Nominees

With their latest release, Heavy EP, released in February of 2006, Lorenzo Goetz has further established themselves as an up and coming band in Champaign-Urbana. Made up of charismatic front man Larry Gates on vocals and guitar, Josh Miethe on guitar and backup vocals, Eric Fisher on bass and Jesse Greenlee on drums and backup vocals, Lorenzo Goetz had a busy year in 2005, touring in over 10 states. In 2005, Lorenzo Goetz proved they had a great year when they won the C-U Music Award for Best Rock Band and Best Band Overall, and The Hub Weekly Best Band award. Lorenzo Goetz continues to play shows in the area and even on the 21 Quad Bus.

Sarah Clemmons, WPGU

Making an encore appearance in the Best Rock category from last year, Shipwreck have since completed two EP albums of the four that they have announced for self-release in the next several months. The EP albums are entitled House of Cards and Walk in the Woods, each including four tracks. With their promise of four EP releases in mind, Chris Waage, Vlad Brilliant, Harman Jordan, and and John Owen are back in their rehearsal space and are currently working on their third EP set to be released in the late Spring.

Nominated once again in the Best Rock category, the trio of Tristan Wraight, Erin Fein, and Brett Sanderson known as Headlights seem to be repeating success all around as they embark on yet another tour with dates in Europe and the South by Southwest Music Festival. With 161 shows played in 2006 and their LP Kill Them With Kindness released in August, Headlights have created a solid foundation toward building an even more successful year in 2007. They are currently on their three month world tour with their first dates in the UK, followed by stops in Amsterdam, the Midwest and both coasts in March and April.

Gracing Best Rock category yet another time, The Living Blue also found themselves adorning the pages of Rolling Stone magazine in Europe as band members Joe Prokop and Steve Ucherek did an interview for them while touring there with The Saints in October. As Joe, Steve, along with bandmates Andrew Davidson and Mark Schroder currently work on new material for this year, they continue to play shows around Champaign, with their next show on March 9th with The Redwalls and Probably Vampires at the Highdive coming up in the future.

Another band new to the Best Rock category nominees are The Chemicals, composed of band members Justin, Jonny, Carri, and Andrew. Playing their first live show in August of 2004, The Chemicals have since performed with other local area bands, including fellow Best Rock nominees Headlights and The Living Blue. They plan for an official release of their new album soon, which they announced was completed in October. For now, they continue to play shows and tour around the area.

Made up of band members Mark, Clint, Michael, and Hayden, Jiggsaw make their debut appearance in the Best Rock category this year. With shows played at the Warped Tour and the re-release of their album Zero Generation, Jiggsaw realize their work as becoming more recognized as they continue to write and put up new songs on their website. They are playing a show on March 9th at the Cowboy Monkey.

About: Full name - Edwin "Krukid" Ruyonga. This emcee from Uganda, East Africa has been serious about his rap career since his teens. He got his start with a group of friends, forming Urban Thugz and winning a country wide competition in 2000 back in his home country. Since then he's performed shows in both the States and Africa. Along the way he's won the Chicago Urban League Mic Check Contest's Best Emcee Award and a certificate to have his flow produced by Ivan Dupee of Level Next Inc. This was aired on Power 92 in the fall of 2003. In 2005, Cash Hill Records released Krukid's debut album, "Raisin in the Sun," at Cowboy-Monkey in Champaign, IL.

Musical Influences: Krukid has a wide variety of musical influences, especially east coast emcees, but his sound is definitive as opposed to copying. Krukid himself points to Nas, Grafh, Jay-Z and Saigon.

Record Label: His current record label is the Indie label DLNZ Productions.

(information taken from www.krukid.com and myspace)

Christine Italia, WPGU

Born Courtney Christian King, C-King began his music career when he was just 17 years old in Southern California. Now far from home, C-King has made it his mission to improve the local hip-hop scene here in Champaign-Urbana. He says, "As local hip-hop we all need to kind of come together to make the hip-hop stronger." C-King is influenced by every type of music, and stresses that as a producer he must listen to everything. Right now, he's into a lot of old music, and listens to everything from Led Zeppelin to Panic! at the Disco. C-King also says that checking out a local Open Mic Night can be even better than listening to a CD. As for his nomination for a 2006 Local Music Award, C-King is very honored. He says, "It's humbling to know I got nominated for something that could potentially lead peope to listen to what I've got to say."

Christine Italia, WPGU

At the tender age of 4 years old, Edward Moses found hip-hop. However, it would be 10 years before it took a complete hold of him. At age 14, Edward turned his love for prose, slam poetry, vivid imagery, and eclectic musical tastes into a musical force, and combined it with his love for science fiction, and a developing lung capacity. Thus, Agent Mos was born. What followed was a history of mixtape features, crew affiliations, and a grassroots hip-hop mentality that landed him in a variety of situations ranging from battles to cyphers. Agent Mos' brand of hip-hop is a breakbeat beat down, that keeps heads infectiously nodding, minds working, and true hip-hop fans putting their hands opposite to the ground to fuel him on. He has worked with several musicians and producers around campus, including DJ Spinnerty, DJ Bozak, and the Greg Spero Trio. His live shows are guaranteed to capture a spirit of hip-hop that was seen in its golden age. His first album, "ILLuminate", is scheduled to be released independently at the end of March, and he has been featured on Green Street Records (Playlisted - "City Life", 2005), Concert Records (Greg Spero Trio - Live in 25 - "Paper", "Heavy", 2006), and Mjeztyck Records (Mjeztyck Three - "Schizophrenia", 2001; Birth of the Havoc Unit - "Mortal Kombat", "Return Of..", 2003).

Christine Italia, WPGU

Andrew Newbill, also known as "Dre Bill" is one of the youngest members of Upanotch Records and has blazed collaborations as well as solo joints produced by Terrell Cooper, Dameon, D.C. and Key Pushas very own Dro. The young fire spitter has a thing for embarrassing veterans on the mic. Dre Bill is currently in the studio working on his debut album "Da Future" and will be on tour in the summer of 2005 with the Brian Housing Group and Mind Camp!

