Certain People I Know - Chicago, IL. - Emo/Indie/Rock

Certain People I Know is one of many present day emo bands. What's different about them is that they feature of the guys who started it all - Bob Nanna.

This isn't quite your typical Nanna project as it features female vocals and a subtle difference in styling from Hey Mercedes and Braid.

Check out the debut S/T LP below. Watch live footage from the band's first performance even further below.

Relentless Approach - Quad Cities, IL. - Hardcore/Punk

Relentless Approach - dark, chuggy, and in-your-face hardcore/punk from the northern MidWest. These riffs will make you very, very angry.

Stream their latest release, Notorious Thugs, below.


For fans of: Kingdom, Thieves, Omens, Retox

Caterpillar Club - Springfield, IL. - Shoegaze/Post-Rock/Sludge

Caterpillar Club serve up an interesting blend of sludgy post-rock and shoegaze tunes straight from the Illinois capitol.

Stream a track off of their debut EP Path On The Sea below. View a live performance from the band even further below.

For fans of: My Bloody Valentine, Boris, Russian Circles

Skeletal Lightning Fest in the works

Currently working out details on a one-day fest featuring many of the bands on the site. I've started a dialogue with a venue, as well as a few potential headlining bands.

Details:

When: March/April 2013

Where: Urbana, Illinois

What: 12-15 Midwestern bands, big and small.

Why: To support the region's wonderful music scene and bring the bands and the fans together for the day to celebrate.

I'll post more info as soon as things start coming together. Any guesses on any of the bands that might be appearing? Or any bands that you'd like to see? Leave a comment below!

Like Bats - Lansing, IL. - Punk/Pop-Punk

Like Bats are a band that will swoop down over you, kill you, and then suck your blood.

Only kidding. But they do make some great gritty poppy punk jamz if you're wanting to have a good-ole' dancin' time.

Listen to their latest release, Midwest Nothing, below.

For fans of: Alkaline Trio, Jawbreaker, Rumspringer, and Dear Landlord.

Hospital Job - Springfield, IL. - Pop-punk/Punk

Springfield's Hospital Job bring a poppy-as-hell style of punk to the stage while reminding you of the good-ole times of your teenage years.

Check out two songs from the band's upcoming LP below.

Guilty Minds - Peoria, IL. - Punk/Hardcore

Guilty Minds, a 4-piece hardcore from Peoria, Illinois, pump out some righteous Midwestern hardcore jams.

Check out a free single from the band below. Watch the band live in action even further below.

[bandcamp album=3969820934 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=venti]

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkOzLcv5wEY]

Video: Enta "Become"

Watch live footage of Enta performing their new song "Become" on August 6, 2012 at The Red Herring in Urbana, Illinois below.

The song was featured on the Skeletal Lightning Midwestern Underground Music Summer Compilation and will be on their upcoming split with Stangers Now.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpdAmMxZLj8]

Our Lady - Springfield, IL. - Pop/Punk/Emo

Photo by Alex Bulli

Our Lady - up-beat poppy emo punk straight from the capital of Illinois.

Free digital two song split out now, out on tape soon.

Listen/watch below.

[bandcamp album=1634431242 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=venti]

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrTCb4yeUxQ]

Egg Chef - Belleville, IL. - Punk/Pop/Noise

Weird music lovers unite.

Egg Chef. Noisy and not so typical pop from the St. Louis area.

Think Dr. Manhattan meets a combination of An Albatross and The Locust.

For fans of: An Albatross, The Locust, The Chinese Stars, So Many Dynamos

[bandcamp album=1344205900 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=venti]

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjfOYpohUG8&w=560&h=315]

Easter - Champaign, IL. - Indie/Lo-Fi/Punk

Easter. Fun, quirky, solemn, and catchy tunes that make a perfect fit for your summer mixtape.

All recorded by a one-man-band, which seemingly took the Midwest by storm last spring.

If you haven't had a chance to check this band out, do so now!

Listen and watch below. Free download available on bandcamp.

For fans of: Neutral Milk Hotel, Wilco

[bandcamp album=2093822677 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=venti]

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEHqJqkwhQ0]

Ittō - Chicago, IL. - Screamo/Emo/Math-Rock

Ittō - a calm, yet chaotic storm of mathy emo/hardcore/punk, blending even more genres I didn't even know existed.

