The Underbelly Hours

Jack Byron is in town! The folk/americana songwriter sits down with Dan to talk about his latest travels and a whole bunch of things he learned along the way.

Adela was abducted by aliens or something so she is absent for this one, but she'll be back next week fully enlightened and ready to go. Be sure to check out Jack Byron's music including his latest single, "The Hill", on all major streaming platforms.

Our Chicago Voices segment is back - and just in time for the first episode of May!

Stephanie Fravel (mentor) and Alondra (alumni) sit down to discuss an incredible local music organization - Guitars Over Guns. We talk about the importance of arts in personal development, last year’s impact on mental health (especially among young people), their personal experiences with the organization, and even a new collaborative album that the group has put out! 

It’s not an episode you want to miss. Check it out, and support the speakers by following the links below:

https://www.guitarsoverguns.org/

Stephanie - https://www.instagram.com/gwenafrave/

Alondra - https://www.instagram.com/allyhyuga/

Instead of talking about a musician or band, our Chicago Voices episodes will focus solely on the people working in Chicago music behind the scenes: the mentors, concert promoters, charity volunteers and more. We’ll be releasing these shorter episodes every month or so to keep us all informed on the movements happening within Chicago music.

What happens when you add a little Tchaikovsky in a BTS song? Pure magic, that’s what.

In this interview, conductor Henry Hao-An Cheng and composer Ari Fisher discuss their unlikely reunion, love of orchestral music, and how they’re using BTS songs to bring fans of K-pop and classical together in the same space.

Follow their project @btsorchestra for the latest updates!

Mike and Terrill of Nature’s Neighbor have been music partners for ages. They write songs together, eagerly discuss tunes, and appear online frequently as the duo Nature’s Neighbor. The catch? They haven’t lived in the same city since 2017.

Hear these two fantastic musicians discuss what it’s like being in a long distance band, inspirations behind songs, and the upcoming release of their pandemic project  “Otherside”.

New Music Shoutout:”Shiver” by Pino Farina

”My Team (featuring Scoop the Professor and Cache Pheenix)” from the Realizm Radio Vol 1

Contrary to what her name suggests, Jean Hatmaker does not, in fact, make hats. But she does create some pretty beautiful music.

It’s why we invited this professional cellist onto the show to talk about her cross-cultural collaborations, pushing past comfort zones, and honestly discuss the sacrifices (and rewards!) that come with performing for a living.

Dare we mention there is also a sneak peak into her upcoming album “Modern Muses”? It’s pretty great. Listen now on your favorite streaming platform!

New Music Shoutout:

“Err’r of Reason” by The Child of Eve

”Bloomin’” by CrabCat

Who is the Brainstorm? Going against the norm? Why do they sing about fuzzy jackets, driving down 290, and smash down 7 minute guitar solos?

It’s a goofy showdown as we talk with Wes, Liam and Jack about the musical project they love. Topics include having fun in music, inspiration during quarantine, and taking your craft seriously. Also expect to have your socks rocked.

New Music Shoutout: The Underbelly Hours Spotify playlists!

While sipping on lager from Two Brothers, Adela and Dan dissect a question they posed to musicians and artists on social media: what fears do you have about your career going into 2021?

From debating the strengths of each social media site to arguing about the effectiveness of Spotify playlists, there’s a lot to unpack. Including a heated conversation about how, when, and why concerts should open up again. Plus how we should address this as a local music scene.

Enjoy! And musicians - let us know what you think about our opinions on our Youtube channel, or via a direct message.

Our dear man Mitchell Jay is a singer with passion, precision, and a lot of thoughtfulness in his songwriting - especially when it comes to difficult or personal subjects.

That’s why our chat with him ranges in variety from the motivations behind his solo EP release (“DEARMAN Down”), to strategies with vocal inflection, to how acting opens up a new way to explore human emotion.

New Music Shoutout:

"Fayetteville Hotline" by Thompson Springs

"Burn it Down" by Broken Robots

We welcome back the fabulous duo Bianca & Julia - aka the bellow + the whale - only this time, things are a little different. They’re streaming from New Mexico, they have a lot of beautiful photos to share, and oh yeah… did we mention they have a new EP?

Topics include photography, art, storytelling, protecting the planet, and snapshots of characters living their daily lives.

Don’t miss this intriguing chat! And be sure to stream their new EP “Wild Dogs Howling” on your favorite streaming platform of choice.

New Music Shoutout: Ryan Herrick, and Wyatt Waddell.

A love of retro rock & soul strongly unites Matt and Henry, inspiring them to make similar style rock n roll music in their band “The Black Bolts”. The songs are high energy; the members are passionate; and the vibes are immaculate.

Hear as we talk to Matt & Henry about their collaborations with small businesses during the pandemic, who would be in their dream band, and many more fun topics!

New Music Shoutout:”Paramedic” by Sleet”Naaw” by Tukkiman