MWA Approved: “Indiana Territory” at Beat Kitchen – 1/18

Though oftentimes overshadowed by the ever-growing mass of the Chicago music scene, Illinois’ neighbor to the East never flinches as musicians at “The Crossroads of America” seem to consistently release exceptional tunes.

Tomorrow night, the Beat Kitchen will host two of Indiana’s finest along with some local talent for an event they’re calling “Indiana Territory”.  Presented by both Upland Brewing Co., and Brooklyn Brewery, the event kicks off at 8:00 PM with a hosted bar. The show itself kicks off at 9:00 PM with sets by Cooked Books and Sleeping Bag – who both call Bloomington, IN home.

Formed through a listing on Craigslist, the garage/psych quartet Cooked Books recently released their debut LP, The Reader. The record very successfully distills the best of ’60s psych and ’70s punk into ten tracks that are just as authentic as they are accessible.

Indiana’s second contribution to tomorrow’s bill comes in the form of indie-rock trio Sleeping Bag. We here at MWA are fans of the group, and recently recommended picking up their latest release and split LP with Rozwell Kid, Dreamboats.

Chicago’s Roach Beach plays self-labeled “stoner punk” and they play it well. The trio has two three song releases available online and their gritty take on garage/punk shines brightly, and sometimes aggressively, on each track.

With DJ sets by Chicago’s Scott McNiece between bands throughout the night, Soft Speaker will bring “Indiana Territory” to a close. The Chicago rock quartet has been steadily releasing music since early 2009, most recently running a successful Kickstarter campaign in February to press their third full length LP, Turkish Mindbathers, to vinyl.

If you want to take advantage of the hosted bar, be at the Beat Kitchen (2100 W Belmont Ave) by 8:00 PM. The show is 21+, and will just run you $5. You can pick up tickets at the door or online via Ticketfly.

As an added bonus, you can download a free mix tape featuring a track from each of the night’s four artists through Lake Shore Beverage’s Bandcamp.

Soft Speaker | Roach Beach | Sleeping Bag | Cooked Books