History doesn’t stand still. It impacts, influences, and inspires the ebb and flow of the future by informing the present. Galactic draw on 25 years together in order to progress with each performance and subsequent record. After 10 albums, over 2,000 gigs, and tens of millions of streams, the proud New Orleans, LA quintet—Ben Ellman [saxophone, harmonica], Robert Mercurio [bass], Stanton Moore [drums, percussion], Jeffrey Raines [guitar], and Richard Vogal [keyboards]—have kept the torch burning through five U.S. presidential regimes, the turn-of-the-century, Hurricane Katrina, a Global Pandemic, and a much-anticipated recovery. They’re the rare collective who can support Juvenile on Jimmy Kimmel LIVE!, contribute music to a blockbuster soundtrack such as Now You See Me, and light up the stages of Coachella, Bonnaroo, and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (a staggering 22 times).

Joined by vocal powerhouse Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph, they continue to forge ahead with a 2021 headline tour and more new music.

“There is a history to the band, yet we continue to release and perform new material,” says Stanton. “I’m truly excited for our fans and audience to hear this next record we’ve been working on. I think it’s some of our best work yet.”

They laid the groundwork for this future upon coming together in 1994. Two years later, the guys dropped their full-length debut, Coolin’ Off, and hopped in a Ford Econoline van (with trailer in tow) for their very first official tour. Along the way, they released seminal albums such as 2007’s From the Corner to the Block, boasting collabs with the likes of Chali 2na, Juvenile, Trombone Shorty, DJ Z-Trip, and Boots Riley. During 2015, Into The Deep marked their first debut in the Top 25 of the Billboard Top 200 and second straight #1 bow on the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums Chart. Not to mention, it boasted the title track “Into The Deep” [feat. Macy Gray], racking up nearly 20 million streams and counting. Along the way, they performed alongside the likes of Dave Matthews Band, The Roots, Jack Johnson, Talib Kweli, the Allman Brothers Band, Widespread Panic, B.B. King, Counting Crows, James Brown, and many more. They’ve also recorded and performed with the likes of Allen Toussaint [“Bacchus”] and Big Freedia “Double It”]. Most recently, 2019’s Already Ready Already garnered acclaim from New York Times, NPR Weekend Edition, Exclaim!, and many more, while they’ve appeared on the covers of Downbeat and Relix Magazine.

Around the same time, they welcomed Jelly to the fold after joining forces on stage for a handful of unforgettable performances.

“I was super nervous at first, because I had some pretty big shoes to fill—but like those other singers I had to bring myself and I think I’ve fit in pretty well,” Jelly smiles.

“Jelly came to Fuji Rock in Japan with us to sing background with Macy Gray,” recalls Stanton. “We needed someone to sing one of our Galactic originals, and she stepped up. Since there was no time for rehearsal or soundcheck, she showed up prepared, knew the tune completely, and rocked it. When it came time to find someone new to sing with us, she was our first choice. She has such effortless stage presence and a very comfortable rapport with audiences. She also brings an element of unbridled fun!”

That fun came across loud and clear on the 2020 single “Float.” Uplifted by Jelly’s powerhouse pipes, it hinted at the potential of their collective chemistry.

“I love listening to Galactic’s older records, because they were very funk driven,” Jelly goes on. “Now, it seems like they’re incorporating more pop, rock, and soul to create a newer sound.”

As they continue writing, recording, and performing, Galactic always keep New Orleans close to their hearts at all times. In 2018, the band purchased and took over one of the city’s most hallowed venues—Tipitina’s Nightclub. Their history with the venue even predated the band as Ben’s first job was as a cook in the old kitchen, while they’ve graced its stage more than 100 times over the years.

In the end, Galactic keep moving forward as they add more chapters to their incredible history.

“We’ve just achieved 25 years as a band of brothers, so we know how to work with each other and move ourselves through the next 25 years,” Robert leaves off. “We’re always trying to push ourselves with our songwriting and studio collaborations. I look forward to where the future will take us.”

