Board of Governors
Chicago, Illinois, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Board of Governors Rock Out “Like You Wanna Be” video…The video set in the West downtown area of Chicago was a great way of showing the city’s beautiful attributes while rocking on the corner…With so many videos these days being about bling or poppin’ bottles in the club, Board of Governors took the route of good old-fashioned music, real topics…The urgency to be yourself comes across nicely…with paused moments of lyrical content, and just drums and guitar-playing. - Music TAPP
These riff-driven rockers toe the line between ’90s alternative and modern power-pop. - MilwaukeeMag.com
BOG’s music is definitely full of energy and passion. Their music takes you back while incorporating modern musical elements that give it a fresh new spin. - Music Without Labels
When it came for Board of Governors to take the stage, the stage area on the main floor immediately swelled to capacity with excited fans ready to rock out with this band. Opening with a harmonizing aria of vocals full of melodic floetry, this band soon flipped the script and began the task of giving their fans one heck of rock show, blogspot readers. And what a show it was. This trio besides the wonderfully complementing vocal harmonies packed their headlining performance with plenty of fist-pumping, gritty Southern guitar rock. Out of very little, these three musicians created enough sound as if they were a four or five piece guitar rock band. And judging by the enthused reactions from their fans (espeically those by the front of the stage), this reviewer immediately knew this crowd was ready for all of the excitement and space-cadet glow of this BOG set complete with sequenced lighting effects for each song. So what makes this band so good to be asked to perform at this year's Summerfest (in Miwaukee) or I AM Fest (Aug 25th at House of Blues Chicago)? Well, honestly, this trio gives their fans a performance filled with simplistic views about the world around them without any added rock fillers or preservatives. Just pure alternative rock music that will chill and thrill your soul with excitement especially during the instrumental bridges where they soak the ears with plenty of twitterpating riffs or heart-pounding crescendo rises to then POW you with a blast of energetic momentum. Yes, it was that kind of show happening on Friday night, blogspot readers. Performing songs like Lines, Bleed, and Dirty, BOG wowed this reviewer with one powerful punch of original music after another which kept their die-hard fanatics screaming for more. Yet still, SouthSide was mainly fascinated by their infamous trio of vocal harmonies that melodically tames the wild rock side of this band. Amazing isn't it how vocals can do that and more to Board's core rock vibe? And it works too. The vocal melodies match the band's guitar sound offsetting (a little) hardcore rhtyhms ...not by much to turn them into a contemporary band but still retain that gritty Southern feeling. Even while taking the energy down a bit to highlight the vocals, Board still can retain that energetic momentum within the guitars with some dramatic pause to lure their fans into that build up of excitement found inside the twitterpating riffs. There are plenty of opportunies this summer to see this local rock the stage and SouthSide highly suggests attending their next performance. - Southside on the Town
Discography
Board of Governors (Summer 2011)
Dirty (Single) (October 2011)
Board of Governors Bleed EP (Winter 2012)
Photos
Bio
Board of Governors is a power-rock trio hailing from Chicago, IL. Their music is distinguished by energetic, riff-driven, modern hooks infused with a heavy vintage appeal. Raised on the West Coast, Trevor Hougardy owes much of his guitar and vocal influence to 90s grunge-rock from Seattle. On the other side of the spectrum, drummer John Marino gained popularity touring the punk-rock scene of the East Coast. Bassist Frey Brown, a Chicago native, grew up playing in and around the Midwest with jazz-rock bands. Their widely divergent backgrounds set off a strangely irresistible cataclysm of soundscapes, marked by defiant key changes, teasing lyrical hooks, and a unique hard rock sound that the press has labeled "hip shakin' and head-banging" as well as towing "the line between '90s alternative and modern power-pop."
Alongside writing, recording, and releasing three music videos, BOG maintains an impressive showing in the independent music scene, entertaining crowds at popular Chicago venues like the House of Blues, Double Door, Lincoln Hall, Schubas, and Martyrs. In addition, they've had the opportunity to play a number of world-renown festivals, including Summerfest in Milwaukee and the Independent Arts & Music Festival in Chicago. During the past year, their music has quickly spread throughout the country, causing a commotion in music blogs and the underground music scene. Some noted successes have included winning the 2011 I AM Fest Battle of the Bands competition, winning the Terrapin Idol competition, and having their debut music video, "Like You Wanna be" screened at short film festivals throughout the country.
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