Houndmouth is an American alternative blues band from New Albany, Indiana led by Matt Myers (guitar, vocals). Houndmouth formed in the summer of 2011. After playing locally in Louisville and Indiana, they performed at the SXSW music festival in March 2012 to promote their homemade self-titled EP. Geoff Travis, the head of Rough Trade was in the audience and offered a contract shortly after. In 2012, the band was named “Band Of The Week” by The Guardian. In 2013 Houndmouth’s debut album, From the Hills Below the City, was released by Rough Trade. This led to performances on Letterman, Conan, World Cafe, and several major festivals (ACL, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Newport Folk Festival). SPIN and Esquire.com named Houndmouth a “must-see” band at Lollapalooza, and Garden & Gun said, “You’d be hard pressed to find a more effortless, well-crafted mix of roots and rock this year than the debut album from this Louisville quartet.”

Born out of dorm room demos and packed college house shows, The Bends are a rock band from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, reimagining the sound of early 2000s garage rock with catchy choruses and a stage ferociousness that will, and has, enthralled the most stubborn of bad attitudes. Formed after childhood friends - guitarist Ian Marmande and drummer Jacob Rhodes - linked up with frontman Hayden Field and bassist Chase Perkins during their time at Louisiana State University (LSU), the band played their first show in 2023 to a crowd of 800. Since then, The Bends mapped out their own college circuit tour, spilling over to stages in student-filled bars and clubs in college towns spread throughout the Southeast of the US. After selling out their first hard ticketed show at The Varsity in Baton Rouge this past May, the band is now gearing up for their first headline tour: LEEWARD DRIVE TOUR, kicking off in September. Prompted by their growing fanbase to share original music, The Bends released their debut track, “Makeup,” last year, reaching the Top 5 on Spotify’s Viral Chart while follow-up tune, “Weekend Love,” notched a coveted ‘Advance Placement’ slot on SiriusXM’s Alt-Nation channel. Their latest single, “Virginia,” preludes more new music to come from the four-piece this year. Influenced by the likes of The Strokes, Kings of Leon, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Bends have created real momentum the old- school way: One sweaty stage and packed room at a time…