Born and raised on the South side of Chicago, IL, Raphael Smith has been blessed to overcome difficult situations and become successful. At an early age, the importance of having a relationship with God was instilled into him by his family. He comes from a long line of ministers including both of his grandmothers (pastors), his aunts (pastors and reverends), his father (reverend) and his mother (pastor), just too name a few. He began singing at the age of 3 and began playing for the church choir at the age of 7. Although he was raised by his mother, aunts, and grandmother, the absence of a father figure in his youth did not handicap him. He excelled in grammar school, skipping 7th grade to graduate early, and continued academic excellence by graduating valedictorian of all of the African-American students at his high School. Raphael is currently a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a BA in Speech Communication. Raphael has accumulated national and international support via his music websites ( www.soundclick.com/raphael, www.myspace.com/raphaelsmith), and has a substantial following in the Champaign-Urbana communities and the Chicagoland area. He is constantly developing his musical artistry with performances or appearances nearly every weekend. This producer, singer, songwriter has distributed three sample cds and is currently working on a professional project. From talent shows to musicals to weddings, Raphael has committed himself to share his God-given gift of music to encourage, uplift, inspire, and entertain audiences. He has recently moved to New York where he will continue the pursuit of his musical aspirations. Though he would eventually like to pursue a solo career in music, God has blessed him to be a member of the national recording gospel group, Cynthia Turner and Heartspeak, which is comprised of many other talented and anointed people from the Champaign-Urbana community. This humble man of God is always mindful to give praise and thanks to God for the blessings and favor God gives him. He strives for excellence in all that he does and his favorite quote is I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:13 )

In a slightly discombobulated loft slash studio over-looking the heart of downtown Champaign Sanya N'Kanta and friends are hard at work on his sophomore album "Emergency". He has been an active musician since his teens. His unique sound is defined as a retro-hybrid of hip-hop and electro clash pop meets soul meets hip-hop. He is a talented vocalist as well as instrumentalist, beautifully merging music's technological age with live instruments, many of which he himself plays.

(info taken from www.sanyankanta.com)

Christine Italia, WPGU

Angie is back! Nominated for Best Female for the 2005 WPGU-buzz Local Music Awards, Angie and her band are nominated in the Folk/Americana category for 2006. Originally from Mount, Sterling, Illinois, Angie has lived in the Champaign-Urbana area for over 15 years. Her music is a mix of country-influenced folk and pop. Angie started playing guitar back in high school, and played in two bands while she attended the University of Missouri. A review in AJA Punk Planet says, “Angie Heaton lays it all out without the melodrama. She's honest and careful in what she expresses through her lyrics; she is thoughtful, rather than wounded.” Angie writes all of her own music, and is currently working on a new album, which she hopes to record in April.

Four-part harmony, ringing guitar, piano and organ, lick-filled bass lines, and a hybrid hand percussion/drumset create an Americana-Folk-Rock landscape around elsinore. Voted "Best Live Band" at the 2006 Champaign-Urbana Local Music Awards, elsinore is beginning to gain momentum in the Midwest, with an ever-increasing tour schedule that will carry them further from the nest and into the life of a touring band. elsinore's latest release, Nothing for Design, has been out since April 2006 and was completely financed by the band, which was made possible by a tour schedule that took them to each end of Illinois and many towns in between. The current plan is to continue spreading their music throughout the Midwest, adding more states to a tour list that already includes Missouri, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio, and by summer being ready to tour the East Coast and all places in between. The blend of classical training and a commonality of career goals in the music business means good things for the future.

The Delta Kings were formed in 1993 in Champaign, IL by Bill Humphrey (Bass), Kenny McNichols (guitar and vocals), Cody Sokolski (guitar and vocals), and Terry Hawkins (drums). Although the band initially played only covers, they began to play original songs to a growing Central Illinois fanbase. Using a friend’s studio, the Delta Kings recorded 25 tracks in just 6 hours, and eventually sent the songs off to Streeterville Studios in Chicago for mixing. The end result was “Damn Thing Bites,” released in 1997. They released a second album in 2000, entitled “Done Fell Out the Back,” which is comprised of rarities, out-takes, and live recordings. “Roadhouse Hullabaloo,” their most recent release, showcases the diverse talents of the Delta Kings. The band has played over 500 shows in Central Illinois, sharing the stage with such acts as Bobby Blue Bland, Delbert McClinton, and BR 549.

Despite their local popularity, The Beauty Shop actually first broke out far from Champaign-Urbana area in the United Kingdom. The Beauty Shop's sound is influenced by old-school punk, old country music stars, and lead singer John Hoeffleur's favorite band, The Minute Men. The band orignially formed in 1999, adding drummer Ben Ucherek in 2005. The current line-up of The Beauty Shop has been entertaining folks with great success and would just as happily take the feeling that accompanies performing on stage as they would their award nomination. Guitarist and vocalist John Hoffleur says the band appreciates and admires the talent level of their peers amongst whom there is mutual respect. The Beauty Shop took home the award for Best Roots/ Americana Band at the 2005 Local Music Awards.

A C-U staple since the late 90's, The Tractor Kings are fronted by the vocal talents of Jacob Fleischi. When their first album, Sunday Night, was released in March of 2001 on Mud Records, The Tractor Kings were a two-piece band. However, as time went on, The Tractor Kings were reincarnated several times. By their second album, Gone to Heaven, released in May 2003, Fleischi called upon another Local Music Award nominee, Angie Heaton, to play drums. Eventually, Fleischi came upon the mix that currently makes up The Tractor Kings. With Josh Lucas on drums, Johnny Chemical on guitar, and Aaron McCallister on bass, The Tractor Kings have become a indie/alt. country favorite in Champaign-Urbana. Currently recording a new album, The Tractor Kings hope to tour soon after its release.

