On this weekend Punk Rock Bowling lured many punk rock fans away from the Windy City, leading to a smaller crowd in attendance. Many bands would be disheartened by the situation. But not the trio of bands on the bill this night. In fact, in many ways, this situation enhanced the experience. Having become friends with several of the musicians who performed, as well as some showing support, it felt, to me, more of a personal house party. Intimate, yet super fun. You know how there are always a few friends who decide to break out into song during parties? It just happened to be that these friends are all excellent musicians. No drunken, cringy renditions of “Don’t Stop Believing” sung along to a Karaoke machine.

Instead, we got the hyper-goofy fun of SPELLS. The band, consisting of “Little Stevie Shithead” (aka Ben Roy), Charlie “Continental” Stimsell, Don Bersell (aka Duke “Box” Standard), Robert Drew Burleson (aka Peter “P.” Bohner) and Dawn “Dusk Monarch” King were clad in matching golf shirts, and at least partial tracksuits, as is their modus operandi, though they do maintain a rotation of different patterns.

Roy and King shared vocals and played off of each other in a dynamic way unmatched since Sandy and Danny hit the Rydell High Senior Fair. Ok, maybe that’s just a tad hyperbolic. Still, there is a crackling dynamic when they abandon the stage to mingle amongst the crowd, even more so when they draft fans to be a part of the show.

Burleson also spoke to the sometimes smaller crowds which every band experiences at some point:

“We are never really concerned about who attends shows. Staying in is the new going out so we get it. But for those who venture out to the dance party, we want to give them a complete 80% effort.”

Burleson shared some amusing memories from lesser-attended shows:

“One time we played in Quebec and the promoter got mad cause we were stuck in traffic and showed up a little late. He proceeded to take the opening band and all of the people who were there and went to another (bigger) show. We ended up playing to a room full of maybe 6 friends of friends, the bartender, the door person, and the sound person. IT WAS AMAZING!“

And he had some invaluable advice to other musicians:

“We made everyone get on stage and had a dance party. Maybe one of my favorite shows. Play to the people who are there and not the ones who aren’t. I’ve played to a room full of stuffed animals, GI Joes, and Kathy Ireland posters, and having a chance to play live in a club in a city we love (Chicago) to people we love is THE BEST.”

Oh, and Burleson also answered a query I’ve had for a while. That is, how they came up with the band name:

“SPELLS is an acronym for Stupid People Elevating Lonely Losers Socially. We came up with it after attending a youth leadership conference.”

With all this talk about sparsely attended shows, it should be noted that SPELLS shows are way more often playing to jam-packed crowds. No doubt the shows will continue to get ever bigger. With a set list like the band cruised through on this Sunday night, including “What The Hell is Caution,” “Some Would Say,” “She Wants to Die Before Me,” “Deceiver,” and closing with, of course, my favorite, the above referenced “80% Is Good Enough.”

SPELLS latest record, “Loose Change, Vol. 2,” is planned for release on June 29, 2023. If you want the vinyl version, you have a choice between “Dolphin Blue,” or “Drakula Red.” It’s available for pre-order now.

Heavy Seas co-founder/guitarist Jeff Dean has been a very busy man of late. Amongst other projects produced and engineered The Bollweevils latest release Essential. In the audience at this show was Daryl “The Punk Rock Doc” Wilson, to show his gratitude to and support of Dean, and other friends on the bill.

Dean told me:

“Recording [and] producing Bollweevils was rad…“

Heavy Seas founders Dean and Ronnie DiCola recruited former All Eyes West bandmate Justin Miller to fill in on bass after that position came up available. This Chicago trio kicked off its set with its own originals, “Waves and Dreams,” “Sunn,” “Idle in Life,” and “Oscillation.” Heavy Seas also included as surprise for long-time fans of the three musicians/ Per Dean:

“We also ended the set with 4 All Eyes West songs since Justin was filling in on bass.”

Dean continued:

“Ronnie, Justin and I were All Eyes West then Ronnie and I started Heavy Seas. So having Justin fill in basically made it All Eyes West.

Dean is currently in Baltimore, MD recording the third Heavy Seas album. He provided me with some information about this:

“Heavy Seas has a new album called Distortion Days coming out at the end of summer on Rad Girlfriend records for the US and little rocket records for EU UK.”

Looking forward to the new album and also Dean’s perspective on his role in making Essential. He pledged to tell us at Dying Scene more about it later. We can’t wait!