Toys For Tots Extravaganza Show!

Jimmy Bennington Colour and Sound at Red Line Tap

Jimmy Bennington Colour and Sound performs live at The Red Line Tap! Hailed as one of the best Jazz drummers currently performing in Chicago, Jimmy Bennington is a show not to missed.

Mike Finnerty performs at Red Line Tap

Red Line Tap

7006 N. Glenwood Avenue

Chicago, IL. 60626

Jimmy Bennington Colour and Sound at Red Line Tap

Jimmy Bennington Colour & Sound with saxophonist Artie Black and legendary bassist Brian Smith

featured Sunday November 23rd, 2014 at

Red Line Tap
7006 N. Glenwood Avenue
Chicago, IL. 60626

9 pm - 12 am / $5 cover

Jimmy Bennington Colour and Sound at Red Line Tap

Sunday, October 19th, 2014

9 pm

Select events at Red Line Tap

The following are upcoming performances at The Red Line Tap:

The Red Line Tap

7006 N. Glenwood Ave.

Chicago, IL. 60626

773 274-5463 or 773 465–8005

Wednesday, August 14th, 2013

JACKIE CHAIN W/ EDDIE FRANKS
Tickets

Saturday, August 17th, 2013
JAMESON’S PRESENTS: THE DEX ROMWEBER DUO / THE BAMA LAMAS
Tickets

Sunday, August 18th, 2013
312 PRESENTS: OUTLAW FAMILY BAND / THE SAPS


Friday, August 23rd, 2013
AKABANE VULGARS / BOSS FIGHT / THE VOLUPTUALS
Tickets

Friday, September, 6th, 2013
MOTEL MIRRORS FEATURING AMY LAVERE and JOHN PAUL KEITH W/ SARAH AND THE CROSSCUTS
Tickets

Wednesday, September 11th, 2013
CONTINENTAL (RICK BARTON / DROPKICK MURPHY’S)
Tickets

Saturday, September 14th, 2013
312 PRESENTS: DANIELA COTTON / THE LAUREN WOLF BAND
Tickets

Monday, September 9th, 2013
ZUUL / SCREAMER (SWEDEN) / BORROWED TIME
Tickets

The Dex Romweber Duo with The Bama Lamas at Red Line Tap

The following are upcoming performances at The Red Line Tap:

The Red Line Tap

7006 N. Glenwood Ave.

Chicago, IL. 60626

773 274-5463 or 773 465–8005

Saturday, August 18, 2013
The Dex Romweber DuoWith Special Guests The Bama Lamas
Saturday, August 17th, 2013
$7.00 Adv / $10.00 Night Of Show



Dex Romweber is nothing less than an icon of the American music underground. Pioneering the template for the stripped to-the-essentials guitar/drums duo format in the (should be) world famous psycho-surf-rockabilly-garage-punk combo Flat Duo Jets - so often emulated, so rarely duplicated - Dex continues his resurgence with the new album Is That You In The Blue? 

With sister Sara on drums, the DEX ROMWEBER DUO is a potent combo that'll get your leg twitching with the beat and your heart racing - and sometimes breaking - with the feral excitement of music. If it don't, you might want to consider turning in your "I Heart Rock n Roll" badge. Seriously. In Dex, you have someone who burrows into the guts of American roots music with a uniquely alchemical mania; he's a man clearly bored with, or oblivious to, genre constraints. With a mix of originals and obscure nuggets from rock and roll's dusky back closets, the DRD romps through the sweaty cinder block studios of Memphis of the 50's, channels street corners on the wrong side of town with existential blues and instrumentals that'd find a home in a Tarantino spy flick. 

For pure rock and roll at its most glorious, Dex, his vintage Silvertone guitar and Sara's wall of sound drums kick out the jams, mf'ers, on "Jungle Drums," the dragstrip rave-up "Gurdjieff Girl" and the soundtrack for your next knife fight at the juvey home "Climb Down." Bust out your hip flask and hand jive to heaven to that wicked Bobby Fuller beach party groove on "Wish you Would," or strut down the Rio strand to the buoyant Bossa Nova throw down "Brazil" - a classic that runs a sonic spark plug from Xavier Cugat to Tav Falco's Panther Burns. 

Beyond the wild ruckus the Duo conjures so well, Is That You in the Blue? is colored by Dex's broken romantic trips to the deep tunnel of un-love. From the slinky, cinematic revenge noir of "The Death of Me," to the unhinged, edge of the abyss vibe of "Nowhere" to the jazzy, ghostly howl at the "Midnight Sun," he's on a dark and sometimes vengeful ride he ain't taking alone. And the title track has as bitter and liberating a kiss off line that's ever been sung, the one we've all wished we could have come up with when she was walking out the door. For Is That You In The Blue?, recorded at Southern Culture on the Skids Rick Miller's studio in North Carolina, DRD filled in their already formidable sound with Tarheel luminaries from the bands The Old Ceremony and Savage Knights, as well as Rick himself and fellow SCOTS Mary Huff. Since their last Bloodshot album, Ruins of Berlin (2009), the DRD recorded a 7" single of hillbilly folk-blues with Jack White as well as a live album recorded at his Third Man record store in Nashville.

Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen at Red Line Tap

The following are upcoming performances at The Red Line Tap:

The Red Line Tap

7006 N. Glenwood Ave.

Chicago, IL. 60626

773 274-5463 or 773 465–8005

Friday, July 12th, 2013 at 8 pm
Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen
With Special Guests Dime Store String Band
$10.00 Adv / $12.00 Night Of Show


At the highest levels of acoustic musicianship exists a mystery — the mystery of tone, taste and timing… It can best be illustrated by giving a good musician a good instrument and asking him to briefly strum, pick, bow, — whatever is required to produce the best sound. Then, by way of comparison, hand that very same instrument to a GREAT musician and ask for the same.

It is a phenomenon that manifests itself every time that Frank Solivan picks up a mandolin, guitar or violin. What you see may be the same pick or bow, on the same strings, on the same fret board that the good player demonstrated, but the sound… Ah… there’s the difference!

