Mikki's Top 10 for Total Fest

Mikki Lunda's Top 10-ish bands she's most excited to see at Total Fest XIII:

(in particular order)

1. Greco- Fri. 8pm, Palace
I hear from a reliable source that he wears a full-body-tiger-print-cat-suit, when he plays live.  And he's a bigger shameless self promoter than I am. All of his songs are about how rad he is.
[Editor's Note: You can listen to a couple of his tracks here at the Total Fest band camp.]

2. Obnox- Thurs. 9:15, ZACC
Dane Hansen (Bad Naked) told me "you can't miss this set."

3. Shannon & the Clams- Thur. 10:45pm, ZACC
I love this band's live energy. I've seen them bunches of times and they still made my top 3, that's saying something.

4. Underground Railroad to Candyland- Fri. 9:45pm, Palace
Last month I played with these guys in Pomona, CA. They are a party on stage, super fun to watch and are super tight. (multiple drummers)

5. j sherri- Sat. 12pm, Big Dipper
I'm just going to come right out and say it. These hotties have been my favorite local band for the last 2 years. I'm stoked to see them in the HOT HOT summer sun while licking a melty ice cream.

6. Woolen Men- Thur. 8pm, ZACC
I've never seen them live, but I NEED YOU TO KNOW: I really dig their sound.

7. Toupee- Sat. 8pm, Badlander
My pop idol, Richard Album, was in town last week and he said "in Chicago, anyone with our musical integrity will have this band on their list of favorites". I trust that.

8. Dreamsalon- Fri. 10pm, Palace
I've never seen them live, but I NEED YOU TO KNOW: I really dig their sound.

9. Kitten Forever, Sat. 10:15pm, Badlander
This band does it right. How they figured out how to transition instruments like that, is a straight up miracle.

10. Wimps- Sat. 9:15pm, Badlander
I've never seen them live, but I NEED YOU TO KNOW: I really dig their sound.

11. Dear Rabbit- Sat. 12:35pm, Big Dipper
Love his stage persona, he has a great booming voice and I'm impressed by people who can play 2 instruments at once. (Accordion/ trumpet)

12. Chemical Lawns- Fri. 8pm, Badlander
Another of my FAV locals.

Wowie, I can't wait to see all these amazing bands and more!
See you all there!
- Mikki "internet" Lunda

Check out Kate's Top 10 for Total Fest over at Missoula Punk News and Tom "T. Money" Helgerson's Top 10 over at Weird Missoula.

LIL TITS

Any band that self applies the term "dirt rock" is okay in our book, and Chicago, IL's Lil Tits are one (and maybe the only) such band. They're touring with Toupee out to Total Fest.

Their tunes remind me of Julia Cafritz, Kim Gordon, and stuff like Ciccone Youth and Pussy Galore. Aggressive, cruddy and totally blasting.

TOTAL TOUPEE

Toupée

Toupée are a band introduced to us by John Yingling of Gonzo Chicago vids and the World Underground. We think John's got good taste, is always out flogging bands he digs and connecting people who should be working together, and were stoked to learn about Toupee.

I personally like knowing where bands are from, probably out of some weird baseball card collector subconscious baggage, but also because I think different parts of the country do have different flavors and while scenes may not really have "sounds" per se, they do share similar external influences, play for the same folks and you know, buy their records from the same place. Toupee are from Chicago, and played a sweet looking fest for their label (Rotted Tooth) last July, along with other rad bands like Running, Solid Attitude, Shaved Women, Oozing Wound, Wolf Eyes. All-star lineup.

Musically, I get reminded of a lot of the 90s Olympia and Portland bands like Kicking Giant, Heavens To Betsy, Longhind Legs, and Unwound when I listen to Toupee. Pretty lazy, I know. Would you rather I said "art punk"? No, you wouldn't.

Toupée - "Slowski" from GONZO CHICAGO on Vimeo.