Abraham Lincoln may be dead, but at Wise Fools Pub he still “rocks on.”
Wise Fools Pub, 2270 North Lincoln Ave. in Chicago, features performances from several bands every Thursday throughout the summer as part of its “Rock on Lincoln” series. The headlining acts, which include Chicago’s 56 Hope Road and Cincinnati’s Oval Opus, are sponsored by FreshTracksMusic, an online music hub for music downloads, reviews and concert information.
FreshTracksMusic, which receives more than 5 million hits a month at www.freshtracksmusic.com, features downloadable music from more than 100 bands on independent labels, spanning genres such as alternative rock, pop, hip hop and R&B. For $3 a month subscribers to the service can download unlimited songs in mp3 format and expand their musical libraries through exposure to up-and-coming bands.
While FreshTracksMusic has existed for seven years, it has only existed as a digital music hub since July and is hoping to expand to 200 or 250 bands by the end of the summer.
Each Rock on Lincoln concert has a $5 cover charge and $1 beer specials. The bands receive the entire cover charge, and audience members have the chance to win free CDs, concert tickets and FreshTracksMusic memberships.
Bands affiliated with FreshTracksMusic receive half of the royalties from the FreshTracksMusic Web site and $5 per referal from their own Web sites. Oval Opus said it was pleased with the additional exposure that FreshTracksMusic provided.
“They’ve really sponsored us,” said Aaron Patrick, the band’s lead singer, who once performed at a fraternity party at Northwestern. “They get the word out for bands that aren’t selling out stadiums. I think it’s beneficial to use any outlet to get music out there.”
In addition to incorporating 56 Hope Road into their Rock on Lincoln series, Wise Fools Pub also gave the band their first gig in Chicago four years ago.
The fans and the bands are not the only groups that benefit from the weekly concerts. They also help the bar by attracting new patrons.
“Anytime you can put one name on a series of music, it attracts fans,” said Mike Cordis, the owner of Wise Fools Pub. “It’s good for bands and it’s good for everyone.”
Scene Editor Ben Rosen is a Weinberg senior. He can be reached at [email protected].
