Chicago's music community really needs more focus on Chicago's independent musicians, sometimes referred to as "grass roots" musicians. They have more than ten-thousand MySpace pages, do on the order of 100 live performances a week, and make music for a total number of people attending these performances in audiences numbering fewer than 100 that likely exceeds the number attending the big events, which get all the publicity.
*This* is the truly invisible part of Chicago's music richness.
A Chicago indie musical. See www.youtookawaymyflag.com for more information.
Oppose the proposed Event Promoter Ordinance, now pending before a committee of the Chicago City Council. The attached white paper explains why the proposed ordinance is unnecessary, unduly burdensome, and unconstitutional.
This website exists to increase the visibility of Chicago's Indie music community--a huge asset to Chicago's future as a global city. It provides links to Chicago musicians, to commentary on Chicago's Indie music community, and to resources that can help Indie musicians.
The attractiveness of any city—and its ability to hold its young people and to draw others from outside—depends greatly on its arts. Chicago is well known for its architecture, for its art museums, for its theater, and for being an attractive place to make a movie. Blues and jazz dominate its reputation as a center of musical creativity as well.
Chicago, however, has another asset that is far less visible: its community of “Indie” musicians—musicians who work seriously at their music, record and perform regularly, but who do not (yet) enjoy national or international audiences, usually developed in the past by major record labels. It is important for Chicago to nurture its musicians and to make them more visible for many reasons.
