WINDY CITY REV UPS

  • The "Windy City Rev Ups" music captures the classic sound of Chicago-style R&B fused with soulful harmonica and revved-up, guitar-driven rock n' roll. Their live performances are far beyond ordinary and well-suited for music lovers of all generations. They perform original songs, classic rock anthems, popular blues standards, and R&B hits that are guaranteed to get rock clubs rocking, blues joints smoking, and dance floors hopping.
  • THE "WINDY CITY REV UPS" HAVE A FOLLOWING OF DEVOTED FANS, FRIENDS, AND WORLDWIDE LISTENERS. THEIR IMPRESSIVE 20-YEAR RESUME BOASTS international tours and NUMEROUS AWARDS, INCLUDING CHICAGO'S BEST R&B BAND, BEST BLUES BAND, BEST BLUES DUO, AND BEST CHICAGO CD RELEASE. THEY HAVE RELEASED 12 ALBUMS, WHICH ARE CURRENTLY STREAMING WORLDWIDE IN OVER 50+ COUNTRIES.
  • THE "WINDY CITY REV UPS" HAVE YEARS OF HEADLINING PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE AT TOP ENTERTAINMENT VENUES AND POPULAR MUSIC FESTIVALS, AND HAVE ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES AS ONE OF THE MOST CAPTIVATING AND ENTERTAINING BANDS ON THE MODERN CHICAGO MUSIC SCENE.
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COMING SOON: 8/23 SQUIRE ALEHOUSE 1 PM-4 PM (HOOTENANNY BAND) 8/30 MULLIGAN HARBOR 1 PM- 4 PM (BAND) 9/3 ARCADA THEATRE 7 PM-10 PM (BAND) 9/6 BLUE CHIP CASINO 1 PM-5 PM (HOOTENANNY BAND) 9/11 HERITAGE BLUFFS GC 6 PM-9 PM (DUO) 9/12 BRINY SWINE 7 PM-10 PM (BAND) 9/18 HARVARD MOOSE FAMILY CENTER 6:30 PM (DUO) 9/20 AMERICA'S BLUES FESTIVAL, 2:30 PM-3:15 PM (DUO) 10/1 DES PLAINES THEATRE 7 PM-10 PM (BAND) 10/2 WEBER GRILL 6 PM-9 PM (DUO) 10/9 BOULDER RIDGE COUNTRY CLUB 7 PM (DUO) 10/10 BRINY SWINE 7 PM-10 PM (BAND) 10/23 BUB CITY ROSEMONT 9 PM (HOOTENANNY BAND) 11/14 BRINY SWINE 7 PM-10 PM (BAND) 12/12 BRINY SWINE 7 PM-10 PM (BAND)

