Greg Ormont, frontman of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, is widely recognized for his vibrant stage presence and magnetic connection with audiences. Known for his signature sound, thrashing ringlets, infectious grin, and unmistakable sense of humor, Ormont has become a central figure in the modern jam scene. His leadership continues to define Pigeons Playing Ping Pong’s spirited blend of funk, rock, and improvisation, inspiring both devoted fans and a new generation of live music enthusiasts. Hailing from Baltimore, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, or 'Pigeons' for short, consists of Greg Ormont and Jeremy Schon on guitar, Ben Carrey on bass, and Alex "Gator" Petropulos on drums. Though Ormont leads lyrically and vocally, the band functions as a true vocal ensemble, with every member adding their own voice in the mix. Their dedicated and extensive fanbase dubbed "The Flock" is known to travel alongside as they tour the country, filling venues and festival lawns with the same pure joy and positive vibes that the Pigeons themselves embody.

Despite the jam-packed weekend at Ramble Festival 2025—with Schon appearing as Artist at Large, Gator performing with Infinity Tribe, and Ormont leading his Scrambled Greg kids’ set—we were able to sit down with Ormont, ahead of that evening’s double-headlining show.  He opened up about the band’s ongoing evolution, their deep connection to the jam-band community, and the release of their latest album, Feed The Fire.

DC Music Review:  How does it feel to be headlining Ramble Festival? Are you guys excited for your double set tonight?

Greg Ormont:  We are stoked. We love the people who throw this (Brick and Jay), and to be in the home state playing two sets it's awesome. We're gonna let her rip!

Have you (Pigeons Playing Ping Pong) played Ramble? I know you've done the kids set.

The band has not, but we actually met these guys when they were helping us with our festival Domefest and they were in the early days of talking about this music festival... they saw how we do things (at Domefest) and it's really incredible to see these seeds of ideas blossom into this whole community that's bigger than the festival itself. I mean people love Ramble and we're included. I'm super proud of them and they should be proud too.

Tell me about the new album.

We're thrilled with the new album! It's called Feed the Fire... just released! I love this new album; we wouldn't put it out if we didn't love it and and this one feels really great. It's a big mix of our different styles and it's a bunch of new things too. For instance, our bassist (Ben Carrey) sings on the record for the first time as lead. and he did a great job on a song called Hit the Ground Running. And we've had new collaborations like Wes Bailey from Moon Taxi on the title track and some familiar collaborations like Chalk Dinosaur on a couple tracks and our friends West End Blend and Here Come the Mummies on horns. It was kind of like taking our touring sound and bottling it up into a nice neat package. And with that comes our touring friends... it was very collaborative and fun and hopefully what we sound like now and the next one will continue to evolve.

 I feel like that's the Pigeon way: jamming with other musicians. Any Pigeons show I've shot you've always had people coming up sitting in.

Well, we play shows all the time, and they're always so fun, but it's always extra exciting when you have a new element on stage or in anything in life... that new is what we're chasing and to have such talented friends around all the time, we'd be fools not to invite them up. In fact, I'd be curious to see if anyone up comes up tonight, because we know a lot of people on this lineup!

Hint, hint, hint!? I know every Pigeons set is going to be different; you're never gonna get the same one especially with different people sitting in. I know and follow a lot of your fans too, The Flock, (which is) such a robust, passionate following because they're putting out set lists like, "oh, yeah, and then they did this!" You don't get that with a lot of bands because the sets will be the same or similar, and they play the songs the way they are on the album, which is great, but I know with Pigeons, you're gonna funk it up and you're not gonna play it exactly how you would lay it down in studio.

I appreciate what you said. We work hard to make every show super different. The reality is you had to be there. And it's like that because one night this other band was on the lineup, they sat in and there was this epic jam or the vibe in the crowd was inspiring us to push certain songs and jams in new directions... into unchartered territory. That's why we all like jam music to begin with. It really is like this choose your own adventure, hang on and go along for the ride kind of genre. So it's hopefully just as much fun for the crowd as it is for us to see where the music takes us.

I think that's why you guys (Pigeons) are such a good fit for Ramble because that is the essence: you just had to be there! Being open to the vibe and bringing whoever up... it's always mystery, but that's the Ramble spirit. Pigeons is a perfect fit.

For sure! I love being here. The vibe is incredible. It's really laid back, but well oiled... there's lots of different genres going on. We we all brought our whole families! All six band kids are here running around, having fun, and it is such an amazing break from reality and at the same time, in our weird profession and world, it is our reality. To be able to coexist with everything that happens outside of the the music scene in today's society... to also be reminded of the pure camaraderie and togetherness that you experience at a festival. It's a really great reminder that we're not as divided as it sometimes seems.

And I think the fact that you can bring the family and have this be a family weekend... making memories together, I think that's great because I know you tour a lot and the kids and wives can't come with you everywhere, and that's gotta be hard!

It's very challenging to balance parenthood and and touring as a musician because you can't be in two places at once. But it's my job to give one thousand percent to all of life's pursuits, whether it's being a present father or an adventurous musician, or doing anything; you give it your all and hope for the best. If you do that and you're mindful of others' feelings and trying to balance it as best you can, you can sleep at night. Allegedly. Not when I'm home. My kids won't let me sleep at night! And then there's these beautiful moments like today, I had both my kids on stage with me for my kids' set. My daughter Goldie got to sing on stage for the first time with me.

I've talked a lot about what got me to this point in life where I'm a touring musician, and one of the things I look back on is the first time I was on stage was the Kindergarten Circus. I was the doggy in the window and I remember barking and people being like, "aww" and laughing. and I remember liking that feeling. And today, my daughter is now in Kindergarten, and got to be on stage and got cheers and it's like incredibly full circle and while it's very challenging sometimes to be gone all the time, moments like today where I get to share the stage with my daughter is something I wouldn't trade for the world.

I love that so much. So do you think she's got the performer personality?

I think she has that personality, but I am not pushing it on her at all. I think when you see your parents do things, you want to do that too, but it was her idea to come on stage. Every time I'm on stage and she's there, she wants to be on stage too. It was her idea to sing on stage and what songs to do and to play more than one song. So if she wants to, I'm happy to do it with her, but I want to make sure that I'm not guiding her natural instincts and what she is passionate about. If it happens to work out that way, then it won't be our last daddy-daughter song. I'm kind of following her lead and she did a great job. We practiced in my house, but once we got on stage at sound check and there's a big microphone and there's people, it was totally different and I could tell she was getting a little nervous. I wasn't sure when the showtime came if she'd be up for it, but she got up there, she shook the nerves off and owned it. It was amazing. I was so impressed. And then my two year old came up and got down too. He did a great baby shark-but it was like a modern baby shark.

What did your daughter (Goldie) sing with you?

Two originals that we wrote together. We had one song called "I Love You So Much" and another song called "Unicorns." Unicorns actually became a Pigeon song, but the band requested that I change the lyrics "unicorns like bubbles" and "unicorns like flowers," so now that song's called "Blue Light" and it's about our reliance on technology and it's not at all a kid song. When we debuted "Blue Light" for the first time, Goldie was in the crowd and was very upset that it was not about unicorns anymore. I warned her, she knew it was going to happen, but apparently she was not impressed with my version. So today was Redemption Day for Dad; we played the proper, original version of "Unicorns" that is not all of a sudden about androids. She did not sign off on that!

What were the lyric changes from unicorns, like bubbles and unicorns to what?

Well, it's like, 'androids are computers and androids are the problem' that's essentially about a not being a slave to your phone. 'Androids are the limit. Androids are the problem.' They're limiting us in our communication with each other. They're the problem in terms of us having a harder time, you know, being in society or connecting with each other, not being anxious. It went from this super cute kiddie idea to this way more adult thing.

I will say I had an absolute blast playing the original lyrics today. Goldie's favorite lyric was "unicorn fart glitter" and she crushed it. There was crowd participation—we asked the other kids in the crowd what else unicorns like and one of them was marshmallows, which was very unexpected, but probably true. I don't think that's wrong! So it was a big day for the fam.

That's awesome. Such a such a fun memory to share with your daughter. How do you think your sound has changed? How does parenthood and touring and just being a band together for so long (17 years!)—How has that changed songwriting and recording albums?

I think all people evolve in life no matter what your job is or what your role in a family is. When you're in a band, it's interesting because you have four different people in our case, evolving at different rates in different ways and therefore the communal soup of our existence tends to change with all these different ingredients, but in ways that won't knock you over the head. So some of us became dads and I don't think that's really affected the music. As the primary lyricist, it has affected the way I approach things sometimes, but not all the times. We have a song on this new album (Feed The Fire), "Donkey Hotel" that is as silly and off the wall as one of our earliest songs from college. With an evolution, you kind of just let it flow and see where it takes you. As a musician, you're chasing something new; once you've made a song, you want to write the next one... this is kind of the nature of the beast.

