CORY WONG
Cory Wong is a Grammy Nominated guitarist, producer, variety show host, and podcast host. In addition to his skyrocketing solo career, he is also a member of Vulfpeck & Fearless Flyers.
Quickly gaining momentum on the internet, Cory wasted no time taking the show on the road. He and his band have been performing to sold out crowds around the world on some of the most iconic stages.
Cory’s passion for music and collaboration expands farther than writing and performing songs. The internet knows Cory Wong for his fun content creation, marketing campaigns, and partnerships with top brands like Apple, where he recently launched his own Producer Pack. In early 2024, Cory was asked to write the theme song for the newest CBS late night tv show, called After Midnight. He also recently appeared on the theme song for Spy X Family Season 2, which charted at #1 in Japan. Wong has positioned himself at the forefront of product partnerships with signature products in stores worldwide.
GALACTIC
Featuring Jelly Joseph
For over 30 years, Galactic has been a powerhouse of New Orleans music, fusing funk, jazz, rock, and soul into a sound that’s unmistakably their own. Originally coming together in the ’90s as a late-night funk band, the group has grown into a genre-defying collective that continues to evolve while staying true to their roots. Their high-energy live shows and adventurous collaborations have earned them a loyal following around the world.
In recent years, Galactic has been touring and recording with dynamic vocalist Jelly Joseph, whose soulful, commanding voice adds a powerful new dimension to their sound. The band also serves as the owner and steward of the legendary Tipitina’s music venue, where they host iconic performances and foster the next generation of New Orleans artists. In 2021, they launched Tipitina’s Record Club, an all-vinyl label celebrating the city’s rich musical legacy.
DOGS IN A PILE
Something organic has been blooming from Asbury Park, New Jersey, and is now making its way around the world. Dogs In A Pile, a band of five twenty somethings with old souls and limitless chops, is waking people up to the timeless and ineffable joys of psychedelic-tinged jazz-funk rock n’ roll.
This is one of the busiest touring bands of today, averaging 130 live shows per year since 2022. The road has become their creative engine, generating a rapidly growing catalog of original tunes. Distroid, the band’s newest album, is a 10-song collection featuring long-awaited studio versions of some of the Dogs’ most beloved repertoire.
Dogs In A Pile is guitarist Jimmy Law, guitarist Brian Murray, keyboardist Jeremy Kaplan, bassist Sam Lucid, and drummer Joe Babick. In addition, the Dogs In A Pile community includes the Dog Pound, the group’s extended family of fans across the country.
ERIC GALES
Eric Gales grew up in a musical family with four brothers, two of them who learned to play the guitar upside down and left-handed in the same fashion that Eric does. Eric released his first record at Age 16 for Elektra records to an amazing response from the media and music fans around the globe. Guitar World Magazine’s Reader’s Poll named Eric as “Best New Talent,” in 1991. After recording a second record for Elektra, all three brothers teamed up for The Gales Bros. “Left Hand Brand” which was recorded for the House of Blues label in 1996.
As both an African-American left-handed guitarist of extraordinary ability and an expressive vocalist, it is natural for people to compare Eric to Hendrix. But Eric has developed a unique hybrid blues/rock sound that also draws upon influences as diverse as Albert King and Frank Gambale. A unique amalgam of styles, Eric Gales stands head and shoulders among other guitarists in his genre.
Eric won two Grammy awards in 2026, best compilation soundtrack for visual media and best score soundtrack for visual media.
LINDSAY LOU
Named among NPR’s “12 Best Live Performances” in 2015, Lou has long been beloved as a live performer, from Telluride Bluegrass Festival to Stagecoach, Celtic Connections to Australia’s National Folk Festival, and a “Can’t Miss Act” at AmericanaFest—not to mention acclaim from PBS, No Depression, Billboard, Holler, Paste, and The Bluegrass Situation, among other outlets. But on Queen of Time, Lou captures a new arc of haloed beauty, becoming unattainable in her own way—a vibrant, powerful woman who can share herself with the world, and yet define a mystic sense of inner self as well.
