Kill Hannah is Chicago's favorite band contest winner

Kill Hannah is Chicago's favorite band contest winnerFirst off, my friend Jyn Radakovits is the Kill Hannah Examiner, bookmark her or subscribe for the latest KH news. She has the KH band members phone #s and texts them for updates (and no, you can't have Mat's number.)

Last week I held a contest to find the most popular band in Chicago. I sure found out which band has the most active fans! Kill Hannah won, almost doubling the votes of runner up, Black Actress. They won due to the Kill Hannah Kollective, a fan site that is very active and well organized. Someone posted a link to the contest there and instantly they filled the comments with votes. I must admit that I sent them a message, but I also sent emails to Smashing Pumpkins' fan sites(no response at all), and direct messages to every Chicago band I could think of on Facebook, MySpace and their own sites. The Kill Hannah Kollective defeated everyone!

Kill Hannah was formed by lead singer Mat Devine in 1993 and have slowly gained a following in the US and Europe. They have opened for Jane's Addiction, Everclear, Eve 6, Mindless Self Indulgence, 30 Seconds To Mars, and The All-American Rejects. They are on tour now with Smashing Pumpkins. Current members are Devine, Dan Wiese, Greg Corner, Elias Mallin, and Michael Maddox. Their fans are so loyal because besides their musical talents they are simply really nice accessible guys. Every year in Chicago they have a Christmas show, New Heart for Xmas. I went to one in 2008 at Sub-T on North Ave. and the place was packed, more than sold out. These guys spent hours hanging out with fans, signing anything and everything, and taking photos with them at a meet and greet before the show.

Their music is memorable, Alt Rock, heavy on guitar affects and Devine's vocal piercing all. It's a very tight band that grabs the audience wherever they play and doesn't let them go. They are the only band I know that has laser beams on their frickin guitars!

They are in Chicago on July 27th for a sold out show at Metro with Smashing Pumpkins, then they are back here August 22nd at the Hard Rock Hotel. Both shows are fundraisers for Matthew Leone, an injured Chicago musician without health insurance.

First, a promised video and then more photos below in the slideshow...