CHIRP Night returns to The Whistler with live music by sponj and Slow Riser.

Join us for an evening where you can enjoy the music of CHIRP-curated local artists, Whistler cocktails, and the good feeling of supporting independent radio.

(10% of all bar sales benefit CHIRP Radio!)

sponj is two people and a drum machine. Formed in Chicago in the winter of 2023 by long-time friends, the band is made of a material-driven designer by trade, building beats that make us move, paired with the poetic vocals of a multimedia artist.

Using minimalist, potent synths and drums, and driven to compose textured compositions that don’t need to change to stay interesting, the songs combine disciplined restraint with deep emotiveness. The vocals are a collage of keen reflections and eavesdroppings gathered from experience, which tell stories of relative truth, humor, and all kinds of love.

The instrumentals and lyrics contain a futurism that is also nostalgic. sponj cites influences from many places and times, from 80’s Prog Rock and Pop, through 90’s Hip-Hop, to 00’s Ambient and Post-Wave. There is a connection to the past and unique present that makes sponj feel transportive yet familiar; sponj is an optimistic parallel universe for everyone.

Slow Riser is a Chicago-based dark indie-pop project comprised of two longtime musical collaborators, Ian Young and Claire Watkins (Scout Ripley, Morning Arms). On their nocturnal-themed debut album, 'Midnight Talks', the duo explores the ways age, mental state, season, and location inform our ever-changing relationship with the night. Underpinning their lyrical vignettes is a tapestry of reverb-drenched guitars, soaring strings, ethereal synths, and downtempo beats. The result is an emotionally and sonically dynamic album that occupies the liminal space between genres.

6pm doors / 8pm show / no cover / 21+