WHAT WE DO
Live Music For
Festivals
Fundraisers
Private Events
Municipal Concerts
Private Establishments
Mixtape Junkies is a dynamic live band experience that will fill your venue and dance floor with up-beat, energetic music for hours. Our Mixtape-era songs will have your guests singing and dancing along to favorites from the late seventies through the eighties.
We thrill our audiences by faithfully reproducing even the most challenging music, ensuring that what you hear is exactly the way you remember the song. We consistently get audience feedback like "Oh yeah, I LOVE that song!" and "you guys play awesome music that we just don't hear out there". From Dire Straits to Devo, Billy Idol to Billy Joel and The Cars to The Clash, our diverse sets bring favorites to life for everyone.
We understand you want a band that can entertain, engage and interact with your guests in a way that will set a positive vibe throughout your event. Mixtape Junkies measures success by ensuring that guests are excited to be at your event and are having a blast from start to finish. As a result, we are frequently invited back to venues. For bookings, please use our Contact Form and we'll be back to you quickly!
MEET THE BAND
Our Story
It started with an idea ...
Mixtape Junkies is a Chicago based rock band that prides itself on musicianship and a one-of-a-kind playlist. We grew up in the 80’s on a steady diet of the incredibly diverse music of the time. Many of us played those favorite songs while they were still on the Top 100 charts. Mixtape Junkies was formed with the idea of covering Rock’s “Mixtape era” (70’s-80’s), but we wanted to do it differently. We formed our identity by choosing songs that many other 80’s bands don’t (or can’t) cover. We thrill our audiences by faithfully reproducing even the most challenging music, ensuring that what you hear is exactly the way you remember the song. As a result, our music always elicits an “oh yeah, I LOVE that song!” response. We LOVE the look on people’s faces as they sing along with a favorite song they haven’t seen performed in years. Since our launch in 2017, Mixtape Junkies has had the pleasure of entertaining crowds all over Chicagoland, including Naperville’s Ribfest and Last Fling, The Bolingbrook (Roger C. Claar) Performing Arts Center, Naperville Municipal Band Shell, Morton Grove Summer Concert Series, popular west suburban clubs including Two Brothers Roundhouse, Ballydoyle Pub, Basecamp and more. In addition, Mixtape Junkies has played private engagements and charity shows. Whether you’re out to chill and listen or pack the dance floor, we have your music. Pause your mixtape, get out to see our show and enjoy singing along with your favorite iconic 80’s tunes!
Chris Brown
Lead Vocals, Percussion
Chris’ high energy charisma and performances ignite the stage. Before joining Mixtape Junkies, Chris had a decades-long career in a capella music, with hundreds of live shows and eight albums to his credit. Chris has a powerful vocal instrument and the skills to deliver everything from the growling rasp of Billy Idol to the shimmering falsettos of Supertramp and Sting. Chris is the only member of the band who still owns an authentic 80’s boom box. Favorite 80’s Band? Boston ‘76… I was still listening in the 80’s First CD/Album/Tape You Bought? First 45- Convoy - C.W. McCall First Concert? .38 Special/Ted Nugent Musical Hero? Phil Collins Favorite Movie? Blind Side What brand(s) of musical equipment do you play? ‘76 Ludwig Vistalite and Shure mics
Rocco Marcello
Drums
Rocco has been anchoring rock bands for more than 30 years. In Mixtape Junkies, he’s the absolute heart of the band, nailing his parts with astonishing skill and time. Rocco is a student of every song we play – ensuring that groove, feel and fills are true to the original songs. Rocco’s formal training shines through in some of the most challenging music we play. In addition to being a highly skilled drummer, Rocco also makes a mean pizza. Favorite 80’s Band? Toto - although not confined just to the 80's, I'd have to call the 80's their Golden Era First CD/Album/Tape You Bought? Pyromania/Def Leppard on cassette. First Concert? Billy Squier with Ratt opening Musical Hero? Jeff Porcaro Favorite Movie? WAY too many to mention - However, I do love a good quotable comedy though What brand(s) of musical equipment do you play? Sonor Drums & Zildjian Cymbals
Dave Benziger
Guitar, Vocals
