Doors 7:00 Show 8:00PM

The Slaps: 

At its core, Tomato Tree by The Slaps is an exercise in patience that seamlessly showcases the virtues of experimentation. Composed of guitarist/vocalist Rand Kelly, bassist/vocalist Ramsey Bell, and percussionist/vocalist Josh Resing, the band’s latest collection of songs is an achievement – a document of deepening friendship and their collective and personal advancements in artistic maturity. 

Though the band formed out of a chance meeting at a party in 2016 during their first year of college at DePaul University, The Slaps are bound together by a spirit of pastoral music making – the notion that collaboratively using the available resources can produce stunning results. 

“It’s been about trust – it starts with each other. We trust each other so much. We trust each other to live in different places and keep this thing going,” says Resing, referencing Bell and Kelly’s recent move from Chicago back to their homes in Lexington, Kentucky. “You can’t do that with just anybody.”

Despite Tomato Tree sounding effortless, the record was pieced together meticulously from June 2020 to April 2021 at Pallet Sound in Chicago with assistance from engineer Michael MacDonald. Certain tracks (like the bright-but-distorted instrumental “Fire on Fire”) were finessed during marathon rehearsal sessions whereby a song was played for nearly five hours straight before committing the tracks to record. 

Manwolves: 

Manwolves is: Jamie McNear (vocals), Eli Cohen (guitar), Henry Wolf (bass), Julian Freeman (drums), and Ari Garfin (keys). 5 guys, whose friendships span beyond a decade, found the perfect formula to take their individual music palettes and create the perfect blend of alternative, rock, hip-hop and jazz sound Manwolves is known for today. Since their formation, the group has amassed over 65 million streams across platforms, has been featured on multiple editorial playlists such as Spotify’s “Low-Key” and Apple Music “Travis Mills Show”, charted #3 on Spotify’s Viral Chart, and has sold out multiple headlining shows in venues such as Thalia Hall, Lincoln Hall, Chop Shop, & Subterranean. They’ve had the opportunities to play alongside other major up and coming acts such as Ric Wilson and open for acts such as Omar Apollo and Boy Pablo.

In recent years the band experimented with new sounds and musical approaches pushing them into a sonic shift with a more live feel. Stepping into this new era, Manwolves are back with full force. 

In anticipation of their upcoming album, Manwolves are releasing a two-part EP, Slipping on Ice Moving Boxes, available now on your favorite streaming platform and Tomorrow Again, out February 17.

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