Saturday, June 7
Charlotte Blu
At age 17, Charlotte graced the stage of NBC’s “The Voice” to showcase her talent. Although she was not selected to move on in the competition, this was a defining moment that would help fuel her ambitions to become a better singer-songwriter.
Charlotte Blu (born Charlotte Boyer) is an amazing upcoming music artist originally from Illinois. She began singing at a very young age receiving her first guitar lesson at 10 years old and from there developed a love for the instrument. Charlotte is a vocalist, songwriter, musician, and performer with talents in performing and songwriting in different genres of music. Her music as an artist is rooted in soul, blues and inspired by artists such as Amy Winehouse, Etta James, H.E.R., and Beyonce.
Quique Escamilla
Quique Escamilla is a Mexican Mayan-Zapotec, born and raised in the warm, tropical southern lands of the state of Chiapas, Mexico. He started singing Mexican folk songs at the age of four at his family reunions. Today, Quique is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, producer, and an international touring artist based in Toronto, Canada.
He breaks down language barriers through his powerful voice and passionate delivery while fusing traditional Mexican styles of music with modern sounds of rock, reggae, ska, pop, jazz, cumbia, bolero, and a variety of other diverse sounds from Latin American and the Caribbean.
His lyrics carry powerful messages that are inspired by and support various social and political issues such as human rights, immigration reform, global conservation, anti-racism, anti-discrimination, anti-oppression and indigenous rights. 25 years of performing live have seasoned Quique to effortlessly connect with his audiences–either solo or with his band; be it in an intimate house concert setting, a large music festival such as the Montreal Jazz Festival, headline Toronto’s majestic Koerner Hall, or rock the Millenium Park’s main stage in Chicago.
Despite the distance from his homeland, Quique remains strongly attached to his Mexican roots. He is honoured to be in Canada to share with and disseminate among his audiences a flavour of his Mexican culture, heritage and traditions through his music and live impassioned performances. His first full-length record “500 Years of Night” was released in 2014, which won him the World Music Album of the Year at the JUNO Awards 2015. The album also won the World Best Solo Artist of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards 2014.
Sunday, June 8
Zach Pietrini
Zach Pietrini’s Midwestern, indie americana songwriting aesthetic is the sonic embodiment of a well-worn denim jacket. At the forefront of the Americana resurgence, Pietrini—lead vocalist and guitarist for his namesake band—takes an everyman’s approach to the genre with a knack for honest storytelling and a wistfulness that comes across in both the music and lyrics. The band takes its cues from Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, and David Ramirez, reinterpreting and rejuvenating American roots styles through a contemporary lens. Pietrini’s songs “situate him at the confluence of all that an urban Millennial audience finds relatable” (Milwaukee Magazine), performing old-soul themes of ennui, regret, disappointment, and nostalgia with a modern twist.
Alysha Brilla
Alysha Brilla is an Indo-Tanzanian Canadian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, music producer, audio engineer and film composer blending folk, world, soul and pop influences. 2025 Women In Music International Leadership Honouree, a three-time JUNO Award nominee and 2024 Canadian Screen Award-nominated composer for The Queen Of My Dreams, Brilla’s work is known for its emotional depth and cultural richness.
Brilla channels her heritage into a vibrant soundscape exploring themes of reconnection with oneself, others and nature. In 2013, she made history as one of the first self-produced female artists to receive a JUNO nomination for her debut album.
Brilla’s distinct sound features layered vocals, percussive guitar and world-music-inspired beats, incorporating Indian and East African elements, modal singing and contemporary production. A multi-instrumentalist, she performs on guitar, piano, drums and percussion, making her live shows dynamic displays of musicianship.
She has produced three JUNO award nominated albums and composed, produced and engineered the score for The Queen Of My Dreams, earning a 2024 Canadian Screen Award nomination. Brilla also wrote and produced the World Down Syndrome Day Theme song in 2021.
She has collaborated with artists like Paula Sofia and Desirée Dawson and worked with Grammy-winning talent including Bedouin Soundclash, Digging Roots, No Doubt, The Black Eyed Peas and Justin Nozuka. Her single “Love” was mastered by three-time Grammy winner Emily Lazar.
Brilla’s international performances celebrate diversity, uniting audiences with her powerful voice and magnetic stage presence. Alysha Brilla is also an associate professor in Berklee College’s Music Production and Engineering department and a sought-after keynote speaker, sharing insights on music, culture and the power of art.
Sunday, June 15
Sophie Coyote
Sophie Coyote is a singer/songwriter from the small mid-western town of Waddams Grove, Illinois. Born in an old farm house surrounded by rolling fields. She was raised on a broad range of musical influences that include classic rock & roll, honky-tonk country and a bit of blues. This open mind of influence has led to a songwriting style that is reminiscent of the raw and honest age of music; lyrically driven with interesting stories, unique twists and word-play.