Dave is an incredible guitar player, lending his talents to a number of great bands over the years going back to the early 90’s. Dave ensures that the guitar tones and solos are always spot on, pouring himself into every note. As a guitar teacher and music theory junkie, Dave ensures our arrangements are spot on. Dave’s guitar hero is Brian May (Queen) and Dave was a 2009 top 10 finalist in Guitar Player Magazine’s Guitar Superstar Competition. Favorite 80’s Bands? Journey, Asia, Rick Springfield, Van Halen First CD/Album You Bought? Whitesnake ("1987") First Concert? Rush (Garry Moore opening) Musical Hero? Tim Pierce (L.A. session guitarist - Rick Springfield, Goo Goo Dolls, and countless artists for the past 40 years) Favorite Movie? WAY too many to mention What brand(s) of musical equipment do you play Tom Anderson guitars (main), Ernie Ball Music Man signature models, Kemper amps
Paul Gere
Keyboards, Vocals
Paul’s formal training has served him well over 30+ years of playing in bands. Paul was playing 80’s hits on keys while they were still on the Top 100 charts. Paul prides himself on being a digital alchemist, mixing up exactly the right sounds and sonic textures for each song, ensuring that what you hear is what you remember. You may think he’s using a flux capacitor, but all of Paul’s parts are played by hand. Paul is a co-founder of Mixtape Junkies, along with Steve. Favorite 80’s Band? Tie: The Tubes, INXS First CD/Album/Tape You Bought? Supertramp Live in Paris First Concert? Journey “Frontiers”, 1983 (opened by Bryan Adams) Musical Hero? Tie: Howard Jones, Jonathan Cain Favorite Movie? Apollo 13 What brand(s) of musical equipment do you play? Korg Kronos 2 88, Yamaha MODX8, Radial Key Largo mixer/DI, EV ELX200-12P monitor, Apple iPad Pro 12.9 running Camelot Pro
Steve Schneck
Bass
Steve has been playing in bands since the heyday of mixtapes. Starting from prog rock and classic rock roots, he added jazz, gospel, and funk to his repertoire over the decades and draws from those experiences in his playing. Despite enjoying playing busy bass lines, slapping and tapping, Steve is most at home playing in the pocket. Groove first! Steve’s weapon of choice is a five string bass - because “its one more than four”. Finally, Steve is co-founder of the band with Paul and serves as the band’s business manager. Favorite 80’s Band Although I mostly listened to classic rock, INXS and Talking Heads were my two favorite eighties bands. First CD/Album/Tape You Bought? Foreigner, Records. On vinyl! First Concert? Rush, Grace Under Pressure Tour. 1984. (Same as Dave!) Musical Hero? Growing up it was Geddy Lee. I've added Tony Levin and Marcus Miller to complete my "bassist trinity". Favorite Movie? The Godfather What brand(s) of musical equipment do you play? Musicman and Warwick basses. Bergantino and GK amplification.
SONG CATALOG
A Flock Of Seagulls - I Ran
Adam Ant - Goody Two Shoes
Aerosmith - Sweet Emotion
Asia - Only Time will Tell
Billy Idol – Rebel Yell
Billy Joel – It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me
Billy Joel – You May Be Right
Blue Oyster Cult - Burnin' For You
Bryan Adams - Summer of '69
Cars – Drive
Cars – Just What I Needed
Cars – Let’s Go
Cheap Trick – Surrender
Climax Blues Band - Couldn't get it Right
Corey Hart – Sunglasses at Night
Depeche Mode – Personal Jesus
Devo – Whip It
Dire Straits - Money for Nothing
Dire Straits – Walk of Life
Elvis Costello – Peace, Love and Understanding
Elvis Costello – Pump it Up
Foreigner – Feels Like the First Time
Gary Numan – Cars
Genesis – No Reply at All
Glass Tiger - Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)
Greg Kihn Band - The Breakup Song
Hall & Oates – Maneanter
Huey Lewis – I Want a New Drug
Huey Lewis - The Heart of Rock and Roll
INXS - Devil Inside
INXS – Never Tear us Apart
INXS – New Sensation
J Giles Band – Centerfold
Joe Jackson – Is She Really Going Out with Him?
John Cafferty - On the Dark Side
Level 42 – Something About You
Living Colour - Cult of Personality
Manfred Mann - Came for You
Men at Work - Down Under
Midnight Oil – Beds are Burning
Naked Eyes – Promises Promises
Night Ranger - Don't Tell Me You Love Me
Peter Schilling - Major Tom
Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight
Power Station – Some Like it Hot
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Higher Ground
REO Speedwagon – Ridin’ the Storm Out
REO Speedwagon - Roll with the Changes
Robert Palmer – Addicted to Love
Romantics - Talking in your Sleep
Rush – New World Man
Simple Minds – Don’t You
Squeeze – Hour Glass
Squeeze – Tempted
Steve Miller - Abracadabra
Steve Miller - Fly Like an Eagle
Stray Cats - Rock This Town
Styx – Too Much Time on my Hands
Supertramp – Goodbye Stranger
Talking Heads – And She Was
Tears for Fears – Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Tears for Fears – Head over Heels
The Clash – Rock the Casbah
The Escape Club – Wild Wild West
The Fixx – One Thing Leads to Another
The Hooters - And We Danced
The Tubes – Talk to you Later
The Who – You Better You Bet
Tom Petty – Running Down a Dream
UB 40 – Red Red Wine
Van Halen - Jump
Violent Femmes - Blister in the Sun