A good old-fashioned battle of the bands provides an excellent opportunity to discover new music, personalities, and talent. What’s at stake, in this instance? The chance to secure a spot performing at this year’s Solshine Reverie, presented by Summer Camp. The arena for this showcase? The Point, a comfortably slick little music venue in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. Thus, eight acts of various practices, disciplines, genres, and styles performed to the delight of their fandoms. They brought their best to outdo the competition and possibly steal some support through their efforts. It was a fun night filled with plenty of flair, moments that surprised and delighted, and some instances that left me wincing. Buckle up, bud. Bear Swiftly is about to give you the straight dope on what transpired during Solshine Reverie’s On the Road Tour, hosted at The Point, March 23.
The night’s lineup consisted of eight acts, listed here in alphabetical order: Dark Star, DB Stereo, Debstep, DJ Unknown (that’s a lot of D’s), Goonba, HR Shovenstuff, M.O.B, Orbiix, and The Original Cyberpunk. Goonba wasn’t on the original lineup announcement, but a late addition. Now, I know some of you might be questioning my math skills, as a count of the above listed performers numbers nine. However, Debstep combined forces with Orbiix for an hour long back-to-back, the only contestants permitted to play longer than half-an-hour. The additional benefit to this move is it allowed them to collectively pool their votes. In the long run, it didn’t matter. By the end of the night, it was clear to me that three presentations stood above the rest based on quality of performance, originality, technical proficiency, talent, and turnout of support.
Let’s get to the details: I arrived to The Point shortly before 930pm. Therefore, I missed the opening act and a half, so essentially the entirety of M.O.B and a chunk of DJ Unknown. Traffic. I can’t tell you much about DJ Unknown, possibly their true intention, except they wore a Guy Fawkes mask throughout their performance. The Guy Fawkes mask symbolizes protest against tyranny. Uncanny. Based on Guido Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, the historical figure on which illustrator David Lloyd based the stylized mask for his and Alan Moore’s, V for Vendetta series. Guido Fawkes was a member of the English group of Roman Catholics who plotted to destroy Parliament, King James I, his queen, and eldest son in November 1605. He did not succeed, and nor did DJ Unknown. The Guy Fawkes mask was the most memorable portion of their set, and I thank them for wearing it, thereby allowing me to lightly delve into history. Next up, Dark Star.
There are a few items I appreciated about Dark Star. First off, I love the name. It’s foreboding, almost like a representation of sonic emanations from the darkness of space. In actuality, it’s a reference to a Grateful Dead song of the same name. Cool. Secondly, the dude is a member of the red haired tribe. I love my red bearded brothers. Healthy respect towards my fellow redlings, of which I am a half-breed. Blonde up top, red around my face and cheeks, though I very recently shaved off all of my facial hair and have had friends humorously doing double takes the past ten days. Thirdly, I enjoyed his bass laden and moody track selection. His set was notably clean and free from errors, to the delight of many. I did not detect sloppy transitions nor any major miscalculations. Finally, he’s a tall guy, and at no point after his performance did he block my view. Thanks, man.
Next up, the ensemble of HR Shovenstuff. These guys are homies of mine, and I came out specifically in support of them, while remaining impartial to the very end. Ozzie skillfully controls the decks, Jimmy handles lyricism and vocals with poise and aplomb, and Luke struts his stuff on the strings. They boast a catalog of original tracks showcasing musical influences and styles they collectively appreciate. Seeing these guys grooving together is infectious to say the least. Many attendees outside their typical audience reflected their aura and danced among the HR Shovenstuff fam. I know the bartender definitely dug their sound, he imparted as much. If you can impress venue staff, who have observed a bevy of acts covering a myriad of genres, it’s a good indication that you’ve got a good thing going. Of all the performances I witnessed this night, HR Shovenstuff presented sounds uniquely all their own. A synthesis of bass, blues, EDM, funk, and hip-hop roots, their offerings are original, soulful, and reflect the passion these three friends harbor for producing music. The rest of the competition mainly characterized the DJ profession, whereas the collaborative efforts brought by this trio of friendship contributed organic offerings that had the house rocking and rolling.
