Singer-guitarist Nikki O’Neill
International Pop Overthrow - Chicago will wrap up its 2023 run at Montrose Saloon this weekend, with a six-band showcase on Friday night, and a pair of six-packs (afternoon, and evening) on Saturday. The acts scheduled for Friday are from Chicago unless otherwise noted.
Friday night kicks off with the Nikki O’Neill Band, veterans of indoor and outdoor gigs around Chicago. O’Neill sounds equally at home singing and playing guitar on straight-up country tunes, as well as on more soulful and bluesy numbers. Dolph Chaney And The Phins have chosen their IPO - Chicago gig as the time and place to reveal the title of their next album on the Big Stir label. They’ll also perform a few songs from it. Chaney’s previous power pop releases have done well on best-of-year lists, and he’s brought his band to several venues around town. Detroit-based band The Incurables have released three double-sided singles of catchy power pop on the Big Stir label since 2016, and will bring their When I Grow Up Tour to IPO - Chicago Friday night. They’ve also made recent stops in North Carolina and West Virginia.
Too Much Saturn have been releasing catchy singles since their debut album Moving Forward Sideways came out in 2013. Their 2022 single “STOP Thief,” which grooves with jangling guitars and harmony vocals, is a prime example of the Too Much Saturn approach to power pop. This will mark their 10th straight year of performing at IPO - Chicago. If you follow the north side club scene, you’ve probably seen the name Gal Gun listed on quite a few schedules. Critical Hit, the power pop band’s latest recording, offers catchy, guitar-driven songs, and if you go back to their 2016 debut EP, you’ll find a revved-up take on Simon And Garfunkel’s “El Condor Pasa.” Friday night’s showcase will end on an energetic note as Go Time! unleashes its repertoire of hard-hitting power pop songs. Lead vocalist-guitarist Scott Niekelski writes most of the band’s material, and he’s not much of a moon and June guy. Anything Could Happen, the brand new release from Go Time!, offers high-speed, melodic tracks with provocative lyrics such as “Destination Failure,” “Sensibility Withdrew,” and “Apparent Disaster.”
Check the official International Pop Overthrow website for the full schedule. You’ll also find links for just about all the acts who’ll be participating in Chicago this year. Even if you can’t attend in person, it’s a great way to discover new music. A number of the acts have a Bandcamp page, so it’s possible to have a few favorite songs before you even see the band.
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