THE COMPANY BAND Pros and Cons EP Streaming in Full on AOL Music

Available Tomorrow via Weathermaker Music

Since THE COMPANY BAND first got together in 2006, the group has solely existed through semi-annual corporate retreats. These meetings developed into an organization of odd fellows featuring vocalist Neil Fallon from Clutch, drummer Jess Margera from CKY, guitarist / vocalist Jim Rota from Fireball Ministry, bassist Brad Davis from Fu Manchu and guitarist Dave Bone. Since the beginning, the group has rarely surfaced to show their hand. In 2007 it was the Sign Here, Here and Here EP. In 2009 it was The Company Band album along with the It's A Confusing World / Not Fragile single. And after a recent retreat at a beach house in Venice, the group have a new five song EP ready entitled Pros & Cons.  Pros & Cons will be released in tomorrow via Weathermaker Music. Today THE COMPANY BAND is giving people the chance to hear the Pros & Cons EP in its entirety, before it hits stores tomorrow.  The EP is streaming as part of the AOL Music Full Album Listening Party Series, and can be heard HERE .  Make sure to check it out and order your copy today! Both the CD and vinyl editions of the Pros & Cons EP are available for pre-order at THE COMPANY BAND's Official Store HERE.  The collector's edition vinyl is limited to 1,000 individually numbered pieces with one side featuring etched artwork.  Pre-order your copy now as these are sure to sell out fast. Not many have known the origins of THE COMPANY BAND until Jess Margera finally opened up about its inception. "I crossed paths with Jim on tour and knew we should open up shop immediately. Do some instrumentals that could be valuable in the placement market. Then he suggested getting Bone involved. It's then when we laid down our original presentation that we took to Neil. We hoped he could be a guest speaker on one of the tracks but it fortunately turned out that he wanted a permanent seat. Brad Davis came seamlessly into the fold later as he was already a compatriot with several of the members, musically and socially." Pros & Cons EP Tracklisting: 1)    House of Capricorn 2)    Black Light Fever 3)    Kill Screen 4)    Loc Nar 5)    El Dorado   For More Info Visit: http://www.facebook.com/thecompanyband http://www.myspace.com/thecoband http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Company_Band http://thecompanyband.bandcamp.com/ http://weathermakermusic.com/

Shams Band at Schubas Monday 7/30 #live video

It's the final day of The Shams Band's weekly July Schubas residency.   ChiIL Live Shows will be back shooting again.   Congrats to our 2 winners this week.   Sherry C. and Mary Z.   Each has a pair of tickets waiting at the door.


Here's the scoop:
Check out Schubas main site here to pre order tickets and for more info.

Monday, July 30, 2012 8:00 PM
21+ $6.00 ($15.00 - Four Show Residency Ticket Package)

• Practice Space presents:
• THE SHAMS BAND
• ARCHIE POWELL & THE EXPORTS
• YOUNG HINES
• DJ SETS BY: MR. GAC

Click Here To Reserve Your Copy of Cold City And A Ticket To The Show.

Click Here For A Four Show Residency Ticket Package

The Shams Band will be celebrating their second full length record, Cold Cityby hosting their own July residency at Schubas Tavern.

Music is supposed to be fun, exciting, thought provoking and daring. On every live performance, The Shams Band makes sure that their audience leaves each concert with a personal feeling of satisfaction. Drawing heavily from their Kinks, Rolling Stones, and Wilco influences, singer/songwriters Biggins/Gulyas create distinct, personal songs. Once completed with unique four-part harmonies, the songs come to life, tell stories, and send audiences singing all the way home.

The Shams Band features music trapezing the line between blues, country, and pop music. They have opened for national acts Drive-By Truckers, Dawes, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes and Grace Potter & The Nocturnals.

The Shams Band is the epitome of a "do-it-yourself" group. They get every audience excited and dancing from their catchy hooks and rock 'n roll atmosphere. It's whiskey-driven. It's a party. It's rock 'n roll with a banjo.

