LOST BAYOU RAMBLERS
The two-time Grammy award winning Lost Bayou Ramblers’ evolution as a progressive Louisiana French band rooted in Cajun traditions continues to excite, challenge, and redefine both genre expectations as well as cultural preconceptions. Founded in 1999 by brothers Andre and Louis Michot, the years have brought LBR a feature on Jack White’s American Epic, score contributions to the Oscar nominated film Beasts of the Southern Wild, Grammy wins for “Live: Orpheum Theater NOLA” their 2023 album with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, and for their 2017 studio album "Kalenda.” As the band continues to explore collaborations with artists worldwide both on stage and in the studio, the Ramblers have collaborated with Dr. John, Scarlett Johansson, Leyla McCalla, Nora Arnezeder, Gordon Gano, Spider Stacy, Rickie Lee Jones, Ani DiFranco, to name a few. With years of sold-out shows in New Orleans and abroad, Lost Bayou Ramblers were named Big Easy Awards’ Entertainers of the Year in 2019, and 2021 brought features in Rolling Stone magazine, National Geographic, and The New Yorker.
Lost Bayou Ramblers stands at the crosscurrents of Louisiana culture by inhabiting the gray area between Cajun and Creole, convention and innovation, mystery and a revelation, experimenting and growing the show to what it's become today: an eclectic mix of modern sounds and rhythms with ancient Cajun melodies and lyrics. World Café says “The Grammy-winning group plays a revved-up version of Cajun music, shot through with punk energy and psychedelic fuzz.”
OLIVIA BARNES
Olivia Barnes is an independent singer-songwriter based in New Orleans, Louisiana. Though she’s been writing songs since she was 8-years-old, it wasn’t until her Junior year of high school that she bought a guitar with a stack of birthday money and finally put her words to music. Olivia grew up in Atlanta, Georgia and draws influence from artists such as Maggie Rogers, Stevie Nicks, and Sheryl Crowe but is also inspired by other musical influences from The Red Hot Chili Peppers to Tedeschi Trucks Band. Olivia has lived in New Orleans for almost five years and takes inspiration from the life and culture of the city- performing in venues, collaborating and living with other musicians, and absorbing the rich musical history of the city. Olivia often performs with her band complete with drums, acoustic and electric guitars, and bass with the occasional fiddle. Her honest, witty lyrics combined with anthemic melodies and rootsy instrumentals make her music nostalgic yet relatable, lighthearted yet deeply thoughtful and connects with audiences across the country.
POCKET CHOCOLATE
7-piece funk, blues, and soul collective Pocket Chocolate is a band of born and raised New Orleans musicians. Since forming in 2019, the group has played throughout the Gulf Coast region. In September of 2023, the group released their debut EP “Live From New Orleans” (recorded at multiple venues across New Orleans) and is currently recording their debut LP with Jake Eckert of the New Orleans Suspects.
With a combination of original songwriting and samples from musical influences across genres, Pocket Chocolate aims to captivate audiences with their modern take on the vibrant styles of music that founded New Orleans’ musical culture.
CARDINAL BLOOM
Cardinal Bloom is an Indie Rock Band from Salt Lake City, Utah, one of the birthplaces of the modern Indie Rock genre. Their debut album, “The Only Place I’ve Ever Known,” was released in September 2024, marking a new era of their music while still holding true to the sound they've carved as their own. Cardinal Bloom’s music encapsulates the nostalgic and bittersweet feeling of ‘better days,’ yet it leaves you with the notion that there is still so much life ahead of us to be lived.
“Everything they did worked together to absolutely nail that dusty Deseret sound—one that sits in between pop, rock, and folk.” -Zach Collier (Provo Music Magazine)
Their members include Joey St. John on guitar and vocals, Jacob Silvester on bass and vocals, Josh Thomas on guitar, and Nate Adair on drums.
QUARTERS OF CHANGE
Quarters of Change fuse together a signature hybrid of nineties-style alternative hooks, crunchy space rock soundscapes, and strutting seventies grooves. After piling up millions of streams, selling out shows, and inciting critical applause, the New York City quartet—Ben Acker [guitar, bass, synths], Attila Anrather [drums], Jasper Harris [guitars, bass, synths], and Ben Roter [vocals, guitar]—craft a rich exhibition of emotion on their aptly titled 2023 second full-length offering, Portraits [300 Entertainment].
The group quietly broke through with a series of independent EPs and the fan favorite “Kiwi,” which cracked 10 million-plus streams and counting. In 2022, the guys picked up the pace on their full-length debut, Into The Rift, boasting “T Love,” “Jaded,” and “Dead.” They hit the road with Bad Suns and impressively sold out their first-ever US headline tour. Returning to the Big Apple proper, Quarters Of Change self-produced this body of work joined by a handful of collaborators, including GRAMMY® Award winning producers Mikey Freedom Hart [Jon Batiste, Taylor Swift, Bleachers, Lana Del Rey, Dev Hynes] and Dave Tozer [John Legend, JAY-Z] in addition to fellow artist Charlie Berg and producer Brandon Shoop.
Simultaneously, they channeled inspirations as diverse as Failure, Deftones, The 1975, and Prince.
RATTLESNAKE MILK
From the southern plains of Texas, Rattlesnake Milk summons the sound of the prairie, mimicking the howl of coyotes and the pulsing rhythm of a lonesome junk train.
While farming cotton for a family friend, Lou Lewis found inspiration to record an eight-song demo listening to the classics played on KDAV 1590AM in the empty flatlands of his hometown. Those demos paid homage to Lou’s favorite Dust Bowl migrant songs and haunted melodic gems from the 50s and 60s.
Now, with the help of Corey Alvarez, and Andrew Chavez, Rattlesnake Milk captures the ephemeral soundscape of the Texas panhandle in the studio and on the stage.