So one thing we're aware of is letting the evolution happen as it does naturally, not overthinking it. If it sounds good to your ear, then make that music. Another thing that we balance with that is not forgetting where you came from and what got you to this point... what the earliest inspiration was, how that felt at the time and and hearkening back to that. As I grow as a lyricist and I have kids now and I'm talking about different things than I did in college, I also stop myself and remember those earliest days when we were young and touring the country, sleeping on people's couches... really roughing it and having so much fun; everything was new. Calling back those memories to inject in today's lyrics, because those are the those are the vibes that got us to this point to begin with. I think it's important for evolution to embrace the future, but don't leave the past behind. That mixture is what makes us all human and what makes the music interesting, because it's not just a snapshot of today; It's where you are and how you got there. And when when time elapses, you'll look back on this song and it can mean something completely different than it did before. There are so many lyrics I've written or songs we've written that at the time meant something to me in in one way and now mean almost the polar opposite. I find it so interesting because you end up singing these songs over and over, sporadically, because the set lists do change, but when they do come back up, you're singing it with a different intention, energy, and mindset; it's really fascinating to revisit the old while embracing the new.

It's funny because people still talk about the "Early Pigeons Days" When I am out in the jam scene, not even at a Pigeons show, I'll hear  "oh, man, I'm an original, I used to see them at the 8x10 way back when they were just getting started," they talk about seeing you from the ground up.

The last person I spoke to before sitting down with you told me that she saw us in Salisbury, Maryland at a pizza place, Vinny's La Roma... we would show up anywhere that someone would let us play music, clear out the tables, bring our own little sound system, flip the place upside down for a night, then meet people and crash on their floors. And that was like THE DREAM. We were living the dream and we still are! It's just we're playing at a festival and we don't have to provide our own sound.

And the lights!! (Thanks to Pigeons LD, Manny Newman)

I really love talking to people who were there from the earliest days, because it does feel like we got here together... the fact that they are still following us, they've probably told friends about it, and that helps us keep the dream alive. I know just as a fan of bands, I love watching their success. Like Goose, who opened for us in 2019. 2020, right before the pandemic, and fast forward five years and they're selling out Madison Square Garden... they're amazing guys and I love them so much and I'm so proud of them. And I feel how some of our fans do from the early years like "I remember when you guys (Goose) were the support band; look how incredible this growth is in this community you've built." The songwriting is incredible, and they've just earned every bit of success they have. I feel part of that ride... there's something about the longevity of the support that makes the successes all the more meaningful.

Of course. What do they say, 'a rising tide lifts all boats?'

Totally. That has been by mantra.... I came from a sports culture childhood and that is not the case: It's a zero sum game. If one team wins, the other team loses, and it took me a while to put my finger on it, but once I switched into this music-based lifestyle, the fact that someone's success doesn't mean it's negative for you, was such a relief. It's hard to explain how relaxed that made me about everything. The fact that we're all in this together... it really is a special thing, and that's why the jam community amongst many other music communities are just... it's hard to put into words how special it is.

And I don't think everyone sees it until they see it, when you realize "oh, wait, wait, you care about my success and I care about you!"

Greg: And that ties right back into places like Ramble; it's a really great reminder that we're all rooting for each other, especially in PERSON. You get sucked into these digital worlds where the point is to make a point—as opposed to the point being to support and lift each other up. And it's so great to see. Ramble is a perfect place to cleanse your soul of the the day to day and remind yourself about the importance of human connection and and how fleeting it all can be.

Last question, what is your favorite song to play live?

Feed The Fire. Well, in actuality, I would say my favorite song to play live is the one (iteration of Feed The Fire) that we're currently playing because like many people, I'm sure, I have a hard time like not getting stuck in the past or anxious about the future, but when you're on stage and you're focusing on the chords you're playing, the words you're singing, what the other musicians are doing, it's the best way for me to like turn off my brain and be in the now. What I appreciate the most about playing live is just you know, staying in the moment, feeling the energy and because of that, it doesn't even matter what we're playing. I'm probably more grounded than usual when I'm when I'm playing it.

I feel like it bleeds into other areas of life, too, when you have those moments, it helps you be present when you're not on stage. That's what happens to me when I'm in the crowd.

Well, especially when you're improvising. If you let your mind wander, you're gonna miss the train. and it's just a really good metaphor for our everyday existence; if you keep looking behind you or looking ahead of you, you're gonna miss what's in front of you.

Talking the talk and walking the walk are often something that artists are able to only do one of.  Alabama-born JP Harris, on the other hand, has not only a rugged song catalog, but the same rings true of his life.  While fans are all-too-familiar with the country and bluegrass obsession with trains over the years, this man breathes a different kind of life into it entirely.   While many artists craft lyrics about rambling lives and hard-earned truths from the comfort of a tour bus or a writing room in Nashville, Harris has the rare distinction of actually riding that train. Long before he ever stepped on a stage, JP was hitchhiking across the country, hopping freight trains, living without electricity, and learning carpentry by necessity. His life reads like a forgotten verse of an old folk ballad, and it’s that raw authenticity that pulses through every word he sings.

Real experiences, real life and real people are the building blocks of what we hear when we listen to Harris on a track and he is more that proud of being able to bring that to the recording studio to share with awaiting ears of fans far and wide:

"A multi-year love affair I had with them," says Harris of his days riding the rails.  

"The world at large, doesn't quite fathom the connections that are made

through living in unconventional ways. A lot of that network of friends from back then,

are people that I still stay in contact with and that I crash with when I'm the road." 

JP also talks about something else that keeps him real and raw in the music industry and that is the fans that he continues to see at his shows.  Former punk-rock road travelers he shared nights under stars with, Deadheads that have multiple generations in attendance, folks that show up not knowing what to expect and leave as fans that buy the t-shirt to wear proudly on the street.  Past lives that have been lived still show up with just as many changes as similarities:

"Being in a touring band and being travelers, there's a lasting bond.  

Some went on to become lawyers, some died - there are some that parlayed

 it into things like being full-time artists, or it lead them into community activism."

He’s not interested in chasing radio hits or industry trends. Instead, he’s content carving out a space far off the beaten path — sometimes literally. When he’s not on the road playing bars, venues and roots festivals, Harris lives off-grid in the woods, doing carpentry and letting the silence between projects shape the next song. This slower pace, far from the noise of the industry, allows him to write music that speaks to people instead of at them.  

In a genre often bloated with overproduced sound and underlived sentiment, JP Harris stands as a rare breed — a man who’s lived more lives than most songwriters could dream up, and who still keeps it real with every chord he strums.  Keeping the real in his songs, we joked, might also make him a good candidate for a politician, especially these days when the authentic is rare.  

"Vote for JP Harris - He's Shoveled Shit," would be the campaign slogan when I asked him what he might have on banners if he was to randomly choose running for Mayor.  And while some might think that a shocking way to get votes, in reality it's a nod to his authentic self and the lack of a facade that is put on by far too many, either pretending to be (or not be) who they truly are.  

Not to be mistaken or confused with anything other than what it is on the surface, Harris still has his occasional qualms about who he is and what he's doing as any musician and artist will, but his songs aren’t stylized stories about heartbreak and hardship — they’re pulled from real dirt, real distance, real people. Harris has slept under the stars with fellow travelers, worked his hands raw building homes, and spent time in communities that most songwriters only reference as an aesthetic. That lived-in truth comes through loud and clear in his records, despite him saying that something he still looks for that he lost is 'validation'.  

JP's latest album JP Harris is a Trash Fire (to which he was admittedly the one that lit the match) is out now and you can catch him this coming Wednesday at Jammin Java in Vienna, VA.  

To learn more about JP Harris, please see the following web resources:

• Webpage (ILoveHonkeyTonk.com)
• Facebook
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Spotify
• TIDAL
• Soundcloud

“We just love making stuff,” said Aaron Graham, one of the members of the indie duo Ray Bull, in an interview.

Graham and Tucker Elkins are about to release an EP entitled Little Acts of Violence on Friday, Feb. 21, ahead of their first ever headline tour. They will be beginning their 19-show tour in Washington, D.C. at The Atlantis on March 7, 2025.

However, “indie” may not even be the best term to describe Ray Bull. They hardly fit into any one box, and as two artists, they prefer to color outside the lines.

Elkins and Graham met at The Cooper Union, an art school in Manhattan, New York, right before the pandemic. The two began as visual artists, and while they still make visual art, they discovered their mutual enthusiasm for making musical art. Around this time, Graham had been using the name “Ray Bull” as a persona for sharing his visual art, so it all seemed to fall into place when he and Elkins began making music together. They took a name that had a bit of history behind it and started creating art in a medium in which they had no prior history.

Many have tried to describe Ray Bull as indie rock or indie pop, and they said that that certainly describes some of what they do, but they see themselves as more eclectic and prolific, with a wider array of genre-bending styles. But if Ray Bull could be summed up into just a few words, I would say they would be poignant and mysterious.

“We weren’t in bands in high school and it was never a dream to play in a band and get on stage and go on tour,” Graham said. “We just loved making things and music kind of happened later. So by the time we came to music, it felt very like an open feel to us, like we didn’t come to it with a specific genre.”

Ray Bull “stumbled into” their upcoming EP, Little Acts of Violence. 

“We’re not really sure what it is,” Elkins said. “It even confuses us a little bit.”

