Chalk Dinosaur & Octave Cat

Chalk Dinosaur (Pittsburgh, PA) features a fusion of electronic dance music, funk and psychedelic rock. It has distinctive melodic themes coupled with a heavy rhythm section and augmented with synthesizers and electronic textures. The live shows are characterized by high energy and emotional diversity.

Chalk Dinosaur was founded in 2008 as the artist project of Pittsburgh music producer John O’Hallaron, and is known for it’s colorfully diverse and prolific songwriting. Over the years, Chalk Dinosaur has released 25 albums and EP’s, ranging from indie and surf rock to psychedelic rock, electronic dance music, funk, and jam. Some albums are instrumental and some are vocally centered. Some are solo recording projects, while others are collaborative albums featuring the full band.

Live performances take several forms. Chalk Dinosaur mainly performs as a duo and sometimes as a quartet with each form having a different repertoire. The 4-piece leans more funk and jam, and the duo leans more towards electronic dance. Both incorporate the foundation of funky grooves and distinctive melodies.

Members of the live band include John O’Hallaron (guitar, keys, vocals, electronics), Nick O’Hallaron (drums), Jon Henderson (guitar), and Michael Berger (bass).

Octave Cat is a trio of Eli Winderman (Dopapod – keyboards), Jesse Miller (Lotus – bass/modular synth) and Charlie Patierno (drums). The music ranges from stripped down jazz-grooves to analog synth dance music. Influences such as Herbie Hancock jazz-funk and Four Tet electronica can be heard. Octave Cat pushes the jazz and jam boundaries by incorporating elements of electronica and in doing so they have carved out their own unique musical space.