(The Writer steps in front of the curtain)
The Writer
Good evening. This evening’s production features appearances from the talent buyers who are programming the live festivities of the annual festival known as Tomorrow Never Knows, taking place from January 15-19, 2025 at seven Chicago venues. What each of these people say is accurate, drawn from actual exchanges, but all conversations were held either via phone or email. To be clear, I did not meet with any of these people in person for the purpose of gathering their thoughts, so the meetings you’re about to see depicted did not actually happen, and none of them were in the same place at the same time. That I know of.
Also, I don’t actually drink beer, nor do I know what any of the people depicted drink. Given I talked to all of them on the phone, for the most part, I have no idea if they were drinking or not. The drinking is irrelevant, but parts of the play take place at various bars, so there we are. But the people are real, and so is what they said, although edited for conciseness and clarity, as is typical. It’s possible that the part of The Writer has been rewritten a tiny bit to make myself sound smarter, and even to weave this preview together as a whole, but there was no need to rewrite or make up stuff regarding to the other folks I talked to. It goes without saying that they are way smarter than me, so any errors or omissions are entirely my own. My thanks to all of the participants.
Scene I
(Curtain opens in the bar on the balcony at Metro. The Writer, Dan Apodaca and Avery Riel, sitting on barstools, are talking. Kelly works the bar, serving drinks.)
The Writer
(Takes a sip of beer)
Is there a particular aesthetic that for you defines what the Tomorrow Never Knows (TNK) festival is to you?
Dan Apodaca (Lincoln Hall and Schubas)
TNK has always been, to a significant degree, a discovery-based festival. And so I’ve always seen it as sort of an opportunity for us to show people cool artists that we think are right about to “blow up.” It’s a way for people to find some cool new artists, with a little bit of guidance. Along with that, Chicago artists having a significant presence in the overall booking is definitely key for me. We’re a Chicago-venue-based festival, so I think it’s important for us to represent that aspect of the booking that we all do year round and the community that supports us as music venues. We always push to get at least one Chicago band on a bill. And sometimes, depending on the year, it’ll make sense to have a Chicago act headline a show or put together a package or something like that.
Avery Riel (The Hideout)
I definitely booked with the focus on the Chicago area. I was trying to think about how The Hideout plays into TNK and I think The Hideout’s sweet spot is focusing on bringing light to local acts or acts that are connected to the Chicago area… also they each kind of “bounce off” of each other, being slightly different… They play off of each other.
The Writer
(Takes a sip of beer)
What prompts you to book which acts on which night?
Apodaca
I think one of the key factors to a discovery-based festival working is having some “name recognition” artists in there, that sort of cue people toward what sort of artists they might expect those “unknown” artists to be.
The Writer
Uh-huh.
Apodaca
It can be helpful to have some names on there that people recognize to bring them in and then they think, “OK, well, you know. I’m a fan of Been Stellar, so let me see who else they got booked on this festival and find some new acts.”
Been Stellar
The Writer
(Takes a sip of beer)
When you’re programming a particular night, do you also do that? Do you book “like” acts, within the same kind of niche on a given night? Or is it kind of “all over the place” with regard to genre on a given night?
Apodaca
I lean more toward cohesion throughout the night… ideally, it’s not three artists that sound exactly the same—I think maybe that’s a little less compelling. But of course, you also don’t want to have someone come and leave with the feeling of like, “Why were they on that show?”
The Writer
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Mm-hmm.
Apodaca
So yeah, we definitely try to have stuff aligned in a way that makes sense, and the support booking is all a mutual process with the headlining artist’s teams, so they get a chance to make sure that you know whoever is opening their show feels like a good fit, and is someone that makes sense.
Riel
I would say that each night, at least that The Hideout has, like a focus of some kind, I mean in the way that a lot of shows and billings do, but we have more of a singer songwriter-type night and then we have more of a jazz fusion night and then we have more of… an ambient night. Each night gets to be a little bit different, but you get the full focus when you’re there for that particular [genre] instead of bouncing back and forth. I do love a genre-fusion show, but I wouldn’t say that’s what’s happening this year fully.
The Writer
Right, right. Yeah. Well, you gotta cater to the audience and TNK. People might want something different every night, but they don’t want four entirely different things on the same night at the same place. ‘Cause you get whiplash from—
Riel
A little bit of whiplash, exactly—trying to refocus your brain on what’s going on.
The Writer
When you are listening to acts, what is it that makes you sit up and take notice? What is it that engages you when you hear something?
Apodaca
For TNK booking, something that is in my mind is… being a winter festival in the Midwest, there’s this feeling at the TNK shows of: You get to the show and then that’s where you want to spend the night because it’s probably pretty cold outside. So, I first aim for things that seem worth getting out of the house for… Does this seem like a fun show? Does this seem like a show that people are going to be moved by the music at and have a memorable experience? I also look at what artists I think are on the brink of something.
