Instant Regrets, Camo Face, Döltz
An evening with Organ Fairchild
Hailed as a “fast-rising NY band” by Live For Live Music, and a group that’s “making waves in the scene” by JamBase, Organ Fairchild craft their organ-trio-meets-rock-band sound — described as “adventurous, vital and alive” by Glide Magazine — by synthesizing influences ranging from The Grateful Dead and The Meters to Steely Dan, Pat Metheny and Medeski Martin & Wood. And when they’re on stage completely captivating an audience without a bass player – and nobody singing – there is no confusing them for any other artist on today’s scene. As FunkCity writes, “Get ready to be bowled over by this terrific trio – old school funk with new era notions of jam.”
Nefesh Mountain Album Release w/ Thunder and Rain and Maia Kamil
The latest album from Nefesh Mountain, Beacons emerged from a bold and wholehearted attemptto transform the world around them. Soon after wrapping up a whirlwind tour booked with themission of spreading their newfound message of radical love, co-founders Doni Zasloff and EricLindberg immersed themselves in the feverish writing of songs that turned their frustrations andfears into irrepressible hope, all while reaching far beyond their bluegrass roots and forging a fiercelyjoyful sound unbound by genre convention. By the time they’d completed that process of musicalalchemy, the New York-based husband-and-wife duo had profoundly refined the band’s vision andvoice and arrived at the unfettered radiance of Beacons: an epic double album affirming NefeshMountain as a singular musical force—one whose deeply impassioned songwriting awakens us tonew ways of navigating an endlessly troubled world.Self-produced and mainly recorded at Sound Emporium Studios in Nashville, Beacons expands onthe soulful intentionality Nefesh Mountain has brought to their music since forming a decade ago.“We live in such strange and divided times, and while we wanted this album to be a full-oncelebration of American music, one of our main goals was to bring love, hope, and positivity into aworld that sorely needs it,” says Lindberg. “In the end we made a choice: instead of getting angry,we just made music.” Although much of the album stemmed from their rumination on the political landscape (political polarization and division throughout the U.S., the Israel–Hamas War, and Russo-Ukrainian Wars), its spirit of purposeful optimism is made all the more potent by Nefesh Mountain’s willingness to speak about their most intimate struggles and triumphs, including the birth of theirnow-three-year-old “miracle baby” Willow, and Zasloff ’s journey with sobriety. “This is definitelythe most revealing and personal album we’ve ever made, which was a big leap for us,” says Zasloff.“At some point it became obvious that if we’re going to really open our hearts, we need to talkabout things we’ve never shared before, with the hope that it will end up helping others.” The result:a selection of lived-in and truly revelatory songs, each providing a beacon-like transmission of upliftand light.The follow-up to Songs for the Sparrows—a 2021 LP praised by Rolling Stone as a “master class in string music”—Nefesh Mountain’s fourth full-lengtheffort, encompasses two distinct discs, the first of which blurs the lines between Americana, blues, country, and psych-folk, offering up an electrified sound created with the help of their longtime live band and guest musicians like pedal-steel guitarist Greg Leisz (Beck, Joni Mitchell, Ray LaMontagne,Willie Nelson). Meanwhile, the second disc to Beacons finds the duo working again with legendary roots musicians Jerry Douglas (on Dobro), SamBush (mandolin), Rob McCoury (banjo), Cody Kilby (guitar), Mark Schatz (bass), and Stuart Duncan (fiddle), and serving up an all-acoustic lineup ofsongs spotlighting their boundary-pushing form of bluegrass. “Bluegrass has an energy that’s so intense and invigorating, and for this album we wanted to take that even further,” says Zasloff.
Keith Allen & Friends Holiday Show
Keith Allen & Friends Holiday Show featuring: Hunter McBride, Ashley Sutton, and Justin Loew.
