The Locals

This year's line up showcases a slew of amazingly talented bands from Silversun Pickups to The Neighbourhood.

Representing great Chicago talent is the indie alt-pop band
The Locals.
I had the pleasure of seeing this three piece band play at the House of Blues and they rocked it.
Front woman Yvonne Doll, bassist Christy Nunes, and new drummer Tommy Oerding have powerful stage chemistry that captivates the crowd to not only be a fan of their music, but also look forward to seeing them perform live.

Previously being compared to bands like the Pixies and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, to me The Locals's sound would be the lovechild of Gwen Stefani and a 90's alt-punk band. They really have a stellar sound!

Check them out yourselves at Summerfest this
Sunday (June 30th) @ 4:30PM

The band is also set to release their new album later this summer. Be sure to check out their album SALT available now on Itunes. - Gypsy Rhapsody

The group's hardworking, road-dog ethic got it a U.K. tour around The Locals's; previous release, "Salt." For "Stereostatic Funicular," Doll picked up where she left off with "Salt," thematically.... - Chicago Tribune

Doll writes upbeat Pop Rock songs with great melodies and a dash of punk, but it's Doll's powerful,evocative voice that sets The Locals apart... - CityBeat

Chicago-based band The Locals will be headlining the 5/18 early show at The Vaudeville Mews with Wolves in the Attic, Satellite State, and Spidercake. With a UK tour under their belt and a new album (Stereotastic Funicular) due out early this summer, the trio is a not-so-local (to us) indie band you need to give a listen. (If that doesn’t sell you, Yvonne was recently featured on Guitar World Magazine’s ”10 Female Guitarists You Should Know.”) Show details: starts at 5:30pm, $5 cover, all ages. The band took a minute to talk about the hilariously awesome Raygun/Smash-esque story behind their band name, favorite shows, and fan stories.

What to expect:
Vocals: Leading lady Yvonne Doll takes on a more rock ‘n’ roll version of her spirit musician Karen O.
Guitar: Yvonne and Christy compliment each other well. The choruses rock and the guitar leads frolic one minute and take on a heavy bass line the next.
Drums: The drumming in the choruses is my favorite and much more than a background beat-keeper. Check out “Amnesia” off of their EP “Salt” for some awesome beats.

Band Bombshell: Describe your sound in three words that all begin with an L.
Christy Nunes (bass player): Loud, Luscious, and Leprechaun. The last because we’re all very short people.
Tommy Oerding (drummer): Likable, Lively, Licentious.
Yvonne Doll (singer/guitar): Wait, did Tommy just call our music is slutty? (Ed. Note: I think so.)

BB: Tell me a little bit about playing and recording without a label—do you guys ever wish someone would pick you up or have you chosen to take the completely indie route?
Tommy: Having a label has it’s pros and cons, and so does being independent. You just have to decide what is best for your direction. Being on a label can be great with support, management, and backing which means you can go a long way with the right deal. But being independent can grant you any decision you wish for whatever you may want to achieve with your music, which can also get you along way as well.
Yvonne: Yeah, right now the indie route is working out pretty well for us. Our goal is really just to be able to tour as much as possible, play for true music fans & make great albums. Whomever comes along that can help us achieve that goal we’d be open to it. Just has to be the right fit.

BB: Any crazy fan stories (good or bad)?
Christy: All of our fans are a bit crazy. We’ve got some good crazies and we’ve had our share of bad crazies. There was a guy in this small town in Michigan who liked us a little too much. This town, which we’ll let remain nameless, was so small that there really was only one place to have breakfast in the morning. When we showed up to the restaurant at around noon the day after the gig, he was there. He was all hopped up on coffee and went on to explain that he had been at the restaurant since 7am holding us a booth, in hopes that we would show up. He then went on to stalk us across multiple states, telling everyone he was our manager, and handing out his own fliers for each show, which I guess would have been fine if he wasn’t handing them out to people who were already AT THE SHOW.

BB: Where did you play your best show and who was it with?
Yvonne: We actually did our first UK tour in 2011. At the end of the tour we played a GOGO Music Fest (with Heather Peace, BETTY, and Uh Huh Her). It was POURING down rain and like 48 degrees, but there were people right up front singing along to our music during the whole set. That was pretty awesome!

