IPO - Chicago: Thursday

Graphic from The Embryos Facebook page.

International Pop Overthrow - Chicago 2024 is wrapping up its first weekend tonight with a five-act showcase. See my April 17 BHT post for a full preview.

Moving on, here’s a preview of this coming Thursday night’s lineup. The evening will kick off at 7:30 with Americana singer-songwriter Mark Ripp, former front man for the Canadian roots rock band The Bel-Vistas, and now an accomplished solo artist. His 2022 album All Things Considered Vol 1 offered well-crafted songs with provocative lyrics from various points of view. Ripp is also a member of The Joyful Hope trio, which covers surf rock instrumentals and classic folk songs, along with his original stuff. Golden Richards has played numerous IPO - Chicago gigs, and the power pop group’s 2023 catchy, guitar-driven single “Take A Chance” gave a good indication why. A recent post on the Golden Richards Facebook page promises “a cool new single.” Maybe fans will get a preview this Thursday. Rolling Numbers plan to showcase songs from their two albums, 2023’s Killer Machines and their self-titled 2022 release. The band’s harmony vocals play a major role on melodic songs such as “Best Of Luck” and “Memories Of You.”

Soulful singer-guitarist Brian Krumm has played a steady stream of gigs (including ones in Nashville and New York) with His Barfly Friends band since the release of his debut solo effort Just Fade Away on Pravda Records last June. Standout tracks include the title track and “Back In My Old Neighborhood.” Krumm is definitely familiar with Montrose Saloon, having completed a 19-show residency there last November. As the title of their 2021 album National Absurdatory suggests, The Embryos view life through satiric glasses. That album had plenty of highlights, and their recently released single “Desiree,” a country and western weeper (but still clever), is a preview of a new album to come later this year.

Check the official International Pop Overthrow website for the full Chicago 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. Many of the acts have Bandcamp pages, so it’s possible to already have some favorite songs before you've even seen the band play.