The new EP will feature seven songs, four of which have already been released as singles. The title track, “Little Acts of Violence,” has hints of Sara Bareilles, Declan McKenna, Enya, and even The Killers. 

“We write so many songs that we kind of just have around in waiting,” Graham said. “It was kind of a process of hearing different voices and what people thought of what we had, and kind of just letting the songs fight their way to the top. So it’s like, whatever songs called attention to themselves ended up on the EP. So in that sense, we’re not entirely sure of what they’re saying together.”

So will “Little Acts of Violence” have songs fighting for the top spot? Fans will have to find out when the EP comes out this Friday.

Ray Bull has been working with the record label AWAL to produce this, which is their first time producing music not entirely independently. In the past, Ray Bull has created all of their own content, including the artwork.

“We feel so lucky that we get to be the ones doing it,” Graham said. “We went to art school, have the skill set, and it feels like an essential part of representing ourselves.”

Graham described their songwriting process as a “mentality of mumbling;” their fully formed product hardly ever comes out the first time around. They often start with the chords and the melody, and then mumble to find the right words. They often do, as their lyrics are very poignant, yet vaguely mysterious.

“It often feels like we’re like paleontologists or something, like uncovering bones and brushing things away to see what’s there,” Graham said. “It feels like the words are somewhere in there.”

As is the case for many artists these days, Ray Bull gained their audience through TikTok and other social media platforms. You may recognize them from their mashup videos, where they sing two existing songs overtop of each other. They wanted to share their music somehow, and TikTok seemed to them like the most logical place to start.

“It was like a sink-or-swim kind of mentality, almost, with TikTok these days,” Elkins said. “The more we did [the mashup videos], the easier it was to think of them, because we were getting views and stuff; it’s like a high… Now I feel like we’re hardwired to think of them. It’s almost like a curse… it feels like seeing the ‘matrix.’”

Even though it can be a love-hate relationship with the social media platform, especially with the ever-changing algorithms, they are glad they did it.

“It’s really provided us with that foundation of an audience,” Graham said. “So many people started following us because of that, and then we suckered them into listening to our own music.”

As Elkins and Graham are both visually-minded people, they often come up with creative concepts for their TikToks, music videos, and album art.

While this is not their first taste of the tour life after previously supporting Stephen Sanchez and Ricky Montgomery’s respective tours, Ray Bull is excited to be heading out on their own tour. They’ve played DC9 and the Pie Shop before, but they hope that their first stop at The Atlantis will set the tone for the rest of their 19-city tour.

For more information about Ray Bull’s shows in D.C. and beyond, check their website, and be sure to catch them live at The Atlantis on Friday, March 7.

(Cover Image Photo Credit: Sweet Joey Vermouth)

Venue Review:  Learn More About The Atlantis, parking, food recommendations, and more.

To learn more about Ray Bull, please see the following web resources:

• Webpage
• Facebook
• Instagram
• YouTube
• TIDAL
• Apple
• Spotify
• TikTok
• Bandsintown

DC Music Review had the opportunity to talk to Brian Roy (bass) and Louis Smith (vocals, guitar) of Kendall Street Company after an ambitious and creative year before wrapping up 2024 with five spectacular performances.

For those that are unfamiliar with Kendal Street Company, they are a DMV band based out of Charlottesville, Virginia.  This five-piece genre-fluid, eclectic rock ensemble has a pedigree of jacked-up rock, folk, heavy metal, and jazz that swirls in like a hurricane of fun and then leaves with a wave that crashes straight into the deep, guttural funk of soul.  Their live performances at venues and festivals across the country are legendary and include elements of crowd participation, off-the-cuff comedic bits, haphazard choreography, musical improvisation, and outstanding music.   Simply put, if you have not seen them, they are a must-see act.

For those in the DC Metro Area who do not already know, they will be performing with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong on Friday, December 13th, at the 9:30 Club, and if you keep on reading, you will find out about their holiday performance at The Jefferson Theater in Charlottesville, Virginia, which sounds like a must-see performance.  Tickets to both events can be found after the interview.

Between their relentless touring, hilarious stage antics,  and incredible body of work, it was a true pleasure talking with them on a cold winter night in the DMV.

DC Music Review: Hello!  Good to talk to you.  Where are you guys right now?

Brian Roy: Hey, we are on our tour bus.  Good to talk to you, too.   We're just in Charlottesville, so we just finished a day of making content and had another radio thing earlier, so we're at home.

DC Music Review:  Okay, I'm gonna make you all really big in Germany.  (Alluding to their companion/alter-ego Sauerkräut)

Brian:  Oh yeah. I've always wanted to be really big in Germany.  Actually if you could even just get us into the Netherlands, that would be phenomenal. Like, I've always wanted to get into the German market, but, like, I've heard it's cheaper to fly into Schiphol airport in Amsterdam and then take a bus to Germany.

DC Music Review:  But, you know, Sauerkräut, we're going to talk about them in a little bit.  But we wanted to first talk to you about 2024. You guys have had a pretty exciting year, and 2024 is almost over. Tell me how it's been. How's it going? Where do you feel like you have gotten to where you wanted to? Have you achieved what you wanted to achieve this year?

Brian:   This year has been awesome. 2024 has been super awesome for us. We've achieved a lot. We set really high goals for ourselves to keep us working and busy and creating.  We went into this year with a lot of material that we wanted to record, that we had written, that we'd played even a little bit live; some of it we hadn't played live. We decided that we're going to do a single every month, and we're just going to keep that train rolling all year. And it was a really fun, illuminating experience, just sharing an amount like that. It's definitely different than hunkering down and putting together a full album, which we've done in the past.   In the past, we have done a retreat, where we go for a week or two and hunker down and get everything written.  This was much more of a bring a song to the band, let's work on it, workshop it, get into the studio, record it, get it mixed, get art, you know, go through the full process over and over again.

Louis Smith:   The goal was achieved. The 12 months and 12 singles were achieved. We really, we did it. We released them. It's done.

DC Music Review:  I think you first announced your Final Friday of every month of 2024 initiative at The Atlantis in Washington, DC, in December 2023

Brian:  Um, I'm not certain that may, that may

Lous:  I think we had been talking about that in the lead-up to that performance.  It may have been the first time.

DCMR: You guys kicked it off by playing "Truckin' Trees for Christmas."

Brian: Yeah, and that song just came out this week.  Yeah, we played that back in December 2023.  We had decided sometime around November or December 2023 that we were going to do this project.   I do think the Atlantis show might have been the first time that we mentioned it live.  We had the idea together and we wanted to release a new song on the final Friday of each month.

DC Music Review:  We wanted to ask, how did you start the project?  You alluded to not wanting to just go into the studio and spending two weeks off the road coming up with an album. Did you just decide this would be a fun, fun project for the band?

Louis:  Well, we were in Charleston, South Carolina, and we were thinking about how do we want to do our releases for 2024.   We had a performance in Charleston, and so we had a bunch of material and a bunch of songs.  We looked at these songs and said they don't really fit together necessarily.  We've got a snow day, and we got "Porridge," so how do we release these? So we just decided we're just going to do a single a month. That's kind of how it came to be. We weren't like, "Oh, we've got this body of work that has to be in an album or on an EP."  We did toy with some ideas of releasing different EPs, like a metal EP, and there was, like, a folk EP, that kind of thing.  Instead of doing that, we liked the idea of releasing them as singles, and we did sort of group the heavier stuff together, and we sort of grouped the folky stuff together, and the funky stuff to like, the funky stuff was like the March, April, May, and the more folky stuff was in another part of the year, and then the heavier later in the year.  So we sort of or tactical, in a way, about how we released each month, sort of like we wanted one thing to kind of lead into the next in a nice way.  

And we're actually releasing a compilation vinyl called "Singles Going Heady 2024."

DC Music Review: I love it. What is your lead track? Is it going to be  "Catz in Zeh Haus" and release it in in Germany first before other markets? 

Louis:   Yeah man. (Laughs)

Brian: We are going to put them on the album in the order they were released, January through December, which actually worked really nice as six and six and will actually fit on the vinyl.  It actually flows.  But for "Catz in Zeh Haus,"  it is certainly on there. I think it might kick off side two.

Louis:  No, I think it's the last one on side one.

DCMR: I think we are just going to have to let fans come out, buy it, and find out for themselves.

Brian: You know, Sauerkräut is awesome because they're always on tour with us.  We met these guys. We met these guys at a club in Berlin.  Well, it might have been Munich.  I forget, but we met these guys at a club, and they're great, and they just decided, "You know what, we're just going to go on tour with Kendall Street Company." You know, permanently.  It actually says this on their website.  If you've been to their website they are just permanently on tour with Kendall Street company.

Louis:  Yeah.

Brian: I think they called us their best friends. 

Louis:  And the best band.

Brian: So we have to tour around in this small minibus that falls apart all the time while they go around in a jumbo jet. 

Louis: They fly in a private jet. But because they're just really wealthy, they're incredibly wealthy.

Brian:  They are incredibly wealthy because they invented the whole, you know, you know, the Dave. It's short for The Ze-Dave. It's a contraction, it's the Day Rave - but it's the Dave.  I know it's confusing because we're from Charlottesville, so when you say Dave, here, people here think Dave Matthews, which, you know, we love Dave Matthews. But the Dave is just, it starts at dawn and then goes until dust every day, one time, every day -  there's Dave.

