Congratulations
to the 10 Toast of the Coast finalists that have been chosen from the 100+
talented acts vying for a spot on the North Coast main stage. With over 100 entries, it wasn't an easy
decision, but we're excited to announce the 10 acts that will battle it out on
Wednesday, 7/20 at a FREE 21+ show at The Mid (306 N. Halsted). Come on by to
watch them play it out for those last three spots.
The
lucky artists are:
Isaiah
Grass
DJ
Solo
Flow
Theory
Mos
Scoscious
Serotonin
Blah
Blah Blahs
40oz
Kings
DJ Row
Jaik
Willis
The
Right Now
Artist
Submissions
–Between June 15th and June 30th, upload your favorite track and begin to
rally your voters. Hopefully others will agree with your choice and help propel your case.
Voting
– Between
July 1st and July 15th, vote once per day, every day, if you want to make a
life-changing difference in the life of
one band, one DJ, and one MC. Each e-mail address will be allotted one vote
per day, so encourage your supporters to vote early and often! VOTING ENDS 6PM JULY 15TH!
“The
Decision: On July 15th, the
votes will be tallied and the Top 5 Vote-Getters and the Top 5 NCMF-Picks will be chosen to round out our
10 Finalists. These finalists will
each play a short set on July 20th
for organizers and their fans at a Chicago’s newest concert destination, The MID(306 N. Halsted). Wow us, and
you'll be one of three winners. We'll
pick one band, one MC, and one DJ to
join the main stage lineup at this year’s fest. He, Her, or They
will be showered with praise and good fortune.”
If you or your friends create multiple accounts (or try to use bots to vote for you), it’s cheating, and we will disqualify those votes. So please, don’t waste your time or ours cheating.
The Right Now
Hometown: Chicago Web Site: www.therightnow.com
Home is the feeling that bubbles up irrepressibly inside of you when you arrive exactly where you belong. Coincidentally, the feeling that you get when you listen to The Right Now is awfully similar.
The Right Now plays soul music, and soul music is all about feeling; not style, not fashion, but emotion. The band's new album Carry Me Home, set to be released on March 3, 2010, lives within the four walls erected by the arresting lead vocalist Stefanie Berecz, the stellar songcraft of Brendan O'Connell, the spot-on horns and layers of back-up vocals, and a solid bedrock of rhythm.
Stefanie Berecz's voice is what takes the songs on Carry Me Home from infectious to revelatory. Nowhere is that more evident than on the album's title track. Begun in a hushed, delicate tone, Berecz weaves a tender lullaby, gradually building in intensity but never mindlessly belting. The band matches her every step of the way. The Right Now is tighter than tight, at times functioning almost as a single instrument rather than a collection of players; never overplaying, always exerting effortless control over its dynamics.
This telepathic connection is the kind of chemistry that can only come from relentless gigging. The Right Now continually tours the country, converting listeners to a brand of R&B that is simultaneously classic and contemporary.
Case in point: "Ain't Going Back." Beginning with a deeply funky dialogue between two guitars that could have been on an early Parliament record, Berecz comes in with a blue note that is pure Chaka Khan. The restraint of the first verse gradually opens up into what can only be described as an anthem, with Berecz firmly in charge, giving back her wedding ring. The ingredients are classic. The result? Nothing but contemporary.
The music on Carry Me Home exudes confidence. One listen makes it clear that The Right Now is a band that knows exactly where its home is: onstage. Home is a feeling. And The Right Now brings that feeling to every show, in every venue, in every town they play. If you're lucky, your town will be next.
