Friday Night in the Sidebar w/ OTTER PETTER!

On Friday night in their Chicago home, Otter PetterMichael Pritchard on guitar and vocals, William Pritchard on drums, Nate Lindsey on bass, and Hillary Stone on keyboards and vocalspresented Cobwebs, their latest EP. The record blends chiming, soaring indie rock with a measured pop sensibility, urging listeners to find hope amid daily darkness through melodic optimism that contrasts sharply with deeply human lyrics. After being selected by the Chicago Tribune for the Metromix Rock n Vote contest in 2008 and winning readers votes, they performed at Metro in Chicago. Their first full-length album Fireflies and Lamplights (2008) received glowing reviews, while the 2010 follow-up Nice Night for a Knife Fight broke into the CMJ Top 200 and was named one of the best Chicago records of that year by Huffington Post. Following the 2018 single Movies, they began new material; though pandemic delays slowed progress, Michael wrote songs in his basement while vaccines spread. The band eventually moved to Ft. Knox Studios in Chicago, where arrangements for many new tracks took shape. They later joined forces with Hillary Stone after meeting her at a gig she was playing with another bandshe filled the keyboard and vocal void they had felt. Together they crafted new arrangements until ready to enter Transient Sounds Studios with producer/engineer Steven Gillis (Filter, Los Lobos), who encouraged experimental approaches like alternative tunings, unique drum fills, and vocal arrangements that helped realize each songs potential. The resulting Cobwebs is a concise collection of earwigs marked by bittersweet introspection, designed to bring both joy and companionship. Listeners are urged to embrace the jubilant melodies and emotional responses because that reflects life itself. Free showreservations available through their booking system; walk-ins welcome if no table can be secured. Dinner is served at Babygold Barbecue. Limited street parking exists in the area; arrival by rideshare, bicycle, or rickshaw is recommended.