Dogs With Hats: Sam Shrier turns dreams into music

“It’s pretty much everything.” That’s how Dogs With Hats’ lead vocalist and guitarist, Sam Shrier, described music. Everything. Dogs With Hats is a newer Chicago band, and my favorite local discovery of 2025. When I sat down to talk with Shrier, I quickly realized that music isn’t simply a hobby for him; it’s the center of his world and something he’s been working toward for years.

“It’s always been more of a daydream, until recently, which is cool,” Shrier said. Being a musician is something he’s always dreamed of, and now it’s really happening. Dogs With Hats released their debut EP, Lampshades At The Party, last August. Across the five tracks, the EP introduces a band—and a frontman—whose dedication to turning their dreams into reality is pretty hard to miss. It’s a great EP.

“I was taught classical piano from ages four to nine, then quit to be a skater kid, as a lot of people do.” Even though he stepped away from playing, music never stopped being an important aspect of his life. Sam grew up in Evanston, a northern suburb of Chicago, and being that close to the city allowed him to immerse himself in Chicago’s vibrant music scene from a young age.

When discussing his musical upbringing, Sam was quick to mention the band Twin Peaks, a pivotal piece of Chicago’s music scene and a clear influence on Dogs With Hats’ sound. Watching bands like Twin Peaks rise to success in that scene made the path feel more tangible, encouraging Sam to dream bigger and more seriously. Sam also spoke about inspirations such as The Strokes, The Velvet Underground, and The Replacements (music to my ears), all of which have contributed to the garage-rock sound that informs his music.

Beyond just listening, attending shows in the city played a huge role in shaping Shrier’s dream of one day taking it to the stage. That early garage-rock wave, which was resurging at this time in his life, was especially pivotal in shaping Sam’s dream.

“Bands like Twin Peaks, Ty Seagull, White Mystery…seeing record release shows at places like Reckless Records or even going to house shows and other venues that don’t exist anymore, were a big part of my social life.” Chicago’s live music scene gave Sam a well-rounded understanding of music culture and solidified the foundation behind his dream to make his own music one day.

College marked a turning point for Shrier. Sam decided to stop daydreaming and start acting. He started by teaching himself guitar in his dorm room, which laid the groundwork for everything else to come.

“I was a closeted musician throughout college and then moved to Chicago with the intention of getting more involved and attracting some better musicians than myself.” Shrier’s been living in Chicago for about three years now, and his music dream is actualizing pretty rapidly.

That’s what happens when you’re passionate. Sam spent his first year back in Chicago growing and training himself to become the musician he’d always dreamed of. “With every free minute I had from work, I was trying to refine my piano, guitar, and I had to teach myself drums.” Sam’s dedication to making himself a better musician was absolutely through the roof—it’s no shocker he’s doing so well.

I remember the first time I hit play on Lampshades At The Party, the first thing that stuck out to me was Sam’s voice. One of the hardest parts about singing is discovering how you want to deliver it, finding a vocal identity that feels right for the music you’re making. Shrier has a strong, distinctive voice, and I was curious about the process that got him there.

“I think there’s a very deadly feedback loop with singing because it’s very scary to do, live or even in solitude.” Finding your voice when you’re living in an apartment with dozens of other neighbors listening through the walls is definitely a challenge.

Nonetheless, Shrier did it. “That fear of sounding bad adds nervousness and frailty to your voice, which then comes across as uncertain and not so great, reinforcing the notion that you’re bad.” That quote hit me hard because it’s so true. Nerves can literally destroy a voice no matter how talented the singer. Sam figured out how to overcome that.

“I started to study acts that I knew worked for whatever reason. Bands that people really enjoyed seeing live. I realized like 50% of those guys are bad singers, they’re just going at it really hard.” Again—so true. I truly believe the key to being a good singer is simply having confidence. Sam found that confidence, and he’s incredibly talented.

“I wrote like 1,000 bad songs just to get them out of my system, and after that first year I felt like I was in a better position to approach someone, but I couldn’t really point to who or where,” Shrier said. Sam did the work; he just didn’t know what to do with it yet.

For years, music had lived mostly in his imagination. “I’d just kind of been pent up daydreaming for so long,” he said. What pushed him forward wasn’t a clear plan, but persistence. “It’s just been a lot of groundless ambition and hardcore daydreaming.” After the years of daydreaming and an entire year dedicated to becoming a better musician, Sam needed a band. Nothing happened for a little bit, but then all of the pieces fell together.

“Turns out my wall neighbor at my apartment in Old Town heard me playing through the walls…we ended up in the elevator together, he asked me if I wanted to jam, next thing I know that’s Ryan Jennings, our lead guitarist.” Gives me chills! That perfect moment (which literally sounds like a script from a romance movie) marked the moment that Shrier’s private ambition became collaborative.

They still needed a drummer, arguably the most important piece of a band. Sam grew up with a friend, Will Panoutsos, a drummer who had been playing in Chicago for years. Sam considered him “way out of our league,” but he reached out anyway.

The timing mattered. “He was ready to stack his drums in the corner and give up because he had done so many projects that failed,” Shrier said. Will was ready to shoot another shot, and this time it landed.

The pairing balanced them in a way that made their connection as a band perfect. “There’s a bit of jadedness that comes with playing music for that long, and my fresh, well-intentioned, bright-eyed approach is probably helpful for them.” Dogs With Hats didn’t just give Shrier the band he was looking for; it gave everyone involved a reason to try again.

Now that they had an established band, it was time to actually make the music. The guys came together and created an incredible debut EP, Lampshades At The Party, which came out about six months ago.

Debuts are weird. It’s the first real thing a band makes together, and nobody fully knows how they work together. You’re figuring out how you write as a group, how you play together, how you want to sound, and even what you want to say. Because of that, the first releases can sound a little scattered.

This one doesn’t. If I listened to this EP with zero context, I would’ve never guessed it was their first release. Lampshades At The Party showcases a band that already understands itself; a band with confidence and natural talent, which honestly just makes me even more excited and hopeful for their future.

Now that the EP is out, they’re taking it on the road. Dogs With Hats just announced a Midwest tour starting this month (!!) and running through April. After already playing shows at Schubas, Reggies, Book Club, and even a sold-out show at G-Man Tavern, I’m confident the crowds will be joining them.

What’s especially exciting about this tour is how they’re doing it. The band made sure to include DIY spaces along the way. “It’s becoming part of what we’re trying to own, as a band,” Shrier said. Considering DIY shows and independent venues were so pivotal to his upbringing as a musician, it feels like a perfect full-circle moment.

I actually haven’t gotten to see them play live yet, but that will change shortly. I know I’ll be at the Lowdown this March, and my fellow Chicago friends should be there too. After talking with Sam and hearing the way he speaks about the crowds and the past shows they’ve played, I feel pretty much guaranteed a great time.

For years, being in a band was something Sam Shrier pictured in his daydreams rather than something he actually experienced. Now he’s writing songs with his friends, releasing records, and going on tour. That daydream he talked about during our conversation isn’t really a daydream anymore. It’s just his life.