“I saw a literal manifestation of the sacred feminine, and had this profound sense that I was meant to embody it,” recalls celebrated singer-songwriter Lindsay Lou after journeying through a hallucinogenic ritual that would inform the way she processed waves of grief in the sea of change ahead of her. The loss of her grandmother, the end of her marriage, and the overwhelming turmoil of COVID lockdowns found the Nashville-based artist on a spiritual journey of self-knowledge and healing with this gift from the mystic swirl. On her most recent album Queen of Time, Lou explores that quest across ten tracks of tender, heartbreakingly beautiful music.
VANESSA COLLIER
The songwriter/bandleader made her Chicago Blues Festival debut, in front of tens of thousands. Best known in the blues world – she’s a fifteen-time Blues Music Award nominee and five-time winner, including nominations for the monumental Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year, Horn Player of the Year, B.B. King Entertainer of the Year, and Contemporary Blues Album of the Year for “Do It My Own Way”. Do It My Own Way finds her influenced by soul artists like Mavis Staples, Sharon Jones, James Brown, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and Aretha Franklin.
Blues Blast Mag said, “Vanessa is an important part of the future of the blues.” Born in Texas, growing up in Maryland, launching her career in Philadelphia, and now residing in South Carolina, Collier grew up listening to an eclectic variety of music. After graduating from Berklee College of Music, she joined blues legend Joe Louis Walker’s band, going solo at his urging, and has become a notable artist “whose rise to the top is nothing short of meteoric” (Making a Scene).
UNCLE KUNKLE'S ONE GRAM BAND
Uncle Kunkel’s One Gram Band is a high-energy funk-rock group based in Baltimore MD, delivering a wild blend of soulful grooves, eccentric lyrics, and improvisational jams. Known for their unpredictable, no-holds-barred performances, the band has one mission: to bring something real to the stage—sonically and personally. Every show is a unique experience, a chance for the audience to let loose, get weird, and dance.
At the core of the band is a deep commitment to authenticity. They’re not afraid to laugh on stage, not afraid to lean into chaos of the unknown and push each other, and definitely not afraid to be unapologetically themselves through their instruments. Whether it’s a blissed-out jam or a full-throttle funk stomp, the music is always driven by the raw chemistry of the players and a shared love for the unexpected.
OWEN STEWART
If you ever wanted to be there when rock icons like Fogerty, Plant, Allman, Seger, Waters, or Cocker first displayed what real rock vocals should sound like, allow us to introduce singer/drummer/multi-instrumentalist Owen Stewart. I’m really trying to avoid exaggeration here, but there’s no other way to say it… Owen’s the real deal. Nobody else is singing like this.
Owen draws from the long history of ‘60s and ‘70s funk, soul, and rock with a tinge of psychedelia to build an explosive debut solo album with Done and Dusted. It’s finally here and you’re not ready yet.
He’s long been a singer in bands, sure—a crucial singer, if you ask his bandmates or audience. But after some encouragement—from them, and from Dan Auerbach (Black Keys), who reached out to Owen after seeing an Electric Candlelight video in 2019—Owen leaned inward, brought his buds together, and busted out a few of his own tunes about aging, alien encounters, jailbreaks, sailors returning from home from the sea, and confronting the naysayers.
THE FITZKEE BROTHERS
The Fitzkee Brothers are known for their original, high-energy, highly improvisational
performances that blend classic rock spirit and old-school funk with a modern jam band edge. On Spotify, The Fitzkee Brothers’ breakout hit Give You All My Love has already racked up over 150K streams and continues to accelerate. Their song Lakesong, with over 47K streams, has also earned major exposure, currently on Spotify’s “Modern Jam Band” editorial playlist & their song Memphis was added to Joe Bonamassa’s “Top Shelf Americana” playlist. These milestones reflect the band’s rapidly growing footprint and the strong resonance their music haswith both jam-rock and Americana audiences.
Inspired by the sounds of The Allman Brothers Band, The Grateful Dead, Parliament
Funkadelic, The Meters, Tedeschi Trucks Band, and The Band, the Brothers also channel the explosive energy of performers like Jimi Hendrix and Foo Fighters. Their musicianship has led to standout moments—most notably being invited twice to jam with Post Malone in his private jam room, where he said, “You guys are like the mini F’ing Allman Brothers!”