In Frank’s hands, these instruments take on a life of their own. You hear power. You hear volume. You hear crispness, clarity, timing and taste. All combined with passion and drive. A physicist might slow it down to analyze the strum against string — but he wouldn't find the answer. For that, you have to know Frank Solivan, a man who has a powerful life force that’s as raw, natural and pure as the place he spend much of his youth, Alaska. Frank is a hunter, a fisherman, a gourmet chef, a beautiful singer, a poet and songwriter of tasteful ballads and of blazing instrumentals. A man of sturdy build who is known to holler out out a powerful, “Son!” whether it be in response to a hot solo, or some hot sauce he concocted in kitchen. It’s as if all these things for him are an affirmation of life. An awareness that all five senses are humming along on overdrive. That life is short and all these gifts are not to be wasted.

Those who are privileged enough to be around it, are richer for it. Musicians, especially, in his presence step up their game, but I suppose you could say the same about gourmands, or fishermen. People sense that life force around Frank and they want a piece of it.

The physicist curious about the mysteries of tone, timing and taste would do well to spend some time around Frank. He would find no definition, no explanation of how it happens but he would see it right there. And you should, too.

Betse Ellis at Red Line Tap

The following are upcoming performances at The Red Line Tap:

The Red Line Tap

7006 N. Glenwood Ave.

Chicago, IL. 60626

773 274-5463 or 773 465–8005

Wednesday, June 26th 2013 - 8 pm
Betse Ellis
$7.00 adv / $12.00 Night of Show, Americana / Roots


Badass fiddler and Ozark fireball Betse Ellis brings an edgy fire to every note she bows, strums, sings or shouts. Part old-time celebrant and part contemporary songwriter, Betse is committed to purveying the breadth of possibilities within the folk format. She blends traditional source material with her own original works and presents a diverse sound that refuses to be labeled concretely. Citing influences from John Hartford to Joe Strummer, she traverses musical realms and pushes the boundaries of how folk music can be understood and imagined in the modern age.

Notorious for her powerful stage presence, Betse weaves tales of folklore and personal history throughout her performances, offering audiences an intimate live experience that is strikingly honest, uplifting, intense and humorous all at once. On stage she is a tour guide, taking listeners on a musical journey that explores her own “personal folk”, including reimagined punk and art rock compositions given new life through her own brand of fiddling prowess and passionate vocals. Betse’s presence is undeniably dynamic; one minute she’ll shred hairs from her bow on a fast-paced tune—shouting lines fervently over her fiddle—and the next she’ll quietly serenade a heart-breaking confessional song on tenor guitar. Her expertise at the challenging task of singing while fiddling distinguishes her as a solo artist, as well as an acclaimed instructor of fiddle workshops across America.

A classically trained violinist, Betse became dedicated to old time fiddle styles, especially Ozark styles, when she realized this music related directly to her regional heritage. Recognizing the deep soul present in the source music inspired Betse to spend the last 20 years of her life learning, performing, and teaching these styles. In 2009, Betse released her debut solo album Don’t You Want to Go? (Free Dirt Records), which earned her an Independent Music Award nomination; her work with The Wilders, the acclaimed “hillbilly riot” band of which Betse is a founding member, won the IMA for Best Alt. Country album (Someone’s Got to Pay) the same year. Prior to embarking on the development of her solo career, Betse toured internationally with The Wilders and contributed her fiddling, singing and songwriting talents on their numerous studio albums. In addition to her time with The Wilders, she has played in several roots and rock groups in and around her home base of Kansas City, Missouri.

Betse is gearing up for the summer 2013 release of her new, full-length studio album. High Moon Order evolves from the raw, straightforward approach of Betse’s previous solo work to a sound that’s uncommonly complex and captivating. The album consists primarily of original compositions, with a few traditionals and old Ozark tunes imprinted with Betse’s own personal style and delivery.

“Let’s get one thing straight: Betse Ellis is one badass fiddle player. She has an uncanny ability to make that instrument weep and wail while making it play hot potato with the bow…Ellis has put together a debut solo album filled with plenty of traditional numbers, a couple blues songs courtesy Memphis Minnie and a classical piece that, while slightly out of place, reminds us that Ellis is no one-trick pony.” – Ink Magazine

“Ellis covers a lot of stylistic ground… and does it with a lot of attitude and aplomb – a very accomplished effort” – Sing Out!

“The album has an authentic feel of rural America and a joyful interplay with the other musicians.” – The Scotsman

Guy Forsyth and Charlie Pierce at Red Line Tap

The following are upcoming performances at The Red Line Tap:

The Red Line Tap

7006 N. Glenwood Ave.

Chicago, IL. 60626

773 274-5463 or 773 465–8005

Friday, June 7th 2013 - 8 pm

Guy Forsyth Co-Founder of the Asylum Street Spankers

Charlie Pierce of Old No 8

$8.00 adv / $12.00 Night of Show, Americana / Roots

Austin’s Guy Forsyth has long enjoyed praise for his dazzling live shows and rich Americana roots sound. Forsyth (vocals, acoustic, electric & slide guitar, harmonica, ukulele, singing saw) usually performs with his band, but has been known to perform as a solo artist, and in various incarnations including a duo with Oliver Steck (Bob Schneider’s band). His songs incorporate a unique mixture of styles and his sound is at once polished, raw, compelling and irresistibly rump-shaking.

Forsyth brought his skills as a stellar live performer to help found and eventually drive to international acclaim the theatrical acoustic group The Asylum Street Spankers. He gave Wammo his first washboard and Christina Marrs her first guitar and ukulele. His time with the Spankers touring and recording 5 albums added to a wealth of earlier unique experiences in his life – working as a stuntman in renaissance shows, busking on the streets of New Orleans and playing on a mountain top in Nepal –which provided him musical fodder to be refined in the songs of Forsyth’s numerous solo albums.

