SUMMER SET - MUSIC & CAMPING FESTIVAL
Pretty Lights
Umphrey's McGee
Big Gigantic
Excision
Lotus
Rebelution
and more
Fri, August 24, 2012 - Sun, August 26, 2012
Doors: 10:00 am / Show: 12:00 pm
Congress TheaterThis event is all ages
http://venue.congresschicago.com/event/125215/Umphrey's McGee

Since forming in the late '90s, the musically muscular and relentlessly inventive Umphrey's McGee has cultivated an impressive presence both live and in the studio. Lauded by critics and adored by fans, the band continues to draw in new listeners with their singular style: virtuoso playing and acrobatic tempo changes and rhythmic shifts complemented by dazzling song craft and composition, memorable hooks, anthemic guitar lines and rock solid rhythms.
Now in their second decade, Umphrey's McGee continues to wow fans globally. The band has performed at festivals such as U.S. festivals as Bonnaroo, ROTHBURY, and Lollapalooza, have toured Europe multiple times and performed Japan's Fuji Rock Festival.
Umphrey's McGee is also known for their innovative approach to distributing music and building community. With the recent unveiling of Umphrey's McGee's all-new Stew Art Series (aka, "S2") – an interactive fan experience where audience members "conduct" the band's live improvisations
Umphrey's McGee continue to offer their fiercely loyal fanbase the most innovative musical experiences available. Before their latest studio recording, Mantis, was released in January of last year, the group made the album available for pre-order in an interesting way. Fans were offered more free bonus content the more Mantis pre-orders were received; as the fans "unlocked" levels of content by getting more of their friends to pre-order the album. The idea was to give the fans incentive to help spread the word about the album, and to offer a totally unique music experience. As Umphrey's McGee's sound evolves with every passing show, the live concerts sold on their expansive music archive site UMLive.net continue to be in high demand by their hungry fan base
Now in their second decade, Umphrey's McGee continues to wow fans globally. The band has performed at festivals such as U.S. festivals as Bonnaroo, ROTHBURY, and Lollapalooza, have toured Europe multiple times and performed Japan's Fuji Rock Festival.
Umphrey's McGee is also known for their innovative approach to distributing music and building community. With the recent unveiling of Umphrey's McGee's all-new Stew Art Series (aka, "S2") – an interactive fan experience where audience members "conduct" the band's live improvisations
Umphrey's McGee continue to offer their fiercely loyal fanbase the most innovative musical experiences available. Before their latest studio recording, Mantis, was released in January of last year, the group made the album available for pre-order in an interesting way. Fans were offered more free bonus content the more Mantis pre-orders were received; as the fans "unlocked" levels of content by getting more of their friends to pre-order the album. The idea was to give the fans incentive to help spread the word about the album, and to offer a totally unique music experience. As Umphrey's McGee's sound evolves with every passing show, the live concerts sold on their expansive music archive site UMLive.net continue to be in high demand by their hungry fan base
Big Gigantic
Excision

Taking influence from DnB, Metal, and Hip Hop, Excision is a Dubstep artist who must be heard to fully believe. Combining the morphing bass lines of Drum and Bass, the aggressive energy of Metal, and the laid back vibes of hip hop, Excision's style is incomparable.
At only 22, this young Canadian's passion for music has already driven him to become one of the biggest Dubstep acts of North America. Anyone who has heard a set by this bad boy has walked away feeling energized and refreshed. If your lucky enough to catch a live set, expect an assault of bass heavy tracks, mixed quickly and seamlessly.
Upon the selling out and repressing of his first release, "No Escape" on his own label Rottun Recordings, it became apparent that there was a large demand for the dark side of Dubstep. This was proven to be true when Excision was asked by Electronic Music Superstars Pendulum to remix their latest single "Showdown."
Look out for collaborations with North American Bass Guru Bassnectar, Pendulum, and many others ranging from DnB heavy weight SPL, to Dubstep womp master DZ. With an upcoming U.S. tour alongside Pendulum, and a set at the fabled Shambhala Music Festival among many other Canadian and U.S. dates throughout the year, Excision is one to watch.
At only 22, this young Canadian's passion for music has already driven him to become one of the biggest Dubstep acts of North America. Anyone who has heard a set by this bad boy has walked away feeling energized and refreshed. If your lucky enough to catch a live set, expect an assault of bass heavy tracks, mixed quickly and seamlessly.
Upon the selling out and repressing of his first release, "No Escape" on his own label Rottun Recordings, it became apparent that there was a large demand for the dark side of Dubstep. This was proven to be true when Excision was asked by Electronic Music Superstars Pendulum to remix their latest single "Showdown."