EVERY SHOW IS A GUARANTEED NEW EXPERIENCE

WINDY CITY REV UPS

BAND DESCRIPTION & BIO

DESCRIPTION: The "Windy City Rev Ups" music captures the classic sound of Chicago-style R&B fused with soulful harmonica and revved-up, guitar-driven rock n' roll. Their live performances go far beyond ordinary and are well-suited for music lovers of all generations. They perform original songs, classic rock anthems, popular blues standards, and R&B hits that are guaranteed to get rock clubs rocking, blues joints smoking, and dance floors hopping. The Windy City Rev Ups have friends, fans, and listeners in Chicago and all around the world. Years of headlining performances at top entertainment venues and popular music festivals have made the Windy City Rev Ups one of the most entertaining bands on the Chicago modern music scene! The band has been performing together for over 20 years. They are based in downtown Chicago and have performed 1000's of live shows! Their first big break was when they were featured as an up-and-coming band at the 21st Anniversary Chicago Blues Festival, the largest free blues festival in the world. Since 2008, they have released 14 live, studio, and acoustic albums; 12 of these releases are streaming worldwide on every major online music platform, including Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, and CD Baby. Over the years, they have won numerous music awards, including the 2024 Chicago Blues Challenge Best Duo, Chicago's Best R&B Band, Best Blues Band, and Best Local CD Release. In 2009, they began performing monthly at the internationally known House of Blues in Chicago and have had numerous monthly residencies in Chicago, performing as an acoustic duo and live band. In 2017, the band toured Ireland, headlining at the 21st Annual Danny Boy Jazz & Blues Festival, Northern Ireland's largest 3-day music festival. Since 2018, bandleader Rich "Rev" has toured solo in Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, Iceland, and Portugal. The Windy City Rev Ups have hardly sat still since their early 2000s conception. They were born out of Chicago's modern blues scene, emerging as a popular club band to support the release of their debut album "Live in Chicago". Their collection of full-throttle guitars, rocket-fueled harmonica playing, and howling vocals helped them transition away from a traditional blues band, leaning towards a well-defined, super-tight blues rock and country act. As an ever-evolving ensemble, the Windy City Rev Ups have witnessed several changes to their lineup and musical direction since forming. The band's founding member, singer/songwriter Rich "Rev," along with a handful of steady musicians. In 2023, the current lineup began performing as "Windy City Rev & The Hootenanny Band" periodically at country western music venues. In 2025, they released a self-titled teaser EP featuring (2) songs, "Alley Cat Blues" and "After All The Things Are Gone". The lifeblood of the Windy City Rev Ups is their exciting live performances. On stage, the entire outfit fulfills the band's promise to make every performance a memorable new experience. Their dedicated following has helped them become one of the most in-demand bands on the Chicago music scene today. BIO: The Windy City Rev Ups are a premier Chicago-based band known for exciting stage shows. Their music blends traditional Chicago-style R&B, soulful harmonica, and guitar-driven rock 'n' roll. Founded by singer-songwriter Rich "Rev," this dynamic group has spent over 15 years tearing up the Midwest music scene. With more than 1,000 live performances under their belt, they regularly headline major festivals and iconic venues like the House of Blues Chicago. Their impressive discography includes 12 releases streaming worldwide, earning them numerous local music awards and building a highly dedicated global fanbase.

HEADING TO A VENUE NEAR YOU

The Windy City Rev Ups perform all over Chicago, USA and the world!
  • 12 records streaming worldwide on every major website, including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, CD Baby, and more.
  • Voted as one of Chicago's "Best R&B Bands," "Best Blues Bands", "Best Local CD Release," and "2024 Duet Winner of the Chicago Blues Challenge."
  • Every performance includes well-crafted "singer-songwriter" original songs!
  • 20 years of live performances, 50 to 100 live shows annually in thousands of USA venues, including overseas in Ireland, Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, Iceland, and Portugal.
  • Active on the Chicago downtown and suburban music scene, featured monthly at the House of Blues Chicago since 2009 (over 800 shows).
  • Milestone performances include Chicago Blues Festival, Taste of Chicago, Danny Boy Jazz & Blues Festival in N. Ireland, and 100s of Chicago-based festivals and concert series!
  • Shared the stage with the Charlie Daniels Band, Marshall Tucker Band, The Outlaws, Wishbone Ash, Night Hawks, Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater, Danny Seraphine "Chicago/CTA" and many more Chicago-area popular musicians!
Don't miss out, every show is a new experience!

