An exciting night stirring the proverbial pot of rock and roll revelry at the Montrose Saloon, a friendly neighborhood bar with a funky, rockabilly edge (the saloon used to be where folks would gather after horse races, yes horse races, down Montrose Avenue which is a long straight East-West strip of road on the Northwest side of Chicago which must have been a fine racetrack when it was surrounded by more fields than three-flats and small shops) for the 21st year of International Pop Overthrow Festival, a gathering of melodic rock bands and those that love them, on April 22, 2024.
Hannah says, “Thank you to David Bash for the opportunity to play the fest!” as she packs up her guitar and bops her head to the next band while surrounded by cool show posters on the walls of the saloon designed by the infamous Screwball Press. Creativity in the air was palpable, with an opening set by KTG, an artist from Ontario, Canada who has flair in spades, followed by bands serving up energetic 90s inspired crystalline-frequency heavy-harmony grunge music (leaving few cilia untouched). Check out Bur and The Braymores.
The outside beer garden was peppered with flecks of an outdoor fire, a giant dog named Soda with impressive grey fur which it shook to get the red woodchips off, and conversations among musicians which threaded through the uncontested talent of Little Walter, Eddie Harris and the exact definition of soul jazz; and a new friend who shared that her parents told her she could choose her religion when she grow up. These events are extraordinary because beyond the music is the people, and bringing many creative people together always results in alchemy. All in all, a fine night on the Chicago Music scene!
– The Editor