Here’s a little Dunn Dunn Fest riddle for you: what do you get when you cross amazing bands, a great crowd, and a first-class music venue? If you guessed “night 2 of Dunn Dunn Fest, specifically the show at Lincoln Hall featuring Nasty Snacks, Alanna Royale, and Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band, congratulations! Go reward yourself with a cookie. I’ll wait.

How was the cookie? Was it chocolate chip? I’m a bit partial to oatmeal raisin myself, but like last night, sometimes I take chances on new things. After playing it safe in night 1, I decided to check out some bands I’ve never seen before. I was very pleased to enjoy all three groups, surrounded by a large crowd of people singing and dancing all night.

  
Chicago’s own Nasty Snacks got things started with a great set of funky R&B jams. They paid tribute to Maurice White with an Earth, Wind & Fire cover before launching into some original tunes. Catherine Poulos gave the audience more than they were expecting with a voice that shook the rafters with power. The guitar and horn work were top notch and the rhythm section kept it swingin’ from beginning to end.

  
Nashville band Alanna Royale built on Nasty Snack’s foundation with their own powerhouse singer and horns. Lead singer Alanna paid tribute to festival organizer Donnie Biggins and announced a new record is on the way, which will be the follow-up to 2014’s Achilles. The new songs they played were great, filled with fun and a cocky swagger.

  
 The show was headlined by Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band from Asheville, North Carolina. Now this is a band that wants to please the crowd, but only if that crowd is ready to be pleased. Fortunately we had a room full of willing participants. The energy flowing through the room was palpable, and you could see the joy on the faces of Al Al Ingram and JP Miller. 

The set featured a whole lot of funky bass and some great guitar licks, but the standout was definitely the keytar. And when I say keytar, I mean there was a WHOLE LOT of keytar. Mary Frances played the hell outta that thing with multiple solos destroying the audience. 

Dunn Dunn Fest continues tonight with some great shows. I’ll be at Schubas for Frontier Ruckus (and Martin Van Ruin AND Mooner). Check out the festival site for more info. 

Find more photos from the night here.