Tag Archive for 'Cobalt & the Hired Guns'

50 STATES IN 50 WEEKS… WEEK 5: ILLINOIS

Published by BethanyLeavey on July 14, 2009 in Editorial and Playlists. 4 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

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Home of: Miles Davis, Buddy Guy, Cheap Trick, Kanye West, Allison Krauss, Fall Out Boy, Alkaline Trio, Walt Disney, Richard Pryor, Touch & Go Records, Oprah Winfrey, The Chicago Cubs

Fun Facts: State flower; violet, state song; “Illinois,” state bird; cardinal

The Venues: The fourth annual Pitchfork Music Festival takes over Chicago’s Union Park from July 17th to July 19th. In addition to a stellar lineup featuring Built To Spill, the Flaming Lips, Beirut, Grizzly Bear and more, the festival boasts a record fair, handmade goods market and the Flatstock poster show. Chicago non-profit Rock for Kids will also have a presence at Pitchfork. Rock for Kids is dedicated to providing free music education for underprivileged children in the Chicago area. Stop by their tent to learn more about how you can help and maybe win some swag from your favorite Pitchfork artists!

The Metro has been a Chicago music staple for over 25 years. This former Swedish community center is dedicated to providing Chicago music fans with the best local, regional and national emerging artists. The White Stripes, Kanye West and Alkaline Trio have all played the Metro on their way to the top. Schubas is another favorite Chicago venue. Many of the tracks from Jason Mraz’s 2006 live, online only album Selections For Friends were recorded here. With live music seven nights a week and acts ranging from indie rock to americana to jazz, Schubas is great for catching a show or just grabbing a drink with friends.

The Music:

fixqfvufwesu-520x520Cobalt & The Hired Guns – Taking first place in channels as diverse as Punk/Ska/Psychobilly, Folk and Singer/Songwriter (Male), Cobalt & The Hired Guns is one of those rare bands that can play any genre of music well. “You Left Your Sweater…” is an uptempo,  alt. country boot-stomper with hand claps and gang vocals.

jwmauoihjljl-320x240I Fight Dragons – Love old school video game music? Chicago’s I Fight Dragons is the band for you! The band combines sounds from old Nintendo game sound cards with a serious dose of pop rock. Currently entered in the MTV VMA Best Breakout Chicago channel, “Heads Up, Hearts Down” is a great example of the band’s signature superpower pop.

day_3-the_science-chronicleZoser – Some rappers can only rap about how good of a rapper they are. Zoser is not one of them. While he certainly has swagger, he is also a gifted storyteller. Checkout the track “Wind Blows (feat. Mela)” from Zoser’s record Day 3: The Science.

l_bb08537b9b54d28804b56954f7656c4f1Daphne Willis & Company – Whether her Berklee and Columbia pedigree band is playing funky grooves or uptempo rock, it’s Daphne’s smooth, soulful vocals that steal the show. She’s been compared to Norah Jones and Jack Johnson, and you can see why on the track “What To Say.” With three Number 1 Channel Prizes and a feature on AOL Music, Daphne Willis & Company is going places.

Check out these acts and other great Illinois artists in the playlist below!

Who are your favorite OurStage Illinoisans? Where do you like to see live music in Illinois? Let us know in the comments!

COBALT & THE HIRED GUNS

Published by mikesplain on April 22, 2009 in Artist News and Rock. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

When it comes to bands getting good news, Cobalt & the Hired Guns, must be king!  A few weeks ago, the band opened for Dashboard Confessional in Durham, North Carolina, and I’m sure it was quite an experience!

“The Dashboard show last week went FANTASTICALLY – it was a great experience and we’ve had an incredible response from new fans down there. ”

The band’s most recent album was recorded with producer/engineer Brian Humphrey (State Radio, The Hives, Stephen Kellogg) and shows amazing potential.  Earlier this month, they were selected as one of the top 10 Chicago bands by Metromix/Tribune Rock-N-Vote 2009! This multi-round contest is still underway; we hope too see Cobalt & the Hired Guns make it to the finals and beyond!

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In May of 2008 Cobalt & the Hired Guns won the Grand Prize on OurStage and it’s great to see their success continue elsewhere; since, as we say, the best music will rise to the top!  Look forward to an announcement from the band tomorrow on the state of the contest, we wish them the best of luck!!

Free MP3: Cobalt & the Hired Guns

Published by Andrew on October 17, 2008 in Download of the Week. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .
Former Grand Prize Winners, Cobalt & the Hired Guns are a “boot-stompin’, tambourine-shakin’, irresistibly genuine good time” with talent in multiple genres. In July they took the top spot in the Ska channel, and the Americana flavored “Up to You” was the fan favorite back in May. The band is also environmentally conscious, as their latest record Jump the Fence is a carbon neutral album. They have stated that “all of the greenhouse gases associated with the recording, production, and direct promotion of the CD were offset with investments in wind energy.”

Cobalt & the Hired Guns | “Up to You”