Local band living dream at Lollapalooza

Three college kids from the Northwest suburbs are living their rock 'n' roll dreams this week.

Their band, Powerspace, will play Friday afternoon for the opening day of Lollapalooza.

The highly sought gig comes as the debut album from the foursome -- another band member is from Ohio -- hit stores Tuesday.

Powerspace is singer Alec Cyganowski of Palatine, guitarist Tom Schleiter of Schaumburg, bassist Daniel McMahon of Arlington Heights and drummer Kevin Kane of Akron, Ohio.

The group came together at Miami University in Ohio and started playing shows on campus and around the state.

Eventually, their music caught the attention of more than just other college kids. They were signed in December 2006 by record label Fueled By Ramen, the same as Chicago favorite, Fall Out Boy.

Since then, the Powerspace boys have taken a break from school and are touring the U.S. from coast to coast.

"It has been pretty crazy. None of us have ever experienced this before," said Cyganowski, 21, a graduate of Palatine High School.

He says the group had to figure out a lot along the way, since no one was prepared for this turn of events in their lives.

One of those things was how to correctly steer a giant van and trailer across the country.

"There were lots of time when we were in the mountains or on a road in Montana and there was crazy weather," said Cyganowski. "All of a sudden the van would start moving sideways and we'd be freaking out."

On Tuesday, their first album "The Kicks of Passion" was released.

"It was weird that I went to Best Buy in Schaumburg and it was there," said Schleiter.

He and McMahon, both 21, knew each other at St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights. The two were in various bands and the high school jazz band together.

Schleiter would play the National Anthem at high school basketball games on his guitar.

He's gone to Lollapalooza every year since it's been in Chicago, even finagling backstage passes last year.

"It's pretty cool that we are playing in it this year, he said.

Go to www.powerspacetheband.com for more information.