BB: If you could tour with any musician in the world, who would it be and why?
Christy: I would love to tour with PJ Harvey, as I think she is an all around badass. I could see her being an interesting person to be hanging out in the bus with. My other choice would be The Joy Formidable, as they are one of my favorite newer bands and I think it would make for a great lineup.
Tommy: Any musician? It would definitely have to be Eric Clapton. That guy is a legend and I really love playing blues and blues/rock. After that I think I’d just move to a remote mountain somewhere and fish.
Yvonne: Silversun Pickups for sure. We actually got to meet them and they are super cool peeps. I really love their music, so that would be a blast.

BB: Do you have a favorite venue to play? Where is it and why is it so flippin’ awesome?
Christy: We’ve played all over the U.S. and I think my all time favorite venue is the original Southgate House in Newport, KY. Southgate was an old mansion turned into a music venue. They had a huge ballroom for large shows, as well as small stages in different rooms throughout the mansion. As a fan, you could just wander around and see bands playing on all these different stages in all these different rooms. If you didn’t find one you liked, you could go sit out on the front porch with a beer and relax. It was a fun and unique venue.
Yvonne: Well, in Chicago I really love playing The Double Door, the sound is great, the - Bandbombshell.com

"• Following live appearances earlier this week on Chicago radio stations WBEZ and WGN to promote their latest original music album, “Stereostatic Funicular,” regional pop-rock trio The Locals celebrate its release tonight (8/30) at The Double Door (1572 N. Milwaukee) in Chicago. “Come out and be in our new video,” urges guitarist Yvonne Doll. “We’re shooting still frames of people in ‘running poses’ to use in our new music video for the song ‘Running Toward the Sound’. We’ll have a photographer and a green screen set up.”" - Northwest Indiana Times

"It’s hard to believe alt-pop trio The Locals have been in the Chicago music scene and touring the Midwest for over 10 years now, but their maturity and chemistry shines through on their latest EP Stereostatic Funicular. The sound on these five tracks is as fun as the name, as front-woman Yvonne Doll’s vocals sweetly soar over simple melodic riffs. The Locals no doubt have borrowed from predecessors like The Breeders and Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, but they’ve managed to create their own unique sound that continues to earn the right to be heard. (localsrock.com)
– Carter Moss" - The Illinois Entertainer

Posted by WLUW 88.7 (Radioone Blog).

The newest EP by veteran indie rock/alt-pop band The Locals, produced by Steve Gillis at Chicago’s Transient Sound, is the curiously titled Stereostatic Funicular. According to the group’s PR, the title was inspired by a trip to Spain, specifically by the “stereostatic” chain models that Anton Gaudi created to calculate the height/width of each column of the Sagrada Famila and “Funiculars,” trams that whisk riders up to the tops of high mountains.

Stereostatic Funicular opens with “Running Toward the Sound,” a jangly throwback to the polished guitar rock of the 90s (think Belly and Juliana Hatfield), and “3 ” From the Floor,” which positively buzzes with sexy vocals, sinister bass, powerful drumming and one hell of a hook.

“Inventio” dips even deeper into the modern rock well, referencing Berlin and Missing Persons, although Gillis’ production is contemporary and the track will certainly appeal to fans of The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Metric. Penultimate track “Commerce” is just plain pretty in its lead-up to crunchy, guitar-driven power pop, while closer “Bellissimo” features backing vocals by Jason Narducy of Verbow and Bob Mould fame.

The Locals show a real knack for songwriting on Stereostatic Funicular that, when paired with the assured production and range of influences, results in something truly postmodern: something old, something new, something special.
- Radioone WLUW

Hey guys! I am happy to introduce you to The Locals, an alt-rock/power pop band from Chicago. The band consists of members: Yvonne Doll: Vocals, Songwriter, Guitar, Christy Nunes: Bass and Tommy Oerding: Drums. One of the reasons I wanted to introduce you to this band is the fact that bassist Christy Nunes has some portuguese roots, her great grandfather is from my lovely island, Madeira! :) Returning to the music.... they've just released a new EP, Stereostatic Funicular, which was produced by Steve Gillis. My favourite tracks are 3 Inches From The Floor, Inventio and Bellissimo, 3 great pop/rock tracks that remind me a bit of No Doubt. I can definitely picture Bellissimo being part of a movie soundtrack (I love that bass)! 3 Inches From The Floor has a very catchy chorus and I love Yvonne's vocals here! This is the best track off the EP! If you like The Pixies, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Whigs, etc, you will surely enjoy The Locals. - Caesarlivenloud.com (Portugal)

Listening to The Locals is like a breath of fresh air, even if that air was harvested from an early ‘90s alternative buzz. This EP is a quick listen and will sift through your pleasure sensories as fast as you caught word of this band. But that’s not a bad thing because listening to Stereostatic Funicular just leads me to want to check out their other releases offered on the band’s Bandcamp page.