Sarah Clemmons, WPGU

Terminus Victor is a three-piece band consisting of Scott Kimble on bass and vocals, Don King on guitar and recent addition Terry Wathen on drums, replacing the drum machine “she”. Winners of the Budweiser Tru Live Music, Terminus Victor spent three years creating their most recent release, the electronic tinged, punk-rock project Under Surveillance. While making the album the band spent its time touring the entire US relentlessly, and their hard work has definitely paid off. Under Surviellance received strong critical praise, despite setbacks such as a flooded studio and an ice storm that hampered touring in late 2004.

A Chicago band formed in 2003, I:Scintilla is composed of Brittany Bindrim on vocals, Jim Cookas on guitar Vince Grech on drums, and Chad Mines on guitar and bass. The band released their debut album The Approach which gained them international press and they signed with the Belgian label Alpha Matrix in 2004. I:Scintilla released the Havestar EP in August of 2006, and the song Havestar spent four weeks on the Deutsche Alternative Chart, making its way to #13. The band is currently working on another album which they have planned for release during the spring of 2007.

ESP was formed in 1994 by members Lou DiBello and Kelly Hazel. The band was completed when Gary Strater and Tommy Garza joined 2 years later, creating a melting pot of experience and talent. The band consisted of these members for over 6 years, playing thousands of shows all across central and southern Illinois. Although Garza had left the band, after Strater's untimely death in 2004 the three founding members of the band reunited for a brief tour. Their most recent CD, Eclipse, consisting of remixes from their 2000 EP, unreleased tracks, and lives versions of tracks, is dedicated in his memory. ESP's current lineup still includes DiBello and Hazel, as well as Josh Walden and Jeff Magby, and ESP still enjoys touring and sharing their music all across downstate Illinois.

Dropsixx is a regional 5 piece all original "Melodic-Hardcore" Rock band based out Champaign-Urbana, Illinois (Home of the Fighting Illini). Formed in 1999 the band made a strong push on the mid-western music scene. Due to circumstances the band was forced to be put on hold after a successful year of performing. In 2001 the band reformed under the same name and exploded onto CU's local music scene once again. With their popularity growing and demand increasing, the band started off on small regional tours to expand their fan base. Dropsixx has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with: Sevendust, Clutch, Dark New Day, Shinedown, Five Pointe-O, Boba-Flex, Fingertight, Future Leaders of The World... just to name a few.

Describing themselves as a band that has been able to flourish in their hometown of Champaign, IL despite the lack of an established hardcore scene, Roberta Sparrow has already released an EP and toured the US extensively. Formed in 2004, the band contains former members of Vice Dolls and Hand to Mouth Greg Jaeger (Drums, Vocals), Cody Pruitt (Bass), and Justin Scofield (Guitar). Although the band has experienced its most popularity from the UK, they still put on high energy shows in Champaign at The Highdive and Cowboy Monkey, where they usually fill the venues to maximum capacity.

Boots and Bracelets started in the summer of 2004 as a three piece all girl band. After several changes in the lineup, the band settled into a four piece set including founding member Michelle Razor on vocals and rhythm guitar, Shelly Bear on bass, and Justin on drums. The band toured the east coast, adding guitarist Bert and signing with Roughneck records. Although the band recorded a CD with the label they haven't released it yet due to unfortunate and unforeseen events that led to Shelly Bear and Justin's departure from the band. The current lineup, Razor, Bert, Katie Cut-Throat on bass (a former member, returned), and Shasta McNasty on drums has its first show together on March 5th in Mchenery,IL.

What would you expect if you ordered a Jazz Sandwich? It would definitely be loaded heavy meats and cheeses, have a diverse smattering of cool sauces(we're talking your ranches, your mayos), and probably be a little messy, requiring some sort of protective garment to be worn around the neck. As far as metaphors go, Jazz Sandwich is definitely an appropriate title for this ensemble. Seperately, Jazz Sandwich consists of Josh Walden(Bass), Josh Quirk(Drums), Jesse Brown(Keyboards), Tom Paynter(Flute, Keyboard), and Jeff Helgesen(Trumpet), but put them together they're an eclectic bombardment of smooth sounding syncopation. Check em out February 21 at the Iron Post.

Speaking for WPGU is Ashish Patel and Speaking for Kilborn Alley is Tom Duncanson.

WPGU: How did all of the members of Kilborn Alley meet and when did you officially become a band?

KA: Andrew "D" Duncanson, Chris Breen, and the original drummer in the band, Anthony Decerbo (today a rap artist with a good following around C-U) knew each other since kindergarten at Holy Cross School in Champaign. That would have been 1987. Andrew met Josh Stimmel in bonehead math class at Centennial High School in 1998-99. D was wearing a Jimi Hendrix shirt, and they started talking guitar. The band jammed a lot in a garage on W. Clark in Champaign, played their first house party in January 2000. Duncanson and Decerbo were still in high school, Breen had graduated early and was in a special auto repair program at Parkland, and Stimmel was studying guitar and making in-roads in the pizza industry. They put together a four song sampler cd (earthshaking stuff like "Going to Iowa City") and got their first bar gig at The Neil Street Pub on April 29th of that year. Gigs came steadily, and they got up at every open jam they could find, especially Tuesday nights at The Canopy. An amazing young harmonica player named Joe Asselin had moved to town from Maine that year. By the fall of 2000 Joe was in the band. Jaden Brooks, son of long time Champaign blues and country band regular Bruce Brooks, took over the drumming that fall when Decerbo went to college. In 2005 long-time C-U drumming stalwart Ed O'Hara (several country and blues bands, notably a long run with Billy Galt and the Blues Deacons) joined the band. In the last year soul singer Abraham Johnson has frequently joined the band for gigs. As of this week, Kilborn Alley has played over 640 shows (not counting private parties), mostly four hour bar gigs, in 100 different bars and many other types of venues.

WPGU: How would you describe the music you play, and who or what are some of your influences?

