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Wayland is the author of "The Lake Michigan Mothman: High Strangeness in the Midwest". Featured Music by Noah Gabriel

heykiller sits down with Toaster to discuss all the different programing that Young Chicago Authors has to offer the City of Chicago. Presented by Young Chicago Authors (YCA), Founded in 2001 by Kevin Coval, Anna West and a group of educators, Louder Than A Bomb (LTAB) celebrates its 20th year with a festival that honors the vibrancy, diversity and energy of Chicago’s young writers while showcasing local talents and engaging very necessary intergenerational cross city dialogue. What started with a handful of teams in the basement Chopin Theater has grown into over 5 weeks of over 100 competitive bouts and special events with hundreds of participants. Now, more than 13 cities across the country and Canada use the LTAB Chicago model to educate and organize. This year for our theme we are channeling the spirit of the late great Muhammad Ali who in 1975 was invited to give the commencement ceremony speech at Harvard University. Ali, known for his outspoken and humorous rhetoric, spoke candidly about community. At the end of this speech, an audience member asked for a poem to which Ali responded, “Me. We.” LTAB and YCA is cited by well-known Chicago artists, including, Jamila Woods, Jose Olivarez, Fatimah Asghar, Saba Pivot, and Noname as the awakening of their artistic abilities and source for their success. More About Young Chicago Authors (YCA) The heart of YCA’s mission is the idea that everyone is an expert of their own experience. We ask the question, “Where are you from?” and the answers lead to an investigation of the worlds we inhabit, and the places and people around us that provide ingredients for our poetic inquiries. Our practice encourages a deep kind of listening that leads to radical empathy. We believe that youth voices must be at the center of civic discourse, from classrooms to city hall. Every year, YCA serves at least 9,000 young people in the Chicago area through various workshops, residencies and projects in writing, publication, journalism and performance education.

BONZIE calls into the show to discuss her music as she quietly works on her latest album! “BONZIE has released her second full-length album called Zone on Nine. Fully written and produced by Ferraro herself, it features performances by Adrian Utley of Portishead, Nate Walcott of Bright Eyes, and co-production with Jonathan Wilson (Father John Misty, Conor Oberst) and Ali Chant (Perfume Genius, Youth Lagoon).”

Hex sits down with Dr. Daniel López who just became the President of Harold Washington Community College in Chicago. Dr. Daniel López, Jr. was named President of Harold Washington College on December 5, 2019 by the City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) Board of Trustees. Located in the heart of Chicago's Loop, Harold Washington College serves more than 12,000 students in credit and continuing education programs, more than 70 percent of which are Latino or African American students. Harold Washington College is City Colleges' Center of Excellence for business, entrepreneurship, and professional services. Dr. López has dedicated more than 25 years to Illinois higher education in a variety of leadership and management roles. Throughout his career, Dr. López has been involved with leading academic and student affairs units at public and private higher education institutions with a laser focus on student success. He has previously held positions at Harold Washington College, Illinois State University, Lake Forest College and Northeastern University.

Tonic Freight Train was founded with one goal in mind: love and connection through music. That remains the foundation that keeps the name alive today and invites anyone to come join this ever growing family to help bring good vibes and funk-inspired rock to the masses. Since they started, Tonic Freight Train has been seen playing shows in and around the Chicago area at venues such as The Subterranean, Bottom Lounge, The Beat Kitchen, and The Arcada Theater. Presenting a new sound that taps into a melting pot of influences which will capture any music fan’s attention, there’s something for everyone. Passionate vocals, catchy riffs, funky grooves, and spreading love through music is what Tonic Freight Train is all about.

heykiller sits down with Cinchel to discuss his songwriting process! i am cinchel and i have been practicing drone/ambient music for about 20years. when i started i had only a delay pedal, a 4-track tape recorder and a guitar. over the years i have acquired many more guitars and pedals and expanded my recording setup to computer. All of which has allowed me to explore extreme layering and manipulation of sound. While I do have a lot solo work recorded, I also enjoy collaboration. I have a duet recording out on Scripts records https://scriptsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/cinchel-akosuen-2 with Akosuen (billie howard) on violin. There is also the band Mirror of Nature which is an abstract drone/jazz trio i’m in with Neil Jendon and Mike Weis, we have one recording out on Muzan

