Wicker Park Summer Fest - July 22nd, 2006 and July 23rd, 2006
Get ready Chicago! Over the past decade, millions have flocked to all over Chicago to countless outdoor festivals... not only to witness the music, but also to contribute and take part in some of the magic created by the Windy City's culture. This year will be no exception;and, for the 2nd consecutive year, music lovers will have a multi-day opportunity to bring the good vibes that surround Silver Wrapper shows to the Chicago summer festival circuit.

The Wicker Park Summer Fest is a two-day, all-day event featuring music presented by Silver Wrapper. It is a free event, and all of us here at Silver Wrapper have been working hard all year to make this one to remember, and introduce some new, fresh music. As a result the musical line-up is stacked. Silver Wrapper is proud to announce the line-up for the 2006 Wicker Park Summer Fest South Stage, to take place outdoors, July 22nd and July 23rd, at the famous six-way intersection of Milwaukee, North and Damen (which will be blocked off):

 MOFRO
 Robert Walter's Super Heavy Organ
    featuring Karl Denson & New Orleans Great Johnny Vidacovich
 Youngblood Brass Band
 Kirk Joseph's Backyard Groove
 Oh My God
 Apollo Sunshine
 Brothers Past
 Future Rock
 Telefon Tel Aviv (special Tag Team DJ set!)
 Dearborn
 Chris Berry & Panjea
 Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band (special Sunday Gospel Brunch!)
 Andreas Kapsalis Trio

Festival Schedule

Artist Information

Raised in a small rural area on the outskirts of Jacksonville, John "JJ" Grey came up in the last vestiges of the North Floridian backwoods and it’s culture. As the creative force behind MOFRO, JJ's songwriting and voice can conjure up good times and good food, or cast a serious eye on the sad march of "progress" in Florida with its annihilation of the environment and culture. Daryl Hance, his guitar playing buddy, plays the guitar like a mirror of his personality. He might not say 3 words all day but when he does say 'em, you'll feel it." Back in 1998, JJ worked at a local lumber yard where he and fellow co-workers habitually used the term MOFRO to substitute for any other word. "It sounded Southern and was simple," says JJ. learn more about MOFRO | mp3

Robert Walter is the definitive soul-jazz organist of his generation. His latest project, Super Heavy Organ, was born in his new hometown of New Orleans. One cannot help but wonder why he waited until recently to relocate from his native West Coast to the Crescent City, with its musical history rich in both classic jazz and dirty loose limbed funk. I had been performing in New Orleans for years. As a kid I was obsessed with the music coming out of this city. I made a decision to come here and experience it first hand. It's the best move I have ever made. I have been lucky enough to record an album with some of my favorite musicians, people who have influenced me," remarks Walter. And joining him at Wicker Park Fest will be one of the NOLA's most respected musicians, Johnny Vidacovich (Astral Project) and one of the founding members of the Greyboy Allstars, saxophonist extraordinaire Karl Denson. Get ready to get down. learn more about Robert Walter's Super Heavy Organ | mp3

Youngblood Brass Band is focused on creating consistently progressive, acoustic (the band is made up of 3 drummers, 5 horn players, a sousaphonist and an MC) music, employing whatever means necessary to do so. Referred to as “…the Midwest’s answer to The Roots” (The Village Voice) with fiery descriptors like “Hiphop/Horn hypernauts that will silence all you haters…” (Spin), the nine-member ensemble born in Wisconsin now hails from all over the United States (New York, NY / San Francisco, CA / Chicago, IL / Madison, WI). They have been touring throughout Europe and the States for the past five years, having performed in over a dozen countries and at some of the most prestigious music festivals in the world – Roskilde, Lowlands, Pukkelpop, Glastonbury, Womad, North Sea Jazz, Blue Note, Big Chill, etc. Their intense on-stage aesthetic secured their status as an incredible group to see live whether in an intimate small club setting or an international festival stage.learn more about Youngblood Brass Band | mp3