KA: Kilborn Alley plays filthy Chicago party blues! Also, what is known as "southern fried soul" and sometimes some "funk." The goal is to reach into your ear to find your spine, pull it out, twist it, soak it in barbeque sauce, and then make it get up and dance. The baseline influence is Muddy Waters. Next would be the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, with Mike Bloomfield on guitar. But the band is enormously influenced by Junior Wells, Little Walter, Elmore James, Jimmy Reed, Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Magic Sam, Otis Rush, B.B. King, Big Mamma Thornton, Buddy Guy, Coco Taylor, Freddie King, and our guy, the late Little Milton, and then further influenced by almost everything else that marches under the label "blues." We have listened a lot to people most European Americans have never heard of-- Joyce Lawson, Johnny Taylor, Tyrone Davis, Artie White, Denise Lasalle, and others. Though we like the guy's music, Kilborn Alley defines itself against the sound of Stevie Ray Vaughan, who, through no fault of his own accidentally redefined "blues" as whopping guitar sounds, today usually played through lots of "effects pedals."

Today we write a lot of the songs we play, and our songs are driving a lot of fabulous classics off of our play list or back to the third set. We are putting our life experience into the old forms, delivering them fresh with a lot of energy, and sometimes a sly sense of deliberate imitation or a wised-up sense of innovation.

WPGU: What are some venues you frequently play?

KA: For a long time we were overplayed in C-U, with a weekly gig at Tommy G's, a semi-weekly at Jackson's Ribs-n-Tips, and then frequent shows at the Iron Post, the Cowboy Monkey, The Canopy Club, The Phoenix, the Neil Street Pub, the Malibu Bay Lounge, and others. When we weren't in C-U we were on the road with trips to Decatur, Bloomington, Peoria, Kankakee, Chicago, Springfield, the Quad Cities, and forays into Indiana and Iowa. We took off most of the fall of 2005 to record a new album, coming out on Blue Bella this spring, and now we are going about the task of reinventing a local-regional schedule while hoping to get national and international representation.

WPGU: What is your recording history, and is Kilborn Alley planning on making any future recordings?

KA: We did a couple of self-produced things in 2001, one based on a "WEFT Session," then a much better self-produced album ("The Kilborn Alley Blues Band") in 2003. Now we have a new album, recorded in Elgin and produced by Chicago blues master Nick Moss, coming out on Blue Bella this spring. Twelve songs from "The Kilborn Alley Blues Band" were used in the soundtrack of the independent feature film "Envying Alice."

WPGU: Is there anything else you would like to inlclude in your bio?

KA: Probably the thing you need to know about Kilborn Alley is that we love the U of I audience. We even put out a novelty song about the basketball team last year. We've been on the bill at The Canopy over 100 times. But college students are just one happy corner of our audience. We play for bikers and farmers and people coming off the second shift at factories. We play for connoisseurs at blues festivals and blues society functions. And it is our very great privilege to play for a mature African American audience who grew up on this music.

The last thing you need to understand is that we have a good local blues scene, and the older players on that scene and local promoters and venue operators across a lot of genres of music have been very generous in including us these last six year. The Kilborn Alley story is the story of their willingness to take a chance on the oxymoron, the "young blues band."

Thanks for asking!

In 1992, Bruce "Bruiser" Rummenie formed the Impalas with Champaign
bass legend Andre Mossotti, the area's rhythmic shuffle master, Ricky
Cummings, on drums, and a young female singer - Ginger Reynolds. The
quartet performed regularly throughout the state for seven years,
garnered a strong following, and recorded a CD, eponomouslly titled The
Impalas.

The Impalas have gone through personnel changes, with the notable
addition of irrepressible vocalist Dawna Nelson and top jazz-call
drummer Jeff Magby.  The Impalas continue to be the premiere, rocking,
Texas blues act in the C-U area and are in the process of recording
another CD of original music

Anybody who has taken Music 133 at uiuc will be familiar with what The Berimbau. Everybody else should just go check out Jason Finkelman and his own brand of “And now for something completely different” music. Finkelman has been experimenting with the ways percussion instruments can bend your brain for over fifteen years and has composed numerous pieces for both theater and dance productions. He also is a member of two improvisational bands, The Straylights and Nu-Orbit Ensemble.

Speaking for WPGU is Ashish Patel, and speaking for Desafinado is Greg Jahiel.

WPGU: How did all of the members of Desafinado meet and when did you officially become a band?

Desafinado: Connie (the vibraphone player) and I are the two remaining original members of the band, which started as a very loose group of musicians who began playing in 2000. Our common interest was Brazilian music, especially the music of Antonio Carlos Jobim (our name references a song he wrote in the early 1960's as a musical retort to Bossa Nova critics). Excepting our flute player Tom Paynter, who joined the band last summer, we have been together in our current lineup for almost three years.

WPGU: How would you describe the music you play, and who or what are some of your influences?

Desafinado: We play Samba, Bossa Nova, and popular Brazilian music (also called "MPB" or "Musica Populare Brasileiro"). Samba is a primarily Afro-Brazilian style of music with roots stretching back hundreds of years. Bossa Nova is a musical style or movement which started in the 1950's in Rio and combined Samba rhythms with jazz harmonies. MPB is the popular Brazilian music which began in the 1960's as an outgrowth of Bossa Nova and continues to the present day. In addition to playing the We also have a number of original tunes written within these styles. Our influences include the Bossa Nova music of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luis Bonfa, and Joao Donato; the sambas of Cartola; and the more popular music of Gilberto Gil, Jorge BenJor, Caetano Veloso, Marisa Monte, and Chico Buarque.

WPGU: What are some venues you frequently play?

Desafinado: We play at the Cowboy Monkey for happy hour the first Friday of every month. We play regularly at Pages for All Ages in Savoy, Allerton Park (for the summer concert series), Krannert , and the VIV winebar in Bloomington.

WPGU: What is your recording history, and is Desafinado planning on making anyfuture recordings?

Desafinado: Desafinado has one full length CD which we self released in June 2005. It was recorded at Pogo Studios in Champaign, and is available for purchase online at CD Baby ( www.cdbaby.com) and at all of our shows. We are planning to record another CD this summer.

WPGU: Is there anything else you would like to inlclude?

