White Mystery played with Neptune’s Core and MIIRORS along with an all-star cast of cool Chicagoans at the Empty Bottle on March 15, 2022 for the Quiet Pterodactyl Situation Chicago two-day festival. In addition to being a good ol’fashion rock’n’roll celebration, it was super cool hosting Neptune’s Core on stage to to join us for a duet of the White Mystery classic jam, “Birthday.” We remember meeting the Neptune’s Core band members when they were toddlers more than a decade ago, and now they’ve grown up to start a rad sibling band of their own. That is the kind of synchronicity that keeps our band going all of these years.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Quiet Pterodactyl presents… Situation Chicago LIVE!
March 15th & 16th Empty Bottle
$15 Adv, $18 Doors
Over the last almost 2 years, in response to the pandemic, local nonprofit Quiet Pterodactyl organized and released two vinyl projects to support the local music scene under the title Situation Chicago. The first double vinyl album raised money to support 25 local music venues during who were closed for an indefinite amount of time. Many venues around the country shuttered during this period, destined to never re-open. Situation Chicago 2 as a single vinyl album whose proceeds went towards the CIVL (Chicago Independent Venue League) SAVE Emergency Relief Fund, which distributed small grants to Chicago area musicians who were still struggling just to cover basic bills during this rough period.
We are extremely excited to bring you Situation Chicago LIVE, a 2 night concert featuring some of the impressive Chicago artists that donated their time and craft to these projects. Live performances, silent auction items, guest Hosts and Speakers, DJs, and other surprises. Proceeds from this event will be shared between Quiet Pterodactyl‘s mission to promote arts and music and CIVL‘s mission to advocate for Chicago’s independent music community.
Tickets go on sale Friday February 4th at 10AM CST.
These shows are brought to you in part by Dark Matter Coffee, CH Distillery, and Jeppson’s Malort. Original artwork by Chadwick. Promotional images by Hank Ewbank.
Alongside these 2 shows, we are also excited to announce our second Situation Chicago branded cold coffee with Dark Matter Coffee. This one-time, special release shows Dark Matter’s dedication to our local music community. We also hope this delicious drink will further bring attention to the general public of the ongoing financial struggles of our local venues, as well as promote the upcoming Situation Chicago LIVE shows.
Dark Matter Coffee’s Situation Chicago cold coffee can will be available Feb 28th on the DMC website.
Francis Scott Key White • White Mystery • Chicago, IL
Time to give the drummer some…
…help loading gear into the club, and perhaps, a doobie. While garage rock is perceived as “raw and energetic,” the drummers of the genre are incredibly disciplined, hardworking musicians. Today we honor the heartbeat of the band, whose blood, sweat, and tears drive every performance. Here are eleven essential drummers you need to know.
Max Hiersteiner • Dirty Fences, Metalleg, Josephine • New York City
Don’t let his hilarious antics and “class clown” persona fool you, Max “Hersh Guy” Hiersteiner is an incredibly disciplined performer. Besides being a rock solid skin pounder, Max is a gifted skateboarder and athlete, and perhaps the funniest and most charming man we have the pleasure of knowing. Check him out in the Dirty Fences music video Judy Don’t Go.
Lamont Thomas • OBNOX • Cleveland, Ohio
To call Lamont “Bim” Thomas merely a drummer would be a massive understatement. Bim is a multi-instrumentalist, poet, producer, engineer, and exists in the highest echelon of rock and roll generals. He is a seasoned veteran of the Cleveland scene, a rock solid comrade in the trenches, and a true friend. Enjoy this rippin’ video “Molecule” from Obnox, one of his many projects.
Erin Emslie • Hunx and His Punx • Los Angeles, California
Erin is the glamorous beat queen of rock’n’roll dreams. She’s the plucky drummer in Hunx and His Punx, the groovy bass player and lead singer in The Time Flys, among many projects. Erin Emslie has traveled the world playing rock n’ roll since most of you were in diapers. Watch her demolish the drums at a skate park in California.
Emi Morimoto • Shonen Knife • Osaka, Japan
If there was an award for the best posture in rock, Emi, formerly of Shonen Knife, would win it. Perched in a perfectly upright stance with a disciplined smile, Emi is a force of nature to behold. With her badass gloves and Angelic singing voice, she is the beat baroness of Osaka, Japan. When White Mystery toured with Shonen Knife back in 2012, her song “Psychedelic Life” was our favorite.
Jose Ceniceros • Monarchy Over Monday• Chicago, IL
Jose reminds me of a younger version of myself, if I had ten times more talent. Jose is the perfect combination of tight control and explosive volatility. He commands the stage and his band with shocking authority for his young age, while keeping guessing as to where his groove is going next. Keep an eye on this young star and watch Monarchy Over Monday cover The Replacements, “Alex Chilton.“
Mike Shoun • Thee Ohsees • San Francisco, California
Mike is fucking amazing. His legendary tenure in the golden age lineup of Thee Oh Sees spawned hundreds of soundalikes and wannabes. His legacy as a worldwide touring musician is forever revered by the real rock and roll community, and his work ethic and drive was so mighty he needed to be replaced by two drummers. Watch his legendary performance of “The Dream” at Pitchfork Music Fest in 2012.
Cedric Walker • The Black Tones • Seattle, Washington
If White Mystery was one half of a Ying Yang, our other half would be The Black Tones, featuring Cedric and his twin sister Eva. Raw chemistry, effortless telepathy, and overflowing with charisma, Cedric and his sister are a force to be reckoned with. Watch them holler for they’re mama!
Karissa Talanian • Strychnine, Wet Piss, Eye Vybe • Chicago, IL Photo by Lee Klawans
Connor Brodner • Twin Peaks • Chicago, IL Photo by Ian Laidlaw
Connor “Hammer Strength” Brodner is a true product of Chicago. Broad shouldered, determined, and unrelenting, he is the blue collar engine behind the world famous rock band Twin Peaks. A product of Chicago Public Schools and raised in the back yard DIY scene, Connor is a no nonsense hard worker that earned every bit of success that came his way. Check out this rad video for “Flavor.”
Stef Roti • Yoko and The Oh No’s • Chicago, IL Photo by Sound Dessert
There are certain drummers in the DIY scene that prove themselves to be strong backbones of not just their bands, but their entire communities. Stef is an incredibly focused and trained drummer in Yoko and The Oh No’s, as well as a talented booker, promoter, and business woman. She knows what she wants and knows how to get it. Check out the amazing Yoko and The Oh No’s video Love U.
Alejandro Morales • Running • Chicago, IL Photo by NRML
There is more to be said about Alejandro than this post can contain. He was a true artist, a brutal noise musician, and a frenetic and overwhelming drummer. He was an activist, a social worker, and a dear friend to all that knew him. He gave much of his own energy to lifting up those around him and propelling them to greatness. May his memory be eternal and his music be blasted at the great DIY show in the sky. Please enjoy this amazing video of Running at The Empty Bottle.
Free Mondays at The Empty Bottle are sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon. $2 PBR drafts every Monday! 9PM / FREE / 21+ featuring White Mystery, VIETRAHM, Electric Sheep!
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