Back to All Events

Emporium Arcade Bar Hosts | Nasty Snacks with special guests Thinkin' Big


  • Emporium Chicago - Arcade Bar Venue 1366 North Milwaukee Avenue Chicago, IL, 60622 United States (map)

Doors: 9:00PM  |    Tickets: FREE  |   Ages: 21+ w/ govt issued ID

[ Nasty Snacks ]
[ http://nastysnacks.com/ ]

What's a Nasty Snack, you ask? It's Tom Selleck standing under a waterfall with a saxophone, eating a ham sandwich. It's Scooby Doo gnawing on a pair of rawhide drumsticks. It's that nasty groove brought to you by nine members of a Chicago funk movement that cannot be stopped! Drawing from influences such as Kool and the Gang, Lettuce, Roy Hargrove, Earth Wind and Fire, and Tower of Power, the Snacks have proven to showcase an explosive, horn-driven, pocket-slamming performance at each live show. With a chaotic balance of R&B grooves and freaky horn melodies, the Snacks have developed a sound acclaimed by most as "just nasty!"
Nasty Snacks is a collective of musicians featuring vocalist Catherine Poulos, guitarist Ryan Gac, bassist Martin Farrelly, guitarist Colin Fahey, drummer Keith Brooks, trombonist Alex Wasily, trumpeters Scott Hoecker and Caleb Mitchell, and saxophonist Sean Packard.

[ Thinkin' Big ]
[ http://thinkinbigband.com ]

Thinkin' Big is an 18-piece big band from Boston, MA, formed in October 2010. The group began for student composers and musicians to get additional performance opportunities. It has stayed true to its roots, and now showcases the vast compositional talents of band leader and trumpeter, Jonah Francese. What makes this group special is that it is a tight-knit musical family from Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory, representing some of the finest young musicians from all around the world. With styles ranging from funk to swing,to latin, Thinkin' Big's unique sound pushes the limit on traditional expectations of a big band, defying categorization to create a modern-day large ensemble that melds together 18 individual voices to form one united harmony.
Thinkin’ Big has performed throughout the Boston area at venues, such as Ryles Jazz Club, Johnny D’s, the Lily Pad, Kendall Square, the Atlantic Wharf, along with numerous appearances on the Berklee College of Music campus. The group embarked upon their first tour back in January 2013 to Toronto, Canada and Rochester, NY. Upon returning to Boston, Thinkin’ Big hit the studio to record their second album. In their quest to keep big band music alive, the group hit the road again in August 2013, stopping through Chicago, IL, Rochester, NY, Toronto and Montreal, Canada to play at the famous House of Jazz, the Rex, Melody Bar at the Gladstone Hotel, and more. Most recently, they opened for Jerry Bergonzi and George Garzone at the Lily Pad in Cambridge, MA.
The future looks bright for Thinkin’ Big, as they have just released their third album at Ryles Jazz Club in February. They are excited to return to the Zinc Bar in August and can’t wait for what the future has in store.