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Big Sky Stringband
Folk Rock / Americana / Jam Band

"A new generation of Americana music"

Chicago, Illinois
United States

Profile Views:  19678




Last Login:  7/6/2008
View My: Pics | Videos

   Contacting Big Sky Stringband

 MySpace URL: 
  http://www.myspace.com/bigskystringband  

   Big Sky Stringband: General Info
Member Since9/13/2005
Band Websitebigskystringband.com
Band MembersJay Stanek - Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Banjo
Chris Meier - Vocals, Mandolin, Acoustic Guitar
Brandon Cochran - Vocals, Electric Guitar, Slide Guitar
Dick Mallory - Fretless Bass
Zach Malasto - Drums
InfluencesDavid Grisman, Grateful Dead, Sam Bush, Greg Brown, The Band, The Newgrass Revival, John Hiatt, John Prine
Sounds LikePerhaps the fifth or so best folk-rock band in the Midwest.
Type of LabelNone





   Upcoming Shows ( view all )
Jun 27 2008 8:00P
Ed & Joe’s Tinley Park, Illinois
Jun 28 2008 12:00P
Lakeside Festival Crystal Lake, Illinois
Jul 2 2008 7:00P
Woodridge Park District Woodridge, Illinois
Jul 12 2008 3:00P
5th Annual Barrington Brew Fest Barrington, Illinois
Jul 19 2008 8:30P
Onion Pub & Brewery (FREE) Lake Barrington, Illinois
Jul 27 2008 2:00P
Taste of Lincoln Avenue Chicago, Illinois

Big Sky Stringband's Latest Blog Entry  [Subscribe to this Blog]

Official Taping Policy  (view more)

Setlist: Summer Solstice Celebration 6/21/08  (view more)

Setlist: Wise Fools Pub - 4/26/08  (view more)

Setlist: 2/16/08 - Onion Pub, Lake Barrington, IL  (view more)

Setlist: 2/9/08 - The Highdive, Champaign, IL  (view more)

[View All Blog Entries]

   About Big Sky Stringband
The Big Sky Stringband performs a broad collection of original American roots music and unique covers. Founded by Jay Stanek (acoustic guitar/vocals) and Chris Meier (mandolin/vocals), the band builds a new generation of folk rock music around its core strengths: solid songwriting and textured grooves.

Initially formed in Champaign, Ill., in 1997, by current members Chris Meier and Jay Stanek, and former members Dave Johnston and Ken Wilson, the group played a limited number of shows around Champaign before Johnston relocated to Colorado to start Yonder Mountain String Band, and Meier and Stanek returned to their native Chicago. The latter duo continued to play as Big Sky Stringband, and in 2001 expanded the line-up to include drums, electric guitar, and bass.

The band concentrates its efforts on creating energetic and diverse shows that span the musical landscape from folk, rock, blues, and country to funk, jazz, and bluegrass. The quintet of Meier, Stanek, Brandon Cochran (electric guitar/vocals), Zach Malasto (drums), and Meier’s father-in-law, Dick Mallory (bass), create a unique form of roots music. With train wrecks, clotheslines and broken fences as the backdrop, the group weaves stories of mill workers, first loves, and mine fires into a tapestry of Americana. But these songs are more than a glimpse at American life, they are the quest for the American Dream embodied in song.

In 2005, Big Sky Stringband released Flyin’ Blind, a live album featuring 12 original compositions and the band’s distinctive take on 2 traditional songs. The collection highlights the energy of a Big Sky show and features the looseness that defines the Big Sky sound. Available for purchase at iTunes or CDBabyhe album’s release was celebrated at Chicago’s musician’s heaven, The Hideout, in August 2005.

The band’s song “Centralia,” a straight-ahead bluegrass chronicle of the real-life underground mine shaft fires that caused the evacuation and near-condemnation of Centralia, PA brings perspective to the heartbreak and helplessness of the city’s citizens. The song’s dead-on message and easy hook have been featured in documentaries on both PBS and NPR.

In February 2007, the band released Turning of the Wheel, a six-song EP, and the band’s first proper studio release. Recorded at SHIRK Music & Sound in just four, four-hour sessions, the EP features the band’s take on jam-rock (“Slow Train”), folk (“Eric Heywood”), folk-rock (“Dialog with John”), hillbilly surf music (“Sherman Hemsley”), country (“Get Down Boys”), and eclectic bluegrass (“Rich Koz”). For a limited time, Turning of the Wheel is available at live shows or through iTunes, myTracks and CDBaby.com.

The EP's song "Slow Train" was featured on Coke's entertainment site during the summer of 2007. Increasing the band's exposure to a national and international audience.