Tags | Practice Space | Follow | @theshamsband | @Schubas |

Practice Space presents:

• THE SHAMS BAND
• Special Guests

Cold City was released July 9th (the first show of the residency).

The Shams Band will be celebrating their second full length record, Cold City by hosting their own July residency at Schubas Tavern--playing 4 shows, every Monday this month.

Check out ordering and download details for Cold City here.

Closing Today--Dreamworks' How to Train Your Dragon LIVE Spectacular #review

Catch 'em while you can!    Final Chi-Town shows are today, Sunday, July 29, at 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM.    Highly highly recommended!   The kids and I had a chance to catch this high flying, pyrotechnics filled extravaganza on opening night and we all LOVED it.

Many movie based arena shows skew young, but I took 2 eleven year old boys and a 9 year old girl and they were mesmerized.   Even teens and adults in the audience were utterly captivated.   The artistry inherent in the animatronic dragons, the screen art, the set design and the costumes was remarkable.

We're always up for strong, grrrl power role models and this one gets bonus points for including both boy and girl leads, a message of peace over power, cooperation to defeat bullies, and a celebration of the creative, gentle soul finally being valued over brute strength.   We're also suckers for circus arts and this show is full of talented aerial artists, martial arts, and acro/gymnastics moves that are a treat to see.

Less is more.   Some of the moments that stand out in my mind as incredible, were the simplest.   It was a bold choice to translate old school shadow puppets and glowing, paper globe like Viking ships to an arena show, and they not only pulled it off, it was pure magic.   The sketches and cave drawings that projected on the giant wall screen as they were created by the characters were a successful melding of ancient civilizations and new technology that was stunning and highly effective.

I'm generally not a fan of video game based translations to stage and screen.   But one of our favorite scenes in DREAMWORKS HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON LIVE SPECTACULAR was a wall walking, horizontal journey that looked like it could have leaped right out of a video game, and it was excellent.   Catch this show if you can.   It'll truly be one your family will talk about for years to come.

Thanks to Dreamworks for comping us tickets to the show and for a lovely, collector program.   The kids have been pouring over the book daily and drawing their own dragons, enjoying the quirky show stats and thoroughly enjoying the gorgeous photography.   It's sparked their imaginations and creativity in an exciting way.

DREAMWORKS HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON LIVE SPECTACULAR

Remaining Shows:  Sunday, July 29 at 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM with free parking at official United Center parking lots for all performances.

Tickets
are on sale now and start at $26.50 plus applicable facility fees and
service charges.  They may be purchased through Ticketmaster or by going towww.unitedcenter.com.  A limited number of special premium Dragon Hot Seats, VIP and family packages are available.

Check out ChiIL Mama's prior coverage here:   

Dragons and Drama and Dreamworks...Oh My! 

Baby Dragon Visits Bristol Renaissance Faire

Dragons Delayed-Dreamworks Opening Date Bumped

For more information on DREAMWORKS HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON LIVE SPECTACULAR, please visit  www.dreamworksdragonslive.com.

The Shams Band Ticket Winners Announced

Big congrats to Meg M. and Val H.   You've won tickets to see The Shams band this Monday night at Schubas.   Your name (+1) will be on the guest list.   Enter to win all week for next Monday night's show.   The final night of the Shams Band's July residency will be smokin' hot.    Enter here for your chance to win.   Our next pair of winners will be announced next Sunday 7/29 at noon.

Win 2 Free Pairs of Tickets to The Shams Band This Monday and Next at Schubas #giveaway

Thanks to Schubas for kicking us 2 pairs of tickets to give away.   Enter right here for your chance to win! 

*Wait for Rafflecopter to load up (if you've gone through RSS feed or are scrolling down the blog and don't see it, click on the actual page title and it should pop right up).  Entries accepted nationwide.   Enter like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often.   Winning rocks!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Open to anyone 21+.   First 2 winners will be announced 7/22 at noon.   

*Check out our photo filled recap of last Monday.

Click here to purchase current Schubas Shams Band tickets.   

