The Deal

After a decade of singing backup in others' bands, Lisa Zarov decided to follow her own muse. So she took a hiatus from performing, taught herself to play guitar and honed her craft as a songwriter. In 2004, she worked with producer Chuck Gladfelter (Dovetail Joint, Ivory Wire) and put out her first EP of original music, ‘Walk-In'. She then began recruiting local veteran musicians to support her debut. Somewhere along the road of rehearsing and collaborating with these musicians, Soma Star was born. The lineup is: Lisa, Kevin Holland (Jenn Peterson, Lindsie Reitz, Nitrous Foxide), Patrick Barrett (Marigold Engine), Dario Civinelli (SoulFix), and Bill Arroyo (Freak Magnet). Soma Star is very active in the Chicago music scene, having played some of the best rooms in Chicago, including Martyrs, Elbo Room, Beat Kitchen and Wise Fools Pub.

Soma Star's vibe ranges from lush and ethereal, to aggressive and hard driving. What remains constant are unique and evocative melodies and a 'wall-of-guitar' sound that has become the band's signature. Their songs have been described as infectious, emotional, and easy to get stuck in your head...but in a good way.

Soma Star:

Lisa Zarov - vocals, guitars
Kevin Holland - guitars
Patrick Barrett - guitars, vocals
Dario Civinelli - drums
Bill Arroyo - bass