This week, Features contributor DJ Ninja speaks with jazz vocalist and composer Keri Johnsrud and woodwind specialist, performer, recording artist, and composer Shawn Maxwell. They discuss their musical beginnings, their collaborative album C8H10N4O2, and the nods to hometown Joliet in the tracklisting.

"Composing and coming up with tunes that tell stories, I feel it's a lot easier for me now than it was 20 years ago. I feel like I have so many ideas and if I could, I'd probably put out an album a month." - Shawn Maxwell

The Keri Johnsrud-Shawn Maxwell Band will be playing at City Winery on Tuesday, April 8.

Produced by DJ Ninja.

Photo Credit: Michael Barton

Natalie Whalen is a local comic, CHIRP DJ, and mediocre guitarist. She also loves to support and appreciate people who share their own version of these arts with the world. Natalie likes dogs, sandwiches, running, and adventure and chuckles in the face of a monotonous routine.

The First Time is a live lit and music series recorded at Martyrs in Chicago's North Center neighborhood. Each reader tells a true first tale, followed by any cover of the storyteller's choosing, performed by our house band, The First Time Three.

The First Time is hosted by Jenn Sodini. Production by Andy Vasoyan and Executive Producer Bobby Evers. Podcast produced by Andy Vasoyan. Recorded by Tony Baker.

Steve is an Actor and Storyteller living in Chicago, IL. He's worked with several theatre companies in Chicago, most notably with Shattered Globe, The Mercury, and First Folio. He toured seven times with Montana Shakespeare in the Parks and is currently understudying Macbeth at Invictus Theatre. If you didn't see him go on two days ago, then you blew it, that was his one guaranteed performance.

As a storyteller, Steve has been a repeat performer at Writer's Theatre's "Show and Tell" series, at The Gift Theatre's first annual "CampFire Stories", and has been featured on "The Moth Radio Hour," having won two Moth StorySlams and one Moth GrandSlam at the Athenaeum Theatre here in Chicago.

The First Time is a live lit and music series recorded at Martyrs in Chicago's North Center neighborhood. Each reader tells a true first tale, followed by any cover of the storyteller's choosing, performed by our house band, The First Time Three.

The First Time is hosted by Jenn Sodini. Production by Andy Vasoyan and Executive Producer Bobby Evers. Podcast produced by Andy Vasoyan. Recorded by Tony Baker.

This week, Features contributor Juliet Davidson speaks with Lauren Owen of Staring Problem, a Chicago-based DIY proto-goth/shoegaze/no wave/dark wave three-piece. They discuss the band's 15-year run and various makeups, their newest album, Equinox, and the joys of collaborating.

"I thought it just felt like a more balanced time, coming out of COVID; looking for balance and acknowledging like the light and dark of everything. Just trying to find a harmony and then equating that with the physical season change of equinox." Lauren Owen on the naming of Staring Problem's release, Equinox

Produced by Jessi D.

Photo Credit: Tina Mulroney

This week, Liz Mason speaks with Chicago-raised Latina DJ and Producer Christine Gutierrez and E of Dark Chisme, a Seattle-based dark wave band. They discuss Christine's DJ career in Seattle and how it led to the inspiration behind their performing name, the emotional guidance behind when to write in English and when to write in Spanish, and their comics and zine publishing studio, Really Easy Press.

"I am huge on mariachis and Mexican traditional singers, and I love the way that they sing out loud and you can just feel it in their soul what they're singing. I wanted to capture that in the music." - Christine Gutierrez

Produced by Liz Mason.

Photo Credit: Bella Petro

This week, Features co-director Marjorie Alford speaks with Darren Keen of Chicago one-man electronic band PROBLEMS. They discuss the genesis of his project PROBLEMS, Darren's transplant journey from Nebraska to New York and back to Nebraska, before finally landing here in Chicago, his booking company Personal Space Booking and their upcoming all day fest Personal Space Lost Weekend, the importance sobriety has played in his music career and life, and taking over booking for The Burlington.  

"Coming here to Chicago with some sobriety under my belt and working here in the scene ... doing what I do now it's the realization of a dream I couldn't have had otherwise." - Darren Keen of PROBLEMS on sobriety.

Catch PROBLEMS this Sunday, 01/26 at CHIRP Night at the Whistler, alongside Speed Babes.

Produced by: Marjorie Alford

Photo Credit: PROBLEMS 

This week, Features co-director Marjorie Alford speaks with Renn Fontana and Lex Gutierrez of Chicago based post-hardcore band Rat Chasm. They discuss the singles "Sorry Carly" and "Wasteland Centerfold," the recording of their album First Feed while Lex was still acclimating to the band, and the struggles of growing up queer. 

"If you pay attention to the album as a whole that theme of drowning comes up a lot... I think water is a big part of my life because it's so complex and terrifying. I love the dichotomy that something that can give you so much life can also drain you of your life force as well." - Renn Fontana discussing their album First Feed.  

First Feed is out now. Catch Rat Chasm live February 20th at Empty Bliss. 

Produced by Marjorie Alford. 

Photo Credit: Cori Knox

This week, Features contributor Josset Yarbrough speaks with Kathy Patino, aka Girl K. They discuss her songwriting process behind her newest release, My Future, her collaboration with Chicago Argentine HEARTGAZE, and her inspriation move from indie rock to glamorous pop.

"I don't know if it's necessarily my dream to be a famous musician, but music itself is my dream and I just want people to hear what I'm making, and I want to have fun making it." - Kathy Patino aka Girl K

Produced by Brian Szpak.

Photo Credit: Alicia Patiño

James Porter is a local DJ, musician and journalist based in the Chicago area. His writings can be found in the pages of the Reader, Chicago and Streetsblog, he can be heard DJing once a month on WLUW, as the host of Hoodoo Party, and he can be seen singing and playing harmonica with the James Dean Joint.

He is currently finishing a book about African-American rock musicians.

The First Time is a live lit and music series recorded at Martyrs in Chicago's North Center neighborhood. Each reader tells a true first tale, followed by any cover of the storyteller's choosing, performed by our house band, The First Time Three.

The First Time is hosted by Jenn Sodini. Production by Andy Vasoyan and Executive Producer Bobby Evers. Podcast produced by Andy Vasoyan. Recorded by Tony Baker.

Beverly Rage is the singer, songwriter, and guitarist of Bev Rage & the Drinks, a Chicago-based queer garage rock band. Bev Rage & the Drinks have been a fixture in the Chicago music scene for nearly a decade and have toured the country with notable acts such as Bully and Pansy Division.

Outside of the band, Bev is a gardener, environmentalist, activist, and lover of pistachio ice cream. 

The First Time is a live lit and music series recorded at Martyrs in Chicago's North Center neighborhood. Each reader tells a true first tale, followed by any cover of the storyteller's choosing, performed by our house band, The First Time Three.

The First Time is hosted by Jenn Sodini. Production by Andy Vasoyan and Executive Producer Bobby Evers. Podcast produced by Andy Vasoyan. Recorded by Tony Baker.