Guy has recently finished recording his new album, "The Freedom To Fail", which is due to be released early summer 2012 (let's call it June), which will be followed immediately by an extensive American and European tour. The new album was produced by Matt Smith at Lost Oasis Studios.

The release of his latest, Calico Girl, which features new songs as well as re-recordings of some of Guy’s most popular songs from 1999's Can You Live Without, marks the fourth album for the record label he started in 2002, Small and Nimble Records.

Guy is known today as a musician with gripping, powerful vocals as well as a master of numerous instruments. He started his musical development first with singing, and began playing harmonica at 16. Shortly thereafter he heard a very distinct and overwhelming sound on Kansas City radio that changed his life; it was Robert Johnson. After that, he borrowed a guitar, fell in love and learned to tune it with his feet from a friend who had lost both his arms in an accident. In college, he lasted a single semester at the University of Kansas, and then he found the music he had been seeking – gritty, organic folk and blues, “from a practical hands-on, gears, joints and joists level.” And he struck out to learn it.

Since then, he’s been awarded an Austin Music Award for Best Male Vocalist in 2005, as well as numerous other AMA’s over the years in categories such as Blues and Best Miscellaneous Instrument Player (singing saw), among others. Last year’s 2-disc live record, Unrepentant Schizophrenic Americana, was received very well by critics and fans alike.

In the past year, Forsyth has stepped up his touring significantly to reach fans in the Southwest,Southeast, East Coast, and Midwest United States, as well as continuing to play in Europe several Times, as he does every year. Guy has been featured in a number of large festivals recently, including the Austin City Limits Music Festival (Austin), High Sierra Music Festival (Northern California), Los Alamos Festival (New Mexico), BBQ & Blues Festival (New York), Tonder Festival (Denmark), and Rhythm ‘n’ Blues Festival (Belgium). Forsyth has opened for and shared the stage with musicians such as BB King, Ray Charles, Lucinda Williams, Jimmy Vaughn, Dr. John, Robert Cray, among many others.

Town Mountain at Red Line Tap

The following are upcoming performances at The Red Line Tap:

The Red Line Tap

7006 N. Glenwood Ave.

Chicago, IL. 60626

773 274-5463 or 773 465–8005

Sunday, June 2nd 2013 at 7 pm
Town Mountain with Special Guests The Bubbly Creek Bluegrass Band
$8.00 Adv / $12.00 Night Of Show


Asheville, NC’s Bluegrass band Town Mountain released their fourth album, Leave the Bottle, September 4th, 2012. The band finds themselves becoming one of the preeminent torchbearers of their craft, facing a promising future. “Centered around strong, soulful vocals, and poised to stay put,” says Woody Platt of the Steep Canyon Rangers, “Town Mountain are true to bluegrass in all the right ways and this new project keeps them firmly connected to the traditions of the genre, while also allowing them to reach out into the broad horizon of string band music. Leave the Bottle comes highly recommended.” Always contributing to the evolution of the bluegrass form, they toss influences as varied as surf-rock, gospel, and honky-tonk country into their field of play.

Mike Bub eloquently noted that Town Mountain is “not reinventing the wheel, but taking the wheel in their hands and driving the music down both familiar roads and out to new territory.” Jim Lauderdale was driven to exclaim, “There’s a new mountain in town – Town Mountain – and they get down with heart, grit, soul, and dive! They’ll get you moving!” They’ve done just that, winning the prestigious Rockygrass competition in 2005 before moving on to wow audiences from North Carolina’s Merlefest to Oregon’s String Summit to 2013’s February’s inaugural Mountain Song at Sea and all points between.

Banding together in 2005, Town Mountain is Phil Barker on mandolin and vocals, Robert Greer on lead vocals and guitar guitar, Jesse Langlais on banjo and vocals, Bobby Britt on fiddle, and newest member Jake Hopping (King Wilkie) rounds them out and drives them forward on bass. They share the kind of easy-going friendly bond that relays itself through their music. One listen to their instantly memorable songs, and it’s plain to see why Grammy-winner Mike Bub would align with the group to produce Leave the Bottle as well as 2011’s Steady Operator. Banjo player extraordinaire and longtime member of the Sam Bush Band, Scott Vestal, also joined the team by engineering the new album, which was recorded at Digital Underground Studio in Nashville, TN.

Their undeniable charm and winning way with words recently won Town Mountain a spot on Putumayo’s recent Bluegrass release, showcasing the song “Diggin’ on the Mountainside” alongside tracks from Alison Krauss, David Grisman, Sam Bush, Railroad Earth, The Seldom Scene, and more. Town Mountain has collaborated and/ or performed along with Doc Watson, Jim Lauderdale, Steep Canyon Rangers, Acoustic Syndicate, Keller Williams, Larry Keel, David Grisman, and The Infamous Stringdusters. They’ve been branching out as a band and as teachers, making their first overseas jaunt to Finland in the spring of 2012 and holding court at workshops in Canada, St. Louis, amongst other cities. The prestigious International Bluegrass Music Association has twice selected Barker for their songwriting showcase (2010 and 2011), and the band was part of their Official Showcase in 2011.

Thanks to their relatable, unforgettable lyrics along with their arresting stage presence and swagger, Town Mountain manages to rise above the seemingly bottomless canyon of bluegrass bands touring today.

Continental with Special Guests at Red Line Tap

The following are upcoming performances at The Red Line Tap:

The Red Line Tap

7006 N. Glenwood Ave.

Chicago, IL. 60626

773 274-5463 or 773 465–8005

Wednesday, September 11th, 2013 at 8 pm

Continental with Special Guests TBA

$7.00 Adv / $12.00 Night Of Show

 For the better part of the last two years venues from concert halls to basement bars have resonated with the sound of Granite City Rock & Roll. Continental uses their Quincy, MA hometown moniker to describe their unique blend of rock that draws influences from punk, country, folk, and blues.

Founder and songwriter Rick Barton sings the songs of the everyman, speaking to our common experiences of love, loss, wandering, and resurrection. The songs are as true and real as any from the English punk bands of the 70’s, capturing the energy of youth, yet delivered with the wisdom of a life lived.

