Ticket giveaway! Charlie Mars at City Winery, 9/2

By Gene Wagendorf III

Looking for a cool date idea for this upcoming Sunday? Is you significant other thinking of dumping your broke-ass 'cause (s)he's sick of sitting on your roommate's futon watching American Pickers? Well, as usual, Windy City Rock is here for you.

We've got a pair of tickets to giveaway to see Charlie Mars at the brand-spanking new City Winery. Mars is coming to town to promote his new release, Blackberry Light, a record built for the kind of intimate listening opportunity City Winery provides. The singer's idyllic melodies and jazzy bounce should go quite nicely with a glass of (insert your wine of choice here). All you have to do to win these tickets is send an email to me (gene@windycityrock.net) with the subject "Let The Meter Run." Include your full name and the name of your guest. Special consideration will be given to any emails that make me laugh. It's Monday (possibly Tuesday as you're reading, but whatever).

For a taste of what to expect, pop open a box o' wine and check out Charlie Mars performing the new record's first single, "Let The Meter Run," live at Blues on the Green in Austin, TX.

Ticket giveaway! Butch Walker & the Black Widows at Double Door

This Thursday's show at Double Door featuring Butch Walker & the Black Widows is sold out, but don't plan on spending your night another way just yet. We've got a pair and we want to give 'em away!

Butch and the band are stopping in Chicago on their tour supporting their recently-released second album The Spade, which you can sample below via first single "Summer of '89" (additional tracks are on streamable on SoundCloud). If you want to get in the running for the free tickets, all you have to do is send us an e-mail with the subject line "Butch Walker" and your first and last name in the message. We'll accept entries until 6 p.m. CST on Wednesday, October 12th, and then select a winner randomly. The contest is now closed and we've notified the winner. Thanks to all who entered!

  Summer Of '89 by ButchWalker

Get your photo on a Wilco release

By Frank Krolicki

Apparently, Wilco are all for the movement to bring the cassette tape back. The band are preparing a limited edition cassette release of their most recent album The Whole Love, and to make it even better, are inviting fans to help create the artwork. Until October 15th, fans can head to hipstamatic.com and submit photos inspired by specific tracks on the record. Wilco will select their 5 favorite entries and put them on the cover of the cassette, and an additional 5 entrants chosen by Hipstamatic's community will win some Wilco swag. Enter here and check out some of the competition so far here.

Ticket giveaway! Viva Brother at Schubas, 7/23

Want to catch Viva Brother's upcoming show at Schubas for FREE? The Slough, England-based four piece--formerly known as just Brother--will be bringing their Britpop-inspired sound to Chicago on Saturday, July 23rd, and we've got a pair of tickets to give away!

Viva Brother are passing through town as part of a U.S. tour before the August 2nd release of their new album Famous First Words. Tickets are available here, but you can get in the running to score yourself a free pair just by sending us an e-mail with the subject line "Viva Brother" and your first and last name in the message. We'll accept entries until 5 p.m. CST on Monday, July 18th, and then select a winner randomly. Good luck!

   Darling Buds of May (Single) by Viva Brother

Ticket giveaway! Portugal. The Man at Lincoln Hall, 3/10

photo: ediphotoeye

Here's the deal: Audiotree's launch party featuring Portugal. The Man, Kellen & Me and the The Soil & the Sun is going down Thursday, March 10th at Lincoln Hall. It's already sold out, but the good people of Audiotree have given us two pairs of tickets to give away to the good people who read WCR.

We usually just ask for an e-mail when we give away free tickets, but that's getting kind of boring. Plus, we feel like shamelessly promoting our Facebook page a bit. So here's what to do in order to get in the running:

1) Go to the Windy City Rock Facebook page and click "like." Do the same thing on the Audiotree Facebook page.
2) Leave a comment on the Windy City Rock Facebook wall post that links to this page and mentions the show/ticket giveaway. Let us know that you want to win the Portugal. The Man tickets in your comment. It doesn't matter how you say it, just let us know you want 'em.

That's it. So it's still pretty easy. We'll accept comments until 6 p.m central time on Tuesday, March 1st and then select two winners randomly. Good luck!

Musicians, want to play a SXSW show?

Posted by Frank

To all you musicians who would like the chance to head down to Texas and play a show at SXSW, here's your chance. The crew behind Gigmaven have a contest going on that will award two winners slots at their SXSW day party at Emo's in Austin on Tuesday, March 15th. They'll also throw in money toward travel expenses, professional photography of your set at the gig and more.

There are two ways to win and they both involve uploading pretty simple videos to YouTube, so if you like the idea of playing a SXSW show there's really no reason not to enter. Winners will be announced on March 2nd at 2 p.m. The full rules and instructions are here.

To learn more about Gigmaven, check out our post on its recent expansion to Chicago.