Keller Williams released his first album in 1994, FREEK, and has since given each of his albums a single syllable title: BUZZ, SPUN, BREATHE, LOOP, LAUGH, HOME, DANCE, STAGE, GRASS, DREAM, TWELVE, LIVE, ODD, THIEF, KIDS, BASS, PICK, FUNK, VAPE, SYNC, RAW, SANS and Add, those who have followed his career will know this. Each title serves as a concise summation of the concept guiding each project. GRASS, for example, is a bluegrass recording cut with the husband-wife duo The Keels. STAGE is a live album, and DREAM is the realization of Keller’s wish to collaborate with some of his musical heroes. THIEF is a set of unexpected cover songs, KIDS offers Keller’s first children’s record, PICK presents Keller’s collaboration with royal bluegrass family The Travelin’ McCoury’s, and RAW is a solo acoustic album. Each album showcases Keller’s comprehensive and diverse musical endeavors and functions to provide another piece of the jigsaw puzzle that is Keller Williams. Keller’s collaborative and solo albums reflect his pursuit to create music that sounds like nothing else. Unbeholden to conventionalism, he seamlessly crosses genre boundaries. The end product is astounding and novel music that encompasses rock, jazz, funk and bluegrass, and always keeps the audience on their feet.

Since he first appeared on the scene in the early ’90s, Williams has defined the term independent artist. And his recordings tell only half the story. Keller built his reputation initially on his engaging live performances, no two of which are ever alike. For most of his career he has performed solo. His stage shows are rooted around Keller singing his compositions and choice cover songs, while accompanying himself on acoustic guitar. With the use of today’s technology, Keller creates samples on the fly in front of the audience, a technique called live phrase sampling or looping, with nothing pre-recorded. The end result often leans toward a hybrid of alternative folk and groovy electronica, a genre Keller jokingly calls “acoustic dance music” or ADM.”

Formed in Wisconsin, Chicken Wire Empire has emerged as a pioneering force in the Upper Midwest contemporary bluegrass scene. Fusing traditional roots with innovative genre-blending elements, the band has captivated audiences worldwide with their unique musicality and electrifying performances.

In 2023, Chicken Wire Empire reached new heights with a showcase at the prestigious Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival. It was an honor to perform 4 sets through rain and mud. This came on the heels of their diverse creative ventures, including "Verry Garcia," a Grateful Dead tribute, and a distinctive rendition of The Smashing Pumpkins' "Disarm." These projects showcased their ability to seamlessly blend genres, demonstrating a musical depth that resonates with both young and old fans of bluegrass.

CWE’s sophomore studio endeavor, "What Moves Mountains," received widespread praise upon its release, and marks the band’s evolution. This musical journey was artfully captured in the documentary "All It Takes.” Directed by Ross Monagle, the film showcased their travels across Wisconsin, including soul-stirring performances at Milwaukee's historic Riverside Theatre.

Sun Stereo delivers a full sensory explosion incorporating a hybridization of organic and electronic elements blended with circus-esque performance art, orchestral strings, and a funk your face off horn section delivering a message of acceptance, hope, and love. In the last 10 years they have developed a fierce following and established themselves as a must see live show, reminiscent of a wedding reception on acid (sans the chicken dance.) They also have performed tribute sets for special festival sets as The Beatles(Gentlemen of the Road Tour/Summer Camp 2012-2015), The Doors(Summer Camp 2016), and The Flaming Lips (Summer Camp 2018). They have performed at numerous festivals, including Mumford & Sons Gentlemen of the Road Tours in Ohio, Illinois, and Iowa, 10+ years at Summer Camp Music Festival, North Coast Music Festival, Mountain Music Festival, Peoria Blues and Heritage Festival, The Taste of Randolph Street, The Werkout Festival, Navy Pier, Shoefest, Pygmalion Festival, SOHO Music Festival, Illiac Music Festival, Merchant Street Music Festival, Dixon Petunia Festival, Down on the Farm, Urbana Sweetcorn Festival, and Taste of Champaign. They have shared the stage with George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, The Wood Brothers, Here Come the Mummies, Andy Frasco & the UN, EOTO, Keller Williams, The Werks, The Apache Relay, Waydown Wanderers, The Main Squeeze, This Must Be the Band, UV Hippo, Those Darlins, Henhouse Prowlers. Euforquestra, Jon Wayne and the Pain, J.C. and the Uptown Sound, Digital Tape Machine, and Mike Dillon Band (Primus).