2026 MESSAGE FROM THE BAND

  • THANK YOU - We appreciate our fans who attend the shows, and we appreciate our worldwide listeners in 50+ countries who download and stream our music. We are very thankful for the kind words you share with us at our live shows.
  • 2026 - Over 60 live shows to check out! Don't miss out on the very last of our legacy CD's; we still have a few left, and they go way back to 2008. Ask us for them at live shows! We have a fun year ahead with many concert stage performances for both lineups: (1) the full throttle rockin' "Windy City Rev Ups" band & duo, and (2) the country rock "Windy City Rev & The Hootenanny Band". Did you see the band open up at Des Plaines Theatre for Danny Seraphine (original drummer of Chicago and CTA)? Look for the band all over town, monthly at Briny Swine downtown, and the award-winning "duo" regularly at Moretti's and in the heart and soul of Chicago at the iconic House of Blues. We also have special performances at Gallagher Way, "Wrigley Field" (Home of the Cubs), Bub City Rosemont, and at Chicago's most iconic honky-tonk bar, Carol's Pub! Plus some new performance experiences at the historic Rosa's Lounge, one of Chicago's oldest blues bars.
  • 2025 - Check out the band's 4 new releases streaming worldwide. (1) WINDY CITY REV UPS - Acoustic Vol. 3, (2) WINDY CITY REV UPS - Acoustic Vol. 4, (3) WINDY CITY REV UPS - "Red, White & Blue" Live Bootleg (Single), (4) WINDY CITY REV & THE HOOTENANNY BAND - Heavier-sounding 2-song EP. This is a self-titled release under the band's alternative rock, country rock name "Windy City Rev & The Hootennany Band".
  • 2024 - This was an exciting year! Rich performed two shows in Iceland and made many new friends. The band started performing at country music-formatted venues, including the iconic honky-tonk "Carol's Pub" as a rock n' country western band performing old-school country hits and a mix of new originals as "Windy City Rev & The Hootenanny Band". The band showcased several new original songs at the notorious "Reggie's Rock Room"! In addition to performing at casinos and festivals, the band started appearing regularly at a new venue, "Briny Swine Chicago" in Lincoln Park, IL.
  • 2023 - Early in the year, "Rev" performed overseas in Portugal with wonderfully talented musicians! The band added new musicians to our line-up and started performing a few of our favorite Country & Motown tunes. Ask us to perform these new originals - Raised by Wolves, The Golden Years, I Thank You, and the extreme rocker, After All The Things Are Gone.
  • 2022 - The original line-up came back together and performed all over Chicagoland, more than 70 live shows.
  • 2021 - We released our 10th album, "In Motion", featuring the talented, great Chicago musician Dave Steffen on lead guitar. Please listen to our music online today and add it to your playlists.

SOCIAL MEDIA, STREAMING & fan club

  • iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music & CD Baby - 12 releases available
  • YouTube - 100's of videos, unreleased songs
  • Instagram - Band updates, new video clips & photos, instant messaging
  • Facebook - Tour dates, special events, last minute schedule changes
JOIN OUR NEW FACEBOOK PAGE - All performances are posted and "confirmed" on our Facebook page. Check us out daily on Instagram. Our YouTube videos are updated monthly. Since 2019, we've been streaming worldwide. Add us to your favorite playlist. Rock with us, listen to us and follow us!
AMERICA'S 250 BLUES B-DAY FEST
ITUNES, CD BABY & YOU TUBE
FORGE BEER & BBQ FESTIVAL
CHICAGO BLUES FESTIVAL
SPOTIFY, APPLE & MORE
ON STAGE WITH CHICAGO LEGEND MIKE WHEELER

DISCOgraphy

The Windy City Rev Ups are a Hitmaker Promotions indie recording artist. Check out their 12 online releases streaming worldwide. Download the Windy City Rev Ups music today and add them to your favorite playlist!
  • Live in Chicago (2008)
  • Swing Out Chicago (2008)
  • Rev It Up (2009) - Promotional Only
  • Live & Acoustic Vol. 1 (2011)
  • Live & Acoustic Vol. 2 (2011) - Promotional Only
  • The R&B Sessions (2011)
  • Rockin' at the Lake House (2012)
  • Live in Chicago II (2019)
  • Live at the Machine Shop (2020)
  • In Motion (2021)
  • Acoustic Vol. 3 (2025 EP)
  • Acoustic Vol. 4 (2025)
  • Red, White & Blue - Live Bootleg (2025 Single)
  • Windy City Rev & The Hootenanny Band (2025 EP) - Available online as "Windy City Rev & The Hootenanny Band"
2008 - 2021 WORLDWIDE RELEASES
  • 2025 - WORLDWIDE RELEASES

2026 GALLAGHER WAY, WRIGLEY FIELD STADIUM, HOME OF THE CHICAGO CUBS

The "Windy City Rev Ups" (6) piece band with saxophone headlined at Gallagher Way on Friday, July 17, 2026:
WRIGLEY FIELD ENCORE

2026 concert EVENT

The "Windy City Rev Ups" had several special musical experiences that included opening for Danny Seraphine (Original Drummer, Chicago & CTA) at the sold-out Des Plaines Theatre show in July 2026.

SPONSORED BY: OCEAN EYES SUNGLASSES

Since 2008, the Windy City Rev Ups have been proudly sponsored by Ocean Eyes Sunglasses.