Continental is the latest project from Barton whose resume also includes notable Boston acts The Outlets, Everybody Out!, and Dropkick Murphys.

The concept for Continental began with Rick’s son Stephen Barton who, after hearing a rough solo recording of his dad playing his original composition ‘Curious Spell’ in 2009, encouraged his old man to put a band together and bring this style of songwriting on the road. In Rick’s words, his style is ‘…a blend of folk, punk, and country with a heartfelt message of love, loss, pleasure, and pain.’

The father and son duo then recruited drummer Tom Mazelewski and began their pilgrimage. Continental set out on their first full U.S. tour in September of 2010 as support for the Street Dogs and Flatfoot 56 and have never looked back, touring the country multiple times on headlining tours or as support and making appearances at festivals like the Vans Warped Tour.

To date, Continental has released a 6-track EP and they are anxiously awaiting the release of their much anticipated debut full-length album ‘All a Man Can Do’. The new record will be released July 17 on Michigan label East Grand Record Co. and the band will immediately embark on another headlining tour that kicks off in New Jersey on July 18. This tour is scheduled for 10 weeks, but ‘We could be out even longer if I have it my way…’ says Rick, ‘…the road is my life now and the music is my commitment to me and my fans!’

This blue-collar mentality may mean that the band spends more time in a van and sleeping on floors than they do at home, but in the minds of the Barton's this is a small sacrifice to make as they dedicate themselves to the delivery of their music.

Upcoming performances at The Red Line Tap

The following are upcoming performances at The Red Line Tap:

The Red Line Tap

7006 N. Glenwood Avenue

Chicago, IL 60626

773 274-5463 or 773 465 –8005

www.heartlandcafe.com

Thursday, March 28 – 8 pm
The Red Line Tap Open Mic, Hosted by Micki Croisant
Open Mic begins at 9 pm, No cover



Friday, March 29 - 9 pm
Slum Lotus
No Cover, DJ Night



Saturday, March 30 - 8 pm
Michael McDermott
Kevin Mileski
$15.00, Rock / Singer Songwriters
- Tickets -



Tuesday, April 2 – 9 pm
The Mudflapps
Craig Champlin
$5.00, Bluegrass / Americana / Folk

The Mudflapps: A Drinking band with a music problem. And they mean it, with songs about love, whiskey, jail, family problems and more, you’ll fall in love with The Mudflapps the moment you hear them.



Wednesday, April 3 – 9 pm
Wasted Wednesdays Presented by Miller High Life
Featuring:
DJ Funkoctopus
No Cover, Soul / Funk and More



Thursday, April 4 - 9 pm
Fatally Cool
Mandy Berry
Death By Cassette
$5.00, Rock



Friday, April 5 - 9 pm
Cornmeal’s Wavy Dave and Chris with Dog 1
$5.00 Adv / $7.00 Night OF Show, Bluegrass
- Tickets -



Saturday, April 6 - 9 pm
Cake Chicago Presents
An LGBTQ Showcase
Featuring:
1/2 Mad Poet
Amy Kelly & Bill Ande Band
$5.00, Variety of Music

“CAKE Chicago is one of the most inclusive, eclectic queer events in Chicago.”
Readers Choice – Chicago Reader – Best Gay Variety Show
The Red Line Tap, says it's usually one of the club's busiest nights."



Sunday, April 7 - 8 pm
Jerry The Bear
Bear with Hawkfist
Daniel Ridges
$5.00, Indie / Acoustic



Tuesday, April 9 – 9 pm
The Mudflapps
$5.00, Bluegrass / Americana

The Mudflapps: A Drinking band with a music problem. And they mean it, with songs about love, whiskey, jail, family problems and more, you’ll fall in love with The Mudflapps the moment you hear them.



Wednesday, April 10 - 9 pm
S.O.U.L D33P
Izzy Da Kid
$5.00, Soul / Funk / Rap



Thursday, April 11 - 7 pm
Fred Eaglesmith and The travelling Steam Show
James Curley
$15.00 adv / 20.00 Night of Show
Folk / Americana
- Tickets -



Friday, April 12 - 7 pm
Sara Hickman
Urban Twang
Christina Trulio
$7.00 Adv / 10.00 Night Of Show
Singer Songwriters
- Tickets -



Saturday, April 13 - 9 pm
Midwestern Lull
Dragon Wagon
$5.00, Jam / Americana



Sunday, April 14 - 7 pm
AJ Croce - Son of Folk Icon Jim Croce
Roots / Americana
With Ian Broeker of The Grizzly Sweets
And Dave Johnson of Midwestern Lull
$8.00 Adv / 12.00 Night Of Show
- Tickets -



Monday, April 15 - 9 pm
Ribbons - Ex Juliana Theory / Ex Thermo
Provinces
Grafitti Box
$5.00, Rock / Indie



Tuesday, April 16 - 8 pm
The Stray Birds
The Mudflapps
The Mike Meo Trio
$7.00 Adv / $10.00 Night Of Show
- Tickets -



Wednesday, April 17 - 8 pm
Amy LaVere
Eve’s Twin Lover
The Grant Wallace Band
$7.00 Adv / 10.00 Night of Show
Rock / Roots
- Tickets -



Thursday, April 18 - 7 pm
International Pop Overthrow 2013
7:30 Waiflike
8:15 Keith Betti 
9:00 The Outfit 
9:45 The PowWows
10:30 Telstar
11:15 Go Time
$10.00, Power Pop



Friday, April 19 - 7 pm
International Pop Overthrow 2013
7:30 Matt Pingel
8:15 Liam Davis & Steve Frisbie
9:00 The Velvet Cadillacs 
9:45 Too Much Saturn 
10:30 Ralph Covert
11:15 Gooey 
12:00 Frosting 
$10.00, Power Pop



Saturday, April 20 - 1 pm
International Pop Overthrow 2013
1:00 The German Art Students
1:45 Kirby Kaiser
2:30 The Uglies
3:15 Torch Singer
4:00 Dave Rave 
4:45 Jeremy
$10.00, Power Pop



