Uncommon Ground ^ The August

The August
A homegrown outfit out of the northern Illinois, the august began by accident. The band had grown up in and around small town Antioch, but strangely enough, it took each member of the band to leave home to realize the potential they might have of playing together. The august's initial performances were as nameless cover bands, with outside musicians coming and going, and playing only casually. However, it was during these formative years that the core of what was to become 'the august', was identifying their musical connection.

The trio was then led to a bigger gig with Chicago music veteran Herb Eimerman, playing the International Pop Overthrow, further harnessing the group's strengths of listening and playing off one another. In between playing out in the summers back from school, the band was found on weekends at the J&L Club, a hole in the wall polka bar, where they would indeed find themselves as musicians. It was around this time that the band 'the august' was initiated, polishing their songs in front of the live audience.

Playing essentially open-mic nights after the Saturday polka band, the group won the ears of the eccentric and the sometimes hard to please J&L regulars who have relentlessly followed the band up until their most recent show. Yet it was one fan in particular that caught the attention of the august, South African arm wrestling champion and multi-instrumentalist, Petey Kapp. Carrying a legendary reputation in and around those parts, Petey was asked by the band to play bass as well as adding a third harmony vocal. The addition of Petey on bass and vocals rounded out their live show and took them to their first gig as a real band, the opening act at the Beat Kitchen in Chicago.

Their first show was an overwhelming success which gathered a fanbase that led to bigger venues and bigger audiences, eventually a show at Chicago's Abbey Pub - a daunting task considering the reputation of the club and the history of the musicians whom have graced the stage.

Working their way through Chicago's premiere live music venues, the august is now booking a midwestern and east-coast tour.

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