The Sweet Lillies
Those defining traits are given life by the quartet of musicians making up The Sweet Lillies – Julie Gussaroff, Becca Bisque, Jones Maynard, and Dustin Rohleder – who have combined their individual strengths together to deliver powerful narratives of life in song.
With their acoustic string-band lineup of guitar, viola, upright bass, and drums given flight by ethereal, vocal harmonies that float like a dream, the Sweet Lillies’ music has an old-time soul with a forward-looking eye.
Sunday, June 22
Amanda Fish
Amanda Fish began as a singer songwriter in late 2012, refining her original material as a solo act for 2 years before she formed her band in early 2014, a Roots Rock and Soul project featuring Amanda’s signature ‘from-the-gut’ vocals. In 2015, she released her first all-original LP, “Down In The Dirt”, on VizzTone Label Group, for which she was awarded the 2016 “Sean Costello Rising Star” Blues Blast Music Award. Amanda became a semifinalist in the 2017 International Blues Challenge where she garnered acclaim from new fans and industry professionals alike. From her performance at the IBC, she was able to start touring the US and Canada. In 2018, Amanda released her second all original studio album, “Free”, on VizzTone Label Group, debuting at #6 on the Billboard Blues Album Chart and nabbing a 2019 Blues Music Award for Best Emerging Artist Album. During the 2020 Covid crisis, Amanda cut an album of home-recorded demos of her newly written music, aptly named “Trailer Park Demos”, which she self-released exclusively through her website in 2021. Over the next 3 years, heavily influenced by her experiences of new parenthood and the shift from playing music to working as a CNA during the pandemic lockdowns, civil unrest, and government corruption, Amanda wrote and recorded a brand new album entitled “Kingdom”. The long-awaited new album, described as “A journey of faith, redemption, and hope against a backdrop of chaos and upheaval, “Kingdom” returns time and again to its message of truth and love”, was released on VizzTone Label Group in July 2024.
Kiran Ahluwalia
KIRAN AHLUWALIA is a modern exponent of the great vocal styles of India and Pakistan, which she honors intensely yet departs from in masterful, personal ways. With roots in Sufi, Qawalli, Ghazal, and Punjabi folk, she crafts her own contemporary songs that are equal parts reflective and groovy. The 2-time Juno Award Winner embodies the essence of Indian music while embracing influences from Mali and western blues, rock, R&B and jazz. With her 6-piece group of electric guitar, accordion, organ, tabla, bass and drum kit, Ahluwalia creates boundary-breaking songs that invite us to explore the human condition, creating a “transnational sound as fresh as tomorrow”. (Seattle Times),
Born in India, raised in Canada and currently dividing her time between New York City and Toronto, Ahluwalia has long been on a path to master the art of singing and composing. “When I was growing up in India, there were concerts that people from all over would crowd into. These concerts featured a repertoire, language and content that was both demanding and beyond the experience of a child. I was, however, entranced by the sound and feel of the music, even from an early age. My father would play tapes of Indian music for me and we would also listen to Bollywood on the radio,” Ahluwalia recalls. “So when a song came on that I wanted to learn, my mother would quickly write down the lyrics for me and I would sing along to learn the melody.”
From the time she was seven, Ahluwalia immersed herself in Indian music. When the family immigrated to Canada she continued her musical training alongside her regular school. After graduating from the University of Toronto, she returned to India where she spent years of intense deep study in music. Back in Canada in the late 90s she followed more mundane pursuits – she got an MBA in Finance and started working as a Trader on Bay Street. And there it might have ended if Ahluwalia had not had recurring visions of being on her deathbed not having lived out her passion. So she left the world of business and threw herself totally into a life devoted to the making of her own music.
Since then she has toured around the world, recorded eight albums, topped the North American & European World Music Charts and won two Juno Awards, a Canadian Folk Music Award and the UK’s Songlines Award. Her songs have featured collaborations with legendary Malian group Tinariwen, Celtic fiddler Natalie MacMaster, fado masters from Portugal and Algeria’s Souad Massi on her new album Comfort Food, which features powerful songs protesting Hindu fundamentalism and ethnic nationalism.
Ahluwalia’s own band is directed by virtuoso guitarist Rez Abbasi, who consistently ranks among the top ten guitarists in the annual DownBeat International Critics Poll. Ahluwalia and Abbasi are a real-life couple – one born in India, the other in Pakistan. Having grown up in the Diaspora they crossed ethnic and religious lines between their two warring motherlands to forge a profound connection in life and music.
In 2018, Ahluwalia was diagnosed with breast cancer. After surviving that and the COVID pandemic that followed, she is happy to be back, releasing new music and performing in front of live audiences. She is currently working on a documentary about her Guru, Vithal Rao, in Hyderabad, India. “He was the last living court musician for the Prince of Hyderabad,” she says. “He lived in the palace for 12 years. He lived an extraordinary life and died an extraordinary death. It’s my passion project to tell the world about him.”
