THE TURBOS

The Turbos are a high energy, alt-rock, quartet based in Columbus. The name is derived from the influence that the Columbus Rock scene had on the band. Whether you’re freakin’ or fightin’, they got that rock for your roll! The Turbos come together to rock faces and foundations with a fierce thirst for the bright lights.

THE APPALUCIANS

The Appalucians play music from the mountains of Western North Carolina, featuring spirited songwriting, sublime harmonies, and a layered interplay between dobro, guitars, harmonica and banjo. The band is the musical union of two couples Jay Brown and Aditi Sethi and Angie Heimann and Cas Sochacki who met at their kids’ preschool, gradually realized their seemingly cosmic musical alignment, and decided they better start a band.  Their debut album “Bright Hills” (recorded at Higher Ground Studio in Birmingham, AL, released in early summer 2018), has flavors of mountain folk, 70’s folk-rock and barroom twang,  and reached the top ten on the NACC Folk Album chart in  2018. .

The moniker “the Appalucians” belies the band’s playful relationship with words, pairing their often mountain-esque sound with the root word “lucia” (latin for “light.”)The Appalucians’ repetoire, comprised mainly of songs penned by Ohio-born Angie Heimann (guitar, vocals, banjo,) and Alabama native Jay Brown (guitar, vocals, harmonica) explores themes both dark and light, connecting to the peaks and valleys of the human experience. Brown’s other projects include rhythm/roots band Lazybirds, his solo work as a one-man-band, and Aditi and Jay, duet project with his wife Aditi Sethi. Heimann’s other projects include performing solo and fronting the California-born band the Blushin’ Roulettes, which has morphed into a duet project with her partner Cas Sochacki.

The life experiences of the band members have contributed largely to both the depth and the playfulness of their music’s running themes. India-born, Georgia raised Aditi Sethi (bass, vocals) works as an end-of-life care physician and doula. Jay Brown works as a music therapist in hospice. As songwriters, Jay Brown and Angie Heimann are often both drawn to themes of the passing of time in life and the great beyond. All members of the Appalucians have endured the deaths of dear friends and bandmates in their musical pasts, which informs the depth of their performance in songs like “Rhythm in the Wind,” “Hailbop” and “Summerlawn.”

The band’s sillier side is expressed in off-the-cuff witty stage banter, and  funny songs like “Don’t Bother Me,” a song for parents of young children, penned by Cas Sochacki- (dobro, occasional baritone vocals.) Sochacki also engineers Farmstead Studio, the birthplace of the side project “Old Mill Radio Hour” a comedy/music show which includes writing and music of members of the Appalucians/Lazybirds/Blushin’ Roulettes, and is scheduled to hit the folk festival circuit summer 2019.

The Appalucians toured California and Alaska in the summer of 2018  to celebrate the release of their debut album Bright Hills.

Conor and the Wild Hunt

Conor & The Wild Hunt is a Progressive Indie-Folk band intent on inspiring positive change in a troubled world. Artful and driving instrumentation, impassioned duets, blooming four part harmonies, and a compelling stage presence

 

Aged 24, Conor Brendan has been a recording artist for over a decade. He has written and recorded over 80 songs professionally. The Wild Hunt is an amorphous conglomeration of traditional and non-standard instruments and voices supporting Conor’s vision. Conor Brendan recently performed at Boulder Theatre with Trevor Hall, Nahko, Wookiefoot, Earth Guardians, and Tubby Love. One of his songs is placed in the show ‘forever’; soon to be aired on Netflix. Conor is a water protector who spent a month on the front lines of Standing Rock, and performed in multiple concerts to support the Sioux Nation.

Carrie Nation and the Speakeasy

Carrie Nation & the Speakeasy is a high-energy “Brass ‘n’ Grass” sextet from Wichita, KS. The band, whose sound has been described as “…a stagecoach in overdrive”, has brought their eclectic blend of punk, bluegrass, and dixieland to packed bars, basements, and festivals across the US since their inception in the spring of 2007.

With a lineup of great musicians, the band’s live show is never the same twice. Brothers Jarrod and Zachary Starling provide acoustic guitar and drums/washboard; along with Dallin Bulkley on standup bass to round out the rhythm section. Garrett Briggeman adds to the energy with 5-string banjo, while Josue Estrada’s trumpet provides layers of jazz and Western to the sound. Tyler Grubb holds down double solo duties, playing both mandolin and trombone. This blend of influences and instrumentation ensures a unique and interesting show each night.

CNS plays hundreds of dates a year hitting 47 states and 5 countries. The band has built a dedicated following with their energetic live show and ability to fit on the bill with acts ranging from bluegrass to rockabilly; punk to ska. Breakneck mandolin solos melt into blaring trombone and trumpet lines, while the standup bass and feed-bucket-trap-set churn out driving rhythms that carry the force of a Kansas freight train.

Thoughtful songwriting that explores deeper, more interesting themes is what sets this band apart from the multitudes of acts content with singing about Whiskey and Women. From social satire to labor union songs to Civil War Ballads to existential journeys that explore life, death, despair, and indulgence, CNS’s songs will provoke thought, incite riots, and lure your children into a life of travel and debauchery.

With 2 original LP’s (2010 Self-Titled, 2013 Hatchetations) and 1 split EP ( 2012 Liberty, Solidarity, Responsibility w/ Cletus Got Shot), CNS has built a repertoire of original songs that continue morph with the progression of the band. Another 2017 full-length is on the horizon that will prove to highlight the band’s musical growth, and maturity of writing.

The band’s DIY mentality is shown through their self-recorded albums, self-published music, self-booked tours, and a community of local and regional visual artists that show the band’s distinctly grassroots approach. CNS has been pounding the highways and byways of this great country for 8 years now, bringing their songs and stories to thousands. Always providing a high energy, drink’em down atmosphere to any place they play, CNS has proven a dedication to their live shows with a solid understanding of what entertainment really means.

RARE CREATURES

Coleman Sawyer – Vocals, Guitar, Violin
Aaron Reece – Lead Guitar
Hugh Camp – Bass, Synth
Logan Crank – Drums
Formed initially as an experiment in diverse songwriting, Rare Creatures has grown into a full on rock spectacle. Their sound navigates between heavy synth rock and melodic acoustic rhythms seamlessly from song to song, switching it up around every corner. Influenced by bands from Alt-J to King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, with some ethnic spices sprinkled in for good measure. The group is fronted by Coleman Sawyer on vocals and guitar, with Hugh Camp on bass and synthesizer, Keller James on lead guitar, and Logan Crank banging the drums. Recordings are forthcoming, and will be released in late 2017.