Bending Brains

#20 - John Till

John Till cultivates folk, blues & country from the farthest reaches of the Great Plains to the Appalachian foothills, down to the delta & back up to Chicago for a sound that’s equal parts pastoral & main street charm.

#19 - Shi la Rosa

Singer-songwriter lyricism, hypnotic soundscapes, and a loud heart are what ring through Shi la Rosa's music. She experiments with both upbeat grooves to dance to and dreamy croons, beckoning you to look inward. Originally hailing from Cleveland, the 'Space Queen' singer found her artistic footing in Chicago. Within one year of releasing her debut EP, Sometimes I Think of You, she found herself playing at iconic Chicago venues, such as the Green Mill, Schuba’s Tavern, Subterranean, and Space in Evanston. La Rosa’s vocal tone has subtle nods to legends such as Lana Del Rey and Banks, but with an umph more comparable to Gwen Stefani. Each song taps into a different flavor of emotional saturation that only surfaces from prolonged introspection. Best defined as indie pop, the artist's soaring vocals will cut you and kiss you in one foul sweep.

#18 - Tim Strzechowski

Tim Strzechowski is a Chicagoland-based multi-media artist whose intuitive approach to artwork is propelled by the 1970s-era cartooning of his childhood, coupled with a surreal, psychedelic approach to his use of subject, color, and contour. Whether presenting portraits or dreamscapes, Tim’s work attempts to explore the interplay between spontaneity and structure, often employing rich detail in works meant to invite calm, mindful contemplation.

A gallery of his artwork, growing daily, can be seen on Instagram at @bulb2021.

#17 - Tommy Lyons

Tommy Lyons is 28 year old guy with a lot of love for his family and a child-like passion for skateboarding, running, kayaking, cleaning up the Forest Preserves, and spending time in the sun. Other hobbies include over-playing and singing Jason Mraz songs for his family and friends. He likes to sprinkle in 80s action movies whenever he gets the chance.

#16 - Soultru

Soultru is a hip-hop/soul duo based out of the Quad Cities Iowa/Illinois. They're signed to Kansas City label The Record Machine. They sometimes travel with a full-band and other times as a duo or solo (Terrance Banks). They blend soul singing and hip hop verses to make relatable music for all. Drawing influence from gospel music artists like Fred Hammond and Smokie Norful. While later finding artists such as Gavin Degraw, Anthony Hamilton, John Legend as well Hip-Hop acts like Kanye West, Common and Anderson.Paak.

#15 - Jason Niehoff

From Chicago’s southwest side, Jason Niehoff began his musical studies at the age of 11, on electric bass. Two years later he began learning the double bass. He attended DePaul University studying classical string bass, and spent a year at Saint Xavier University, studying harpsichord. He is a bassist with the Elgin, Kalamazoo and South Bend Symphonies, and a freelance artist in the Chicagoland area. Jason enjoys learning a few other instruments, which are: guitar, electric bass, cello, keyboards, sitar, and drums. His teachers are: Patricia Lee on harpsichord, Donn Desanto, Larry Gray, Robert Kassinger, and Joseph Guastafeste on double bass.

#14 - Danny Ivetic

Danny Ivetic - A dude that travels and takes pictures and videos of what he looks at. A master of rambling, and creator of crackpot theories. A dude like you, just in a hat.

#13 - Diana Pietrzyk

Diana is a multidimensional artist who’s work ranges in many forms such as illustration, photography, painting + gifs! As a giphy artist, she’s had her work used globally and has worked with many brands as an artist in the past few years. she draws lots of inspiration from the cosmos, music + emotions.

#12 - Larry Cookiemonsture

Larry is an artist, van/car connoisseur, educator, host of DZ Fest, and wonderful friend. Larry has been making art and working on cars his whole life. Larry was an elementary school art educator for three years and has big plans to turn his 1927 Ford Model T into a hotrod. Larry's love for life brings him to situations most could never imagine.  

#11 - Matt Bauer

Matt Bauer was the co-founder and host of the "Friends With Music Podcast" for eight years. Matt interviewed thousands of musicians, friends, and artists from all walks of life. Matt has played a key role in helping grow DZ Fest and DZ Records over the last decade. Matt and Ben are also cousins.