“Booya!” is the sound that people make when they hear the mix of independent, folk, and pop-rock from Chicago-based band The Future Laureates.

The Future Laureates began as a joining of two musical duos at Loyola University Chicago. Searching for a fuller sound, Danny Surico and John Flanagan (Two West) and Matthew Daigler and James Hyde (One Pound Burrito) joined forces to perform at a benefit concert raising money to fight world hunger as part of the “Loyola's Got Talent” contest. Their first performance was electric and the feedback they received from the crowd strengthened their drive to make music together.

After some time abroad, the band hit the ground running and within the next three months had recruited Steve Minogue on drums, completing the musical fusion that is The Future Laureates. Together they recorded their debut album, “Your Mom Would Like Us,” over a sleep-deprived, yet exhilarating week with producer/sound engineer Patrick Himes (Shrug, Captain of Industry, Ryan Adams) at WaterWorks Entertainment studio in Nashville, TN.

In just a few months, The Future Laureates have grown from playing for friends in their apartments to being heard across the globe. The band made their debut at the Red Line Tap opening for Team Rockit. They went on to feature in a St. Patrick’s Day special show at the Red Line Tap with Mad Hornet. Shortly thereafter, The Future Laureates were named 2008 Alpha Kappa Psi Battle of the Bands Champions. Recently, The Future Laureates competed in "Lollapalooza: Last Band Standing" finishing the first round of voting in the top 10 out of over 900 bands due to an overwhelming number of votes by their amazing fans; the contest has allowed the band to gain momentum as they carve out their place in Chicago's vibrant music scene. Since their Lollapolooza endeavor, The Future Laureates finished as semi-finalists in the DiscMakers’ Independent Music World Series contest. They also took a lakefront stage, playing for over 12,000 people at The Nike Human Race.



The members of The Future Laureates understand the potential that music has to be a catalyst for change. Social justice organization Invisible Conflicts sponsored an event at Chicago’s Subterranean in order to help raise money for their Dwon Madiki Partnership, which sponsors 20 students in the midst of war-torn Uganda. At Subterranean, The Future Laureates performed along with Glasko, Seth Bradley, and The Bridge. Shortly thereafter, they headlined “in the clouds” at the Loyola University Museum of Art in the “Andy Warhol: Silver Clouds” exhibit as part of a benefit concert to raise awareness about the ongoing war in Uganda.

The Future Laureates have also made waves on WDUB, at Denison University in Granville, OH—one of the top twenty college radio stations in the country, according to the Princeton Review. After a few spins of their songs “Hit It and Quit It”, “Hanging”, and “Steer” they were asked to do two phone interviews to talk about their upcoming album. In addition, The Future Laureates' entire debut album has been featured on STGO Radio in Santiago, Chile. Their music has also been featured on NPR's WYSO radio station based out of Yellow Springs, OH. In May of 2008, The Future Laureates were featured in a biographical piece for the Dayton Daily News of Dayton, OH, as well as another article in May 2008 relaying advice to new and independent bands in the Dayton area. In July of 2008 The Future Laureates were featured in the Chicago Metromix music section of the Chicago RedEye. Most recently, The Future Laureates were featured on the “Flabby Hoffman Radio Extravagonzo” on Fearlessradio.com where they showed their musical talent and wit through a hilarious interview and incredible acoustic set.

With every performance, The Future Laureates continue to electrify audiences with their energy, thought-provoking lyrics, and intricate harmonies. Currently, they are set to continue their musical quest at such venues as Marquette University’s Union Sports Annex, Underground Lounge, Red Line Tap, and Goose Island Brew Pub. Their musical fusion transcends traditional college rock to create a fresh, innovative sound that will leave you wanting to learn “Something More” from the great minds of The Future Laureates.

Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.