As Chicago’s picturesque skyline comes into view, Matt Devine is overwhelmed by the familiar sight.
After touring the country with his Chicago-grown band, Kill Hannah, for several months and performing five nights a week, he’s tired but excited.
“To be back in Chicago is the greatest feeling,” Devine said. “Touring, for us, is hard but rewarding.”
Kill Hannah returns home to open for Mindless Self Indulgence tomorrow at the Congress Theater, 2135 N. Milwaukee Ave. It will be Kill Hannah’s first time performing at the Congress – a venue where big-name acts such as Evanescense, Slipknot and 3 Doors Down have played in the past.
“The audience can expect a lot of on-stage energy, a little glamour and a lot more sweat and intensity,” Devine said. “Our show is designed from the perspective of someone in the audience in order to keep people captivated.”
At first glance, the band’s title is alarming – but don’t judge Kill Hannah by its name. The name originated from Devine’s “teen-aged devastation” after a break up with an ex-girlfriend.
“I felt really vengeful about the (relationship). I really, really despised her after that,” Devine said. “But the title is not nearly as relevant to me now as it was back then. To me, it resonates a sentiment that everyone can relate to.”
Devine coins the band’s sound as “modern rock” and “very American,” saying the term “alternative” doesn’t describe its musical style.
“I’ve heard people compare us as a cross between the Cure and the Smashing Pumpkins. It’s kind of accurate but it doesn’t tell the whole story,” Devine said. “The best way I describe it as a hybrid of all the influences I have from growing up.”
Devine credits bands such as the Cure, the Smiths, Depeche Mode as influences on his music.
Kill Hannah – with its current lineup of Dan Wiese and Jonathan Radtke on guitar, Greg Corner on bass and Garret Hammond on drums – has persevered through the trials that go along with any band trying to flourish under the mainstream spotlight.
Now a member of the Atlantic Records family, Devine reminds himself that the struggle for success is not over.
“People misunderstand what it means to sign with a major label. We always understood that statistically getting signed doesn’t guarantee anything,” Devine said.
In the early years, the band released independent albums and performed a series of concerts at local venues, including The Metro, 3730 N. Clark St. In 2003, Kill Hannah’s single “Kennedy” was ranked second on radio charts, prompting Kill Hannah to tour the country and reach out to fans outside of the Chicago area.
“We never for a second rested,” Devine said.
Devine said the band’s members still act as their own street team by designing their own flyers and passing out stickers and flyers at performances. Devine also writes entries for fans in an online journal.
“That kind of work ethic has proven to be vital for the rise of the band,” Devine said.
Devine recalls how he and other band members stood outside in the rain passing out flyers and how some people would throw the flyers back in their faces.
“From having no fans to playing at the Congress Theatre … we don’t take that for granted,” Devine said. “It’s very nice to take a second to reflect on that.”
Their tactics are “not original,” he said, alluding Motley Cr