What do KISS, zombie punk, and Loretta Lynn have in common? Gina Barcal.

After years in Chicago’s rock and punk scene—fronting zombie-surf band Venom Lords and stepping into Paul Stanley’s boots in the all-female KISS tribute Slutter—Gina has stepped forward as a songwriter in her own right. Her debut solo EP, Midwest ’til the End, blends the grit of her past with the storytelling tradition of the country and Americana music she grew up on.

Recorded in Nashville, the songs are rooted in real life. Family, love, loss, and the Midwest itself. From the rollicking Long Tall Lover to the tender Girl From the River Town and the nostalgic Smoky Mountain High, Gina’s music reflects both where she’s been and where she’s going.
Now based in the Indiana Dunes with her husband, dogs, and vintage ’61 Ford Ranchero, Gina sums up her sound as “caught between the Midwest’s rural edges and the dive bars of the city.” Honest, heartfelt, and unapologetically her own.

Midwest ‘til the End is out now!

Gina Barcal is stepping into her own spotlight with the announcement of her debut solo EP, Midwest ‘til the End, out November 7. The self-released, 6-song collection captures Barcal’s unique blend of Americana grit, country soul, and alt-pop storytelling—and marks the arrival of a bold new voice in roots music.

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Purchase on Bandcamp

Upcoming Shows

More coming in 2026

Past Shows

December 31, 2025 - Fitzgerald’s Sidebar - Berwyn, IL - Solo
Opening for the Corey Dennisen Band

December 12, 2025 - Burn’em Brewery - Michigan City, IN - Solo
with - Terri Fedderson, Katie Hibbon

November 8, 2025 - Fitzgerald’s Sidebar - Berwyn, IL - Record release show - Full band!

September 20, 2025 - George & Fred - Naperville, IL - Solo

July 12, 2025 - The Grindhouse - Highland, Indiana - Solo
With Iris Marlow

July 6, 2025 - Burn’em Brewery - Michigan City, IN - Solo

Before carving out a more intimate Americana sound, Gina Barcal was a fixture in Chicago’s underground music scene, fronting bands and writing songs that spanned genres and decades. That early DIY spirit laid the foundation for everything that followed.

Gina’s earliest project, The Pillowmints, was an all-female indie rock band praised for its energy and edge. Music critic Jim DeRogatis described their debut EP as blending “Veruca Salt shimmer with riot-grrrl smarts and punk attitude.”
A short but high-energy chapter, Decatur delivered hard-driving emo-indie rock rooted in raw emotion and melodic force. The band recorded a 4-song EP titled Safe Boating is No Accident with producer Matt Allison at Chicago’s iconic Atlas Studios.
As the lead singer and guitarist of Venom Lords, Gina released three full-length albums and a split 7” with Hey Perro. She also contributed vocals and a co-written track to The Black Sheep Band—a Chicago punk supergroup featuring members of Stiff Little Fingers, Naked Raygun, and Sludgeworth.
(She’s credited under her former name, Gina Knapik.)
Gina later fronted Scotia Widows, a short-lived but raw and raucous Chicago punk outfit.
“You wanted the Breasts, You got the Breasts, the hottest band in the WORLD…SLUTTER”
For over a decade, Gina took the stage with Slutter, Chicago’s all-female KISS tribute band. Though the makeup is long gone, the legacy remains—Slutter played throughout the Midwest and shared bills with Blondie, the U.S. Air Guitar Championship, and Taylor Hawkins’ Chevy Metal.