Abellism sits down with Danielle of Impulsive Hearts to talk about their vinyl release!!! Impulsive Hearts is Danielle Sines. She sings, shouts, plays guitar and synth, and records noises on tape recorders. She likes melodies that remind her of summertime. Dan Julian: drums Jess LeMaster: violin Doug Hoyer: bass, guitar, keys, vocals Fallon McDermott: saxophone For fans of Best Coast, The Pretenders, Beach House, Alvvays, The Beach Boys, The Beths, Dum Dum Girls, Bully and you 3/19 @SleepingVillage

heykiller sits down with Holly to talk about their music, and gets treated to a live song!! Hailed as “pure innovators of old-school soul in a modern-day musical landscape” by These Days, Chicago-based Holly, imparts an alternative take on the city’s rich musical history by fusing elements of blues, jazz, and soul with a contemporary flair. Influenced by the stirring vocals of Sam Cooke and Leon Bridges, as well as the indie rock stylings of Wilco and Whitney, Holly, has erupted onto the scene with a sound as vibrant and welcoming as the members that comprise it. Formed by Tanner Bednar (vocals), Brandon Couture (guitar), Peter Giere (keyboard), Rafe Soto (drums), and Dominic Zeier (bass) Holly, was born in the summer of 2018 and went on to independently release their debut EP Letters from Lawndale that September. Since then, Holly, has opened for several nationally touring bands, garnered radio time on esteemed stations — such as 93XRT, WKQX, WGN, and WBEZ — and they’ve been televised on America’s longest-running music television program, JBTV. In 2019 Holly, has continued to define and hone their unique sound through constant live performances and the recording of their next album, done in conjunction with award-winning producers Nick Boyd, of Royal Mountain Records, and Mark Needham, whose highlighted work includes The Killers, Fleetwood Mac, and The 1975, among others.

heykiller and Abellism talk to Jenny of Handmade Happy Hours. Handmade Happy Hours firmly believes in community over competition, and bringing artists & buyers together in warm & welcoming spaces.

STRING OF ECHOES is a music-puppetry performance collaboration between Tatsu Aoki and Myra Su that explores notions of truth and loss via a young boy's journey on the high seas. Utilizing 2D and 3D puppetry styles and a unique diasporic soundscape, the piece presents an auditory and visual conversation in thinking about what place "authenticity" has in our world today. Myra Su is a storyteller, puppeteer, and puppet maker. Based in Chicago, Myra has been an active member in the puppetry community since 2013. Her primary medium is shadow puppetry, but her work also includes experimentations with bunraku, crankies, video, and taxidermy. Her work has also expanded to collaborations outside of theater, with indie bands and musicians. In addition to her independent work, she is currently an international touring performer with Manual Cinema. She is a co-curator for the quarterly puppet slam in Chicago; Nasty, Brutish & Short. In the past, she has done work for other puppetry/spectacle companies such as Redmoon and Blair Thomas & Co. Growing up in-between the United States, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, she is interested in using puppetry to convey stories that are culturally mobile and emotionally universal. Her work is usually driven by a simple concept or motif, which is then explored through a self-reflexive application of puppetry. Myra holds a BA with honors in Theater and Anthropology from the University of Chicago.

heykiller talks to Rahim of What About Chicago and Al of Glitter Picks about their fundraiser for Planned Parenthood with, Natalie Grace Alford, Bad Bad Meow, Bubbles Brown, Boys vs. Girls, + more

This special episode of Live From The Lair was recorded in front of an audience at House of Vans in Chicago. Our very special guests were fashion designer Anastasia Chatzka, and front woman of Djunah, Donna Diane. Our conversation centered around branding, pivoting, and positioning. Anastasia Chatzka believes that fashion should be fun, socially responsible, sustainable, eco-friendly, exciting & add an extra element to your personality. She believes that by shopping custom made, upcycled & DIY we can achieve those goals in fashion. She believes that we are all so unique & have our own style and that we don’t need to sacrifice the earth with our fashion choices. Donna Diane fronts Djunah, which has a raw and aggression-soaked performance style packed into a crushing noise-rock power duo that needs to be seen as much as heard. Donna Diane is a multi-instrumentalist who plays two instruments simultaneously—guitar and a massive-sounding Moog bass synthesizer that she plays with her feet—while singing.

Hex sits down with Jake from Tiny Kingdoms to discuss all the music they will be releasing this year! Tiny Kingdoms is the result of 4 friends who have a deep seeded passion for creating music. Based out of Chicago, the group delicately dances between various genres in an attempt to create a sound all their own. With a sound anchored by melodic guitar work and vocal hooks sure give the ears of listeners pure enjoyment, this indie rock quartet will continue to inject their own unique twist on rock music for years to come.

Cloudtone endeavor to craft boundary-pushing but accessible art rock with a polyrhythmic spin. Veronica, Sam, Jordan, and Hank met as students at the University of Chicago, and each brings a unique repertoire of musical skills and influences ranging from country and bluegrass to math rock. Together, they craft danceable songs driven by complex percussive composition, groovy baselines, and jazzy guitar awash with synthesized harmonies. The band roots their compositional ideology in a post-climate crisis perspective and challenges themselves and their listeners to reorient their perspectives through genre mixing and a dash of nonsense.

