by Sharon Gissy

Jonathan Jackson + Enation are slated to release their fourth studio album, Anthems For The Apocalypse, co-produced by Greg Archilla (Matchbox 20, Collective Soul) July 14th on their own label, Hilasterion Records (distributed by Sony). Beginning today at 4:30 p.m. PST and 7:30 EST, the album will be available from Amazon for only $4.00 in celebration of Amazon Prime Day.

In addition to Jonathan Jackson's many acting roles, which include regular appearances on Nashville and General Hospital, the band has gained influence as a creative and dynamic force in the Nashville music industry and beyond. Their recent video for "Revolution of the Heart" appeared on CMT and ended up on MTV Hits; watch it here. Says Jackson of the song, "It's the most anti-political, political song I've ever written...The deeper longing that I'm 'marching for' personally is a revolution of the heart. It's an inner revolution. We need to first love each other and remember our common humanity. Then we can approach politics and work towards important solutions."

Rolling Stone praised the group's 2014 album Radio Cinematic, saying it was "filled with electric guitars, chest-beating vocals and swirling synths..." while Billboard Magazine called it "contemporary, anthemic rock---Jackson proudly wears the influence of U2, Peter Gabriel and Coldplay on his sleeve as influences---is certainly something different..." 

​Tour Dates:
August 11, 2017 @ Furniture Factory Bar and Grill – Huntsville, AL
August 12, 2017 @ Diamond Pub Concert Hall – Louisville, KY
August 13, 2017 @ Lincoln Hall – Chicago, IL
August 18, 2017 @ Knuckleheads - Kansas City, MO
August 20, 2017 @ The Hi-Fi - Indianapolis, IN
September 30, 2017 @ Mercy Lounge - Nashville, TN

by Sharon Gissy

Fort Worth, TX alternative rock band The Unlikely Candidates recently released the new video for their politically charged single "Violence." You can watch it here. "Violence" is the second single off their Bed Of Liars EP, and was written by singer Kyle Morris in response to police brutality. Morris said about the song, "...The song echoes the bleak outlook of police brutality in America by personifying it as an abusive relationship between a couple. The person in the song is trapped in an abusive relationship with a paranoid, controlling, and ruthless lover. No matter what the abused does they cannot seem to satisfy or escape the love of their abuser. The pressure and passion lead to an endless cycle of punishment."

With their songs garnering over 10 million listeners on Spotify, The Unlikely Candidates have been on the road all year playing headline dates, festivals, and radio shows. When the band played Philadelphia's 104.5's Birthday Bash show recently, the station's Jammmin' Jessie remarked, "WOWOWWOWW....Kyle Morris their frontman was an absolute animal on that stage. He was sliding around, rolling in the water, just totally captivating the audience and giving the most stand out performance of the entire day."

The Unlikely Candidates Tour Dates (More TBA):
July 7 @ Levitt Pavilion – Arlington, TX
July 20 @ The Peabody Memphis Rooftop – Memphis, TN
July 21 @ WBRU's Free Waterfront Park Concert - PROVIDENCE, RI

 by Sharon Gissy

The First Time was just named "Best Lit Event" in the Best of 2017 poll by the Chicago Reader. The quarterly series which benefits the independent CHIRP Radio features six curated Chicagoans telling a thematic personal story and pairing it to be performed by series band The First Time Four. The First Time Four includes musicians Gerald Dowd, Steve Frisbie, Liam Davis, and Scott Stevenson. In addition to making their own music, the band has played with Mavis Staples, Eddie Vedder, and Robbie Fulks, among others, and earned a couple of Grammy nominations.

First Time features a diverse array of readers such as lawyers, sausage makers, broadcasters, chefs, non-profit leaders, and artists, but always at least one musician. Past readers have included Bill Ayers, Tony Fitzpatrick, Mindy Segal, Ben Jovarsky, and Len Kasper. The lineup for the July 12th show at Matrys' boasts a bill of actor Wes Needham, musician Natalie Grace Alford, musician/historian Steve Krakow aka Plastic Crimewave, creative director and editor Micki LeSueur, writer/comedian Dan Shapiro, and CHIRP's very own Marites Velasquez (also of local band Ovef Ow) reading stories of their "First Catch." The July 12th show will also include a raffle for a pair of "Hamilton" tickets for the August 22nd show. The show will run from 8:00 to 10:30 p.m. and tickets are $10.

For more details visit here. 

  by Sharon Gissy

This summer Los Angeles alternative rock band The Wrecks will begin their "The Young Renegades" tour in support of their We Are The Wrecks EP. Performing with All Time Low, SWMRS, Night Riots, and Waterparks, the tour will kick off June 30th in Houston, TX, and will include a stop in Chicago at the Aragon Ballroom on July 21st. The band says "We're gonna bring it 110 percent every night and we're confident the crowds will, too."

Heavily influenced by groups such as The Pixies, The Strokes, Weezer, and Vampire Weekend, The Wrecks' sound features catchy choruses accompanied by quirky lyrics and vocals with an underlying substance. The five-piece of Nick Anderson (vocals), Aaron Kelley (bass), Nick Schmidt (guitar), Westen Weiss (guitar), and and Billy Nally (drums) recently recorded their three-song LP We Are The Wrecks in three days with less than a week as a band. The EP took off, featuring one of their best songs "Favorite Liar" which became a top 40 hit at Alternative Radio and garnered almost 5.5 million streams on Spotify. You can watch the live video, which has racked up 400,000 views on YouTube, here. The official music video, which was shot before they got signed on very little money and with only a few hours to spare while on tour, is available here through Alternative Press.

"The Young Renegades" tour dates are as follows:
​June 30 @ House of Blues Houston, TX  
July 1 @ House of Blues Dallas, TX  
July 3 @ The Marquee Tempe, AZ  
July 5 @ House of Blues Anaheim, CA  
July 7 @ The Novo Los Angeles, CA  
July 8 @ Fox Theater Oakland, CA  
July 10 @ Roseland Theater Portland, OR  
July 11 @ Showbox Sodo Seattle, WA  
July 13 @ The Complex Salt Lake City, UT  
July 14 @ Fillmore Auditorium Denver, CO  
July 15 @ Uptown Theater Kansas City, MO  
July 16 @ Palace Theatre St. Paul, MN  
July 18 @ The Pageant Saint Louis, MO
July 20 @ Royal Oak Music Theatre Royal Oak, MI  
July 21 @ Aragon Ballroom Chicago Heights, IL
July 22 @ Eagles Ballroom Milwaukee, WI  
July 23 @ Express Live! Outdoor Amphitheatre Columbus, OH  
July 25 @ Stage AE Pittsburgh, PA  
July 26 @ Rapids Theatre Niagara Falls, NY  
July 28 @ House of Blues Boston, MA  
July 29 @ The Fillmore Philadelphia, PA  
July 30 @ The Fillmore Philadelphia, PA  
July 31 @ Central Park Summer Stage New York, NY  
August 2 @ Rams Head Live Baltimore, MD  
August 3 @ Rams Head Live Baltimore, MD  
August 4 @ The Ritz Raleigh, NC  
August 5 @ Tabernacle Atlanta, GA  
August 6 @ House Of Blues Lake Buena Vista, FL  
August 7 @ House Of Blues Lake Buena Vista, FL