An Evening With Arkansauce
Arkansauce calls forth melodies of the Ozark Mountains’rolling hills and raging rivers with theirdistinct blend of newgrass. This progressive string quartet features Tom Andersen on bass, guitarist ZacArchuleta, Ethan Bush on mandolin, and Adams Collins on banjo. Their music features improvisationalstring leads matched with complex melodies, intriguing rhythms, and deep thumping bass grooves. Eachmember sings lead and harmony parts as well as contributes to the lyrics, which offer authentic,intelligent songwriting with hard-hitting hooks.Music Mecca’s Spencer Nachman calls them a“fiery, finger-picking string band… What is apparent at anyArkansauce show is their positivity and desire to upli the audience’s spirit, no matter the circumstance.”They are a band inspired not only from their home state of Arkansas, but also throughout their travels.“We are a band that spends most of our time in the back of a van hurtling toward long nights, good times,and a destiny unknown,”says Ethan.“Our inspiration is gathered by events unfolding in our ownadventures in real time. These days, the desire to create, inspire, and redefine within our scene seems tobe the main driving force behind our music. From a young age we were huge fans of live music and wereintroduced to a lot of great music by our families.”
Oceanic + Veaux with Fifth Floor
Oceanic is a versatile indie pop band based in Charlotte, NC. Heavily influenced by anumber of genres, they aim to create original music with diversity that enablesthe listener to see the world in a new way. They’ve already seen many milestonesuccesses in their career including millions of streams, over 20 Spotify editorialplaylist placements, shared stages with bands like COIN & Vacation Manor,noteworthy press coverage, sold-out headline shows of up to 300, a slot onLovin’ Life Festival this summer (alongside Noah Kahan, Post Malone, StevieNicks, Maggie Rogers, Dominic Fike & more), and many other wins.The band is comprised of three core members: Nathan, Jacob, and Sam. Nathan is thelyricist and lead singer, Jacob styles the song with electric guitar, Sam plays bass andarranges the music; all members contribute ideas and personality to the arrangement.Even before Oceanic was formed, each member of the band was well-versed inperforming arts. The band works together during shows to create a high-enthusiasmexperience focused on personality, musical interest, and artistic visual effects.Following the release of their debut album No, Human in January of 2023, the bandtook their songs to the road, playing over 60 shows since, building up a cult-followingfrom New York, all the way down to Florida, & as far West as Nashville.This year Oceanic is continuing to tour while working on their next record. In the Fallof 2023, Oceanic tucked themselves away in a cabin in rural Tennessee (with selectproducers, writers, & friends) and came away with some of their best music to-date.They’ll be recording the new material this year at Gat 3 Studios (Post Malone, DuaLipa, Dababy), as fans are itching for new music … Nashville-based alt-pop band VEAUX is on the rise — and they aren’t coming down any time soon. Formed in 2016, the trio, comprising brothers Aaron and Dominick Wagner along with Andrew Black, has carved a unique niche in Nashville’s music scene, creating authentically alt-pop songs that weave in elements of R&B and rock alike.VEAUX’s journey is a testament to the power of DIY spirit and independent artistry. Operating outside the conventional music industry pathways, they have sculpted a sound that is authentically theirs, while paying homage to their eclectic inspirations from Pharrell to Coldplay, and Portugal. The Man.The trio’s music reflects their commitment to not just making good music, but crafting sonic experiences. Frontman Aaron Wagner is celebrated as one of the top 25 songwriters in Nashville — and it makes sense. The band consistently pens unabashed bangers that keep listeners coming back for more (and more). This magnetic appeal is part of what cements VEAUX’s status as one of Nashville’s must-watch bands.Since their conception, the band has toured coast to coast, sharing the stage with the likes of Wet Leg, Charlotte Sands, Twen, and indie rock legends Mae. VEAUX’s impact extends beyond live performances, with millions of streams to their credit and TV placements on MTV and ABC. As they continue to tour and release jam after jam, VEAUX stands as a beacon of what modern alt-pop can be — diverse, dynamic, and utterly unmissable. Fifth Floor is a high-energy pop-rock band based out of Greensboro North Carolina, inspired by the electrifying sounds of 5 Seconds of Summer, Paramore, and other iconic alternative pop rock acts. Known for their dynamic performances and catchy, emotionally charged songs, Fifth Floor brings a fresh, vibrant energy to every stage they step on.
