2022 Music Festival - Opening Night LIVE Concert

Friday, May 20, 2022
6:30 PM 11:00 PM 18:30 23:00

Madame Zuzu's 1876 1st Street Highland Park, IL, 60035 United States (map)

Google Calendar ICS

Bitter Jester Music Festival 2022

- Opening Night -

Performer and Judges Lineups & Bios

Do you enjoy great free concerts with free parking? Please consider supporting our volunteer-run non-profit music fest with a donation in place of a ticket. 🤟🏼🤟🏼

make a tax-deductible donation today!

NOTE: We are excited to announce a new exciting partnership with Madame Zuzu’s Cafe and will be hosting our 2022 OPENING NIGHT at their indoor venue to kick the season off! All other Friday concerts will be at Port Clinton Square.

May 20, 2022 Performers:

This Week’s Musical Acts in Competition:

• Joey Wilbur
• KANIN ELIZABETH
• Keep the Eleven
• MTN AIR
• New Age Americans
• What We Once Had

Bitter Jester Music Festival 2022 - Competitors Week 1

Featured Showcase Performers:

• PRIVATE SCHOOL (Showcase)
• SPARKY (Showcase)

Guest Artist:

• Jordyn Andrea (Guest Artist)

CHECK OUT THE BANDS BIOS!
On your phone? Click HERE to read band bios, otherwise look below…

Joey Wilbur

Joey is a seventeen year old singer/songwriter from St. Charles, IL. He enjoys playing his own music as well as covers at bars, restaurants, and festivals. He also enjoys performing in his school's choir and theater department. Stay tuned for an album release coming soon: "Hopeless (Romantic)." Check him out @onemangingerband.

KANIN ELIZABETH

KANIN ELIZABETH, a singer/songwriter, hails from Lansing, MI. Matt Bissonette, long-time bassist for Elton John says about working with Kanin: “The things that make Kanin stand out are her overall maturity and natural talent." Local press agrees: "We have selected KANIN ELIZABETH as the first new artist of 2022 to watch." – Local Spins *and* "It’s obvious she’s already developed her own brand of indie-Americana." – City Pulse

Keep the Eleven is a three piece garage rock trio from the Chicago suburbs. Their music is leading a brand-new resurgence of rock music that speaks to all generations. One critic writes: "The band as a whole has a youthful, casual vibe while at the same time clearly taking things seriously and bringing some very entertaining chops to the table.”

MTN AIR

MTN AIR is an indie-rock and synth-pop band from Madison, Wisconsin. The band is inspired by artists such as COIN, Andrew McMahon, The Wombats, and Foster the People. Led by singer and pianist Ryan Badger, the band consists of guitarist Tyler Armstrong, bassist Gray Frandy, and drummer Max Beardsley.

New Age Americans

New Age Americans (NAA) has been performing together for over eight years all across the Midwest. Repping both Chicago, IL, and Nashville, TN, they perform a wide variety of music (depending on the crowd) but their original music is considered Alt-Rock. NAA had to put their performing on a short hiatus due to COVID and school, but they're more ready than ever to hit the road again and hope you will enjoy the show!

What We Once Had

With an early 2000's pop-punk sound, Wisconsin's What We Once Had is sure to bring out the emo kid in you! Their heart wrenching choruses and upbeat melodies are guaranteed to get stuck in your head! Sam, Silas, Gray, and Max are here to perform... so be ready! And enjoy the show!

PRIVATE SCHOOL (Featured Showcase Artist)

PRIVATE SCHOOL makes music inspired by shoegaze, punk, indie rock, alternative rock, and doo-wop. Their music can be categorized as "loud, fun, and filled with energy." The band consists of Caiden Dohr on guitar & vocals and Tommy Oeffling on guitar & vocals. Both share songwriting credits and both have solo projects outside of the band.

SPARKY (Featured Showcase Artist)

Stylistically the music of SPARKY most greatly resembles Sidney Gish, Ballpark Music, Suzanne Vega, and Phoebe Bridgers. Everyone in the band has played their respective instruments since they were little kids, so it contains many sounds which the members grew up surrounded by. The songs are all written by band member Sadie, though everyone playing adds their own stylistic choices. SPARKY hails from the Chicago burbs.

Jordyn Andrea (Featured Guest Artist)

Jordyn Andrea is a singer/songwriter from Missouri. Jordyn’s style is pop punk and she takes inspiration from classics like Freddy Mercury, Elton John, The Beatles, and especially Billy Joel. Jordyn also takes inspiration from current artists like Olivia Rodrigo, Harry Styles, Conan Grey... the list goes on. She just wants to get the songs she hears in her head out there on stage for others to hear.