Capable of a variety of live settings and situations, the band has performed shows in Michigan, Wisconsin, central Illinois, and at venerable Chicagoland venues including Martyr’s, Cubby Bear, Kinetic Playground, and Wise Fools Pub, and performed multiple sets on the 2006 Chicago Auto Show’s Emerging Artist Stage. The band has headlined the past four Barrington Brew Festivals, and performed at other outdoor festivals throughout Chicagoland including the 2007 Sheffield Garden Walk. Dynamic and powerful, these live performances cause the audience to get caught up in down-home Midwestern music. The stage presence displayed from the outset entertains the listeners while the Stringband lays down songs that captivate the audience and make them feel like they could be characters in each song, in each story, in each truly American moment.

The band has shared a stage with Sam Bush, Backyard Tire Fire, Leadfoot String Band, Two Cow Garage, Greensky Bluegrass, Cosmic Railroad, Covert Operation, Woodbox Gang, Devil in a Woodpile, Ruby Harris, The Station, Michael Glabicki (of Rusted Root), Catfish Haven, Tangleweed, Indigenous, The Otis Problem, SLM, Cowboy Mouth, Trampled By Turtles, Katie Todd, Bill Smith, The Super American Happy Fun Good Time Jamband, and many other stellar bands.

View Big Sky Stringband's EPK      Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting      myTracks.com    




For Booking Info Contact:
Jeff at info@bigskystringband.com or send a MySpace message


   Big Sky Stringband's Friend Space (Top 12)
Big Sky Stringband has 1861 friends.
 Jay Stanek 


 The Otis Problem 


 BiG D!G Productions & Design 


 Jason 


 Cosmic Railroad 


 Pam 


 Sunshine Sandy 


 Rich Koz 


 Spinal Tap 


 The Kinetic Playground 


 Chicago Acoustic Underground 


 FRANKLIN 





Big Sky Stringband's Friends Comments
Displaying 50 of 298 comments  ( View All | Add Comment )
Diane





Jul 4 2008 12:33 PM

Happy 4th! Also Thx fo the add, looking forward to seeing u guys in Barrington ;)
Sylvia - Whorn.com & F3Studios.com





Jul 3 2008 7:25 PM

4th july
Ros@





Jul 3 2008 9:04 AM

Sending lots of love
Rose-Marie, Belgium
Fluffdog





Jul 1 2008 2:22 PM

Anyone out there need any Graphic Design work done? Posters, business cards, wedding invitations, baby announcements, photo restoration, promotional materials, manipulations, magazine ads, newspaper ads, custom myspace posters, etc..........? Get a hold of me!!!!
www. myspace. com/fluffdog50
Here are some samples of my work.





Photobucket


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¤Mary¤





Jul 1 2008 9:22 AM

Glitter Graphics
Flower Magnolia ((the China Cat Sunflower))





Jun 30 2008 3:00 PM

Love the music! Thanks for the add :)rainbow
CHICAGO PEACE FEST II





Jun 30 2008 7:47 AM

The Great Chicago Peace Fest will be back next year around the same time. I will keep this profile to notify you of other Chicago Music Events. Watch for my bulletins.
Peace,
SHAG
CateYes





Jun 30 2008 6:50 AM

thanks for finding me, i love you guys already! you're in my top friends.
The Stretch





Jun 17 2008 5:43 PM

The Wrecker Brothers





Jun 17 2008 11:04 AM

Photobucket
♫ Dishpan Ashley





Jun 10 2008 12:30 PM

You have my vote guys ♥
Strip Mines Music Festival





Jun 9 2008 8:00 PM

Photobucket

Come vibe with us...Music is the fire that binds us together...love light & lunacy...dreadx
Family Groove Company





Jun 9 2008 1:15 PM

Hey guys – Just stopping by to invite you to our Martyrs’ show this Friday June 13th.
We’ll be joined by hometown friends, 56 Hope Road and Eli Jones, and we’ll also be giving away tickets to The Lazy River Music and Arts Festival! It’s our only hometown appearance on the books for the summer, so we hope you can join us for this great night of Chicago music!

You can also catch us at a number of Midwest festivals this summer, from Minnesota to Iowa to Ohio and points in between.
Visit our myspace page or website for all the details!

SHIRK music + sound





Jun 9 2008 7:33 AM

Stopping by to say hello. Hope you guys are all doing well and enjoying the first bits of summer. Give me a call if you guys are ever in the neighborhood. We moved the studio to Green St. (Near Chicago and Halsted)

Talk soon.