Yamba & Friends Holiday Dance Party
An Evening With Harvey Street with support from Ran Albright
“Indie and alternative rock vibrations crafted with love and diligence” Harvey Street is derived from both alt/indie inspiration and the southern rhythms surrounding its members since birth. Formed in the summer of 2021, Harvey Street quickly became a staple of the North Carolina music scene. Described as “disciplined electricity,” songs such as “Irish Goodbye” and “Betty” became instant favorites in their hometown of Raleigh, NC. Through the release of their debut EP “Gone for a While,” Harvey Street cultivated a sound resonating with show-goers and music-lovers throughout the Southeast. In addition to playing sold-out shows alongside Futurebirds, The Stews, Arcy Drive, Susto, Daniel Donato and more, the band embarked on their first headline tour in January of 2024.
Cancelled_Idol Talk, Dead Cool, and Brighter Than A Thousand Suns
Goth Night at Flat Iron! Idol Talk – a new danceable darkwave/post-punk trio from central North Carolina. Former members of Toothsome march forth from the shadows of the 80s. Their sound is a parade of influences old and new, from the dark side of the Cure to the melancholy allure of Soft Kill. Dead Cool – From the coastal charm of Wilmington, North Carolina emerges intriguing electronic duo, Dead Cool. Their namesake, drawn from a Chrome Cranks number, resonates with the unique chemistry of Johnny’s multifaceted vocal, synthesizer, and guitar prowess, coupled with Angela Yeagher’s bass rhythms and harmonizing vocals. Infused with the evocative notes of darkwave, post-punk, and synthpop, Dead Cool’s musical offerings, established since 2020, have been garnering an enthusiastic following both domestically and internationally. Drawing inspiration from the dramatic depths of The Sisters of Mercy, and the electric energy of Depeche Mode, Suicide, and The Human League, Dead Cool’s compositions come with a wink and a nod to the grand traditions of darkwave, all while fashioning a niche of their own. Boasting eleven singles to their name, including their latest, Are We Living, Are We Dead, they’ve graced the same stages as notable names like Stabbing Westward, Bootblacks, ACTORS, Astari Nite, Korine, Vision Video, and Xeno & Oaklander across the Atlantic and within the US. Brighter Than a Thousand Suns – Hailing from the NC foothills they have since experimented, through several EPs, albums, and singles, in the realms of metalcore to industrial and now synthpop—all entwined with a relatable thread that’s taken them from their roots to their FiXT Records release “FUTUREBLIND”, all the way to their current retro synthpop/sophistipop/80s EBM sound heard on their latest record “Truth to Materials”.
Bask, Nathan James Hall, and …Of Sinking Ships
Hailing from the mountains of North Carolina, BASK was fully conceived in the fall of 2013 when guitarist Ray Worth, drummer Scott Middleton, bassist Jesse Van Note, and guitarist/vocalist Zeb Camp joined forces. The band’s new record, aptly titled ‘III,’ showcases a soulful juxtaposition of Americana rock ‘n’ roll with progressive and psychedelic elements, separating BASK from your average Southern rock outfit. Since forming in 2013, BASK has released two full lengths: American Hollow (2014) and Ramble Beyond (2017). The band has toured North America and Europe with seminal artists HIGH ON FIRE and WEEDEATER, as well as contemporary figure heads PALLBEARER, KAYO DOT, ROYAL THUNDER and BLACK TUSK. The band has also shared the bill with a range of diverse artists, from GUIDED BY VOICES to CARCASS and Refused, on festivals such as Desert Fest Berlin and London, Speedfest in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, and Heavy Mountain in Asheville, NC. BASK’s sound has been described as progressive and cinematic, containing glimpses of Appalachian tonality and heartfelt heaviness, something they unequivocally prove with ‘III.’ While songs like “New Dominion” and “Stone Eyed” present a heavier dynamic from the band, tracks like “Maiden Mother Crone” and “Rid of You” serve up a melancholy elegance that showcases the band’s roots, adding to the record’s vast yet cohesive dimensions.
