Heaters Light a Psychedelic Fire in Chicago

Chicago – The guys of Heaters, along with Chicago bands Bleach Party and Uh Bones, lit a surf rock, psychedelic fire Thursday night. Watching Heaters on stage at Schubas, you’d think the three lanky psych rockers resided in Sunny California where bands like The Growlers, Shannon and the Clams, the Ty Segall Band have made psychedelia cool again, but this three-piece was born and bred in the snowy beaches of Michigan.

Guitarist Andrew Tamlyn, bassist Nolan Krebs, and drummer Joshua Korf formed the band back in 2013, and since then, they’ve released a handful of EPs – self-recorded in their homes – and their studio debut Solstice (Dizzybird Records). Aside from constantly laying down recordings, Heaters has also been touring non-stop, including frequent shows in Chicago. And just this month, Heaters played Austin Psych Fest. With all that touring, the band has definitely been giving their van a run for its money. On their way to the Windy City, the Midwesterners broke down in Kansas City, but luckily they managed to get the van running, making it just in time, pulling up to the venue minutes before they were set to take the stage.

Fans and friends seemed relieved to see the trio loading in, and once Heaters got started, people instantly began moving, swaying to the fuzzy melodies of “Shump” and “Sanctuary Blues.” Uh Bone’s Kenny Alden made his way to the front and showed off his air guitar skills. If Heaters ever needs a fill-in, Alden proved he’s their guy! Of course Heaters played the single, “Mean Green,” off their recent 7” via Beyond Beyond is Beyond Records.

Heaters also played some older songs, like “Levitate Thigh,” from their debut EP, hilariously titled EP. They finished their eleven-song set with another oldie: “Steve’s Boots.” Tamlyn and Krebs traded places and instruments for this number, earning them extra applause.

The foursome Bleach Party started the night out with their mix of surf and garage rock. Guitarist and lead singer Meghan MacDuff looked retro-chic with her platinum, 60s-esque hairdo, belting out tunes with gusto, while drummer Kaylee Preston – who was a 2015 Hit Like A Girl contestant – vigorously knocked out songs like “Fizzy Free.” Bassist Richard Giraldi kept the beat with Preston and guitarist Bart Pappa worked the fuzz with MacDuff. In January, Bleach Party released a split with The Bingers on Chicago’s Dumpster Tapes. They’ve also been making the rounds on local radio and becoming a mainstay in the city’s DIY scene.

Uh Bones was up next. Like Heaters, Uh Bones’ sound resembles those Burger Records kids, but with more of that Midwest feel. Ugh Bones – comprised of Luke Trimble (guitar and vocals), Nick Beaudoin (bass), Kenny Alden (guitar), Nathan Johnson (keys), Justin Vittori (drums) – is definitely a product of Chicago’s DIY house party scene, hence the band dubbing their music “living room rock.” Well, that and they also record music in their living rooms. They take DIY seriously! We’re talking “using a towel and duct tape for a guitar strap” serious and “use your hand as a drum stick” serious. No joke, Vittori lost a stick mid-song, but he didn’t lose a beat, smacking his right hand down on his kit, till he was able to grab another. That’s that hardcore Chicago work ethic right there!

Last month Uh Bones unleashed a new tune, “In Your Womb,” and announced they’ll soon be releasing an LP… so expect to hear more from this Chicago band!

Heaters will be touring this summer. Dates are available on the band’s facebook page. They’ll also soon be releasing their debut LP through Beyond Beyond is Beyond Records. Keep your eyes peeled!

Photos By Sarah Hess

About
Latest Posts

Sarah Hess

At the age of six, Sarah Hess discovered True Blue by Madonna. This resulted in her spending hours in front of the bathroom mirror with a hairbrush microphone, belting out "La Isla Bonita" off key. Her love for music only intensified over the years thanks to her parents; her mother exposed Sarah to The Jackson Five and had her hustling to the Bee Gees, while her father would play her albums like 'Pet Sounds' and 'Some Girls' from start to finish, during which he'd lecture on and on about the history of rock & roll. Sarah would eventually stumble upon rap and hip-hop, then punk and alternative, and fall madly in love with Jeff Buckley and film photography.

After attending The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Sarah went on to study education at Dominican University, earning a degree in history. When not teaching, writing, or taking in a show, she is most likely to be found with a camera to her eye or hanging out in a darkroom.

You can follow Sarah Hess on twitter at @Sarahhasanh and view her music photography on her website: smhimaging.com.