Riel
Yeah, my perception of the philosophy of the festival is: It’s cold. Let’s band together and connect and have an across-venue festival to bring people out with a variety of different genres. I think it’s really cool that you get to look at each venue and you’re bound to find something that you like each night because there’s different things happening each day. It’s very much a “wide range” idea for TNK. Does that make sense?
The Writer
Yeah, totally.
Apodaca
We always have a variety among the genres represented in the festival overall… some years, just depending on what’s trending at that time or on what is buzzing locally, a given genre will have kind of a… stronger presence maybe? And then it’s just, you know, up to us to round that out with some shows that are in other spaces.
The Writer
So if someone called TNK a “rock festival,” you would push back at that?
Apodaca
I would. I would push more toward multi-genre.
The Writer
Uh-huh.
Apodaca
You know, we certainly have rock bookings on the festival and I doubt there will ever be a year that we don’t have any rock bookings. But we also go into realms of other genres. We just announced that local hip-hop artist Cassius Tae is going to headline the Sunday show [January 19] at Schubas for TNK.
The Writer
Ohh, nice. OK.
Apodaca
Yeah. And I’m really glad we could work that one out because we had some great shows with him earlier this last year [in 2024] and it rounds out the genres of the festival nicely—a perfect fit for TNK booking.
(Just then, from stage right, Joe Carsello (Metro/smartbar/Gman Tavern) and Jerry Cowgill (Metro/Gman Tavern) rush past, give quick nods to those assembled, and Cowgill hands The Writer some sheets of paper, stapled.)
Jerry Cowgill (Metro/Gman Tavern)
Sorry about the delay here, hopefully not too late. Here’s some quick words on some of the bookings!
(They both exit stage left, as quickly as they entered)
The Writer
Oh! Hey, guys! Thanks for this—and thanks for accommodating us up here. I know y’all are busy with some shenanigans! [They both exit stage left as quickly as they entered] Hmm… that reminds me… .
(He turns back to Apodaca and Riel)
Would you two be willing to share some words on the acts playing your venues? Joe and Jerry were kind enough to share some thoughts (he taps papers). Feel free to just quote from the press releases, or include your own input—I’d just like to preview your performers for our readers.
(Dan and Avery look at each other, roll their eyes and sigh.)
(Stage lights go dark)
Scene II:
(Setting: The Hideout)
Drone Rodeo
Wednesday, January 15
Drone Rodeo is an ambient/drone-centered experimental series taking place in a sanctuary-in-the-round, hosted by StretchMetal.
StretchMetal is a nonprofit resource platform, label and concert series promoting emerging artists in the ever-evolving landscape of abstract sound. Initially formed from the roots of drone-making and ambient traditions of intentional duration and genre-bending sound, we strive to nurture any performers who facilitate holding space for both performers and audiences sensitive to sound and performance style. (Stretch Metal’s website)
Axis: Sova with Desert Liminal and Ovef Ow
Thursday, January 16
Axis: Sova: The group—Brett Sova, Jeremy Freeze and Josh Johannpeter—wrote their new album within the steel-grey confines of their hometown, Chicago, then flew out to Southern California and recorded it at Harmonizer Studios. The resulting clash of industrial steel versus indelible nature is sonically palpable, with the music hinging on tension and full of cathartic release, all produced for rock ‘n’ roll radio. Throughout, Axis: Sova take a slew of heady musical inputs to inform a harrowing and insistent lyrical POV lit up by allegories of social estrangement, personality crisis, and compassion for our collective fallibility. It’s the human condition: we’re all just Blinded By Oblivion. (Axis: Sova’s bio)
Desert Liminal: Desert Liminal is an experimental pop trio who’ve honed their unique sound within Chicago’s rich underground music community for nearly a decade. Songs center dream-like poetry and vocal harmony within a cloud of analog synth textures and swirling violin loops. KEXP called their 2024 album Black Ocean a “captivating, string-enhanced set of sweeping art-rock, cinematic shoegaze, and poetic dream-pop featuring a lush, enveloping sound.” (Desert Liminal’s bio)
Ovef Ow: Chicago’s Ovef Ow have been making synth heavy art punk for the better part of the last ten years, pulling influences that seem to range from B-52s and Devo to The Raincoats and Sleater-Kinney. Agitation is met with upbeat party anthems, paired together to create a swarm of new wave jangle and rough but friendly post-punk. Synths peel, drip and flail across guitars, bass and drums, ringing out with surfy exuberance, the band’s entire mood shifting between sunburnt joy to a stumbling sense of bliss. (Dan Goldin, @post_trash_)
Radio Outernational with Yr Knives
Friday, January 17
Radio Outernational combines the rhythm section from the Eternals with a fresh saxophone and flute frontline—old acquaintances joining forces to conjure something new. The music is multi-dimensional, guided by a collective ensemble approach, exploring hypnotic psychedelic grooves, snaking ethio-funk and venturing beyond. Transcending genre and teeming with infectious energy, the quintet is carefully designed yet hard to define. (Radio Outernational’s bio). Radio Outernational always surprises me. Whatever they do, like their instrumentation and where they go next, it’s so… free-flowing and cool to watch, that I never quite know where they’re gonna go. So, definitely their performance always kind of keeps me on my toes… They played at The Hideout at the beginning, like around this time last year, and it was such a cool watch. It’s a combo of several different cool jazz musicians in the Chicago scene coming together. They’re pretty cool.
