International Pop Overthrow - Chicago starts tomorrow night at Montrose Saloon and will continue at the north side venue through May 3. Most of the acts involved are from the Chicago area, although there are some out-of-state visitors. Traditionally, IPO - Chicago Sunday involved a six-act afternoon showcase and a five-act evening showcase, separated by a short break. But this year, there’s only one Sunday showcase—with seven acts—that starts at 2:00 pm.
The bouncy and lyrical Lance Drake (I’m quoting his Facebook page) opens Sunday’s showcase, and if my investigative skills are working, he is (was?) a member of the Deep Cricket Night band. If so, the audience will be treated to songs that evoke mystery via ornate yet energetic arrangements. Lead vocalist-guitarist Michael Mazza is a familiar face to IPO - Chicago fans, having led the band Collectors for several years before forming The Walkdown. “The Distance (Gets In The Way),” the first single from The Walkdown, finds Mazza continuing to take a guitar-driven approach. The band contributed a song to the Kool Kat Musik label’s Pop Aid 3-CD that supports World Central Kitchen’s efforts to feed people in the Ukraine. Progressive hard rock band Refrestramus will likely showcase songs from its 2024 debut Intourist, and since four vocalists joined the core musicians on that album, it will be interesting to see who handles the singing at IPO - Chicago. Derek Ferguson composes the band’s adventurous material, along with playing drums. Guitarist Zoey Witz will be a special guest at this performance. Freetoed has performed at a number of IPO - Chicago shows in the past, with an alt rock sound that’s influenced by Wilco, Pearl Jam, and Bon Iver. Their latest album, Cure For The Common Sound, is available on Bandcamp.
Chicago music scene veterans Phil Yates and The Affiliates have four albums worth of catchy, guitar-driven pop to draw from for their IPO - Chicago performance. The band moved here from Burlington, VT a while back, and its 2022 effort A Thin Thread is the first to feature the Chicago lineup. Modern Daybreak hopes to have copies of a new live performance CD available to sell at its IPO - Chicago performance this Sunday. The quartet has created catchy rock with a supportive vibe on its 2024 full-length debut Sound Of Nothing, as well as on single releases and an EP since forming in 2017. Singer-songwriter Joe Wylie’s latest album, Frontal Lobe Development, dropped last October and features melodic acoustic-based songs. He released four singles prior to that, including a Christmas song. He probably won’t include the Christmas song when he wraps up IPO - Chicago Sunday.
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