Saturday, April 20 - 7 pm
International Pop Overthrow 2013
(Ginger Records Night!!)
7:30 Food and Drug 
8:15 Rob Schultz Band 
9:00 The Webstirs 
9:45 Dad’s Magazine 
10:30 The Surf Zombies 
11:15 Phil Angotti and Ellis Clark Pop Orchestra
$10.00, Power Pop



Sunday, April 21 - 1 pm
International Pop Overthrow 2013
1:00 The Unswept 
1:45 The Artist Formerly Known As Vince Band 
2:30 Freetoed 
3:15 Logan Squares 
4:00 The Abbeys 
4:45 Wiplot
$10.00, Power Pop



Sunday, April 21 - 7 pm
International Pop Overthrow 2013
7:30 Einstein’s Sister 
8:15 Trolley 
9:00 Sketch Middle 
9:45 The Black Roses
10:30 Dana DeStefano & Dollparts 
11:15 Semi Twang
$10.00, Power Pop



Monday, April 22 - 7 pm
International Pop Overthrow 2013
7:30 The Despotic Hall Of Fame
8:15 Kevin Lee 
9:00 The Bright White
9:45 The Intimate Machines 
10:30 Certain Stars 
11:15 The PondHawks
$10.00, Power Pop



Tuesday, April 23 - 7 pm
International Pop Overthrow 2013
7:30 Em & Them 
8:15 Ateliers 
9:00 Brother George 
9:45 Left Turn At Albuquerque
10:30 Pilgrims
11:15 The Top Shelf Lickers
$10.00, Power Pop



Wednesday, April 24 - 7 pm
International Pop Overthrow 2013
7:30 Mike Vanderbilt & The Suburban Garage Sound 
8:15 Leisure McCorkle 
9:00 Night Of Fire
9:45 Plastic Smiles
10:30 Minor Wits
11:15 The Gold Web
$10.00, Power Pop



Thursday, April 25 - 7 pm
International Pop Overthrow 2013
7:30 Michael Heaton
8:15 The Injured Parties
9:00 The Red Wigglers 
9:45 The Uncommon Houseflies 
10:30 The Viaducts 
11:15 Rollo Time 
$10.00, Power Pop



Friday, April 26 - 7 pm
International Pop Overthrow 2013
7:30 Nick Peay 
8:15 MariZen
9:00 Panoramic And True
9:45 Temporary Pharaohs
10:30 The Break
11:15 Lights Alive 
12:00 The JoyRyders
$10.00, Power Pop



Saturday, April 27 - 1 pm
International Pop Overthrow 2013
1:00 92 Degrees 
1:45 The Spindles
2:30 The Shake Ups 
3:15 The Pralines
4:00 The Hurtin Kind 
4:45 Treeshakers 
$10.00, Power Pop



Saturday, April 27 - 7 pm
International Pop Overthrow 2013
7:30 Slushy 
8:15 The Redfords 
9:00 The Valley Downs 
9:45 A Fragile Tomorrow 
10:30 The Queue 
11:15 The Romeros 
12:00 The Van Buren Boys
$10.00, Power Pop



Sunday, April 28 - 8 pm
Pure Remedy
Even the Jackyls
An Acoustic Machine
$5.00, Rock / Alt Rock



Tuesday, April 30 – 9 pm
The Mudflapps
$5.00, Bluegrass / Americana



Thursday, May 2 - 8 pm
The Vinegar Strokes
Pure Pilot
Fowlmouth
$5.00, Rock

Red Line Tap Press Release: The Stray Birds W/The Mudflapps

The Red Line Tap

7006 N. Glenwood

Chicago, IL 60626

773 274-5463 or 773 465 –8005

www.heartlandcafe.com

Tuesday, April 16 at 8 pm

The Stray Birds with the Mudflapps & The Mike Meo Trio

7.00 Adv / 10.00 Night Of Show

Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/profile/74898

The Stray Birds

Drawing upon the richness of American folk music traditions, the signature power of The Stray Birds sound lies in outstanding songwriting that soars in three-part harmony. Raised on music within a few miles of farmland from each other, The Stray Birds were born of a compelling collaboration between two unique writers and vocalists-- the pure, luxurious voice of Maya de Vitry and Oliver Craven's richness of tone and depth of delivery. Grounding their sound in the unshakeable groove of bassist Charles Muench, The Stray Birds are a trio of captivating chemistry and sensitive musicality. From bustling street corners to silent halls, their performances speak to an uncompromising reverence for songs. 

 

With miles of music already behind them, Maya and Oliver first shared a song in January 2010, in their hometown of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Maya had just returned from Europe, where she’d been traveling by bike and train, making her way as a fiddling street performer. Oliver had been criss-crossing North America for two years as a harmony vocalist, fiddler, and guitarist for the Grammy-nominated Americana artist Adrienne Young. His repertoire of original songs had been deepening along the way. 

A snowy Pennsylvania winter welcomed collaboration between two such wanderers— and inspired the collection of seven songs found on the Borderland EP. With their good friend Charles laying down the bass lines, The Stray Birds landed their sound. Their love of travel, however, has hardly waned. An ambitious touring schedule reflects their embrace of the experience of live music. “Music exists in a time and place, not just in a digital format,” says Charles. Reveling in the energy of each room, a connection to the audience is the essence of their show. Often singing into a single microphone, their sound is a raw resonance of wood and strings beneath three joyfully blended voices. 

Their tangible passion for acoustic music is certainly a testament to three musically rich childhoods. Shortly after beginning classical violin lessons, Oliver began performing on the fiddle alongside his parents in the Craven Family Band. Their repertoire of folk, bluegrass, and country tunes included many of his father’s original songs. Maya first performed during “show & tell” in kindergarten. She strummed three chords on a tiny guitar and sang Iris DeMent’s “Our Town”—one of the songs in frequent rotation in the family car. She took piano lessons with her grandmother, who was a gifted composer. And alongside public school violin lessons, she learned fiddle tunes from her father, who performed in several local bands. The highlight of each year was the family's annual trip to West Virginia's Appalachian String Band Music Festival.