So they tour around with us. Sometimes we call them up on stage, and they play their one song - because it's really a great song.  Yeah, most bands need to write, like, we have to write a lot of songs to keep people interested.   Probably the most amazing thing about Sauerkraut as a band is that they just wrote one song that's probably the greatest song ever written, right? Then they just said, “Well, it's all downhill from here. Why even let's just stay at the top of the hill? This is a good vantage point, yeah, for our careers, let's just keep playing this one song.” 

Louis:  Yeah, I wonder if they write another one. 

Brian: Yeah, maybe they could, I wonder. They're very creative guys.

DC Music Review:  I was going to ask before you told me about this new compilation LP if sauerkraut was going to release a debut album? Or are you going to make one contribution to your album and then, once again, leave on a high note?

Louis: Yeah... I don't know.

Brian:  I don't know.  Those guys party a lot on their jumbo jet, so it's kind of hard getting them to get down to business. 

Louis:  They don't get a lot done.

Brian: Kendall Street Company gets a lot done. But sauerkraut is, you know, they kind of turn it up to 11 on the party side, yeah, constantly. So we don't know if they're going to be writing more or releasing more. You know, you'd have to talk to them. 

DC Music Review: I wanted to talk more about this upcoming album. It's just great.  There's jazz, metal, psychedelic, just a bit of everything.  I thought I heard some "You Enjoy Myself" by Phish, influences on "El Perro Triste.”

Brian: Actually, "El Perro Triste" was one of the two a little bit older songs of ours that ended up on this compilation. We had some songs in the bag, and we were like, these don't fit on any projects we're working on now. So they kind of sat in the bag, and we want to take these out of the bag and put them out there for people to hear.  So that one we actually started recording in 2020, and and then tabled it for a while, and then picked it back up earlier this year and put it out. 

Louis: We were actually going to release "Catz in Zeh Hause", and "El Perro Triste" together as an EP. Call it "Cat Dog,” but it just didn't work out that way. So, we decided to release them as part of this project.

DC Music Review:  Well, you are all some of the most creative people on stage, and the number of artists you cover is incredible.  For Halloween this year, you covered ZZ Top.  You have also covered System of a Down, Jimi Hendrix, The Cranberries, and The Grateful Dead.  You name it, and it seems like you have covered them.  So the question is - is anyone who's off limits to you, and you say, "Nope, not going to cover them."

Brian:  It's funny that you mentioned that.  When we just started together as young, strapping students at the University of Virginia, we played a lot of Dave Matthews Band songs, and we are all big fans of Dave Matthews Band.  We even have a saxophone in our band (Jake Vanaman), and we are from Charlottesville, and we didn't want to be thought of as the next Dave Matthews Band or have that comparison.  So, for the longest time, we've not really done any Dave Matthews Band songs, but we've shied away from doing it because we want to carve out our own identity in this music scene.

Louis: Phish never did the Grateful Dead because it was too close.  So, we’ve never done a Phish song, and we don’t do the Dave songs anymore.  But I could see there is a situation where we pick one Phish song and one Dave song that we really like and would be a cool cover that we could lean into.

Brian:  Sometimes learning covers is a learning experience.  Sometimes, we just want to learn a song and play it on stage and do a "throw-in.”  We have a section in "Cars" where sometimes we throw in a funny cover or a new thing, depending on where we are.  We just played in Syracuse, which is the first place of Tom Cruise, so we played the theme from Top Gun and "Danger Zone," just a little snippet of it that we learned at sound check. 

But sometimes, we try to learn a cover, and then we'll work through it. We decided we didn’t really want to play it live, but the process of learning the song was a good learning experience.  It is a good way to get a lot of different influences on the sound of what you're putting out. I’ve always thought about how the idea of jam music because, in some ways, we're a jam band, and in other ways, we're not. But with the idea of jam, if you go to a jam band show, it's almost like an encyclopedia of music where you have all these different influences.  If you just listen to a jam band and then play that music, like listening to Phish cover Phish, you're like writing an encyclopedia entry from an encyclopedia entry, and then that's where you get into secondary sources, you know, tertiary sources. You need primary source material to be really, you know, getting those creative juices flowing, so to speak. 

DC Music Review:  Have you ever done covers where you are learning the song and learning the techniques in the song or chord pattern, and you think, "That's something that we're going to bring into our toolbox or our permanent canon, or somehow has affected you?

Brian: Absolutely.   It happens all the time.  I like more of a football analogy of adding plays to the playbook. I'll say, like, that's a play that we should be able to call. We should be able to audible to that play on stage without talking or communicating, beyond looking at each other or hearing what somebody cues a cue into it, right? You want to be able to call the audibles there. So sometimes you're learning a song, and it's like, ”Damn, I love how they go to the six here after that three instead of going back to the one after they've gone through it three times.” 

Louis:  It's the same with language, too. When we immersed ourselves in learning the ZZ Top record, it was a different dialect - a different language.  So when you immerse yourself in that, you pick up on things, and you start to incorporate them into what you're doing. "Checking Out" was inspired by Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club.  So, you hear these things, and then you think we're going to learn that, and then we'll kind of dig into that and try to write something.  After we did a Carlos Santana tribute, we wrote a song that was inspired by Santana. Then, after learning the ZZ Top covers, we wrote "Petrified" and incorporated the riffage that ZZ Top excels at.

Brian:    It could be really sudden, though, as well.  In the case of "Porridge," that came from just we played at this venue where they were playing Tool and Trent Reznor on the house sound system before the show.  So that just got me in a Tool headspace, and that song came out of the soundcheck at that show.

DCMR:"Porridge" is one of our favorites from this year's project.  We loved them all equally, but that song.

Brian:  Having songs. It's like having it's like kids; you love them all the same, but some of them go to better colleges. You know, it's, it's, you can love them all the same but still have a favorite one.

(All laugh)

DC Music Review: So, where did some of the heavy metal influences come from in this year's songs?  Who contributed to that? 

Brian: We all listen to a lot of different things.  I personally am a big fan of some of the heavier, louder rock that exists out there. We are also big fans of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, who also do this kind of flipping through genres. On "Planet B,” they released some really heavy stuff that also influenced us a lot. So "Porridge" came a little bit more from the Tool side of things, and "Marijuana Time Warp" came a little bit more from the King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard side of things. But it's all stuff that we're kind of all playing sometimes, too.  Our tour manager is into some hardcore music that they sometimes play in the van that we travel to shows in.

So, the influences come from all over, but I would say that I personally can bring a little bit more of the heavy stuff to the bands, maybe a bit more often. But, you know, it depends on how we're feeling on whatever day. I think everybody kind of does a little of everything.

DC Music Review:   So, all in all, 2024 has been great for you guys.  What plans do you have for 2025?

Louis :  Yeah, we were going to Colorado in January, doing two nights in Denver, two nights in Steamboat Springs, and then St. Louis, two nights in Chicago, two nights in Chicago, and then two nights at Grand Caverns in Grottoes, Virginia.  Then we're doing our Kendall Street is For Lovers tour.

Brian: (Emphasises) Fourth annual, fourth annual. 

Louis:  And then, you know, the tour will continue. And we've got some cool songs that we just recorded.  We're definitely releasing music next year. We don't know exactly what it's going to look like as far as EPs or full-length albums.

Brian:  It's probably not going to be the single every month thing. Again, it was a really fun experience, and maybe we will do it again in the future.  The work and energy that goes behind doing a single every month and makes it harder to sit down and make a cohesive EP or album, in some ways. So we're thinking we're going to move back a little bit to try and focus on making some albums and making some EPS but still having singles as well.  We have some other songs that we've been playing live for a long time, like "Dust Mites."

Louis: Another one is called  "Song for Colorado."

Brian:  Yeah, so we already have some stuff that'll be coming out, and a lot more material always will be coming out. We have to constantly pare down what we want to record because we do the ideas come from every direction. That's it's a blessing to be in a band where there are five members of the band, and all five of us write music, and we write together, and we write separately, and we bring it to the band, and we learn parts and teach each other parts, and, you know, give it like a song as a gift to the band.  So it's a blessing, but also, in some ways, it can be very difficult because we have a lot of material that we need to sift through right now, and we can't just go record 40 songs and put them all out there.  I mean, I guess you could if you had unlimited money. 

DC Music Review:  So you are doing this massive tour in your van there.  Colorado, Midwest, the Northeast.  What is your van's name anyway - "Old Bessie" it is?

Brian: So, for our last van, we had a serious problem and were in a crash.  We had to get a new van - so we did a GoFundMe to help us get money for this one.   So we put in the GoFundMe that the largest donor got to name the vehicle.  So our van's name is...

Brian and Louis at the same time:   "Bus a Nut"

DCMR: Wait, what? Bust a nut?

Louis:  "Bus a Nut"

Brian:  I think it sounds like an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, you know, like Pharaoh Bussanut.

DCMR:  For a band like you guys, I think that is the perfect name for your bus.