• Practice Space presents:
• The Shams Band
• Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes
• Young Jesus
• DJ Sets By: Mr. Gac

• MONDAY 07/23/2012 8:00 PM | 21+ | $6.00 ($15.00 - FOUR SHOW RESIDENCY TICKET PACKAGE)

Click Here To Reserve Your Copy of Cold City And A Ticket To The Show.

Click Here For A Four Show Residency Ticket Package

The Shams Band will be celebrating their second full length record, Cold City by hosting their own July residency at Schubas Tavern.

Music is supposed to be fun, exciting, thought provoking and daring. On every live performance, The Shams Band makes sure that their audience leaves each concert with a personal feeling of satisfaction. Drawing heavily from their Kinks, Rolling Stones, and Wilco influences, singer/songwriters Biggins/Gulyas create distinct, personal songs. Once completed with unique four-part harmonies, the songs come to life, tell stories, and send audiences singing all the way home.

The Shams Band features music trapezing the line between blues, country, and pop music. They have opened for national acts Drive-By Truckers, Dawes, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes and Grace Potter & The Nocturnals.

The Shams Band is the epitome of a "do-it-yourself" group. They get every audience excited and dancing from their catchy hooks and rock 'n roll atmosphere. It's whiskey-driven. It's a party. It's rock 'n roll with a banjo.

The Shams Band features music trapezing the line between blues, country, and pop music. They have opened for national acts Drive-By Truckers, Dawes, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes and Grace Potter &
The Nocturnals.

The Shams Band is the epitome of a "do-it-yourself" group. They get every audience excited and dancing from their catchy hooks and rock 'n roll atmosphere. It's whiskey-driven. It's a party. It's rock 'n roll with a banjo.

Sham Wow! The Shams Band and Derek Nelson Rock The Residency at Schubas Monday #Live Show Photos

The Shams Band & Derek Nelson were awesome in the second night of The Shams Band's month long residency!  Here is their set list and ChiIL Live Shows' original stills from Schubas Tavern Monday night: 

In The Sun 
Breadwinner
Trunk Whiskey 
We've Never Met
Zan Wit That Lean (Soulja Boy)
Cold City
Love You The Most
The Des Plaines River
Travel By Sea
Pour Me A Drink
Handle With Care (The Traveling Wilburys)
Virgin Mary
You Will Never Know
Wake Up
I'm Not Sorry


Catch them every Monday in July with different openers.  They're rockin' their new album, Cold City, and breakin' out old favorites as well.  We've been enjoying The Shams Band for the past 3 years and have shot stills and video of their shows from Chicago Blue Grass & Blues Fest 2012, Lincoln Hall, and even intimate Logan Square Bars like Coles and The Whistler.


Blast from the past:   ChiIL Live Shows video-The Whistler
The Shams Band cover Maggie's Farm 3-13-11


  
The Shams-Maggie's Farm 3-13-11 from ChiIL Mama on Vimeo.



ChiIL Live Shows will be back to shoot again at Schubas on the 30th and we're discussing vid interview possibilities.   We'll also have a full review of Cold City up soon.   In the past, we've given away several copies of their prior CD, Champagne, and show tickets, too, so we'll see what we can do for our readers, moving forward.


We're still editing HD video and will have clips up on YouTube soon, if the band's cool with it, so check back like we vote in Chi, IL...early and often. 


I feel like we've watched these guys grow up, physically and musically, over the past 3 years.    Check out our Shams Band shots from Do Division 2011 Here and an even earlier show 1-27-11 at Lincoln Hall here.


Click here to purchase current Schubas Shams Band tickets.   

• Practice Space presents:
• The Shams Band
• Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes
• Young Jesus
• DJ Sets By: Mr. Gac

• MONDAY 07/23/2012 8:00 PM | 21+ | $6.00 ($15.00 - FOUR SHOW RESIDENCY TICKET PACKAGE)

Click Here To Reserve Your Copy of Cold City And A Ticket To The Show.