Yr Knives is a new group made up of Chicago regulars. Quin Kirchner is an in-demand drummer/composer who has played with the entirety of Chicago’s jazz and improvising community as well as various rock bands including Wild Bell. Douglas McCombs plays in the groups Tortoise, Eleventh Dream Day, and a whole slew of others as a leader, collaborator and sideman, depending. McCombs is on bass in this group. Guitarist Brian Sulpizio’s long-running project is Health and Beauty and he’s worked often as a sideman, notably with Ryley Walker. In addition, Sulpizio works as a recording, mixing and mastering engineer. Andrew Trim is a first call guitarist and leader/member of the groups Hanami and Retroreflector. None of that does much to describe the music of Yr Knives. Descriptions are hard. Diverse and dynamic, maybe best described as eclectic and adventurous guitar music. (Yr Knives’ bio)
Adeline Hotel with Fran and Dave Vettraino
Saturday, January 18
Adeline Hotel: With a surrealist world that Dan Knishkowy has developed under the name Adeline Hotel, stories have been told through sprawling psych-rock epics (2020’s “Solid Love”), stark solo guitar performances (2021’s “Good Timing”), piano-led orchestral song cycles (2021’s “The Cherries Are Speaking”), and lush, jazzy compositions that felt like a genre unto themselves (2023’s “Hot Fruit”), the Ruination Records co-founder has rewritten the rule book with each new project, inviting listeners to join as he discovers new channels for his singular voice. By now the sound of Adeline Hotel is equally identifiable through Knishkowy’s dexterous fingerpicking—the aural equivalent of tracing your fingers through cool sand at sunrise—as his low, whispered vocals and autumnal melodies. (Adeline Hotel’s bio)
Fran: Fran is the songwriting project of Maria Jacobson. Combining the alt rock of the nineties with folk and country influences, Fran’s music is, at its core, about sharing a truth—telling it, confessing it, yelling it—in the service of human connection. Her songs have been described as “coolly fluid,” (NPR) and “taut, thoughtful songs that are further sharpened by a pristine elegance” (Chicago Reader). (Fran’s bio)
Dave Vettraino: Regardless of whether Dave Vettraino’s name rings a bell, there’s a solid chance he’s pulled strings behind a record you love. Vettraino’s new full-length for Ruination finds him pushing the boundaries of his formula. (Dave Vettraino’s bio)
Hideout Bartender (a dead ringer for Neko Case, but definitely not her): “Last Call!”
Scene III
(Setting: Schubas)
urika’s bedroom with Lipsticism, starcharm
Wednesday, January 15
urika’s bedroom embodies the cross-genre tastes of modern music listeners, mixing indie rock, electronic, experimental music and more. Chicago-based openers Lipsticism and starcharm (formerly Soft and Dumb) round out the sonic range on display, creating the perfect soundtrack for changing your whole life.
urika’s bedroom
Lutalo with Runo Plum, Sleeper’s Bell
Thursday, January 16
Lutalo evokes Schubas’ history of singer-songwriter booking and the modern evolution of that world, with intimate folk sensibilities and indie rock hooks. Runo Plum and Chicago-based Sleeper’s Bell lay the comforting, atmospheric groundwork to welcome you in for a cozy winter hang.
This Is Lorelei with youbet, Options
Friday, January 17
This is Lorelei is a side project of Nate Amos of Water from Your Eyes. Their new album “Box for Buddy, Box for Star” crosses more genres than this blurb has room for and yet, every one is fully realized and sincerely represented. This album has seen heavy rotation in my personal collection since it came out. Indie rock earworms from youbet and Chicago-based Options (prolific recording engineer, producer and musician Seth Engel) make this one of those shows you’ll be bragging about getting to see in a small venue.
Julia’s War takeover featuring Hooky, Her New Knife, Melaina Kol, Ruth in the Bardo, Glaring Orchid
Saturday, January 18
One of the defining musical resurgences of the 2020s has been the shoegaze/slowcore revival, and Philadelphia label Julia’s War has been an integral part of that. Founded by Doug Dulgarian of They Are Gutting a Body of Water and home to early releases from bands like Wednesday and Feeble Little Horse, Julia’s War has consistently been the go-to label for the best and most cutting edge of the hazier side of indie rock. We’ve put together a stacked lineup of some of our favorite bands from throughout the label’s history, including Hooky, Her New Knife, Melaina Kol, Ruth in the Bardo, and Glaring Orchid. Come get lost in the sonic gaze and find your next favorite band.
