Microwave in Chicago

About Microwave

Microwave is an emo band from Poughkeepsie that treats anxiety like it's a subject worth getting angry about. They came up in the mid-2010s streaming era without much traditional label push, just building a quiet cult following through songs that balance vulnerable lyrics with the kind of guitar work that makes your stomach hurt. Their earlier records, especially "Much Love" and "It's Not About the Guitar," established them as the kind of band that could make a song about feeling trapped sound genuinely devastating. They're not reinventing emo, but they're not trying to. They're just very good at the specific thing they do: introspective songs that still hit hard, delivered with enough restraint that the heavy moments land differently. If you've found yourself rewatching their older music videos or relating to songs about overthinking, you're exactly who this band is for.

Known for Senators, Stressful, Dog Leather, Death Wish, The Most Beautiful Thing

Microwave + Chicago

Microwave last touched down in Chicago on September 21, 2025, playing Douglass Park with a lean seven-song set that included "Grass Stains." It was a solid showing for the band in a city that's seen its share of guitar-driven indie rock over the years. They've got some history here.

Microwave in Chicago News

• John Williams almost had a microwave disaster WGN Radio 720 · Feb 24, 2026
• TikTok trend Needoh cube: Plainfield boy, Caleb Grubb, burned after social media trend; Loyola Medicine shares urgent warning ABC7 Chicago · Feb 3, 2026
• Suburban Chicago boy burned after NeeDoh toy explodes in microwave FOX 32 Chicago · Feb 2, 2026
• Suburban Chicago boy burned after NeeDoh toy explodes in microwave AOL.com · Feb 2, 2026
• Microwave announce 'Much Love' anniversary tour w/ Anthony Green, Hunny, Into It. Over It., more BrooklynVegan · Dec 9, 2025

Live Music in Chicago

Chicago's indie rock scene has always had room for scrappy, guitar-forward bands willing to play smaller venues and build audiences the hard way. The city's DIY ethos runs deep, from the South Side to the North, with plenty of mid-sized rooms and festivals that book acts like Microwave. It's a place where bands with actual songs still matter.

Chicago road trip to see Microwave?

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.