Look out for collaborations with North American Bass Guru Bassnectar, Pendulum, and many others ranging from DnB heavy weight SPL, to Dubstep womp master DZ. With an upcoming U.S. tour alongside Pendulum, and a set at the fabled Shambhala Music Festival among many other Canadian and U.S. dates throughout the year, Excision is one to watch.
Lotus

Lotus has crafted a unique musical style outside of simple genre limitations. On a given weekend the band could be the only group with guitars at an all electronic music festival and then the next night crash a traditional rock festival with their dance heavy beats, synths and samples. Equal parts instrumental post-rock and electronic dance, the band's distinguishing feature is the ability to maintain a decidedly unique musical voice and remain current while bucking passing trends.
No matter what the venue, the energetic joy and catharsis of a Lotus show is infectious. The band slowly built a devoted fan base through steady touring and the crowds have grown at an increasing pace. This grassroots growth has made the band in high demand for festivals including Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, Ultra, and Rothbury and earned the band sold out shows at the country's premier theatres and clubs.
No matter what the venue, the energetic joy and catharsis of a Lotus show is infectious. The band slowly built a devoted fan base through steady touring and the crowds have grown at an increasing pace. This grassroots growth has made the band in high demand for festivals including Bonnaroo, Outside Lands, Ultra, and Rothbury and earned the band sold out shows at the country's premier theatres and clubs.
Rebelution

Hailing from Santa Barbara, California, Rebelution has developed into a front-runner for grassroots, independent and touring driven music groups representing the Cali-Reggae genre. Originally formed in 2004, members Eric Rachmany (vocals / guitar,) Rory Carey (keyboards,) Wesley Finley (drums,) and Marley D. Williams (bass) met in college, while residing in Isla Vista, a popular beachside community in Santa Barbara. It was there that the seeds to Rebelution's future would be planted-- and would instill their kick back, "worry free" vibes, catchy refrain, and optimistic, inspiring, and engaging music that would leave their listeners with the sense that they have the power to make this world a better place.
Throughout 2004-05, Rebelution began to build momentum through consistently playing local shows and by independently releasing an EP. Before they knew it, they were one of the biggest drawing bands, not just in the reggae community, but in the entire area. "It definitely went to the next level when we literally had thousands of people watching us perform in Isla Vista on Friday nights," shares Rachmany. The band's upbeat, highly danceable grooves were charting a direct course for bigger and better things.
Rebelution released their first full-length album "Courage to Grow" in June 2007, which would become the breakthrough album for the band. The album was praised for its crafty melodies, socially-conscious lyrics, and savvy musicianship. Rebelution quickly became known for sticking strongly to the roots of vintage reggae sound, all while appealing not only to reggae listeners, but also to music fans of all genres.
"Courage to Grow" went on to garner mass downloads and radio play on monster stations such as San Francisco's Live 105 where their single "Safe and Sound" was played on heavy rotation, with spins on San Diego's 91X, and Los Angels' KROQ. The album hit an all time high when it was selected as iTunes Editor's Choice for Best Reggae Album of 2007. In addition, "Courage to Grow" has been in the top 10 iTunes Reggae album sales since its release two years ago. It remained in the Billboard Top Reggae Album Chart for 36 weeks, and peaked at # 4. Constant national and international touring has also served the band well.
Now, two years since their last album, Rebelution has given their fans their long-awaited, sophomore full-length album "Bright Side of Life." On August 4, 2009 "Bright Side of Life" was officially released, solidifying the #1 spot on iTunes in the reggae music genre, and the #3 spot for top albums downloaded in the United States in all genres of music. The album also debuted at #54 on the Billboard Top 200, #7 on the Billboard Indie Albums, and #1 on the Billboard Reggae charts. "Bright Side of Life" joined the likes of top artists such as Modest Mouse, Colbie Caillat, Whitney Houston, Black Eyed Peas, and Kings of Leon.
Recorded in their hometown of Santa Barbara at Santa Barbara Sound Design, Rebelution entered the studio the day after Depeche Mode completed their sessions for "Sounds of the Universe." "Bright Side of Life" features 12 new signature tracks blending the band's cohesive mix of reggae, rock, and hip-hop influences in a calliope awash of front man Eric Rachmany's Santana-esque guitar flurries, Marley D. Williams' solid and attacking bass lines, the psychedelic and tasteful piano, keyboard and Hammond b-3 stylist of Rory Carey, and the jazz rock fusion of Wesley Finley's finesse drumming and percussion.
Of the new album, Rebelution shares, "After the positive response from fans and critics for 'Courage to Grow' and touring in support of it for the last few years, we are glad to finally reveal our new material to the fans who have waited so patiently. We've played many of the new songs live, but the recorded versions will have that 'studio magic' from all the time we've put into them." The band notes that their second album will show their growth in maturity musically, with a more polished sound with flares of new styles that fans and future fans have yet to hear. "Bright Side of Life" also has an overall theme of encouragement. The band shares, "Though it was important for all of us in the band to be motivated to continue with what we do best, which is making music, we feel people in the world could use some encouragement in this time to stay motivated as well, which is what we drew a lot of inspiration for this album."