Mental Health Meets Hip-Hop™ is a program that invites Mental Health Professionals into THE CULTURE. We provide platforms that integrate clinical awareness, advocacy, education and support. We implement the knowledge of mental illness while simultaneously promoting mental wellness via hip-hip and the arts. We provide resources to the community and showcase talented local artist to denounce the plight of mental illness and deconstruct the stigma behind it.

Chicago’s Sunshine Boys (featuring Freda Love Smith of Blake Babies, Dag Juhlin of Poi Dog Pondering and Jacqueline Schimmel of Big Hello) will be releasing the politically-charged single “Infinity Girl” on Friday, Jan 10 and Jennifer Reeder (whose new film Knives and Skin opened at the Music Box Theatre Dec. 13) has directed a spectacular video for the track which will be released on Friday, January 17. The band will then embark on a short tour with Freda’s former Blake Babies band mate Juliana Hatfield and there is a show confirmed for Space in Evanston on Thursday, Jan 16. “Infinity Girl” will appear on the band’s sophomore album, Work and Love, which follows the critically-acclaimed debut Blue Music. Work and Love will be released on Friday, May 1 via Pravda Records.

Developing musical roots from Chicago IL, Jennifer Hall has created a gripping performance with an unmatched passion and vulnerability in her music. Drawing comparisons to the likes of Sia, Florence + The Machine, and Alice Merton, Jennifer identifies as a vocal powerhouse, while integrating her soulful stylings into a mix of experimental production. Since the release of Jennifer’s self titled EP and the completion of several US tours, Jennifer leaned into a quiet period, a creative hibernation, to rebalance and reflect. Poised to close out 2019 on a high, Jennifer Hall’s booming single ‘In The Water’ and its accompanying music video was released in the Fall, delivering Jennifer’s signature soaring vocals and unbridled passion. With additional music in the works, there is plenty more to come from this rising artist.

Whitney Wasson (she/they) is a standup comedian and artist based in Chicago. She began standup in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and has since performed all over the country. She's been a featured performer at over a dozen comedy festivals, and was chosen as a headliner for the Chicago Women's Funny Festival in 2017. Local credits include Laugh Factory, Zanies, Second City, iO, The Annoyance, Steppenwolf, and the Cards Against Humanity Theater. Her monthly showcase, Serenity Now, has been profiled in the Chicago Reader and features a cast of all sober performers at The Crowd Theater. Learn more at www.thewhitneywasson.com Music by Bad Bad Meow

99 The Producer dropped by the station to talk about his latest tracks and what his hopes for his music are.

Housewife of Horror is a Horror Television show local to Aurora, Illinois, airing on Western Suburban Stations and Worldwide on The Monster Channel! Housewife of Horror features the Ghoulishly Glamorous Housewife of Horror, and her Soul...Mate Mister of Horror. Both are lifelong lovers of all things that give you that special thrill, go bump in the night, and make a different kind of person finally feel right at home. Housewife of Horror breathes new life and adventure to the genre of Horror Hosting with their unique Glamour and Real Life Retro Charm. - - - The Microphone Misfitz will entertain you if that is what you came for, from music to dance to a party-good time. Now, if you want quality for your time then let the Fitz engage you in the arts & sciences of the 21st century's preeminent culture. Based in Chicago, The Microphone Misfitz is more than a band or crew, creating music. They use the pillars of Hip-Hop (turntablism/DJing; MCing; breakin'; graffiti/street art; knowledge & overstanding) and their shared dynamics to enlighten and sustain their audiences and themselves. Kin Solo, DFEX, and Jet Nam (Jet9) are the choreography & movement artists; Ray of Light is the high-octane hype-man & MC; Mel L. is the Graff artist, vocalist, & road DJ; DJ Mar & Mike Knobel (aemka) are the production team; and D-Nick The Microphone Misfit is the lead MC, lyricist & artistic director of the group. The Microphone Misfitz have toured worldwide from grassroots gatherings to South By Southwest; from Algeria to China and elsewhere; Sharing stages with luminaries such as Crucial Conflict, Dead Prez, KRS-ONE, Jeru tha Damaja, Saul Williams, Mega Ran and more. Focused on the themes of living for a healthier state of mind; and uplifting those who are trying to find their path in this world, The Fitz embodies the acronym Healthy Independent People Helping Other People (H.I.P. H.O.P.). www.themicrophonemisfitz.com