Brian: (In shock) You like the name Bus A Nut for a band like us.

(Both laugh)

DCMR:  You guys are so creative. You guys wouldn't want to have a van called Wilbur or Jermaine, right? 

Louis: Yeah,

Brian: Well, I've always thought it was funny when people give their pets a human name. It's like, you go, you're like, "Oh, who's the cute little puppy?" And they're like, "That's Frank."  You know, like, so I do think that's kind of funny, "It's like, oh, that's Bob, Bob the bus." 

Louis:  I mean, we probably wouldn't have named it "Bus a Nut" on our own.

Brian (Interrupting):   But when you adopt.

Louis: But when you adopt somebody that someone else has already named it.  Well, we're rolling with it.

DC Music Review:  That is the one problem with the internet. There are some really creative people out there.  

Well, you've toured all around. Is there a certain place that you just love, and you're like, gotta keep going there? Or is there a place that you want to go to besides, of course, Germany and The Netherlands with Sauerkräut?

Brian: Well, touring is so fun because you get to see so much of the world around you. But at our stage, the world around us that we're touring is mostly the United States?  It would be wonderful to get out of the United States. Maybe you would just go to Canada. I've always thought Latin America would be super fun. I'm not sure what the scene is like in some of those places.  I know there's a great psychedelic Latin scene in Mexico City.  Gettting out of the country would be really cool, and getting out west a little bit more.  Usually, we kind of stop at the Rockies. So getting out to California would be great, abd getting out there again would be really nice. 

But for me, the favorite that we go to regularly has got to be the great State of Colorado. Yeah, Colorado is just so beautiful, wonderful in the summer, in the winter, it's beautiful, wonderful and treacherous (giggles), but still a great place to be. And it's inspiring. The nature is inspiring. People are really positive. 

What more can you want? It’s fun to go up in the mountains and play in some of those mountain resort towns where you can go in the natural hot springs.  There's nothing like a natural hot spring, honestly,

DC Music Review:   Thanksgiving just passed, and Christmas is coming up.  Questions - Cranberry Sauce. No cranberry sauce? Turkey, no Turkey?

Brian:  I hate cranberry sauce.

Louis: I like cranberry sauce and I like turkey. It's good for Christmas and for Thanksgiving,

Brian:   Yeah, I can't do cranberry sauce, but I love turkey. Absolutely love turkey.

DC Music Review:  Speaking of the holidays, does Kendall Street Company celebrate the holidays together, or do you just go your separate ways?

Louis:  We are celebrating Festivus together.  That's December 23rd in Charlottesville at The Jefferson Theater.  We are doing our second annual Festivus show, and it's a really unique show because we air our grievances and we do feats of strength. So, like, the set is selected by pulling the grievances out of a hat, and it'll say, "You guys played 'Porridge' too late in the set."  Something like that - song-related grievances that people have and can be submitted to us. If they have grievances like "The break in 'Crab Surprise' isn't long enough."

(everyone chuckles)

Louis: So, you know, then we will play the song that's related to that grievance. We also collect out of the hat who will be arm wrestling one another in the band for feats of strength.  We might also have different beats of strength this year.  So it's a very unique show, and I don't think anybody's seen anything like it, really. 

DCMR:: So, is the show sold out yet? 

Louis: Not yet. 

(Editor Notes:  A ticket link to their Festivus performance can be found below.)

DC Music Review: You guys are great and wonderful to talk to you both. It's been a pleasure.

Brian and Louis: Thank you.  See you soon!

If you don't already have your tickets to what will be an unforgettable Kendal Street Company Festivus or Pigeons Playing Ping Pong show - what are you waiting for?  Both shows, like every KSC performance, are going to be unforgettable, with shenanigans, improvisation, throw-ins, and great music abound.

Would you believe us if we said we've been saving a special nugget from our weekend in the magical Blue Ridge Mountains at FloydFest '24 ~ Horizon?  One of FloydFest's most captivating On-The-Rise artists, Happy Landing, took some time to share their impressive musical journey with us. Known for their high-energy shows, astronaut jumpsuits, and psyche-infiltrating choruses that leave even my three year old Ba-ba-ba-ba-da-ba-da-ba-ing throughout the house, Happy Landing has become one of the most buzz-worthy bands in the indie-folk scene. Between their two explosive Floyd sets, the five Mississippians opened up about big dreams becoming reality, pairing lyrics with melodies, and how a fiddle is just a violin with a little stank put on it.

Mark your calendar for November 14th when the "Avengers of Folk-Music" bring their signature sound and infectious energy to Pearl Street Warehouse. Whether you've been having flashbacks or FFFOMO (FloydFest FOMO, iykyk) it's a show you truly do not want to miss.

Now that you've marked your calendar, read on to hear the creative process behind Happy Landing's debut album, Golden, as well as their excitement for this fall's Golden Tour.

Liz Pappas:  Why don't you tell me your names?

My name is Andrew Gardner. I am the fiddle and mandolin player in the band.

My name is Keegan Christensen. (vocals, keys, bass)

My name is Jacob Christensen. I play drums and sing a little bit.

My name is Wilson Moyer. I play electric guitar and bass.

My name is Matty Hendley and I play singing and guitar… I play karaoke.

(laughter)

Liz Pappas:  How'd the band come to be? Give me the Happy Landing origin story.

All: College? Yes, yeah. We met in college. We all went to the same school: Ole Miss!

Jacob: Yeah, I think we all just kind of knew each other in one way or another. And Matty had conceptualized the project and wanted to make a band, and he knew that I kind of played drums, so he asked me to play drums in the studio on our first EP And then after the EP came out, we kind of got together. We're like, we need Keegan, we need Wilson, and then let's get Andrew.

Matty: Like the Avengers.

Andrew: We're essentially superheroes.

Matty: We're the Avengers of folk music.

Keegan: ....that was a joke.

(laughter)

Liz Pappas:  And the ensembles? Whose idea was the matching jumpsuits?

Andrew: That was a group decision. I feel like Keegan played a role in finding the right suit and kind of like proposing them. We had astronaut suits—

Wilson: Women's Amazon costumes.

Andrew: —Women's Amazon Halloween astronaut costumes.

Matty: But we rocked ‘em. They looked good.

Andrew: And they were ample in the hips. Let me tell you, we were ready to give birth. Honestly, we were looking pretty sassy. But the idea basically came from Happy Landing. The name came from Matty’s grandfather, who was a parachuter in the Air Force. As they would kick guys out of planes the sergeant would go “have a happy landing!” So it made sense to us, I think, to kind of keep that aerial tradition to flight.

Keegan: And we have a moon in our logo.

Andrew: So we're like, happy landing on the moon.

Jacob: I guess the original inspiration was like we were going on this tour with The 502s. They were killing it, they're still killing it, but at this time, we were nobody, and we had never really toured a lot.. maybe a little bit the summer before. So we were like, ‘how can we get people's attention so that they remember us?’ Because we're just the measly little opener, we gotta make sure people walk away and at least remember us as the band that had the spacesuits, you know?

Keegan: That’s what sparked the idea of the jumpsuits.

Jacob: That was the original, ‘guys, what do we do to get people to latch on to us and remember us?’

Liz Pappas:  Well, it's working.

 Jacob: And it's still working!

Liz Pappas:  Believe me, you guys do not need the jumpsuits to capture attention. However, it does add a little special sauce.

Liz Pappas:  So, Golden: your first album. What was the writing process like?

Keegan: Well Matty wrote most of it.

Matty: Gosh, it just kind of came together over the last couple of years. You know, some songs are like leftover from other EPS that didn't make it, weren't ready yet. And then it's like.. all right, it's their time.. these songs, let's finish them.. let's record them. A lot of these just came together over the last year and a half and made sense cohesively. We just were thinking to ourselves, ‘what's fun? What would be fun to play live?’ because sometimes you write a song and think, ‘Oh, this is great, but how's it going to be live?’ And I think that's what we really went into the studio with, too. You know, we played live enough now that we can kind of anticipate how it'll feel to play live and how it'll look to an audience, and I think that's kind of what the process was for this record.

Liz Pappas:  Your performance is jam-packed with energy from the first note. Do you feel like it just comes naturally or sometimes are you like ‘Man, where am I gonna find this?’

Jacob: I think it usually comes naturally. Obviously with how much we tour and how often we're playing shows, every once in a while it's just like… I am so tired. But I mean even then, even when I'm feeling like shit or just so tired that I feel like I don't want to play, as soon as we get on the stage, it's like, ‘let's go!’ There's people here to see us! For me, it's very much like feeding off the audience and feeding off the vibes and usually that carries me through.

Matty: And it must be the nature of the music too, because that’s the only way we know how to play really.. together in this group, is hard and fast and fun.

Jacob: Yeah, I feel like we were all born to perform. I think that might be a part of it. It’s like, ‘let's just rip it.’

Liz Pappas:  There’s a lot of multi-instrumentalists here. Who takes the cake for the most? Playing Karaoke counts!

Keegan: You two probably have the most (pointing to Andrew and Wilson).

Wilson: It would be between me and Andrew.

