Join us 5/1 at Tack Room to create your own Botanical Wall Art! Create a one-of-a-kind framed piece to hang on your wall or give as a Mother's Day gift. Moms always welcome at Lovergirl events.

Tickets: https://www.ticketweb.com/event/may-flowers-with-lovergirl-creates-tack-room-tickets/14360873?pl=thalia3

Over the past 20 years, Rachel Swain has captivated audiences across genres with her powerful voice and rich songwriting. Born and raised in Austin, Texas, later moving to Houston, she developed a passion for music from a young age; Swain frequently watched her parents perform in various nightclubs around Houston. After her family relocated to Chicago where she is still based, she began to cut her teeth as a performer and songwriter, learning to play the fiddle, guitar, and bass and playing in projects from indie rock to 60s French pop. Her work has been named Performer Magazine’s April 2014 Vinyl of the Month, was featured by Fred Mills of Spin and Blurt Magazine on Blurt Online, and made Walt Falconer’s of The Falcon’s Nest, Top-10 Records of 2014 list.

Raised on rodeo and rock and roll, her musical influences span country, bluegrass, Americana, and soul. Swain's music is honest, soulful, and steeped in her Texas roots. Soaring melodies are complimented by her bold and dynamic vocals, with themes that speak to a range of human experience, including loss, love, and redemption. Listeners will notice nods to new and classic country in her eclectic and nuanced music. She performs solo and with her band, The Swains. Her highly anticipated debut solo releases are due out early 2025.

Jennifer Femme is telling stories. Stories about love. Stories about her dramatic internal world. Stories about rain, the sun, and a man named Big Willy. With her unique background in classical violin and jazz guitar, she tells these stories with a voice both earthy and soaring, heart-wrenching and tongue-in-cheek. She has made a name for herself in Chicago playing countless shows around the city (both solo and with her band), hosting open mics, and founding The Purple Teapot: a DIY performance space which offers queer artists of many disciplines a place to hone their craft and make connections. She has released an E.P., a live album, and is currently hard at work on her debut studio album. Visit jenniferfemme.com and follow her on Instagram @jennifer_femme for updates.

Megan Esther is a Chicago born and based, Texas raised singer-songwriter known for their clever lyrics, political perspective, vocal prowess and blues rock americana sound. Megan can be found leading The Megan Esther Band and performing frequently in the Chicago local music scene. You can listen to Megan Esther’s debut single “How Its Gotta Be” on all streaming platforms.

Matthew Coglianese is an upright and electric bassist in Chicago who has been performing professionally for the past 10 years. An integral part of his musical identity is his love for a wide variety of genres from swing to classical, hip hop to Latin jazz, funk to bluegrass, and everything in between. 

Since he is proficient on both the electric and upright bass, Matthew finds himself spread throughout many of the rich musical cultures that are embedded in the Chicago music scene. His most prominent project is the blues-soaked soul-funk powerhouse known as Zoofunkyou, which has been an integral part of the city’s music scene for the past 10 years.

In his group known as the Cogs Trio, the ensemble explores creative and improvisatory soundscapes built around standard tunes with a rotating lineup of some of the city's finest musicians. While this context honors the lineage of improvisatory music, it also pushes the envelope and sonic boundaries by allowing each player to fully express their own voice in each composition while allowing the group to go wherever the moment takes them. This iteration of the group features Nathan Reider on saxophone and Grayson Nye on Piano. 

The Anacleto Trio is lead by drummer/percussionist and composer Alex Santilli. The Chicago native is the current percussionist for major soul giants "Thee Sacred Souls" as well as playing in a plethora of Chicago groups and collectives. Ranging from jazz to the free/avant garde to Afro Cuban, Brazilian music and contemporary groove,beat and soul music. The self proclaimed Ethnomusicologist has traveled all over doing fieldwork , in search of the rhythms/songs that bind humanity. His music and performances are a complete reflection of this with a rotating cast of incredible musicians, the music stays current and always moving forward while still grounded in the classics. He has taken the artist name "Anacleto" (named after his grandfather) and has released and is currently releasing more music under the name " The Adventures of Anacleto" a mix of compositions/productions and improvisations. 

The stage has always been home for Liam Taylor. At the young age of 5, he spent most of his time acting in plays and musicals. After years of performing other people’s work, Taylor decided, as a queer man growing up in the South, it was time to tell his own stories. In his short career, he has worked with many artists including Johnathon McReynolds, Erykah Badu, Woody Goss of Vulfpeck, and many more. Since releasing music in 2022, he has performed at many of the city's acclaimed festivals, including Lollapalooza, Taste of Chicago, and Market Days, and has headlined shows in New York, Dallas, and in different parts of Europe. After a string of viral videos in 2023, he received a shoutout from Ariana Grande, recognizing his powerhouse vocal ability. 