Cassius Tae with K. Marie
Sunday, January 19
We’ve been lucky to have Cassius Tae support past shows as an opener, but with his new album “Moments in Desire,” he cements his place as one of the most compelling new voices in Chicago hip-hop. K. Marie brings impeccable vibey R&B and a voice that’ll stop you in your tracks to make this all-Chicago lineup one you can’t afford to miss.
Scene IV
(Setting: Lincoln Hall)
Your Smith
Wednesday, January 15
We’ve enjoyed working with Your Smith a good number of times over the years and every time is the new best. One of the nicest, hardest-working people in music, they make indie pop that you can’t not move to. We can’t wait to have them back for their first Chicago show since headlining Schubas in 2020.
Oddly Satisfying
Oddly Satisfying: Ky Newman and atlgrandma with special guest Underscores DJ Set, Hafsa Guled
Thursday, January 16
Oddly Satisfying is a hyperpop DJ show that started in New York and is now bringing the party to the rest of the country [this partnership between Newman, a content creator and producer on the podcast Emergency Intercom, and atlgrandma, also known as Liam Hall, a key figure in Los Angeles’s leftfield pop community, allegedly falls somewhere between party and performance art]. Chicago-based DJs underscores and Hafsa Guled ensure that while it might be cold outside, this show will be a scorcher.
Been Stellar with Malice K, Smut
Friday, January 17
We first hosted Been Stellar at Schubas in 2021 and we’ve been following their progress closely ever since. Their wall of sound, post-punk, shoegaze-y catalog is full of barn burners that will make you want to pick up a guitar and start your own fire. Malice K and Chicago-based Smut make this a show that will leave you floored and loving it.
Gum.mp3 + Swami Sound with m.e.h.
Saturday, January 18
Gum.mp3 + Swami Sound are two titans of the East Coast electronic underground. We’ve been lucky to host them individually at Schubas as well as a joint set with Eldia labelmate dazegxd at Lincoln Hall in 2023, but this time they’ll be going back to back (this time featuring a hybrid live set from Swami) to bring a night of some of the hottest garage, jungle, house and techno that you’ll hear all year. Local favorite m.e.h. will be warming up the dance floor with her unique blend of R&B and dance music. Bring your best dancing fits!
Podcast About List
Sunday, January 19
A comedy podcast featuring Caleb Pitts, Cameron Fetter and Patrick Doran that is (ostensibly) about funny internet lists and wild comment sections. Since their viral documentary Patrick Goes To Jollibee came out in 2020, they’ve expanded into sketches, side-podcasts and live shows. We’ve gotten to host a live PAL show and their sketch group World’s Biggest Army at Schubas and we’re excited to have them at Lincoln Hall, representing our dual identity as Chicago comedy promoters.
Scene V
(Setting: Judson & Moore Distillery)
Sully Davis (Local Universe, booking TNK 2025 music programming at Judson & Moore and comedy at Color Club) and The Writer sit at a table, talking and drinking the Judson & Moore signature rye whiskey, on the rocks)
Sully Davis (Judson & Moore and Color Club)
I work independently so—I do work full-time for Judson & Moore, but Color Club is still an independent space—I do a lot of comedy booking there. But I’ll work at spaces around town. Right now, those are the two that I focus on.
The Writer
Gotcha. And I understand you’ve been booking shows since middle school, right? So it’s been a while. Well, of course, the reason that I’m reaching out to you is because I want to find out about Tomorrow Never Knows specifically, and can you tell me what you think is sort of the philosophy of booking? Is there some particular aesthetic that guides you that makes you want to put certain acts in certain venues?
Davis
Yeah, I mean, I worked at The Hideout before I started doing this. And so, I was booking the comedy side of stuff for the festival at The Hideout. This year, the comedy moved to Color Club, and so I’m focusing on continuing sort of the same programming that was happening like the comedy before that, and the comedy on that festival was always pretty wild. Like Tim Heidecker, Megan Stalter, more alt-comedy folks. And so when it came to programming the festival this year, that’s the kind of folks I was looking for, like Sarah Sherman; those types of people, in that same vein. Chicago has a really strong alt-comedy scene and has obviously produced a lot of those names I just mentioned. I really think that Color Club has been a home for that style of comedy, recently. So it was trying to showcase some stuff from our town and out of town for the festival that works for both Color Club and the legacy of the festival, right?