Andrew: I don't know how many I would feel super comfortable playing on stage, but I think we've been playing long enough that we can just kind of like, noodle on some stuff. It's always fun when you feel like a song could use an instrument, and maybe it's not necessarily in anybody's real wheelhouse. Wilson had been picking around on some banjo recently, and we're like, ‘okay, this song kind of feels like it has a banjo vibe to it.’ And not only do we now have banjo, but we have Wilson's take on the banjo and he's incredibly competent and skilled at it, but at the same time it's like this own unique flavor that only Wilson can bring to that instrument. I think that's pretty cool.

Wilson: I think a philosophy you and I share that has just gone into that is ‘I want to know how music works,’ and then an instrument you give me is just a new toy with a sound that only belongs to me, which is the funnest part. Like, ‘there's a great line here… I can hear it in my head… I can sing it for you… what it belongs on is the 12 string mandolin.

Andrew: Literally! And there's physical limitations to each instrument that make you play a different way. I'll play like a line on the guitar that I wouldn't play on the violin, because the fingerings are different and the strings are a little different as well. So I don't know, I think it's kind of fun to have like an orchestra of instrumentation going on. It leads to different kinds of ideas.

Liz Pappas:  Wait, violin or fiddle??

Andrew: It's whatever you want to call it; fiddle and violin are the same instrument. Fiddle is a colloquialism of people in Appalachia who were playing this thing and for whatever reason, they called it the fiddle. I always say that a fiddle is just a violin that you can spill beer on.

Liz Pappas:  Favorite lyric? Mine is ‘wipe your nose, sugarboy.’ (My, My, My) 

Matty: That’s funny. You know it's actually from a Flannery O'Connor short story. There’s this little kid and he's like eating donuts or something, and his nose is running, and she goes, ‘wipe your nose sugarboy!’

Wilson: My favorite would probably be ‘come on lose the gun and fight me like a man.’ 

Keegan: "Lose the Gun", that’s a good one.

Andrew: In Arkansas, when the verse comes in, Matty goes ‘sharp jaw, crooked teeth!’

Keegan: There's so many!

Wilson: You know what, honestly, I would say ‘you gotta know when to stop the hurt and when to bleed' (October).

I think there's this really tough thing about lyricism where you can get a really good job done, just saying what happened or how you feel about it, just talking about your high school sweetheart and actually moved away, and, you know, we had to go long distance. I get fired up when we're singing this song on stage, like there's something that matters to what we're saying right now and how it's being said. I think there's a lot of really cool moments that I feel like I'm so fired up for because the lyrical thing that's happening is cool, but also it actually paired with the music is this really good feeling.

Matty: I would say for me, same song, (My, My, My) ‘some days I wish we didn't have to die.’

Jacob: I love Good Dogs too, kind of a sneaky bonus track. 

Wilson: We definitely all stand on the business of that song, though. I think we're pretty proud of it.

Keegan: Mine’s in Lose The Gun. “Well, I'm better off dead with an undivided heart, than to live to see myself turn toward the dark.” If I’m not singing it, I’m like ‘wait, am I actually saying the right words?’ It makes you really think about what you're singing.

Liz Pappas:  Do you have any last tidbits that you want the world to know?

Matty: We have a tour! Our debut album tour, It's called The Golden Tour, and we're doing coast to coast all across the country. Our U.S. fall tour: check it out. HappyLanding.band Come see us.

Liz Pappas:  You guys coming to DC?

Jacob: Pearl Street Warehouse! November 14th. (See performance details and ticket link below)

As Happy Landing continues their Golden Tour, the band is ready to deliver the same high-energy performances that have captured audiences nationwide. Be sure to catch their live show at Pearl Street Warehouse in Washington, D.C. on November 14th for a night of unforgettable music, featuring songs from their debut album Golden.

Brothers Hayden and Kenny Miles from Whitesburg, Kentucky, are making (sound) waves in the indie/electronic Americana world. They shared some insight with DC Music Review on their latest album Bastion–released September 6th–ahead of their stop at the Pie Shop in Washington, DC, on September 25th. In addition to the two brothers, band members José Oreta and Germany-based Ludwig Bauer further elevate Wayne Graham the band’s already intentional and thoughtfully curated portfolio. Having already opened for Americana legends like Tommy Prine and Tyler Childers and rising sensations S.G. Goodman and 49 Winchester, playing the festival circuit including Kentucky’s own Rail Bird in Lexington, as well as touring internationally, Wayne Graham is the one to watch.

In our interview, the band discusses the relationship to their home amidst social and political chasms and how music has helped them broach those difficult conversations, even with loved ones. They also dive into their collaboration with instrumentalist Ludwig Bauer, how their creative process has evolved, and thoughts on where the future might take them.

Batya: Congratulations on your recent tour with fellow Kentuckians (Kentucks? Kentuckers?) Tyler Childers and SG Goodman! In his pandemic and protest-era album, Long Violent History, Childers aimed to dismantle and dissect a set of values common within the Appalachian region from which you all originate, and Bastion similarly sets out to explore the feeling of loss of home when that sameplace begins to conflict so deeply with your own core values and lifestyles. Does Bastion intentionally draw parallels to Childers’ album or is this sentiment growing among young people in and around the area do you think?

Wayne Graham: I don’t think we intended to draw parallels as much as join in the conversation.  While there is plenty of racism and xenophobia in our region, it is a mistake to think our region doesn’t have a more complex story to tell. Our grandfathers [The band’s namesakes are after their grandfathers: Wayne and Graham] were coal miners and also staunch Democrats who were proud members of the UMWA [United Mine Workers of America]. Our parents' generation has swung the other way, and that’s where our frustration comes in. Those of us speaking to these issues now are not signaling to the outside world that we know what’s up, [but] we are telling our relatives we remember when our people stood for something. 

Batya: You’ve said playing music together is a reason to hang out with each other and is a way to explore difficult ideas of identity and isolation that otherwise wouldn't be talked about. Have you found that your relationship has gotten stronger because of breaking down those walls? What would you say to people struggling to speak up in these conversations that Wayne Graham is working to initiate?

Wayne Graham (Kenny): The simple answer is yes, I feel closer to Hayden the more we can safely discuss whatever is on our minds. The same is true with every relationship. It’s easy to resist being truly vulnerable with someone because we expect judgement, but if judgement is off the table, there is a lot more room for connection. 

Hayden: I often think Kenny and I feel we are the people struggling to speak up in most conversations, so our music feels like a way to say what’s on our minds.  

Batya: Simply put, I want to know more about how you linked up with Ludwig Bauer. What an interesting feature of an already unique band. How do you feel your music has changed since teaming up with Bauer? And not to get ahead of ourselves (but totally trying to get ahead of ourselves), do you envision adding additional members from similar, or similarly different, backgrounds to further strengthen Wayne Graham’s eclectic and fluid identity? 

Wayne Graham: Ludwig is a saint of a human being.  Working with him never felt like a decision as much as an opportunity to invite a wizard in to sprinkle magic dust on everything.  He has the purest intentions and we have learned that is a priceless quality to find in a collaborator.  The only way I’d say it’s changed the way we work is sometimes we will stop short of trying a piano part or something, knowing we’d like to give Ludwig a whack at it first.  It ends up being good for us to leave space sometimes, because it doesn’t always get filled in. 

Batya: Your 2020 album 1% Juice tenderly grazes this idea with its reliance on strings in conjunction with your trademark electronic country funk sound, but would you ever try exploring a traditional roots album to pay homage to the place you’re from as the Yin to Bastion’s Yang? 

Wayne Graham: While nothing is off the table, I can’t see us saying, “Let’s make a traditional roots album now.” Just because we don’t think of things in those terms. We feel compelled and try to act, and the fluid identity you noted above is a byproduct of that.

Bastion is the band’s eighth album in almost 15 years, proving that there is nowhere else to go but forward. Come check them out for a special intimate performance at the Pie Shop in Washington, DC, September 25th. (Ticket link can be found below.)

Article Photo Credit: Hunter Way / Impact Media

Don't see Bastion on the streaming platform of your choice?  Check this link for a full list of streaming platforms.

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Addie Levy is an undeniable talent in the world of bluegrass. Her mastery of her craft is evident in every note she plays and every word she sings. Levy’s versatility shines through, making her a standout artist in a genre that thrives on tradition and innovation.

We had the privilege of catching up with Addie Levy just before the release of her self-titled debut album, Addie Levy, which dropped on July 25th. This album marks a significant milestone in her career and is highly anticipated by fans and critics alike. In our exclusive interview, we get a firsthand look at the journey that led to this remarkable accomplishment. Addie shares insights into her creative process, the challenges she faced, and the inspiration behind her music.

“I’ve been playing in bluegrass bands since I was ten years old, traveling all over the East Coast playing mandolin. I moved to Nashville last year to start working as a hired gun musician for other bands like The Brothers Comatose and Zandi Holup. As I’ve worked for others, I started to work on my own music as well, and I started my band Addie Levy and the Avalanche.”

Her most recent travels were to Check, Virginia, for one of our favorite festivals, FloydFest. This year was a special one for Levy. She’s been working at FloydFest as a fan since 2019, but the feeling of being on the stage is like no other. As she states to us, “Bluegrass is a family, and I appreciate everything they have done for me and to me. I think the importance of instrumentalism in bluegrass helped me hone my craft as a young girl and continue to grow through it.”

