Madame Reaper w/ SSAANN, & Disposable Thumbs, & Orange Drink * September 29, 2024

The brainchild of singer/songwriter Kira Leadholm, Madame Reaper sets herself apart with angular synth-pop melodies, hyper-produced arrangements, and elaborate harmonies. Her unconventional lyrics and dominatrix persona offer a veiled critique of the way female performers are reduced to tropes, and of gender power imbalances in the industry and in society.

Throughout 2021 and 2022, Kira wrote, recorded, and produced the demos for her self-titled debut record. After receiving a generous grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, she collaborated with her band and other local musicians to re-record the tracks at Chicago’s Treehouse Records Studio. Max Grazier is mixing and mastering the record, which will be released in early 2023.

Madame Reaper’s Gentlemen’s Club, Kira’s nine-track debut record, hovers at the nexus of ’80s synth-pop, ’70s glam rock, and classical music. Inspired by the early work of acts like New Order, Depeche Mode, and Kate Bush, the record explores the possibilities of synths without sequencing and of blending electronic and acoustic soundscapes. Her theatrical vocals invoke the halcyon days of rock operas a la Queen or Sparks, while many of her instrument parts forego modern trends in favor of 18th-century classical composition.

A classically trained singer, Kira began studying voice and piano at the age of nine. She grew up participating in local competitions and theater productions, and composed music on GarageBand for much of her childhood. After singing in several acts as an adult, Kira decided to form her own project in 2021. She has also been studying audio production and works as a freelance mix engineer.

SSAANN is a Synth/Dreampop band from Milwaukee, WI.  Combining atmospheric guitar, lush synth, and echoey vocals, their atmospheric sound provides a sweet’n spacey escape. Influenced by Beach House, STRFKR, Patrick Watson.

Disposable Thumbs is a new power pop trio from Milwaukee that mixes elements of smooth jazz, shoegaze, and psychedelia to create tunes as bizarre as they are addicting. Expect a constant flux between jangly grooves and fuzzed out fury (with a good dose of phaser). They are currently recording their first EP!

Whether recording or performing live, Orange Drink plays music to find catharsis. Jumping from electronic rock to indie folk to videogame dance, the sounds and genres stay in flux, with the focus on delivering artful and entertaining ways to confront the anxieties of life as an outsider seeking community.

Door at 7pm, Music at 8pm, $12