Cheerleader Roadkill
Cheerleader Roadkill, a pop-punk band from the western Chicago suburbs, founded in 2022. Classmates Noel Kovac (guitar, vocals) and Jack Metz (bass), inspired by the sound of 90s pop punk bands like blink-182, Simple Plan, and Sum 41, they began writing songs in Kovac’s garage in July of 2022 and soon turned their attention to finding a drummer. After 6 months of rotating through a handful of drummers, fellow classmate Jesse Ortega (drums) was brought into the fold and solidified the current lineup.
Brother Ali
Brother Ali is a respected Hip Hop artist, speaker, and community leader. His two-decade resume includes ten critically-acclaimed albums, mentorships with iconic Hip Hop legends Chuck D and Rakim, and performances on late night shows with Jimmy Fallon and Conan O’Brien. His provocative and uplifting brand of Hip Hop has earned him coveted press features like Rolling Stone’s 40th anniversary edition and Source Magazine’s “Hip Hop Quotables”, while his outspoken social justice message has landed him on government watch lists. He’s also lectured at universities from Princeton to Stanford and delivered the keynote address at the Nobel Peace Prize Forum. When he’s not rocking the mic at Coachella or being arrested for civil disobedience in support of marginalized communities, Brother Ali travels the world learning and teaching Islamic Spirituality under some of today’s most renowned teachers. In addition to leading worship services and classes, he co-founded The Gemali Project, an organization that helps Muslim converts and spiritual seekers access the beauty of the Islamic tradition. Brother Ali recently launched The Travelers Podcast from his new home in Istanbul, exploring life’s journey with cultural, spiritual, and thought leaders from across the globe.
Hot Freaks
Hot Freaks formed in Minneapolis in the early 2010s, releasing their self-titled debut LP in 2013—a collection of bright, danceable indie-pop tracks with a glossy disco sheen and disarmingly vulnerable lyrics. Blending the emotional openness of of Montreal and Voxtrot with flashes of MGMT’s playful charisma, the record captured the band’s tight-knit chemistry and earned them a loyal following in the Minneapolis scene. Though they rarely toured beyond the Midwest, the group—made up of longtime friends whose relationships stretched back over a decade—became a beloved local staple before amicably disbanding in 2015 as members moved on to new chapters. Years later, the internet gave Hot Freaks a second life. During the pandemic, their 2013 single “PUPPY PRINCESS” unexpectedly went viral on TikTok, introducing the band’s heartfelt, humor-tinged indie pop to a new global audience. What began as nostalgia among friends quickly turned into a full reunion as fans discovered the band’s earnest songwriting and infectious energy. Now reconnecting with listeners around the world, Hot Freaks are stepping back onto the stage with renewed momentum—releasing rare material, debuting new visuals, and turning a handful of hometown reunion shows into the start of a much bigger return.
Steel Beans
guardin
Guardin is an alternative singer-songwriter from Western New York whose music has inspired countless others through his honest lyrics and creative endeavors. Guardin has toured around the country as a headliner and co-headliner and in support of OliverFrancis, Gnash,Wicca Phase, Guccihighwaters, Lund, and Sewerperson.
clovers daughter
clovers daughter is the indie pop/alternative project of Minneapolis-based songwriter Noor Shami. The Palestinian-American artist blends the emotional honesty of Big Thief, the depth of Ethel Cain, and the dreamy textures of The Marías into an intimate yet expansive indie pop sound. clovers daughter’s debut EP, Bittersweet (2025), introduced her introspective approach to songwriting, exploring the push and pull of young relationships through themes of nostalgia, uncertainty, and connection. Later that year, she released her debut album, Am I Worth It?, a 10-track project centered on the aftermath of betrayal and the emotional patterns that linger long after a relationship ends.Her second EP, Fragile Feeling (2026), builds on those themes with a more refined perspective, examining vulnerability, miscommunication, and the complexities of intimacy with clarity and restraint. In under two years, clovers daughter has toured with Darlingside and BabyJake, surpassed 180,000 streams on Spotify, and was named Artist of the Month by The Current in June 2026. With her sophomore album set for an August 2026 release, clovers daughter will bring her dynamic live show across the Midwest on a regional tour starting in August through September.
