DREAM POLICE

Hailing from Elgin, Illinois, Dream Police maintains a catalog surpassing sixty songs that honors Cheap Trick, among the Midwest’s most prominent rock acts. Unlike many tribute acts that narrow their focus to a single facet of the group’s catalog, Dream Police has earned recognition by spanning nearly thirty years of output across ballads, psychedelic rock, and hook-driven pop. The ensemble’s profile climbed markedly once Rick Neilsen and Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick appeared alongside them during live performances.

Established in 1987 under the name Mo’s Dream Police, the group rapidly gained traction throughout Chicago’s rock scene. Local readers of Chicago Rock magazine selected the band as “best tribute band” for four straight years.

Following the 1995 exit of its single-named frontman Mo, Dream Police endured an extended phase of restructuring. The lineup ultimately stabilized around founding guitarist Scott “Rick Neilsen” J., whose collection exceeds forty instruments and features multiple replicas of Neilsen’s signature models, together with vocalist Keith “Robin Zander” Jakresky, bassist Mario “Tom Petersson” Massi, drummer George “Bun E. Carlos” Baumann, and keyboardist Robert Richardson. After nearly a year away from the stage, the musicians resumed performing in early 2003 and soon issued the single “Taxman” b/w “Mr. Thief.”