The Writer
Right. And I’m sure you know, it’ll be a difficult task, but how would you define what constitutes alt-comedy or outsider comedy as opposed to… you know, mainstream, to yuck, yuck, middle of the road, jokey… I shouldn’t be leading you. Tell me what you think it is.
Davis
I think stand-up, sketch and improv, like a lot of the comedy that you see out there, it’s made for people who can relate to it. Alt-comedy, or outsider comedy, is supposed to be absurd, right? They’re talking about things that you can’t really relate to, or if you do, they’re not things that you typically want to relate to. An easy example is, Sarah Sherman loves to talk about things like her experience as a woman, but frame them in really, really grotesque sort of ways, in ways that you normally wouldn’t want to think about stuff. And I think a lot of alt-comedy does that, where it’s either very surreal or reframes things in ways that aren’t necessarily relatable, but are entertaining.
A lot of the comedy is what TNK is made for. It’s made for people who don’t go see comedy in traditional comedy spaces. It’s a comedy for rock clubs, and it’s one of the things you don’t have to be a comedy fan to like. What’s happening on stage, it feels a little bit more like a rock show. And that’s something that you could expect from seeing a show at Color Club for this festival.
The Writer
Ah, that’s it. That’s it. Umm. So is Color Club all comedy this time around?
Davis
Color Club will be focusing exclusively on comedy—no music will be at Color Club for this festival.
The Writer
Gotcha. And then what about Judson & Moore?
Davis
So for this year, when I was talking to the other organizers, I was like, “Hey guys. I have this show that I do quarterly, that is basically a showcase that invites a lot of talent into one place—disparate talent—folks from like the R&B scene, the indie rock scene, sort of all over the place, and invite them all to sing country covers and that also enables a lot of comedy. We hope to do like the Grand Ole Opry—comedy is part and parcel. So for me, that show does this. This sort of heavy lifting, of being able to connect the festival together, can bring a bunch of people from out of town into one place. We can enable people to do something fun and different than what they normally do.
The Writer
Is that kind of like an offshoot of the Cosmic Country Showcase?
Davis
It is the Cosmic Country Showcase—it will have a headliner and an act from in town that are our country musicians. But for the most part, the Cosmic Country Showcase showcases people who aren’t normally country musicians singing country covers and we invite a country headliner to make those playing dress up feel more real.
The Writer
(Takes a sip of whiskey)
Uh-huh. I got you. So you’re bundling that in as part of TNK this year?
Davis
Yeah, that’s right. We’ll be using a lot of the guests besides the headliner from Texas, and the other musicians who aren’t announced who are playing other festival headlining shows around town, but they’ll be on the show doing country covers.
I usually play in the Cosmic Country show, but I won’t be playing this time around because I’ll be a little busy.
The Writer
Playing? So you’re like a band member? A person that plays instruments too?
Davis
Yeah, that’s what I went to school for. I made the case for the Cosmic Country Showcase when I worked at The Hideout. It was a way to play covers with my buddy who worked down there, he had just bought a pedal steel and I thought, “Oh, we should have a show like that to play some J.J. Cale covers. Right… It just became like this big, this much bigger project that keeps on evolving. It’s fun. It’s a great time.
The Writer
Oh, that’s really interesting. Yeah.
Davis
And I’ll take any chance I can get to play with my house band. And Spencer and Dorian—and we usually work in other parts, like other band members too—but it’s fun to play with that core group.
The Writer
Spencer?
Davis
Spencer Tweedy.
The Writer
Ohh—well, [Wilco] Jeff ’s son, OK.
Davis
Yeah.
The Writer
Gotcha. And. Uh, who is Dorian?
Davis
Dorian Gehring, he’s the co-producer on it. He also plays with Sima Cunningham, and he’s mostly an engineer at the Foxhall Studios, so he produces a lot of records… this is one of his few live bands.
The Writer
I’m fascinated by this idea of having artists you wouldn’t normally think of playing country songs, you know, and I’m a big fan of cover versions that sound entirely unlike the originals.
Davis
Yeah, I can tell you some people who have done it in the past. Like Tasha covered The Chicks. Elizabeth Moen, I guess you could see her maybe doing country covers, but at the time, she was more like a pop artist… Camilo Medina from Divino Niño covered Arthur Russell, Lillie from Lala Lala did a Purple Mountains or Silver Jews cover… So yeah, it’s a lot of folks like that. Jessica from Bunny, she was the first person I asked to cover songs with us because she loves 1950s country, and she took some old Carter Family stuff… we had to sort of invent that song a little bit. It was fun.
The Writer
Wow, that’s cool. Yeah… this sounds really interesting.
You know, my goal is to get as many different people on the record with just a little bit about the philosophy of booking TNK. You know, just sort of… what the approach is, and obviously everybody handles it a little bit differently for each of their venues. But at the same time, there’s an overriding, I don’t know if you’d call it gestalt… What would you call it? I don’t know. Uh, philosophy. I guess what sort of makes the TNK programming kind of… consistent. Conversely, is there anything like, that you would rule out of hand to say, “Oh no, that doesn’t belong here?” You know, for either TNK as a whole, or for your venues in particular?