Whether shooting films or making music, Ahluwalia is an artist who reflects what has happened and inspires us to create a world that is beautiful and just for all.
Sunday, June 29
Angela Meyer
Angela Meyer keeps audiences coming back to share in the human experience through her honest writing and dynamic performances. She innately understands being in the audience as she grew up in a family of country musicians and fans of the genre. At 10 years old, her grandparents gave her a guitar for Christmas and her Grandma Darlene taught her those first three chords to play along with the songs coming out of their record player. Angela started to write her own songs at fifteen and quickly made it into her career. “Legions & Legends” is Angela Meyer’s latest release and can be found anywhere music is bought or streamed. Tune into Angela’s radio show, Muddy Water Radio, on WQUD 107.7 fm each Saturday from 2-5pm. The radio show that brings the very best country, western, and rodeo tunes to the airwaves across Eastern Iowa or from anywhere in the world via online streaming.
Rye Davis
Rye Davis is a modern day troubadour from Pig, Kentucky. His smooth, distinctive vocals, captivating songs and live show energy bring his brand of country music to a whole new generation of growing listeners who never knew what country could be. Armed with a can-do attitude and determination, Rye Davis stands as a beacon of hope for the return of real, down home music.
Sunday, July 6
Emerson Woolf & The Wishbones
Emerson Woolf & The Wishbones blend soulful lyricism with rootsy Americana and indie rock flair. Fronted by singer-songwriter Emerson Woolf, the band delivers heartfelt narratives wrapped in lush harmonies, warm guitar tones, and a touch of vintage twang. Known for their captivating live shows and poetic songwriting, The Wishbones carve out a sound that’s both nostalgic and refreshingly original—music for long drives, quiet nights, and everything in between.
Coral Moons
Coral Moons is an indie pop band that formed on the shores of Boston and recently relocated to the woods of Upstate New York. If they’re not tending to their gardens, taking film photos with vintage cameras, or drinking homemade wine by the fire, they’re touring nationally and hitting up major music festivals on the way.
The solitude and stillness of the cabin has had an immersive impact on lead singer and songwriter, Carly Kraft (she/her). She describes a week at their home studio in the woods, caring for her chickens, as a healing experience. Seeking refuge to heal old wounds, moving to the countryside has forced her to slow down and reclaim what was always hers — her songs.
Coral Moons has debuted new singles in spring of 2024 with a completely new sonic palette, as they announced signing with brooklyn based label, better company records. The autobiographical songs walk you through the twists and turns of being a woman in our society along with the journey towards self-worth and self-acceptance. Their new music was recorded in Seattle with producer Andy D. Park (Death Cab, Pedro the Lion, Ciara) and features guitar work by Jessica Dobson of Deep Sea Diver.
Sunday, July 13
Windborne
Windborne’s captivating show draws on the singers’ deep roots in traditions of vocal harmony, while the absolute uniqueness of their artistic approach brings old songs into the present. Known for the innovation of their arrangements, their harmonies are bold and anything but predictable.
With a 20-year background studying polyphonic music around the world, Lauren Breunig, Jeremy Carter-Gordon, Lynn Rowan, and Will Rowan share a vibrant energy onstage with a blending of voices that can only come from decades of friendship alongside dedicated practice. The ensemble shifts effortlessly between drastically different styles of music, drawing their audience along on a journey that spans continents and centuries, illuminating and expanding on the profound power and variation of the human voice. The singers educate as they entertain, sharing stories about their songs and explaining the context and characteristics of the styles in which they sing.
BBC Traveling Folk describes Windborne as “subverting expectations and redefining the genre… just absolutely phenomenal!” Audiences and critics lavish praise upon the singers not only for their technical mastery, but for the passion, engagement, and connection with each other and the audience that imbues each performance with a rare power.
But there’s another, crucial dimension to Windborne that guides and roots their artistry. They are adherents to folk music’s longtime alliance with social activism, labor and civil rights, and other movements that champion the oppressed, the poor, and the disenfranchised. Their latest project, Of Hard Times & Harmony, explores themes of social consciousness, singing in four languages and showcasing the depth of emotion their voices can evoke, as well as moments of true hilarity and wit
The group is committed to bringing vocal traditions to a younger audience and over the past year has found surprisingly viral success on TikTok for such unlikely genres as Corsican polyphony or early 20th century labor anthems.
