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FRIDAY OCTOBER 9, 2009 |
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Allison Fishman |
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Allison Fishman began writing songs almost immediately after picking up her first guitar at the age of 14. Born and raised in the south suburbs of Chicago, Allison was already writing poems and stories in her pre-teen years. She decided songwriting as her ultimate means of expression and much needed outlet for her on going desire to "create something." As a student at Lake Central High School in St. John, Indiana, Allison found herself playing rythym guitar with her girlfriends in band that went by the name of Hello Sheldon. They had a few originals, but mostly performed cover songs by artists such as L7, Hole, 4 Non-Blondes, and Bikini Kill, usually in somebody's backyard. Since Allison's house was the primary location for rehearsal, she would spend endless hours bouncing from guitar, to bass, to drums on the instruments that were kept at her house. This allowed her to start experimenting with the different angles of sound and ways to make different instruments fit together in composition.
In the Spring of 1997, Allison entered Thunderclap Recording to record her first demo of original songs titled, "Not So Sure Desire." In the fall of that same year, Allison released another collection of original songs titled, "Comments Unknown," also recorded at Thunderclap. The result of that recording gained Allison "rave reviews" in various local newspapers such as the Illinois Entertainer, Midwest Beat Magazine, The Hammond Times, and The Star. This added recognition also opened the door to her first professional performances. A most note-worthy event that she participated was at Merrillville's Star Plaza for the 1st annual "Celebrate Local Music Fest" put together by Tom Lounges of Midwest Beat Magazine. Local critics have often compared Allison's music to the music of Liz Phair, Smashing Pumpkins, as well as other artists from the mid-90's alternative music scene. At 17, looking up to the marquee at the Star Plaza to see her own name in lights, there was little doubt she was heading in the right direction. In 2003, Allison decided to increase her opportunities as an aspiring songwriter by moving to the north side of Chicago. In 2007, Allison jumped on the MySpace revolution to make her music more available to anyone who cared to listen. Since then, Allison has played a wide-variety of shows at many different types of venues in and around Chicago. She also recorded a podcast/interview taping for the Chicago Acoustic Underground in the summer of 2008. Currently working on her first full-length album, Allison is hoping for a release by early Spring 2011.
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Dana Lynn |
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| Dana Lynn (21) of Munster, IN began songwriting at the age of 15 after taking a series of guitar and piano lessons. After playing a couple battle of the bands while attending Munster High School, she began performing out at coffee shops locally and in the city while attending Columbia College. At the age of 17, her first demo was recorded featuring several original songs. In October of 2007, Dana formed a band as lead singer/guitarist called I Say Gray. After a year of shows and a 6-song EP, I Say Gray disbanded in October of 2008, where Dana then joined fellow co-workers from HGS Music to form their current indie/alternative rock band, lynxwail. Their self-titled album was released in March of this year featuring 6 original tracks. |
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James Neary |
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James is really only a fan of three things: his friends, his music, and sleep. Starting at an early age, James was a member of the All-State Choir and later journeyed into playing violin with the South Bend Youth Symphony. More recently, his mission has centered on the hybrid of guitar playing and vocals as a direct result of his friendship with the late Ryan Trost. He plays on in his memory. James has recorded two songs at Thunderclap Studios: Stars and Timeline. Both of these songs brought James to be a featured artist on the music-sharing site Sutros, and both of these songs are still climbing up the ladder of most-listened-to songs. James hopes to relase an eight-song EP later this year. |
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Karla Sue and The Very Blue |
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Karla Sue and The Very Blue is an acoustic duo comprised of Karla Bonkowski Magnan and Max. They've been playing together for 16 years. KSVB's sound is edgy and compelling jazzy/bluesy acoustic rock with a strong storytelling element. Karla Sue's lyrics relate universal themes of searching for place, peace and meaning. In addition to songwriting, Karla is an author, and her first book, This Road Leads Home To Me, a memoir in poetry, essay and photography is due to be released mid-June on State Street Publishing. And lest we forget, Karla is a clinical social worker in private practice in Glen Ellyn Illinois, primarily working with children and adolescents. Max plays guitar. |
COPYRIGHT 2009 LOCAL MUSIC SHOWCASE |
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