Julia’s War Took Over My Heart
Article by Ciara Rose Belfiore, cover photo by @/moneyshot4all on Instagram
Tomorrow Never Knows is a 5-day festival that showcases local and national indie acts across multiple Chicago venues. As a part of TNK fest, record label Julia’s War showcased a variety of bands for their “Julia’s War Takeover” at Schubas. Julia’s War is run by Douglas Dulgarian, lead singer of the band They Are Gutting a Body of Water. The takeover included a variety of genres from shoegaze, indie, and electronica, which reflects the eclectic taste of the label.
First up was Glaring Orchid, a shoegaze band hailing from Brooklyn. In 2024, the band released their debut album i hope your okay made up of many of the songs they played at the show. The alternating vocals of their singers provides an amazing depth to their music. Their flurry of distorted guitar was the perfect opener for the night.
Ruth in the Bardo delivered southern-influenced shoegaze in a stripped-down set consisting of electric guitar and cello. They played a variety of tracks set to be released in the future. It’s easy to be won over by Ruth in the Bardo. Their charming stage presence, melodies, and the fact that many of their songs reflect on real world experiences definitely made them one to watch.
Melaina Kol leans more on the pop side of the Julia’s War Lineup. Originating from North Carolina but now based in Nashville, TN, Melaina Kol is fronted by Logan Hornyak. Hornyak’s understated vocals combined with the, at times, electronic-sounding guitar effects call to mind electropop bands of the early aughts like The Postal Service.
Her New Knife is on the rise in the nugaze scene after spending this past fall touring with julie and They Are Gutting a Body of Water. Composed of vocalist and guitarist Edgar Atencio, guitarist Ben Kachler, bassist Carolina Schooley, and drummer Elijah Ford. Her New Knife isn’t just a good shoegaze band, they’re inventive as well. Utilizing a variety of effects pedals, and techniques that makes their music sonically unique. In addition to playing some unreleased songs they also preformed fan favorites like purepurepure from their 2024 EP chrome is a lullaby.
Hooky is a two-piece indie electronica duo made up of Sam Silbret and Scott Turner. A combination of auto-tuned vocals, electric guitar, and electronic beats. Much like their music, Hooky is high energy. While Turner played guitar, Silbret danced around, inspiring many of the audience members to dance too. The pair preformed songs from their 2024 album Mirage and as the night wound down it became clear that Hooky’s music is equal parts fun as it is sincere. Several audience members jokingly asked for “99 more songs” when it came time for them to finish their set.
Though the bands on the Julia’s War lineup may span across many different genres, they all have one thing in common. They’re unique, exciting, and many of them are on the rise. Not only is it incredibly cool to see so many up and coming bands, it’s also wonderful to watch the evolution of the Julia’s War lineup. Julia’s War has something for everyone, the angsty shoegaze listeners, the lowkey indie rock fans, and the people that just want to dance.