Bands in Your Backyard

The stairs! They are blank!  The Blank Stairs is a three-piece group based in Peoria, and consists of Cami, Josh, and Abbey! Cami is the singer and the guitarist, and Josh is the other singer and the bassist, though they do a switch-a-roo and trade instruments during their shows! Lastly, Abbey plays drums! Cami and Abbey are also in Emily the Band, who I wrote about in a previous blog!  The Blank Stairs latest single is titled "EAT ROCKS" and it is my favorite release yet. You just can't help but want to sing and dance when they play it! They do have an album out, which was released in 2021, titled Face Paint . The song "Sidestep" from their album is certified bop, and I always want to rage when it comes on.  I contacted The Blank Stairs to ask a couple of questions! Cami and Josh took turns answering! How long have you been making/playing music? Cami: We've been making music together as a band roughly 7-8 years now, but individually, we've been playing

If you're looking for some queer pop-rock in the Midwest, you've found the right blog post!  mars hojilla (oh-heely-uh) is the main stage name for Myles (he/they), who is a wonderful transmac musician. He currently lives in the Urbana area, but regularly plays in Iowa City, IA! Myles plays both solo and with a full band. The full mars hojilla band typically consist of Chloe (she/her) on drums and Logan (he/him) playing bass or violin, while Myles sings and plays guitar. Seeing Myles perform as a trans person is always uplifting, especially as he is not afraid to truly be himself. It is amazing to see people like me doing super cool things. Outside of being trans, he is simply an amazing performer.  Myles is also involved with an Iowa City based band titled Two Canes, and it is more of a hard rock project than mars hojilla. In the past, they were a part of THEory DROPOUTS, which was a Peoria-based band active from 2018-2022. As I've mentioned in my blog on Emily the Band, My

Who was good? Juniper Was Good! Juniper Was Good is a band from the Peoria area. They are a three-member group, consisting of Kuda, Kuba, and Andrew. Kuda is on vocals and bass, along with acoustic guitar. Kuba plays the electric guitar, and Andrew is on the drums, as well as support vocals and the occasional guitar. I can't stress it enough when I say that Kuda has some of the most angelic vocals in the area. There is something about it that makes me instantly happy. Kuda, Kuba, and Andrew are a lively bunch, and have a great stage presence. Additionally, they are great at enabling crowd interaction. It is hard not to dance and clap along when they are playing!  Juniper Was Good released their latest single "softie" on August 30th, which is one song off of their upcoming EP Don't Tell Mom . This song is their first release in three years, and I am excited to have more Juniper Was Good to listen to! One of my personal favorite songs by them is "Midnight Screening

This week, I’ll introduce you to one of my favorite bands in the area: Marble Teeth! Marble Teeth is an artist from Decatur, though he regularly travels to play shows. The man behind the music is Caleb. Sometimes he plays solo, but the full band line up consists of Jacob, Makayla, and his partner Shauna. Caleb sings, plays guitar, and rocks the harmonica. Jacob has played bass in the past but he currently plays violin and mandolin for Marble Teeth. Shauna and Makayla are a recent addition for the live performance. Shauna is on drums while Makayla is on bass! The most recent release from Marble Teeth is his album,  top 10 times i've cried , which came out in October of 2023. Each week I feel like I have a new favorite song from him, but "Funk Track" and "horror, & how it feels" are always high on my list. Caleb is constantly innovating on his music, as well. This has been most noticeable within the past couple months, as the sound has shifted to more folk/wes

I have a sound to show you that will knock your socks off! Based out of Central Illinois, Estrogen Molotov is a transgender noise duo who offers a unique listening experience, and they are one of only a few noise bands in the area! Estrogen Molotov consists of Kailyn (he/him), who is based in Peoria, and DK (they/she), who is from Ottawa. They started making music in 2022, and this was one of Kailyn’s first creative musical projects. DK on the other hand has her own solo music under the name Space Dust, and they play live bass for Your Arms Are My Cocoon. Both members take turns banging the drum, playing guitar or bass, performing vocals, and taking control of the synth. They make use of unusual techniques to create sounds you wouldn’t expect to see performed on a stage. If you have never listened to noise before, it takes some getting used to, but it is hard to look away once it starts! You will walk away with a newfound prescriptive on what music is.  Estrogen Molotov played their mo

If you are looking for a band that is “for the girls,” I’ve got the perfect one for you! One of the most iconic and fun music groups in central Illinois is Emily the Band.  Emily the Band is a three-piece queer girl group based out of Peoria and Champaign/Urbana. They make gorgeous indie pop music, along with contribute heavily to their community. Emily is the main gal! She sings, writes music, and plays the ukelele. Camryn is the guitarist and singer for the band, and they play the melódica (which is one of the most beautiful instruments you’ll ever hear). Abbey is the drummer and a style icon! You can’t mention Emily the Band without bringing up their honorary members; Caspian, who is their photographer/best friend/partner, and Myles, who is their merch guy/bestie/partner! Emily has been writing music since she was young, and she wrote her song “the one till the end” when she was 12! Since forming Emily the Band in 2021, they have released an ep titled living room , along with an ama