Virtual rock stars

For Sick of Sarah, being virtual rock stars has its perks.

There's the fan in France who makes her own videos to the band's tunes and posts them online at YouTube.

Some 4,500 miles away from that fan is another, in Florida, who worked on her friends and others to get the band exposure.

And then there's the other 26,000 who pledge allegiance to Sick of Sarah via the Minneapolis group's MySpace page.

All this, with no major label deal, no hit record, no massive tours.

"We've had it pretty good," admits lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Abisha Uhl, 25, who moved to the United States from Okinawa, Japan, eight years ago to form her first band.

"Technology makes it so much easier now to get into music," she says. "We haven't really had to deal with too many struggles."

Propelled into the spotlight by vMTV.com's virtual battle of the bands, Sick of Sarah will bring a rare dose of indie-rock Friday to St. Charles' Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., a venue historically home to more contemporary acts. Joining the 8 p.m. show are openers Brighton, MA, and Facing Forward, named MTV's "best emerging artist" at Summerfest '07 in Milwaukee. Tickets are $7.

In a telephone interview with the Daily Herald last week, Uhl said this will be the first time Sick of Sarah has visited the Chicago area since gaining the online world's attention. The band has conjured up a throng of followers while competing against five other buzz groups in vMTV.com's contest for online votes.

"We've been keeping in touch with a number of people out there (Chicago area)," Uhl says. "It'll be fun to actually be able to see and interact with these people we meet on MySpace."

Sick of Sarah is an all-female five-piece band that describes itself as having "catchy hooks, unique lyrics and thoughtful, well-crafted music" full of "sympathetic acoustic moments and driving electric rock." Influences include Joan Jett, Sleater-Kinney and Vanessa Carlton.

Among the lineup is 26-year-old Jessie Farmer, who was originally from Peoria and, in 2000, was a touring bassist for punk legends Babes in Toyland.

To date, Uhl says Sick of Sarah has released a couple of EPs with the help of independent label Adament Records. A few songs are available on iTunes and at MySpace.com/sickofsarah.

And more recording is in store, Uhl says.

"We're trying to go as far as we can, for sure. As far as a major label? At this time, I have no idea. We're all very happy where we're at… We always play like it's our last show and have a good time."

For Uhl, the band's success so far has been an immigrant's dream realized.

"I couldn't really be a Japanese pop star," she says of life in Okinawa, where she learned guitar at 13 and played street corners for "money to buy candy."

"I always wanted to experience it (stardom) and just wanted to get off that rock and achieve this dream, this goal I've had since I was young," she says. "I just really wanted to come here and see if I could do it."

"I felt like I could."

If you go

What: Concert featuring vMTV.com battle of the bands contestants Sick of Sarah and openers Facing Forward and Brighton, MA

When: 8 p.m. Friday

Where: Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles

Admission: $7

Listen up: To hear Sick of Sarah songs, go to MySpace.com/sickofsarah

Sick of who?

According to Sick of Sarah's MySpace page, the band got its name from an exchange between vocalist/guitarist Abisha Uhl and a roommate named Sarah, who was "just plain sick of her own name."