Desafinado: Our current instrumentation and lineup is as follows:

Vocals: Simone da Silva
Percussion: Chad Dunn
Congas: Giraldo Rosales
Vibraphone: Connie Johnson
Flute: Tom Paynter
Guitars: Tim Johnson & Greg Jahiel

Mark Smart is a cool dude. I'd equate him to your father's old college roommate who maintained his sense of cool, while your old man went on to do something “safe” with his life. Basically he's Uncle Jesse, but with Joey's sense of humor(his website is pretty funny). Mark is a rare breed of Musician AND Engineer, so he's able to do cool stuff such as looping which enables him to play five instruments at the same time, creating the sound of a “one man band”. Marks solo work is soft bluesy jazz, with a strong bassanova influence. It's the kind of music you got to listen to with one hear close to the ground if you're going to want to catch all the magnificent subtleties. Currently, Mark is also playing with the University of Illinois Guitar Ensemble. And if you REALLY want to be blown away, check out Marks own unique invention, The Continuum Fingerboard.

Kayla Brown is a true Champaign-Urbana local artist. Since her days in the Wesley United Methodist Church Childrens' Choir as a child, Brown has been singing her heart out. Soon after her debut as a singer, at age ten, she picked up her first six string. Even more amazing than learning the guitar at such a young age, Kayla formed her first band before she learned how to drive! A self-described, “bubblegum punk trio of girls,” Feaze played at venues in Chicago like The Fireside Bowl and Champaign staples like The Canopy Club. Fast forward, 8-9 years and four groups, Kayla Brown is making music with a group called, Darling Disarm with Mike Ingram. Kayla's influences are strictly old school. Her main influence is “Etta James, Etta James, Etta James.” In order to hear her on record, you'll have to search for a hard-to-find copy of her new EP “ready, set, fly.” It isn't as hard, however, to catch her live. She'll be playing three sets at Bar Louie, two on March 2nd and one on March 16th.

Despite just entering college, Lynn O'Brien is already making an impact in the CU music scene. Her nominations follow a life, albeit a still developing one, filled with music. Her early years found her surrounded by family members playing various instruments. These surroundings influenced her to begin teaching herself how to play both piano and flute.

She continued with her love of music by writing, recording, developing jazz vocals, and playing piano in her high school's Jazz Ensemble. Lynn discovered an interest in music therapy, resulting in her many performances for the Care Center of Champaign. Over the past couple of years she has performed both solo and doing jazz vocals with other performers. Her sound is best explained by her influences: Joni Mitchell, Regina Spektor, and Ben Folds. This is not an exclusive list, however, with her immense talent allowing her to go beyond this scope.

Update 2007: Since we last saw Lynn O’Brien at last year’s Local Music Awards, she’s been a very busy girl. After the 2006 Local Music Awards, Lynn released a 14 song full length record titled Umbrella. Other than that, she’s been continually busy playing shows in Champaign-Urbana and the region.

• this Friday, March 9 - Canopy Club (with the Wandering Sons & Beauty Shop)
• an on-air show on WEFT 90.1 March 12 (10-11 p.m.)
• April 7 - Iron Post (with the Casados)
• April 21 - Knight Auditorium in the Spurlock Museum 2-3 p.m.

Rob McColley is a true Champaign-Urbana native. He's been playing music in the Champaign-Urbana area since he was nine years old, although he probably hasn't been playing the Canopy Club since then. His list of influences is anything but the usual artist names. He thanks people like, Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams and NPR giant Garrison Keillor, for his musical inspiration. Although he questions the route some of Champaign-Urbana's finest artists have taken in their careers, he has enjoyed much of the music the local scene has produced. As far as his favorite Champaign-Urbana band goes, he loved the hard and tough presence of The Didjits. Recently, he and his band, Rob McColley and The Heather released an album. Although Rob doesn't have any immediate shows coming up, he is always willing to play a show at any venue in the area.

Musically gifted through genetics and hard work, Kate Hathaway is truly worthy of the title “singer/songwriter.” A third generation musician, Kate excels at both the poetry of a song and its music. She began playing music in her early teens and played her first shows as a high school student. Kate moved to Champaign Urbana in 2002 and immediately embarked on her musical journey towards her nomination. She's been touring around the area with bands like Fastball, Angie Heaton and Lorenzo Goetz ever since. In 2003, she released the EP titled, “one two three” and her other songs have been featured on Green Street Compilations and music websites. In addition, Kate's first full length, “Sprout Don't Pout” was released in June of 2005. Kate continues to tour and play throughout Champaign-Urbana and the surrounding areas.

Ryan Groff, of local favorite Elsinore, didn't start playing guitar or singing until he was 17 but he has sure come a long way since then. Three years later, he had written and recorded his first album. At the ripe young age of 20, Ryan, then a student at Eastern, made the hour long drive from Charleston to Champaign every Friday to play at campus favorite, White Horse. For these shows, Ryan is forever indebted to former Lorenzo Goetz frontman, Larry Gates, who he considers a “big brother.” Other local musicians that he considers favorites are fellow LMA nominees, Headlights and Shipwreck. On the national scene, Groff counts WPGU regulars like Andrew Bird and The Shins as influences. He hopes to record a new 9 song solo album (including some Elsinore songs) soon. If you want to see Ryan somewhere in the area, he'll be playing two shows at the Aroma Café, one on March 22nd and April 20th. Also, Ryan will playing at little further south, in St. Louis on April 26th.

Even in such a diverse and vibrant music scene, it's hard to believe that Kill Them With Kindness, the debut album from local trio Headlights, was produced locally, with songs written in a farmhouse surrounded by a monotonous corny landscape. From the jaunty "Lullabies" to the tranquil pastel beauty of the album's simple cover art, Kindness is beautiful in a melancholy, retro sort of way.

Headlights bring it in their debut full-length album - harmoniously dueling male and female lead singers mixed with keyboards, strings, inspired lyrics, weeping guitar and drums that vary between steady and ruckus. Many of Kindness' 14 songs literally "pop" and "twinkle" from instruments I can't and don't want to name, because then it won't be as magical.

