Join KASIA, a Polish-American singer-songwriter based in Chicago, as she rings in the New Year alongside legendary Chicago-based pianist Maxx McGathey. Together, they will explore American Songbook classics alongside pop hits and KASIA's original pop & jazz pieces in a piano/singer lounge format.

René Avila band leader for a traditional Cuban Charanga band.  He has two ensembles, from a trio to a 9 piece band.  We have played for Chicago's Summerdance, Navy Pier's Beer Garden, Old Town School of Folk Music and various festivals throughout the city. Our ensembles play traditional Cuban from the golden ages of the 40's 50's and 60's still keeping the "Charanga" format.Charanga is a classical chamber ensemble that came out of Haiti, featuring the unique sound of the french flute and violins.  During the Haitian revolution of 1804, this sound migrated to eastern Cuba where it reached Santiago.  In the space of 120 years, the modern Charanga was born by adding elements of Africa, Spain, Haiti and Cuba transforming it into an electric mix of cultures and one of the worlds most exciting dance genres. 

Start 2026 with intention and crafting 📚✂️ Vision Boards coming to Tack Room on January 16th 

All materials & live instruction included with ticket, choose a price from our sliding scale 🎟️

Purchase tickets Here: https://www.ticketweb.com/event/vision-board-collage-with-lovergirl-tack-room-tickets/14029334?pl=thalia3

An Americana/Soul singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Nikki O’Neill brings a dynamic voice that can soar with 60s soul power or slip into a bluesy ballad with subtle grace, all anchored by her rich storytelling. Rich Lackowski (percussion, harmony vocals) and Andy Mirsberger (bass, harmony vocals) will join her on stage.

Official website: nikkioneill.com

Sunflower Summit is a queer Latinx artist based in Chicago, making and performing music that hits right in the feels! Made up of vocalist and lyricist Maria Requena, cellist Allison Hill, and guitarist Jackie Walter, the three make a warm, cozy and welcoming atmosphere of sound. The trio is working on recording a collection of acoustic songs they cannot wait to share with the world! Follow Sunflower Summit on instagram for updates and support on Patreon :)

Laura Cai is a recording artist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist based out of Chicago.

As a singer, keyboardist, cellist, guitarist, and bassist, Laura has lent her range of talents to a variety of live and studio projects across diverse genres for more than a decade. She has worked as a studio musician, recording and arranging songs that have together amassed millions of streams. As a live musician, Laura has toured both domestically and internationally, playing in venues spanning from intimate coffee shops to sold-out theaters to arenas of thousands.

Laura has had songs placed with CBS and Walmart alongside Grammy-nominated producer Oh, Hush! and created viral videos with recording artist Alex Blue. She currently plays weekly at piano bars around the city as she continues to hone her skills as an up-and-coming producer, mixer, and masterer.

Guitar for Guaraldi is an annual tribute series in Chicago devoted to pianist and composer Vince Guaraldi known famously for his work on the Charlie Brown holiday specials. Come get into the Christmas spirit, with the Mich Shirey Trio as they perform true-to-form guitar arrangements of the Charlie Brown Christmas album, along with favorites from Guaraldi’s catalog!

Composer & pianist Maxx McGathey’s immersive sound-world is dark, energetic, epic and adventurous. Mixing elements of cinematic jazz, modern classical, and his love for heavy groove-based music, McGathey crafts instrumental stories that pull you in to their vast worlds using a large ensemble of strings, winds and rhythm section to give the music grand scope. His most recent album “Imaginary Eyes” released in 2024 on Nudie Records, is a deep dive into this cavernous twilight zone, which uses the sounds of mid-20th century suspense cinema as a jumping off point for more modern experimentation. Many of McGathey’s previous composing projects have also had a cinematic element, whether the 12+ year running b-horror-funk band Gramps The Vamp or the spaghetti western themed album Dark Canyon (for which McGathey was a co-writer). McGathey has also written and performed 9 feature-length live film scores for clients like WBEZ, The Music Box Theater and the Chicago Park District’s “Movies in the Parks”, as well as various independent theaters around the midwest. These past experiences give all of McGathey’s music a strong sense of story and setting that adds to their immersive feel. 

In addition to his own music, Maxx is a prolific collaborator on the Chicago music scene, having performed or recorded with Chicago acts like Divino Niño, V.V. Lightbody, Ric Wilson, David Quinn, Secret Colours, and Wills McKenna’s Path. McGathey’s grants and awards include a 2023 Illinois Arts Council Grant for recording, composer’s residencies at Ucross Foundation (2025) and I-Park Foundation in Connecticut (2021 & 2025), and a 2020 grant for recording from DCASE (the City of Chicago’s Cultural Affairs Department). Gramps The Vamp has been named Best New Band (2013) and was included in the Best Chicago Albums of the Decade list by Chicago Reader. McGathey is also a passionate educator, having introduced dozens of students to the piano, improvisation, and composition.