2024 "winner" chicago blues challenge, memphis & kffa radio

  • WINNER - The Windy City Rev Ups won The Chicago Blues Challenge, sponsored by Windy City Blues Society, as a "Duet" featured at Buddy Guy's Legends. Rev & George traveled to Memphis TN, to compete in the International Blues Challenge, sponsored by The Blues Foundation in January 2025. The duo was featured on the King Biscuit Time radio show, performing live on KFFA 103.1 FM/1360 AM at the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, Arkansas. They visited all the popular sites and met many new friends & fans, Memphis is a music city!
  • IBC BIO - The Windy City Rev Ups sound transcends generational boundaries by fusing Chicago-style R&B with soulful harmonica and guitar-driven rock n' roll. Their repertoire features original songs. With two decades of collaboration, the band has established itself by performing thousands of live shows, including the Chicago Blues Festival, House of Blues residency, and headlining Ireland's Danny Boy Jazz & Blues Festival. Their discography showcases 8 titles streaming worldwide, with bandleader Rich Rev undertaking solo international tours to reinforce the band's status as a modern blues-rock innovator.

THEIR ENERGY ON STAGE IS AMAZING!

WINDY CITY "REV" ROCKIN' & ROLLIN' SINCE THE 1980'S
PERFORMING MONTHLY AT HOUSE OF BLUES CHICAGO SINCE 2009
  • 2004, 2010 & 2016 "REV" PERFORMING AT THE CHICAGO BLUES FESTIVAL
IPPERFORMING AT BUB CITY, JOE'S ON WEED ST. & JOE'S LIVE SINCE 2015
2017 HEADLINING THE DANNY BOY JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL, N. IRELAND
2018 "INTERNATIONAL CHICAGO BLUES GUITARIST AND HARMONICA PLAYER" LIVE IN HONG KONG, CHINA
2018 PERFORMING AT THE WANCH IN HONG KONG, CHINA. FEATURED ON HISTORIC MUSICIAN "WALL OF FAME"
2022 HEADLINING AT THE BLOODY MARY FESTIVAL - HIGHWOOD, IL
2022 FEATURED ACOUSTIC ARTIST LIVE AT FITZGERALD'S - CHICAGO, IL
2022, 2023 & 2025 HEADLINING AT THE MUSKY FESTIVAL - CHICAGO, IL
2023 WINDY CITY REV UPS "DUO" LIVE ON THE BACKPORCH STAGE AT HOUSE OF BLUES CHICAGO
PERFORMING LIVE IN ALBUFEIRA, PORTUGAL 2023
WINDY CITY REV & THE HOOTENANY BAND 2023 DEBUTED IN 2023 AND CONTINUES TO PERFORM EXCLUSIVELY AT BLUE CHIP CASINO, SIDEOUTS, NIKO'S RED MILL TAVERN, BUB CITY ROSEMENT & CAROL'S PUB
2024, 2025, 2026 CAROLS PUB - CHICAGO'S MOST ICONIC COUNTRY MUSIC BAR
2024 "REV" IN REYKJAVIK, ICELAND PERFORMING WITH THE POPULAR BOOKSTORE BAND
2024 THE 4 PIECE BAND LIVE AT REGGIE'S LEGENDARY ROCK ROOM
2024 "DUET" WINNER CHICAGO BLUES CHALLENGE LIVE AT WORLD FAMOUS BUDDY GUY'S LEGEND'S
2025 THE R&B BAND LIVE AT HOUSE OF BLUES CHICAGO BAND
2025 THE "DUO" LIVE AT THE INTERNATIONAL BLUES CHALLENGE IN MEMPHIS, TN. SPONSORED BY THE BLUES FOUNDATION
2026 WINDY CITY REV UPS - LIVE ON THE MAIN STAGE AT THE DES PLAINES THEATRE
2026 WINDY CITY REV UPS - LIVE AT WRIGLEY FIELD STADIUM
2026 THE 5-PIECE BAND WITH SAXOPHONE LIVE IN THE SPEAKEASY AT THE DES PLAINES THEATRE
2026 LIVE AT THE HISTORIC ROSA'S LOUNGE WITH THE MILLION DOLLAR BLUES BAND
2026 WINDY CITY REV UPS "DUO" - HOUSE OF BLUES CHICAGO
2026 WINDY CITY REV & THE HOOTENANNY BAND - LIVE AT NIKO'S SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
2026 WINDY CITY REV & THE HOOTENANNY BAND - BLUE CHIP CASINO W/SPECIAL GUEST "MC"
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