VOID
Formed in 2019 by vocalist Jackson Davenport, VOID is a haunted, technically sharp thrash/heavy metal force rising out of Lafayette, Louisiana. Blending razor-edged aggression with an eerie atmosphere, VOID stands at the crossroads of classic thrash intensity and dark, theatrical heavy metal. The band made its first major statement with their debut album Horrors of Reality in early 2023. The record introduced VOID’s uncompromising sound—fast, intricate riffing, commanding vocals, and a sinister edge—and was followed by a relentless stretch of touring that hardened the band on the road and built a growing underground following. That momentum led to VOID racking their first record deal, and the band then focused their efforts on crafting their most ambitious work to date: Forbidden Morals, a full-length concept album centered on a lost traveler’s descent into the castle of Vlad the Impaler. Dark, cinematic, and technically ferocious, the album marked a turning point for the band—putting VOID firmly on the map and opening the door to larger tours and wider recognition. Following the release of Forbidden Morals, VOID signed with Metal Blade Records to further carve their path in stone as one of the most compelling new voices in modern traditional metal.https://voidthrash.bandcamp.com/Phantom (Phantom G.D.L) is a young band from Guadalajara, Mexico, that has quickly established itself as one of the most solid and promising acts in Latin American metal. Their sound, rooted in relentless speed/thrash metal and a dark aesthetic, has allowed them to connect with international audiences and gain increasing recognition within the global scene.https://www.instagram.com/phantom__speed
Weaving Shadows Album Release
Weaving Shadows – Celebrating the release of their album “Existential Decay”! Weaving Shadows, a story by W.H Holmes written in 1923 is one of the first American ghost stories filled with themes of pain, loss, anxiety, and failure. These concepts are the most horrifying things humans will experience. We as musicians take those concepts and try to bring them out in our music. One of our fans once told us our music sounds like “being thrown down a pit of despair”. doom / sludge / metal from Omahahttps://weavingshadows.bandcamp.com/YUREI – DEATH//BLACK//SLUDGE from Omaha, NEhttps://www.instagram.com/yureideath/M.A.N. – Non stop raging, punky grindcore and stupid dancing from Lincoln, NEhttps://mantheband.bandcamp.com/Zuneg & the Doom Choir – Post-gothic trip hop from Omahahttps://open.spotify.com/artist/439jIcB8IoZC9z6iDBl2Td
Off with Their Heads
Chicago by way of Minnesota punk band Off with Their Heads began as a hard-touring entity with a revolving-door membership centered around the songs of guitarist/vocalist Ryan Young. After moving from many years of less involved vinyl-only releases, the band’s high-speed melodic rock sound spread out over full-length albums like 2013’s Home and 2019’s Be Good. Calm/Collected, a collection of acoustic versions of songs old and new, appeared in 2022. 2026 marks the 20th anniversary of “Hospitals” LP. https://dasowth.bandcamp.com/
The Queers
The Queers are the greatest pop punk band in the world!!! The band has released classic records like “Beat Off” and “Don’t Back Down” while playing around the world many times! Oftentimes compared to the Ramones and The Beach Boys with a little Black Flag thrown in for good measure, the band plays nonstop for 60 minutes. Few other bands could play their set without stopping 20 times!https://www.instagram.com/thequeersofficial/DSM-5 (pop punk / punk rock from Omaha)https://www.instagram.com/dsm5punk/The Shidiots – 90’s Fat Wreck punk rock from Omahahttps://www.instagram.com/theshidiots/Disrepair (d-beat / raw / crust / punk from Lincoln)https://www.instagram.com/disrepair_punk/