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Fujiko

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A Peoria DIY classic; Fujiko. Fujiko is a project based in Peoria and started by Sanny, who sings, writes music, and plays guitar. The band currently consists of James on bass and Kyle on guitar, who are 2/3s of the band Terribly Happy, and Joey on drums. Sanny and Joey were previously in a band together called Sadface Killer, which is no longer an active project. Fujiko started in 2021 and has gone through some different eras. They create a feeling of nostalgia for me, as they are one of the first bands I saw when I first joined Peoria’s music scene! It has been so cool to see them change and adapt. Sanny is such a down to earth guy, and the whole band just has fun on stage. They always know how to engage a crowd and you will always see moshing at their shows!  Fujiko first released music on Spotify in 2021 with an EP titled Absolutely Fun . This EP has two of my favorite songs on it, “Go Outside” and “Stay Inside.” “Go Outside” always makes me want to reconnect with nature and en...
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The Hangovers

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Got a hangover? Cure it with The Hangovers!  The Hangovers is a band based in Central Illinois, who make rock and roll style music. The band consists of Mollie as the lead singer, Josh on guitar, Sammy on bass, and Kyle on drums. The Hangovers is a very lively band, as Mollie is usually moving around and dancing on stage as she sings. The vocals from Mollie are smooth and beautiful. She has a wide range, and can reach some fun high notes that you can't help but cheer for when hearing them live! These vocals offer a wonderful dynamic when paired with the harder rock sounds of the guitar and drums.  The Hangovers have been releasing music since 2020. Their first EP Planet Hangover from 2022 consists of one of my favorite songs of theirs, "Blüebyrd." Their latest single was released in 2023, "Insanity," and is another song I would highly recommend checking out. Additionally, their most popular song on Spotify is "The Creek" with over 60k listens! I was ab...
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Toredoria

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Let's talk about Toredoria! Toredoria is a project based out of Peoria by TJ, who is also a part of the band Grey Slush. TJ has played numerous roles for this project, such as vocals, guitar, and keys, among others. While TJ sometimes performs solo for this project, he also works with friends to have a full band experience! The Toredoria line up consists of Spencer on guitar, Zach on bass, and Alec on drums.  Currently, Toredoria has one album,  Pixelate , which was released   in 2022. My favorite song from him is on this album, titled "Broken Yolk." I love the build up so much. Two others I thoroughly enjoy are "Premium Content" and "Ranked Choice," as they are catchy but cover important topics. TJ's originally released music on SoundCloud for this project, and you can find songs that are not available on other platforms there as well!  I contacted TJ to ask some questions about Toredoria!  How long have you been making/playing music?  TJ: I start...
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Emily How

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Emily Who, Emily What,  Emily W here,  Emily W hen,  Emily H ow ? Emily How is a musician based out of central Illinois! Emily sings and plays guitar, along with beating on a drum here and there! She is joined by Jacob on guitar and backup vocals, Tyler or Matt on drums, and Brent on bass! Emily started by playing solo shows, and then expanded to performing with a band. She loves to move on stage, and fully uses the space given to her. It is always fun to watch her perform and see what she'll do this time. It's hard not to have fun yourself when Emily is performing.  Emily How released her first EP in 2022, called Flight Behavior . This was an amazing EP, and I remember having a listening party with friends when it dropped. My favorite off of it is "I Miss U Say It Back." Since then, she has released three singles; "I Hope I Die Inside A Fire," "Brain Cells," and "Useless." These songs are so full of emotions, as Emily is very expressive....
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Jake Rebman

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Looking for some local country music? You need to check out Jake Rebman! Taken by Mattioda Media @mattiodamedia on IG Jake Rebman is a songwriter and performer in Peoria who makes country music. He sings and plays guitar. When performing live, he is joined by The Waitin’ Rounders to provide a full band experience. They consist of Jake’s sister Sophia on vocals, Linc on drums, Chase on pedal steel, Dusty on lead guitar, and Jameson on bass. Additionally, Jake’s brother sometimes helps run merch at shows, creating a bit of a family business.   Jake Rebman released his first album,  Songwriting Competition, in 2022. I don’t regularly listen to country music, but I really enjoy Jake’s music. This is especially true as there are not many local country artists in the Peoria area so it provides variation. One of my favorite songs of Jake’s is “Walmart Aisle.” It is an upbeat and fun song that is hard not to dance along with. Jake’s most recent release is a live recording of “Boxer w...
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Silly Old Bear

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Are you looking for a new and heartwarming sound? You should check out Silly Old Bear!  Silly Old Bear is a project started by Jacob and Conner over a year ago, and they are based around Peoria. Generally, they make indie folk music!  Silly Old Bear played live for the first time this year at Art & Music in the Garden which was an art vendor and music event put on in Luthy Botanical Garden by Mt. Moon. Conner played bass, while Jacob sang and played guitar. They were joined by friends for this performance, with Matt on drums and Annette on cello. It was a gorgeous show and a beautiful day, and Silly Old Bear’s music fit perfectly playing in an environment like a botanical garden.  Jacob and Conner are also in a band called Grey Slush together, which is popular in the Peoria DIY scene.  Silly Old Bear currently only have three songs released, "t/n", "raspberry soda", and "long time, no see". My favorite of the three is "t/n", though I adore al...
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Must Build Jacuzzi

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If you are interested in brass and guitars, this is the band for you! Let me introduce you to a LEGENDARY band in the  Midwestern  DIY music scene.  Must Build Jacuzzi was founded in the Peoria area, though they are more spread out these days, and are a ska/punk band. The band consists of Caleb on vocals and guitar, Bill on vocals and bass, Austin on drums, Keaton on saxophone, Josh on trumpet, and Ben on trombone. Must Build Jacuzzi doesn't play as many shows as they used to, but they are still beloved and have a great number of people ready to see them when a show is announced (including me). They are so fun to experience live and have an amazing stage presence. Must Build Jacuzzi always gets the crowd to stir, as there is typically moshing and skanking, along with the band themselves jump around on stage.  Must Build Jacuzzi has an album, which was released in 2018, titled Last Place , and it has my two personal favorite songs on it: "February Heat Wave" and "Shot...
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