Click Here For A Four Show Residency Ticket Package

The Shams Band will be celebrating their second full length record, Cold City by hosting their own July residency at Schubas Tavern.

Music is supposed to be fun, exciting, thought provoking and daring. On every live performance, The Shams Band makes sure that their audience leaves each concert with a personal feeling of satisfaction. Drawing heavily from their Kinks, Rolling Stones, and Wilco influences, singer/songwriters Biggins/Gulyas create distinct, personal songs. Once completed with unique four-part harmonies, the songs come to life, tell stories, and send audiences singing all the way home.

The Shams Band features music trapezing the line between blues, country, and pop music. They have opened for national acts Drive-By Truckers, Dawes, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes and Grace Potter & The Nocturnals.

The Shams Band is the epitome of a "do-it-yourself" group. They get every audience excited and dancing from their catchy hooks and rock 'n roll atmosphere. It's whiskey-driven. It's a party. It's rock 'n roll with a banjo.

Dragons Delayed-Dreamworks Opening Date Bumped A Day

DREAMWORKS HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON LIVE SPECTACULAR

WILL NOW OPEN THURSDAY, JULY 26 IN CHICAGO AT THE UNITED CENTER

______________________________________________________________

The Dragons are draggin' and will be one day late opening in Chicago.   However, they have a good excuse.  

The critically acclaimed show’s enormous size and groundbreaking technology require an additional day to load-in and build, setting the stage for 23 fire-breathing dragons that swoop and soar directly over the audience.  The entire environment immerses children and adults into the magical, mystical world of Vikings and dragons in a never-before-seen arena setting that soars through oceans, valleys and vista mountain tops and spans more than 20,000 square feet of incredible set design. The date change will provide additional time to complete this extraordinary build. 

DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA), Global Creatures and S2BN Entertainment announced today that the Chicago premiere of DREAMWORKS HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON LIVE SPECTACULAR will now be on Thursday, July 26 at the United Center, instead of July 25.

It takes 30 tractor trailers and more than 150 crew members to move 10,000 cases of gear and lay down a massive magnetic floor, along with hundreds of thousands of feet of cable to have the show ready for opening night.  This incredible family entertainment experience leaves audiences spellbound by the high-flying, fire-breathing dragons – 23 of them, some with wingspans up to 46 feet – hero Viking warriors, world-class acrobats, pyrotechnics and lasers.

DREAMWORKS HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON LIVE SPECTACULAR began its North American tour in June to rave reviews by media, mommy bloggers and families alike, withEntertainment Weekly declaring, “Dazzling…wide eyed children will emerge from the darkness wanting to believe. That’s enough to make any parent feel like Superman,” andParade calling it “Fire-breathing fun for the whole family!”

Ticketholders are encouraged to re-book their seats for any of the other scheduled performances and as added incentive, will receive a merchandise voucher valued at up to $25 which can be exchanged for the official tour T-shirt or program book. If unable to attend another performance, a full refund will be given. Current ticket holders can find out about exchanges or refunds by visiting the point of purchase.  For Ticketmaster purchases completed via phone or online please contact Ticketmaster Customer Service at 1.800.653.8000.  For tickets purchased at a Ticketmaster outlet please visit the outlet.   For tickets purchased at the United Center Box Office please visit the Box Office during business hours.  For more information please visit www.dreamworksdragonslive.com

DREAMWORKS HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON LIVE SPECTACULAR will appear at the United Center on Thursday, July 26 at 7:00 PM; Friday, July 27 at 7:00 PM; Saturday, July 28 at 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM; and Sunday, July 29 at 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM with free parking at official United Center parking lots for all performances.

Tickets are on sale now and start at $26.50 plus applicable facility fees and service charges.  They may be purchased through Ticketmaster or by going towww.unitedcenter.com.  A limited number of special premium Dragon Hot Seats, VIP and family packages are available.

For more information on DREAMWORKS HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON LIVE SPECTACULAR, please visit  www.dreamworksdragonslive.com.