Local Legends #3
Venue : Reggie’s Music Joint
City : Chicago
Line Up : Silvertone, Lever, Johnny Kilroy, aka Ryan
I have to give the first shout out to Reggie’s Music Joint. Being 1 of 3 venues in a single location (there’s also Reggie’s Rock Club and the Roof Deck) you’d think that maybe they’d be stretched a little thin but it’s the complete opposite. The venue is so obviously all about music and bands that it actually feels more like a museum of local talent when you’re in there. The stage itself allows plenty of room for various sized bands and the sound quality is excellent. Even the band stickers/signature-covered walls add a charm like 1,000 badges of honor on the worlds coolest leather jacket.
Onto the first act of the night, Silvertone. I met these guys at a house show a while back and was instantly band-smitten as they both look and sound like the rock band you want to be in. Seriously, pop on a fast-paced track like “You Never Mention Me” or a huge one like “Sound Up, All the Time” and you’ll want to chug the closest beer and bang your head while their guitars lead the way. Do it quickly though, so you have a chance to rest in the arms of silkier song like “Walk On Top”. They also added a 4th member to what usually was a trio and the dual guitars really added some fun beefiness to their sound. Their stage energy is unrivaled, you’ll usually catch front-man Zach having the time of his life be it singing to the crowd or showing you how guitars are supposed to be played with a killer band. If you’re anywhere near they’re absolutely not to be missed.
Funny enough I also met our next band, LEVER, at the aforementioned house show. They (accurately) describe themselves as “Grunge-Pop” which is a much better way to say “Nirvana in a better mood” but that only covers half their landscape. Slap on a fun tune like “Lucky” and you’d be forgiven thinking it’s a different band but it’s one in the same! They have such an authentic and larger-than-life sound that I can’t help but keep them on my Spotify repeat playlist. Even now I’m listening to “Code Name Killer” (specifically on YouTube from their Audiotree session in 2021) and I just want to go outside and do something rad like burst through a wall or fight a stranger while it plays. They’re huge on the scene and known to the city so make sure you’re not the only one left out in the cold!
Okay, so third but most certainly not last in line was Johnny Kilroy. Now I know a name like that sounds pure punk rock with a sinister twist, but you and I BOTH are wrong to think so. He’s actually a rap / hip hop / R&B artist with a collection of insanely talented musicians that assist him. He could easily bring his produced music on a laptop and perform, and it’d be a good time, but the fact that he seems to prefer actual on-stage musicians really gives a certain authenticity to the amazing tunes you hear from the recordings. You’ll want to cruise around blasting a banger like “Everything Burns” until your subwoofers explode, but after that happens you can mellow out and listen to the silky songs like “4K Drip” and “Shine”. They did excellent crowd work and the change up in sound even assisted the flow of the night! I personally can’t wait to catch more of them around the city.
Lastly, my band aka Ryan, headlined the night. I don’t think I’m in a position to review myself, but I do have something to say about the band. I’m not trying to look cool when I say I do this all by myself. I write all the tracks in whatever room I’m in, generally subterranean, then I record the tracks, edit them, post them, promote them, perform them, website, socials, podcast, blah blah blah…. but this was the first night I’ve had a full band on stage with me. They’re actually 3 of the 4 current/former members of another band called Blaqrock and it was unique to feel like the least qualified person in a band playing music I wrote. These guys have toured Europe and the U.S. on their own so I knew what I was stepping in to, but it was still rewarding when some fellow musicians who know my act came up and said something along the lines of “I wish MY first band was PERFECT!”. They’d never take the mountain of praise I owe them for realizing a dream so I hope this and whatever the future holds can amount to at least a hill of gratitude. The work has been so selfishly an honor.
A sincere thank you to Austen, Danny, and Myles.