Kirk Joseph has earned his seat at the table of New Orleans’ greatest musicians and will surely claim his place in music history as perhaps the greatest innovator of his instrument, the sousaphone. For most, a mention of the sousaphone conjures images of marching bands and drum cadences. But in the hands of Joseph, the instrument comes to life in ways that its namesake, John Phillip Sousa, could have hardly imagined. During his long tenure with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Joseph developed his innovative approach to the sousaphone, replacing the instruments limits, as perceived by his predecessors, with a rich musical vocabulary. Never before had such a creative and stylistic range been demonstrated. But the new standards set by Kirk Joseph have prompted many since to follow his lead. In between performances and recording sessions with Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Anders Osborn and a host of other locally, nationally, and internationally known artists, Joseph began working on his own material in collaboration with some of New Orleans and the countries most talented musicians. The result comes together as the Kirk Joseph's Backyard Groove, an assemblage featuring the "creme de la creme" of local and national musicians. The music is a tight, rhythmic and high-spirited concoction of jazz, funk, and afro-caribbean flavors that’s been proven to have a wide appeal. learn more about Kirk Joseph's Backyard Groove | mp3

No, Oh My God is an Earthbound rock band--a killer one. Billy O'Neill (vocals/bass), Ig (organ/vocals) and Bish (drums/vocals) can out-punk, out-pop and out-rock 'em all, and they're doing that one show and one album at a time. Formed in late '99, this utterly unique organ-bass-drums trio unleashes captivating tones and razor-sharp hooks in song after striking song...from the piano-driven pop of "February 14" and "There Goes the World" to the raucous rock of "The Uptown Lumber" and "Pearls of Wisdom." Even in ripping rock tunes like "Get Steady" and "Volatile," it's Billy's infectious vocal melodies that step to the fore, backed by the overdriven organ of Ig (who has played with Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Van Morrison, Jeff Healey and more) and the titanic drums of Bish. Oh My God has earned a constant stream of praise from press all over the U.S. as they've toured hundreds of shows each of the last few years. And the band's releases--a self-titled EP (2000) and the albums "Well" (2001), "The Action Album" (2002), "Interrogations & Confessions" (2003) and "You're Too Straight to Love Me" (2004)--have seen them grow into one of the tightest, most wildly original rock bands anywhere. Sounds like hype? Ask the thousands of concert-goers around the States who've left the room saying "OH MY GOD!" after a show. learn more about Oh My God | mp3

Since the release of their 2003 spinART debut album, Katonah, Apollo Sunshine has thrilled audiences. Their unique and eclectic sound - from avant-garde noise experiment to ultra-melodic pop, to rock, to punk (sometimes all within one song), combined with quite possibly one of the best live shows you will ever see (a controlled rock chaos of pedal steel, guitar, bass, double necked guitar/bass combo, two handtaped-together keyboards/samplers, percussion, drums and how the hell does he play bass with his left hand, keyboard with his right and sing lead vocal?!), have left audiences screaming, dedicated, breathless and unable to hold still! The New York Times says "...in its own songs, bouncy 60's-style melodies crack wide open, breaking into outbursts of pummeling and feedback before jumping back into the tune. It's all neatly and cleverly plotted, but with a looming chaos that's anything but nostalgic." learn more about Apollo Sunshine | mp3

Philadelphia's Brothers Past is emerging as one of the most talked about independent acts in the nation. The quartet conjures a new energetic sound, merging rock anthems with electronic exploration to create an original sound splashed with elements of electronica and modern dance music. Multiple songwriters showcase the band's vision for songcraft, creative arrangements, and inspired emotional lyrics. Brothers Past has also earned a reputation as a thunderous live act with an ever-growing repertoire of songs and sounds. Playing over 650 performances since 2000, the band brings their futuristic brand of improvisation to create concerts that seamlessly weave dance segments between their large and varied catalog of active songs. Consistent sell-outs of premiere venues in New York and other northeast cities, along with many near capacity shows throughout the country, attest to the band's rising popularity and momentum. learn more about Brothers Past | mp3

Chicago trio Future Rock blends organic instruments, electronic synthesis and clever songwriting into a contagious mix that's been creating a buzz in their Midwest home base (an article in Chicago Innerview compared them to the Windy City's own Tortoise) and beyond. Mickey Kellerman and Felix Moreno utilize a myriad of synthesizers, electronics, and instruments, while drummer Darren Heitz blends acoustic and electronic drum timbres with live sampling through his synthesizers. The audience can rarely identify the origin of each sound, but that doesn't stop them from dancing to Future Rock's grooves. The band just release its debut album, Sugar Coated Bullets. learn more about Future Rock | mp3

