Copeland:
Somewhere between emo and indie rock lays Atlanta
quartet Copeland with a sound that equally recalls
the likes of Toad The Wet Sprocket, Matchbox 20,
Jimmy Eat World and Coldplay. The band released
its 11-song debut, Beneath Medicine Tree, in March
2003 on The Militia Group label. The band’s
track “Walking Downtown” has since found
considerable success on MTV-U, a music video network
available only on college campuses.
The band’s performance at Manifest marks its
second appearance in Chicago in the past month and
a half. In addition to their most recent tour alongside
Switchfoot and The Jealous Sound, Copeland has toured
 with
acts such as Watashi Wa, Mae and The Working Title.
The band also performed at this year’s South
By Southwest festival in Texas and is slated to
appear at the annual Cornerstone Festival in Bushnell,
Ill., in July.
Though originally scheduled for an early, May release,
Copeland’s all-covers EP effort titled Know
Nothing Stays The Same, is expected to hit shelves
in September. The five-song release will include
covers of Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel and Phil Collins,
Carly Simon and Berlin. The band’s cover of
Berlin’s smash hit, “Take My Breath
Away,” is surprisingly accurate: It’s
weepy, piano-laden and contains just the right pinch
of emo; needless to say, it tops Jessica Simpson’s
recent butchering of the classic make out song.
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Heiruspecs:
Minneapolis-based hip-hop five piece Heiruspecs
(pronounced High-Roo-Spex) has not only performed
alongside the likes of Jurassic 5, Sage Francis,
The White Stripes and Busta Rhymes, but they frequently
back up underground rap star Atmosphere when on
tour. Which is fitting, as the group’s brand of
new school hip-hop is intelligible and technical—a
far cry from the hip-hop currently occupying top
Billboard chart positions.
The band—which comprises emcees Felix and Muad’Dib,
bassist Sean “Twinkiejiggles” McPherson, keyboardist
dVRG and drummer Peter Leggett—lists everything
from 50 Cent and Mogwai to Eminem and Redman among
their favorite artists.
The group’s most recent full-length CD, Small Steps,
is an unpredictable and scatter-brained affair.
The band, who deem themselves “live hip-hop,” blend
together their varied influences into a digestible
and earnest standout rap record.
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Saraphine:
At present, Chicago’s Saraphine may be just
another promising local rock band. However, the
band’s hook-laden, emotive brand of pop-infused
alternative rock has already garnered them high-profile
gigs alongside everyone from Local H and Lucky Boys
Confusion to Butch Walker and Shiner, and with their
debut full-length set to be released in June 2004,
the stakes will only get higher.
Forming from the ashes of local bands 59fifty and
Special Order, Saraphine first came together around
four years ago. Since that time they’ve performed
on JBTV and WGN, and have distributed 10,000 copies
of their self-titled debut EP.
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