Join us on Saturday, December 6th for a wreath-making workshop This is an extra special and sentimental event for Lovergirl Creates because it was the first workshop Anya and Vern led together last year as a private event. We’re so excited to bring this craft to Tack Room and get into the holiday spirit with you all. Live instruction and all materials provided. 

Buy tickets here: https://www.ticketweb.com/event/wreath-workshop-with-lovergirl-creates-tack-room-tickets/14704233?pl=thalia3

Wanda is Chicago's dark-sided, piano-playing drag queen. She has performed in New York City, Los Angeles, London, and all around the UK as a solo act and as part of the drag theatre group SADHAUS, which she co-founded. You can usually find her enchanting audiences at Tack Room or leading a ghost tour downtown. She has also led art tours at the Art Institute, and if you're lucky she will bust out her accordion! Find Wanda on Instagram at @wandachicago.

Join us on Friday, December 5th for a wreath-making workshop This is an extra special and sentimental event for Lovergirl Creates because it was the first workshop Anya and Vern led together last year as a private event. We’re so excited to bring this craft to Tack Room and get into the holiday spirit with you all. Live instruction and all materials provided. 

Buy tickets here: https://www.ticketweb.com/event/wreath-workshop-with-lovergirl-creates-tack-room-tickets/14681053?pl=thalia3

Laura Cai is a recording artist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist based out of Chicago.

As a singer, keyboardist, cellist, guitarist, and bassist, Laura has lent her range of talents to a variety of live and studio projects across diverse genres for more than a decade. She has worked as a studio musician, recording and arranging songs that have together amassed millions of streams. As a live musician, Laura has toured both domestically and internationally, playing in venues spanning from intimate coffee shops to sold-out theaters to arenas of thousands.

Laura has had songs placed with CBS and Walmart alongside Grammy-nominated producer Oh, Hush! and created viral videos with recording artist Alex Blue. She currently plays weekly at piano bars around the city as she continues to hone her skills as an up-and-coming producer, mixer, and masterer.

RSVP HERE: https://www.ticketweb.com/event/timmy-skelly-tack-room-tickets/14694023?pl=thalia3

Brandon Good is a Chicago artist with a penchant for Country music. Nodding to a wide range of notable genre influences, he brings in rock n’ roll, soul, singer-songwriter, and blues into his songwriting, all while remaining true to the dance hall and honky-tonk heritage he loves. 

Brandon is no stranger to life on the road, having spent a decade playing with celebrated Chicago Celtic Punk outfit Flatfoot 56. During his time with the band they toured internationally and even charted on Billboard’s Heat Seekers chart. 

After moving to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Brandon wrote and recorded his first solo EP, breaking into the Country scene with the release of “The Anvil” and the subsequent, stripped down, two-track EP titled “The Spitzer Sessions”. 

With fervor and fire licks, Brandon then returned to the studio to begin recording his first full length record, “Restless”, which is set to release spring of 25’. 

After hosting several highly respected residencies and Booking himself and other touring bands countless shows in his home base of Chicago he’s revving up to start touring nationally and bring his songs and style to a town near you.

RSVP HERE: https://www.ticketweb.com/event/harvest-fest-tack-room-tickets/14631693?pl=thalia3

Brandon B has been a member of the Two-Step community here in Chicago since 2012. He loves to share dancing and music with anyone he meets. You can find him every Friday at the Honky Tonk Happy Hour giving the regular Two-Step lesson and dancing with his friends.

RSVP HERE: https://www.ticketweb.com/event/harvest-fest-tack-room-tickets/14631693?pl=thalia3

Led by guitarist and composer Kenny Thompson, the Kenny Thompson Quartet aims to keep one foot firmly planted in the rich musical traditions of jazz, with the other aiming for the future. With a decade of deep roots in the Chicago jazz scene, Thompson has had the good fortune to perform with some of the finest, most passionate jazz musicians working today. The quartet will debut much of Kenny’s original repertoire, which explores the intersection of tradition and innovation. Heavily inspired by post-bop, modern jazz, and the many torchbearers of the music whom Kenny has crossed paths with in Chicago, Thompson’s writing showcases a wide emotional palette, from introspective ballads to winding melodies in harmony; from swingin’ grooves to electrifying odd-meter excursions. The group is comprised of Chris Madsen on tenor saxophone, Vinny Kabat on bass, and T.J. Thompson on drums. Each musician brings their distinct voice and energy to the music, creating a sensitive yet powerful band, chosen to bring these compositions to life. Whether in an intimate club or on a festival stage, the Kenny Thompson Quartet delivers music that is honest, forward-thinking, and deeply rooted in the spirit of jazz.

Kevan Eftekhari has been entertaining audiences and establishing himself as a fixture in the Chicago music community for nearly two decades. From piano bars, to weddings, and to corporate events, Kevan brings to life any occasion with his impressively massive repertoire of popular classics and hits from all ages and genres.

@kevanchicago 

http://kevaneftekhari.com/