Telefon Tel Aviv, the two-man team of Josh Eustis (left) and Charles Cooper (right), released its debut record, "Fahrenheit Farewell," on Chicago's Hefty Records in September 2001. Friends since high school, Eustis and Cooper relocated to Chicago from New Orleans. The band's music doesn't fit the stereotype that encompasses Europe and Asia's intelligent dance music scene; instead of Silicon scratches and repetitive bleeps, Telefon Tel Aviv marries traditional rock elements (up to and including guitars, bass, keyboards) with very modern production technique, resulting in electronic music that emphasizes melody and accessibility, but not at the expense of swirling tempos and subtle swarms of tonal tugging. It is, in every way, the sonic product of its makers: Eustis earned a degree in musical composition from Loyola in New Orleans, Cooper played extensively in rock bands before entering the electronic milieu. learn more about Telefon Tel Aviv

Dearborn, formerly Punsapaya, are gearing up for their 2006 sophomore release, The Station. Chicago's premier rock band has fans and critics on the edge of their stereos in anticipation. The band received the 2004 Chicago Music Award for Rock Album of the Year for their debut release, Prepare To Qualify, and this past year were up against rock greats Billy Corgan, Wilco, The Pony's, and Umphrey's McGee as a nominee for 2004 and 2005's Best Rock Entertainer Award. learn more about Dearborn | mp3

Berry's story "sounds like it was written by a Hollywood script writer" (Steve Leggett, All Music Guide). Maybe that is because it is hard to believe that a California White boy moved to Africa, became a spirit caller, and went on to sell over a million records in Southern Africa, where he still sells out stadiums. Now he is positioned to do the same in America. A lot of small-town American kids flee home as soon as they hit legal age, in search of something. Many find their way back home, but few journeys match those taken by Berry. After over a decade living in Africa, Berry has now settled back in America following the edict given to him by African ancestor spirits to make a difference here, launching a slew of new activities to convey his message of justice and peace. learn more about Chris Berry & Panjea | mp3

The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band actually isn't that big. It's kinda like your husky pal everyone calls "Tiny." The young, modest three-piece from Indianapolis makes up for its size deficiency with a high-energy sound steeped in classic Blues tradition. With just acoustic guitar, the occasional dobro, a minimal drum kit and the always reliable washboard, the trio concocts a rousing, hyper and authentic brand of Blues that sounds like what might come out of that secret meth lab nestled deep in the backwaters of the Mississippi delta. But the pumping adrenaline doesn't take anything away from the trio's virtuosic grasp on the genre. The Rev. Peyton has a stirring voice dripping with the hallowed, life-worn distinctiveness of the masters, while brother Jayme Peyton (drums) and The Rev's wife, "Washboard" Breezy, stir up a tornadic rhythmic whirl (the Rev's acoustic guitar work is as equally frenetic and skilled). See, size doesn't matter, especially when it comes to from-the-soul, gutbucket Blues music. learn more about Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band | mp3

Not only is Andreas Kapsalis quickly building his reputation as the most important torch bearer in the tradition of the one-man guitar army since Michael Hedges left his legacy with the music world, he's also raising the bar for the 21st century film score; a composer who uses his idiosyncratic style to create an impressionable perspective on the silver screen. With the release of the Andreas Kapsalis Trio's self-titled album (2005, O.I.E.), Kapsalis consummates the alliance between eight-fingered guitar virtuosity and outstanding melodic theme and variation. This album also helps to tell the story of an unusual musical journey. For Kapsalis, this journey began by accident. learn more about Andreas Kapsalis | mp3

Saturay, July 22nd
South Stage
8:30 pm    Robert Walter's Super Heavy Organ featuring Karl Denson & Johnny Vidacovich
6:45 pm    Youngblood Brass Band
5:00 pm    Brothers Past
3:15 pm    Future Rock
1:45 pm    Telefon Tel Aviv
12:30 pm    Andreas Kapsalis Trio


North Stage
9:00 pm    DeVotchka
7:55 pm    The Coup
6:50 pm    The Hidden Cameras
5:45 pm    Slumber Party
4:40 pm    Walter Meego
3:50 pm    The Record Low
3:00 pm    Moxie Motive

Sunday, July 23rd
South Stage
8:30 pm    MOFRO
6:30 pm    Kirk Joseph's Backyard Groove
5:00 pm    Oh My God
3:30 pm    Chris Berry & Panjea
2:00 pm    Apollo Sunshine
12:30 pm    Dearborn
11:30 am    Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band


North Stage
9:00 pm    The Gris Gris
7:55 pm    Dead Meadow
6:50 pm    Make/Believe
5:45 pm    Starlight Mints
4:40 pm    Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin
2:50 pm    The Living Blue
2:00 pm    The Saps