Hot Like Mars

Hot Like Mars Friday, April 24th 2026 Charleston Pour House | Deck Stage 5pm doors / 6pm show 2 x sets $10 Advance / $10 Day of Show Hot Like Mars Hot Like Mars are Chicago’s funkiest, most soulful rock band – a jam-funk quintet built on airtight grooves, fearless improvisation, and songs that stay with you long after the house lights come up. Fronted by vocalist/keyboardist A.P. (Anthony Perry) alongside guitarists Pat Walsh and Frankie “Lightning” Minella, bassist Lamontè Norwood, and drummer Wes Julien, the band has carved out a fast-rising lane of their own, blending classic soul and R&B textures with modern jam-band firepower and a deeply collaborative vocal sound. Since launching in late 2023, Hot Like Mars have evolved from a buzzy hometown secret into a national touring act, pairing online virality with a surging ticket footprint. Early Chicago milestones – a packed residency that moved more than 1,000 tickets, and supporting sold-out headlines at The Metro and Park West for Andy Frasco and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong – laid the foundation for an ambitious run of touring across the Midwest, Rockies, and East Coast. Their 2025 campaign included a breakout set at Northlands Music & Arts Festival, a multi-date Colorado swing, and a first-ever East Coast run capped by a sold-out night at Charleston’s Pour House, underscoring their reputation as one of the most exciting young live bands in the jam and funk worlds. On record, Hot Like Mars balances studio precision with the live electricity that first turned heads. Their 2025 studio album One Way Ticket Up threads warm analog color, deep-in-the-pocket rhythm section work, and hook-rich standouts like “Good Vibrations,” “My Angels,” and “My Broken Pride,” further expanding the band’s songwriting palette. Standalone single “Sadie” leans into sun-drenched soul and sing-along refrains, while a dance-lifted remix of “Situationship” by Chalk Dinosaur has extended the band’s reach from the stage to late-night playlists.…

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Hot Like Mars