Doors open at 8:00 PM, show begins at 9:00 PM.
Occasionally a band comes along that inadvertently casts a shadow on music fans and fellow musicians that lingers long after they have played their last show. Smoking Popes are that band, possessing a legion of fans and the outspoken praise of music luminaries like Morrissey, Fall Out Boy and Alkaline Trio. Wielding such musical influence after almost a decade of obscurity is remarkable, and their reunion in recent years in perfect proof that their sparkling lyricism and ineffable charm is still intact. Smoking Popes have been a staple in the punk and indie rock scenes since the 1990's, helping shape an entire generation of music fans and writing the book for Chicago's indie rock scene. They first burst onto the scene in 1991 and released several albums on various local labels. Over the years they toured with bands like Green Day, Jimmy Eat World and Goo Goo Dolls. To the shock of many, Smoking Popes decided to throw in the towel in late 1998, and go on an indefinite hiatus, but their die-hard fan base and underground popularity never faltered. After years passing by with little or no mention of another official Smoking Popes show, the band reunited for a show in Chicago in 2005. The highly anticipated performance sparked a resurgence of Smoking Popes fans, leaving the crowd yearning for new material. A live CD/DVD of this show was released and the band soon hit the road to the delight of fans (both old and new!) The band has triumphantly returned to the music scene with "Stay Down" - their first studio album in nine years. This album puts the band back on the map, with twelves songs that continues the Popes calling to create great pop-punk songs that will keep everyone singing along. The album was just released on July 8 on Appeal Records.
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