Davis
I think that TNK has to—because it’s in the wintertime, and because it has to be pretty representative of the city—I think that if anybody was trying to create something that wasn’t representative of what’s happening in Chicago, like if they’re not inviting people that are enhancing or sharpening what’s happening in Chicago… Then it probably doesn’t belong in the festival. I think that despite all of these additional people that are playing, that this is a pretty Chicago-centric festival, and it’s really a celebration of the Chicago talent that’s like, elevated with people from out of town.
The Writer
One more quick question, if I may… So… are you related? You probably get this all of the time Sully Sullenberger. You know, the captain on the plane?
Davis
Sully—Sullivan’s my first name… so.
The Writer
Oh. Alright. Yeah, well, it was worth a shot. OK, so this is awesome. I really appreciate your time. I don’t want to take up too much more of it. (The Writer gets up to go, donning his coat.) This is just exactly what I needed. I really thank you for carving out some time, especially on your day off.
(The two shake hands, The Writer exits stage right. The J&M emcee bounds up onto the stage.)
SCENE VI
(Setting: Continuing at Judson & Moore)
(Lights come up on The J&M emcee (to be announced))
The J&M Emcee (to be announced)
Ladies and gentlemen and those who do not wish to identify as either, starting tonight, Judson & Moore Distillery is proud to present three nights of Cosmic Country Showcase featuring Cactus Lee, direct from Austin, Texas! (Pauses for applause) In addition to our headliner from the Lone Star State and the inveterate veteran members of Cosmic Country Showcase, now starting their seventh year, we will have special guests sit in with the band each night from other musical acts who are also performing at some of the other six Chicago venues hosting Tomorrow Never Knows 2025! To be clear, you have three chances to see Cosmic Country Showcase featuring Cactus Lee, starting tonight, Thursday, January 16, and including tomorrow, Friday, January 17, and concluding on Saturday, January 18, but each night will feature different guest stars sitting in with the band.
Tonight, it is my pleasure to introduce, for the first night, Cosmic Country Showcase featuring Cactus Lee, and special guests—
(Stage lights go out)
Scene VII
(Setting: Color Club)
Thursday, January 16
Skyler Higley
Parker Callahan: Soda Pop
Friday, January 17
Spike & Honey. Early show and late show
Alan Resnick
Saturday, January 18
Anna Seregina
Exploration live! Early show and late show
Sunday, January 19
demi adejuyigbe. Early show and late show
Scene VIII
(Setting: the bar at The Whistler)
(The Writer is drinking a Church Key and Eric Henry (Sleeping Village) is drinking a Warm Regards, both signature cocktails on The Whistler’s daily menu on this particular day.)
Eric Henry (Sleeping Village)
I think we try to focus a lot on local talent—we do have a touring band or two in the mix that are coming through town in January which… part of the goal of the fest is to have some interest in going out to see live music in the midst of Chicago winter, when most people want to stay in and hunker down. We’re still trying to focus on getting people out to the venues for a good time. You know, that’s my main goal of booking the shows is just getting people out during the times when everyone’s kind of feeling, maybe “down” due to the winter blues… I don’t think it would be a stretch to say that’s probably why the whole thing was thought up in the first place.
It’s generally a slower time for touring artists, so some of these artists are flying in just for one show—nobody wants to tour through Chicago in the winter. So it’s nice to have a collective push from all the venues that are involved in keeping things lively for the city.
The Writer
(Sips from Church Key) Right. Right. Understood. Is there any sort of… through line? Of the acts that you have booked at your venue? Or is everybody, you know—I mean, obviously nobody wants to be pigeonholed—but is everybody radically different in terms of approaching genre or is there a particular aesthetic that you would say characterizes all the acts that you have booked? At your particular venue?
Henry
I would say this year is pretty eclectic. Going back, let me look at what we… had previously just… last year, at least… .
The Writer
(Interrupting) Uh-huh. So you just got promoted into this role recently, huh? In the past year?
Henry
Promoted is not exactly the right word.
The Writer
You got stuck with it.
Henry
Well, I’m one of the—I’m one of the owners.
The Writer
Oh, I didn’t know that.
Henry
And. I took it over from our last person. Ah, that moved on.
The Writer
I should have done my due diligence and done more research. I’ve just been trying to set up all of these interviews as quickly as possible—
Henry
(Interrupting) That’s OK. But yeah, yeah. So I’m one of the owners and previous to this, director of operations. Still director of operations, but also talent buyer, and bar manager. Ah… so I wear a lot of hats.
