Midwest Hype Turns a Stormy Night into a Celebration at The Loading Dock

Midwest Hype - photo by Mark Alsott

The sultry late-summer heat refuses to let go, and everyone in town is determined to squeeze in one last night of music and merriment before winter settles in. Last year, the town of Buchanan had a major storm that took out our night with Midwest Hype, the Funk-Reggae-Rock-Hip-Hop powerhouse. So when the storm clouds rolled in again this year, we braced for déjà vu. Step in Buchanan’s newest hot spot, The Loading Dock, to save the weekend.

Midwest Hype started when drummer Max Kepler and guitarist George Prellwitz met in college and decided to start a band. The group came together throughout their college years, and when they settled back in the area, they kept up the music. George, Max and bassist Nate Miller work to hold down the reggae-rock end of the band, while keyboardist Kevin Krizmanich and sax man Ben “Coleslaw” Morrisey give the band that funky growl. Rapper Justin “Ideal” Diehl provides the over-the-top hip-hop that makes this band unique.

As the crowd finds its way into the new venue, we all have time to look over the layout and offerings of The Loading Dock. Once the beating heart of Clark Industrial Equipment, this space was the birthplace of the lift truck. The space has been transformed into a wonderful event center complete with a kitchen, bar and games to keep attendees entertained for hours. The food is simple but very reasonably priced, and they have a great selection of spirits to keep everyone in a great mood.

The band takes the stage, and the show is on. Midwest Hype makes their own music. They can easily cover three hours of original tunes sure to keep any party grooving for hours. The music starts with a rock flavor and evolves into a melee of funk, jazz and hip-hop that is truly their own.

At the start, they dive into the rock-heavy “Sunrise,” “Great Divide” and “Blue Rain,” then jump to the funky “Ben’s Kitchen.” Nate rips bass lines while Ideal brings some punctuation to the music in the form of a well-delivered rap. Max, Kevin and Coleslaw shred lines that intersect and then separate into solos, finally dispersing back into the main theme. The room is buzzing with activity as fans and families dance and groove.

“Do or Die,” “Keep It Fresh” and “Booty Shorts” — the tunes keep on coming, all original, all Midwest Hype. Inside, the room feels like a big-city getaway while deer graze outside the large windows, a very interesting mixture here in what locals proudly call Chicago’s Playground.

The band doesn’t seem to ever tire. They have as much energy in the third hour as they did at the start. “Zombie,” “Black Eyed Kids” and “Wildlife” roll on like the band is just getting started. The crowd has thinned, but those who have stayed to the end are rewarded with a constant supply of fresh tunes. The evening ends with “That One Song,” and the band seems like they could easily go on longer.

Midwest Hype has been entertaining Chicagoland for many years and is set to keep up the pace for many more. If you are in Buchanan, be sure to check out The Loading Dock, and maybe, if you are lucky, you might just catch Midwest Hype on a gloomy day to brighten your mood.