2022 marks Ifdakar’s 15th year together. What started as a high school friends jam session has evolved into an undeniable force in the Midwestern original music scene. Known for their high energy live shows and massive catalog of unique and engaging material, the Appleton based rock group has cemented their legacy as original music trailblazers with a decade and a half’s worth of boundary pushing sonic exploration under their belt.

At its core, Ifdakar is a rock and roll band, through and through. But it’s their ability to shift stylistic gears in the blink of an eye that keeps fans coming back for more. One moment they’re soaring through an intense peak, and the next they’re navigating a delicate, soulful introspection, or bouncing along to a driving techno beat. All the while, the spirit of rock and roll hums just below the surface, awaiting its moment to burst through and take center stage.

Ifdakar’s resume is filled with noteworthy accomplishments and career achievements. To name a few, their most recent album was produced by Jake Cinninger of Umphrey’s McGee and Willie Waldman from Death Row Records. “Lion’s Share”, the band’s third studio album, was recorded at Cinninger’s studio in Southern Michigan, and Cinninger and Waldman both perform on the album as well. Ifdakar is a regular at the Midwest mega-fest Summer Camp, returning in 2022 for their 8th straight year. In 2010, the band started their own promotion and production company called WIJAM, which has since become synonymous with original music in their home state of Wisconsin and beyond. The band also spearheads their own large multi-genre campout, the Moon Dance Music Festival. Ifdakar has shared the stage with some of the biggest industry heavyweights including Spafford, Particle, EOTO, Primus, Wookiefoot, Conspirator, The Werks, Aqueous, and countless more national, regional, and local artists.

Ifdakar is heading into their crystal anniversary year with a renewed hunger to spread their music further and wider than they ever have before. And as the catalog of original music continues to swell, and the band continues to explore new and exciting soundscapes, there’s no telling where the music will take them.

An Indie Rock band started by Nick Elstad in Winona, MN. The now five piece Minneapolis band, featuring Tyler Steinley, Andy Bauer, Seamus St. Clair, and Dante DeGrazia, just released their new single and video, “Ferdy”. The band is set to release their sophomore album, “Hollywood Smile”, in December 2023. Hollywood Smile sees the band ditching the hazy dream pop stylings of their debut album and dipping their toes into the waters of Rock and Roll and Americana for the very first time. They will be celebrating the release at First Avenue's 7th street Entry on February 2 and touring the US in support of the record throughout 2024.

The past few years have been quite a stir for the Minnesota progressive folk-rock-country sextet Maygen & The Birdwatcher. In late 2021 they released their debut full-length album, Moonshine – (which Americana UK wrote is “stunning”) – earning them Midwest Country Music Awards for Album of the Year and Americana Artist of the Year) and landed opportunities to join festival stages with bands like Old Crow Medicine Show, Paul Cauthen, Grace Potter, and even support a childhood favorite, Travis Tritt.

They continued the momentum in late 2022, releasing Moonshine’s companion EP, with the “lively and charming” (Adventures in Americana) Bootleggin’ At The Flower Shoppe. With Maygen & The Birdwatcher taking home wins for the 2023 Album of the Year and Americana Artist of the Year at the Midwest Country Music Organization’s annual awards for Bootleggin’ At The Flower Shoppe.

The Americana band adventurously blurs the sounds of country, bluegrass, folk, and blues. Lead singers Maygen Lacey, and Noah Neumann intentionally work to draw on their vastly different musical influences and vocal styles to bring a fresh and unexpected mix of songs to light. From beauty to grit, sadness to silliness, the common thread is that this crew loves music, and playing it together, and it shows.

This past October, Maygen & The Birdwatcher hosted and curated the inaugural Amerigrass Fest at The Hook and Ladder Theater & Lounge in Minneapolis. Maygen Lacey cherishes the special community of musical artists in the Midwest, and looks forward to celebrating what each genre, and fusion of genres can bring about at the new event Amerigrass Fest – “We are big fans of collaboration and love to play with the bands we share the stage with. Music is our love language and we’re very excited to play Amerigrass with the talented array of artists.”