The album opens with an instrumental for a minute and a half, followed by the dual voices of Erin Fein and Tristan Wraight, showcasing the music before the show on "Your Old Street," a song posing as a melancholy rock song until it throws you for a loop. Their voices are backed by strings and a slow, steady drumbeat for a moment, and then drummer Brett Sanderson slowly eases more beats in, integrating his drums into the melody, completing the song and the band.

But Fein's sweet voice stands alone in "Owl Eyes," another song that begins slow and finishes with a flourish. "I hope that you/ feel the same as I do/ walking through/ the ruins of this crazy town," she delicately sings.

They know their pop culture, too. "Songy Darko" flows with a peaceful melody that I can only imagine is homage to a certain movie. Jim Morrison sang, "The West is the best," and Headlights answer with an 18-second accordian solo halfway through the album that should make any corn-fed Midwesterner smile.

"Put Us Back Together Right" is an instant pop classic, again highlighting dual voices that at once compliment each other and move as one. The lyrics, "So we can leave them on their feet in the night," will stay with you, and the melody as well.

Upon buying the sixth Harry Potter book, I read and re-read, dissected, laughed, cried and had a great time. I finished the book with a sort of bittersweet anguish; excited that I got to experience the book, but already desperate for more of the story. Kill Them With Kindness gave me the same feeling. It left me fulfilled, yet wanting more. Go buy this album.

-Leah D. Nelson The Buzz Issue 8/17/06

2006 CU Music Award write-in winner for Best Live Act elsinore has been doing more than just putting on energetic, enthusiastic, and otherwise darn good live shows all over town. They also have a brand-new album for your listening pleasure. Recorded in town at Pogo Studio and produced by none other than Mark Rubel, Nothing for Design is the band's follow up to 2005's congenial live album On Display. And this new effort is nothing to sneeze at, either.

From the first notes of the opening "Mind, Space, and Time" through live favorites like "Vampire in My Town" and "The Rise," the band captures the listener's attention with the very best that the Americana genre has to offer - engaging lyrics and a sound that feels like coming home.

The exciting ostinato chord progression of "Kate" allows the listener to latch on to the core of the music from the beginning and gives its listener the freedom to notice the intricacy of the band's instrumentation. Ryan Groff's vocals throughout are clear and brilliant like polished glass. The mellower sound of percussionist Dave Pride's congas and bongos is a welcome change from the more traditional drum kit sound, and Mark Woolwine's piano parts add a sparkling veneer to the group's sound. Accompanying these is the unassuming bass playing of Chris Eitel and steadiness from Groff's rhythm guitar.

Aside from the vaguely unsettling "Rossville" with its delicate guitar work and forebodingly effect-laden voices that sound like ghosts in, well, a room with a guitar, elsinore welcomes the listener in with open arms. With vitality and sincerity, Nothing for Design is music for a sunny day, and well worth a listen or twenty. And if you haven't seen elsinore live yet, go see them already!

- Susan Schomburg The Buzz, Issue Date: 4/27/06

Recorded and mixed by Best Producer nominee Adam Schmitt, The House of Cards E.P. was released in July as a follow ups to Shipwreck’s 2005 release Origins. House of Cards is the first installment of four planned E.Ps the band plans to release in the coming months. The E.P. contains the four tracks “House of Cards”, “Atlantic”, “Alias”, and “Black Moon”. The second installment of E.P.s, A Walk in the Woods was released in January 2007.

Zero Generation is the debut album from Jiggsaw, who are also nominated this year in the Best Rock category. They followed the release of their album by touring this past summer with the Warped Tour.

Released this August, the new e.p. and first release with alfa matrix features new versions and remixes of songs from the approach. tracks 1-4 have been completely re-recorded and mixed/produced by electronic music mastermind, wade alin [christ analogue, atomica]. these new versions exhibit brilliant production and fidelity not found on the previous recordings and will definitely blow you away. as a bonus, tracks 5-9 feature remixes by several alfa matrix artists and a stellar remix of 'havestar' by combichrist that is emerging as a club hit.

- www.iscintilla.com

Goodnight, we're only here to help is a love affair brought to you by the very noble and impressive fireflies. The disc, 6 songs long, attacks the very heart and soul of rock and roll. It is very hard to believe that mortal men, of this Earth combined forces to create this epic in sound. (Was that a little thick? Yeah, sure, but "It's really good!!!" is kind of lame).

The first thing I noticed about fireflies is that there is no overly dominant musical focal point in this band. After the first couple of listens, I walked away with the impression that the guitar playing was the powerful and driving force of the band. After soaking up more of what the disc had to offer; digging in and getting down and dirty with fireflies, the real beauty of this band revolves around the fact that there is no overly dominant presence in the band. The enchanting and shining guitar play might be a top layer, but there are in fact many layers of delicate musicianship and each of the players in this band at some the time or another becomes the auditory focal point of the sound. Some of my favorite moments in listening come from the way the bass parts get phrased along with these very driving melodies from the guitar, then catching the synth laying out a very integral subplot. I find it amazing how fireflies layer and mash parts together for a finished product is nothing short of spectacular.

I am one that is very much drawn to vocals, I have seen some great instrumental bands, but for me, I need a vocal line to anchor to, I am always very impressed by bands that can sell a good hook, it is not always an easy thing to accomplish. One of the sweetest things about this disc, in my opinion, it is the way the vocals complete a product that very well could stand alone. They catch, and sink in, and make you feel more apart of what is going on in all the layered spaces. The songs are eruptive, and the vocals explode over the top into space, which intoxicates. Vocals are most assuredly loud, but they are not a scream track. It is more of a yelling, that does not come off as whining, or even as overtly angry, (I take issue with whining for sure). This is a loudness to be heard, and the more I hear it the more I want to hear.