Industry veteran Jim Ebert (Cue Sound Studios) describes them succinctly, “I hear Allman
Brothers meets Foo Fighters.”
JONATHAN SLOANE BAND
Jonathan Sloane is a remarkable and incredibly versatile guitarist and songwriter who brings an impressive range of skill to the American music scene. His sound is an intriguing blend of genres which brings together blues, Americana, soul and rock into a unique and captivating experience.
Hailing from the Washington DC Metro area, Sloane’s immaculate command of both rhythm and lead guitar has made him a top sought after session and touring guitarist by several of the biggest names in roots rock nationally.
Across the U.S., Jonathan has had the pleasure of working and sharing stages with names such as Amy Helm, Billy Strings, Butch Trucks, Daryl Davis, George Porter Jr., Greenksy Bluegrass, Ivan Neville, Jackie Green, Sonny Landreth, Tab Benoit, Samantha Fish, Phil Lesh, and more.
When not on stages or in the studio, Jonathan mentors and teaches fellow guitarists.
MALLOW HILL
Mallow Hill is a Baltimore-based contemporary blues-rock band blending soulful vocals, raw, expressive guitar, and a commanding live presence. At the heart of the band is the creative partnership between guitarist Danny Gwinn and vocalist Mikayla Joseph — a duo whose undeniable chemistry drives both their recordings and dynamic performances.
Channeling the spirit of vintage blues, rock and soul through a modern, hard-hitting lens, Mallow Hill draws comparisons to artists like Tedeschi Trucks Band, Gary Clark Jr., and Alabama Shakes. Their debut album Soul Candy marked a major step forward for the band, expanding their reach beyond the Baltimore scene while earning early praise. Standout single “Thinkin’ Bout My Baby” has received regional radio airplay on Oceans 98.1 and a television feature on Coastlife TV.
Known for their powerful live performances, Mallow Hill has built a reputation as a must-see act. With a growing reputation, and a sound that bridges classic influence with modern force, the band is quickly establishing itself as a standout act in today’s blues-rock landscape.
PRETTY WAR
Pretty War is a Baltimore based conglomerate of seasoned musicians from various projects, coming together like Voltron to form something quite special. The thing that makes this band so unique is that the four members have known eachother for a long time – as far back as high school and all roads have led to THIS moment with THIS band.
The four piece is made up of previous members of the Kelly Bell Band and Mark Hopkins & the Pretty War. Mark Hopkins (guitar/vocals) Jon Maurer (keys/vocals) are both veteran songwriters of the scene and when they put their heads together magic happens. The rhythm section is comprised of two wildly talented players: John Robert Buell (Drums) and Ryan LaHam (Bass).
The goal of Pretty War is to always start with great original songs and to experiment and explore improvisational space within those musical environments.
RICKY WISE & THE AGGRESIVE JOY
Ricky Wise is a Baltimore based singing drummer. Growing up on the music of the ’40s and ’50s from his Grandparents, classic rock from the ’60s through the ’80s from his Dad, and soul, Motown, and disco hits from the ’60s through today from his Mom, he had a wide range of musical knowledge to pull from when he became a full time musician. Ricky has been performing in the DMV area for over a decade now, and has no plans on stopping any time soon. Ricky still enjoys digging through the archives and listening to tunes of the past, as well as finding new music that turns him on, and finding some time to work on original music of his own in his spare time, whatever that is.
Along with all of the 1.2 million bands Ricky is in, he also occasionally gets the call to do even more! Friends like Sweet Leda, or Lower Case Blues, or Bill Kirchen might even call Ricky for a gig, which is exciting and always keeps the music fresh. He has always found it such a joy to collaborate with other musicians, especially when there’s no time to prep; just show up and boogie!
THE HOT AUGUST COLLECTIVE
The Hot August Collective formed in 2024 as a super group of DMV area musicians kicking off the music at the 2024 Hot August Festival. Very shortly into their set they let the crowd know that they would live up to their name and their debut performance was HOT!
Some of the core members of the group include Jonathan Sloane, Bobby Thompson, Deren Blessman, and Christopher Brown, with various past members including Benji Porecki, Ron Holloway, and more.
This group has proven themselves to be not one miss.