But now, this year we have a pretty eclectic lineup. You know, we have some danceable soul rock music, we have Cameron Winter, who is the lead singer of the band Geese. Not goose, but Geese. And I’m really looking forward to that one. I just really love his singing style, and it’s going to be an interesting show. It’s a solo show, so it should be a good time then. You have some shoegaze, and you know it’s kind of all over the place—yeah, there’s not necessarily a theme to our four shows this year… Shawnee Dez was our final support act that we are waiting to confirm—
The Writer
Opening for Manwolves on the Friday night! I’m looking forward to that show, and being a big shoegaze fan, I’m looking forward to the Feller show with Sunshy opening—I loved Sunshy’s “I don’t care what comes next”—that album made my top ten list for 2024.
So have you always been… are you one of the people that bought Sleeping Village in the first place and built it from the ground up? Tell me about how you’re involved with the partnership, how you came to be involved, that kind of thing.
Henry
OK. Well, there are three partners, myself and Robert Brenner and Billy Helmkamp who own the Whistler… I started working at the Whistler back in 2008 or 2009, right after they opened. And I worked in the bar there for, you know, ten years almost.
The Writer
Oh wow. OK.
Henry
And then we invested in Sleeping Village together, designed it, built it from a furniture shop into what it is today. And I’ve been… I started out as the bar person, bar manager, hiring, all that kind of stuff, and then gradually just sort of expanded my roles until… you know, as I said before, I’m the director of operations, bar manager and talent buyer, currently.
The Writer
Right, right. Top dog head honcho. Big cheese.
Henry
You can say that I’m… I like to collaborate a lot. I have a lot of collaborators here on my staff, and that’s really what I enjoy, is having everybody have a little bit of a hand in how things are. What kind of bands we bring through is representative of all the different people that we have. Working here, we have a great staff, and everyone’s really interested in the music… Because I’m getting old. I’m not a spring chicken anymore, so I definitely need some younger folks, and you know, culturally diverse recommendations, because sometimes I get—we all get stuck in our little threads of music genres and you know.
The Writer
I have to say, if the line-up for TNK 2025 is any indication, you and your staff have done a great job! But as always, we should let the music do the talking. A toast!
(Raises his glass and clinks glasses with Eric Henry)
(Lights fade to black)
Scene IX
(Setting: Sleeping Village)
Wednesday, January 15
Feller with Sunshy and Alive Girl
Thursday, January 16
Half Waif with N.O.I.A.
Friday, January 17
Manwolves with Shawnee Dez
Saturday, January 18
Cameron Winter with Racing Mount Pleasant
Scene X
(Curtain opens on the bar in the balcony at Metro, the same setting as Scene I. The Writer is sitting alone on a barstool, studying the papers that the two Metro talent buyers gave him in Scene I. Kelly is working the bar, but there’s no one else there, so she’s wiping down the bar as the scene begins.)
The Writer
Hey, Kelly—can I get another PBR please?
Kelly
You betcha! Comin’ right up.
(The Writer looks back down at the papers)
The Writer
Say, Kelly—you work with Joe and Jerry—would you be willing to be kind of a “sounding board” for what they had to say about some of the music on the docket for TNK 2025?
Kelly
It’s either that or wipe this bar down for the fifth time this hour, so yeah, sure! God knows there’s nobody else here buying drinks at this early hour.
The Writer
I know, and I do really appreciate you being here—it was nice of Joe to arrange this, especially as I know y’all are so busy so much of the time. Well, here’s what Jerry wrote about the band headlining Metro on Saturday, January 18, with Retirement Party opening.
(As The Writer reads, we hear the disembodied voice of Jerry Cowgill prerecorded over the PA, if possible.)
Jerry Cowgill (Metro/Gman Tavern)
“Maps & Atlases was one of the first bands I fell in love with in Chicago when I moved here in late 2011/early 2012. I saw that video of them playing ‘The Ongoing Horrible’ for the Sargent House Glass Room Sessions and it was one of those jaw dropping musical moments that shaped the next few years of my interests. I was a bit late to them, of course, but as an Indiana kid just discovering Chicago and the music that exists here—it was thrilling. Their hometown shows these days are few and far between so it’s an incredible honor to have them play Metro for TNK.”
The Writer
(Looks up at Kelly) Thoughts?
Kelly
Yep, that sounds right on target. It is cool that they’re on the bill.
The Writer
(Continues to read as Jerry Cowgill) “When I think of Chicago music, I think of V.V. Lightbody. Her album ‘Make a Shrine or Burn It” that came out in 2020 is a masterpiece. She’s got another great project called Valebol too that is unreal. You’ve probably seen her on stage with any of your favorite musicians too—from Finom to Harry Styles. Give her a flute, piano, guitar, bass, mic—it doesn’t matter, the music will benefit from having her be a part of it. The TNK show will be about five years since the last record came out and I’m looking forward to hearing those songs again. We’re also flying out Lily Seabird from Burlington, Vermont to open up the night with a solo set before Morinda goes on. It’s going to be a real special one.”
