In the NBA and NHL, more than 50 percent of the teams make the playoffs.
An all-time high of more than 200 artists entered the 11th year of RedEye's Rock 'n' Vote local band competition (featuring well-known alums including Rockie Fresh, I Fight Dragons and JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound). That means that less than 5 percent of the acts earned a spot in the Top 10. Now, these rising artists need your help-until 5 p.m. Sunday, visit redeyechicago.com and pick who you want to see on May 22 at Lincoln Hall. (Early bird tickets are $10 from 4/30-5/6 and $12 after that.) The top four vote-getters win a spot on stage, competing for on-site text votes and judges' approval, not to mention a slot at the Taste of Chicago 2014.
Daryn Alexus
Neighborhood: Bronzeville
Sound: Beautifully sung, infectious R&B that this 23-year-old D.C. native (and Columbia College Chicago grad) says is meant to be fun and freeing
Influences: Tina Turner, Beyonce, Janelle Monae, Stevie Wonder, Nile Rodgers, Pharrell
Live show: A full-band party (drums, bass, guitar, keyboard) heavy on crowd interaction. "Everybody says that," Alexus says, "but honestly, that's truly what I can do. Even in rehearsal I don't fully rehearse because I can't pretend what could possibly happen. I don't even know what I'm going to say or do."
Claim to fame: Won Columbia College Chicago's Biggest Mouth music competition in 2013
Fun fact: She's "300 percent" addicted to sucking her thumb. "I can't seem to quit, and no one believes me."
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Flesh Panthers
Neighborhood: West Town, Logan Square
Sound: Instantly catchy punk fuzz that drummer Michael Wolforth, 22, aptly summarizes as "scuzzy, beer-soaked rock 'n' roll."
Influences: Velvet Underground, Oasis, Black Flag
Live show: A danceable, DIY good time from a band that prides itself on booking an East Coast tour on tour on its own and being a cranked-guitar rock band without pretension or a sense of exclusivity
Claim to fame: Reviewed by Pitchfork; named as the No. 1 band to watch in 2014 by Loud Loop Press
Fun facts: Singer/guitarist Ryan Pusheen is a dog walker; bassist Lucas Tashey is a baker; guitarist Nick Dehmlow studied at the UC-Davis School of Veterinary Science, where he spent a week watching a dolphin
'Poppers'
'I Lost My Mind'
Samy.Language
Neighborhood: Ravenswood
Sound: Nimble, electronic-fueled rap that flows so quickly from challenging to clever you might miss the switch. The 23-year-old MC (born Samy Sabh in Manhattan) says part of his goal is "exposing my vulnerabilities."
Influences: Jamie T, Brand New, Chicago rappers including Chance the Rapper, Vic Mensa, Alex Wiley, Mick Jenkins, Lucki Eck$
Live show: A full-band experience that includes Samy, a DJ, a producer, a drummer and a three-piece horn section (trumpet, trombone, sax)
Claim to fame: Premiered track "No Signal," off the forthcoming "The Skinny Cairo Tape," on a London radio station
Fun fact: Threw up in the pyramids in Egypt-Samy believes it was a result of sun poisoning and exertion while playing soccer
Draft Week
Neighborhood: Pilsen, Lakeview, southwest suburban Darien
Sound: Dangerously sing-along-able, soul- and classic rock-influenced rock that singer/guitarist Kevin McNamara, 24, calls "modern Southern rock from Chicago"
Influences: Led Zeppelin, Kings of Leon, The Black Keys, As Tall As Lions
Live show: A "no-frills" rock show with minimal chatter between songs and "no backing tracks or choreography required"
Claim to fame: Opened for Skrillex before he was known as Skrillex; LeAnn Rimes attended one the group's shows
Fun fact: To fund its original material, the band also operates as a cover band (they can play a full set of Queen songs)
Impulsive Hearts
Neighborhood: Humboldt Park, Roscoe Village, Evanston
Sound: Surf-pop with roots in shoegaze and '60s girl groups
Influences: The Shirelles, The Beach Boys, Nirvana, Liz Phair, Best Coast, Dum Dum Girls
Live show: The self-recorded songs by singer-songwriter and Michigan native Danielle Sines, 30, come to life with as many as five people on stage that Sines says brings a punk feel to the material
Claim to fame: Opened for Bear Mountain at Schubas; featured on Notes and Bolts
Fun fact: Recently recorded songs at her parents' Michigan lake house in a quiet, wooded area, loud and late into the night, a la Bon Iver; Sines has a Master's in marriage and family therapy
'Sve Yrself'
'Wasp'
SoloSam
Neighborhood: River North
Sound: Laid-back hip-hop that delivers conversational, playful lyricism over an accessible, jazzy musical landscape. The 21-year-old rapper (born Samuel Akainyah) says he wants his music to show Chicago is a great city, rather than the negativity that comes with being seen as "Chi-raq."