Taking the stage at 1035, another set of masked performers representing serious riddim vibes, Debstep b2b Orbiix. I kind of feel like masks help alleviate feelings around anxiety and stage fright. Either that, or plausible deniability. Who was that performer on stage? “I have no idea, and you can’t prove it was me!”
I’d previously viewed Orbiix perform back-to-back with another local talent, Bvsta, at a Bass Barn presents event hosted towards the end of January at the McPherson in Rockford, IL. Orbiix is a fine performer, and I’m sure Debstep is as well. However, this set was far from their best work. They had some struggles to say the least, but managed to fight through and finish with strength. It’s not how you start, it’s how you improve. They’ll both have better outings in the future, and this experience will aid their continued development. This competition was for the opportunity to perform at a festival after all, which represents a different community than those you see attending local concerts and shows in support of their friends. A scotsch after 1130, The Original Cyberpunk was set to take the stage.
This is where the night’s intensity started to mount. Bro, I’m chatting with my gal pal Nikki when a fella in what appears a bulletproof vest and a sleek waste lander haircut complete with cable like looking dreadlocks walks past. Talk about an entrance. His arrival ended our current conversation, about what I can’t even recall, as Nikki and I began to delineate whether he was a member of the staff or the next performer. As we compared his regalia to the cool security person we knew for sure worked for the venue, my guy Ty informed us that was, in fact, his boy Shane, The Original Cyberpunk, and next performer. Dope af, babe.
Like a storm in waiting, OGCP assumed control of the decks and enacted a thunderous dubstep progession that distanced him from the competition. Spirited, energetic, and controlled. For thirty minutes, and I would have been fine with him rocking even longer, he had the room juiced to the gills. I noticed around this time an influx of new attendees to the building, most likely advocates of his cause. If HR Shovenstuff was my early favorite, OGCP held the latter. Truthfully, he earned distinction in my book apart from the rest due to his attire, consistency, presentation, and proficiency. As his set concluded, I had HR Shovenstuff and The Original Cyberpunk neck-in-neck as my top two contenders.
The second to last act titled DB Stereo, a duoship representing house flavorings, ascended the platform a touch after midnight. I appreciated the change of pace, and these boys performed well under the spotlight. Now, it wasn’t a perfect set. There were a couple of hiccups. However, nothing that caused them to fall flat and lose the crowd. Mixing is an art, and as they blended tracks and melded tempos, there were a couple of instances where it took a moment to find the sweet spot. They split their set into fifteen minute increments where one member served as primary selector with the other lending technical support before trading headphones and tasks. Kind of like a tag-team wrestling match. “Let me at e’m, bruh!” I’ll describe their sound as jungle house vibes, although they ventured into drum and bass near the end. Let me tell you, I wasn’t the only one popping shoulders and juking hips. As their performance neared finality, the night’s final entertainer, Goonba, joined them on stage.
Goonba, much like OGCP, had a demeanor and look that set him apart. It’s in the name. Sporting a flashy designer t-shirt and gold jewelry, he looked like a goon! Hooligan? As he claimed the decks, I noticed he wore Debstep’s mask. Did he accost him behind the scenes and claim a trophy accessory for all to revel in his dominance? That would be something, really taking this competition seriously, but he probably just asked for it and it was readily given. Seven minutes in, he removed the mask revealing a pink hair style and amping his set upwards, precipitously.
Goonba is a man of many moments, he kept his photographer busy, while wilding out for the crowd. He throws dubstep like haymakers, and his visuals were baller, to say the least. Bruh, I loved the anime sequences featured in his background exhibition. I caught portions from what I’m guessing to be Afro Samurai, Fullmetal Alchemist, Bleach, and Samurai Champloo, to name a few. These kind of artistic decisions resonate with me, as I’m a geek for mecha, samurai, and shonen anime. If it’s got over-the-top battle sequences, I’m interested.
