Photo Gallery: Summer School ‘26 at House of Blues • Chicago

Brassneck | July 17, 2026 | 0 Comments

Summer School ‘26

House of Blues

Chicago, IL

July 16th, 2026

Recap and photos by Curt Baran

Since its inception in 2024, the Summer School tour has been a platform for emerging bands to showcase their talents and collaborate on the road. The tour thrives on musical diversity and unpredictable performances, much like a punk pop band camp.

Now in its “Junior” year, the tour made its way to Chicago’s House Of Blues, featuring a half-dozen bands. The primary objective of the tour is to nurture talent, foster community, and provide affordable ticket prices for the audience. The evening commenced with performances from Guardrail and Chase Petra, with the latter even engaging the crowd by crowd surfing over the barricade during Winona Fighter’s set. Games We Play maintained the high energy level with their self-deprecating humor.

However, it was the final three bands that truly demonstrated their exceptional talent. Winona Fighter continues to be one of the finest live bands of the moment. Lead singer Coco Kinnon’s performance was particularly captivating. During her band’s set, she openly shared her loss of a close friend, becoming visibly emotional. She channeled her sadness and anger into the rest of their set, creating a cathartic experience that amplified the already energetic performance.

English band South Arcade seamlessly blended trip hop with live instrumentation, creating an electrifying club-bumping atmosphere. The floor trembled under the weight of the dancing crowd. Honey Revenge concluded the evening with hard-edged dance rock, ensuring that the energy continued to flow. I eagerly anticipate witnessing the remarkable achievements of these bands in their Senior year.