Influences: J. Cole, Kanye West, Common
Live show: An energetic show that SoloSam says features more jumping than you'd expect from an artist who's six-foot-four and weighs 360 pounds.
Claim to fame: Opened for Mike Posner; featured on a blog next to coverage of Diplo and Riff Raff
Fun fact: Currently a sophomore at Valparaiso University, SoloSam is a double major in psychology and communications
Tall Walker
Neighborhood: Logan Square, Wicker Park
Sound: Impeccably polished pop-rock that packs hooks into a tight space and lets songs grow into anthems
Influences: Early-'80s U2, Tame Impala, Fleetwood Mac, Death Cab for Cutie
Live show: A cohesive sound and intense connection with audiences that bassist Chris Hershman, 26, says has caught people off-guard, considering Tall Walker (whose members are natives of Indiana, South Carolina and Nebraska and expands to a quintet in concert) has only been around for about a year
Claim to fame: Named one of 15 bands to watch in 2014 by RedEye's Andy Downing; chosen as the first band to be featured in Lincoln Hall's Flannelmouth Sessions; appeared on Vocalo on WBEZ
Fun fact: Singer-guitarist Nick Bays won a songwriting contest judged by Joy Williams of the Civil Wars; Hershman co-directed Alabama Shakes'"Hold On" video; drummer Ben Johnson co-creates comedic videos under the moniker Horse & Hammer, and one ("Beard & Glasses") landed on MTV2; Tall Walker concertgoers often reference Paul Walker, though the band is not meant to be a reference to the late actor
The Textiles
Neighborhood: Edgewater, Wrigleyville, Albany Park
Sound: Blazing, groove-focused guitar rock, nodding to '70s simplicity without sounding overly retro
Influences: Queens of the Stone Age, Led Zeppelin, The Who, The Black Keys, Rolling Stones
Live show: Simply straightforward rock 'n' roll, says 27-year-old singer/guitarist Tino (it's just Tino)
Claim to fame: Shared a bill with White Mystery at Cobra Lounge; played 7 shows in 4 days in New York
Fun fact: According to Tino, he was separated from bassist Eric Selke and drummer Dan Mahoney Jr. while in New York. Tino had the apartment key; he returned to find his bandmates in a neighbor's place, drinking whiskey and playing with the guy's pet turtle
Martin $ky
Neighborhood: South Loop
Sound: Confident, compelling rap with independent focus and breakout potential
Influences: Kid Cudi, Kanye West
Live show: Just the 19-year-old rapper and his DJ--$ky says his energetic show had fans at Schubas going so crazy he had to stop twice and start over because people were "too hyped" over the premiere of "Drama"
Claim to fame: Interviewed by the Source ("You tell people that I'm slept on? I already know that"); track "Pearl Gawd" played on BBC radio
Fun fact: He's scared of birds, which he calls "nasty.""I don't know, man; I don't get 'em."
Kinky Love
Neighborhood: Wrigleyville, Logan Square
Sound: Chilly synth-pop anchored by Xoe Wise's pretty, restrained vocals, evoking the soundtrack to a movie destined for cult success
Influences: Madonna
Live show: Expanding from a duo to a four-piece on stage, Kinky Love uses live drums and additional keyboards to, according to North Carolina-native Wise, 23, "bring the recordings to a new level."
Claim to fame: Premiered just-released "Promise" EP on Idolator
Fun fact: Wise eats olives before she records and makes her own hot sauce
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mpais@tribune.com
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