Ladama
LADAMA is a pioneering force in the music industry’s female collectives. With a decade of groundbreaking innovation, Lara Klaus (Brazil), Daniela Serna (Colombia), and Mafer Bandola (Venezuela) lead the project by blending Latin American influences to craft a rich, dynamic sonic experience. Their music, driven by instruments like the bandola llanera, tambor alegre, pandeiro, and more, showcases their prowess as instrumentalists, composers, producers, and music mediators. Through original compositions in Spanish, Portuguese, and English, they weave together rhythm, percussion, and traditional melodies, infusing them with a contemporary flair. Experience their captivating journey through music that resonates with wild, tender, and diverse energy.
LADAMA delivers an utterly unique experience as they flow from the electric to the acoustic, from Spanish to English and Portuguese, and from the high plains of Venezuela to the Colombian coast. Their art proves that borders are meaningless, transporting us to a future where the world communicates across continents and cultures through sound and story.
Sunday, July 20
Blame Not the Bard
Blame Not the Bard began in 2015 as a side project among friends. They were soon delighted to see that their love for fiery instrumentals, unearthing captivating stories, and getting the whole crowd involved was catching on, leading them to some of the most iconic stages in Iowa.
In the years that have followed, BNTB has played hundreds of shows across the midwest, lighting up stages in nine states with venues ranging from intimate listening rooms to major festivals including the Kansas City Irish Fest and main stage appearances at the Iowa Irish Fest. Boasting multiple media appearances, including a 2021 feature in Little Village Magazine, an artist feature on KDEC 100.5 and numerous appearances on the award-winning Irish and Celtic Music Podcast, Ceolplay with Colum King, and a 2022 full-length Greetings from Iowa PBS special, BNTB is sharing their songs and stories around the world.
In August of 2023, BNTB released their sophomore album “Now and Again,” which features their current lineup of Andrew Philbrick, Corey Baker, Nicole Philbrick, along with their newest member, Dan Vaughn. Having performed for years as a trio, this album is a rest stop between old and new, reimagining the songs that BNTB fans know and love before venturing further into their sound as a quartet.
Brass Queens
Hailing from Brooklyn, Brass Queens is a female-led brass band featuring all-female horns with a sound that is deeply inspired by the New Orleans tradition. They regularly tour across the country and internationally, appearing on festival stages including the Ottawa Jazz Festival, Northlands Music Festival, MusikFest, Duck Jazz Festival, and Exit Zero Jazz Festival.
Sunday, July 27
Dickie
Dick Prall is a master of what a recent interviewer called “self-deprecating indie rock.” For almost a decade, the 55-year-old Iowa artist has been best known as Dickie, the loving nickname that his late mother bestowed on him before she passed away in 2013. Dickie’s newest release, the Headful of Hiss EP, is a gleaming testament to his ever-strengthening gifts as a songwriter, spanning lush folk, irresistibly catchy pop, yearning alternative, windswept heartland rock, and the timeless sensibility of ’60s classics. Produced in Des Moines by Bryan Vanderpool of illustrious folk-pop duo The Well Pennies, the record comprises five exquisitely well-wrought songs that cloak ruminations on anxiety, substance abuse, and depression in majestic, sweetly tuneful, aw-shucks beauty.
Pat Byrne
An Irish singer-songwriter, Pat Byrne has come a long way since his first deal with Universal. In late 2017, Byrne began his migration to Austin, Texas. In 2019, Pat took the US by storm, with breakout performances at the 30A Festival, SXSW, Kerrville Folk Festival and the Americana Festival. Being immersed in the Texas music scene, Pat’s sophomore US release, Into the Light, has an edgier feel underscoring both emotional depth and greater confidence, while blending new influences with his rich Irish heritage.
Sunday, August 3
Parker Barrow
Parker Barrow, the blues-infused Southern rock band led by husband and wife duo Megan Kane (vocals) and Dylan Turner (drums), supported by the formidable Alex Bender (guitar), and band Will Tipton (Guitar), Bo Howard (Bass), & Eric Safka (Keys), is a powerhouse group, taking the stage by storm as anything from a 6-piece to a 10-piece band – boasting a distinctive musical style. Forged from an immediate connection, the band finds inspiration in the infamous duo of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. Kane and Turner aim to infuse their music with the iconic energy of a dynamic duo, portraying a narrative where, instead of evading the law, they are a dynamic pair in pursuit of their rock ‘n’ roll dreams.
Zydeco Voodoo
From the deepest depths of the Bayou one steamy sultry night, there stirred a hoodoo wailing. An old Choctow priestess chanting quietly to herself, reawakened ancient powers, and the voodoo spell cast. And there, that frightful night, was born a Zydeco sound like no other to be found…
ZYDECO VOODOO!!!
Zydeco Voodoo plays upbeat traditional New Orleans music and popular rock and blues songs adapted to the Zydeco style.
The music gets the audience dancing, singing along and having a good time.
Zydeco Voodoo is a family friendly band. We invite children and adults to come up on stage and participate by dancing or playing percussion instruments.