Inspired by his bass-playing father, Charles started bass lessons in a public elementary school string program. As he gained fluency on this large and versatile instrument, his passion and interest in music education heightened—culminating in a Music Education degree from West Chester University. In the midst of this classical music education, Charles found another musical outlet—a weekly bluegrass pick in the woodshed of a nearby horse farm. “When the bridge wasn’t out, it was only 4 or 5 miles to Joe’s house,” Charles remembers. While his college music courses focused on the technical and theoretical aspects of music, “playing music with Joe was more about the spirit—and the social nature of music.” Joe also called upon Charles to work up another skill that he would carry with him—bluegrass harmony singing.

Drawn to a region saturated by traditional music, Maya began at the University of North Carolina- Asheville, but left after one restless semester. During her travels, she became startled by the poetry she discovered in the songs of Townes Van Zandt and began listening to songs with fresh intent. For someone who had loved songs for as long as she could remember, “suddenly, writing songs seemed inevitable,” she says. She spent a year and half at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she studied under Mark Simos, Darol Anger, and John McGann. She has since received national recognition for her songwriting, including 4th place in the 2011 Telluride Troubadour Competition and 3rd place in the BMI/John Lennon Scholarship Awards.

Oliver also struck a balance in his musical education. Upon graduating high school he turned down several football scholarships, picked up the mandolin and guitar, and headed to Philadelphia to attend Temple University. While studying African American Literature and History, he wrote songs, played a few open mics, and began to record his original music. After three years, he realized that what he wanted to learn wasn’t within the hallways of a university, but rather along the roadways of North America. “I can do my learning in the front seat of a Subaru while crossing state lines,” Oliver says. “I listen to people I like, and then find the people they like, and then pay attention to that.” Experience has served him well—he has logged thousands of miles, played in forty states and four countries, and played for honky-tonks, folk festivals, and listening rooms. “I think music is the best thing about our country,” Oliver insists. “It is undeniable that if nothing else, we sure figured out how to make good music.”

Red Line Tap Press Release: Amy LaVere 4/17/2013

The Red Line Tap

7006 N. Glenwood

Chicago, IL 60626

773 274-5463 or 773 465 –8005

www.heartlandcafe.com

Wednesday April 17 at 8 pm

Amy LaVere

http://amylavere.com/
Eve’s Twin Lover

The Grant Wallace Band

$7.00 Adv / 10.00 Night Of Show, Americana / Rock

Tickets:

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/profile/74898

The stranger in popular culture has often been a signifier for isolation. Amy LaVere’s life since the release of her last album has seen the breakup with a long-term love relationship and musical collaborator, as well as the death of a musical mentor, which resulted in a longer gestation period for this, her third album, Stranger Me (Archer). Under the circumstances, one could imagine the allure of emotional distance.

Or does she mean stranger, as in more idiosyncratic? By a purely musical definition, Stranger Me would certainly qualify. Always texturally rich and often employing dissonance and off-kilter instrumentation, it is her most exploratory work to date. Producer Craig Silvey, fresh from engineering Arcade Fire’s Grammy-winning The Suburbs album, proved a perfect choice in helping LaVere materialize the music that was in her head. The resulting soundscape, alternately haunting and exuberantly defiant, creates a perfect backdrop for this collection of songs about frustration and feeling emotionally disconnected.

LaVere was originally planning on making this album with her second album, Anchors & Anvils, producer, the legendary Jim Dickinson. He had not been in good health for some time, and she felt that she may not have many more opportunities to record with him. “He was the one who really got me to believe in my own voice,” says LaVere. When he passed in August 2009, in addition to grieving one of her greatest mentors and champions, she was back at square one in the recording process. One of her first thoughts, after she was ready to begin thinking about producers, was Silvey. They met in London through a mutual friend at the BBC, hit it off immediately and he volunteered to run sound for her performance on Later With Jools Holland. Although he would make a point to see her when she was performing in London, he had yet to listen to her albums. When she contacted him to consider producing her, he further resisted the temptation to listen to the first two records, so he could approach the new recording with fresh ears and ideas.

LaVere experienced other upheavals last year, beginning with the departure of her guitar player, Steve Selvidge, who left to join The Hold Steady. Even more devastating, she and her boyfriend/drummer Paul Taylor decided to call it quits after six years. “There’s much love and respect between the two of us, but sometimes creative people aren’t good together when they never get a break from one another,” she explains. After starting the recording process without him, it was evident that she missed his musical contributions, so she called him, and he eagerly agreed to play drums on the album. “You can’t replace the magic that comes from all those years of playing together,” she says. The process of recording became a healing experience as they redefined their relationship. LaVere channels the heartbreak that comes with the end of a relationship in “Tricky Heart“and “Cry My Eyes Out,” an ethereal song that finds its protagonist driving late into the night hoping to find a song on the radio that will trigger a cathartic release.

Like Dickinson before him, Silvey encouraged LaVere to follow her own muse, even when (especially when) it led her to more esoteric choices, like the one to cover Captain Beefheart’s “Candle Mambo.” “When I was on tour for the last album, we went through a Beefheart phase in the van. My old guitar player said, ‘Now THAT’S a love song.’ And he’s right. I first became obsessed with the idea of just covering it live but we could never get it to make sense with the limited instrumentation of my band at that time. I wanted to present it in a way that would explore the drunken nature of infatuation and how distracting it is. This idea needed a messier bed to lie in. Recording it gave me the opportunity to realize that.”

Amy LaVere was born in Louisiana and moved around as a GM brat (“Dad moved around to open factories”), and the family eventually settled near Detroit, at least everyone but her father, who continued to travel for work. The family structure eventually gave way. She and her sister rebelled, and one of the ways Amy did so was by joining a band at age 14. Rebellion is still a potent theme for her, and she continues to defy and test love’s constraints, adding to the body count of the last album (“Killing Him”) with “Red Banks,” a sly turn on the blues/country yarn where the girl usually ends up getting it in the end. In “Damn Love Song,” she finally writes the love song that her lover has longed for, but it’s practically spit at him as she is walking out the door. “You Can’t Keep Me” is a insolent pop song that warns that she won’t be held captive in her relationship as a building cacophony of horns and Theremin joyously celebrate her imminent freedom.

