April's Reign

So Saturday night rolls around. I'm sick and not feeling like going out. But my friends call and convince me that I do indeed have a job to do. So for the sake of my bills, I must go out and work, and review the local scene for you, dear reader. A quick shower, some make up, and I'm out the door.
Off to Martini Park, a trendy new club on Erie and LaSalle. The club has already been bashed before (see October's issue), and I was out to see if there had been any change. Sadly, the drinks were still expensive, the line too long, and the staff quite overworked. (Managers yelling at hard-working waitresses is never a good sign!) Oh, why couldn't I be home in bed?!?
But then the band started, and I noticed my mood changing. Cramped up on a tiny little stage, up above the bar, local band April's Reign proceeded to blow the doors of the place. Led by dynamo Suzie Castillo, the band blazed through three sets of a great range of covers - mostly great Grrrrrl rock!
As noted before, the crowd can be fickle at Martini Park. But the band slowly won them over. I've had several assignments at Martini Park, and this is the first time I've ever noticed a lot of people dancing with the band - no small feat since Martini Park has no space for dancing!
I was able to get a few words with Castillo between sets. A local Chicago girl, she was as friendly and personable offstage as she seems onstage. "I just love to see the crowd react to our music!" she gushed. "There's no better feeling that singing a song, and getting the whole bar to sing along with us!"
I asked how she keeps her energy up for the entire show. Was she drinking one of Martini Park's signature drinks? "No," she laughed, "I just really like all the songs we play! It's a great mix, and it always seems to go over with any crowd we play for. And as long as the crowd is having fun, we have fun. It goes hand in hand. We feed of them, and they feed of us."
The band indeed seems to have fun together. As five piece with 2 guitars, bass and drums, the 4 guys seem to love being the backbone of the female-fronted stage show. Guitar player Eddie Switzer, who also sings a few classic rock favorites, said "What I really love is that the crowds always seem to dig the range we play. Suzie can do Janis Joplin and Pink, so we try to play a whole mix of everything in between. Some old 70's disco, some Carrie Underwood or Gretchen Wilson, then right into No Doubt or Rhianna. It keeps you on toes as a musician! But if she can sing it, we can play it!"
Nothing like having some fun with a great band to make you forget you're sick!

(More info can be found at www.AprilsReignBand.com.)


- Chicago Scene