The Chicago Noise Machine, a collective of nine local rock groups, seems to believe strong in the old "safety in numbers" adage. We're inclined to agree, seeing as it's getting harder and harder to make it as a lone wolf in the musical forest (or wherever it is that wolves roam).
Certainly, it'd be tough for just one band to put together an event like the upcoming Independent Art and Music Festival (I AM for short), which goes down June 13 at the Congress Theater. The all-day event will feature 25 music performances on two stages, art and photography exhibits, short film screenings, and more ($15 in advance, $20 at the door).
Two of those 25 music slots are still up for grabs. Hence: The Battle for Congress. During four shows over the next few weeks, 24 bands will compete for the right to open the fest.
The fun starts tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Elbo Room, where eight bands will compete. The winner from that night will meet the winners of two other prelims (April 29 and May 6), plus a wild card band, in the finals on May 15. Make sense? It will once you read the schedule (after the jump).
Wednesday, April 22 ($7)
7:30 p.m.: A Sound Track to Violence
8 p.m.: Up From the Wormwood
8:30 p.m.: The Minority Club
9 p.m.: Early April
9:30 p.m.: Geared Towards Nowhere
10 p.m.: Visionaire
10:30 p.m.: Assimilation
11 p.m.: Dynamic Box
Wednesday, April 29 ($7)
7:30 p.m.: Ink Lasts Longer
8 p.m.: The Unemployed Architects
8:30 p.m.: Bad With Names
9 p.m.: Electric Medicine
9:30 p.m.: Middleweight
10 p.m.: The Roadless
10:30 p.m.: Jihad
11 p.m.: Seven Pound Fury
Wednesday, May 6 ($7)
7:30 p.m.: Six Nights Alone
8 p.m.: Sweet Revenge
8:30 p.m.: Subject to Change
9 p.m.: Phat Cats
9:30 p.m.: Red City
10 p.m.: Where’s Eddy
10:30 p.m.: Along The Parallel
11 p.m.: TBD
FRIDAY, May 15
9 p.m.: Wild Card Band
10 p.m.: April 22 Winner
11 p.m.: April 29 Winner
midnight: May 6 Winner
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