One of the most captivating aspects of Levy's artistry is her voice. It has a unique ability to resonate deeply, echoing in your ears long after the music has stopped. This vocal quality, combined with her instrumental prowess, creates a rich, immersive musical experience that is both refreshing and authentic. With all the amazing singing on her album, we had to ask which song on the album was her favorite. 

“Each one is so personal to me. Lies is a personal favorite though. I wrote it through a major point of change in my life and this helped to process everything going on. Each song is a reflection of my past two years in music so the album truly is a look into my life.“

The evolution of bluegrass music, particularly the way it's being reshaped by talented women like Levy, is a phenomenon that deserves celebration. It's an exciting time to witness such a transformative period in music, where traditional forms are being revitalized with new energy and innovation. She states how she has learned a lot during her travels for music, “I have learned so much from others, especially on the road. Whether it’s the best way to fly with my gear or to productively practice for other folks' shows. One of the best things I’ve learned through all this is that building relationships and fostering them is key! It’s important to love those around you. Who knows when a door may open because someone sees you commented on their Facebook post showing support?”

Addie Levy is a prime example of this wave of change. Her dedication to her craft and her ability to blend traditional bluegrass elements with her personal touch exemplify the exciting future of the genre. At DC Music Review, we are thrilled to see how her career unfolds following the release of this album. Her talent is undeniable, and we are eagerly anticipating more singles and albums from her in the future. Addie Levy is a rising star in the music industry, and it's clear that she is destined for great things. We're ready to follow her journey and support her as she continues to make her mark in the world of bluegrass.

Listen to her new album below - we know you are going to fall in love with it as much as we have.

To say they have a diverse portfolio would be an understatement of how one might explain The Soul Rebels and how many artists they have collaborated with or the wide range of music they incorporate into their performances.  If we want to get down to the real nitty-gritty of it, in fact, there are very few musical acts that can say that they have done what this band has.  Over the years, they have forged creative partnerships with an eclectic roster of artists, spanning genres, generations, and geographic boundaries that would fill pages - captivating audiences across the globe tour after tour.   

Fresh off weekend two of Jazzfest, easily one of the bucket-list festivals of millions, DC Music Review got to speak with trumpet player Marcus Hubbard about the next amazing tour that kicked off and makes its way through DC next week at historic The Howard Theatre.  Worn out but ready, Hubbard summarized the festivities in the Cresent City as a great way to wrap up in their native city and say a little goodbye to home.

“This is Tuesday, and I'm still in recovery. I just got out the shower because I was trying to wake myself up, but I'm still tired from Jazzfest.  You know, we do so many shows - we do a lot of shows with Soul Rebels, plus a lot of the members are doing stuff with other collabs and other people during that week, so we're constantly busy. We might have about three or four gigs per day, we didn't have any late ones this year, so that worked out in our favor. Also, usually this is the time when we are kind of saying our final goodbyes to home, because we know we're going to be out for a nice little while after this. So yeah, we looking forward to hitting the East Coast, West Coast, wherever we are taken. For us, we're ready to go and we're looking forward to it be really fun.”

With a tour schedule that ranges from Japan to California and everywhere in between, connection to not only the city, but the music of DC is something that is an added bonus when having the Nation’s Capital on the schedule.  

“One thing we always talk about DC, because of the Go Go culture, is that it kind of reminds us of the New Orleans, like brass band cultures from the neighborhood - just it comes strictly out of the streets. That's why we feel like the connection with hip hop is music that came out of the streets, and at the beginning, wasn't accepted by mainstream, and after a while it started getting accepted. So DC is pretty cool and just super unique.  That’s the blessing - that we get to go to these different places and experience different cultures and stuff like that.”

Anyone familiar with the music of New Orleans and the world-famous musicians it has birthed, know how much of voice and influence that The Neville Brothers have in the city that sits along the Mississippi River.  That means the world when you find out that The Soul Rebels, were in part, named by the legends themselves.  

“The thing about it is, they looked out for us early on, you know, they kind of looked at it as a younger group that's not trying to just do what everybody else is doing.  It was refreshing for them to see that somebody's trying to step out on their own, on merit, you know?"

"One of the guys was a family member of The Neville Brothers, so they were willing to give us a shot opening up for em at Tipitinas.  For a band with the amount of years we had been in existence, that was unheard of. You know, the band was probably about one or two years old and we were about to open up for the world famous Neville Brothers - it was a really good thing."

"We went on stage, we were doing a lot of stuff that they weren't expecting from the brass bands and they were like, ‘Man, you guys are doing your own thing - y'all like, rebelling against this, this ring, but it got like some soul to it’ - Cyril Neville was like, ‘Man, you guys are like, some soul rebels.’  When he said that, it just stopped. It was like, ‘that’s it, that's going to be the name!’"

"At the time, we were spit balling all kind of different names, I couldn't even tell you all the crazy names that were coming out, but when he said that, it just, we knew - this is incredible.  Once he said it, it just stuck and it fit with what we're doing. It's not that we're rebelling, we just wanted to be our own entity.  We wanted to make our own mark in this music, you know.”

Make their own mark is not even a worthy definition of what the members of this band have managed to do with their musical diversity.   The Soul Rebels' collaborative approach to bringing audiences something new and original, is their unmatched commitment to authenticity and mutual respect. Whether collaborating with legends like Marilyn Manson or Erykah Badu or giving an up-and-coming artist a shot to share the stage, the group approaches each collaboration as a dialogue, a meeting of minds and musical sensibilities. Rather than imposing their own vision onto their collaborators, they embrace the diversity of perspectives and experiences, allowing each artist to bring their own voice to the table.

"When you get in the room with them, it's like the conversation is musician and musician, you realize we're all the same people, we just play a different genre of music and we learn a lot when we do those collaborations.  Like with Metallica, just from a creating music standpoint, it was good to sit down and talk to them because we were learning music, that's what we do, too. When we learnin music, we gain a lot bigger respect for the different genres of music that we play. To hear how the music is written, it was like they explained to us how they approach creating music, which is - we found out - can be completely in the reverse of how we do it. "

It's just the actual interaction with these different artists, is the big part of it that the fans don't even get to see.  Like I wish you guys could be in the room for the conversations we had after we did the show with Marilyn Manson in Japan. We were in the dressing room two hours after the show, and he was talking about all kind of different things. The same thing happened with DMX. It's like, you start learning about these people, and you start having a real appreciation for the opportunity that you got to actually collab with these guys.  Lot of these people are where they are because they're serious about music and it helps us channel that.  Look, man, to be successful in this, you gotta really lock in, you know? And it's good to talk to those guys, and it's been a great experience, it really has"

As The Soul Rebels continue to push the boundaries of their music and explore new avenues of collaboration, one thing remains certain: their journey is far from over. With each new project and partnership, they continue to cement their status as pioneers and blaze a trail into uncharted territory time and time again.  The Soul Rebels are leading the way with their unmatched commitment to diversity, creativity, and collaboration and DCMR can't wait to have them back in our city with two of hip-hops favorites to shine bright on the stage at Howard Theatre.

Ghostface Killah

GZA

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Domenic Dunegan, lead singer and founding member of the Pittsburgh-based band The Ghost Club, views music as a form of communication. With the band’s first tour coming up, he and his band will have the chance to communicate with new local music scenes, including Washington, D.C.

The up-and-coming Pittsburgh-based band The Ghost Club is set to go on tour for the first time, with stops up and down the East Coast. They are releasing an album on Feb. 28 and will begin their tour the next day. The band will perform at the Songbyrd Music House in Washington, D.C. on March 3rd.

The journey to this tour has been a long time coming. Though The Ghost Club formed in 2016, they released their first song in 2018 and didn’t play their first live show until the start of 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

It took a while for Dunegan to gather a group of band members, but the 26-year-old frontman was determined. He reached out to a number of people, trying to get them involved.

“There’s always a lot of face value and enthusiasm, but they didn’t realize I was actually being serious about it,” Dunegan said in an interview. A lot of people ghosted him, but that sparked inspiration for a band name. Many dead group chats later, Dunegan finally found a cohesive group of bandmates that would last, and thus The Ghost Club was formed. 

All members of the band are Pennsylvania natives.  The band now consists of Dunegan on lead vocals, saxophonist Jake Barber, bassist Logan Casper, drummer Christian Laliberte, and Isaiah Ross on lead guitar. 

Dunegan felt relieved when this iteration of the group came together because he could tell they all love doing what they do together. With the new album coming up, he was proud of the musicianship that his bandmates put into it.

Despite all these efforts over the last eight years, Dunegan was not planning on pursuing music – that is, until his father took him to a Bruce Springsteen concert.

“I went in and then came out thinking to myself, ‘Okay, I need to try to do what that guy does,’” Dunegan said. “And since then, it’s just been stepping stone after stepping stone, figuring out how a band works, how to write music, how to perform. And I’m just still learning as I go.”