The release of "Bright Side of Life" marks the first release under Rebelution's newly founded record label 87 Music, in association with Controlled Substance Sound Labs and Silverback Music / Raise Up Entertainment, the California based music collective, which is also home to artists Slightly Stoopid and Pepper, and their respective artist imprints.
2010 Was a great year for Rebelution. As well as headlining clubs and venues most of the year, the band performed at some of the most prestigious festivals in the country including Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Deluna Festival and Wakarusa. 2011 will see the band perform shows across the United States on their Winter Greens Tour as well as a 3 week tour of South America and their return to Europe.
Throughout 2004-05, Rebelution began to build momentum through consistently playing local shows and by independently releasing an EP. Before they knew it, they were one of the biggest drawing bands, not just in the reggae community, but in the entire area. "It definitely went to the next level when we literally had thousands of people watching us perform in Isla Vista on Friday nights," shares Rachmany. The band's upbeat, highly danceable grooves were charting a direct course for bigger and better things.
Rebelution released their first full-length album "Courage to Grow" in June 2007, which would become the breakthrough album for the band. The album was praised for its crafty melodies, socially-conscious lyrics, and savvy musicianship. Rebelution quickly became known for sticking strongly to the roots of vintage reggae sound, all while appealing not only to reggae listeners, but also to music fans of all genres.
"Courage to Grow" went on to garner mass downloads and radio play on monster stations such as San Francisco's Live 105 where their single "Safe and Sound" was played on heavy rotation, with spins on San Diego's 91X, and Los Angels' KROQ. The album hit an all time high when it was selected as iTunes Editor's Choice for Best Reggae Album of 2007. In addition, "Courage to Grow" has been in the top 10 iTunes Reggae album sales since its release two years ago. It remained in the Billboard Top Reggae Album Chart for 36 weeks, and peaked at # 4. Constant national and international touring has also served the band well.
Now, two years since their last album, Rebelution has given their fans their long-awaited, sophomore full-length album "Bright Side of Life." On August 4, 2009 "Bright Side of Life" was officially released, solidifying the #1 spot on iTunes in the reggae music genre, and the #3 spot for top albums downloaded in the United States in all genres of music. The album also debuted at #54 on the Billboard Top 200, #7 on the Billboard Indie Albums, and #1 on the Billboard Reggae charts. "Bright Side of Life" joined the likes of top artists such as Modest Mouse, Colbie Caillat, Whitney Houston, Black Eyed Peas, and Kings of Leon.
Recorded in their hometown of Santa Barbara at Santa Barbara Sound Design, Rebelution entered the studio the day after Depeche Mode completed their sessions for "Sounds of the Universe." "Bright Side of Life" features 12 new signature tracks blending the band's cohesive mix of reggae, rock, and hip-hop influences in a calliope awash of front man Eric Rachmany's Santana-esque guitar flurries, Marley D. Williams' solid and attacking bass lines, the psychedelic and tasteful piano, keyboard and Hammond b-3 stylist of Rory Carey, and the jazz rock fusion of Wesley Finley's finesse drumming and percussion.
Of the new album, Rebelution shares, "After the positive response from fans and critics for 'Courage to Grow' and touring in support of it for the last few years, we are glad to finally reveal our new material to the fans who have waited so patiently. We've played many of the new songs live, but the recorded versions will have that 'studio magic' from all the time we've put into them." The band notes that their second album will show their growth in maturity musically, with a more polished sound with flares of new styles that fans and future fans have yet to hear. "Bright Side of Life" also has an overall theme of encouragement. The band shares, "Though it was important for all of us in the band to be motivated to continue with what we do best, which is making music, we feel people in the world could use some encouragement in this time to stay motivated as well, which is what we drew a lot of inspiration for this album."
The release of "Bright Side of Life" marks the first release under Rebelution's newly founded record label 87 Music, in association with Controlled Substance Sound Labs and Silverback Music / Raise Up Entertainment, the California based music collective, which is also home to artists Slightly Stoopid and Pepper, and their respective artist imprints.
2010 Was a great year for Rebelution. As well as headlining clubs and venues most of the year, the band performed at some of the most prestigious festivals in the country including Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Deluna Festival and Wakarusa. 2011 will see the band perform shows across the United States on their Winter Greens Tour as well as a 3 week tour of South America and their return to Europe.
Venue Information:
Congress Theater
2135 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL, 60647
http://congresschicago.com/
Congress Theater
2135 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago, IL, 60647
http://congresschicago.com/
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