LaVere brought together a group of musicians that provided the right aesthetic for the album. Her first call was to Rick Steff (Lucinda Williams, Cat Power, Lucero) whose love for all things left of center appealed to her. He brought to the recording process a fertile imagination and a repository of odd instruments, including toy pianos, organ, Buddha boxes and the Theremin. Guitar player David Cousar, whose style Silvey describes as “beautifully eccentric,” was her next call. Other musicians include Anchors & Anvils violinist Bob Furgo (Leonard Cohen), floutist/saxophone Clint Maegden (Preservation Hall Jazz Band), cellist Jonathan Kirkscey and violist Beth Luscombe (Memphis Symphony), trumpeter Nahshon Benford, saxophonist Jim Spake and bassist John Stubblefield (Lucero).

Stranger Me is the next step in the exciting evolution of Amy LaVere. — clearly more confident in her musical point of view, possessing more wisdom about what love is not and ready to embrace the ideal of the stranger, whatever its iteration.

Red Line Tap Press Release: AJ Croce 4/14/2013

The Red Line Tap
7006 N. Glenwood
Chicago, IL 60626
773 274-5463 or 773 465 –8005
www.heartlandcafe.com


Sunday, April 14 at 7 pm
AJ Croce
https://www.facebook.com/ajcrocemusic
With Ian Broeker of the Grizzly Sweets and Dave Johnson of Midwestern Lull
8.00 Adv / 12.00 Night Of Show

Tickets:
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/profile/74898



A.J. Croce

With a four star review in Rolling Stone, A.J. Croce’s Cage of Muses is a shining milestone on the circuitous road that the singer-songwriter has traveled - from his debut as a jazz influenced blues-based artist to his evolution into a pop music iconoclast. But at this juncture, A.J. is more focused on the present and the future than the past. And after a three-year stint living in Nashville, he has come home to California.

In the span of a 20 year plus career, A.J. has headlined festivals, concerts and major listening venues worldwide. He has been seen and heard on shows including The Late Show with David Letterman, Austin City Limits, Good Morning America, E!, MTV and CNN, and has performed with a roster of artists that includes his idol Ray Charles, B.B. King, Carlos Santana, Rod Stewart, Aretha Franklin and Willie Nelson. A loyal and appreciative audience and glowing press from Rolling Stone to the New York Times confirms the appeal of A.J’s genre-spanning music.

The son of legendary singer-songwriter Jim Croce. A.J.’s musical evolution was inspired by a broad spectrum of styles including classic rhythm and blues, folk, and British rock.

His two well-regarded releases for Private Music/BMG expanded his audience exponentially. With the support of BMG in 2003, A.J. founded an independent label, Seedling Records, to represent his music and that of other artists. Seven of his albums have subsequently been positioned in various charts including Top 40, College, AAA, Americana, and Jazz.

A dedicated family man, an adventurous artist and a confident creator; in this phase in his life and career, A.J. is focused less on expectations and more on instincts. And like the blues artists who influenced him, A.J. Croce continues to create compelling music with longevity, authenticity and truth.


“One of our greatest young songwriters” - David Wild of Rolling Stone


“A.J. Croce has wisdom beyond his years. With his music, he represents his generation with a profound sense of honesty in his lyrics and quality in his delivery. The future of entertainment is safe in his hands!” - Willie Nelson


“A.J. is one of the top three greatest musicians I’ve ever played with” –Ben Harper

Red Line Tap Press Release: Sara Hickman 4/12/2013

The Red Line Tap
7006 N. Glenwood
Chicago, Il 60626
773 274-5463 or 773 465 –8005
www.heartlandcafe.com


Friday, April 12th at 8 pm
Sara Hickman
http://sarahickman.com
7.00 Adv / 10.00 Night Of Show

Tickets:
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/profile/74898



Let’s start with today

In May 2010, Sara became the Official State Musician of Texas, following in the footsteps of the legendary Willie Nelson, and used this title to help families create together and bring art programs into public schools. The result in 2011 was the ground-breaking album The Best of Times, a compilation album of her songs recorded by other amazing Texas musicians, including Willie Nelson, Marcia Ball, Shawn Colvin, Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, Ruthie Foster and 25 other artists. All proceeds go to Theatre Action Project, a group dedicated to putting art, music and theater back into public schools.

She’s been performing with her kid friendly trio, Family Time Rocks!, whose motto is “families that to create together, do great together!” Sara’s produced a CD for FTR! that came out in September 2010 as a free download for families, thanks to the support of HEB.

Sara released Absence of Blame, her most recent CD, which includes 13 songs of sorrow and redemption. She put out an animated DVD for children entitled, Big Bird, Little Bird (which immediately won Dr. Toy’s award for Best Summer Vacation item), and produced Sweet Songs, a collection of Austin female musicians singing songs for families, with all proceeds benefiting the Mothers’ Milk Bank.

But, at the very beginning…


Age 7: Sara got a guitar. She named it Martha.
Age 8: Sara wrote/performed her first song on stage, winning first place from the Daughters of the American Revolution.



As a child in Houston


With a fiber artist mother, a painter for a dad, a soccer playing sister, Sara’s world was full of interactive creativity: writing, painting, wild art parties thrown by her parents on occasional weekends, with interesting women in fur coats and long cigarettes, collegiate art students around the piano, everyone singing “Girl From Ipanema,” Sara in pajamas, eyes full of enthusiasm.



Teen Years


Sara attended the High School for Performing and Visual Arts, studying vocals and beginning to perform at bank openings, weddings, in psychiatric units, and even at a pizza parlor. She also started getting involved in bands.
College Years


Graduated w/a B.A. in Fine Arts from the University of North Texas/Denton. Set to become an art director, she switched plans when she moved to Dallas, creating her first album, Equal Scary People with Brave Combo founder, Carl Finch, who had seen her on a cable access show.