This Chicago band is not one that you can snap your fingers to, but they still draw you in with cool, pleasant passages, and then spit you back out with just the right amount of terror.

Do not miss out on this band! Stream the S/T 10" and check out some live footage below.

Record Label: ADAGIO830

For fans of: Beau Navire, Kidcrash, innards

[bandcamp album=976849009 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=venti]
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRqBEACkg-Y]

Sad Family - Peoria, IL. - Post-punk/Punk

Peoria's Sad Family make music, as do many bands.

What makes this band different from the rest is their gloomy style of post-punk that will leave you wanting more.

The creepy riffs mixed with cool, forward moving drum beats remind me of early A Day in Black and White.

Listen/watch below.

For fans of: Butthole Surfers, Wire, Screamers, Saccharine Trust, The Wipers

[bandcamp album=3233062392 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=venti]

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yfa0n51o5WA]

Lord Green - Quad Cities, IL. - Punk/Thrash

Lord Green.

Ultra heavy punk from northern Illinois.

Free downloads available.

Bang your heads.

Kowabunga! Kid - Champaign, IL. - Surf/Garage/Pop

Kowabunga! Kid, a fun-loving trio from Champaign, makes sounds that will make you happy and dancy.

The band just released their S/T EP out now on Rat King Records.

Buy here.

Listen and watch below.

[bandcamp album=3880744261 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=venti]

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNFCwv7H2hQ]

Stream: Nachtmystium - Chicago, IL. - Black Metal/Psychedelic

A new jam from Chicago's Nachtmystium is now streaming below.

The track comes from the band's upcoming release Silencing Machine, due out July 31 on Century Media.

[soundcloud url="http://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/51570996" iframe="true" /]

Beggars - Chicago, IL. - Hardcore/Punk

Photo by azuree wiitala photography

Chicago's Beggars provide listeners with an upbeat blend of hardcore and punk with emotion filled lyrics and thrashy drumming.

And while the description may be very general, the band bears a brand of Midwestern hardcore with pride.

Check out the band's first release below.

[bandcamp album=2951142931 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=venti]

[vimeo 22923011 w=500 h=281]

Beggars live @ Eastwood House from Kyle Wheeler on Vimeo.

Wide Angles - Chicago, IL. - Indie/Pop/Punk

Wide Angles are greater than or equal to garage pop/punk from Chicago.

Listen below.

For fans of: Rumspringer, The Measure, Dead to Me, The Riot Before

[bandcamp album=205692349 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=venti]

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ4elfXOzrQ]

Error Records - Champaign, IL - DIY Vinyl/Tape/Distro

Welcome to the first installment of the new series on Midwestern underground record labels, which will be highlighting some of the great, but perhaps somewhat difficult to find labels of the region.

Up first is Champaign, Illinois based DIY label Error Records, which was established in 2008, then focusing on CD releases. Since that time, the label has shifted its focus to cassette and vinyl formats, while developing an online distro and screen printing business, and expanding its ever-growing roster of talented artists.

Currently on tap for the label is its first vinyl release - a vinyl pressed version of the Droughts/William Bonney split, which was first released on cassette.

You can pre-order the record with a special limited-edition poster and sticker here.

Follow Error Records on Facebook for the most up-to-date information.

Check out past releases and distro items on the label's online store.

Don't forget to listen to some of the label's most recent releases.

Have a label of your own or know of a good one? Send an email to skeletallightning1@gmail(dot)com with more information and a link to any related websites.

Midstress - Champaign, IL. - Punk

My friends in Champaign-Urbana based band Midstress just released The Graff Raid EP.

Stream the full EP below and catch them on tour the next week at the following dates:

6/1 - DEKALB, IL (The 7th St. Space)
6/2 - CHICAGO, IL (Cal's Bar)
6/3 - MINNEAPOLIS, MN @ Club Med
6/4 - MADISON, WI (High Noon Saloon)
6/5 - Cedar Falls, IA (The Space)
6/6 - IOWA CITY, IA @ Gabes
6/7 - St. Louis, MO (The Heavy Anchor)
6/8 - Carbondale, IL (Lost Cross House)

 

[bandcamp album=2756782117 bgcol=FFFFFF linkcol=4285BB size=venti]