In late 2023, Maygen & The Birdwatcher teamed up with the South Dakota Grasslands Coalition, a non-profit organization to help save North America’s most threatened ecosystem: its native grasslands. Together, they released an original song and music video, titled “Where Good Things Grow,” that they hope will raise public awareness regarding the importance of grassland ecosystems and generate support for programs and activities to encourage farmers, ranchers and state officials to develop programs and policies that preserve and restore the health of North America’s grasslands.

Maygen & The Birdwatcher are currently working on their next studio project with acclaimed producer, artist and guitarist-extraordinaire, Erik Koskinen, due out Spring 2024.

Wise Jennings has developed a reputation in the Wisconsin music scene for delivering powerful performances and developing their own unique musical genre. They are now being asked to play multiple music festivals every year and are on the cusp of something big.

Watching Wise Jennings perform is a really captivating experience. Melissa plays the drums, harmonica, and sings. Jeff sings, plays a unique guitar setup and a custom foot-pedal bass rig that he plays with his...feet. Two people on stage but sounds like a four piece band and looks like a choreographed circus.

With endless inspirations, Modern Joey strives to celebrate a universe of styles and genres under the rock and roll umbrella. Giving everything a classic Modern Joey spin, they aim to bring you a night of dancing, headbanging, stank-faces and more.

From Milwaukee, WI, the fellas of Modern Joey have been playing music together since 2017. It was a long time coming when they excitedly released their first single, “Light”, in October of 2023. This was followed by another single, “Sweet Dreams” and eventually their debut EP, “Knights of the Moon” was released in January of 2024.

The Mascot Theory has been kicking around Wisconsin weekend-warrior style for the past decade, but like many musicians, the great pandemic-induced entertainment halt of 2020 forced the band to reflect and refocus musical efforts. With the core foundation of singer/songwriter Erik Kjelland and the rhythm section of Nick Fry on bass guitar and Paul Metz on drums, The Mascot Theory used this time off to slightly shift their sound away from their acoustic-driven folk-rock music and into a more classic rock inspired Rock and Roll groove, especially thanks to the addition of lead guitarist Cory who brings a strong musical swagger and reverence to the guitar gods of the past. In April 2022, the band worked with famed producer Terry Manning (Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top, Shakira, Lenny Kravitz, Stax Record) at Sonic Ranch Studios near El Paso, TX and recorded 13 new songs as well as 2 updated versions of classic live show staple songs to record songs for the upcoming "Every Sign Of Life" album.

Along with a WAMI (Wisconsin Area Music Industry) win for Best Male Vocalist (Erik Kjelland) and a nomination for Best Americana/folk artist, The Mascot Theory has won over 20 MAMA (Madison Area Music Association) awards including back-to-back 2016 and 2017 Artist of the Year awards. They have played major festivals throughout Wisconsin including Summerfest, Freak Fest, and Mile of Music Festival, and have shared the stage with BoDeans, America, Don McLean, The Jayhawks, Vance Joy, Frank Turner, Chase Rice, Kaleo, The Wild Feathers, Guster, Blitzen Trapper, Cory Chisel, Andy Frasco and the UN, Miles Nielsen and the Rusted Hearts, American Aquarium, American Scarecrows, and Lillie Mae.

The new music travels into its classic rock influences; harmonies that bring to mind the Eagles or Poco, a bit of that Rolling Stones guitar swagger, a little ZZ Top blues rock, a dash of the Pink Floyd mood, but never straying far from the core of the Tom Petty/Beatle-esque importance of solid melody and lyrics. Songs like "When I Drift Away", "Lavender Blues" and "Fast Car Getaway" showcase the new album's infectious energy and beautiful harmonies within an eclectic landscape of well-crafted and memorable songs.

Madison’s musical collective that brings eras of electronic sonic rock together with a laid back psychedelic indie emphasis, euphoric space, and positive vibrations from the 60’s, early 70’s, and 90’s.

Indie/experimental hip-hop based out of La Crosse, WI. An always expanding, always evolving sound, merging a myriad of styles into the lyrical hip-hop prowess of MC's Jet Hertz and Fernando Mendoza.

Nationally Touring Indie Singer Songwriter Guitar Duo.