The Writer
(Continuing as himself) So, three acts in one night at Gman, on Thursday, January 16 with Lily Seabird solo starting the festivities at 8:30pm, then the Chicago band Morinda will play TNK for the first time in two years, with the whole V.V. Lightbody kit and kaboodle band closing out the night.
Kelly
I’m a huge fan of what V.V. Lightbody does—hopefully I can be at Gman for that night.
The Writer
(Continuing as himself) OK, Lawn play with The Lipschitz opening on Saturday night, the eighteenth, also at Gman—let me get your take on his take.
The Writer
(Continues to read as Jerry Cowgill) “I’ve never had the chance to see Lawn live so I’m really looking forward to this one. Lawn is a New Orleans band, but recently Rui moved up close to Chicago so it’s a real treat to get them on the same stage again. Rui also put out one of my favorite records this year and put on a hell of a show at Gman this summer. Can’t wait for this one personally.”
Kelly
I hadn’t heard Rui moved north from NOLA—I s’pose you can’t move south from there, and still be in the continental U.S. I heard he and a bunch of Chicagoans pitched in on the latest Ducks Ltd. album. That does sound intriguing… .
The Writer
(Continues to read as Jerry Cowgill) “I’ve been trying to get something on the calendar with Linda Sol ever since I heard ‘Woah! (Ego Death).’ Absolute banger of a song—this is the exact type of energy we all need in January. This TNK show will be celebrating the release of her new EP and it’s also her birthday. This is where the party will be in January.”
(Continuing as himself) Thursday, January 16, to be specific, also at Gman, looks like—wait, that’s also my son’s birthday! Hurray for fellow Capricorns, I guess.
Kelly
Aquarius over here, so I guess I just missed your cut. I haven’t heard Linda Sol, but Jerry’s instincts are pretty good, that’s why he does what he does, right?
The Writer
Yeah, absolutely. From what I gather, I think she’s a Chicago native, proud Puerto Rican singer and rapper who graduated with honors from Stanford, and is not only celebrating her twenty-sixth birthday on the sixteenth, she’s also releasing the “MOTH (Matters of the Heart)” EP that night too, or at least this will double as her EP release show. Sol sounds like she could become a star, if not a supernova.
Kelly
That’s pretty corny, y’know.
The Writer
Yes. I just wish I’d thought of that turn of phrase when it actually happened. Just wait until I forget the curtain call. Again. But let’s not jump ahead. Let me share with you what your colleague Joe Carsello had to say about the bill for the following night at Metro.
(As The Writer reads, we hear the disembodied voice of Joe Carsello prerecorded over the PA, if possible.)
Joe Carsello (Metro/smartbar/Gman)
“Shoegaze music has sunk its reverb tones into the ears of today’s youth. Airiel has been at it for over two decades, and it’s amazing to see younger generations discovering the band and their shimmering tones. I’ve been seeing incarnations of Airiel since I worked at Double Door in the early 2000s. Their current live lineup is the most dialed-in they’ve ever been.
“I saw Leaving Time at Sleeping Village in the fall and was immediately hooked. Hum has always been a north star for me, and hearing Leaving Time present their version of Midwest layered guitar assault was a pleasure.
“I only recently discovered Scott Cortez’s previous project, loveliescrushing. It’s a side of ambient music that’s on loop in my house (see Eno/Fripp). Astrobrite is by no means a new project, but it has also benefited from the recent uptick in shoegaze followers. The production on Astrobrite’s records is the vibe that so many bands have tried to recreate in different versions of manipulating lo-fi-ness, but it’s the perfect amount of tape hiss and layering that gives the whole project authenticity.”
(Continuing as himself) So, how about that take, Kelly? Are we entering a shoegaze-aissance?
Kelly
A what?
The Writer
A shoegaze renaissance. OK… What about a shoegaze-surgence? I’m just workshopping these terms, you understand.
Kelly
Why not call it a shoegaze redux and call it a day? I never got that… they could have called it shygaze, or maybe more accurately, pedalgaze.
The Writer
Whoa, I guess I don’t have to tell you that Hum were the pride of downstate Champaign, do I?
Kelly
You mean the first band Howard Stern ever had perform live on his show? No, you don’t have to tell me about them—I actually loved their recent comeback record more than I dug “You’d Prefer An Astronaut” back in the day.
The Writer
Being a bar manager, you probably hate that Semisonic song, right?
Kelly
Not right now—in fact I’d say it’s oddly apropos.
(Lights go out and curtain closes)
The Writer
(Stepping into the spotlight, after the curtain has closed)
This can’t be the curtain call, ‘cause I always forget those.
(Spotlight goes out)
End