In terms of writing music, Dunegan emphasized that the process is never linear; it is hard to sit down and force himself to write, and often the best ideas strike randomly. He described an incident in which he was packing for Los Angeles to record a song with producer Eric Palmquist.

“I had a bass guitar that just came in the mail that we were going to use, and I was just playing it while I was walking around, packing my bags,” Dunegan said. “And then I wrote the baseline for the song ‘Same Graves’ and just kind of hammered that one out while I was packing.”

With its poignant lyrics and electro-funk rhythms, ‘Same Graves,’ originally released in 2020, is currently The Ghost Club’s top song. 

There have been a few notable artists that have come from Pittsburgh, such as Mac Miller, Wiz Khalifa, and Christina Aguilera. But according to Dunegan, the music industry in Pittsburgh can often be cold to those who want to continue a career in music. Many artists move to Los Angeles or New York where the industry is more supportive of those careers, but The Ghost Club has been able to establish a name for themselves in the Steel City.

Pittsburgh does play a role in The Ghost Club’s music, though. The city has a lot of rock fans, so their new album will feature a lot of rock influence, according to Dunegan.

Hannah Levitt of Shelter Music Group, The Ghost Club’s manager, is as excited for the tour as the band members are. She first saw the band perform at Mr. Smalls Theatre in Pittsburgh and saw so much potential in them.

“This is all they’ve wanted to do, just begging to get out on the road,” Levitt said. “So I think the energy will be incredible.”

Dunegan said the band actually tends to thrive in environments with nervous energy. He said the band’s two best gigs were their first ever show in Pittsburgh and a big show in Los Angeles.

“We were so absurdly scared because it was Los Angeles,” Dunegan said. “That scared nervous energy made us just way, way better onstage.”

Regardless of the size of their shows, the band always tries to keep their audiences in high spirits.

“I get a little bit too in my head, but when people throw energy at you, you throw it back at them and then they just keep bouncing that back and forth,” Dunegan said. “That's always just a great feeling.”

The band and their team are excited to perform at Songbyrd Music House at the beginning of March.

“Oh man, I mean, Songbyrd as a venue is just legendary,” Levitt said. “D.C. is a hotbed of where great musicians get to go, and we couldn’t do an east coast run without hitting D.C.”

Despite the band’s close ties to Pittsburgh, Dunegan also has a connection with the nation’s capital.

“D.C. was actually where I recorded the first songs I ever worked on, so it’s going to be cool to be back in D.C.,” Dunegan said.

The band will be on tour between February 29 and April 20, 2024, with a stop in Washington, D.C. on March 3 and finishing it off at home in Pittsburgh.

(Main Article Photo Credit: Franciss Bonn III)

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In the heart of East Tennessee, on a farm at the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, young mandolinist Wyatt Ellis began conducting an Appalachian symphony in his ten-year-old imagination. The result is a collection of enduring melodies poised to capture the attention of a new generation of bluegrass fans.

Wyatt’s first album, Happy Valley, debuted on February 2nd, and we had the opportunity to experience this star-studded album, alongside the privilege of talking with Wyatt about his journey from imagination into reality.

From trading tunes with legends over Zoom during quarantine to making a mark at festivals like MerleFest, Wyatt's narrative is one of passion, perseverance, and an unwavering love for the soul-stirring sounds of bluegrass music.

In this interview, Wyatt shares insight into his creative process, the invaluable experiences gained from performing with icons, and the transformative moments that have shaped his musical identity. His interactions with iconic figures like David McLaughlin and Christopher Henry highlight the supportive nature of the bluegrass community.

Wyatt states, “At the beginning of the pandemic, I started doing a Monroe-style mandolin workshop on Zoom with Christopher Henry and David McLaughlin. David was very encouraging right from the start. According to McLaughlin, “Working with Wyatt is like training a racehorse.” Through interacting with David, I discovered my favorite band of all time, the Johnson Mountain Boys. They are one band whose style inspires me more than any other.”

Wyatt draws that inspiration from the iconic Johnson Mountain Boys for his track "Johnson Mountain Blues" on Happy Valley, with the added honor of featuring David on the collaboration.

The significance of collaborating with his musical heroes holds great importance for Wyatt. Immersing himself in music has provided him with a collaborative melange of an album, featuring artists such as Sierra Hull, Marty Stuart, Jake Workman, Dominik Leslie, Jason Carter, and many more.  We asked how his creative process worked while writing these songs with his mentors and heroes.

“A lot of times, like on the song 'Grassy Cove', I was going down the road, kind of noodling in my mind, and this tune came to me. So I brought it to Sierra, during our Tennessee Folklife Apprenticeship and we worked on it together to make it even better.   The track 'Two Rivers Waltz' was written with Danny Roberts of The Grascals. We would get on Skype every week during the shutdown, and sometimes we wouldn't even talk much; we’d just get into creating tunes back and forth with our mandolins. We’ve come up with about 15 or 20 tunes from those sessions. Danny was one of the first ones to encourage me with creativity and not really say there were any rules to be followed. Once I started creating so freely with Danny, I began writing tunes all the time. I wrote over 100 instrumentals when I was twelve.”

The no-rules approach holds significant importance as one develops their own musical style. Wyatt says, “For me, Quarantine was a time to learn and create. We live on a rural farm with no neighbors. I’m not the kind of guy who wants to sit and watch TV or play video games, so with all the extra time and a brand new mandolin, my musical journey began.”

Embracing creativity as a boundless realm has become second nature to Wyatt. Arranging the tunes of Happy Valley was a collaborative journey with multi-instrumentalist Justin Moses, who not only played various instruments on the album but also took on the role of its producer.  “Justin really made it all come together better than I could have ever imagined. He is so knowledgeable about bluegrass and especially recording. He was very encouraging and patient. He played so many instruments. With Justin leading the way, it was easy to get everyone on the same page.”

The excitement for Wyatt’s debut album release and his upcoming performance at the Grand Ole Opry is palpable and reflects the hard work and dedication he has put into his craft. It's also impressive to see his growth as a musician, from initially learning the mandolin to now singing confidently on stage.  We asked him what skills he has gained in the last couple of years that helped him perform effectively as a musician.

“Once I got involved in the bluegrass community, I quickly realized that I needed to start singing. It’s now a key part of my journey to perform on stage. When I first started singing, I was hesitant to perform in front of anyone, but now I don’t even think twice; I just get up there and sing the high-lonesome sound. I knew that if I was going to perform at the Opry, I had to sing like so many of my heroes had before me. So I took that chance and went up there and did it. The crowd wasn’t expecting it, and I received a wildly energetic standing ovation.”

In November 2023, Wyatt achieved a historic milestone with his debut as an artist at the Grand Ole Opry, and he considers it one of the most unforgettable performances of his life. Alongside this momentous occasion, he fondly reflects on the opportunities he had to share the stage with Billy Strings at Doc Watson's 100th Birthday Celebration and to kick off “Walls of Time” with bluegrass legend Peter Rowan at his induction into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame.

“Getting to play with Billy was something I’d always dreamed about. He’s always been one of my heroes. He and I connected on Instagram, and I ended up playing with him at Doc’s 100th Birthday celebration. It blew my mind to walk up on a stage in front of 15,000 people. We played 'Watson’s Blues' and 'Soldier's Joy' just like Doc and Bill did so many years ago.”

In Wyatt's world, the journey is as important as the destination, and the notes he plays harmonize instinctively with the echoes of those who came before him. He dedicated his album to none other than his mentor, Bobby Osborne. Wyatt received tutoring from the bluegrass legend during a two-year scholarship to the Kentucky School of Bluegrass. Wyatt recalls the advice his hero shared with him as “going back to the roots of bluegrass and learning it from where it began.”

The standout track that encapsulates the essence of Happy Valley is Wyatt’s original composition, 'Blue Smoke,' featuring bluegrass icon Marty Stuart. In the young musician’s home, set against a backdrop of smoky blue, Wyatt wrote a rousing melody that captures the beauty of the region and the legacy of the music that was created there. This tune showcases Wyatt's ability to blend tradition with boundless creativity.

One can't help but be inspired by Wyatt’s drive to keep the roots of bluegrass alive while also making a name for himself in the next generation. His upcoming debut album stands as a testament to the bluegrass tradition juxtaposed with a future without limitations. Wyatt's passion for the genre, inspired by its “drive, power, and tight harmonies,” is unmistakable.

As we conclude our insightful conversation with Wyatt, his journey emerges as a captivating symphony, harmonizing dreams with the notes of reality. From innocent melodies conceived by a twelve-year-old in his bedroom to the profound compositions of a rising bluegrass star, Wyatt's music embodies the spirit of tradition and innovation.

We are immensely happy to have had the opportunity to talk with Wyatt as he embarks on what we feel to be a burgeoning career. We have already witnessed his collaborations with the legends of bluegrass and know that the stellar career ahead will be filled with some amazing collaborations, songs, albums, and performances. Keep a keen eye on Ellis and upcoming performances - and if you are attending MerleFest 2024, be sure to see him perform live on Friday, April 26th, 2024.  If you live close to Nashville, Tennessee, come celebrate this tremendous album release with him TONIGHT, February 2nd, at the Grand Ole Opry at 7PM.

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