Ticket giveaway! White Mystery, Hollows & more at SubT, 12/18

Have you heard about the “Beats and Blogs” show going down at Subterranean on Saturday, December 18? It's going to feature four of Chicago’s finest, most rockin’ bands – White Mystery, Hollows, Rabble Rabble and Radar Eyes. We’ve been working with Betta Promotions as well as Loud Loop Press and many other top-notch Chicago music sites to get the word out, so it’s bound to be a crazy fun musical party you won’t want to miss. To add to the excitement, we’ve got a pair of tickets to give away!

To get in the running, just shoot us an e-mail with “Beats and Blogs” in the subject line and your first and last name in the body, and we’ll select a winner at random to score the tickets. We’ll be accepting entries until 10 a.m. on Friday, December 10, and we’ll announce a winner once the contest is closed.
Update 12/10 - The contest is now closed. Congratulations to Angela K.! Thanks to all who entered.

Vinyl giveaway: Black Prairie (feat. Decemberists members); Schubas show 10/21

This coming Thursday, October 21, Portland folk/Americana quintet Black Prairie (featuring three members of The Decemberists) will be in town for a show at Schubas with locally-based acts Canasta and Honda Pavarotti opening. In honor of the upcoming gig, we have two vinyl LPs of Black Prairie's debut, Feast of the Hunters' Moon to give away for free!

If you want to win one of the LPs, shoot us an e-mail with the subject line "Black Prairie" and your first and last name in the body of the message, and we'll select two winners at random. We'll be accepting entries until 12 p.m. on Tuesday, October 19 and will notify the winners via e-mail once the contest has closed.

Black Prairie was recently started as a side project by the three Decemberists, who joined forces with two other Portland musicians and released Feast of the Hunters' Moon in the Spring. Check out this NPR article for more details on the group and its formation.

Click below to listen to and download three songs from the band.

   Black Prairie - Burn Down The Organ by Sugar Hill Records

Ticket giveaway! Dan Black, The Glamour in Chicago, 10/21

Look alive! We have a pair of tickets to give away for British electro-pop artist Dan Black with The Glamour at LaSalle Power Co. (500 N Las Salle) on Thursday, October 21.

To get in the running,  just send us an e-mail with the subject line "Dan Black" and your first and last name in the body of the message, and we'll select a winner at random to receive spots for you and a friend on the guest list courtesy of FanFueled. We'll be accepting entries until 2 p.m. CST Thursday, October 14. Update 10/14: We now have a winner and the contest is closed. Thanks to all who entered!


Good luck!

Ticket giveaway! The Dead Weather at Congress Theater, 7/30

Following our Devo/Dirty Projectors ticket giveaway last week, we now have a pair of guest list spots up for grabs for alt-rock supergroup The Dead Weather with Harlem at Congress Theater on Friday, July 30! It's bound to be a kickass show, and we want to give you the chance to see it for free.

To get in the running,  just send us an e-mail with the subject line "Dead Weather show" and your first and last name in the body of the message, and we'll select a winner at random to receive spots for you and a friend on the guest list courtesy of React Presents. We'll be accepting entries for the contest until 5 p.m. CST today, July 21.

Good luck!

Update: The contest is closed and a winner has been selected. Thanks to all who entered!

We're giving away tickets to Devo and Dirty Projectors at Congress Theater!

Interested in catching one of new wave's most iconic bands along with one of today's most hyped acts...for free? Windy City Rock is giving you the chance! We've got a pair of guest list spots up for grabs to see Devo with the Dirty Projectors at bands' pre-Lollapalooza show on Thursday, August 5 at Congress Theater, and we want you to have them.

All you have to do is shoot us an e-mail with the subject line "Devo show" and your first and last name in the body of the message, and we'll select a winner at random to receive spots for you and a friend on the guest list courtesy of React Presents. Entries will be accepted until 6 p.m. CST on Tuesday, July 13, and we'll notify the winner by responding to their e-mail.

It's that simple, so get sendin'. Good luck!

Update 7/13/10 - The contest is now closed. Thanks to all who entered. Stay tuned for more ticket giveaways coming up soon!

Vote for Chicago's The Black Tape in 'Scott Pilgrim' contest

A few months ago we gave you a heads up about The Black Tape, a recently-formed indie act from here in the Windy City that has a wonderful 60s pop vibe going on (think early Beatles, Zombies, girl group melodies and so forth). Now, the band are front runners in a contest tied to the upcoming Michael Cera flick "Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World" that could give them the opportunity to make a music video for inclusion in the DVD release of the film, perform live at a major event this summer and gain a lot of exposure for Chicago indie rock in general!

They're currently doing great in the competition - "Indie Rock Vs. The World" - at number 5 out of 500 bands, and you can do your part to help them come out on top by voting here. You can do so until this Friday, May 28. Show your support for these very talented guys and be sure to spread the word!