The music is easy. The songs, a mixture of taunting defiance and emotional contemplation, it never gets sappy, nor does it get cocky. Yvonne Doll espouses enough restraint to allow room for listener interpretation. What you get out of it all is a feeling of pure unadulterated rock pleasure.

I have to say I really like what The Locals are doing. It seems like their music would be fun to transcend into a live setting, and a band like this has potential with an already solid foundation. Depsite being surrounded by hipster motivations, what this band does best is ignore popular vote and create solid alternative rock the Midwest has to offer.
- Selective Memory Magazine

From Chicago comes new music from the alternative pop band The Locals and singer/songwriter Julie Meckler. The Locals recently released their latest five-song EP entitled "Stereostatic Funicular." Right from the opening song "Running Toward The Sound," you instantly notice the pop-punk lead vocals of singer Yvonne Doll. Her voice is so fun and the music is very up-beat and infectious that you find yourself grooving to the quick pace of "Inventio." The album closes with the big guitar rock of "Bellissimo," which should make mainstream radio take notice of The Locals.

The band has half-a-dozen dates lined up, beginning with the Indie Rock Invitational in Michigan at the end of the month. To find out more about The Locals, please visit localsrock.com.
- JP Music Blog

Watch The Locals Appearance on WGN - WGN Midday News (nationally broadcast)

Chicago indie rock trio The Locals never give up. They have been in the music business for two decades, performing up beat rock songs about halfway PJ Harvey and The Shirts. Their new EP Stereostatic Funicular takes its name from a measuring device created by fabled Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi which he used when he designed the Sagarde Familia, and the trams that climb the hills in Barcelona. It's an apt title for a well balanced quintet of songs. Lead singer and guitar player Yvonne Doll takes the musical risk, dropping in an out of the rock solid back beat provide by Christy Nunes (bass) and drummer Tommy Oerding.

Pretty basic stuff as whole musically, but their lyrics run deep with unexpected poetic twists. Not that many bands write a song like Inventio about a ménage à trois with the Ocean, The Moon and the Sun as consenting participants. - Here Come the Flood

While style changes have earned the band new fans at every turn in their development, on thing has remained constant – singer/songwriter YVONNE DOLL’s penchant for penning songs that are clever both lyrically and musically. With NUNES and SNEDEKER giving DOLL’s songs the perfect launch pad from which to take off from and production from STEVEN GILLIS (drummer for FILTER), The EP ‘SALT’ will have listeners craving more than four exceptionally crafted songs. - Rockwired Magazine

While style changes have earned the band new fans at every turn in their development, on thing has remained constant – singer/songwriter YVONNE DOLL’s penchant for penning songs that are clever both lyrically and musically. With NUNES and SNEDEKER giving DOLL’s songs the perfect launch pad from which to take off from and production from STEVEN GILLIS (drummer for FILTER), The EP ‘SALT’ will have listeners craving more than four exceptionally crafted songs. - Rockwired Magazine

The Chorus from Away from Here is Epic (tweet) - MTV.com

Trish Bendix and I were very pleased to be able to go to the CD release party for my friends and rad music makers The Locals last Friday. They’ve got a polished rock sound and can even play through a show with two women making sweet, sweet love on Yvonne’s foot as she was singing and playing guitar. If that isn’t grace, I’m not sure what is. - AfterEllen.com

When the guitar starts up on Chicago-based indie rock group, The Locals', new EP, "Salt", one immediately has flashbacks to the early, pre-sellout days of punk group Blink 182. This rowdy sound that opens the first song, Sound it Out, quickly gives way, however, to a far more complex mix of beats (think 90s ska meets contemporary alt rock) that makes this track a standout. Unlike some current indie rock girls that scream to get our attention, lead singer, Yvonne Doll, grinds with the melody much like Gwen Stefani did in her early days with No Doubt. Doll's powerful, but not overbearing, sound gives Sound it Out a pop feel without losing its rock edge.

The next track, Amnesia, adds even more pop elements, but includes just enough punk to prevent the song from being saccharine. With nice guitar build ups and lyrics about moving on, this song is perfect to blast in the car with the windows down. Rounding out the EP are Everything Must Go and Away From Here, two songs that truly highlight Doll's smooth voice and vocal range. Singing about the "shoulda, woulda, couldas" on Away From Here, Doll proves she has the alt-rock style of singers like Karen O, but also exhibits a unique blend of sultry sounds that definitely sets her apart and makes this track noteworthy.

