Blind Adam and The Federal League

Blind Adam and The Federal League, Chicago’s own folk punk americana foursome with powerful lyrics and a serious punch of soul. The band is fronted by Adam Gogola, a young man living with a rare, degenerative optic nerve disease leaving him legally blind. The nickname was given to him by his good friends in The Bouncing Souls when they embarked on a 1,000 mile motorcycle ride together years ago. Using it as a bit of inspiration, the band have been playing ever since and making waves in the punk scene. Full of gritty, soulful punk roots with Bruce Springsteen chutzpah, the band hold rustic, rock forward melodies.

Featuring special guest, Matt Pless. Combining elements of folk, punk, hip-hop, pop and roots rock, Matt Pless can lyrically turn a phrase with the best of them. He has been compared to some of the top songwriters of our time, including John Lennon, Paul Simon, John Prine and Bob Dylan. Known for his engaging, thought-provoking, witty, word labyrinths, his music spans topics from love and loss to social commentary, to ethereal train of thought abstractions and everything in between.​Matt’s DIY work ethic has seen him tour the US many times playing coffee shops, clubs, basements, living rooms, sidewalks…wherever there are people who want to hear his music. Along the way he has managed to share the stage with Maroon 5, Fallout Boy, Ani DiFranco, Rilo Kiley, Alkaline Trio, NOFX, Arlo Guthrie, Bad Brains, the late Pete Seeger and many others. Matt was the inspiration for Occupy This Album which grew out of the Occupy Wall Street movement, and both wrote and performed the opening song for the compilation. This disc combined both well-known and unknown artists and featured Jackson Browne, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Yoko Ono, Willie Nelson, Deborah Harry, Loudon Wainwright III, Arlo Guthrie, and many others.
A consummate performer with a high-energy stage presence, Matt’s universally relate-able songs will make you tap your foot, and ultimately tap your mind.