Hailing from St. Charles, IL, Train Company will be preforming live on stage at Joe's Bar on Weed Street...

"Over the last two years, Train Company members John, Rob, Mark, and Mike have been throwing on their suits and loading their cars to play every possible show imaginable. Nothing has been off limits -weddings, bars, house parties, nightclubs; you name it, they've played it.

Needless to say, the beginning was rough. Coming from a small town like St. Charles, IL, the gig opportunities were very scarce, most of them unpaid. At the same time, most show promoters were not used to a well dressed act playing jazzy rock 'n roll music. With the current trends, they had no idea where to place a rock ‘n roll band with saxophones, flutes, clarinets and lush harmonies; all coming from four band members. So they played bars on weeknights. They played crummy venues. They played short sets, impromptu gigs, and even entertained for small crowds at their practice space. Still, the praise at the end of the night was always great. “You guys are fantastic!” or “Where did you come from?! You guys are going to be huge!” was always rolling from new fans after they played. Even when playing for half a dozen people, these boys have always played their hearts out.

As word began to spread in late 2008, the group began receiving offers for bigger shows with longer sets and weekend dates. At this point, the boys had finally scrounged up enough money to make a recording. When they stepped into the studio, the goal was not to make a demo. It was to make an album; something to show for their hard work and dedication to their music. The result was their debut album Train Company, a twelve song full length album that has all the energy and excitement of a young group, yet the restraint and subtly of seasoned veterans; a fitting mix considering John and Rob's self-taught rock 'n roll nature combined with Mike and Mark's extensive jazz training.

To capture that sound on their debut album, the group worked with Producer Patrick DeWitte of WTTW Soundstage (B.B. King, Tom Petty, Stevie Nicks). In June of 2009, the self released album Train Company appeared on iTunes with rave reviews and a five star rating. A month later, Chicago's 93.1FM WXRT began to take interest in the group and even began playing "Do You Really Wanna Know?" on-air. Show after show that summer, the group began earning tremendous hometown respect with a reputation for outstanding live performances. The summer of 2009 peaked with an electrifying sold-out night at Chicago's Cubby Bear Lounge in late July.

Now, for all their hard work, the sharply dressed St. Charles band Train Company has become one of the hottest underground acts in the Midwest. They've been featured on the radio (WXRT Chicago), played sold out venues, and even self-released their full length debut album Train Company, all without a recording contract. With another album currently in the works, and a packed show schedule at the same time, this is definitely one band to be on the look out for in the future."

-Jonathan Ranck