Not only was I a fan of his musical selection but he earned high marks from me as well for his visual display. Additionally, he was technically proficient, a powerful dark horse contender to close out the night’s entertainment, mainly since he wasn’t represented on the original lineup. For those who remained until the very end, we were rewarded with a frenetic, high energy performance courtesy of this goon. He’s the third of my trio of artists I felt stood apart from the rest based on the metrics I outlined earlier.
With all this talent in the building, who won? Truthfully, those who enjoyed the entire gamut of players. Tickets for this event cost $18 and some change, and The Point has become a place I enjoy catching shows. The square footage is minimal, so the experience feels intimate and there are plenty of great views throughout, as long as a skyscraper doesn’t stand in your way. Furthermore, the sound is generally solid. Bathrooms start clean and are easy to access, and there’s even a long, comfortable bench extending the entirety of the left hand wall (when facing the stage) where one can pop a squat to rest, or in my case, jot down a few notes. Furthermore, the cost of beverages isn’t offensive ($6 bucks a beer, meh), and staff are pleasant to interact with. Security personnel know their roles and bring proper attitudes for dealing with the kinds of crowds these events draw. There were no instances of elevated rowdiness to report. Good job, folks.
As far as determining the winner of the competition, let me describe the process. Each ticket purchaser was granted a single raffle ticket with which to vote. Upon entrance and validation of admission, a single voting voucher was handed to the attendee. A table in the back of the room hosted small rectangular rubbermaids with a hole cut in the top and denoting each of the eight acts stage name. An attendant kept constant watch over these containers. Patrons decide to which performers to contribute their support by delivering their ticket into a container of their choosing. Most folks immediately dropped off their tickets in the receptacle for the homies they had come out to support. It’s a process that feels fair. Towards the end of the night, I saw a couple of people with strands of tickets in the tens that looked a bit suspect based on the process I outlined above.
I’m hopeful that fairness and the spirit of the competition were respected. I know performers would be remiss if they were to find additional votes were cast unfairly. If that were the case, what’s to prevent someone from buying a bevy of tickets and overloading the receptacle of their choice? Then it’s just pay to play. My thoughts on the goal of the competition was to win based on the number of people who showed up in support, thereby collecting as many votes from friends and family as possible. Not whoever has got the deepest pockets. If you take into consideration ticket and bar sales, based on turnout, the venue did fairly well. I don’t like thinking that the final results were negatively impacted by paying to stuff ballot boxes. Just about everyone who came out in support of the performers, including myself, logged a single vote which we believed the rules dictated. However, If history has taught us anything, voting processes are easily corruptible. Maybe the Guy Fawkes mask was a sign of things to come, all along.
The final tally? The Original Cyberpunk beat out HR Shovenstuff and Goonba for the win, although I was not privvy to the final counts. In my mind, those were the top three performances from the night. I’m disappointed for my homies, but with the level of dedication they put into their music, their professionalism, and growing support, more opportunities are surely upcoming. As well, I was very impressed with several of the other performances. Who did I vote for? Your mother. She’s a nice lady, and I blindly thank her and your dad for your being here to enjoy this story that has been a labor of love for me to craft. Check out the artist SoundCloud’s from Saturday’s showcase, definitely not organized in the order I ranked their performances: HR Shovenstuff, The Original Cyberpunk, Goonba, Dark Star, DB Stereo, Orbiix, and Debstep.
Congratulations to the winner, The Original Cyberpunk, and to all who participated. Even being represented in a competition like this is a reflection of your dedication to your craft. Continue to work diligently at mastering your craft, and good things are sure to follow.
Be well, be successful. Bear Swiftly.
–Electro Scribe–