Shirk
I-GO





Jun 8 2008 10:10 AM

Thanks for entering the I-GO Audio Emissions contest. Tell everyone to go to the website before June 14th to vote for you! www. igocars. org/igoaudioemissions
FIGHTIN' IRISH





May 26 2008 10:43 AM

Image and video hosting by TinyPic
Sunshine Sandy





May 26 2008 10:39 AM

Hey Now...I see you will be joining us for the Summer Solstice Celebration....RIGHT ON!!! It will be good to see ya'll again...it seems like I can never get down there...
tisadaydream





May 25 2008 10:53 AM

Hey Big sky st.., I just bought you on Buy your Friends.

Follow the link below to see how much you're worth:

http://profile. myspace. com/Modules/Applications/Pages/Canvas. aspx?appId=107717

Oh and to the fans out there, buy Big sky st.. and show some love!!!



-------------------------------
This comment was sent by your friend via the Buy Your Friends application. To block comments sent via Apps.

click here.


Pam





May 22 2008 9:00 AM

btw very interesting take on cuckoo... nice
Pam





May 22 2008 8:46 AM

yay!!!
Sunshine Sandy





May 12 2008 10:01 PM

hey, you gotta see this awesome site for building your own south park cartoon

CLICK HERE OR GO TO   WWW.CUSTOMSOUTHPARKS.COM.COM   FOR A MYSPACE CHARACTER
Some Kind Of Jam 89.1fm WIDR





May 10 2008 9:13 AM

Played one of your tracks on this week's show.
Heads nodded.
Feet Tapped.
Booties Shook.

Check the blog for more info.

Cheers,
DJ Pretentious

5. 8. 08 1st Hour (Ultraviolet Hippopotamus Interview)


5. 8. 08 2nd Hour


Some Kind of Jam
WIDR Website
Family Groove Company





May 8 2008 8:59 PM

Hey guys – FGC’s rockin’ the ’burbs the next couple weekends, with a free outdoor show at Northwestern in Evanston this Sunday, and a performance at the Clearwater Theater in West Dundee next Friday, where we’ll be giving away tickets to Summer Camp Festival! Hope to see you out at the shows!

Pam





Apr 23 2008 9:00 PM

oh dear... that sounds unfortunate

i vote for a convienently timed and located show in chicago over the summer... or in champaign.. champaign is hoppin in the summer...
THE RAVE JAMS, Milwaukee, WI





Apr 23 2008 11:19 AM

THE HIVES
Sunday May 18th - 8:00 PM
At The Rave / Eagles Club

Milwaukee, Wisconsin


Click the poster below for more information & to view our whole Spring Concert Calendar


The Stretch





Apr 20 2008 11:40 AM

We're playing with 4 other bands at The Kinetic Playground on April 26th and the band with the most fans in attendance that night get's to play at 10,000 lakes! So now we need your help. If you only can see us once this year, make it this show. We're the last band to play,but get there early to make sure you get in!



And check out the review of our debut album, "Volume & Verse", in the April/May issue of Relix Magazine, on news stands now!
Sunshine Sandy





Apr 16 2008 6:26 PM

Hey you guys...We hope to be comin' down this weekend :) I need to see some live mucic in a BAD way.....
Blue Ribbon Jug Band





Apr 15 2008 11:18 AM

opening for sexfist tonight at the redline tap!
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Family Groove Company





Apr 3 2008 8:54 PM

Hey guys – FGC is getting down at the House of Blues next Thursday with Victor Wooten! It’s our first Chicago appearance of 2008 and we can’t wait to throw down at one of our hometown city’s finest venues. Hope to see you there for this awesome event!

In other news, you can catch the band at a number of great festivals this summer, including Summer Camp, Wakarusa, and 10,000 Lakes Festival.
Swing by our MySpace page for all the tour dates!

The Stretch





Mar 27 2008 2:16 PM

Jay Stanek





Mar 11 2008 7:23 PM



Big Sky Stringband's very own Jay Stanek will be playing a special acoustic show at 3rd Coast Cafe & Wine Bar in Chicago this Friday, March 14. This show will feature songs from Jay's new album, 1140, mixed with a handful of covers and songs from both his bands, Big Sky Stringband and The Otis Problem. For much of the show, Jay will be accompanied on piano by Mark Lawrence.

Show Details:
Date: Friday, March 14, 2008
Place: 3rd Coast Cafe & Wine Bar
Address: 1260 N. Dearborn, Chicago, IL 60610
Time: 8:00 p.m.
CaMpOuT rOOts Festival and Gathering





Mar 11 2008 7:33 AM

You guys have always been such great people!
Jonny K





Feb 14 2008 9:05 AM

Great Show the other night. I forgot to post this before.
Pam





Feb 13 2008 10:15 AM

hmm. and indianapolis show. you know what is just 2 hours away from indy? chambana.... just sayin...
Pam





Feb 9 2008 12:45 PM