Win a Weezer CD, vote for the band to play your school

Want a free copy of Weezer's new CD Raditude? In honor of T-Mobile's "Motorola CLIQ Challenge" YouCast Corp has provided Windy City Rock a copy to give away to one lucky reader. For a chance to win, all you have to do is send an e-mail to us at windycityrock@gmail.com with your name, mailing address and "Weezer contest" as the subject line by 7 p.m. Central Standard Time on Friday, November 20. We'll randomly select and notify a winner from all entries.

The CLIQ challenge is a competition that gives Weezer fans the chance to vote for the band to play a show at their local college campus by voting for their school of choice on Facebook. The winning school will not only score the Weezer show, but also $1 for every vote it received, up to $25,000. Chicago-area schools are currently lagging behind, so be sure to go vote and spread the word. Voting is open through November 30.

Separate from the contest, Weezer currently has a Chicago show scheduled for Tuesday, December 1 at the Aragon Ballroom. Tickets are $44.75 and at the time of writing are available through Ticketmaster.

Chicago bands, want to open for Mark Ronson on New Year's Eve?

If you're a Chicago-based musician looking to score some exposure, here's an opportunity worth getting on your radar.

Beck's Music Export is calling for submissions from bands in the Windy City, one of which will win the chance to open for DJ and producer Mark Ronson at the River East Art Center on New Year's Eve. The bill will also include The Virgins, The Drums and The Airborne Toxic Event.

To enter, click here and submit a track and recent photograph. Entrants also have the option of submitting a 30-second video. Through November 13, site visitors will vote to narrow down all entries to six acts, who will perform as part of the Beck's Music Export Wildcard Tour in early December. Fans will then vote for their favorite of the six, and the top vote-getter will win the New Year's Eve slot.

Win free tickets to see the Whigs at Bottom Lounge

Heads up! Citysearch Chicago will kick off a contest this Friday morning, October 30, giving readers the chance to win a pair of free tickets to see The Whigs, The Features and The Dead Trees at Bottom Lounge on November 6. The contest will go live on the Citysearch Chicago Facebook page, so head over there for details and a chance to score the tix. Citysearch plans to give away freebies through the page every week, so be sure to keep an eye out.

Chicago Public Library seeking submissions for local music contest

Chicago musicians, have you ever wanted to express your love of the Windy City through song?

If so, the Chicago Public Library (CPL) wants you to take part in its new "Sound Off" competition. The contest is calling on loal musicians to submit Chicago-inspired songs for the chance to headline a concert in Pritzker Park in late October and also snag a day’s worth of studio time at Electrical Audio, complete with sound engineering and tapes.

The Library is accepting submissions from now until September 27. Then, 10 finalists will be selected to be reviewed by a panel of judges including Chris Force of ALARM Magazine and music critic and author Jessica Hopper, who will select a grand prize winner to headline the concert and receive the studio time.

Music fans will also be able to have their say. From September 28 to October 3, anyone can vote online for their favorite finalist, with the top vote-getter winning the opportunity play an opening set at the concert.

“From Robert Johnson’s Sweet Home Chicago to new tunes from our favorite local punk bands and folk singers, it’s no wonder that Chicago has inspired hundreds, if not thousands of songs, each with a unique perspective that reflects Chicago’s incredible energy,” said Force in the press release announcing the contest. “Chicagoans have a special pride for their city. Why not sing about it? Chicago’s unique energy runs so deep it’s no wonder that musicians as diverse as Rise Against, and even the Rolling Stones have relied on the city as a muse for their songs.”

Click here for more information on the contest and details on how to enter.

Vote for your favorite Grape Juice Records t-shirt design

Earlier this month, Chicago's Grape Juice Records launched a contest calling all graphic designers to submit t-shirt designs in honor of the label's upcoming 5th anniversary.

Now that all the entries are in, Grape Juice wants you to help select a winner by voting for your favorite on AlwaysUrban.com up until August 17. The winning design will be revealed live on stage at the label's 5th anniversary part on September 3 at Double Door.

To peruse the entries and cast your vote, click here.

While you're at it, check out this promo video for the contest. It involves nakedness.

Design a shirt for Grape Juice Records, win sweet prizes

Chicago's own Grape Juice Records, home to bands such as The Minneapolis Henrys, The Butcher's Boy and Linus, is calling all graphic designers to submit t-shirt designs in celebration of turning 5-years-old in September.

The winner will take home a bunch of nifty prizes, including:

--$200 cash!
--Free one-year Zip Car membership and $100 worth of Zip Car driving! ($175 value)
--$100 AlwaysUrban.com gift certificate!
--Huge selection of CD's from the Grape Juice Records catalog! ($50 value)
--A printed version of your shirt presented to you at the 5th anniversary show!
--Recognition as a total bad-ass in all the post-contest press releases and advertising!

Anyone interested can submit a design here before the July 17 deadline.

Once all submissions are in, fans of the label will vote until August 17 on AlwaysUrban.com to crown a winning design, to be unveiled at Grape Juice's September 3 fifth anniversary party at Double Door.