The main complaint I have with this disc is that, you're only 24 minutes away from the end. Two of the songs make very nice bookends, a "Prologue" and an "Epilogue," musical interludes, which leave behind the meat of the album at 4 songs around 20 minutes of more standard-ish songs, with vocal styling (I noted my taste in regards to vocals). It's not really a bad thing, the intro/outro, they really tie the disc together, but it does lead the disc feeling a bit short (right for an EP), I think it is in some ways a pat on the back, it is never really a bad thing to leave a fan wanting more, and I do rather like the idea of the Prologue and an Epilogue it adds a nice touch, and extra thought put in by the band.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this disc and highly recommend it. If you haven't checked out fireflies yet, there is no time like the present; there really is a lot of awesomeness here. The future is very bright for fireflies (OH YEAH!!! figuratively and literally, I totally didn't do that on purpose, but since I did do it, and saw that I did, I wasn't about to change it). Goodbye.

- Neil Yeager of OpeningBands.com

DJ Tim Williams has been a part of the music community in Champaign-Urbana for around 7 years now. Tim's biggest inspiration to start DJing in the area was Frankie Knuckles. He has performed at many of the local bars and clubs in the area and currently can be found here on campus Fridays at Red Rock and at the High Dive on Saturday nights. He plays a wide variety of music in a given night, ranging from mainstream remixes to hip hop and house music to even a few indie rock tracks.

DJ Asiatic has been a part of the DJ scene here in Champaign-Urbana for a few years now. He has performed at many of the areas bars and nightclubs and can be found every Thursday at Soma. He is an artist on the independent Midwest-based Upanotch Records alongside many talented emcees in the area. Asiatic also works with the 3D Nightlife Production Company who sponsors some of the biggest events in the city and here on campus.

Adam Boskey, otherwise known as DJ Bozak, is a local DJ who graduated from the University of Illinois in 2003 in industrial design. He can be found spinning at Boltini Lounge on Wednesday nights and at Soma Thursday through Sunday. He spins a broad range of genres from night to night; ranging from hip hop to disco to 70's rock and funk. Bozak also teaches DJing lessons locally. He has recently gone to Melbourne, Australia to participate in the Red Bull Music Academy.

-by Emily Cotterman

Douglas Layne, known as DJ Delayney in the area, has been playing in bars and clubs in the area since the fall of 2001. He began performing Thursdays through Saturdays at a bar called Two Main that has since been closed down. He was inspired early in life by his father who was a huge fan of music and by his brother to begin DJing with turntables. Delayney can currently be found on Mondays at the Tracks Lounge spinning some hip hop/soul, Wednesdays at Soma playing reggae, and a couple Fridays every month at the High Dive, playing everything from hip hop to disco. He also does many events for the University.

DJ Mertz has been DJing in the Champaign-Urbana area for the last four years. He began spinning while he was in law school here at the University of Illinois. Mertz has since finished law school and is working here for the University, but continues to DJ locally; you can find him at Boltini Lounge every Friday night. Mertz mainly spins house music, but a lot of his work mixes a wide range of genres.

Watery Domestic is a prime of example of how good indie pop can be when it is done right. The quartet has stayed busy by playing just about every music venue in Champaign-Urbana, whether it be with other local bands or opening for touring acts such as The French Kicks. Either way, the group has been getting the attention of many local fans, whom the band will definitely be seeing more of in 2007. They are a very easy band to like, due in large part to the vocals of Rachel and Seth Hubbard. While their vocals really contribute a lot to the band's sound, it is the songwriting and the ambience provided by Rachel's keyboards, Seth's guitar, and the rhythm section of Shane Cochran (bass) and Joseph Burress (drums) that shows why they have been nominated for Best New Artist.

Ronnie Berg, WPGU

Early in 2005, Heather spent most of her time at a computer, frantically typing her way through grad school. Meanwhile, Nic continuously found himself in the living room of their small one-bedroom apartment with his acoustic guitar and a note pad. But no outlet existed for Nic's writing. After multiple years of traveling in a gas-guzzling Ford Econoline and playing electronic indie rock, Nic and Heather's previous band (Winter in Alaska) had come to an end.

By Spring of 2005, Nic and Heather Dillon decided to begin a new project, Casados. It was envisioned as a stripped-down, acoustic version of Nic's songwriting. For the first year, the band consisted of only acoustic guitar and dual vocals.

Soon enough, however, Casados began to expand. June 2006 found Nic and Heather relocating to Champaign, Illinois, and seeking flexible part-time jobs to accommodate a touring lifestyle. The married couple acquired both a harmonium and a mandolin from Ebay, which Heather now plays. The band also began to incorporate additional members.

Johnmark Hatfield contributed a variety of instruments to the sound (including accordion, glockenspiel, electric guitar, and cello) from July to December 2006. Currently, brothers Phil and Jonathon Damery are adding pedal steel/slide guitar and upright bass, respectively. As it stands, Nic and Heather are the band's only full-time members, but they include other musicians whenever possible. 

With influences from Spoon to Joanna Newsom to Greg Brown, it is difficult to pin down Casados' sound. Most often classified as indie-folk, the band mixes elements of folk and pop. The music centers around thoughtful, relatable lyrics and rich vocal harmonies backed by unique instrumentation.

Nic, Heather, and others have been traveling around the Midwest in a slightly more fuel efficient Dodge Caravan. The band played nearly 50 shows before recording a long overdue EP. This past Christmas, Nic's wish list consisted of microphones, cables, and pop filters. Thanks to many gracious family members, Nic and Heather are able to record cheaply from the comfort of their own home. The first Casados EP will be released in March 2007.

Ronnie Berg, WPGU

The tritone is a musical interval that has been nicknamed “the devil in music.” And thus, Champaign's metal trio Tritone was formed. Only a band with this much passion for true hard rock and metal could name itself after an interval with a nickname based on rock's true ambassador and mascot: Satan.

Just as the devil as long been used to represent rock music, Tritone is fast becoming one of the best representations of pure rock and metal that the Champaign-Urbana area has to offer. They only started playing live shows together in November 2006, forming just a few months prior to that. The trio consists of Adam Wolfe on guitar and lead vocals, Joe “Red Dragon” Funderburke on drums, and David Ward on bass. Adam has recorded with Sick Day, as well as recording a solo album. Joe might be familiar to others as a member of Mad Mardigan, and David has previously played with Third Stone, as well as currently playing with Pistol Whipt.

