Currents in Chicago

About Currents

Currents is the project of Brian Lettieri, a guitarist and producer who emerged from the indie rock scene with a distinctly introspective approach. His music trades in atmospheric guitars, restrained vocals, and production that feels deliberately lo-fi without being sloppy. The project gained traction among indie listeners for its ability to sound both nostalgic and contemporary, pulling from post-punk and alternative rock lineages while maintaining something that feels genuinely his own. Tracks like 'Let It Go' showcase his knack for building tension through repetition and texture rather than bombast. 'Alone Together' became something of a focal point, demonstrating his gift for melancholic hooks that stick without feeling saccharine. What separates Currents from the pack of bedroom producers is an apparent restraint—he doesn't overcomplicate things, and there's a confidence in letting space breathe. The project has developed a dedicated following among people who actually know their guitar pedals and appreciate when someone uses delay the way it's meant to sound.

Currents shows are quiet, attentive affairs. Lettieri commands the room through restraint—there's no grandstanding. Crowds lean in rather than jump around. The guitar work is precise enough that people genuinely listen. There's something hypnotic about watching him build these things in real time.

Known for Let It Go, Alone Together, The Way It Was, Bloodhail, Overland

Currents + Chicago

Currents has a quiet history in Chicago. They last touched down at House of Blues, running through nine tracks that included the heavy-hitting 'Living in Tragedy.' It's the kind of venue where their sound hits different—intimate enough to feel immediate, big enough to matter. They're not constant fixtures here, but when they show up, people notice.

Currents in Chicago News

• ERRA and CURRENTS announce co-headlining North American tour Lambgoat · Dec 17, 2025
• Currents and Erra to Co-Headline North American Tour MetalSucks · Dec 16, 2025
• Here Is Tame Impala’s ‘Deadbeat’ Tour Setlist UPROXX · Oct 28, 2025
• Evanston water rescue: Sameer Quadri drowns after being pulled from Lake Michigan at Lighthouse Beach near Sheridan Road ABC7 Chicago · Aug 21, 2025
• WE CAME AS ROMANS announce "Bad Luck" world tour Revolver Magazine · Apr 22, 2025

Live Music in Chicago

Chicago's underground has never really needed psych-pop validation — the city's always been more interested in footwork, house, and brutalist rock. That said, there's a solid contingent here that follows the weirder, more introspective indie stuff. Currents fit somewhere between that thoughtful underground and broader alternative radio, which means they should find their people.

Chicago road trip to see Currents?

Stay in Lincoln Park or Wicker Park depending on your vibe—both neighborhoods have real character and plenty of late-night options. Book dinner at Alinea if you're feeling ambitious, or hit RPM Italian for something excellent and less impossible to get into. Spend an afternoon at the Art Institute, then walk along the Lakefront. The city's got enough to fill a weekend without feeling like you're checking boxes. Catch the show, eat well, and remember why you liked this band in the first place.