH
w/ Wino's Band / Maylene & The Son's Of Disaster

Clutch combined elements of funk, Led Zeppelin, and metal with vocals inspired by Faith No More. Formed in 1991 in Germantown, MD, the group included Neil Fallon (vocals), Tim Sult (guitar), Dan Maines (bass), and Jean-Paul Gaster (drums). They built a local following through constant gigging, and after just one 7" single (the classic Earache release "Passive Restraints") Clutch was signed by EastWest Records. Their debut LP, Transnational Speedway League, followed in 1993. A self-titled album appeared two years later and afforded Clutch some mainstream exposure. They jumped to the larger Columbia label for 1998's Elephant Riders, and many thought the group might join their sonic cousins Korn and Deftones in the alternative metal winner's circle. That didn't quite happen. But it didn't matter, because a quality fan base continued to thrive for Clutch.

SUN MAY 10 - 6 PM - $7
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

SLEEPING UNDER 47
w/ Zip-Tie Handcuffs / Cars On Mars

Sleeping Under 47 are a four piece punk rock band from northern Illinois, delivering a mix of old school melodic hardcore with a celtic twist. To put it best, it's simply good old fashoned punk rock 'n fucking roll!

MON. MAY 11TH - 8PM - $20 / $23
@ OTTO'S NIGHTCLUB
118 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

GWAR
w/ Priestess / Cattle Decapitation

GWAR (an acronym for God What an Awful Racket) is thrash metal's answer to the more mainstream satire of Spinal Tap. Gory, sexually perverse, and scatological in the extreme, GWAR was formed at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond as an experiment in marketing strategy by several musicians, art students, and dancers. The group claims to consist of all-powerful interplanetary warriors, descended from aliens stranded in Antarctica and initially created from the lowest filth in the universe, who have come to Earth to sexually enslave and/or slaughter the human race. The group performs in bizarre costumes made of latex and papier-mâché, and their stage show features fake pagan rituals, corpses spewing washable bodily fluids on the audience, and sometimes a mechanical giant maggot. Not surprisingly, authorities in several locations have not taken kindly to the group.

TUES MAY 12TH - 9 PM - $8
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

CENTRO-MATIC

Named for a model of an Italian accordion, Centro-matic began as little more than a home-recording outlet for Will Johnson’s unstoppable muse. Redo the Stacks (1997) was primarily the work of Johnson, with soon-to-be Centro-matic members Scott Danbom on violin and Matt Pence in the recording engineer’s seat. The band soon grew to become a more collaborative effort, with Danbom (“the pride of Ponca City, Oklahoma”) on keyboards, bass, and vocals, as well as the occasional violin, Pence on drums and production/engineering duties, and Mark Hedman on bass and guitar.

SUN. MAY 17TH - 8PM - $8 / $10
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

WILLIAM ELLIOT WHITMORE
w/ Frontier Ruckus / Sam Lowry

Whitmore’s appeal cuts a wide swath through the modern musical landscape. Rooted firmly in the Americana sound that he loves so well, Will plays the kind of music – raw and seemingly untouched by pop culture – that has drawn young dissidents to folk music since before Dylan’s time. Like a young Billy Bragg, or better yet, like his self-proclaimed hero Shane MacGowan of the Pogues, Will’s innate populism and unaffected sincerity resonate with the alienated and imaginative youth culture that surrounds punk, a scene that has embraced him. Honing his skills playing with Against Me, Converge, the Street Dogs, his beloved Pogues and Lucero among others, Will has the ability to quiet a rowdy crowd with just a banjo, a true testament to his voice and vision.

FRI. MAY 22ND - 9PM - $18 / $20
@ OTTO'S NIGHTCLUB
118 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

JIMMIE VAN ZANT

Maybe it’s the hot Florida sunshine, the white lightning moonshine of the Van Zant family D.N.A., but when Jimmie Van Zant takes center stage, you can feel the energy run through your vanes like a fever that you can’t break. Just like Johnny, Donnie or the late great Ronnie Van Zant of Lynyrd Skynyrd, you just know that if Jimmie is singing’, preaching’ and laying’ down the law, Southern Rock Music is alive and well. Southern rock is the staple of today’s country music and many are looking for what Jimmie has naturally. God has blessed Jimmie with vocals and great talent. Now with a band that is tighter than a pickle jar, the Van Zant band is playing like they are on a mission. Make sure you get to a show and feel the energy they will give you the moment they come on stage. Hang on to your hat and lets take a ride with Jimmie Van Zant and his band.

FRI. MAY - 22ND - $6
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

KESLINGER [farewell show]
w/ / Harvey

After winning a local radio stations battle of the bands, Keslinger's third show was played at the House Of Blues in Chicago IL. Since the the group started in 2004, they have gone on to create three EP's, played countless shows, been interviewed on the radio a handful of times, been featured in local news papers and music magazines. They have recently finished their 2008 full length self titled cd. Why do people like keslinger you ask...is it the music? Yes, people enjoy keslinger because of the music, but that's not really all there is to being a keslinger fan. Keslinger fans are devoted people; who know they are 'part of the band'. Keslinger's live shows are energetic and engaging, which facilitates an immersive experience unique to the band.

SAT. MAY 30TH - 7PM - $7
@ DOUG'S ROCKHOUSE GRILL
333 E Indian Trail, Aurora, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE

KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS
w/ From Here On After / New Ghosts / Inkbat

"So, what does this indie-dance-pop supergroup actually sound like? Words like 'epic,' 'grand,' 'powerful,' 'huge' and 'wowey-wow-wow-wow' spring to mind upon seeing their live show... Hanke and Jones harmonize in a way that causes chills to run along the audience’s collective neck. The lyrics are poetically vague, but endlessly singable. This clearly is the work of people who know exactly what they are doing." -- Chicago Daily Herald

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