In 2024, he began releasing a string of singles from his first album, 26 missed calls, getting 300K+ streams across all platforms. He intends to create safe spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals across the globe through his unique, energetic and eclectic pop music. This is merely the beginning for Taylor, so don't miss out on an opportunity to see him in Chicago!

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. 

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.

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.

Chicago based Gayun Cannon is a self-produced, multi-instrumentalist singer who turns every song into a raw, emotional journey. Whether she’s diving into love or unpacking her own life experiences, her music is designed to make listeners feel. Fusing hypnotic melodies with the rich cultural influence of her Chinese and Black heritage—plus inspiration pulled from sounds around the globe—Gayun refuses to be boxed into any one genre.

Aaron Brenton is a Chicago bassist, educator, and composer hailing from Madison, WI. With a degree in Double Bass Performance from the Lawrence University Conservatory, Aaron takes pages from the books of Eddie Gomez, Scott LaFaro, Rufus Reid, and Christian McBride to craft saxophone-like improvisations and contrapuntal bass lines. A new figure in the Chicago music scene, Aaron embraces bass in all mediums, having played with Jonathan Blake, Ike Sturm, The Harmon Brothers, Taiwanese jazz pianist Sopon Suwannakit, Grateful dead-esque jam band The Jeremiah Jams Band, reggae funk group Luma Knotty. When not performing,\ Aaron composes for his quartet and for Solar Sails, a collective jazz fusion trio with fellow Lawrence grads. Excited to play at the Tack Room!

Chicago-based guitarist and composer Jack Macklin is a rising star in the modern jazz music scene. Macklin's love for the guitar began at an early age starting with the first song he learned how to play; "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osborne. This sparked a life-long pursuit for Macklin to explore and discover the impact of music on humanity.

Macklin's music is deeply inspired by improvisation and the lineage of master musicians who came before while exploring the boundaries of modern music. Macklin blurs the lines of what a genre can be.  Macklin now resides in Chicago, Illinois where he continually interacts with Chicago's best musicians and is invested in the community. Macklin is continuing to compose and perform regularly in Chicago and beyond.

Macklin is known throughout the community as a young lion and has already performed with many notable musicians at the age of 25 including; Matt Ulery, Greg Ward, Joel Frahm, Donny McCaslin, Marcus Finnie, Dave Douglas, Don Aliquo, Bruce Foreman, and many others. Macklin has been a part of many successful projects including the notable "Red Door Band" which was featured in news articles by Chicago Read and WGN. The band also released an EP in the summer of 2020, which features Macklin as a co-leader in the group.

Macklin is invested in his trio which released its debut EP entitled One that's on all streaming services and for sale on his website. His experience working with admired musicians from many different traditions has made him an interactive, and versatile musician who is finding his distinct musical voice.

Macklin returned to Chicago after two years of performing full-time in Nashville, TN. Macklin declared that spending his time on creative and improvised music is what he wants to accomplish. Macklin's goal is to create a band that goes above and beyond genres to connect with the audience personally and to have a compelling experience that leaves the listener wanting more. 

The duo of Paige Kizer and Tiago Ribeiro is an acoustic set of a vast variety of adult contemporary music. The two have been working in Paige's original project: Paige and the Kizers, and have crafted a duo that is sure to make any event a little brighter. In addition to covers, they play many originals by both Paige and by Tiago.

Zach, a rising star in the world of jazz trumpet, calls Chicago, IL home. His musical journey skyrocketed when he finished his first global tour alongside five-time Grammy Award winner Michael Bublé in 2023, entertaining audiences in arenas and stadiums worldwide. With an impressive discography of 13 albums with a debut album released in June of 2024, Zach's trumpet has lent its brilliance to esteemed ensembles such as Knower (Louis Cole and Genevieve Artadi), the Buddy Rich Big Band, Alan Gresik Swing Orchestra, and the Blueshift Big Band.

From the iconic Madison Square Garden to the vibrant streets of São Paulo's Allianz Parque, Zach's trumpet has echoed across diverse landscapes, captivating audiences with soulful melodies. Closer to home, he's a fixture at established jazz venues throughout the Midwest, including The Green Mill, Café Coda, The Chatterbox and Andy's Jazz Club playing alongside esteemed musicians such as Matt Ulery, Thaddeus Tukes, Meghan Stagl, Marlene Rosenberg, Camila Mennitte and many more.​

Zach's musical prowess extends beyond solo performances; his ensembles have graced stages at renowned festivals such as the Riverfront Jazz Festival, where they opened for jazz legend Dave Liebman in 2017. Headlining events like the Bull Falls Jazz Festival and the Taste of Bloomington Festival further solidify his place in the jazz scene.

In addition to previously leading his own bands, including the "Crossroads Quintet" and "Omnos Quartet," Zach collaborates as a sideman with the popular hip-hop/jazz-fusion outfit "Clint Breeze and the Groove." A graduate of UW-Stevens Point and Indiana University, Zach's musical journey continues to evolve, resonating with audiences worldwide.

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.

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.