The trio is currently recording songs they claim are “some of the most evil songs ever heard, vowing to frighten Mephisto himself,” so be on the lookout for some demo material soon. The summer will hopefully bring about a full-length album. They'll continue playing shows and touring, hopefully reaching the metal crazed fans in Finland and Estonia. Until the full-length is released, get your fill of metal and “cape rock” by experiencing Tritone live in concert, even if you need to contact an exorcist afterwards.

Ronnie Berg, WPGU

Santa’s hard work over the past year has landed them a Best New Artist nomination. Once guitarists Stan McConell and Mack McConell started attending college together, they were able to start the creative process behind Santa. The cousins were then able to add Chad Warner on keyboards, Zak Kunath on auxillary percussion, Tom Riordan on bass, and Marty O’Donnell on drums. After Tom left to focus on his own group, Otto Stuparitz filled in on bass. Recently, however, Zak has left the group.

Despite the changes in the lineup, Santa has remained one of the most prolific live bands in the Champaign area. Just last year, the band played as many shows as possible, ranging from benefit concerts to campus parties, which lead them to their own headlining shows at some of the area’s best venues. Then, in December of 2006, Santa were able to take their eclectic sound on the road with a national tour. They plan to spread their joy this year with more touring.

Aside from their hard work and constant appearance on stage, the band has taken off because of their pleasantly eclectic sound. They mix just about every genre possible, creating a sound that has become their own. In October of 2006, they released the Santa EP.

Ronnie Berg, WPGU

Coco Coca is a one-man band in every aspect possible. He writes his own material, performs it by himself, records it by himself, and does his own artwork. You'd be hard pressed to find much more creativity in music today, let alone the Champaign-Urbana area. He lists his sound as electro and grunge, which is as close to pinpointing his unique style as can be done. Coco Coca's innovative vision, which continues to expand, is a welcome edition to the Champaign-Urbana music scene.

Coco Coca, or Danny Wahlfeldt as he is known off-stage, is finishing up school at Illinois State University this May. Less school means more time for Danny to spend recording and playing live shows. He hopes to record in a studio this winter and to play as many shows as he can, possibly leading to a tour this fall. Be sure to catch one of these shows where you can see him playing synthesizers, guitars, and who knows what else, all while looping and singing. You'll definitely be leaving with one of his EP's.

Ronnie Berg, WPGU

Brett Sanderson has been bringing his musical vision to Champaign-Urbana for quite some time now. Current member of the popular Champaign-Urbana band, The Headlights, Sanderson spends most of his time on tour (The Headlights played 161 shows in 2006 alone!). When off tour, Sanderson can be found recording, mixing, and mastering. He’s got quite an impressive resume. The long list of bands he has produced/engineered albums for includes Triple Whip, Lorenzo Goetz, Bailey, and of course, The Headlights. The Headlights will play at the Courtyard Café on March 10th as they continue their tour around the United States.

Check out The Headlights on myspace: http://www.myspace.com/headlights

Ashley Scott, WPGU

Mark Rubel has made about a thousand records since 1980, at his Pogo Studio in Champaign IL. He has recorded Hum, Alison Krauss, Adrian Belew, Luther Alison, Henry Butler, Toby Twining and many others, including work for RCA, Capitol, Warner, Jive/Zomba, etc. Mark belongs to ASCAP, the Audio Engineering Society, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the Music and Entertainment Industry Educator's Association, and is vice president of the Engineering and Recording Society. He is a member of the Grammy Producer's, Producer's and Engineer's Wing, and Education Committees.

Mark is a professor of music business and recording at Millikin University and Parkland College, and since 1985 has had over 2,000 students- many of whom are now professionals in their own right. A bassist/performer and writer, his thrash-oldies band Captain Rat and the Blind Rivets have been rocking since 1980. Mark has been featured in various books and magazines, and contributes to Tape Op Magazine, including his recently published interview with Les Paul.

Mark works as a consultant and audio expert witness, and participates in many conferences, workshops and panels, including SXSW, Tape Op Conference, the International Conference of Music and Entertainment Industry Educators, and various NARAS events. He is also a beta tester for various audio equipment manufacturers.

-Mark Rubel

Matt Talbott has contributed plenty to the Champaign-Urbana music scene over the last 15+ years. In 1989, he became singer-songwriter for the band Hum, and currently, he is the singer/guitarist for the band Centaur on Parasol Records. In 2001, Matt opened his own recording company, Great Western Record Recorders, in Tolono, Illinois. He is the head-engineer and the company has produced songs/albums for Centaur, Shiner, Hopesfall, Tummler, Absinthe Blind, The Blackouts(current LMA nominee The Living Blue), Tractor Kings, Terminus Victor, Dora, The Desert Fathers, Hopewell, and Out By Inches just to name a few.

Ashley Scott, WPGU

Jonathan Pines has been working in the Champaign-Urbana music scene for over 20 years. He was born in Urbana, Illinois, where he lives with his wife and three children and owns and operates his own studio, Private Studio. He has recorded, mixed, and mastered over 10 million copies in record sales in his lifetime.

In 2006, Jonathan Pines has recorded, mixed, and mastered “The Keene Brothers” debut release featuring Robert Pollard of “Guided By Voices” and Jay Bennett's “the Magnificent Defeat” on Rykodisk/WMG.

Pines has also worked with such artists as Hawthorne Heights, Of Montreal, The Headlights, and Wilco (which resulted in Grammy nominations in 1998 and 2000). Jonathan has also worked on many local projects and his work has been played on WPGU for over two decades.

Adam Schmitt has been an essential member of the Champaign-Urbana music scene since the 90's. Making a name as an artist and a producer, he has played with bands such as The Farmboys, Pop the Balloon, the Elvis Brothers, Diamond Star Halo, and Robynn Ragland, as well as lending a hand to producing tracks/albums for Tommy Keene, Hum, and Velvet Crush. Schmitt is signed on Parsol Records and continues to produce/engineer some of the best bands in the Champaign-Urbana area.

Ashley Scott, WPGU