Multiple awards were won from the Dallas Observer, so Sara landed a deal with Windham Hill, then Elektra. Sara began touring, playing festivals, appearing on VH1, singing on the Tonight Show.

Then… Crash!


Elektra decided to shelve Sara’s next project and drop the album. Sara’s fans rallied together to help her raise $50,000 to buy the album back. It was a moving testimony to the power of the people.



Community Issues

Sara does a world of good. She’s raised hundreds of thousands of $’s for: the Dallas Dance for Life; House the Homeless; Bryan’s House; AAIM; PETA; Amnesty International; homeless shelters, SPCA, Mothers’ Milk Bank, TCADP; visited Romania to deliver clothing, money and supplies to orphans; and personally raised more than $50,000 for the Hill Country Youth Ranch in Ingram, Texas, a safe haven for severely abused children. The HCYR then opened the Sara Hickman Childrens’ Fund, which accepts matching grants and buys musical instruments, dance shoes, and art supplies for the children of the ranch. Sara’s involvement in music and art therapy continued through ARTS (Artistic and Recreational Therapies), leading her to perform for children in burn units, AIDS and stroke victims, and in psychiatric units, where she utilized her talents and love to help with the healing process. In 2004, Sara was the National Ambassador for Half Price Books visiting hospitals and schools across the U.S., helping to promote literacy where she performed and read to children.

Red Line Tap Press Release: Michael McDermott 3/30/2013

The Red Line Tap
7006 N. Glenwood
Chicago, IL 60626
773 274-5463 or 773 465 –8005
www.heartlandcafe.com


Saturday, March 30 at 8 pm
Michael McDermott
15.00, Singer Songwriter

The anthemic, arena-filling “Scars From Another Life” (from his forthcoming album Hit Me Back) paints the a picture of how far singer-songwriter Michael McDermott has come:  “I was so down... I had completely lost my way / When I hit Broadway I began to realize / That all they are are scars from another life.” His life since becoming a recording artist—full of myriad highest highs, gutter-skimming lows, and absolute rock bottoms of the past two decades—could read like a screenplay, but with stories so ridiculously outlandish that they couldn’t possibly be true. All of it—the addiction, the failed relationships, the financial dramas, the career hurdles—have left plenty of scars, but McDermott’s moving on, moving up, and taking charge.  He makes no excuses for his past—it has made him who he is today—but sings to everyone listening (and to himself):  “Don’t run away, they’re scars from another life.”

It's been quite a ride since singer/songwriter Michael McDermott unleashed his debut, 620 West Surf, but one might even go so far as to say that his 2012 release, Hit Me Back, represents the work of a new artist:  for the first time in his recording career, McDermott is a father, a philanthropic entrepreneur, and has experienced the loss of an adored parent.  All are major life changes which have found achingly honest expression in his songs.
Hit Me Back also exudes McDermott's trademark embrace of faith and hope in the face of adversity.  The lyrics are, as always, uniquely evocative: McDermott sings in poetry; his tunes are literate story-songs.  On the haunting "Ever After," he offers the listener palpable insight into the jarring confusion and doubt felt in the days that followed his mother's passing (in October 2011).  The wryly observed title track puts a new spin on fighting a long-time nemesis, alcohol.  His demon-banishing in the aforementioned “Scars From Another  Life” is echoed in the love-is-redemption refrains of “Let It Go.”  The exploration of temptation and bowing to its siren call is explored in the Americana-laced “A Deal With The Devil.”

Influenced by such musical giants as Bob Dylan and Van Morrison, McDermott exhibited a talent for mature and lyrically dense songwriting that soon caught the eye—and ear—of then-talent scout Brian Koppelman (now a screenwriter, novelist, director, and producer; best known as the co-writer of “Ocean’s Thirteen” and “Rounders”), who immediately signed him to Giant Records.  That first album, 620 West Surf, boasted a Billboard Hot 100 charting single, (“A Wall I Must Climb”). McDermott continued to write introspective, character-driven songs that won him an enduring band of appreciative followers.  In the liner notes for McDermott’s self-titled album, bestselling author Stephen King wrote:  “Michael McDermott is one of the best songwriters in the world and possibly the greatest undiscovered rock ‘n’ roll talent of the last 20 years.”

The recording industry shakeup that marked the mid-1990s left McDermott without a contract, and awash in debt and self-doubt.  “Throughout the years, I had continued to feel like I was on a mission, of sorts, singing spiritual songs,” he once said, “but never really feeling good about the other elements of my life.”  McDermott released five more albums in the next decade, some with label distribution, others independently.  He also continued playing live shows, and riding a personal rollercoaster of addiction, recovery, and sometimes-misplaced ambition.
Having at last become more comfortable in his own skin, scarred but smarter, McDermott has in recent years begun to make more life-affirming choices.  He has launched his own coffee line, with sales from each bag of his two signature blends providing meals for seven children.  Understandably, he's found positive inspiration in his wife, Heather Horton (whom he married during a tour stop in Italy in May 2009), and the birth of their daughter, Rain (in July 2010).  And he’s once again a signed artist, this time with New Jersey label, Rock Ridge Music, who will be releasing his forthcoming album. McDermott and wife Horton (a gifted musician/vocalist), and producer CJ Eiriksson (engineered albums for U2 and Matchbox 20, as well as McDermott's 2007 album Noise From Words) spent a whirlwind eight days in the studio to record Hit Me Back.

Of course, recent positive inspiration doesn't mean he's forgotten his tumultuous past or that he no longer faces present struggles. For McDermott, a performer and storyteller to the depths of his soul, his connection with fans and his uncanny ability to communicate universal truths through his own personal experiences are helping fade the many of the scars that remain.  The demons aren’t gone; he’s just found a place for them to dwell in peace.  It is coming to terms with those demons and putting them in their place that continues to fuel his art ever further.