Local trio Absolutely Not premiere the paranoia-inducing video for ‘Programmed’

Absolutely Not cannot be stopped. The local trio are becoming one of Chicago’s most prolific acts, releasing great records, touring nonstop, and apparently making anyone who hears or sees them instantly fall in love with their high-strung, synthy punk rock, which sounds like everything is turned up to 11. Today Absolutely Not release a new single and music video, “Programmed,” which the Reader is pleased to exclusively premiere. The video is an eerie Stepford Wives-inspired drama, directed by Dave Rentauskas, that perfectly mirrors the track’s paranoia-inducing, dystopian sketchiness.

To celebrate the single’s release, Absolutely Not play at Emporium Arcade Bar in Wicker Park on Friday, September 30, with Meat Wave, Bleach Party, and Beastii. The show doubles as the band’s tour kick-off and triples as a benefit to raise money for research into (and raise awareness of) heterotaxy syndrome—a rare condition that a cousin of Absolutely Not members Donnie and Madison Moore suffers from. Not only are they an excellent band, they’re also excellent humans.