Metzger/Walters is the project of guitarist Kevin Metzger and pianist/drummer R. Aaron Walters — two upstate New York natives whose music spans jazz, improvisation, and original composition. Metzger, an East Syracuse native and Syracuse University graduate, is a guitarist, composer, and educator based in Austin, TX, and a two-time City of Austin grant recipient. Walters, a Baldwinsville native and Ithaca College graduate, is a Syracuse Area Music Award (SAMMY)-winning pianist, drummer, and producer based in Ithaca, NY — and the mixing engineer behind the duo's recordings. On August 1st, Metzger and Walters bring their full Upstate Quartet to Funk 'N Waffles — joined by keyboardist Emmett Scott and bassist Michael Schuller — for an exclusive pre-release performance of their forthcoming live album Live New Worlds (out October 9, 2026). Physical copies of the album will be available to attendees before the public release. It's a genuine homecoming: both Metzger and Walters grew up in the greater Syracuse area, and Funk 'N Waffles has been a home base for the project; most recently the site of their 2024 Many Worlds release show. This is their first appearance back since that night.

Mt. Erebus, based in Syracuse, NY, consists of core members Dan Mosher (guitar), Dan Bottcher (bass), and Jordan Franklin (drums/percussion). Formed in 2022, Mt. Erebus brings a unique, modern flair to the timeless sounds of jazz fusion and progressive rock. Their self-titled debut album takes inspiration from legendary artists like Jeff Beck, Mark Lettieri, and Yussef Dayes while blazing new sonic trails to articulate an original sound.