With a blend of old and new sounds and lyrics about letting go, the songs on "Salt" prove to be worthy contenders for Chicago indie anthems of summer '10.

Check out all four tracks from "Salt" on The Locals' website, www.localsrock.com. - TimeOut

If you’re searching for singer/guitarist Yvonne Doll and her band The Locals, you’ll find their website housed at localsrock.com. And they do. Rock, that is! Yvonne was one of the winners of a scholarship to the Women’s Summit sponsored by Dean Markley USA, and her obvious skill accompanied by a punky attitude is what sealed the deal.

Based in Chicago, Yvonne and The Locals have been dishing it out their own blend of indie-pop-punk-alternative-you-gotta-love-it special sauce since 1998, and they have a nice chunky local following to show for it. Their latest release is an EP called SALT that was produced by Steven Gillis of Filter fame.
- Guitar World Magazine

Yvonne Doll is adorable. There is not other way to describe it. Here is this tiny blonde, who could easily pass for the long lost fourth Dixie Chick, and has the most fitting last name of any woman in music. Then she starts to sing and you can almost feel the entire audience lean back in amazement of the shear power of sound emitting from those two tiny lungs. The result is mesmerizing.

Bassist Christy Nunes bops around stage with enough enthusiasm it is amazing she is able to keep her hands on her fretboard long enough to play the endless stream of catchy bass lines that she makes sound so effortless.


- Ellen Stendard

Anyone who's heard of the Chicago-based band The Locals won't forget that sound. ...they've got that Yvonne Doll singing her heart out like the babe from The Toxic Avenger Part 3.

Major airplay in Illinois and Ohio. Showcased at the Chicago New Music Festival, the Midwest Music Summit in Indianapolis, Indiana, the Atlantis Music Conference in Atlanta, George, and enough others to fill a press room. They've worked hard for the success.

No matter how long it takes to figure out, the music is immediately infectious. Unlike a lot of the modern major label bands, you can become a fan of The Locals with just a single listen to a single track.

Like most bands who live and die by the live show, their set is a mix of self-penned tunes and established hits. "We are an original band," says Yvonne, "but we'll throw in a couple of covers here and there to grab folks that may not have heard us before. "





- Ben Ohmart

The Locals, as individual performers, pack a lot of energy into the music that they play. No member leans on another for drive; each has enough energy to carry the entire show! Combined, they create an incredibly powerful live set that sounds much bigger than the lineup of players! It is a rich, full sound that makes you move. You just can’t help it!

- Mark Lush

"The Locals® shine strong on their new EP. Definitely one of the best things to come out of Chicago!" --Madalyn Sklar, GoGirlsMusic.com - Madalyn Sklar, GoGirlsMusic.com

"The new album is a very cool change..Lots of uptempo, good quality songs....great melodies and rhythms, songs that make you wanna tap your foot and sing along" That in turn is what made their performance in Cincinnati excellent...the new songs made the crowd move..there was excitement and positive energy in the room. The crowd loved them. I would check em out quick, before ticket prices go up, when they hit the national scene. No Doubt, look out..you've met your match...... Ken "Doc Diablo" Naegele Live City Licks,88.3 fm WAIF Cincinnati, Ohio - Ken "Doc Diablo" -WAIF 88.3 Cincinnati

"I got to run sound for The Locals®.... It was a total pleasure. Excellent music accompanied by extremely nice people. Thanks for being great to work with and for sounding wonderful." Matt, Shure Inc - Matt - Shure, Inc

"I was speaking at EAT'M on a couple of panels and listened to "Dear" on CD on the plane home. Incredible stuff! Favorite song on the 2-CD set. Wish I had the lyrics!"Emmett McAuliffe, Entertainment Attorney - Emmett McAuliffe

"Baby Buddahs and Little Einsteins" is the best Locals album yet. I liked this band the instant I heard them 3 years ago, and their sound just keeps getting better and better. If you have a chance to seem them live, you're in for a treat!"-Stephanie Kurtz; Producer "metromix: the tv show" - CLTV News - Stephanie Kurtz, Producer

"I loved their set! Very high energy, and very interesting!" Midwestbands.com, Mark Lush (on The Locals®' set at the Midwest Music Conference) - Mark Lush